The Standard - 2015 June 23 - Tuesday

RotaRy club of manila newspapeR of the yeaR 2015 VOL. XXIX NO. 123 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 TUESday : JUNE 23, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Wang bo will stay in PH, says De Lima

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binay resigns from cabinet

By Vito Barcelo, Christine F. Herrera and Macon Ramos-Araneta

VICE President Jejomar Binay resigned from the Cabinet Monday, stepping down as chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and as presidential adviser on overseas Filipino workers’ concerns.

“I hereby tender my irrevocable resignation as member of the Cabinet effective

immediately,” Binay said in one-sentence letter to President Benigno Aquino III. The letter, on the official letterhead of the Office of the Vice President and dated June 22, began with “Dear Mr. President” and was signed “Respectfully yours, Jejomar C. Binay.”

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa said in a statement he received the letter Monday afternoon from Binay’s daughter, Makati Rep. Abigail Binay, who was accompanied

by Undersecretary Benjamin Martinez, the Vice President’s chief of staff.

Ochoa said he gave the letter to the

President, who called up Binay to confirm his resignation.

Ochoa added that he will formalize the acceptance of the Vice President’s resignation.

Binay’s resignation Monday marked a final break with an administration that has grown increasingly hostile toward him.

Binay, who has long declared his intention to run for president in 2106, has been the subject of various investigations, including a long-running Senate probe and has been charged with graft before the Office of the Ombudsman. In May, the Anti-Money Laundering Council ordered the freezing of more than 200 bank accounts that it linked to Binay.

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VP still most trusted, says Pulse survey

By Sandy Araneta

In happier times. This file photo shows President Benigno Aquino III chatting with Vice President Jejomar Binay at the 115th anniversary of the Philippine Navy at Fort San Felipe in Cavite City.

DESPITE persistent allegations of corruption against him, Vice President Jejomar Binay is still the most trusted government official in the country, and the only one to garner a score of more than 50 percent, a new Pulse Asia Research survey released Monday showed.

Binay, with a 57 percent trust rating, came ahead of President Benigno Aquino III (50 percent) and Senate President Franklin Drilon (45 percent), the Ulat ng Bayan survey showed. Next page

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DoJ: Wang Bo will remain in PH

By Vito Barcelo and Rey E. Requejo

SUSPECTED Chinese crime lord Wang Bo, who is being kept in isolation at the Bureau of Immigration facility in Bicutan, will remain in jail until the Justice Department orders him deported, Immigration officials said Monday.

“Wang Bo cannot be deported unless [Justice] Secretary Leila De Lima

orders his deportation,” the bureau spokesperson, Elaine Tan, said.

She said they were not aware that three Chinese police officers were in the country to escort Wang back to China for prosecution over his alleged illegal transnational gambling operations and money laundering.

The House of Representatives is investigating allegations that Wang paid Immigration officials to order his release, and that millions of that money went to bribe lawmakers into approving the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

Appearing before a House panel, Wang denied bribing the lawmakers and Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison and Immigration Associate Commissioners Abdullah

Mangotara and Gilberto Repizo for his release.

Bureau officials said De Lima had strict instructions that no one was to have any access to Wang unless they have clearance from her.

De Lima said Monday she would meet with a special team from the National Bureau of Investigation Tuesday to find out if they have a breakthrough in their investigation of the alleged bribery, and if Wang could now be deported.

She said if the fact-finding team finds no basis for the bribery allegation, then Wang would be deported as soon as possible.

“With the NBI special team, I should be able to get some preliminary results from them. So his de-

portation will really depend on the development of the case. If this investigation will go nowhere or if there’s no confirmation or validation on the bribery allegations, I might order the immediate implementation of the summary deportation order,” she added.

On the other hand, if the investigators said they still needed to pursue significant leads, she would have to hold off on the deportation.

De Lima could not confirm a report that Chinese policemen have already arrived in the country to bring Wang back to China.

An NBI insider said the special team would likely ask De Lima for more time.

The vice chairman of the House

committee on good government and public accountability said Monday lawmakers would not intervene to stop Wang’s deportation, despite their ongoing investigation of his case.

“That is for the Department of Justice to decide,” said Butil party-list Rep. Agapito Guanlao.

Guanlao said the Justice Department is conducting an investigation, while the House is probing the allegations of bribery in aid of legislation.

While acknowledging that Wang was an important resource person in its hearings, Congress will not preempt the Justice Department and other government agencies on the case. – With Maricel V. Cruz

Binay resigns From A1...

Binay’s exit comes on the heels of a Pulse Asia Research survey showing that he was the most trusted top government official, with a trust rating of 58 percent—higher than Aquino’s 54 percent.

Binay’s allies in Congress said they expected the Vice President to speak up for the people.

“Binay will keep the Aquino administration and the Cabinet on their toes,” Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza said. “Being the second highest official in the land, we expect the Vice President to be vocal about abuses in government,” Atienza said.

But Aquino’s allies, including House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., played down Binay’s resignation as coming too late.

“He should have done it earlier but it’s the proper thing and leaves him free to criticize the administration,” Belmonte said.

“Long overdue!” added Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, a member of the ruling Liberal Party.

Negros Occidental Rep. Albee Benitez, a member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, said Binay’s resignation would allow him to focus on his campaign.

Another LP stalwart, Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice, said leaving the Cabinet would now allow Binay to gather and consolidate those forces who are opposed to President Aquino and would want the good old days of traditional politics to “fight not for principles but for survival.”

Erice predicted that Binay would “now use the administration as his punching bag and hit it to his heart’s content.”

But Abakada Rep. Jonathan dela Cruz, who belongs to the independent minority bloc in the House, said Binay would not be gagged anymore and could start speaking his mind.

“He should be able to speak his mind in the thousand and one things afflicting our country and people. He should stand up and be the leader he wants people to believe he is,” Dela Cruz said.

ACT Teacher’s Rep. Antonio Tinio, however, said Binay blinked first.

“By resigning from the Cabinet, he is clearly distancing himself from President Aquino. Why has VP Binay chosen to do so? Obviously, the plunder charges looming over VP Binay have made it virtually impossible for the President to endorse him as the administration’s 2016 presidential bet,” Tinio said.

“By resigning, VP Binay has preempted the embarrassment of being repudiated as the President’s anointed successor in favor of someone else,” Tinio added.

Aquino has already said he would not endorse Binay.

In the Senate, Senator Francis Escudero said Binay’s resignation signaled the start of a string of resignations by government officials who intend to run in 2016.

Earlier, Senate President Franklin Drilon said major changes will occur in the administration as at least six Cabinet members would quit to run next year.

Escudero said Binay’s resignation should come as no surprise as political parties and candidates gear up for the 2016 general elections.

He said Binay probably quit to focus on his politcal campaign.

“I respect the VP’s decision. I just hope that the President can immediately appoint his successor, as well as for other appointed secretaries, so as not to adversely affect the government’s ability to deliver basic services,” Escudero said.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who has hounded Binay with more than 20 Senate hearings on allegations of corruption, welcomed the news of the Vice President’s resignation.

“Now, there is no more inconsistency in the tuwid na daan (straight path) slogan of the administration,” he said.

More importantly, he said, the government can now go all out against Binay.

Trillanes was among the senators who have been actively participating in the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee hearings on allegations of corruption against Binay. – With Maricel V. Cruz

Destruction. An Armored Personnel Carrier crushes thousands of pirated DVDs, sunglasses, bags and other items in Camp Crame on Monday. Lino SantoS

VP still From A1...

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. came in fourth, with only 28 percent of the respondents saying they trusted him, while Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno placed fifth, with a trust rating of 27 percent.

The Pulse Asia survey was conducted from May 30 to June 5, as the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee continued its months-long investigation of allegations of corruption against Binay and his family.

The survey period also coincided with the government’s move to freeze more than 200 bank accounts that the AntiMoney Laundering Council linked to Binay.

Some 45 percent of respondents were undecided about Drilon—the same percentage as those who said they trusted him.

Indecision, however, was the majority opinion concerning the trustworthiness of Belmonte (52 percent) and Sereno (53 percent).

Levels of distrust ranged from 10 percent for Drilon to 19 percent for Binay and Belmonte.

Both Aquino and Binay were trusted by at least half of the respondents from the rest of Luzon (52 percent and 63 percent, respectively), the Visayas (52 percent and 53 percent, respectively), Mindanao (54 percent and 50 percent, respectively),

Class D (50 percent and 55 percent, respectively), and Class E (54 percent and 66 percent, respectively).

Among the top officials of the government, only two succeeded in scoring approval ratings above 50 percent—Binay with 58 percent and Aquino with 54 percent, Pulse Asia said.

Drilon won approval from 49 percent of the respondents, while small majorities were unable to say if they approved or disapproved of Sereno and Belmonte.

Disapproval scores ranged from 8 percent for Drilon to 18 percent for Binay.

Aquino posted majority approval ratings in all geographic areas and socioeconomic classes.

Binay gained approval from the majority in every geographic area and among respondents in Class D and E. Pulse Asia said both Aquino and Binay enjoyed improvements in their ratings.

Aquino’s overall approval and trust ratings increased by 16 and 14 percentage points, respectively.

Binay’s national approval and trust scores, rose 12 and 15 percentage points, respectively.

Drilon showed a gain in his approval and trust rating in the rest of Luzon, but lost ground in the Visayas and Mindanao.

The overall levels of ambivalence toward the performance and trustworthiness of the country’s top government officials were essentially constant between March and June 2015, Pulse Asia said.

The only notable movements were the increase in the national indecision rating of Drilon in relation to his trustworthi-

ness (+7 percentage points) and the decline in the level of ambivalence on the matter of trusting or distrusting Binay (- 7 percentage points).

The nationwide survey had 1,200 respondents 18 years and above, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent. Regional results have a margin of error of plus or minus 6 percent.

The Palace played up the improvement in the President’s performance rating of 54 percent, up from 38 percent in March, and his trust rating of 50 percent, from 36 percent.

“This is a testament to the people’s confidence in the President’s integrity and reliability, and the firm resolve of this administration that no one should be left behind in our quest toward inclusive growth,” said presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda.

“With roughly one year left for this administration, it is the Filipino people’s support which continues to inspire us to serve them better, and it is their discernment in future elections that will ensure the continuity of what we have done as we continue to tread [the straight path].”

A spokesman for Binay said the latest Pulse Asia survey showed people trusted Binay despite the political attacks against him and his family, and that they appreciated the Vice President’s hard work and dedication to public service.

“More importantly, it highlights that attacking the Vice President does not make his political opponents prepared for the job of the presidency,” said Binay’s spokesman for political affairs, Rico Quicho. – With Vito Barcelo

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More than survey power, Poe must prove citizenship By rey e. requejo

117 and counting. President Benigno Aquino III graces the 117th anniversary celebrations of the Department of Public Works and Highways in Manila. Malacañang Photo Bureau

‘Roxas administration’ to boost PH economy

By Maricel V. cruz

THE six-percentage-points gain by Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II in the recent Social Weather Stations survey indicates he will have a chance in the 2016 presidential elections, three lawmakers said Monday.

Reps. Edgar Erice and Ben Evardone said the “Roxas Administration” would provide a windfall of economic benefits—including a big boom in the multi-billion-dollar

call-center industry.

Erice said Roxas, who claims to be the “Father of the Business Process Outsourcing industry,” would be capable of leading the already robust sector to “brighter days.”

He said Roxas, the presumptive candidate of the ruling Liberal Party in 2016, could give more attention to the industry he started.

“I think he will give priority to the BPO industry considering the annual revenue has already reached $18 billion. This is just a little lower than the $24 billion we’re already getting from [the Filipino workers abroad],” Erice said.

Evardone said the income from BPOs, which employ more than a million Filipinos, had reached $18.4

billion, up by 18.4 percent year-onyear.

“Definitely, a Roxas presidency will be a big boost to the BPO industry not only in propagating growth but also ensuring that healthy working conditions are implemented,” Evardone said.

Rep. Reynaldo Umali said only Roxas had the “deep knowledge and love” of the BPO sector to ensure it was on track to overtake the remittances sent home by migrants. Soon, the BPO sector would be the country’s main source of dollar earnings.

“Mar fully understands the sector, being its father. With his knowledge and experience plus integrity, he can best lead the sector to more successes,” Umali said.

SENATOR Grace Poe’s dominance of the preferential surveys will amount to nothing unless she is able to hurdle the issue of her residency and citizenship and qualify to run for President in the 2016 elections, three analysts said Monday.

UP law dean Pacifico Agabin, litigation expert Raymond Fortun, and UP law professor Harry Roque Jr. said Poe must prove, either before the courts or before the Commission on Elections, that she is a natural-born Filipino citizen and has been a resident of the Philippines for at least 10 years before the May 2016 polls to qualify to run for the land’s highest office.

They said Poe must first hurdle the probable disqualification cases that will be filed against her before the Comelec and the Supreme Court if she wants to qualify to run for President.

Poe has topped the latest surveys on the presidential contenders conducted by Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations, where she went ahead of her closest rival—Vice President Jejomar Binay—and both by eight percentage points.

Fortun said Poe may be popular in the preferential surveys but that in itself is not enough to ensure victory in the 2016 elections.

“Qualifications to run for the presidency are enshrined in the Constitution,” Fortun said in a text message.

“I am certain that the courts will not be moved to favor an unqualified candidate regardless of competence, integrity or

popularity.”

The Constitution requires a presidential candidate to be a natural-born citizen and a resident of the Philippines for at least 10 years immediately preceding an election.

Agabin said Poe’s popularity in the surveys would be rendered “useless” if eventually she was disqualified over her residency or citizenship qualifications.

“Those issues [on residency and citizenship] still need to be settled if she intends to file her certificate of candidacy in October,” Agabin said.

Agabin, the general counsel of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, said Poe should have renounced her US citizenship at least 10 years before seeking higher office.

Poe, a foundling adopted by actors Fernando Poe Jr. and Susan Roces, grew up in the Philippines but pursued college studies in the US, where she later found a job and acquired US citizenship.

Poe insists she has met the 10-year residency rule because she returned to the country in 2004 after Fernando Poe Jr. died. She, however, did not renounce her US citizenship until 2010, when she was appointed to the Movie and Television Ratings Classification Board.

As late as 2009 she was still using her US passport to travel to and from the Philippines, according to Immigration records.

Some legal experts like Roque had earlier said the count on her residency should have begun in 2010, when she renounced her US citizenship.

Comelec to test Lagman’s system anew

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan THE Commission on Elections will test the Transparent and Credible Election System or TCrES on June 27 to find a suitable election system alternative that could be used in the 2016 presidential elections, a source said Monday.

Former Comelec commissioner Gus Lagman said he will again demonstrate the efficiency of his proposed election system before Comelec officials on Saturday.

“We are very happy that the Comelec is very receptive to new ideas,” Lagman said.

He said his end-to-end demonstration will be held in a classroom.

“That demo will be similar to a mock election. It will be an end to end demonstration,” Lagman said.

He made his statement even

as six companies have so far acquired bid documents for the lease of 23,000 Optical Mark Reader or OMR machines to be used in the 2016 national and local polls.

The Comelec identified the prospective bidders for the P2.5-billion project as Sysco Paper Corp., Miru Systems Co., Smartmatic–Total Information Management Corp., Dermalog Identification Systems GmbH, Indra Sistemas S.A., and Agan Montenegro Malasaga & Co. The other bidders can still purchase bid documents for the nonrefundable fee of P75,000 until June 29.

Meanwhile, an election lawyer on Monday urged the Comelec to explain to the 4.3-million registered voters that they require to be registered under the biometric system.

Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said the 4.3-million voters remained unaware if they were

still required to register under the biometric system given that they had been issued Voters’ IDs. “Most of these voters who are in possession of Voter’s ID have the impression that they are already biometrically registered since they already have their Voter’s ID,” Macalintal said.

He said those who had voted in the past two elections also believed they were no longer required to register under this system.

Lagman praised the new Comelec administration for being open to any alternatives before deciding which system to adopt by the end of July.

He said his group was aware that there were ongoing parallel bidding but they were hoping that the Comelec would consider their proposal.

“This idea is a Filipino concept and not by foreign vendors,” he said. With Pna

new poster. The Philippine Animal Welfare Society unveiled its newest cat-adoption posters with Asia’s Next Top Model mentor Joey Mead in Pasig City. Manny PalMero

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Late? MRT will give excuse slips

By Joel E. Zurbano The Metro Railway Transit (MRT-3) said it will provide excuse slips to commuters who will arrive late to school or work because of disruptions in the train system.

Poisoning kids? Members of the Ecowaste Coalition hold out signs depicting common household items that it claims are hazardous to children during celebrations marking National Poison Prevention Week at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City. LINO SANTOS

‘Bike Day’ will halve EDSA on 28th

By Joel E. Zurbano FOR the first time ever, although only for a day, eDSA will be a shared road on June 28 with half of its north- and southbound lanes devoted to pedestrians and bikers to encourage commuters to use bicycles as an alternative mode of transportation.

The Metro Manila Development Authority, however, has yet to come up with an alternative traffic plan for Sunday’s road-sharing event dubbed as “eDSA Revolution 2015.”

The event will start from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. from SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City to Ortigas Avenue in Quezon City.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said the agency will announce its traffic

plan within the week.

The group Bayanihan sa Daan Movement said the road-sharing exercise is the first step in the shift toward a bicycle-friendly Philippines.

“We ask everyone to make the most of these bike lanes by using them to show the effectiveness of disciplined road sharing scheme as seen and practised in other countries who have adopted the same strategy,” the group said in its Facebook account.

“This is something we must and can do for ourselves with the support of our government in order to ease the traffic problems in our cities, alleviate air pollution, create efficiency of use, everyone saves money and will get to their destinations reliably within a

reasonable amount of time.”

The group cited a study which showed that 90 percent of air pollution in Metro Manila is caused by motorized vehicles.

The same study also showed that transport sector emissions accounted for 30 percent of air pollution in the Philippines.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the transport sector contributed 27 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions worldwide in 2010, and this could double by 2050.

In February, the same roadsharing event was held from Quirino Grandstand in Luneta to SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

But even in getting the incident report stating the date, time, reason and location where the problem took place, affected passengers will still have to wait for at least four to five days to secure the document.

The move of the MRT management was quickly criticized by militant and commuters’ groups, saying issuing excuse slips would not solve the problems faced by the riding public every day.

“This would not fix the problem. The institutional acceptance of the MRT-3’s failures as a privatized utility would not make the trains any more efficient. You do not put a band-aid over a stab wound,” said James Relativo, spokesman of the commuters’ group Train Riders Network.

Bayan-Muna partylist Rep. Carlos Zarate called the measure a “pathetic way of evading the real issue.”

“Other countries such as Japan and the US had practiced the system of giving out excuse slips for tardy passengers, where the wintry weather or malfunctions cause occasional delays on train operations. however, here in the Philippines, where the problem is the maintenance and the meager number of trains, being late for work is an everyday situation for MRT commuters. I could imagine they would be swamped by requests for excuse letters if this becomes a practice,” Zarate said.

The militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan scored the transporation department for insulting commuters with “nonsolutions” to the problems besetting the MRT-3.

“The DOTC seems to look at commuters as kids in need of excuse letters when they are running late. The move is downright insulting. Commuters do no need excuse slips. They need improved train services,” Bayan secretary-general Renato Reyes Jr. said.

The MRT management said it will not issue incident reports to commuters who were delayed because of the long lines if they did not experience unexpected problems or technical glitches.

“For us, it is our way to be transparent.

If they (passengers) requested for the incident report on what is the status of the MRT, there’s no problem with that. We will provide them accurate report,” Sagcal said in a television interview.

OSG: Reset ‘Torre’ hearing

By Rey E. Requejo The Office of the Solicitor General has asked the Supreme Court to postpone the June 30 oral arguments on the controversial case involving the construction of the 46-storey Torre de Manila condominium which has been described as a “photo bomber” behind the monument of national hero Jose Rizal in Luneta Park.

In a five-page motion, Solicitor General Florin hilbay asked for a onemonth deferment to give government lawyers more time to prepare for the oral arguments. hilbay said the OSG is still preoccupied with its preparations for the forthcoming hearings before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The hague, Netherlands where the country lodged an arbitration case against China’s nine-dash line claiming almost the entire West Philippine Sea. hilbay said he is “presently undertaking very important arrangements and other pre-

hearing preparations in order to ensure that the interest of the Republic is best pursued and protected” - referring to the scheduled hearings before the PCA from July 7 to 13.

“As agent of the Republic in the arbitration, the Solicitor General shall lead the Philippine delegation in these crucial hearings involving the jurisdiction and admissibility of the Republic’s claims before an ad hoc arbitral tribunal of the Permanent Council of Arbitration,” he said in his motion.

The SC set the June 30 oral arguments after issuing a temporary restraining order stopping property developer DMCI homes Inc. from proceeding with the construction of Torre de Manila.

DMCI secured a zoning permit in June 2012 that allowed it to build Torre de Manila on Taft Avenue in ermita, Manila.

Over the weekend, a provincial board member in Nueva ecija said he had found a “Solomonic” solution that could be acceptable to all: paint the image of the Philippine flag over the entire building.

‘E-Kot’ jeep. An electric tricycle transports students inside the University of the

Philippines campus in Diliman. The environment-friendly vehicles were unveiled as part of the university’s 107th founding anniversary celebrations. LINO SANTOS

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PNoy drops hints on new PNP top cat

By Sandy Araneta and Francisco Tuyay

Gearing up. Philippine coastguards prepare their gear and equipment aboard a rescue boat. A hundred more patrol boats will be purchased to drive away foreign poachers, the military said. DANNY PATA

Fisheries to acquire 100 new patrol boats The Philippines is buying nearly 100 new patrol boats to protect its fisheries, an official said Monday, in a substantial expansion from its current fleet of 20 as it responds to poaching by Chinese and Taiwanese vessels.

Most of the ordered vessels -71 short-range boats for coastal patrols and 27 able to go further out to sea -- will be delivered this year, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic resources chief Asis Perez said. “this is just fulfilling our mandate. Our country has eight times more sea area than land area. We have 36,000 kilometres (22,370 miles) of coastline and over 7,100

islands,” he told AFP. Perez said the “lawenforcement” boats would augment the agency’s 20 patrolboats which protect the fisheries resources of one of the world’s largest archipelagoes.

“We need additional vessels. these (new boats) are actually short of our needs but this is all we can afford,” he added.

Perez said his agency is also seeking funding to acquire 10

larger boats that canpatrol the high seas. numerous Chinese fishermen have been arrested by Philippine authorities for allegedly poaching in disputed waters. similar incidents involving taiwan have also occurred, the latest in May off the northern Batan islands when the Philippine coast guard attempted to arrest a taiwan fishing boat only to be blocked by the taiwan coast guard. the Philippines has recently been seeking to boost its poorly equipped military by acquiring new weapons, and deepening defence ties with allies like the United states and Japan. the moves come after a series

of confrontations at sea between the Philippines and both China and taiwan. tensions have been rising in recent years due to China’s more muscular approach to enforcing its claim to most of the south China sea, even up to the coasts of its neighbours including the Philippines.

Chinese ships have occupied a reef near the western Philippines since 2012 following a tense stand-off with Philippine ships.

Confrontations between Philippine and taiwan coast guard ships in their common maritime border have also risen recently following the 2013 fatal shooting of a taiwanese fisherman

by Filipino patrols there. AFP

President Benigno Aquino iii will choose the next Philippine national Police chief on the basis of a candidate’s qualifications, track record and merits. thus remarked Presidential spokesperson edwin Lacierda who added that the selection process for the PnP chief is still ongoing.

Aquino has been searching for a replacement for former PnP director general Alan Purisima, who resigned last February in the aftermath of the botched special Action Force (sAF) operations in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January 25 that left 44 police commandos and 17 Moro rebels dead.

While Purisima was serving a six-month preventive suspension over graft charges, deputy director general espina was named officerin-charge of the PnP in december, but he would be retiring from the police force on July 19 when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56.. interior secretary Manual roxas ii, for his part, said the next PnP chief must be able to serve beyond the term of President Aquino.

At the testimonial honors for the retiring espina, roxas said the incoming PnP chief would be named to a permanent position.

At least five contenders to the top PnP post are being floated to replace espina who scheduled to shed his uniform on July 19 at the age of 56, the mandatory retirement age.

Among them are deputy director General Marcelo Garbo, deputy PnP chief for operations, PMA class 81; director Benjamin Magalong, CidG chief, PMA class 82; director ricardo Marquez, PMA class 82; director Junaito Vano, logistics, PMA class 83; and Chief supt. raul Petrasanta, PMA class 84. roxas said installing someone who will bow out of the police service earlier than June 2016 would force the chief executive to appoint another PnP head within the election period, a move not advisable since the security of the forthcoming polls would have to reformulated.

Pinay saved from Kuwait death row MAriLOU ranario, the Filipino overseas worker who had languished in Kuwait’s death row for more than 10 years, arrived in Manila Monday at 5:48 pm at the ninoy Aquino international Airport terminal 1 onboard Kuwait airways flight KU411. the OFW was met at the naia Customs arrival area by her father rosario and brother rosario.

Her father was thankful for the department of Foreign Affairs and Philippine embassy officials in Kuwait who helped expedite her return to the country. rosario sr.also thanked former Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers Concern, Vice President Jejomar Binay for

supporting them in bringing their case to the Kuwaiti government.

When informed of the Vice President’s resignation, the surigao del sur native said that he felt sad because he was expecting him to welcome her daughter at the airport; a representative from the Office of the Vice President was present to assist the ranarios. the Filipina’s case was all over the news in 2005, when she was arrested and sentenced to death by a Kuwaiti Court for the murder of her employer.

Following her arrest, the department of Foreign Affairs crafted a legal strategy to ensure the protection of her rights throughout the legal

process. Her death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 2007, and eventually to 10 years imprisonment in 2009.

“We are very happy that she will go home and be reunited with her family. We wish she could start anew,” Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait renato Villa said. the embassy said it coordinated with the deportation department of Kuwait to expedite her repatriation to the Philippines. the embassy said it continues to regularly visit Filipino detainees at the Kuwait Central Prison and provide legal assistance to secure their pardon or commutation of sentence and eventual release from prison.

Eric Apolonio

Ten years after. Marilou Ranario (right) is met at the Naia terminal 1 by her father and brother. ERIC APOLONIO

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Housing oversight panel OKd

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE House of Representatives has adopted a resolution creating a congressional oversight committee on socialized and low-cost housing loan restructuring and condonation.

This developed as Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo B. Benitez, chairman of the House committee on housing and urban development, said the oversight committee provided under House Joint Resolution 31 is tasked to review the implementation of Republic Act No. 9507, otherwise known as the “Socialized and Low-Cost Housing Loan Restructuring and

Condonation Act of 2008.”

Benitez said RA 9507 authorized the governing boards of the government financing institutions, such as the Home Development and Mutual Fund (PagIbig Fund), Social Security System (SSS), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (NHMFC), Social Housing Finance Corpora-

tion (SHFC), Home Guaranty Corporation, and National Housing Authority (NHA), to continue their loan restructuring and condonation programs beyond the 18-month mandatory period of implementation from its effectivity.

“Six years since the enactment of Republic Act 9507 and these government financing institutions have yet to submit to the House of Representatives Committee on Housing and Urban Development and the Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement an annual report on the loan restructuring and condonation program,” Benitez said.

Benitez stressed the need to constitute a congressional oversight committee on socialized and low-cost housing loan restructuring and condonation to review the implementation of RA 9507.

“The oversight committee will monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Socialized and LowCost Housing Loan Restructuring and Condonation Program to determine whether it is carried out in accordance with the law,” Benitez said.

The oversight committee shall evaluate the administration of the program to ensure that it is strengthened, executive waste is elimi-

nated, and its goals achieved through efficient and effective program management and service delivery.

The resolution also requires the committee to monitor the delivery of government services through the implementation of the program and appraise whether the needs and interests of the beneficiaries of the program are adequately served and, if not, to determine the necessary remedial action.

RA 9507 was signed into law to institute a rational loan restructuring and condonation program that takes into consideration the credit worthiness and credit discipline of the borrowers and

the financial viability of the lending institutions consistent with the policy of the State to undertake a continuing program of urban land reform and housing that makes available at affordable cost decent housing to underprivileged and homeless citizens.

RA 9507 declared an 18-month mandatory coverage for housing loan restructuring and condonation, upon the effectivity of the implementing rules and regulations, of all socialized and low-cost housing loan accounts which have at least three months of unpaid monthly amortization that are in any of the government financing institutions.

Workers hit out at Aquino’s labor policy

By Rio N. Araja VARIOUS labor groups on Monday joined forces to call for the repeal of Articles 106 to 109 of the Labor Code and Department Order 18-A of the labor department.

At a news conference in Quezon City, Aaron Pedrosa, Sanlakas lawyer, slammed the Aquino administration for its failure to improve the lives of millions of workers in the private sector and end contractualization in the labor force.

“This administration is worst than the previous one in terms of economic and labor policies,” he told reporters.

He warned allies of President Aquino of the groups’ non- support in the upcoming 2016 polls.

“There are politicians approaching us for the national and local seats. But we will field only candidates of our choice,” he said.

The government is sleeping on its job to back the passage of the security of tenure bill, he added.

“The government can pass the bill if it really wants to,” he stressed.

During the conference, Pedrosa, Union Presidents Against Contractualization (UPAC) chairperson and Century Park Sheraton Employees Union president, Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) vice chairman Ronie Luna, UPAC Secretary General Danilo Manzanilla, Solidarity of Workers Against Contractualization (SWAC) officer Franco Villanueva and Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan (SPARK) leader Arvin Bienagua launched Kilusang Laban Kontraktwalisasyon (Kil-Kontra) movement, urging lawmakers to pass the bill soon.

“Contractualization is none other than cheap and docile labor. Once job security is denied, the capitalist blackmail threat of unemployment operates in full force,” Ogarte said in a statement.

Labor of love. Various groups denounce anti-labor practices such as contractualization and demand protection of the workers’constitutional right to security of tenure during a rally in held Quezon City. LINO SANTOS

Ilocano group turns 40, harps on Marcos legacy THE 3-million strong Confederation of Ilocano Associations (Samahang Ilocano) marked its 40th anniversary on Sunday with one of its founders appealing to Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to replicate the “unparalleled leadership “of his father, the late president.

The youthful son of the senator, Zandro A. Marcos represented the lawmaker at the Ilocanos’ event held at the Lyceum of the Philippines University in Manila.

Marcos, 21, expressed the Marcoses’ gratitude to the kailians (Ilocanos) and the Filipino people for their continued support to, and faith in, their family, stressing that “the feeling is mutual.”

The young Marcos, who was accompanied by party-list Rep. Jonathan Dela Cruz and his wife, Emily, said he regretted that much to his desire to join the affair, Sena-

tor Marcos was in Pagadian City at the time, who was attending to matters of national interest.

Lawyer Julius Magno, Samahang Ilocano founding chairman, recalled the phenomenal leadership of the former president as “still unparalleled to this day,” which, he said, could only be replicated or continued by Senator Bongbong Marcos if he were to run for president.

Magno said that he was inspired by his 3 million kailians’ show of unity, which has earned for them the reputation of comprising the Solid North, a formidable force in national elections.

Abakada party-list Rep. Dela Cruz, meanwhile, inspired the audience for their well known solidarity and loyalty to high principles, urging them ” to seize the opportunity to take the high road of greater service in these challenging and interesting times.”

Issues of the day. Magdalo Representative,Francisco Ashley Acedillo,right, takes up contentious issues such as the dispute over the Spratlys while National Food Authority Administrator Renan Dalisay prepares to address the upcoming importation of rice during the ‘Kapihan sa Diamond Hotel” news forum in Manila. EY ACASIO

t u e s d ay : J u n e 2 3 , 2 0 1 5

A7

news

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Three inmates escape Samar prison

By Mel Caspe

Show goes on. Residents of Sorsogon City celebrate the annual Pili Festival despite the threat of explosion of Mt. Bulusan. DANNY PATA

Researchers fail criteria, must return P6.7 million

By Dexter A. See

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet—The Commission on Audit has ordered 36 researchers of the state-run Benguet State University to return to the government more than P6.7 million paid to them as honoraria for various research projects, saying their engagement did not meet the criteria of fuding institutions.

In its annual audit report for year 2014, the COA said documents showed that honoraria were granted to university personnel such as program director, assistant program director, program leader, project leader, project staff and technical working committee.

The honoraria amounting to P6.7 million were granted to the BSU personnel on a monthly basis; members of the technical committee were paid per meeting.

The commission said the university personnel involved had not been given scientist rank based on the sci-

entists’ career system. no documents proved that they were certified by the Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology during the project implementation periods corresponding to the grant of honoraria.

“Without satisfying the criteria established in Republic Act (RA) 8469 or the Magna Carta for Scientists and Joint Circular (JC) no. 1, series of 2013, the concerned BSU personnel are not qualified for entitlement for honoraria regardless of their having involved and/or assigned to the special projects considered to be scientific and technological activities,” the COA stressed.

The COA observed that the grant of honoraria to the university personnel involved in the projects is

contrary to Budget Circular 20072 which prescribes the guidelines for the grant of honoraria due to assignment to government special projects.

Under existing rules and regulations, government personnel who are on part-time assignment to a special project which entails rendition of work over and above their regular work load are entitled to honoraria.

Research, being one of the fourfold functions of BSU, does not entitle personnel assigned to special projects on research and development honoraria. There was no amount appropriated for the payment of honorarium for special projects, the commission added.

C AT B A l O g A n City— Three inmates of the Samar Provincial Jail escaped early Monday morning by climbing the wall using an improvised ladder.

City PnP Chief P/ Supt. Carlito Abriz identified the escapees as Erwin Cabrelas, Rely Cabogoy and Ronnie gonzada, reportedly members of the private armed group of a politician in the province.

Cabrelas, from Pinagbacdao town, is charged with robbery and frustrated homicide while Cabogoy and gonzada, both from gandara, are facing murder raps.

The three men, known trustees of the jail, covered the flourescent lamp in the jail perimeter so they could not be seen as they climbed the ladder.

Four provincial jail guard were on duty at the time of the escape: Provincial guard 3 Robert O. Estuita, Provincial guard 1 nestor P. lima, Provincial guard 1 Peter C. lancanan, and Javier D. Panis.

A hot pursuit operation is being conducted by the Samar police.

Agusan tribal leaders question criteria for Balik-Baril program

By Alvin T. Guanzon BUTUAn CITY—Three tribal chieftains from Omayam, lapaz, Agusan del Sur who claim they are responsible for the surrender of 150 supporters of the new People’s Army are questioning why only 21 of these rebels would be compensated under the government’s Balik Baril Program.

Datu Balikdawan, Datu lahindaw and Datu MangEskedyul, said their lives were now in danger. They cannot come back to their villages because they would be questioned why out of 150 nPA

members from their tribe that they helped process and surrender, only 21 were deemed legitimate.

“We will no longer help the program because it will only endanger our lives,” the datus claimed.

The 21 individuals will receive livelihood packages including compensation for the firearms they surrendered under the program.

“How will we explain to our tribes what happened? Why were only 21 recognized as legitimate? What was their basis for their decision?” lt. Col Rolando Dumawa,

commanding officer of the 26th IB based in lapaz and loreto towns I, said the validation process of the government is tedious.

“We have systems to do that. For those who were not recognized “pasensya nalang po.” Kasi we will be answerable to government accounting rules and procedure in releasing government funds for the purpose” Dumawa added.

Dumawa added that the 21 individuals who surrendered will get their compensation next year. “This is because of the tedious accounting rules and procedures in releasing government funds.”

Value for money. Parents shop for second-hand shoes for their children at a thrift shop in Kidapawan City. OMAR MANGORSI

T u E S D AY : J u N E 2 3 , 2 0 1 5

A8

opinion

ADELLE chuA editor

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

eagle eyes deaN toNy la ViÑa

The cries of The earTh and The poor

[ EDI TORI A L ]

No excuse for absurdity The Department of Transportation and Communication on Monday said it would provide incident reports that commuters could use as excuse letters when they come in late to school or their offices because of difficulties encountered riding the Metro Rail Transit.

We wish this were a joke. Unfortunately, it’s a real proposal by silly transport officials who cannot tell the difference between realistic solutions and outrageous ideas.

For several months now, commuters who take the MRT have been recounting their hellish experience using the train. On some days, very few trains are used, resulting in unimaginable volumes of people waiting to get into a coach. The sight of lines extending down the stairs and onto the road has become all too familiar.

Trains break down all the time, too, and commuters must factor in this possibility every time they take the MRT. This year, the trains have stopped at least once every month—and in one case, a train captured on video was running with its doors open.

On “normal” days, the trains run more slowly than they are supposed to, because the rails are unsafe. If the trains go faster, they run the real risk of derailment. Last year, such an incident happened, hurting dozens and spooking commuters.

Around the stations, there is not much to be happy about, either. escalators and elevators, which were designed to save passengers the trouble of using the stairs, work only sporadically.

Last year, there was a big to-do about challenging government officials to take the MRT so that they could experience what the ordinary commuter has to go through twice every day. Alas, it was more of a publicity stunt than a genuine attempt at empathy.

Despite the sustained public outcry, officials led by Transportation secretary Joseph emilio Abaya remain unable, or unwilling – we don’t know which is worse – to solve the problem. First, they blamed it on President Aquino’s immediate predecessor. When they realized they could not keep doing this, they simply implored the patience of the riding public.

And now this.

What makes this new proposal more laughable is the fact that the so-called incident reports will not be available immediately; those who want them would also have to wait four or five days for their release by the station supervisors.

We now have the absurd scenario of people also lining up to get documents explaining the reason for their original tardiness, which is that they also lined up for a long time to catch their rides.

“It is our way to be transparent,” the DOTC’s spokesman said.

This government cannot be any more transparent; everybody knows the sorry state of the trains and the even sorrier inability of this administration to fix the problem. We refuse to accept any more of their excuses.

the real fight begiNs loWdoWN jojo a. robles The only question that remains unanswered, to my mind, is this: What took Vice President Jejomar Binay so long to quit the Aquino government?

As one of those who have for a long time urged Binay to abandon President Noynoy Aquino, it never occurred to me that the split would not actually happen. Whatever

history they may have had, whatever the memories of good times they shared, Binay could never have hoped that he would be endorsed by Aquino to succeed him; there are just too many roadblocks on that stretch of daang matuwid for it to happen.

Chief of these, of course, is Mar Roxas, whose well-documented canine devotion to Aquino will simply not allow the President to just leave him, the presumptive Liberal Party presidential candidate, in the lurch. Mar has served

Aquino so well for so long – not necessarily the people, of course – that endorsing the man who beat Roxas in the 2010 sweepstakes is simply unthinkable.

Then there’s Grace Poe, whose recent rise in the opinion polls has provided Aquino with an option to Binay, as far as backing a winning candidate (and staying out of jail) next year is concerned. Poe has freed Aquino from being held hostage by his vice president, just like Binay has now freed himself

A9

a fight between whom, eventually?

Well, between binay and roxas, who else?

from acting like a loyal soldier of Aquino – a role that Binay cannot really get into because Roxas has already cornered the market for loyal soldiery.

It is not at all surprising that Aquino has suddenly found the courage to escalate his anti-Binay rhetoric from the usual broad hints to outand-out refusal to even consider the vice president as his successor. Reacting recently to Binay’s public statement that he was still hoping to be Aquino’s anointed, the President showed an irritability that he once only reserved for appointees of Gloria Ma-

capagal Arroyo.

In Iloilo for the last Independence Day celebrations, Aquino dismissed Binay’s request as wishful thinking. “Is he asking for my support? In 2010, he ran with another group and in 2013 he headed another group. It seems like such a wide turn [that Binay is making],” the President said.

But what may have really triggered Binay’s resignation was the fact that he was not even invited by Aquino to the last Cabinet meet-

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

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

ing, held only last week. If Binay still didn’t resign after that, then he could have given Roxas a real run for his money as suckup-in-Chief.

It was bad enough when Roxas was brown-nosing to beat the band; nobody was really taking Roxas seriously anyway, not even Aquino.

But now that a “winnable” Poe has joined in the pro-Aquino chorus, there is no longer any need for the President to even pretend to be nice to his vice president.

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

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

cyaN MageNta yelloW blacK

And now I guess we can really call it a fight. *** But a fight between whom, eventually? Well, between Binay and Roxas, who else?

I’ve been told that Poe is really not the true candidate of the Aquino administration, regardless of her gaudy survey numbers. The real Aquino successor, as the Liberal Party has always been saying, is Continued on A11 still Roxas.

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. Isabel “Gina” P. Versoza Head, Advertising Solutions Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

ThIs is the second in a series of columns I am writing on the papal encyclical Laudato si’ of Pope Francis. The much-anticipated encyclical was released last Thursday, June 18, 2015 and received with much acclaim all over the world, not just by Catholics, but also by many persons of good will and different beliefs.

The media reaction has certainly been phenomenal and government leaders have welcome the document as an important input into global decisions on environment and development that will be made this year. Indeed, the Pope timed the release of Laudato si’ for maximum impact on three ongoing international processes that culminate in 2015: The Third International Conference on Financing for Development that will be held in July in Addis Ababa, ethiopia; the approval in september by the United Nations, in its New York City headquarters, of a new set of global sustainable Development Goals that will replace the Millennium Development Goals agreed in 2000; and hopefully the adoption by governments, in Paris at the end of the year, of a new climate change agreement, one that would finally be courageous, ambitious and effective in addressing climate change.

It would be a mistake to characterize these three meetings as dealing with environmental matters. In fact, the best way to describe the Addis Ababa, New York and Paris summits is that they are sustainable-development conferences, with poverty as a central topic in the discussions and decisions to be made as the environmental issues they will take up.

In the same way, it would be a mistake to describe Laudato si’ as mainly a “green” or environmental encyclical. It is much more than that.

Ted Widmer, an American historian points our how “an awareness of the poor—so absent from most of what we read and hear all day—permeates the encyclical from start to finish.” his description of Laudato si’ is accurate: “True, this is an environmental manifesto, but it is also an angry look at all of our interconnected problems, ranging from the ugliness of our cities, to the class divisions that have deepened (despite the spread of democracy) and the vacuousness of the Internet. This is a crisis of poverty—real poverty, in the old-fashioned sense of the word, but also a spiritual poverty that has deepened in our society of instant gratification. It is “both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.” It poses the hardest questions that can be asked: Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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

T u E S D AY : J u N E 2 3 , 2 0 1 5

A8

opinion

ADELLE chuA editor

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

eagle eyes deaN toNy la ViÑa

The cries of The earTh and The poor

[ EDI TORI A L ]

No excuse for absurdity The Department of Transportation and Communication on Monday said it would provide incident reports that commuters could use as excuse letters when they come in late to school or their offices because of difficulties encountered riding the Metro Rail Transit.

We wish this were a joke. Unfortunately, it’s a real proposal by silly transport officials who cannot tell the difference between realistic solutions and outrageous ideas.

For several months now, commuters who take the MRT have been recounting their hellish experience using the train. On some days, very few trains are used, resulting in unimaginable volumes of people waiting to get into a coach. The sight of lines extending down the stairs and onto the road has become all too familiar.

Trains break down all the time, too, and commuters must factor in this possibility every time they take the MRT. This year, the trains have stopped at least once every month—and in one case, a train captured on video was running with its doors open.

On “normal” days, the trains run more slowly than they are supposed to, because the rails are unsafe. If the trains go faster, they run the real risk of derailment. Last year, such an incident happened, hurting dozens and spooking commuters.

Around the stations, there is not much to be happy about, either. escalators and elevators, which were designed to save passengers the trouble of using the stairs, work only sporadically.

Last year, there was a big to-do about challenging government officials to take the MRT so that they could experience what the ordinary commuter has to go through twice every day. Alas, it was more of a publicity stunt than a genuine attempt at empathy.

Despite the sustained public outcry, officials led by Transportation secretary Joseph emilio Abaya remain unable, or unwilling – we don’t know which is worse – to solve the problem. First, they blamed it on President Aquino’s immediate predecessor. When they realized they could not keep doing this, they simply implored the patience of the riding public.

And now this.

What makes this new proposal more laughable is the fact that the so-called incident reports will not be available immediately; those who want them would also have to wait four or five days for their release by the station supervisors.

We now have the absurd scenario of people also lining up to get documents explaining the reason for their original tardiness, which is that they also lined up for a long time to catch their rides.

“It is our way to be transparent,” the DOTC’s spokesman said.

This government cannot be any more transparent; everybody knows the sorry state of the trains and the even sorrier inability of this administration to fix the problem. We refuse to accept any more of their excuses.

the real fight begiNs loWdoWN jojo a. robles The only question that remains unanswered, to my mind, is this: What took Vice President Jejomar Binay so long to quit the Aquino government?

As one of those who have for a long time urged Binay to abandon President Noynoy Aquino, it never occurred to me that the split would not actually happen. Whatever

history they may have had, whatever the memories of good times they shared, Binay could never have hoped that he would be endorsed by Aquino to succeed him; there are just too many roadblocks on that stretch of daang matuwid for it to happen.

Chief of these, of course, is Mar Roxas, whose well-documented canine devotion to Aquino will simply not allow the President to just leave him, the presumptive Liberal Party presidential candidate, in the lurch. Mar has served

Aquino so well for so long – not necessarily the people, of course – that endorsing the man who beat Roxas in the 2010 sweepstakes is simply unthinkable.

Then there’s Grace Poe, whose recent rise in the opinion polls has provided Aquino with an option to Binay, as far as backing a winning candidate (and staying out of jail) next year is concerned. Poe has freed Aquino from being held hostage by his vice president, just like Binay has now freed himself

A9

a fight between whom, eventually?

Well, between binay and roxas, who else?

from acting like a loyal soldier of Aquino – a role that Binay cannot really get into because Roxas has already cornered the market for loyal soldiery.

It is not at all surprising that Aquino has suddenly found the courage to escalate his anti-Binay rhetoric from the usual broad hints to outand-out refusal to even consider the vice president as his successor. Reacting recently to Binay’s public statement that he was still hoping to be Aquino’s anointed, the President showed an irritability that he once only reserved for appointees of Gloria Ma-

capagal Arroyo.

In Iloilo for the last Independence Day celebrations, Aquino dismissed Binay’s request as wishful thinking. “Is he asking for my support? In 2010, he ran with another group and in 2013 he headed another group. It seems like such a wide turn [that Binay is making],” the President said.

But what may have really triggered Binay’s resignation was the fact that he was not even invited by Aquino to the last Cabinet meet-

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

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

ing, held only last week. If Binay still didn’t resign after that, then he could have given Roxas a real run for his money as suckup-in-Chief.

It was bad enough when Roxas was brown-nosing to beat the band; nobody was really taking Roxas seriously anyway, not even Aquino.

But now that a “winnable” Poe has joined in the pro-Aquino chorus, there is no longer any need for the President to even pretend to be nice to his vice president.

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

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

cyaN MageNta yelloW blacK

And now I guess we can really call it a fight. *** But a fight between whom, eventually? Well, between Binay and Roxas, who else?

I’ve been told that Poe is really not the true candidate of the Aquino administration, regardless of her gaudy survey numbers. The real Aquino successor, as the Liberal Party has always been saying, is Continued on A11 still Roxas.

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. Isabel “Gina” P. Versoza Head, Advertising Solutions Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

ThIs is the second in a series of columns I am writing on the papal encyclical Laudato si’ of Pope Francis. The much-anticipated encyclical was released last Thursday, June 18, 2015 and received with much acclaim all over the world, not just by Catholics, but also by many persons of good will and different beliefs.

The media reaction has certainly been phenomenal and government leaders have welcome the document as an important input into global decisions on environment and development that will be made this year. Indeed, the Pope timed the release of Laudato si’ for maximum impact on three ongoing international processes that culminate in 2015: The Third International Conference on Financing for Development that will be held in July in Addis Ababa, ethiopia; the approval in september by the United Nations, in its New York City headquarters, of a new set of global sustainable Development Goals that will replace the Millennium Development Goals agreed in 2000; and hopefully the adoption by governments, in Paris at the end of the year, of a new climate change agreement, one that would finally be courageous, ambitious and effective in addressing climate change.

It would be a mistake to characterize these three meetings as dealing with environmental matters. In fact, the best way to describe the Addis Ababa, New York and Paris summits is that they are sustainable-development conferences, with poverty as a central topic in the discussions and decisions to be made as the environmental issues they will take up.

In the same way, it would be a mistake to describe Laudato si’ as mainly a “green” or environmental encyclical. It is much more than that.

Ted Widmer, an American historian points our how “an awareness of the poor—so absent from most of what we read and hear all day—permeates the encyclical from start to finish.” his description of Laudato si’ is accurate: “True, this is an environmental manifesto, but it is also an angry look at all of our interconnected problems, ranging from the ugliness of our cities, to the class divisions that have deepened (despite the spread of democracy) and the vacuousness of the Internet. This is a crisis of poverty—real poverty, in the old-fashioned sense of the word, but also a spiritual poverty that has deepened in our society of instant gratification. It is “both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.” It poses the hardest questions that can be asked: Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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

T U E S D AY : J U N E 2 3 , 2 0 1 5

A10

OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

GRASSROOTS SUPPORT AND FUNDING TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

LAST Sunday, my son, Eric, called me to greet me “Happy Fathers’ Day” and told me to savor it. The other 364 days of the year, he said, are for mothers. I could not agree more; fathers are the most forgotten persons.

All my four children gave me a sumptuous dinner at an exclusive restaurant in Makati.

Aside from this, I was given a Manila Times magazine cover story – about my more than 65 years in media having gone full circle in print, television and radio.

I must thank my very good friend, Dante Arevalo Ang, chairman emeritus of the nation-

My message to Senator Poe: It’s not yet your time.

al broadsheet, whom I have known way back during Martial Law days. We both worked for the late Bobby Benedicto’s Kanlaon Broadcasting System (KBS), he as sales director for Channels 2, GTV 4 (government station), 9 and 13, and myself as public affairs manager for all the stations.

Three weeks ago, at the 365 Club at Hotel Intercon where I remain chairman emeritus, Dante, a regular at the club, told me that I would be the cover of his magazine. He would send a staff writer to interview me for the article.

I thought at first he was kidding me. But when Ms. Lea MantoBeltran called me for an interview, I knew it was

for real. Beltran saw me thrice and wrote an excellent article about the core values of a lawyerjournalist.

That Manila Times cover story was the best gift I got last Sunday.

Thank you, Dante. *** People are still talking about the last Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations poll surveys.

Neophyte Senator Grace Poe Llamanzares has outpaced Vice President Jejomar Binay, who had earlier maintained a comfortable lead over the other hopefuls.

I expected this given the the vicious demolition job against the Vice President by the lapdogs of the President in the Liberal Party.

The unkindest act of all was when Poe signed that Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee report finding Binay guilty as charged in 21, I repeat 21, hearings. Poe never attended any of the hearings.

Then again, poll surveys are just that – surveys. They do not tell us who will win and who will lose. They are just points on the long road to the presidency.

The survey numbers just tell pus that Poe can win, not that she will win if she runs for the top post.

I have written about what makes a presidential candidate, and the bottomline is money.

One may be very popular like the late movie icon Fernando Poe, Jr. He was a movie hero in this country where some people cannot distinguish reel from real heroes. He was leading the surveys over then-incumbent President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

In the last two weeks of the campaign period, however, FPJ reportedly ran out of funds. This enables Arroyo to pour money in the Visayas, especially in Cebu. This gave her an advantage

THE MAN WHO WAS JUST THERE WHEN NEEDED LAST Sunday was Fathers’ Day and He didn’t say anything. He simply ARE WE it seemed everyone used the occasat me down, fixed the situation in THERE YET? his own way, and then quietly set sion to get sentimental and mushy about fathers, which was not necme off to do my thing again. No BONG C. essarily a bad thing. I think this recriminations, no big drama. That AUSTERO world would be a much better place would be Tatay’s trademark. if everyone learned to be grateful I remember many times in my and appreciative of the people who contribute to life when he would just quietly emerge from the our respective growth. I wrote a piece about my shadows to fix whatever was wrong in my life and dad in 2008, seven years ago. I decided to resur- just as simply disappear. No flashy declarations rect it last Sunday and was pleasantly surprised of affection. No major expectations of gratitude. to find that it resonated with so many out there. Tatay wasn’t—and still isn’t—big on lectures or Some friends asked me to share it in this space, worldly declarations of what should or shouldn’t which I am doing today; abridged, though, for be. He simply was there when I needed him, like considerations of space. The person referred to an invisible shadow that hovered and appeared is my stepfather, who for all intents and purposes, when needed. Most fathers are like that, I guess. was and is, my father.

They are just there.

I grew up in the care of my grandmother and an There’s this admonition that our mothers like aunt so my interactions with Tatay were limited to to trundle out at a moment’s notice —something a few perfunctory gestures during official family about how one learns to fully appreciate certain functions and occasions. So Tatay was simply the roles only when he begins to play it. It’s a cliché stereotyped “man of few words” who lurked in the the wisdom of which is often lost in the dynamshadows of my childhood. ics of familial intramurals, but one that haunts you I didn’t have memories of having been carried at crucial moments when one is forced to wonder in his arms or being hoisted up on his shoulders; how your parents coped with your own version of he wasn’t the man who taught me how to balance your kids’ misdemeanors. myself on a bicycle, or swam, or fashioned balls and Yesterday was Fathers’ Day. Because we live in carts out of palm fronds and tansans. I never flew an age where consumerism is the norm, everyone kites as a child simply because I didn’t have anyone who stood to profit from hyping certain occasions to teach me how. Somehow I couldn’t imagine im- made a field day out of it. But I guess there’s someposing the task of hoisting a kite up and running thing about getting old—or older—that makes us with it to an aging grandmother. Which is not to say develop marshmallows in places where the heart that I lived a childhood deprived of mirth and mis- should be. And I guess being at the receiving end chief. Kids do make do with what they have with of affection makes us come to terms with certain their amazing ability to adjust and rationalize. occasions and forces us to appreciate affection What Tatay and I shared were a few poignant when we get it. moments of awkwardness as we struggled to get to So if there is something that we should be grateknow each other throughout my childhood. But I ful for about the way consumerism has consumed guess fathers do have a way of making their pres- our lives, it is the fact that at least it has become ence felt even if the impact and the power of those easier—if not convenient—for kids today to be few shared moments would only unravel years lat- more in touch with their feelings particularly toer. My own realization of the important roles Ta- wards their fathers. It is easier to be affectionate tay played in my life struck me like a thunderbolt with mothers because their social role dictates that when I joined a speech contest in the early 90s. It they be nurturing and affectionate. But fathers are was when I wrote that speech when the memories supposed to be of a different breed – oblivious to gushed forth. hugs and tears and big expressions of affection.

I must have been six and running around in the Tatay and I had an uneasy relationship growing backyard gleefully the way someone of that age up but I have realized that this has not in any way would, unmindful of the admonitions of the adult, diminished the affection we have for each other. when I stumbled and suffered a nasty cut on my Tatay was not the proverbial hero of my childhood leg. I remember desperately trying to be a grown- but he certainly is in my grown-up life. I can only up and suffering in silence as I tried to stem the wish I am as good as father to my kids as he has flow of blood. Somehow, Tatay was suddenly there. been to me. Happy Fathers’ Day, Tatay. of more than a million votes. Arroyo did not cheat. The fact is that FPJ ran out of money during the so-called last two minutes of the gave.

Santa Banana, what points am I leading to?

Binay may now be behind in poll surveys to Grace Poe. But, having been a vice presidential candidate against Mar Roxas in 2010, Binay has maintained his grassroots following and networking.

My gulay, that means at least P94 million for barangays alone. For media – print, radio and television -- many say it’s another P500 million or more. They say that former Senator Manny Villar, when he

ran in 2010, spent more than P1 billion. In each sortie in municipalities and cities, it’s another P50 million or more.

Aside from expenses in setting up a stage where they could speak, presidential hopefuls usually fork over to political leaders another P200 to P500 million. And that is only the beginning.

Don’t forget, too, that Makati City, which has been ruled by the Binays for decades, have more than a hundred sister-cities and sistermunicipalities. The Binays provide them ambulances and funds for their projects. That’s real networking there.

The last two weeks of the campaign are

the most critical. One must have the necessary funding to ensure one’s votes are counted and to resort what is called “hakot system” by bringing voters to the precinct to vote.

Aside from all these, note that the Vice President remains the national Chairman of the Boy Scout of the Philippines.

This gives him awareness in the provinces and rural areas. The Boy Scouts calendar, given to every household, has his photo on it.

That’s the biggest propaganda of all!

This is why I say that despite Grace Poe’s popularity, she is still not assured of victory. It takes more than popularity to

become president. It’s destiny.

All things considered, funding, money, grassroots networking, competence and experience, and knowledge of what the people expect – all of these count.

What does Grace Poe stand for if she is serious about solving poverty and joblessness? Until now, she has no program of government.

She must also explain the issues of her residency and citizenship to everyone’s satisfaction.

I say to Grace, you can still wait. Next year’s election is not yet your time. Leave the presidency to people who must hit the ground running.

T U E S D AY : J U N E 2 3 , 2 0 1 5

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

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WHEN DEPED TEXTBOOKS DON’T MAKE THE GRADE (PART 1)

WHAT is going on in the Department teachers. Somebody at the departof Education under Secretary Armin ment has to answer for this unpardonLuistro? able wastage. Public interest advocates Last April, the Commission on Au- ought to take a look at this anomaly. dit revealed that the department spent Perhaps, the parties questioning the P608 million on outdated textbooks. validity of the K-12 program in the The COA said that over 16 million Supreme Court are correct – that the textbooks meant for school year 2011- department is not really prepared for 2012 were delivered to the department the K-12 program, despite its public after the primary and secondary school protestations to the contrary. system in the country shifted to the ****** K-12 program mandated by Republic The 1987 Constitution mandates Act No. 10533, or the Enhanced Basic that education shall be given the largest Education Act of 2013. According to share of the national budget every year. state auditors, the additional two years To state the obvious, that mandate from of high school education required by the fundamental law of the land underthe K-12 program rendered the 16 mil- scores the importance of education in lion textbooks obsolete. the country. Despite the constitutional It was a case of manifest lack of fore- mandate, the department is squansight on the part of the department, the dering public money on improvident COA report disclosed, because the de- expenditures which could have been partment was instrumental in getting avoided if the leaders of this vital govCongress to approve the K-12 program. ernment agency exercised more foreIn other words, the department failed to sight and diligence in their work. coordinate its operations with the law it If it were not for the state audit conwas supposed to be familiar with. ducted on the department, this worthIn an attempt at damage control, the less textbook anomaly would have gone department claimed that the textbooks unnoticed by a general public inoculated were not completely obsolete because with daily news about corruption in the they may still be used for reference mate- government – including the continuing rials. The department excuse is hogwash. attempts on the part of Malacañang to At the end of the day, public money will get Congress to railroad the approval of still have to be spent on the necessary the controversial Bangsamoro Basic Law. textbooks, suitable this time for the K-12 ****** program, to replace the obsolete ones The Filipino taxpayers are fortunate purchased by the department. that a civic-minded citizen actually All told, taxpayers’ money, almost spends time and exerts effort to monia billion pesos, was wasted by the de- tor the textbook publications of the partment. This money could have been department. Antonio Calipjo Go, a used for additional classrooms, or to crusader against substandard school augment the salaries of public school textbooks published by the depart-

ment for the past 20 years, is correct – the lack of quality control in the textbooks published by the department is now a very serious national problem.

Just recently, Go revealed to the news media that a 508-page textbook designed by the department for the use of Grade 10 students in the country has 1,300 glaring errors. Go said he made his discovery after going through a copy of the textbook “Diversity: Celebrating Multiculturism Through World Literature.” He pointed out that the title of the textbook itself is erroneous because the word “multiculturism” does not exist in the English language. Go also disclosed that even the entries in the copyright page of the textbook were carelessly written.

As for the entirety of the textbook, Go cited substantial errors consisting not only of incorrect spelling and grammar, but also of sloppy sentence structuring and poor syntax. In many instances, the errors are so patent that one may even think that they were deliberately made for comic relief.

According to Go, the anomaly is aggravated by the fact that the error-filled textbook was supposedly prepared and reviewed by a “development team” of the department composed of two consultants, 10 authors, 10 reviewers, one language editor, and four editorial assistants. In this connection, Assistant Education Secretary Jesus Mateo disclosed that the department engaged the services of “individual and institutional experts to help review” its textbooks, including the University of the Philippines National Institute for Sci-

The real.. From A9

The cries.. From A9

It’s like this, supposedly: Because of the serious legal issues confronting Poe as far as her citizenship and residency are concerned, the senator will soon drop out of the race for President. Her stratospheric (if mostly unexplainable) survey rankings are a mere diversionary tactic, as the survey companies steadily massage Roxas’ numbers in order to make him a viable candidate even as they lull the people into believing that the focus should really be on the adopted daughter of Fernando Poe Jr. Remember when Aquino once demanded of Roxas that he improve his survey numbers in order for him to secure the incumbent’s endorsement and the resources that come with it? Well, that’s already happening.

Roxas’ numbers have dramatically improved in the last two surveys, from less than five percent to 10 and 21 percent in the Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations polls, respectively. Again, like Poe’s own rise, nobody can really explain why Roxas’ ranking has gotten a big boost – Roxas has not done more that what he usually does, when he languished near the bottom of almost every survey in the past.

But because Roxas now has very respectable numbers (numbers that can even go up some more in the coming surveys, regardless of what the DILG secretary does or does not do), his victory in the May 2016 elections becomes a distinct and believable possibility. In other words, if the survey companies can make it appear that Roxas has become a strong number three, he can be sold as a winnable candidate against Binay in a one-on-one race if Poe drops out because of citizenship issues.

And with the supposed push of a presidential endorsement, a Roxas victory can actually become plausible. Hey, it could happen.

“What is the purpose of our life in this world? Why are we here? What is the goal of our work and all our efforts? What need does the earth have of us?” It does not answer all of them, but by asking them in so public a way, it may start a new kind of conversation.”

In topic after topic, Pope Francis always makes sure that the poor is ubiquitous; raising always the question of the impact of an issue on poor people, emphasizing all the time fairness and justice as a guide in how the world must respond. He does this in discussing climate change, water poverty and pollution, genetically modified organisms and its impact on poor farmers, depletion of fisheries that small fisherfolk rely on, and on slums in urban areas.

More positively, Pope Francis also gives examples of a commendable human ecology practiced by the poor despite the challenges they face. He gives us an example of indigenous peoples who see “land is not a commodity but rather a gift from God and from their ancestors who rest there, a sacred space with which they need to interact if they are to maintain their identity and values”. According to Laudato Si’: “When they remain on their land, they themselves care for it best. Nevertheless, in various parts of the world, pressure is being put on them to abandon their homelands to make room for agricultural or mining projects which are undertaken without regard for the degradation of nature and culture.”

ence and Mathematics.

For the past 20 years, Go has been crusading against substandard textbooks published by the department.

Lamenting that the department does not really care about the lack of quality control in the textbooks it publishes, Go almost gave up on his quest in 2010. The newly-inaugurated President Benigno Aquino III persuaded Go to continue with his quest.

Why the department continues to publish erroneous textbooks over the past 20 years is a big mystery. Why the Department keeps on wasting public funds on sloppy publications invites graft charges. ****** Education officials said that the textbook Go reviewed was a mere “first draft” or a work in progress, and that this is confirmed by the cover of the book which, as pointed out by Go himself, has an erroneous title. They insisted that this “first draft” was distributed to public school teachers for their comments and suggestions, and that the school teachers were told that the textbook was just “a draft.”

It was learned that the department on-line portal announced the corrected title of the textbook only after Go made his revelation.

When the department allows errorfilled textbooks to circulate in the country, its officials not only invite anti-graft charges; they are committing a great disservice to the future generations (yes, generations) of Filipino school children.

On climate change, Pope Francis does not mince words in describing its impact the poor, citing particularly the scandalous way the world is dealing with environmental refugees: “Many of the poor live in areas particularly affected by phenomena related to warming, and their means of subsistence are largely dependent on natural reserves and ecosystemic services such as agriculture, fishing and forestry. They have no other financial activities or resources which can enable them to adapt to climate change or to face natural disasters, and their access to social services and protection is very limited. For example, changes in climate, to which animals and plants cannot adapt, lead them to migrate; this in turn affects the livelihood of the poor, who are then forced to leave their homes, with great uncertainty for their future and that of their children. There has been a tragic rise in the number of migrants seeking to flee from the growing poverty caused by environmental degradation. They are not recognized by international conventions as refugees; they bear the loss of the lives they have left behind, without enjoying any legal protection whatsoever. Sadly, there is widespread indifference to such suffering, which is even now taking place throughout our world. Our lack of response to these tragedies involving our brothers and sisters points to the loss of that sense of responsibility for our fellow men and women upon which all civil society is founded.”

Pope Francis explains why we must not separate the state of our planet from what is happening to many of its

Continued on Saturday people: “The human environment and the natural environment deteriorate together; we cannot adequately combat environmental degradation unless we attend to causes related to human and social degradation. In fact, the deterioration of the environment and of society affects the most vulnerable people on the planet.” He quotes from a statement of the bishops of Germany: “Both everyday experience and scientific research show that the gravest effects of all attacks on the environment are suffered by the poorest number of other problems which are insufficiently represented on global agendas.”

The irony, as pointed out in Laudato Si, is that this excluded poor is the majority of the planet’s population.

Although mentioned in international political and economic forums, “one often has the impression that their problems are brought up as an afterthought, a question which gets added almost out of duty or in a tangential way, if not treated merely as collateral damage.”

These are powerful words. It resonates with me and other colleagues whose work on the environment in fact stems from our being human rights and social justice lawyers. We agree with Laudato Si’ that questions of justice must be integrated in debates on the environment. This means we must work to institutionalize environmental and climate justice, which requires the integration of human rights, at all levels of governance – global, national, and local. In this way, finally, we will rise up to the challenge of Pope Francis and hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Tabuena, Lascuña brace for duel at ICTSI Riviera MIGUEL Tabuena and Tony Lascuña gear up for a title showdown in the ICTSI Riviera Classic firing off tomorrow at Riviera’s Langer layout, both coming into the P1.5 million event in top form following decent campaigns in the Asian Tour last Sunday.

Tabuena and Lascuña bounced back from a pair of over-par opening rounds with a run of under-par cards in the next three days with the former closing out with a 69 to finish joint 16th at the Queen’s Cup topped by Thai veteran Prayad Marksaeng. Lascuña shot a final round 68 to salvage joint 20th.

“It’s a good rebound from a poor 76 start,” said Lascuña, who shot two 69s before finishing with a four-under card at the Santiburi Samui Country Club in Koh Samui. “I just hope to sustain my form heading to Riviera.”

Tabuena, chasing a second leg win on the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour after ruling the kickoff leg at Splendido, and Lascuña, still winless after racking up five victories in the ICTSI-sponsored circuit last year, head the cast in today’s (Tuesday) pro-am tournament of the seventh leg of this year’s circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. They hope to re-familiarize themselves with the ravine-laced layout along with the other leading players on the circuit, including defending champion Elmer Salvador, Orlan Sumcad, Ferdie Aunzo, Marvin Dumandan, Mars Pucay, Jay Bayron, Joenard Rates, Arnold Villacencio and Frankie Minoza.

Charles Hong, winner of the circuit’s last leg at Luisita last month, begged off to honor a previous commitment to play on the Asian Development Tour.

Still, the fight for the top P270,000 purse is expected to be fierce in all four days with the par-71 layout tipped to provide a true test of golf for the competing field.

Nine Koreans, led by Park Jun Hyeok and Gyuha Park, are also in the fold, along with Japanese Yuta Sudo, who tied Tabuena at 11th at Luisita, South African Joshua Seale and Dutch regular Guido Van der Valk, all out to finally nail a victory on the tour.

Tony Lascuña hopes to sustain his fine form at the Queen’s Cup in tomorrow’s ICTSI Riviera Classic.

Ateneo hosts BEST volleyball, cage clinics THE Ateneo College covered courts in Katipunan, Quezon City will become the center of volleyball and basketball clinic activities of the BEST Center starting July 4.

The multi-awarded Basketball Efficiency and Scientific Training Center, founded by former national coach Nic Jorge in 1978 and sponsored

by Milo, will hold volleyball clinics during weekends from July 4 to Aug. 22 for students in Levels 1 and 2. The volleyball clinics will be from 1 to 4 pm.

The basketball clinics will also be from July 4 to Aug. 22 for Preparatory Levels 1 to 4, from 8:30 - 11:30 a.m.

The BEST Center, a Philippine Olympic Committee Olympism and Philippine Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame awardee, could be reached at its office at 34 Scout Lozano St., Q.C. or though telephones 411-6260, 3723066 and telefax 372 3065.

Paris, Budapest enter race for 2024 games PARIS—Paris and Budapest are set to enter the race for the 2024 Olympics on Tuesday and with more cities watching it could become a classic narrowly fought contest.

France is to use the annual Olympic Day to proclaim its bid, while Budapest’s city council will vote to become the fifth competitor.

The US city of Boston, Rome and Germany’s Hamburg are already lobbying for International Olympic Committee votes.

The campaign will be long however and other cities could still enter.

The Azerbaijan capital, Baku, which is hosting the first European Games, could soon make a pitch, Olympic officials said. The Qatar capital Doha is also considering a move.

Bids must be officially submitted by September 15 this year and the IOC will only make a decision at a congress in Lima on September 15, 2017.

Paris and Boston are considered frontrunners. The United States has not staged a sum-

mer Olympics since 1996 while 2024 would be the centenary of the last time the Games were in the French capital.

But Olympic officials say that new bid rules intended to make it cheaper and less onerous to host 10,000 athletes for two weeks should help outsiders.

- Grandiose Paris will roll out an Olympic declaration with more political and state pomp on July 14 when a national parade is held along the Champs-Elysees.

After the disappointment of failed bids for the Olympics in 2008 and 2012, when Paris was beaten by Beijing and London respectively, French officials are leaving nothing to hazard this time.

The proposal includes holding one sport under the Eiffel Tower as well as at the Stade de France used for the 1998 World Cup final.

Tony Estanguet, France’s photogenic triple Olympic canoe champion will be one of the

bid leaders.

On the financial side, French organisers say the cost will be about six billion euros ($6.8 billion) and they will get a big chunk of that from the IOC. But the IOC wants to see a high level of public support from whichever city wins the Games. “The IOC will only go where it is welcome,” according to Alfons Hoermann, president of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DFSB).

And worries about the cost have weighed on the debate in all the candidate cities.

Paris mayor Annie Hidalgo has promised a “grand consultation” with the public in 2016 on the Games bid. She has not yet said what form it will take.

Boston organisers have promised a referendum and a public vote will be held in Hamburg in September. Organisers in both cities face a strong ‘no’ campaign but say they are optimistic. AFP

Cebuana Lhuillier bets deliver in SEAG

The Philippine National Women’s team effortlessly bagged one of the Philippines’ gold medals in the 28th Southeast Asian Games in Singapore. The Blu Boys were one of the heavy favorites to win gold in softball, a sport dominated by the Philippines. With the team is Amateur Softball of the Philippines Secretary General Danny Francisco.

COMING from its brand launch last month, Cebuana Lhuillier Sports has proven to be a pillar of support for Philippine sports by helping deliver four gold medals, three silvers and three bronze medals for the country in the recent Southeast Asian Games in Singapore.

“This is a good sign for Philippine sports.

It goes to show that support from the private sector can really uplift the state of sports in the country, and I believe that with the country’s performance in the SEA Games, more support will come in,” said Cebuana Lhuillier President and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier.

Leading the pack are the men’s and women’s softball teams, who proved their dominance and defended their crowns by sweeping their respective opponents, easing their way to bag two of the first gold medals for the Philippines.

The Blu Boys defeated Indonesia in the finals match, while the four-time gold medalist Blu Girls demolished Thailand, to capture their fifth gold.

Both teams are in the middle of preparing for larger tournaments ahead, such as the World Men’s Championship in Canada next month.

The Filipino netters, led by doubles’ pro Treat Huey, ranked second overall after bagging one gold, three silvers, and three bronzes.

Huey and partner Denise Dy beat Thailand to retain their crown in the mixed doubles event, and get the country’s 28th gold.

Ruben Gonzales, another professional doubles player, and local standout Jeson Patrombon, as well as Fil-German beauty Katharina Lehnert and Dy grabbed silver medals in their respective doubles matches.

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NY’s yoga event lures thousands NEW YORK—About 17,000 people set out their mats and stretched into yoga exercises in New York’s Times Square Sunday, including the United Nations’ leader, to celebrate the first International Day of Yoga.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, dressed in white, joined the yoga gathering late in the morning in one of the most recognizable squares in the world.

Ban hailed the many benefits the ancient exercise could bring to people around the world.

“To all of you I say: Namaste!” the UN leader told the crowd.

“My hope is that yoga will give people everywhere the sense and the oneness we need to work together to live in har-

mony and usher in a life of dignity for all.”

The UN declared in December that June 21 would be International Yoga Day, highlighting its health “benefits” for the public.

That coincided Sunday with the annual session in Times Square for yoga on the first day of summer.

Hundreds of yoga mats were distributed free in New York, and pedestrian areas, typically hectic, were completely covered with peaceful people taking instruction from teachers by loudspeaker.

Yoga classes started early in the morning and were set to stretch into the evening. The crowd was dominated by women, but there were also plenty of men and some children feeling the burn. AFP

Thousands take part in a mass yoga session to mark the International Yoga Day at Campidoglio square in Rome. Some 192 countries took part in the event. AFP

MERS virus under control in Korea ATHLETES bound for the World Universiade, don’t worry. Everything is under control.

This in essence is the message that the Dr. Lawrence D. Rink, the chair of the International University Sports Federation Medical Committee, is sending to participants to the 28th Summer Universiade in the city of Gwanjgu in the Republic of Korea from July 3 to 14, 2015, following the recent outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Corona virus (MERSCov) in Korea.

Dr. Rink said the World Health Organization is monitoring the MERS-Cov outbreak and has been working with scientists and clinicians in Korea. “The WHO is working with scientists and clinicians in Korea,” said Rink. “The WHO is NOT recommending any entry screening

and has not recommended any application of travel or trade restrictions.

“FISU Medical Committee, in coordination with the Gwangju Universiade Organizing Committee, has set forth stringent protocols regarding reporting of symptoms, reporting of contacts, isolation and quarantine techniques. We have dealt with many viral outbreaks such as SARS in the past and we have received international recognition for the way we have dealt with these issues.”

Rink anticipates that the MERS-Cov virus outbreak has been quite limited and will not have any effect on the games.

“I can assure you that we are watching this closely,” said Rink.

“We will continue to monitor

this situation but do not believe it will have any effect on the Summer Universiade.”

The Philippines, through the Commission on Higher Education-supported Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines, is sending a delegation of athletes and team officials to the Gwangju Universiade, led by Head of Delegation Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and his deputy Angel Ngu. The country will have entries in table tennis, badminton, lawn tennis, taekwondo, and swimming in the 12-day Gwangju Games that will feature more than 20,000 top-caliber university athletes from 170 countries, including sports superpowers United States, People’s Republic of China, and Russia.

The Summer Universiade, which is organized by the FISU, is held every two years. The

multi-sport competition is the equivalent of the Summer Olympics at the university or college level. It has featured reigning and future Olympians from the different disciplines through the decades.

In 2011, in Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China, the Philippines, through the FESSAP, secured a silver medal, through taekwondo’s Samuel Thomas Harper Morrison.

Two years later in Kazan, Russian Republic, the country again cemented a place on the Universiade medal table with a gold in men’s chess from Grandmaster Wesley So. The opening ceremonies of the Gwangju Universiade will be held on July 3. The Philippine flag bearer will be former Senator Anna Dominique (Nikki) Coseteng, president of Diliman Preparatory School.

Murray vows to solve Novak puzzle

Britain’s Andy Murray celebrates after beating South Africa’s Kevin Anderson in the men’s singles final match at the ATP Aegon Championships tennis tournament at the Queen’s Club in west London. Murray swept to a record-equalling fourth Queen’s Club title with a majestic 6-3, 6-4 demolition Anderson in the final. AFP

LONDON—Andy Murray set his sights on ending his barren run against Novak Djokovic after the world number three wrapped up his Wimbledon preparations with a sublime demolition of Kevin Anderson in the Queen’s Club final.

Murray clinched a record-equalling fourth Queen’s title in just 64 minutes as he delivered a grass-court masterclass that left world number 17 Anderson utterly bewildered.

It has been a memorable year for Murray, with an Australian Open final appearance followed by his wedding to Kim Sears in April.

Murray also won his first clay-court titles in Munich and Madrid, and reached the French Open semi-finals The usually taciturn 28-year-old was so enthused by his fine week’s work in west London that he claimed he is playing even better than when he secured his historic Wimbledon triumph in 2013.

“You have to improve. If you don’t people will take your spot,” Murray said.

“Physically I’m definitely in a better place than I was then and I’m using my variety much better just now. That’s been good for me.”

But there is still one big issue looming for Murray as he heads to Wimbledon’s practice courts before the tournament gets underway on June 29.

For all his success over the last six months, he has failed to solve the problems posed by world number one Djokovic.

Murray has lost only six of his 41 matches in 2015 and four of those defeats have come against Djokovic, in the Australian Open and Miami finals and the last four in Indian Wells and Roland Garros.

Yet Murray draws strength from his performances in several of those matches, as well as his Wimbledon and US Open final wins over the Serb, and insists he can close the gap if they meet again at the All England Club.

“It’s obviously a shame I’ve lost to Novak, but I’ve been close in a lot of the matches,” Murray said. AFP

Tugade, Velez top net meet LOCAL ace Vince EJ Tugade and Davao’s Patricia Velez pulled off a pair of tough victories each to dominate the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group presented by Technifibre Isulan leg at the Isulan Capitol Tennis Club in Sultan Kudarat yesterday.

Tugade, ranked second in the boys’ 16-and-under division, rebounded from a first-set defeat to stun top seed Janus Ringia, 2-6, 6-4, 10-7, in the finals to the delight of the local crowd then, as top seed, held off Klyde Lagarde, 7-5, 6-1, to capture the 14-U title in the four-day, Group 3 tournament sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association headed by president and Paranaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez.

The second seeded Velez also fought back from a first-set loss to upend No. 1 Carlyn Guarde, 3-6, 7-5, 10-7, and snare the girls’ 16-U plum then turned back top seed Nicole Bautista, 6-3, 7-5, to annex the premier 18-U crown in the event sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and held as part of the birthday celebration of Sultan Pax Mangudadatu.

“Tugade and Velez are two of the rising stars making their mark in the circuit and the reversals only underscored the level playing field in all categories,” said Palawan Pawnshop COO Bobby Castro. “This is what the Palawan Pawnshop circuit is all about – to discover more and more talents, especially in the countryside.”

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NCAA sets strict safety measures

By Peter Atencio

STARTING Season 91, the National Collegiate Athletic Association will implement safety measures with regards to the health of its athletes.

Coaches of the participating NCAA teams link hands as a show of unity during the press conference launching the league’s 91st season. EY ACASIO

PSA Forum tackles state of PH boxing THE plight of local boxers and the state of local boxing in general will be discussed when the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum resumes its weekly session today at Shakey’s Malate.

To delve on the topic are Games and Amusements Board chairman Manila

Standard

Ramon Guanzon and boxing division chief Nasser Cruz as the they talk about the unpaid purses of former world champion Luisito Espinosa and International Boxing Organization titlist Rey Loreto, as well as the recent Asia and Pacific convention held in

Bacolod City recently.

Also featured in the public sports program aired lived over DZSR Sports Radio 918 and presented

by San Miguel Corp., Accel, Shakey’s and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. are the coming Philippine National Games and the annual

Energizer night race.

Coming on behalf of the PNG is Atty. Maria Fe Jay Alano, while the Energizer night race will be represented by Energizer Philippines senior brand manager Claire Guevarra, brand activation manager MJ Tiquia, and race director Melvyn Bolus.

Policy board chairman Reynaldo Vea of host Mapua said the league has decided to introduce the new policy following the untimely death of junior basketball player CJ Servillon, who died two days after collapsing during a pre-season game organized by FilOil-Flying V. “We have been taking precautions against such incidents.

As for extra measures, we are making sure that we know the exact health of our athletes,” said Vea during a press conference that launched Season 91 of the NCAA at the SM Mall of Arena in Pasay City.

Vea then explained the process for ensuring the safety of the athletes. He said students will be asked to fill up a questionnaire, which would ask them in detail about their medical history.

He also made an assurance that the league will provide emergency medical doctors and ambulance services, which will be required to be present in all game venues and playing schedules.

The NCAA official also bared that the league plans to acquire emergency equipment such as stretchers, oxygen tanks and masks, and other lifesaving equipment which will be used during emergency situations.

“Those steps have been taken not for just this season, but for seasons to come. This is to ensure the safety of our athletes and everyone involved in the games,” Vea said.

Season 91 starts this Saturday with five-peat champion San Beda clashing with host Mapua at 2 p.m. at the MOA Arena in Pasay City, while Arellano University battles Jose Rizal University at 4 p.m.

Again, opposing coaches said the Red Lions will be the team to beat this season and said it would take a lot of luck to beat San Beda for the title.

“Puwede naming matalo ang San Beda, pero tsamba lang,” said Altas coach Aric del Rosario.

Topex Robinson, the new coach of the Lyceum Pirates, agreed.

“They’re really the barometer of the rest of the season. But we focus on the things that we have control of. First is in the system that we will run,” said Robinson.

While the Red Lions defend their cage crown, the College of St. Benilde will try to retain the general championship honors after winning it all last season.

Games will be shown on ABSCYANon MAGENTA YELL CBN Sports+Action Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

TODAY

Aragones wins Shell NCR chessfest

Republic of the Philippines DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY R EQ U EST FO R E X PR ES S I O N O F I NT E R EST 1.

T h e D e p a r t m e n t o f S c i e n c e a n d Te c h n o l o g y - C e n t r a l O f f i c e w i l l need the ser vices of canteen concessionaire who will operate and m a n a g e t h e c a n t e e n , a t t h e g r o u n d f l o o r o f t h e D O S T E xe c u t i ve L o u n g e B u i l d i n g , D O S T C o m p o u n d , B i c u t a n , Ta g u i g C i t y w i t h a n a r e a o f a p p r ox i m a t e l y f o u r h u n d r e d (4 0 0) s q u a r e m e t e r s . T h e a r e a i n c l u d e s a n E xe c u t i ve L o u n g e f o r t h e u s e o f D O S T a n d i t s A g e n c i e s for the meetings and other related functions. The canteen shall c a t e r t o t h e n e e d s o f o f f i c i a l s a n d e m p l oye e s o f t h e D O S T, a s w e l l as its clients and guests.

2 . I n v i e w o f t h e t e r m i n a t i o n o f t h e c o n t r a c t o f t h e ex i s t i n g c a n t e e n c o n c e s s i o n a i r e , t h e D O S T n o w i nv i t e s a l l i n t e r e s t e d c o n c e s s i o n a r e s t o s u b m i t t h e i r r e s p e c t i ve L e t t e r o f I n t e n t f o r t h e p r ov i s i o n o f a DOST Canteen Concessionaire.

3. Interested concessionaires should h ave the following q u a l i f i c a t i o n s:( I) m u s t e i t h e r b e a d u l y r e g i s t e r e d s o l e p r o p r i e t o r s h i p, p a r t n e r s h i p, joint ve n t u r e , corporation or c o o p e r a t i ve; ( I I) m u s t h ave a c a p i t a l i z a t i o n o f Fo u r H u n d r e d T h o u s a n d Pe s o s ( P h p 4 0 0 , 0 0 0 . 0 0); a n d ( I I I) m u s t h ave c a t e r i n g ex p e r i e n c e o f a t l e a s t 3 ye a r s a n d c a n t e e n o p e r a t i o n ex p e r i e n c e o f a t l e a s t 5 ye a r s .

4. The selection of concessionaires will be conducted through open c o m p e t i t i ve s e l e c t i o n p r o c e d u r e .

5 . I n t e r e s t e d c o n c e s s i o n a i r e s m ay o b t a i n a l i s t o f r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r the eligibilit y requirements and technical proposals, free of charge, from the DOST Canteen Committee Secretariat at the address and c o n t a c t n u m b e r s b e l o w d u r i n g o f f i c e h o u r s f r o m 8: 0 0 a m t o 5: 0 0 pm.

6 . T h e D O S T w i l l h o l d a P r i l i m i n a r y C o n f e r e n c e o n J u l y 1, 2 015 , 10 : 0 0 am at the DOST Executive Lounge, DOST Compound, Bicutan, Ta g u i g C i t y w h i c h s h a l l b e o p e n t o a l l i n t e r e s t e d p a r t i e s .

7.

Det ails on the doc ument ar y requirements, c r iter ia and sc hedule of f inal submission shall be issued af ter the Preliminar y C onferenc e.

8 . Fo r f u r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n , p l e a s e C o m m i t t e e S e c r e t a r i a t t h r u:

contact

the

DOST

M r. G a r r y L . A l i g m a yo DOST Canteen Committee Secretariat Te l . N o.: 8 37- 2 071 l o c a l 2 0 4 6 / 2 0 5 0 E m a i l a d d r e s s: Approved by: (SGD) OSWALDO C. SANTOS Chairperson DOST Canteen Committee (TS JUNE 23, 2015)

Canteen

STATEFIELD’S Jerome Aragones scored three points in the last four rounds to pool eight points, then bested top seed Daniel Quizon in the tiebreak to capture the kiddies’ crown tiebreak in the Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship National Capital Region leg at SM Megamall Event Center over the weekend.

Tied with Daniel Quizon and Justine Mordido after five rounds, the eighth-ranked Aragones drew with Dennis Gutierrez III in the sixth, then trampled Mordido, halved the point with Quizon before outplaying Juwon Grande to finish the nine-round Swiss system tournament with eight points.

Quizon matched that output with a draw with Mordido in the sixth,

a victory over Chester Reyes in the seventh and another win over Jamler Uy in the final round. But the Espiritu Santo Parochial School standout settled for runner-up honors as Aragones took the plum with a superior tiebreak score.

Mordido, ranked No. 7 in the 128-player field in the 7-12 division of the three-category circuit sponsored by Pilipinas Shell and sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, bounced back from a draw with Quizon and a loss to Aragones with victories over Daniel Macato and Gutierrez to clinch solo third with 7.5 points and the last berth in the national finals slated in September.

Rheam Arah de Guzman of Mary

Margaret School, who scored 3.5 points after five rounds, won her last two matches over Ann Paez and Mark Nuella to finish with 6.5 points for joint seventh and booked the lone female berth in the grand finals.

Asia’s first GM Eugene Torre graced the awards rites and exhorted the participants to strive for excellence while Janot Barretto, Shell Downstream Social Performance manager, delivered the closing remarks in the two-day tournament kicking off the five-stage elims of the annual event backed by Shell FuelSave, Shell V-Power Nitro+, Shell Helix Oil Change Plus, Shell Citi Visa, Shell Pepeng Pasada, Shell FuelOil Plus, Shell Advance Ultra, Unilever and SM Supermalls.

Tuguegarao sportsfest under way TUGUEGARAO CITY—The 7th Gov. Alvaro T. Antonio Friendship Games kicks off today with a simple opening ceremony followed by a thrilling double header in both volleyball and basketball at the Tuguegarao People’s Gymnasium and Cagayan Coliseum.

Organized by the Provincial Government of Cagayan in cooperation with the City Government of Tuguegarao, the week-long tourney is

part of the 432nd founding anniversary celebration of the province.

“The Provincial Government of Cagayan is proud to host the Games as part of our activities in celebration of the province founding anniversary.

It would showcase national caliber athletes as teams from the Armed Forces of the Philippines have confirmed their participation,” said Governor Antonio.

Several members of the National Team, who participated in the recent Southeast Asian Games in Singapore are reserved personnel of the AFP and the Philippine National Police.

“The Provincial Government of Cagayan, through its Provincial Sports Committee, has been actively promoting and conducting sports-tourism activities in the provinces such as inter-

agency, inter-town, collegiate meets, sports clinics and officiating seminars to promote healthy lifestyles among Cagayanos,” added Antonio.

The Cagayan Rising Suns, the multi-titled squad in the PBA DLeague, head the stellar cast in basketball competitions, along with Manny Pacquiao’s MP Hotel, Philippine Army, Tuguegarao City, Iguig and Isabela.

T UE S DAY : J UN E 2 3 , 2 0 1 5

A15

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

LOTTO RESULTS

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

Villanueva determined to become world champ

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

PBA Best Player. Rain or Shine’s Paul Lee attempts from the three-point zone as Meralco’s Reynel Hugnatan scrambles in order to stop him from doing so in a PBA Governors’ Cup game won by the Painters, 96-89, on Sunday. Lee averaged 16.0 points and and 5.5 rebounds in Rain or Shine’s two crucial wins over KIA Carnival and Meralco last week to help his team secure a Top Four spot in the playoffs and his gutsy effort earned him the Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week for the period of June 15 to 21.

No slowing down for 3 PBA leaders

By Jeric Lopez

THREE squads which are safely in the quarterfinals plunge back to action as they all seek more momentum heading into the postseason in their final elimination-round assignments of the 2015 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup. Already secured of the top seed, Alaska (8-2) goes for its fifth straight victory and looks to close out the eliminations with a bang even as GlobalPort (6-4) aims to secure the No. 4 ranking and gain the last available twiceto-beat edge in the quarters as the two square off at 4:15 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum today.

In the second game, the already peaking Star Hotshots (5-5), who secured a place in the quarters last Sunday, aim to keep their

winning run going to keep their slim hope of landing in the Top 4 alive as they take on ousted cellardweller Blackwater (1-9) at 7 p.m.

While the Top 8 teams will march on to the quarterfinals, the Top 4 will enjoy a significant twice-to-beat advantage in the next phase.

At the moment, the Aces, along with No. 2 San Miguel Beer and No. 3 Rain or Shine are all assured of twice-to-beat incentives, but the No. 4 spot remains up for grabs

with Batang Pier as the team with para sa Top 4,’’ said Batang Pier the best chance to clinch it. coach Pido Jarencio. ‘’Important As for the cast for the play- din itong game against Alaska offs ahead, six berths are already para kumpiyansa ng team for the taken while the last two tickets playoffs.’’ to the quarters are still up for If the Batang Pier lose, teams grabs. Alaska, San Miguel, Rain such as Barako Bull (6-5), Meralor Shine, GlobalPort, Barako Bull co (5-5) and the Star Hotshots and the Star Hotwill still have a shot Games Today shots are all safely as well to move up to (Smart Araneta Coliseum) through to the next 4:15 p.m. - Alaska vs. GlobalPort No. 4 depending on 7 pm. - Star Hotshots vs. round, while Meralhow the results of the Blackwater co, Talk ‘N Text, final games as well as Barangay Ginebra and KIA are the quotient plays out. vying for the last two seats and Alaska is currently the seconddeadlocks will be broken by quo- hottest team in the league, havtient after the dust settles. ing won its last four with the last Should GlobalPort win against one being a big fish as it tripped Alaska, it will automatically lock erstwhile league-leading San the No. 4 ranking and grab the Miguel Beer, 82-77, last Saturday last twice-to-beat incentive avail- in Panabo City, thereby snapping able heading the next phase. the Beermen’s eight-game win“Gusto talaga namin manalo ning streak and stealing the No. 1 for the twice-to-beat advantage seed in the process.

UNDEFEATED International Boxing Federation International and Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation super flyweight champion “King” Arthur Villanueva is training hard for his title fight against unbeaten Puerto Rican southpaw McJoe Arroyo scheduled for July 18 at the Don Haskins Convention Center in El Paso, Texas.

Trainer Edmund Villamor, who was named “Trainer of the Year” three years in a row at the Flash Elorde Annual Awards, told The Standard/boxingmirror.com: “We are preparing three or four southpaw sparring partners for King Arthur who is determined and wants to be a world champion.”

ALA Gym head trainer Edito “Ala” Villamor said that Villanueva is coming along fine and has sparred twice over 10 rounds against southpaws, since Arroyo is a lefty and he needs to get used to fighting southpaws.

One of the sparring partners is Joy Joy Formetera, a 21-year-old southpaw from Cebu City, who has a solid record of 6-1 with 4 knockouts, all in his last four bouts with a second-round knockout over Allan Doronilla in his last bout on June 7.

Formetera’s only loss was in his pro debut against Rolando Servania, who was also making his debut in a four-round bout on Jan. 20, 2013.

He said they are also recruiting an amateur from Bohol, who is a southpaw, to help enhance Villanueva’s hand-speed, reflexes and movement.

American strength and conditioning coach Nick Curson is working with Villanueva to get him into the best physical shape for the tough test against the 29-year-old Arroyo, who has an unblemished record of 16-0 with 8 knockouts.

Arroyo earned the title shot when he scored a lopsided win against Filipino Mark Anthony Geraldo in an eliminator in Puerto Rico on Dec. 30, 2014.

Rory roars but comes up short at US Open

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland walks off the 18th green during the final round of the 115th U.S. Open Championship at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington. AFP

TACOMA—Rory McIlroy was left regretting a cold putter as his hopes of a second US Open win came up agonisingly short at Chambers Bay on Sunday.

The world number one started the day eight shots adrift of the leading quartet and seemingly out of the championship picture.

But in a superb display of shot-making, the 26-yearold Northern Irishman rattled in six birdies in 13 holes, the last of which was a monster 70-foot putt.

At that stage he was just two shots shy of the lead, with some birdieable holes ahead. Suddenly he looked

capable of winning and also becoming the first man to score 62 in a major.

But a three-putt on the par-three 15th took the wind out of his sails and two holes later another dropped shot effectively ended his challenge.

He eventually settled for a 66 to stand at even par for the tournament.

No fifth major for McIlroy then, but he said there were plenty of positives to be taken from his week in the US Pacific Northwest.

“When I look back, obviously the last few holes of this golf course haven’t been kind to me all week. And

when I look back at this tournament that’s where I’ll rue some missed opportunities,” he said.

“I feel like it’s sort of one that got away, especially the way I putted this week.

I don’t think I’ve ever hit the ball as well in a major championship.”

It’s the second major in a row that McIlroy has left himself with too much to do in the final round following his charge up the leaderboard to place fourth at the Masters in April.

That is something he said he will work hard on over the next few weeks ahead of the British Open at St An-

drews in mid-July.

“Of course I take a lot of positives out of this,” he said.

“The long game is really in good shape. I’ve never hit the ball as good in a major championship for four rounds.

“I was really dialled in all week and confident with that. And if I can just get the putting a little bit better and roll a few more in and get a little bit of confidence with that going, I see nothing but positive signs for the next few months.”

Next up for McIlroy will be another appearance in the Scottish Open in Gullane, East Lothian in two weeks time. AFP

T U E S D AY : J U N E 2 3 , 2 0 1 5

A16

RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

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

sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS

SPIETH

FUELS GRAND SLAM

Jordan Spieth of the United States raises his trophy for photographers after winning the 115th US Open Championship at Chambers Bay tin University Place, Washington. AFP

DREAM

TACOMA—Two down and two to go - and Jordan Spieth believes that an unprecedented clean sweep of golf’s four majors in the same year is possible.

The greats of the game—Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tiger Woods - have all tried and all have failed to achieve that feat.

Spieth though has now put himself in that Grand Slam position by winning the US Open in thrilling style at Chambers Bay on Sunday two months after lifting his first major at the Masters.

It’s a mouthwatering prospect which will take him to St. Andrews for the British Open next month and to Whistling Straits in Wisconsin for the PGA Championship in August.

It’s a prospect that 21-year-old Spieth has clearly considered, but he does not want to get too far ahead of himself.

NY’s yoga event lures thousands TURN TO A13

“I think it’s in the realm of possibility,” he said shortly after his US Open win.

“I’m just focused on the Claret Jug (British Open) now. I think that the Grand Slam is something that I never could really fathom somebody doing, considering I watched Tiger win when he was winning whatever percentage of the majors he played in and he won the Tiger Slam, but he never won the four in one year.

“And I figured if anybody was going to do it, it would be him, which he still can.

“I think we’ll just use that secret formula and see if we can maybe have it on these next two weeks—the two weeks that the majors are held.

“I’ve proven to myself that I can

win on a British-style golf course now. Now I take it to the truest British-style golf course of any in the world.

“And I’m just excited for the opportunity coming then, and I’m not going to think about what could possibly happen after.”

Spieth’s two wins mean that the four golfing majors are now held by just two men—himself and 26-year-old Rory McIlroy who won the British Open and PGA Championship last year.

All the talk is of a rivalry between the two young guns that will light up golf for the forseeable future, although Spieth says he does not yet consider himself to be in the same elevated bracket as the Northern Irishman.

Game is in young hands “It’s kind of cool. I think to have two players holding the four majors and Rickie (Fowler) having the fifth (Players Championship). It’s

awesome that the game is in young hands.

“I don’t think there is much of a rivalry. I’ve said that from the beginning. Rory has four majors and dozens of wins and I’m just starting out.

“Again, I’m certainly quite a bit younger than he is. I’m just happy to have this and to be chasing that number one spot that he holds. So I’m certainly focused on that.”

First up for Spieth will be his preparations for St. Andrews, a course he has played only once before, but which, like many of his peers, he holds in great reverence.

“The home of golf. I’ve played one round on St. Andrews, and it was when we were playing in the Walker Cup at Royal Aberdeen and we went as a team to visit St. Andrews first.

“I remember walking around the clubhouse. It’s one of my favourite places in the world.

NCAA sets strict safety measures TURN TO A14

JORDAN SPIETH FAST FACTS Born — July 27, 1993 Birthplace — Dallas, Texas Home — Dallas, Texas College — Texas Height — 6 feet 1 inches (1.85 meters) Turned pro — 2012 Joined PGA Tour — 2013 PGA Tour Victories — 4 Major wins — 2 (2015 Masters, US Open)

“I remember walking around The R&A clubhouse and seeing paintings of royalty playing golf, and it was dated 14-whatever, 1460-something.

“I’m thinking, our country was discovered in 1492 and they were playing golf here before anyone even knew that the Americas existed.” AFP

TUESDAY: JUNE 23, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

B1

PNOC barred from power projects

By Alena Mae S. Flores

TWO units of government-owned Philippine National Oil Co. are no longer allowed to go into power generation following a contrary opinion from the Justice Department.

Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla said the legal opinion had barred PNOC Exploration Corp. and PNOC Renewables Corp. from joining the power generation business.

The Justice Department concurred with the position of Senator Sergio Osmeña that the government, including state-owned corporations, cannot go into

power generation.

“Although if you strictly look at the Epira Law, only NPC [National Power Corp.] is not allowed to go into power generation,” Petilla said.

The Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 was passed to stop the financial bleeding of the government in the power sector arising from subsidies extended

Century still open in casino venture

By Jenniffer B. Austria PROPERTY developer Century Properties Group Inc. said Monday it is still interested in the development of government-sponsored Entertainment City project in Parañaque City, despite an aborted joint venture with the group of Japanese billionaire Kazuo Okada.

“There are few parties that are talking us,” CPG chairman Jose Antonio said in an interview, following the annual stockholders’ meeting at Century City in Makati. He did not provide additional details.

He said CPG was open to teaming up with any of the four companies with existing licenses to operate casino within Pagcor Entertainment City.

CPG said in May it withdrew a case against the Okada group over an aborted partnership for a casino project.

“As of now we are not together. But we are always open to potential relationship whether with that group. We are open,” Antonio said.

Aside from Okada, three companies, including Bloomberry Resorts Corp., operator of Solaire Resorts & Casino; Belle Corp. and Melco Crown of the City of Dreams Manila; and Travellers International Hotel Group Inc. of the Resorts World Bayshore City, have casino licenses in ]Entertainment City project.

PSe c omPoSite

index

Closing June 22, 2015

7800 7500 7200 6900 6600 6300

7,609.14 7.97

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing JUNE 22, 2015 47 46

P45.050 CLOSE

45 44 43

HIGH P44.980 LOW P45.070 AVERAGE P45.026 VOLUME 494.000M

P480.00-P680.00 LPG/11-kg tank

oil

by state-owned Napocor.

Napocor today is focused only in providing power to missionary or off-grid areas through a partnership with the private sector.

PNOC Exploration president Pedro Aquino earlier said the company would join the planned Isabela and Zamboanga Sibugay coal-fired power plants with a combined capacity of 200 megawatts.

“We are waiting for a third party who is willing to put up the power plant. We will supply the coal,” Aquino said.

Korea Electric Power Corp. and Marubeni Corp. of Japan earlier expressed interest to forge a joint venture with PNOC Exploration

to develop the Isabela and Zamboanga Sibugay coal-fired power plants.

Hitachi Ltd. and Sumitomo Corp. of Japan also expressed interest in the two coal-fired power generation projects.

PNOC Exploration has engaged The Lantau Group as transaction advisor for the two projects.

The Isabela power plant will utilize the lignite coal within PNOC Exploration’s coal concession in the area. The proposed power project in Zamboanga Sibugay, meanwhile, will use the bituminous coal reserves from PNOC Exploration’s Malangas coal mines.

Aquino earlier said the com-

pany was studying the coal gasification technology, which involves gasifying coal and turning it to electricity for the coal projects.

“Somebody brought up the idea of trying to do a coal gasification. … you convert coal into gas and the gas is now going to be the fuel for the power plant. They say this is going to be environmentfriendly because all the pollutants and environmental [concerns] have already been addressed by the gasification,” he said.

Aquino said coal gasification would address the problem of transporting coal to the power plant, a distance of about 12 to 13 kilometers.

TUESDAY: JUNE 23, 2015

B2

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

MST BuSineSS Daily STockS Review Monday, June 22, 2015

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low 75.3 124.4 104 63 4.2 18.48 31.6 9.5 2.95 99.4 30.5 94.95 137 361.2 59 174.8 1700 127.9 47 5 1.66 2.36 15.3 113 20.6 32 4.57 23.35 21.6 12.98 9.13 12.34 31.8 109 20.75 15.3 9.4 241 12.5 45.45 33.9 90 13.98 292.4 5.25 13.04 6.8 14.5 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.68 8.1 253 3.28 0.315 2.5 2.68 226.6 5.5 1.3 26 2.17

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 73.65 73.2 110.90 109.00 99.00 97.40 45.65 45.55 1.85 1.85 16 15.6 20.3 20 9.52 6.35 1.74 1.74 91 89.95 18.00 18.00 69.20 68.55 93.95 90.05 607.4 301 42.5 41.6 166 160 1500.00 1475.00 61.10 60.00 INDUSTRIAL 35.6 Aboitiz Power Corp.

44.95 44.95 44.6 1.6 Agrinurture Inc. 1.44 1.44 1.44 1.04 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 1.06 1.05 1.03 1.41 Alsons Cons.

1.94 1.95 1.92 7.92 Asiabest Group 10.38 10.5 10.2 40.3 Bogo Medelin 60.5 68.5 55 14.6 Century Food 18.38 18.5 18.4 10.08 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 26.85 28.5 26.1 Crown Asia 2.21 2.22 2.08 1.04 Da Vinci Capital 1.55 1.55 1.53 10.72 Del Monte 11.7 11.7 11.5 8.44 DNL Industries Inc. 18.920 19.100 18.86 9.79 Emperador 9.05 9.30 9.09 5.43 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 7.57 7.70 7.50 9.54 EEI 10.00 10.20 9.98 18.06 First Gen Corp.

25.35 25.95 25.25 67.9 First Holdings ‘A’ 83.7 84.85 83.5 14 Ginebra San Miguel Inc. 13.86 13.86 13.86 13.24 Holcim Philippines Inc. 13.84 13.84 13.80 3.12 Integ. Micro-Electronics 6 6.1 5.94 168 Jollibee Foods Corp.

197.20 197.50 195.90 9.7 8.65 Lafarge Rep 9.85 9.97 16 Macay Holdings 54.75 61.00 50.00 24.4 Manila Water Co. Inc. 24.9 25.5 24.9 16.2 Maxs Group 24.85 24.85 24.4 7.62 Megawide 6.29 6.35 6.2 250.2 Mla. Elect. Co `A’ 285.00 290.20 284.00 3.87 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 4.66 4.7 4.63 9 Petron Corporation 8.62 9.00 8.62 3.7 Phil H2O 4.14 4.12 4.12 9.94 Phinma Corporation 11.70 11.72 11.72 3.03 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 3.97 3.97 3.89 2.22 Phoenix Semiconductor 1.97 2.05 1.97 1 Pryce Corp. `A’ 2.52 2.69 2.42 4.72 RFM Corporation 4.26 4.26 4.20 6 Roxas Holdings 6.12 6.25 6.25 201.6 San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ 170 178 161 1.67 Splash Corporation 1.63 1.76 1.76 0.122 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.146 0.147 0.145 1.02 TKC Steel Corp.

1.20 1.30 1.30 2.01 Trans-Asia Oil 2.18 2.18 2.17 143.4 Universal Robina 198 200 196.3 4.28 Victorias Milling 4.4 4.6 4.6 0.77 0.78 0.76 0.670 Vitarich Corp.

9.01 Vivant Corp.

25.50 22.65 22.55 1.39 Vulcan Ind’l.

1.29 1.35 1.20 HOLDING FIRMS 0.45 Abacus Cons. `A’ 0.475 0.480 0.460 48.1 Aboitiz Equity 56.5500 57.3000 56.5500 20.85 Alliance Global Inc. 23.10 23.05 22.75 6.62 Anscor `A’ 6.77 6.79 6.79 1.4 ATN Holdings A 0.249 0.255 0.247 1.6 ATN Holdings B 0.245 0.250 0.231 600 Ayala Corp `A’ 799.5 799 762.5 7.390 Cosco Capital 7.98 8.01 7.97 14.18 DMCI Holdings 13.48 13.60 13.10 4.25 Filinvest Dev. Corp.

4.54 4.55 4.50 0.144 Forum Pacific 0.217 0.236 0.225 818 GT Capital 1390 1395 1310 5.3 House of Inv. 6.68 7.50 6.84 46.6 JG Summit Holdings 71.50 72.80 71.40 4.96 Jolliville Holdings 3.9 3.5 3.5 4.43 Lopez Holdings Corp.

7.27 7.45 7.25 0.59 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 0.69 0.69 0.68 12 LT Group 13.92 14.34 13.74 0.580 Mabuhay Holdings `A’ 0.63 0.65 0.65 4.22 Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. 4.7 4.76 4.6 4.5 Minerales Industrias Corp. 5.15 5.25 5.2 0.036 Pacifica `A’ 0.0330 0.0310 0.0300 0.450 Prime Orion 1.480 1.530 1.460 66.7 San Miguel Corp `A’ 64.45 63.00 60.50 709.5 SM Investments Inc. 881.00 890.00 868.00 1.13 Solid Group Inc. 1.25 1.29 1.22 85.2 Top Frontier 82.000 84.850 82.000 0.200 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.3500 0.3500 0.3450 0.173 Wellex Industries 0.2030 0.2200 0.2200 PROPERTY 6.01 8990 HLDG 7.390 7.390 7.300 0.91 A. Brown Co., Inc. 0.69 0.75 0.72 1.29 Araneta Prop `A’ 1.250 1.200 1.200 29.1 Ayala Land `B’ 38.25 38.50 37.80 4.1 Belle Corp. `A’ 3.37 3.52 3.38 4.96 Cebu Holdings 5.25 5.4 5.18 0.89 Century Property 0.83 0.87 0.82 1.1 City & Land Dev. 1.22 1.25 1.20 0.97 Cityland Dev. `A’ 1.08 1.05 1.04 0.083 Crown Equities Inc. 0.134 0.138 0.137 66 84.6 84.5 45.8 2.03 12.02 23.55 6.3 1.75 78 18.02 76.5 95 276 45 107.6 1200 66

Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank Bright Kindle Resources COL Financial Eastwest Bank Filipino Fund Inc. I-Remit Inc. Metrobank PB Bank Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank

73.7 109.80 98.75 45.65 1.74 15.76 20.05 6.35 1.74 90.2 18.00 68.55 94 306.6 41 165 1500.00 59.00

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

73.2 110.00 97.80 45.65 1.85 15.96 20 6.35 1.74 90.8 18.00 68.65 93.95 307.4 41.65 164.1 1500.00 60.00

-0.68 0.18 -0.96 0.00 6.32 1.27 -0.25 0.00 0.00 0.67 0.00 0.15 -0.05 0.26 1.59 -0.55 0.00 1.69

22,820 2,722,440 1,617,350 9,200 3,000 44,200 43,700 600 10,000 1,537,570 5,100 5,420 110 6,840 36,800 472,870 150 49,710

961,918.50 7,744,989.00 -107,096,387.00

44.8 1.44 1.04 1.93 10.5 57 18.5 27.8 2.08 1.53 11.5 18.900 9.12 7.69 10.20 25.35 83.55 13.86 13.84 5.98 196.00 9.97 59.00 24.95 24.5 6.35 290.00 4.66 8.98 4.12 11.72 3.90 2.03 2.56 4.26 6.25 167 1.76 0.147 1.30 2.17 200 4.6 0.78 22.65 1.35

-0.33 0.00 -1.89 -0.52 1.16 -5.79 0.65 3.54 -5.88 -1.29 -1.71 -0.11 0.77 1.59 2.00 0.00 -0.18 0.00 0.00 -0.33 -0.61 1.22 7.76 0.20 -1.41 0.95 1.75 0.00 4.18 -0.48 0.17 -1.76 3.05 1.59 0.00 2.12 -1.76 7.98 0.68 8.33 -0.46 1.01 4.55 1.30 -11.18 4.65

924,900 11,000 160,000 1,262,000 1,500 9,860 5,985,000 6,668,000 2,668,000 55,000 64,200 1,698,300 578,700 14,685,100 187,500 3,266,600 961,580 400 10,500 260,000 975,170 746,900 34,760 1,104,700 13,000 413,800 1,039,960 3,082,000 4,368,100 20,000 100 139,000 1,448,000 20,842,000 226,000 4,500 74,540 1,000 130,000 1,000 579,000 2,042,090 1,000 638,000 2,100 12,000

6,037,490.00

0.480 57.3000 23.05 6.79 0.250 0.250 792 7.98 13.60 4.51 0.236 1310 6.84 71.80 3.5 7.26 0.68 14.34 0.65 4.71 5.24 0.0310 1.490 60.50 877.00 1.29 84.850 0.3500 0.2200

1.05 1.33 -0.22 0.30 0.40 2.04 -0.94 0.00 0.89 -0.66 8.76 -5.76 2.40 0.42 -10.26 -0.14 -1.45 3.02 3.17 0.21 1.75 -6.15 0.68 -6.13 -0.45 3.20 3.48 0.00 8.37

600,000 832,320 1,627,200 20,100 460,000 60,000 159,250 91,000 10,235,600 8,000 120,000 83,285 10,800 1,670,460 2,000 1,061,100 2,000 3,184,700 2,000 19,942,000 53,000 3,300,000 3,917,000 386,810 463,400 10,000 560 190,000 60,000

7.390 0.72 1.200 38.00 3.39 5.34 0.87 1.25 1.04 0.138

0.00 4.35 -4.00 -0.65 0.59 1.71 4.82 2.46 -3.70 2.99

102,600 1,005,000 8,000 12,522,100 1,148,000 320,400 3,852,000 31,000 11,000 850,000

-554,505.00 15,809,767.00 124,872.00

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

Close

0.98 1.09 2.25 1.87 1.8 6.34 4.88 0.180 0.470 8.54 31.8 2.29 3.6 20.6 1.02 1.96 8.59

0.445 0.85 1.4 1.42 1.19 2.8 2.75 0.090 0.325 2.57 21.35 1.64 3.08 15.08 0.69 1 5.69

Cyber Bay Corp.

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

MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp.

Primex Corp.

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

10.5 66 1.44 1.09 12.46 15.82 0.1460 4.61 99.1 9 1700 2090 8.41 33 1.97 119.5 0.017 0.8200 2.2800 12.28 2.85 2.2 3.2 5.9 1.97 2.46 15.2 0.62 6.41 110.2 14 3486 0.710 2.28 48.5 90.1 11.6 0.87 10.2 0.490 1.6

1.97 32.5 1 0.6 10 9.61 0.0770 2.95 46.55 5.88 830 1600 5.95 30 1.36 105 0.012 0.036 1.200 6.5 1.69 1.1 2 1.05 0.490 1.8 8.7 0.34 3 79 4.39 2726 0.380 0.32 31.45 60.55 7.59 0.63 6.45 0.305 1.04

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

Cebu Air Inc. (5J) DFNN Inc. FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Island Info ISM Communications Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown MG Holdings PAL Holdings Inc. Phil. Seven Corp.

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

Yehey

0.0098 17.24 0.330 12.8 1.2 1.73 10.98 4.2 0.48 0.455 0.475 0.023 0.026 8.2 49.2 4.27 1.030 3.06 0.020 0.021 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9 0.016

0.0043 8.65 0.236 6.98 0.61 0.78 5.99 1.08 0.330 0.2130 0.2160 0.014 0.014 3.660 20.2 2.11 0.365 1.54 0.012 0.013 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67 0.0100

Abra Mining Atlas Cons. `A’ Basic Energy Corp.

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

70 525 120 515 8.21 12.28 111 76.9 78.95 84.8

33 500 101.5 480 5.88 6.5 101 74.2 74.5 75

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

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

6.98

0.8900 LR Warrant

10.96 15 88 12.88

2.4 3.5 13.5 5.95

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

High

Low

Close

0.430 0.890 1.21 1.82 1.30 5.01 4.99 0.116 0.3150 7.33 28.05 1.68 3.37 19.44 0.72 0.860 6.850

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

0.430 0.430 0.430 0.890 0.890 0.890 1.21 1.15 1.20 1.84 1.82 1.84 1.35 1.27 1.32 6.00 5.49 5.49 5.04 4.91 5.04 0.115 0.108 0.115 0.3200 0.3000 0.3200 7.35 7.18 7.35 28.30 28.05 28.20 1.7 1.69 1.7 3.41 3.24 3.39 19.78 19.00 19.60 0.73 0.72 0.72 0.850 0.850 0.850 6.980 6.700 6.750 SERVICES 6.3 6.71 6.21 6.35 60 61.5 60 61 1.11 1.2 1.12 1.12 0.650 0.680 0.640 0.650 13.4 13.5 12.8 12.8 9.00 9.40 9.19 9.40 0.0920 0.0940 0.0900 0.0930 4.03 4.12 4 4.04 85.45 86.95 85 85 6.66 6.70 6.64 6.66 959 1100 880 950 2586 2594 2588 2590 6.30 6.34 6.20 6.30 21.00 28.00 21.00 21.95 1.36 1.39 1.36 1.36 111.9 112.8 102.6 112 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.011 0.213 0.235 0.140 0.215 1.2800 1.3000 1.2900 1.3000 9.30 9.39 9.10 9.39 3.00 3.05 2.95 3.00 1.38 1.30 1.95 1.30 2.00 2.11 2.11 2.11 49.80 49.75 46.00 49.75 0.690 0.680 0.660 0.680 2 2 1.99 1.99 6.69 6.75 6.64 6.66 0.350 0.355 0.355 0.355 4.50 4.70 4.43 4.70 110.00 124.00 120.90 123.50 19.02 19.02 18.50 19.02 2802.00 2806.00 2786.00 2796.00 0.700 0.720 0.680 0.680 1.300 1.300 1.250 1.250 38.00 38.35 37.40 38.00 75.95 77.00 75.10 75.50 9.90 9.97 9.77 9.89 0.65 0.66 0.65 0.65 5.28 5.4 5.21 5.31 0.335 0.335 0.330 0.335 1.320 1.480 1.320 1.480 MINING & OIL 0.0051 0.0051 0.0050 0.0050 6.61 6.94 6.58 6.60 0.250 0.241 0.240 0.240 7.0200 6.5 5.11 6.5000 0.94 0.95 0.93 0.95 0.78 0.79 0.77 0.78 7.00 7.10 6.90 6.90 1.68 1.68 1.64 1.67 0.315 0.320 0.315 0.315 0.229 0.250 0.229 0.230 0.235 0.235 0.233 0.234 0.0130 0.0150 0.0130 0.0130 0.0140 0.0150 0.0140 0.0140 3.44 3.49 3.3 3.44 24.2 24.2 23.4 23.5 3.7 3.78 3.71 3.72 0.6500 0.6500 0.6500 0.6500 2.0500 2.1400 2.0500 2.0500 0.0120 0.0120 0.0110 0.0110 0.0120 0.0120 0.0120 0.0120 4.42 4.33 4.00 4.33 6.29 6.35 6.15 6.16 1.98 2.040 1.980 1.99 0.015 0.015 0.014 0.015 142.00 142.50 141.00 141.90 11.1 11.18 10.8 10.98 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 PREFERRED 61 63 61 63 528 529 528 528 123 128 126 128 520 520 520 520 6.2 6.2 6.2 6.2 1.1 1.62 1.1 1.12 110 111 111 111 75.75 75.55 75.35 75.55 84.9 85 81.5 81.5 88 89 88.8 89 WARRANTS & BONDS 3.890 3.980 3.950 3.950 SME 9.8 10.5 9.85 10.5 6.38 6.45 6.45 6.45 65.45 67 59 67 11.2 11.2 11 11 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 124 124.2 123 123.7

0.00 0.00 -0.83 1.10 1.54 9.58 1.00 -0.86 1.59 0.27 0.53 1.19 0.59 0.82 0.00 -1.16 -1.46

300,000 1,000 159,000 6,168,000 81,000 200 44,609,000 470,000 70,000 5,100 1,669,900 111,000 61,000 3,385,300 270,000 257,000 12,048,000

0.79 1.67 0.90 0.00 -4.48 4.44 1.09 0.25 -0.53 0.00 -0.94 0.15 0.00 4.52 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.94 1.56 0.97 0.00 6.15 5.50 -0.10 -1.45 -0.50 -0.45 1.43 4.44 12.27 0.00 -0.21 -2.86 -3.85 0.00 -0.59 -0.10 0.00 0.57 0.00 12.12

11,700 14,170 404,000 372,000 133,000 3,492,900 7,790,000 115,000 386,000 7,600 2,260 67,150 199,700 3,500 43,000 815,030 72,600,000 7,520,000 387,000 36,100 26,000 8,000 1,000 2,000 50,000 16,000 1,267,100 10,000 19,000 370 81,900 58,285 3,352,000 67,633,000 2,180,700 203,620 471,100 1,931,000 1,659,200 160,000 51,000

-1.96 -0.15 -4.00 -7.41 1.06 0.00 -1.43 -0.60 0.00 0.44 -0.43 0.00 0.00 0.00 -2.89 0.54 0.00 0.00 -8.33 0.00 -2.04 -2.07 0.51 0.00 -0.07 -1.08 0.00

22,000,000 520,300 160,000 1,500 31,000 474,000 1,300 4,534,000 20,000 1,910,000 960,000 66,300,000 11,300,000 100,000 1,653,800 1,205,000 60,000 43,000 5,100,000 5,000,000 3,000 719,600 1,159,000 3,800,000 419,230 113,800 2,400,000

3.28 0.00 4.07 0.00 0.00 1.82 0.91 -0.26 -4.00 1.14

353,370 540 1,000 200 100,700 549,000 50,000 89,490 28,770 35,430

1.54

2,000

7.14 1.10 2.37 -1.79

6,389,400 100 410 707,800

-0.24

1,700

-47,190.00 -5,082,180.00 -46,427,800.00

-26,283,870.00 51,000.00

MST

0.7 59.2 31.85 7.39 3.4 3.35 800 11.06 84 5.14 0.66 1380 6.68 72.6 8.9 9.25 0.9 18.9 0.73 5.53 6.55 0.0670 0.84 87 934 2.2 156 0.710 0.435 10.5 1.99 2.07 40 6.15 5.4 1.54 1.97 1.48 0.201

STOCKS

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

SHARES 6,588,152 71,957,253 48,750,826 91,127,491 174,594,994 130,018,177 530,136,303

151,510.00 -21,186,376.00 110,625.00 -165,076.50

-23,920.00 1,152,000.00 1,287,284.00 229,000.00

-4,365,394.00 -737,681.00 55,003,365.00 1,786,324.00 -52,695,245.00 474,126.50

138,000.00 523,048.00 -36,148,872.00 735,438.00

10,351,480.00 -14,350.00

-17,875,542.00 10,441,340.00 4,150,866.00

183,430.00 79,550.00 -76,520.00 636,820.00 340,002.00

73,368,152.00

1,200.00

-11,876,323.50 -5,950,235.00 -113,393.00 -103,135,365.00 385,050.00 -17,384,796.00 -50.00 17,847,380.00

45,183,977.00 -5,800,019.00

2,139,166.00

-20,540,220.00

40,300.00

-19,876,476.00 -310,048,205.00

-8,200.00

-576,381.00 -56,040.00 -122,108,060.00 745,870.00 -245,384.00 373,810.00

Double Dragon Makati Fin. Corp.

IRipple E-Business Intl Xurpas

T op g ainerS VALUE 684,933,534.20 1,662,575,462.926 1,212,366,817.18 947,070,467.51 738,350,671.80 125,129,512.282 5,443,653,582.396

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,740.23 (DOWN) 1.00 INDUSTRIAL 11,691.41 (UP) 74.16 HOLDING FIRMS 6,817.94 (DOWN) 6.53 PROPERTY 3,051.73 (UP) 1.82 SERVICES 2,093.42 (UP) 2.13 MINING & OIL 13,660.25 (DOWN) 117.66 PSEI 7,609.14 (UP) 7.97 All Shares Index 4,360.52 (UP) 9.13 Gainers: 97 Losers: 67; Unchanged: 40; Total: 204

6,886,512.00 -29,170,632.00

828,880.00 14,458,988.00 -3,867,801.50

-33,668,730.00

9,812,833.00

-110,400.00 -130,000.00 254,198.00 30,500.00

-1,440,969.00

14,541.00 -133,000.00 -3,670,500.00 35,422,940.00 -51,323,635.00 -12,320,317.50 -2,749,942.00 -1,235,660.00 2,335,258.00

-1,070,358.00

-235,840.00

-92,280.00 -14,673,845.00 -11,220.00

-2,032,526.00 31,680.00 -32,491,399.00

4,000.00 -2,579,145.00

-6,200.00

-815,000.00

10,320,872.00 1,476,870.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Phil. Seven Corp.

123.50

12.27

Vivant Corp.

22.65

Yehey

1.480

12.12

Jolliville Holdings

3.5

-11.18 -10.26

Keppel Properties

5.49

9.58

Oriental Pet. `A'

0.0110

-8.33

Forum Pacific

0.236

8.76

Benguet Corp `B'

6.5000

-7.41

Wellex Industries

0.2200

8.37

Pacifica `A'

0.0310

-6.15

TKC Steel Corp.

1.30

8.33

San Miguel Corp `A'

60.50

-6.13

Splash Corporation

1.76

7.98

Crown Asia

2.08

-5.88

Macay Holdings

59.00

7.76

Bogo Medelin

57

-5.79

Double Dragon

10.5

7.14

Asian Terminals Inc.

12.8

-4.48

Bright Kindle Resources

1.85

6.32

SMC Preferred B

81.5

-4.00

TUESDAY: JUNE 23, 2015

B3

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

New UAE air talks proposed Security sales of the washy kind A FUROR was created on May 28, 2015 by a newspaper report that the nation’s largest development financing institution, the Development Bank of the Philippines, had booked a loss of P712 million in the wake of a series of buy-and-sell transactions with a single counter-party, First Metro Investment Corp., during the first three months of 2014. The furor was caused by two things.

The first was the P712 million loss. That is an enormous amount by any standards. DBP management has countered that outcome by claiming that the bank would have lost no less than P10.7 billion--and endangered its financial standing--if it had not undertaken the transactions with FMIC, the investment arm of the Metrobank Group. There was an urgent need to cut losses as security-market prices were dropping, DBP claimed.

The other cause of the furor was the fact that the transactions with FMIC clearly fell within the definition of ‘wash sales.’ The P14.3 billion worth of securities from DBP’s AFS (available for sale) securities portfolio--the rest of the bank’s securities are held in the HTM (hold to maturity) portfolio--were sold to, and bought back from, a single buyer/seller on the very same day. No change in membership, thus, resulted. A series of to-and-fro transactions involving only two parties is bound to raise doubts in the mind of any reasonably knowledgeable person. In this instance a complication was introduced into the entire operation by the fact that one of the parties, in this case DBP, sustained a loss.

The attention of the Commission on Audit, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Securities and Exchange Commission and the public at large was called by the DBP resident auditor-in an AOM (audit observation memorandum)--and by whistleblowers within the bank. BSP has ordered DBP to conduct an investigation as to whether BSP regulations have been violated. SEC has yet to act on the issue of whether the DBP-FMIC transactions violated the Securities Regulation Code.

DBP has reacted to the furor in a conflicting manner. On the one hand the bank is said to have ‘formally charged’ three officers of the Treasury Group for violations of the DBP Code of Ethics and Professionalism. On the other hand, the bank has launched a lengthy defense of the action of its Risk Oversight Committee in approving a strategy that encompassed the DBP-FMIC transactions.

What is a wash sale and why is it prohibited by the SRC and BSP regulations?

As already indicated, a wash sale, as the phrase suggests, is a sale of securities that is automatically, or almost automatically, ‘washed’ out by a sale of the same securities usually on the same day, by the buyer back to the original seller. The SRC prohibits “(e)ngaging in transactions in which there is no genuine change in actual ownership of a security [washed sales], taking into consideration internal control systems adopted by the firm to prevent manipulative practices.” SRC goes on to say: “[It] should be unlawful for any person to make a bid or offer, or to deal in, securities.... if that bid, offer or dealing has the effect, or is likely to have the effect, of creating a false or misleading appearance of active trading in any security or with respect to the market for, or the price of, any security.”

Given the SRC definition of a ‘wash sale’ and the DBP’s actual financial situation at the time of the FMIC transactions--as outlined in DBP management’s official statement--are the Treasury officers who have been charged culpable? And how far up does culpability go? Did DBP management drop the ball, operationally and legally? (To

be continued)

E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

By Darwin G Amojelar

THE Tourism Department is pushing for a new round of air talks with the United Arab Emirates despite objections from Philippine carriers.

“We’re inclined to give in to that. To be fair, they [local airlines] don’t oppose it, they just have [a] point of view of how many [flight entitlements], but nobody is opposing air talks per se,” Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. told reporters Monday.

Jimenez said the Philippine air panel was in the final stages of preparing for serious discussions with UAE. The Philippine air services negotiating panel is composed of officials from the Civil Aeronautics Board, Departments of Transportation and Communications, Foreign Affairs and Tourism, as well as from Clark International Airport Corp. and local airline companies.

“They [Dubai and Abu Dhabi] are a crucial connector destination to Europe, so that’s very important from overseas Filipino worker standpoint and European market standpoint,” Jimenez said.

Emirates Airlines requested for new air talks between the Philippines and UAE after Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific opposed the extension of Emirates’ third daily flights between Manila and Dubai.

The CAB also penalized Emirates for selling tickets beyond what its flight entitlements for the Manila-Dubai route allowed.

The Philippine-UAE agreement provides for a maximum of 14 weekly frequencies for the Middle

Eastern country’s flag carrier.

Government data show over 700,000 Filipinos are working in the UAE. Meanwhile, the Tourism Department announced a new batch of hotels, resorts, and various industries that would receive skills development grants to make their services more competitive and attractive to foreign and domestic tourists.

The agency said 22 local tourism enterprises and industry associations were poised to benefit from the Tourism Industry Skills Grant Scheme, which forms part of the Philippine Improving Competitiveness in Tourism project being administered by the Asian Development Bank and funded by the government of Canada.

Launched in 2013, the $1.7 million technical assistance was designed to support the Philippine government’s effort to achieve inclusive growth and create employment opportunities in tourism.

Trans-Asia award.

Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corp. received the prestigious Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Awards for Social Empowerment from Enterprise Asia. Trans-Asia is one of three winners for Social Empowerment from the Philippines out of 300 nominated companies from 14 countries. The award is given to companies which help economically and socially-disadvantaged groups or individuals. It was recognized for its flagship CSR program, Harnessing Energy Literacy for Planet Earth, especially on its focus on educating partner schools within its host communities.

Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia (left), advisor to Enterprise Asia, and Enterprise Asia president Dato’ Wiliam Ng (right), gave the award to Jed Africa (second from left) and Danielle del Rosario of TransAsia’s CSR Team.

Market climbs; URC, Meralco gain THE stock market gained slightly Monday after Greece gave creditors new proposals on reforming its bailout, fueling hopes of averting a default and possible exit from the eurozone.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index rose 7.97 points, or 0.1 percent, to 7,609.14 on a value turnover of P5.4 billion. Gainers beat losers, 97 to 67, with 40 issues unchanged, Universal Robina Corp., the biggest snack food maker, added 1 percent to P200, while Manila Electric Co., the largest retailer of electricity, advanced 1.8 percent to P290.

Megaworld Corp., the biggest lessor of office spaces, gained 1 percent to P5.04, while Energy Development Corp. of the Lopez Group climbed 1.6 percent to P7.69.

Tokyo, meanwhile, rallied

1.26 percent, or 253.95 points, to 20,428.19 and Seoul gained 0.40 percent, or 8.20 points to 2,055.16, while Sydney reversed early losses to add 0.24 percent, or 13.20 points, to 5,610.20.

Hong Kong jumped 1.20 percent, or 320.32 points, to 27,080.85. Shanghai was closed for a public holiday.

The news also sent European shares soaring in early trade.

Athens surged more than seven percent, Germany and Paris each jumped more than three percent and London was up 1.40 percent.

While it is not clear what concessions have been offered, Martin Selmayr, the head of the cabinet of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, said the Athens proposal offered “a good basis for progress.”

However, he underscored the

tumult surrounding the deal by describing the negotiations as a “forceps delivery.”

The plans were submitted after Tsipras held talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Juncker.

Analysts said the move was cheered in Asian trading rooms.

“Originally there wasn’t going to be one, so the fact that there’s a new proposal on the table appears to be seen favorably,” Shoji Hirakawa, chief equity strategist at Okasan Securities Co. in Tokyo, told Bloomberg News.

The euro strengthened, buying $1.1393 and 139.95 yen in the afternoon compared with $1.1349 and 139.23 yen in New York late Friday. The dollar was at 122.83 yen against 122.69 yen in US trade. With AFP

B4

BatMan pipeline ready for bidding

By Alena Mae S. Flores

The Public-Private Partnership Center of the Philippines will push through with the bidding of the Batangas-Manila (BatMan 1) natural gas pipeline this year, an official said PNB-IBJL partnership. PNB-IBJL Leasing and Finance Corp., PNB’s leasing and financing subsidiary, is forging a stronger and expanded partnership with long-time Japanese partner, IBJ Leasing Co. Ltd., one of the Monday. biggest and leading leasing and financing companies in Japan, to further strengthen its foothold in the market.

The move followed the recent completion by the Rebel Group International BV of a feasibility study on the BatMan 1 natural gas pipeline project, one of the critical infrastructure that is seen to spur the development of the country’s natural gas industry.

“ICC [National Economic Development Authority- Investment Coordination Committee] approved it already but it still requires Neda board approval,” PPP Center executive director Cosette Canilao said.

Canilao said the report of the Rebel Group would be used as basis for the terms of reference for the bidding of BatMan 1.

She said as a PPP project, the private sector would finance the construction of the longdelayed 100-kilometer natural gas pipeline.

State-owned Philippine National Oil Co. has been directed to take the lead in the BatMan 1 project. PNOC commissioned the PPP Center to conduct an extensive feasibility study.

The PPP tapped Rebel Group to conduct the study and provide PNOC transaction advi-

sory support until the project’s financial close. The study is being funded by the PPP. Energy Undersecretary Zenaida Monsada earlier said the Energy Department wanted to pursue the bidding of the project before the election ban.

The official said once Neda decided on tBatMan 1 privatization scheme, the project construction would be bid out.

“The winning firm will conduct an engineering study then there should be groundbreaking before the election ban by next year so it should be before March of next year,” Monsada said.

The PPP Center was tasked under the Executive Order No. 8 series of 2010 signed in September 9, 2010 to facilitate the coordination and monitoring of the PPP programs and projects.

The natural gas pipeline has been estimated to cost between $100 million to $150 million.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency previously conducted the study on the prospects of the Philippine natural gas sector.

Shown holding the traditional Japanese Kagamiwari ceremony or the breaking of the sake cask are (from left) Fuji Electric president Takafumi Koda, PNB chairman Florencia Tarriela, LT Group chairman Lucio Tan, PNB president Reynaldo Maclang and IBJ Leasing deputy president Katsuji Nagatsu.

SEC clears 8990 Holdings’ bond sale

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday approved the P9-billion bond offering of mass housing developer 8990 Holdings Inc. Documents filed with the SEC showed the bond sale would have a base offer of P5 billion, with P4 billion reserved to cover oversubscription.

The bonds, which will be listed with Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp., will have tenors of five years and three months, seven years and 10 years.

Series A bonds maturing in 2020 will be priced at a rate between 5.4944 percent and 6.244 percent a year. Series B maturing in 2022 will be priced between 5.4378 percent and 6.188 percent a year while Series C maturing in 2025 will be priced between 6.121 percent and

6.8705 percent.

The company appointed BDO Capital and Investment Corp., SB Capital Investment Corp., China Banking Corp. and First Metro Investment Corp. as joint issue managers and joint lead underwriters for the fund raising activity.

BDO Capital president Ed Francisco said in a text message the pricing would be finalized today, while the offering period was still being determined.

8990 Holdings plans to use proceeds from the bond sale to refinance and restructure the company’s debt into a longterm fixed-rate one.

The property company said the planned bond sale would provide it an alternative source of debt financing and diversify creditor base to include other financial institutions and individual retail investors.

The bonds have been rated AA+ by Crisp ratings agency, reflecting the company’s strong capacity to repay debt obligations with adequate resources that can serve as a buffer to changes in economic conditions, industry shifts and business circumstances.

The property firm earlier said it would launch 11,083 units this year, with unit prices ranging from P450,000 to P1.25 million.

Out of the housing units to be launched this year, 6,598 are from the company’s 10 ongoing projects with a total sales value of P4.1 billion, while 4,486 units are from the new nine housing developments with sales value of P4.1 billion.

The company is looking for land acquisitions in line with its target to build a land bank of 500 hectares over the mediumterm period.

‘Witches broom’ disease endangers cassava industry—Agriculture

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales THE Bureau of Plant Industry, an attached agency of the Agriculture Department, said it has intensified measures to control the spread of witches’ broom disease, which could endanger the country’s cassava industry.

A bacteria-like organism called phytoplasma causes the witches’ broom disease. Phytoplasma interferes in plant development, with infected plants exhibiting short nodes with dense clumping of stunted leaves, resembling a witch’s broom.

BPI said the disease reduced cassava root starch content, affecting yield value and farmers’

income.

BPI’s crop protection division said the symptoms of the witches’ broom disease might not be immediately noticeable as the infection started in the innermost bark of the plant.

Only when the clumping of leaves, as well as discoloration, are observed can farmers conclude that plants are infected, it said.

“The danger of this disease’s asymptomatic characteristic is that infected planting materials may be unknowingly sourced from infected plantations and will be transferred to other plantations, spreading the disease to a wider geographic

cover,” BPI said.

The agency said even using contaminated farm implements might cause the spread of the disease.

BPI director Paz Benavidez II created a technical working group to focus on the control and management of the disease. A plant quarantine memorandum banning the movement of infected cassava from Bukidnon wasl issued by the agency.

BPI said to implement longterm solutions, it was seeking funding support for the agency to work on the adoption of protocol used by the United States Department of Agriculture on the detection of the cassava

witches’ broom pathogen, or the organism that causes the disease.

When this protocol is already in place, it will conduct disease indexing, a process that includes thorough screening of cassava planting materials, it said. Through this system, only clean plants will be allowed to be distributed and grown.

The seed quality control, and the crop research and production support offices of the BPI are also collecting planting materials for the BPI national research centers to grow. These will later be subjected to detection and indexing protocols.

“At least four research centers

where disease detection and indexing are conducted will become the source disease-free planting materials for cassava farmers in the country,” Benavidez said.

BPI said while the protocols were not yet ready, it was now crafting with experts interim measures on how farmers should handle cassava growing.

The bureau’s crop pest management division, in coordination with DA regional field offices, plans to conduct farmer field school activities on the disease.

The activities will provide participatory and experiential learning venue for farmers on the witches’ broom disease.

T U E S D AY : J U N E 2 3 , 2 0 1 5

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

The plot to kill the Mac TECHNOLOGY columnist Christopher Mims of the Wall Street Journal received an online drubbing this month when he suggested that Apple should kill off the Mac so that it could better focus on “products that represent the future” like the iPad. In his column, Mims begins by arguing that Apple is spreading itself thin trying to make the best computer, smart phone, tablet, wearable device, set-top box, and maybe even a car. On top of this, the company must also overcome its traditional weakness in cloud services, he says.

“Something’s got to give,” Mims writes. “Showpieces like iMacs with screens that have more pixels than any PC ever (and four times the average selling price of a PC) are impressive, but what is Apple trying to prove? Is it really a good idea for Apple to continue to put resources against being king of a last-century technology?”

Building his case, Mims then points out that in the quarter ending in January this year, Apple posted its highest revenue ever for its Mac line, taking in $6.9 billion from the sale of 5.5 million Macs. Yet this accounted for only 9 percent of the company’s overall revenue.

“How much more competitive could Apple make its other efforts if the designers, engineers and executives behind Mac are redirected?

And just as important, what if the developers who create for OS X had no choice but to move to things that actually represent the future?”

He then says Apple must choose between being a tech company or “an experience company”--whatever that means.

“Does Apple make computers, or does it make consumer goods? In a world in which the cloud is increasingly the hub of everything individuals and businesses do, and our mobile devices its primary avatar, what on Earth is Apple doing running victory laps around a dying PC industry? Personally, I’d rather see Apple push the envelope on what’s next.”

The reaction from Mac users was fast and furious. By this week, the column had drawn 563 comments, fueling suspicions that the article was just “click bait” – purposely provocative to stir up visits to the author’s page.

“Dumb idea....dumber article,” David Lenehan wrote.

“In 38 years of reading the WSJ I’ve never seen an article that even comes close to being as stupid as this one,” added David M. Coleman.

Others brought more light than heat to the debate.

“Practically all of the software and content that bring the Apple iOS devices to life are created, programmed, etc. on Macs. This includes the design of the iOS devices and the iOS operating system itself,” said Jim Macguinness. “Without all that creative talent working on Macs, Apple devices would simply become very expensive paperweights.”

Andrew Clearfield added: “There are very few business strategies more risky, and with a lower potential payback, than abandoning wellestablished brand equity. Despite all its new products, Apple is still known as a producer of high-end personal computers. The name and reputation of Apple help sell all these new products, and at premium prices.”

In response to the flack, Mims backpedaled two days later.

“Just to clarify for those who have been following so far, when I said Apple should kill off the Mac, I specifically said the Mac ‘brand,’” Mims wrote. “I definitely didn’t mean that Apple should stop giving people the ability to have a desktop-like or notebook-like experience, since these are valuable form factors. The question is whether Apple needs more than a mobile platform to power them.”

His subsequent statements, however, show that he was merely splitting hairs.

Mim’s vision is that Apple should support only one machine—the iPad. “It’s been clear since the debut of the iPad that Apple believes it will be the future of the PC. And countless PC makers have realized that, especially if people are going to use a tablet as their primary device, it needs to be able to snap into or easily connect to a keyboard and other input peripherals.”

He goes on to say that he will eat his hat if the rumored iPad Pro, with its larger screen running iOS9 isn’t “a reasonable replacement, suitable for the needs of 90 percent of the notebook-buying public.”

If I were Mims, I’d wear a tiny hat.

The siren call of having just one device to serve all our digital needs has been with the industry for some time, but it is a pipe dream, and not even a powerhouse like Apple can pull it off what Mims suggests without losing millions of loyal customers.

Certainly, I would be one of them. I use a smart phone (not an iPhone) but don’t use a tablet because it just doesn’t suit my needs. If Apple killed the Mac and offered me a souped-up iPad in its place, I’d switch to a Linux laptop in a heartbeat.

On the road, I use a MacBook Air; at home, I run Linux on a desktop PC; and at the office, I use a 21.5-inch iMac. I could use the laptop at the office, too, but I choose not to because I like the large screen. I could opt to plug my MacBook into the iMac and use its larger display—but what for? The iMac is a joy to use.

I have a nifty Swiss Army knife—but I don’t use it for cutting vegetables. And nobody ever warned me that one day, my kitchen knife would become obsolete, either.

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

B5

SSS seeks higher contribution rate

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

STATE-RUN Social Security System plans to increase the contribution rate of members again to prolong the life of the pension fund.

The current SSS contribution rate is 11 percent of the monthly salary credit not exceeding P16,000. This is being shared by the employer at 7.37 percent and the employee at 3.63 percent.

SSS hiked the contribution rate and monthly salary credit ceiling in January 2014, that added four more years in the previous actuarial valuation of 2039.

The contribution rate was raised to 11 percent from 10.4 percent.

The 0.6-percent increase translates into a total contribution of P285 for an employee whose monthly compensation is from P2,250 to P2,749. Employee’s share in the P285 is P90.80 while the employer chips in P194.20.

SSS said in a statement that shortly after the new contribu-

tion rate was adopted, SSS pensions were also raised by 5 percent in June 2014, causing a one-year decrease in the fund life, which is now projected to last until 2042.

“What has to be done immediately are structural reforms.

Our investments have been performing remarkably well despite the low interest rate environment, but we can only invest and earn so much,” SSS chief actuary George Ongkeko Jr. said.

“If the contribution rate remains unchanged while benefit payments continue to swell, the SSS’ reserve fund will be exhausted by 2042,” Ongkeko said.

Asked how much the targeted increase in contribution rate is, SSS said there were no fixed plans yet. “We have no plans to date. No

target as of now,” said SSS assistant vice president for media affairs Louie Sebastian in a text message.

SSS president and chief executive Emilio De Quiros Jr. dismissed earlier reports that SSS would deploy a portion of its investment reserve funds abroad.

However, he said its possibility was in line with the SSS law’s basic principles of “safety, good yield, and liquidity.”

“We are evaluating all available investments options allowed by the SSS Charter that can generate the highest yielding returns on our investments. At the moment, we are strengthening our position in the local market. While investing abroad is an option, it is still under study.” De Quiros said.

SSS has over P428 billion in investment reserve funds as of April 2015, allocated in government securities at P155.3 billion; corporate notes and bonds, P29 billion; member loans, P76.8 billion; bank deposits, P44.6 billion; equities, P103.9 billion; and real estate properties, P18.6 billion.

ADP expansion. ADP, one of the world’s largest providers of business outsourcing and human capital

management solutions, will open a new site at Aeon Centre in Filinvest, Alabang, Muntinlupa City. This is ADP’s second Philippine site, the first one being located at the Glorietta 2 Corporate Center in Makati City. Signing the lease agreement are (seated, from left) Aeon Prime chief operating officer Charles Vincent Ong, ADP vice president and general manager Josep Maria Elias and ADP senior finance director Laura Baui.

Cebu Pacific gets most complaints

By Darwin G. Amojelar CEBU Pacific received the most number of complaints from passengers in the first five months of the year, data from the Civil Aeronautics Board show.

Delayed refunds and cancelled flights were among the 420 complaints that air passenger lodged with the regulator in the January-May period.

CAB said it received 112 complaints pertaining to refund delays while cancelled flights were the subject of 54 complaints.

Other complaints in the fivemonth period were poor customer service, 33; delayed flights, 30; forfeiture of ticket, 25; booking issue, 17; and overbooking, 10.

Other complaints were lost baggage, misleading promo, travel refund, safety/security issues, damaged package and delayed delivery of baggage.

Cebu Pacific received the most number of complaints at 187, followed by Philippine Airlines, with 78; Air AsiaZest, 50; PAL Express and Magnum Air, both 20 and Tigerair Philippines (now Cebgo), 10.

CAB legal division head Wyrlou Samodio said the agency was reviewing some provisions of the bill of rights for air passengers and carrier obligation in a bid to further protect the passengers.

Samodio said the agency was looking at shortening the the

maximum time a passenger has to wait before they can avail of compensation from the airline.

Based on the existing rules, a passenger can avail of compensation if the flight was delayed for at least three hours after the estimated time of departure.

The existing bill of rights provides passengers of delayed flights with sufficient meals or refreshments, hotel accommodation, transportation from the airport to hotel, free phone calls, texts, emails or first aid, if necessary.

The ticket of the passengers should be reimbursed, endorsed to other carriers without paying any fare difference or rebooked without additional charge if the flight was cancelled.

TUESDAY: JUNE 23, 2015

N O T I C E TO T H E P U B L I C P l e a s e b e i n f o r m e d t h a t t h e f o l l o w i n g a c c o u n t a b l e f o r m s o f I N V E S TO R S A S S U R A N C E C O R P O R AT I O N ( I AC) h a v e b e e n l o s t : T Y P E O F P O L I CY C O C : G R P_ PA - G r o u p PA C e r t i f i c a t e o f C o v e r C O C : LTO - LTO C e r t i f i c a t e o f C o v e r

C O C : N LTO - N o n - LTO C e r t i f i c a t e o f C o v e r

C T P L : C V - C o m m e r c i a l Ve h i c l e C T P L P o l i c y

C T P L : LTO - L a n d Tr a n s p o O p r t r C T P L P o l i c y

CTPL:MC - Motorcyle CTPL Policy

CTPL:PC - Private Car CTPL Policy

END:CAS - Casualt y Endorsement

END:MTR - Motor Car Endorsement F I D (1) - F i d e l i t y B o n d G (13) - P e r f o r m a n c e B o n d

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12 74 8 13 0 5 5 13 7 2 7 14 0 5 2 15 3 5 6 15 3 61 15 3 8 0 15 3 9 1 15 4 81 15 6 5 2 15 6 6 0 15 6 6 4 15 6 6 9

12 74 8 13 0 5 5 13 7 3 0 14 0 5 6 15 3 5 6 15 3 7 6 15 3 8 0 15 4 0 0 15 5 0 0 15 6 5 8 15 6 61 15 6 6 5 15 6 6 9

G (16) - S u r e t y B o n d

G (2) - B i d d e r ’s B o n d

I N S: C A R - C o n t r a c t o r ’s A l l R i s k

I N S: C V - C o m m e r c i a l Ve h i c l e C o m p r e h e n s i v e

I N S: G R P_ PA - G r o u p PA I n s u r a n c e P o l i c y

I N S: M C - M o t o r c y c l e C o m p r e h e n s i v e

I N S: M R N A - M a r i n a C o m p u l s o r y PA P o l i c y I N S: PA - P e r s o n a l A c c i d e n t

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

DMCI expands outside Metro

DMCI Holdings Inc. plans to expand its residential development outside Metro Manila on rising demand from migrant Filipino workers.

“We’re going to experiment outside Metro Manila, we are looking at Davao, Bataan, Naga and Dagupan,” DMCI president and chief executive Isidro Consunji, told reporters.

Consunji said DMCI Homes planned to build high and medium-rise condominiums as well as subdivisions in these provincial areas.

“The provincial markets are now maturing and the demand is increasing. The [migrant workers] and BPO [business process outsourcing] in the countryside are creating a lot of demand in affordable housing,” he added.

Consunji said the company planned toexpand revenue by 10 percent to P22 billion this year from P20 billion last year.

“Hopefully, our revenue will hit P24 to P25 billion next year,” Consunji said.

Darwin G. Amojelar

$152m in hot money flee PH

REGISTERED foreign portfolio investments, or hot money, posted a net outflow of $152 million in the first week of June as the anticipation for the rosy economic numbers in the United States prompted foreign fund managers to withdraw their investments from the local markets.

Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed the figure was higher than the $15-million net outflow in the same period last year.

Gross inflows reached $567 million, while gross outflows stood at $718 million.

Recent data from the US Labor Department showed that nonfarm payrolls increased 280,000 in May, the largest gain since December last year. Victor Abola, economist of the University of Asia & the Pacific, said earlier the strong job creation numbers in US pushed up 10-year bonds to 2.41 percent, a sizeable jump from 2.12 percent end of May. Julito G. Rada

t u e s D aY : J u n e 2 3 , 2 0 1 5

WORLD

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

B7

Fighting for democracy in HK HONG KONG—As one of Hong Kong’s most outspoken democracy advocates, media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been on the receiving end of everything from rotten animal entrails to Molotov cocktails in the past 12 months.

When the city erupted into mass protests last year against a Beijing-backed plan for its next leader, father-ofsix Lai, 66, became a frequent fixture at the major rally site and a regular target for progovernment supporters.

The contentious bill would have allowed the public to vote for Hong Kong’s leader for the first time, but kept to a Beijing ruling that all candidates must be vetted by a loyalist committee—derided as “fake democracy”

by Lai and opposition campaigners.

122 die of the heat in Pakistan KARACHI—A heatwave in Pakistan’s largest city Karachi and other districts of southern Sindh province has killed at least 122 people, health officials said Sunday.

“Since Saturday 114 people have died in Karachi and eight others [have died] in three districts of Sindh,” provincial health secretary Saeed Mangnejo told AFP. He said the provincial government had imposed a state of emergency at all hospitals, canceling leave for doctors and other medical staff and increasing stocks of medical supplies.

The southern port city of Karachi saw temperatures reach as high as 45 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit) on Saturday, just short of an all-time high in the city of 47 C in June 1979.

Dr Seemin Jamali, the head of the emergency department at state-run Jinnah Hospital said more than 100 people had died at the hospital.

“They all died of heat stroke,” she said.

Officials said all the deaths had occurred since Saturday evening.

AFP

After months of political wrangling the proposal was finally voted down on Thursday by lawmakers in an unprecedented rebuke by the semi-autonomous city towards Beijing.

But with the defeat of the bill, Hong Kong’s leader will continue to

be chosen by a pro-Beijing committee and Lai is preparing for the next phase of battle.

“It’s very encouraging for Hong Kong [that the bill was rejected],” he tells AFP. “What’s going to happen in the end? We really don’t know. But once we give up, we

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P S E T: F I R E - F i r e P o l i c y S e t

are giving up fighting for our democracy and freedom. We are kind of giving up our dignity as humans,” he says.

Founder of the strident anti-government newspaper Apple Daily and the main shareholder—along with his wife Teresa—in its publisher Next Media, Lai

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draws both admiration and bile.

His house and office were firebombed in January and putrid animal organs thrown at him during the demonstrations.

“You just get used to it. I’ve never had a bodyguard,” says a matter-of-fact Lai.

“If I go to the MTR (Hong Kong’s subway) there’s always someone shouting at me, pointing at me, calling me ‘traitor’. I don’t care.

“I just do what I think is right.”

Beijing has shown no sign of compromise on the future reform for Hong Kong and there

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are fears of a backlash in the wake of the defeat of the bill, but Lai says China must change.

“China being the number two strongest country in the world and having a dictator like [President] Xi Jinping on top of it is making a lot of other countries restless,” says Lai. AFP

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I N V E S T O R S A S S U R A N C E C O R P O R AT I O N U n i t 1/ 2 0 t h F l o o r, B D O P l a z a , P a s e o d e R o x a s n e a r c o r. M a k a t i Av e n u e , M a k a t i C i t y 12 0 0 Te l N o s .: ( 6 3 2) 8 2 2 - 4 0 0 0 / 8 2 2 - 5 0 0 0 / 8 9 1 - 0 9 9 4 / 8 9 1 - 0 9 9 6 / 8 9 1 - 0 9 7 6 ( T S - J U N E 2 3 , 2 015 )

T U E S D AY : J U N E 2 3 , 2 0 1 5

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cESAr bArrioqUiNTo EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

world

Super rich multiply in Latin America MONTEVIDEO—They buy 10 Porsches a day and travel the world by private jet, toting their Louis Vuitton bags and leaving behind a faint scent of Chanel.

They are Latin America’s superrich, and they are multiplying faster than anywhere in the world, coveted by luxury brands keen to tap their buying power, but criticized for paying low taxes in a region plagued by inequality.

Latin America, a region of some 600 million people, is home to nearly 15,000 “ultra-high-networth” individuals, or people with fortunes of at least $30 million, according to luxury industry consultancy Wealth-X. The number rose five percent last year, while the number of billionaires rose to 151, a 38-percent increase.

That was the fastest growth rate for billionaires of any region on Earth.

Natixis Global Asset Management, a firm that specializes in managing large fortunes, recently launched its first Latin American offices in Mexico City and Montevideo.

“We’ve clearly identified it as one of the regions where individual wealth is in an exceptional growth phase,” said Sophie del Campo, head of the firm’s Iberian division in Madrid.

Ensconced behind the high walls of their luxury villas, the mining magnates, telecoms tycoons, large landholders and others who make up Latin America’s uppermost crust can be less visible than the region’s poor.

But they are the flip side of its intractable inequality problem.

Their lavish lifestyles and growing numbers are attracting keen interest from the global luxury industry, eager to expand to new markets and court new customers in existing ones.

Porsche is one example. Since arriving in Latin America 15 years ago, the German sports car maker has increased annual sales to the region from less than 300 vehicles to nearly 3,900 vehicles, said George Wills, president of Porsche Latin America, which is based in Miami. AFP

Pastoral trip. This handout photo taken on June 21 and released by the Vatican press office shows disabled people listening to Pope Francis’ speech inside the Santa Maria Ausiliatrice Church in Turin as part of his first pastoral trip to northern Italy. AFP

70 years on, Okinawans still remember the war ITOMAN, Japan—Seventy years after the Battle of Okinawa, Yoshiko Shimabukuro still has nightmares of watching friends and Japanese soldiers die as they hid in caves to escape fierce American shelling.

One of 222 female students mobilized as a battlefield nursing unit for the Imperial Army in March 1945, she also suffers pangs of guilt for surviving the war while many of her classmates perished in the hell holes that served as military hospitals on the island’s southern tip.

“We only had basic training in how to put on bandages, but the wounded soldiers they brought in were beyond help,” Shimabukuro told AFP ahead of a ceremony Tuesday to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the battle.

“They had legs ripped off, their intestines were falling out, faces missing. We simply had no idea what to do. I was 17. We all thought we would be back at school in a week.”

Fewer than half of the girls known as the “himeyuri students”—an amalgam of the names of the two schools they came from—survived the 82-day battle, which wiped out a quarter of the subtropical island’s population.

Many died after being ordered

by Japanese soldiers to leave their caves in a hail of bullets as the en-

emy closed in. Others plunged off cliffs or blew themselves up with grenades rather than surrender.

“We wanted to stay in the caves and die together but the Japanese soldiers sent us away,” said Shimabukuro, fighting back tears. “People were quickly killed or badly injured. But we couldn’t take the injured with us. We had to leave them.

“I still have dreams where I see my dead friends and I wake up screaming. It breaks my heart that I lived and my friends died, without me knowing how, when or where.”

The battle claimed the lives of more than 100,000 Okinawan civilians and 80,000 Japanese troops, whose grim resistance only ended after Lieutenant General Mitsuru

Ushijima, the senior officer on the island, committed ritual suicide on a cliff.

Almost every family in Okinawa suffered at least one casualty as the US bombardment—by land, sea and air—reduced the normally lush, green landscape to a scorched wasteland.

More than 12,000 American troops also perished during the worst bloodshed of the Pacific War, in what many feared at the time was a foretaste of the battle they would have to fight for the Japanese mainland.

That battle never came, thanks in part to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Okinawa was the only part of Japan in which fighting took place in World War II. AFP

Church service spills out into streets

Demand for compensation. South Korean family members of victims of World War II chant slogans outside the Japanese Embassy in Seoul on June 22 during an anti-Japanese rally demanding that the Japanese government compensate the victims for wartime atrocities. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on June 22 pledged to improve ties with South Korea after years of strain over history and territory as the two countries held low-key celebrations of 50 years of diplomatic ties. AFP

CHARLESTON—The pews inside “Mother Emanuel” were packed for a Sunday service like none other in its nearly 200-year history, but the emotions were no less raw.

Several hundred people filled the street outside Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church where, four days earlier, a young white man with visions of race war walked into a Bible study class and shot dead nine blacks.

It was a diverse crowd, white and black, young and old, mainly Christian but with the odd Muslim here and Sikh there, braving the sweltering South Carolina heat and humidity on the first day of summer.

“Just because you’re outside doesn’t mean you’re not inside with them,” shouted Brenda Peart, wandering through the crowd with a selfie stick, as loudspeakers relayed the songs and sermons from the pulpit to the street.

Peart, who moved from New York to Charleston five years ago, said Wednesday’s massacre would not drive a wedge through a city that, in another era, was the American capital of the transatlantic slave trade.

One reason, she said, is that everybody knows everybody in Charleston, whose metropolitan area’s population of nearly 500,000 is 65 percent white and 30 percent black.

“Other places have six degrees of separation,” she told AFP. “Charleston has one to 2.5 degrees, max.”

At the foot of the stairs up to the church, a young white Charleston woman gave out cookies and an older Illinois man passed out sunflower seeds.

“You get children to relate weeding a garden to weeding out hate,” explained Marc Daniels as he whipped out seed packets from his yellow apron.

With the thermometer hitting 94 degrees Fahrenheit (34 Celsius), which felt like 104 in the humidity, volunteers easily found takers for ice-cold bottles of water. AFP

T U E S D AY : J U N E 2 3 : 2 0 1 5

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

BERNADETTE LUNAS WRITER life @ thestandard.com .ph

LIFE

Professional surfers go to Surigao del Norte for a chance to ride the Siargao Cloud 9.

TRIPS OF THRILLS:

WHERE TO GO FOR ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES

BY BERNADETTE LUNAS

I

f your idea of vacation is less of bumming-around-the-beach and more of riding-the-waves and trekking-on-rock-cliffs, the Philippines has those kinds of activities in spades. With its diverse natural structure, our tropical country is home to prime spots for summer sports and activities, from surfing and wakeboarding to hiking and rock climbing.

RIDE THE WAVES

The Philippines is now on the map of the international surfing scene thanks to Siargao in Surigao del Norte. Local and foreign surfers flock to the island for a chance to ride its famous Cloud 9, but other provinces are also making waves to become the next surfing mecca.

About an hour-long flight to Laoag in Ilocos Norte and a bus ride will get you to Pagudpud, where surfing is in season almost the whole year. Professionals and first-time dabblers in the sport can head to Blue Lagoon and, since the area is not as crowded as its more famous contemporary in Mindanao, enjoy the waves to themselves.

Also less crowded are Gubat Bay in Sorsogon and Puraran Beach in Catanduanes.

From Legazpi, one can reach the sandy beach and yearround waves of Gubat Bay via a van to Sorsogon then a jeep to Gubat. Gubat Bay’s waves are perfect for beginners but advanced surfers can venture farther out to ride six-foot swells. A plane ride to Virac, followed by a jeep or bus to Baras, then a tricycle will bring you to the light brown sand of Puraran Beach. Summer is the perfect season for newbie surfers to practice the sport here, while pros have the month of July to enjoy more challenging and majestic swells.

Surfing lessons in these destinations cost around P400 an hour.

EXPLORE THE TERRAIN

Those who want to be challenged while going down and dirty on land will surely enjoy the hiking trails and rock cliffs, with amazing views as delightful bonus, in Bukidnon and Palawan.

The Blue Water Cave in Bukidnon is an adventurer’s dream as it offers hiking, rock climbing and swimming, too. A short trek on a narrow trail leads to an imposing white rock cliff, where beginners are advised to ascend no more than 30 feet. It then reveals a cave that houses a clear and blue underground river, where hikers are encouraged to plunge into.

Bukidnon is also home to some of the highest peaks in the country and easier day climbs for first-timers.

Experienced trekkers can traverse Mt. Kitanglad and Mt. Dulang-Dulang in a day. Day hikers can go to Mt. Capistrano and see peak views of Malaybalay’s rice fields, or go up Mt. Palaopao in Sumilao.

All of Bukidnon’s wonders can be reached from Cagayan de Oro or Davao via bus.

Coron, Palawan is popular for its pristine beaches and enthralling rock formations, but more than its clear waters, its peaks are also a sight to behold and an awesome adventure to experience. Mt. Darala is the highest mountain in the Calamianes islands and provides a pleasant three-to four-hour day-hike experience.

Meanwhile, Mt. Tapyas offers a beautiful sunset view of the town to those who can take the 700-plus step climb.

The concrete steps and handrails make the ascent easy.

Going to Kayangan Lake is a shorter yet steeper climb, but the view of and the refreshing plunge into the “clean-

There are only a few things more exhilarating than a white water rafting adventure in Cagayan de Oro or Davao.

est lake in the Philippines” make the extra effort worth it.

The Coron town proper is about 30- to 45-minute land trip from the Busuanga airport.

CHALLENGE YOURSELF

For those who want to go all-out adventurous, they should try more challenging summer sports such as wakeboarding, kiteboarding and white water rafting.

Learn how to walk (sort of) on the water at Deca Wake Park in Davao or at CamSur Watersports Complex in Camarines Sur (accessible via Naga or Legazpi) which offer affordable wakeboarding lessons at around P200 per session.

Plan a trip to Boracay’s Bulabog beach or Camarines Norte’s Bagasbas beach to learn kiteboarding. Internationalcaliber instruction in these destinations costs around P3,000/trial session.

On the other hand, Cagayan de Oro and Davao’s raging rivers make for an exhilarating white water rafting.

Thrill-seekers looking for a new adventure that goes beyond getting a tan while sipping delicious cocktails by the pool have 7,107 islands that they can explore for exciting activities. And the best thing is, it not a big a challenge to go from one island to another.

Cebu Pacific offers the widest network of flights around the Philippines, giving travelers convenient access to exciting activities in Ilocos Norte, Siargao, Bicol, Catanduanes, Palawan, Davao and Boracay. Book your flights via www. cebupacificair.com now to get best deals. Lowest domestic year-round fares start from P688.

TUESDAY : J UNE 23 : 2015

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

GIFT OF SMILES MEGA MISSION

Amway’s Nutrilite brand of vitamins and minerals recently earned recognition from the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA).

Nutrilite Double X food supplement contains the essential vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients to meet the daily recommended intake of fruits and vegetables.

FILLING THE GAPS FOR OPTIMAL HEALTH STORY AND IMAGES BY MAE GIANINA C. PASCUAL

A

ccording to the World Health Organization, a minimum of 400 grams or five servings of fruits and vegetables per day is recommended. However, the recommended quantity as well as the variety of fruits and vegetables is challenging for many regions in the world, with 75 percent of people unable to meet the minimum requirement for a variety of reasons, among them the unavailability of certain fruits and vegetables due to geographical constraints. In which case, the only resort is through importation which in turn results in higher costs or expenses.

Most adults, too, need to double their current intake. Oftentimes, a fast-paced and busy environment is one reason why most adults are unable to prepare healthy meals. An adult’s personal taste preference is also one factor to consider.

The lack of fruits and vegetables can contribute to phytonutrient deficiency. Phytonutrients (phyto, Greek for plants; nutrients, life-enabling substances) are bioactive plant-derived compounds containing thousand of natural chemicals that, when taken regularly, can have a positive synergy effect on the body. Phytonutrients are now recognized as key dietary components that contribute to healthy aging and support optimal health.

Fortunately, supplements have become a convenient and effective way in obtaining the quantity and variety of nutrients that experts recommend.

Dr. Keith Randolph, technology strategist at the Nutrilite Health Institute, avers the importance of making people understand how they can and should eat in order to fill their nutritional gaps and make an investment each and every day to live healthier lives for the benefit of their families and for themselves.

“Nutrilite’s philosophy of optimal health embodies healthy balanced nutrition that includes an abundance of plant foods and regular physical activity or exercise as two key foundational components for everyone,” he shares.

Nutrilite, a leading brand of vitamins and dietary supplements, recognizes the powerful health benefits of phytonutrients found in plant foods. It has Nutrilite Double X, a multivitamin that includes 19 plant concentrates with a balance of nutrients finely calibrated to ensure it delivers optimum health benefits and a broader antioxidant protection.

Nutrilite believes in goodness from ground up.

It is the only global vitamin and mineral brand to grow, harvest and process plants on its own certified organic farms. To ensure all their products deliver nutritional benefits the way nature intended, organic farming methods are used to harvest, process and grow crops.

By staying true to its commitment of combining the best of science with the best of nature, Nutrilite has maintained its stature as a global health and wellness leader.

MANAGING ASTHMA AND ALLERGIES WITH SHARP

A

Operation Smile recently commenced its annual “Gift of Smiles” mission with the deployment of 301 volunteers from 17 countries, including the Philippines, to Bacolor in Pampanga, Manila, Cebu City, Bacolod City and Davao City.

The volunteers will provide free reconstructive surgery to at least 750 Filipinos, mainly children and young adults, with oral cleft and other congenital facial deformities. The foreign volunteers, 147 of them from Australia, Bangladesh, China, Cyprus, India, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Pakistan, Paraguay, Russia, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America and Vietnam, planed in to join 154 of their Filipino counterparts in the mission sites.

Operation Smile, headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia, is an international medical charity with a presence in more than 60 countries, whose global network of thousands of credentialed medical volunteers from more than 80 countries is dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of children. Since its founding in 1982, Operation Smile has provided more than 220,000 free surgical procedures for children and young adults born with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities. To build long-term sufficiency in resource-poor environments, Operation Smile trains doctors and local medical professionals in its partner countries so they are empowered to treat their local communities. Operation Smile also donates medical equipment, supplies and provides yearround medical treatment through its worldwide centers.

sthma is such a common disease that you probably know someone who had it as a child or still has it as an adult. In the Philippines, three out of 10 children and one out of 10 adults suffer from asthma. Asthma episodes may vary among kids – some outgrow it, while some retain it to adulthood. There are even those whose asthma symptoms become dormant and then reappear later in life. While most parents would think that their children will outgrow their asthma, it is always better not to take chances.

Modern advances may have made asthma easier to manage, but it is always smarter to look for better ways to prevent asthma attacks caused by common triggers found in the house such as dust, pollen, dust mites, molds, and pet dander. Making sure that the air at home is clean, safe and free from airborne allergens can also help prevent asthmatic episodes.

The Plasmacluster Ion Technology from Sharp is a one-of-a-kind air purifying innovation that releases positive and negative ions that effectively deactivate the effects of airborne allergens and other threats by up to 99 percent, making the air odor-free in a chemical-free method, removing static elec-

tricity which makes dust stick and gather, and providing better skin moisture.

Sharp has PCI Air Purifiers with Humidifying Function, which releases highdensity Plasmacluster Ions and provides a well-balanced humidity in the air. Its air purifying power is doubled with its triple filters that collect airborne dust and odor particles. This is great for those who commonly experience dry eyes and dry throat upon waking up. The Sharp PCI Air Purifier with Dehumidifying Function, on the other hand, provides air purification while also reducing the level of humidity indoors. This is perfect for households that retain too much moisture.

Plasmacluster Ion Generators, meanwhile, are also good for use in workstations and industries such as restaurants, hotels, food processing factories and textile factories.

Whichever air purifier or ion generator one chooses, what’s important is keeping airborne allergens at bay and making indoor space friendly and safe for anyone suffering from asthma.

For more about Plasmacluster Ion Technology, and other exceptional products of Sharp (Philippines) Corporation, visit www. sharp.ph or check out www.facebook.com/ SharpPhilippines.

TUESDAY : J UNE 23 : 2015

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

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HERE’S TO HAIR: SVENSON NOW OPEN AT THE FORT CHI SPA NAMED ONE OF THE BEST

BY ED BIADO

Another Philippine property makes it to Agoda’s annual list of top hotel spas. Chi, The Spa at Shangri-La Boracay, gives the country its third consecutive visit to the tally compiled by the hotel-booking site, after Dusit Thani’s Deverana Spa last year and Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan in 2013. The list showcases luxury spas that “provide customers the best soothing treatments and rejuvenating therapies in some of the world’s most desirable destinations.”

Shangri-La Boracay’s Chi is said to draw “inspiration from the origins of the Shangri-La legend, a place of personal peace, enchantment and well-being.” The spa boasts a host of luxurious treatments for as low as P3,200 up to P9,500 per session.

Options include the Sense of Place therapies that feature local natural botanical products and recipes, as well as massages like the traditional hilot. Meanwhile, the Chi Signature Massages are restorative treatments that have been “taught from generation to generation.”

Those who want to get the complete Chi experience may want to avail of the Boracay Wellness Package. The three-day pampering package costs P22,000 while the five-day version is P35,000. The set includes cleansing, balancing and renewing treatments that are customizable to suit different needs.

These can be enjoyed in the fully-appointed 5,700-square-meter private spa village within the resort, ensuring privacy, exclusivity and tranquility. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, that Chi is being recognized as one of the world’s best and most highly-rated by customers.

Agoda says, “The spa is, in fact, its own village, with ten villas each overlooking a private bay. Most of the spa treatments are based on Philippine health traditions – coconut products, warm oil, heated stones, and supplies derived from local flora. If the nightlife gets all the energy, a private Yoga class or comprehensive wellness package will get you back on your feet the next day. Past visitors have commented on the clean and private beach, and said that the resort is perfect for families with kids of any age.”

Spas that made the selection were chosen based on hotel ratings, customer comments, and consulting with hotel specialists on the ground. Joining the country’s five-star resort in the global list are Bali’s Komaneka at Tanggayuda, Paris’ Royal Monceau Raffles, India’s The Oberoi Amarvilas Agra Hotel, Munich’s Bayerischer Hof, New Zealand’s The Langham Auckland, Malaysia’s The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur and Chiang Mai’s Rarinjinda Wellness Spa Resort.

At a loss about hair loss?

Check out the new Svenson branch at The Fort to help save your hair!

Located at the 15th floor of RCBC Savings Bank Corporate Center, the new center has modern, cozy interiors, spacious treatment rooms, advanced non-surgical treatments, and a team of trusted hair and scalp experts to help you with healthier, stronger, fuller hair.

When it comes to providing the most technologically advanced, non-surgical hair loss solutions for men and women, Allan Caidic, Chico Garcia, George Siy, Philip Cu-Unjieng, RJ ledesma, Champ Svenson has been tried, tested and Lui Pio and Gino Quillamor trusted for more than 30 years. With its team of qualified trichologists (hair Those experiencing the advanced stages and scalp experts), Svenson specializes in treating of baldness but want to have a full head of hairloss and scalp problems with correct diagno- hair again can check out the Svenson Hair sis and proven effective treatments.

Restoration Systems. For those who need to The focus of these treatments is the early add volume and coverage to excessively thindetection and elimination of the conditions ning areas, Svenson has the most advanced Hair that cause hair loss, clean out toxins and debris Integration System, which is a special type of on the scalp, and provide the ideal environ- semi-permanent hair weaving that adds hair on ment on the scalp and within the hair follicle an area where there is thinning or insufficient to strengthen hair roots and stimulate stronger, hair. It’s not a wig, toupee nor does it require healthier hair growth. any form of transplant. Nothing is inserted into For advanced baldness, Svenson offers unde- the scalp. Instead, natural hair is interweaved to tectable hair replacement systems that give clients the hair strands for fuller, thicker hair. a natural-looking full head of hair once more.

An option for those who need complete covThough hair can not be grown on a bald head (if erage is the latest hair replacement system called caused by Male-Pattern Baldness), at Svenson, the Transdermal Cosmetic Reconstruction or baldness can be prevented and hair loss can be TCR. It makes use of synthetic skin with hair stopped. Moreover, the center ensures that hair implanted on it, bonded on the scalp like natural stays the way it should be – strong and healthy. hair growing out of one’s skin, virtually undetectPreventive treatment programs for hair loss in able to touch or sight because it is gossamer thin. men and women have been clinically proven to Know more about what Svenson can do for you. arrest and fight the main cause of hairloss, and Call 892-HAIR (4247) and book your FREE restore the health of hair and scalp. Through cor- hair and scalp analysis today. Other locations: rect diagnosis performed by qualified trichologists, Makati – 15/F GT Tower; Tomas Morato – 3/F Svenson is able to determine the cause of hair and CKB Center; Binondo – 11/F Unit 1103, Federal scalp problem and can offer a treatment program Tower Building; Alabang – 4/F Citibank-Frabelle that can best address specific concerns.

Building; Cebu – 5/F Keppel Centre

REV UP WITH REVLITE The Total Skin Rejuvenation Solution

N

o amount of makeup can hide deep skin blemishes or discoloration.

Fortunately, non-invasive treatments that target skin pigmentation and discoloration are now available through RevLite’s advanced laser technology.

Powered by the Q-switched Nd:YAG laser technology, it emits a smooth and even heating on the skin, designed to lighten skin pigmentation like melasma, age spots, freckles and hyperpigmentation. It also treats the rough reddish bumps on the skin more commonly known as chicken skin.

RevLite works through PhotoAcoustic Technology Pulse that produces very rapid and very short pulse widths of energy. This limits the skin tissue’s exposure to the heat build-up from the laser as it zones in and breaks down only the chromophores that cause skin pigmentation. No hitting your healthy tissues and needlessly damaging them.

RevLite is for anyone struggling with skin pigmentation or those who want a healthy dose of vitality in the skin. This multipurpose, multi-wavelength aesthetic laser is perfectly safe and effective for all skin types.

Length of treatment varies, depending on

the client’s skin condition and the size of the treatment area. Each session is roughly 20 to 30 minutes for the face, 15 to 20 minutes for the underarms or for the hands, and one hour for the arms.

Since it is non-invasive, the treatment is hardly painful. At most, a slight tingling sensation may be felt. Depending on the skin’s sensitivity, a patient may notice some redness after the treatment but this subsides after a few minutes, after which, normal activities may be resumed.

For more information on RevLite treatment, call 892-SKIN (7546) today for a free consultation.

T U E S D AY : J U N E 2 3 : 2 0 1 5

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

Tree House Villa

Likha Villa

PARADISE ON EARTH Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort and Spa I

f there is a destination that is akin to paradise on earth, a best-kept secret of the Philippines is a small island called Boracay. Known for its powdery white sands and aquamarine waters, the island of Boracay has regularly been named among the world’s best, from National Geographic magazine to the TripAdvisor website. Apart from the colorful markets and bustle of the island’s popular white beach is a tranquil nature reserve on Boracay’s northern tip, a place that one can call his own haven, his own Shangri-La. Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort and Spa introduces a new level of luxury to the beautiful island of Boracay. The architect of the resort is Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo (WATG) and the interior design was created by LTW Design Works. The accommodations are designed with modern sensibilities expressed in indigenous

materials, from the abaca weave rugs to the accent lighting made of local capiz shells. There is so much of the culture of the Philippines that was incorporated to both the exterior and interior design of the resort.

Marrying luxury and comfort with a reverence for nature, the 12-hectare resort encompasses 219 rooms including 36 villas and suites; comprehensive leisure facilities; 350 meters of secluded beach front; and a thriving ecosystem of diverse, even rare, flora and fauna. With two private beachfronts and an infinity pool, the resort offers a myriad of recreational activities. Those looking to soothe weary senses can head over to CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La. A variety of dining options of different cuisines is located within the resort. Be it a family holiday or simply a quiet retreat, ShangriLa’s Boracay Resort and Spa is the perfect paradise destination.

GUIDING DAVAO TO WORLD-CLASS STATUS

T

he government recently declared 2015 as the “Visit Philippines Year,” with a lot of activities geared to highlight the various attractions the country has to offer.

Davao is one such destination that offers a lot of options for practically all kinds of travelers – adventure seekers, extreme sports lovers, culture vultures, history buffs – and the experience can be made even more fun with the help of well-trained, professional tour guides who can make the visit an ultimate lifetime event.

“Tour guides are recognized as important ambassadors, and by providing them with world-class training, we hope to take a big step towards making Davao one of the region’s most desirable cities for tourists,” said GeneRose Tecson, president of the Guide Union for Inbound Destination and Eco-tourism (GUIDE), Inc. Davao seeks to improve its tour guide services in a bid to attract more visitors, create more jobs, and put the province on the map as a global travel destination.

To upgrade the quality of its services, GUIDE Davao recently concluded a series of training programs on tour guiding services using the tourism skills grant from the Department of Tourism.

Funded by the Government of Canada and administered by Asian Development Bank under the Philippines Improving Competitiveness in Tourism program, it was designed to support the government’s effort to achieve inclusive growth and create employment opportunities in tourism.

“More than providing financial assistance to support professional skills training, the grant will usher in jobs and opportunities for growth for young Davaoeños,” Tecson said. “Using what we learned from the training, we seek to expand training and mentoring to junior tour guides in various cities and municipalities in the Davao region and help develop a new breed of tourism industry workers.”

Tecson said that while members of their group are licensed and accredited by the DOT and have received previous trainings, they seek to benefit from more relevant training courses to achieve world-class status. With the help of the skills grant, workshops on personality development, quality in communications, security awareness, train the trainers, and professional tour guiding were conducted.

For the personality development, quality in communications, and train the trainers segments, the group enlisted the services of the Davao-based Joji Ilagan Career Center Foundation, Inc. The group was also trained

by US-based multilingual tour manager and tourist guide trainer Maricar Donato to improve their tour guiding techniques.

Judging from the increase in GUIDE Davao’s membership by almost 50 percent, one can say the group generated a lot of awareness. With the help of DOTADB-Canada grant, GUIDE Davao hopes to improve its services and training programs to align with the standards of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Tourism as well as the newlyimplemented standards of the DOT.

Mock Sea Tour Guiding

Mock Tour Guiding

T UES DAY : J UNE 2 3 : 2015

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

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All together now. the songwriters and interpreters of the top 12

PhilPOP 2015 interPreters in Official album

W

hen Philpop Foundation announced the 12 finalists of the 4th Philippine Popular Music Festival in May, the diversity of the entries was very evident, especially in the intriguing mix of seasoned and up-and-coming songwriters but also in the variety of tunes’ style, themes and genres.

This year’s line-up of interpreters is just as intriguing.

Easily the most familiar acts are Side A and The Company. Side A has been in the industry in the last three decades. The group interprets “For The Rest of My Life” written by its bassist, Ned Esguerra.

Like Side A, The Company is also celebrating its 30th year in the industry. Known as “The Philippines’ Premier Vocal Ensemble,” the group interprets Paul Armesin’s entry, “Tanging Pag-Asa Ko.” Another sought after performer making her first PhilPOP apparance as interpreter is Jinkee Vidal.

The former Freestyle vocalist interprets Soc Villanueva’s “Kilig”.

Jon Santos is a stand-up comedi-

tV-movie love tam James Reid and nadine Lustre are interpreting entries. no they are with other singers, and not as a love team

PhilPoP Executive Director Ryan Cayabyab

an and impersonator, yet he is also a tried and tested live performer. He interprets “Apat Na Buwang Pasko”

by Gino Cruz and Jeff Arcilla. It is also Santos’ first in recording.

Former Little Big Star champion and ASAP mainstay Anja Aguilar interprets Melvin Morallos’ “I Owe You My Heart”.

James Reid and young rapper Pio take on Melchor “MC” Mag-

no, Jr.’s “Musikaw”. While Kean Cipriano and Nadine Lustre breathe to life Mark Villar’s “Sa Ibang Mundo.”

MTV Pinoy VJs Josh Padilla and Yassi Pressman sing Johannes Garcia’s “Edge of the World.”

Apart from Ned Esguerra, five other songwriters are either interpreting their entries on their own or in collaboration with an-

Matt DaMon in ‘the Martian’

t

he recent release of the photos of Ridley Scott’s upcoming film The Martian starring Matt Damon reveals the actor as a stranded astronaut left behind by his crew after being presumed dead during a fierce storm.

The Martian features a star-studded cast that includes Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Michael Pena, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Donald Glover.

The movie is based on the best-selling novel by Andy Weir in which Damon’s character Mark Watney, an astronaut left behind on Mars, must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to survive on the hostile planet while waiting for the most daring and impossible rescue mission to bring him back.

The Martian opens on Nov. 26 from 20th Century Fox (distributed by Warner Bros.).

Matt Damon stars as an astronaut stranded in Mars waiting to be rescued back to earth

Josh Padilla and Yassi Pressman

other performer.

Former finalists Lara Maigue and Davey Langit are finally getting their wish to perform their own songs. Lara’s entry is “Nasaan” while Davey performs “Paratingin Mo Na Siya”.

First time PhilPOP finalist Ramiru Mataro is teaming up with social media sensation Donnalyn Bartolome in peforming

“Walang Hanggan”.

And of course, 2013 PhilPOP grand winners Thyro Alfaro and Yumi Lacsamana team up with “X-Factor Philippines” finalist Jeric Medina in “Triangulo”. The official PhilPOP interpreters were presented at a press conference that also launched the official PhilPOP 2015 album (Viva Records).

Following the album’s launch, the top 12 final entries are expected to be on heavy rotation on radio stations nationwide. Music videos for the finalists also produced by Viva will also be given heavy exposure on television and online.

In addition to Ramon Orlina-designed trophy, this year’s winners will receive cash prizes in the amount of P1million (grand prize); P500,000 (first runner-up); and P250,000 (second runner-up).

All of the finalists will also get P50,000 each.

Philpop is presented by Maynilad and Meralco, co-presented by Smart, Spinnr and accessible through the PLDT Home Telpad.

Photos BY EniE REYEs

T UES DAY : J UNE 2 3 : 2015

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

JULiannE TaRROJa LaUnChES ‘aShES TO BEaUTy’ aT 12 MOnkEyS

F

RESH from a successful tour in Singapore, Julianne Tarroja launches her latest full-length studio album titled Ashes To Beauty, 8:00 p.m. tonight at 12 Monkeys in Century Mall, Makati City.

Tarroja has been in the music industry since 2007 sharing her story through songs around the Philippines and Asia. She created OPM history when she bagged the Best New Female Artist and Best Female Recording Artist trophies in the 2008 Awit Awards for her single “Grateful,” which she wrote and Mike Luis produced for MCA Universal. Since then, she has been widely regarded as an inspirational artist that has influenced strongly the youth and women of her generation. Her music specifically caters to women who identify with her testimonies on inner beauty, hope, and courage.

She went on to win the Top 3 slot PHILPOP 2013 for the single “Pansamantagal,” which she performed and recorded with Sitti. It should also be noted that the song won Best World Music at the 2014 Awit Awards. Her collaboration with Quest for the song “Digmaan,” which was produced and arranged

by Gab Valenciano received a nomination for Best Song Collaboration at the 2015 Myx Music Awards.

Ashes To Beauty is Tarroja’s highly anticipated and much-awaited follow-up album after Grateful, which she recorded and released eight years ago.

The album has 10 original tracks, which Tarroja penned, including the hit singles “Fly” arranged by Marcus Davis and “Ikaw Lang” which she herself arranged.

The official music videos of “Fly” (directed by Patrick Filart and produced by Davis and Audioclef) and “Ikaw Lang” (directed by James Molleta and which she produced) have been uploaded and can be viewed on her official YouTube channel.

“I have yet to find a female singer as gifted as Julie. She is a graphic designer, a singer-songwriter, a music arranger, a cook and baker, and the best singing guitarist I know in this country. We are honored to be part of this season in her life. Her music makes me cry,” says Angeli Pangilinan-Valenciano, president of Manila Genesis Entertainment and Management, the team behind Julianne.

“Ashes To Beauty aims to uplift,

Julianne Tarroja has a sophomre album

inspire, and encourage women of all ages, from all walks of life through songs that communicate my real-life testimony that beauty can be found in the most unexpected places and that every woman could find beauty even in ashes,” says Tarroja.

“Women are blessed to transform something like ashes into something so beautiful that they can be proud of and draw strength from.”

The varied and eclectic subjects of the album are a result of a collaborative effort of women in Philippines and around the world, using her music as a platform to feature and share their stories of hope and victory.

For the launch of the album, fans can look forward to an intimate evening of beautiful music with her as she performs selected tracks. Fans are also in for an exciting treat as she reveals her third single on the night of the launch.

Former Jam 88.3 DJ Patricia Malay, who is an advocate of Plump Pinay hosts the event. The launch will also feature special performances by Barbie Almalbis, Acel van Ommen, Monique Lualhati, Katrina Velarde, RJ Dela Fuente, and Maya’s Cradle among oter OPM artists.

Marlon StoCkinger raCeS at SlipStreaM 2.0

T

he roads of Bonifacio Global City are all geared up for the intensity of Globe Slipstream 2.0 with F1 junior driver Marlon Stockinger as he hits the streets on June 27, 11a.m. to showcase the #BilisNgPinoy that is quickly gaining global recognition.

The only Filipino currently racing internationally, Stockinger made history as the first Filipino to win first place at the Monaco GP3 in 2012. And now he’s heading home to join local racing enthusiasts, celebrities, influencers and the like to celebrate Filipino speed,

Marlon Stockinger is in Manila to race at Globe Slipstream 2.0

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 39

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Roaches, to us 7 Fido’s reply 10 Medicinal plant 14 Cooking oil choice 15 Mark of Zorro 16 Mollusk 17 Bucolic 18 NFL events 19 “Elder” statesman 20 Occasional fly-by (2 wds,) 23 Jeered at

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DOWN 1 DVD predecessor 2 Water in Paris 3 ER personnel 4 — lode 5 Homer’s epic 6 Table salt 7 Nahuatl speakers 8 Change colors 9 Parker who played Boone

TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2015

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Honda models Camel kin Singers Hall and — Wax theatrical Many October people Came to a halt Latches onto Greek column type Cajun’s home Diamond ploys Fearsome threesome Rap music (hyph.)

Polished Oust Tex-Mex snacks — owl Light emitter Snub Briny Garden tool Firm, as abs Helena rival Fills the hull More washed-out Gym iterations Desdemona’s enemy Joule fraction Not “paleo” W-2 info

growth, and progress, and give the Philippines a taste of the Formula One experience.

With three main runs and several other car brands flashing through demonstration laps, Slipstream 2.0 not only celebrates the advancement of Filipino racers but also that of Filipino technology. Different car clubs will be at the event to give people a chance to get to know the clubs and sign up as well.

Don’t miss the chance to catch a glimpse of Marlon Stockinger as he celebrates Filipino skill, stamina and speed at the Globe Slipstream 2.0 at the Bonifacio Global City.

T UES DAY : J UNE 2 3 : 2015

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

RockiN’ 60s at Bykes café toNight from c8

Claudine Trillo and Menchu Macapagal anchor Traffic Centre on CNN Philippines

R

ockin’ 60’s will showcase the stuff that netted it the 2014 Aliw Awards trophy for best band in a concert-and-dance music event on June 23 at Bykes Café at the mezzanine of the Lancaster Hotel in Mandaluyong City.

The band, known for its 50s and 60s music, will have its first set at 9:30 p.m. while at 11 p.m. the second set will begin.

Formed barely four years ago, the band is now making a name for itself in the music industry as it recreates the feel of the golden era of the 50s and 60s with classic rock and jukebox hits.

Known as the “Ricky Nelson of the Philippines ”, Titus Santiago, a corporate executive turned entrepreneur, is the band’s lead vocalist and business manager.

Other vocalists of the band are Weng Eraña, Dero Pedero, and Cathy Castaneda.

Steve de Jesus is the lead guitarist, Bololong Eraña on rhythm guitar, Rolly Roldan on bass, Benjie Santos on drums, and

Perfect wedding reception at reasonable cost at City Garden Hotel Makati

Nato Canlas on keyboards.

The group members were performing individually in 2007 when guitar-playing lawyer Andy and his wife Felice Sta. Maria decided to put on a show to celebrate the 50s and the 60s.

Together with Lenny de Jesus, they started rehearsals, catching up on the ‘groovy’ old days in Andy’s studio and Lenny’s penthouse in Makati .

The band had its first concert in Teatrino in January 2007 before one member of the original show, Elen Jison-Golez, decided to produce more 60’s shows.

After falling ill, Elen passed away but the group pushed on, banding together to form the Rockin’ 60’s band in late 2010, as a tribute to her.

HHHHH Navigate MaNiLa despite RaiNs Sudden rain and subsequent floodings are never kind to motorists.

Factor in back to school season and you’ve got a motorist’s nightmare.

Tuning in to CNN Philippines Traffic Center may help you han-

dle this situation.

Traffic Center is your true source of traffic information.

In collaboration with the Manila City government, SLEX, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and community-based traffic and navigation app Waze, Traffic Center’s coverage provides the commuters and motorists of Metro Manila with real-time updates that help them plan their navigation on the road.

Be alerted about flood levels in different areas through the MMDA feed. Be informed of the traffic intensity on the road and prepare your alternate routes through crowdsourced information from Waze.

Plan ahead and catch Traffic Center, anchored by Claudine Trillo at 6:30 a.m. and Menchu Macapagal at 5:45 p.m on CNN Philippines. Get timely updates through the social media accounts of CNN Philippines and its website (cnnphilippines.com).

HHHHH dReaM weddiNgs Wedding bells may already be

ringing this month of June, but for those planning a dream wedding in the months to come, City Garden Hotel Makati beckons.

With its philosophy of “affordable luxury”, City Garden Hotel Makati makes for an ideal setting to continue the celebration of this once-ina-lifetime event after saying “I do’s” in the altar. As a wedding-reception venue, the hotel offers a list of packages, menus, function rooms and add-ons to choose from and fit into the budget of prospective couples, thereby sparing them from financial concerns that could otherwise dampen their spirits and excitement as the big day nears.

City Garden Hotel Makati has wedding packages for as low as P45,250.00++ for 50 guests, complete with all elements that heighten the glee and excitement not only of the couple but even the guests.

Think of a three-tiered wedding cake, pair of doves in a cage, sparkling wine for toasting, colorful floral bouquets, among others, all included in the package.

After the celebration, couples

can easily check into and unwind in one of the hotel’s well-appointed rooms and experience even more memorable moments of the day.

Aside from overnight room accommodation with breakfast for two, City Garden Hotel Makati’s wedding packages also come with complimentary spa for the couple as well as use of recreational and fitness facilities such as the gym, sauna and swimming pool. Hence, why not wax even more romantic as a newly wed couple and have a refreshing soak in the jacuzzi, an invigorating body massage or energizing sauna at Januah Spa. Indeed, you can make your dream wedding come true and an unforgettable one with City Garden Hotel Makati’s “affordable luxury” yet complete wedding packages. To know more about weddings and other events, call telephone 899 1111 and ask for one of its professionally trained Banquet Sales staff. You may also visit www.citygardenhotelmakati.comor email makatireserve@ citygardenhotels.com.

World’s first and largest Curved ultra Hd tv launCHed

L

G Electronics has made available to consumer in the Philippines the most massive television to date—the 105-inch CURVED Super ULTRA HD TV. Globally revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas early this year, this spectacular new model 105UC9 boasts a resolution of over 11 million pixels (5120 x 2160)— five times more than on a Full HD TV—and CinemaScope 21:9 aspect ratio. These elements deliver a truly immersive viewing experience with ultra-sharp, lifelike images all over the 105inch screen and stunning virtual surround sound.

The superior picture quality of the 105UC9 is complemented by LG’s True 5K Engine Pro and IPS 5K Panel. The former eliminates visual errors and can upscale lower-resolution content into near-ULTRA HD quality, while the latter provides consistent contrast, true-to-life colors and a wide viewing angle.

Sound quality is certainly not

compromised as the 105UC9 sports a built-in 7.2-channel, 150W sound system, ensuring a powerful and rich audio experience. It also incorporated LG’s ULTRA Surround concept developed in partnership with audio manufacturing leader Harman Kardon. The multi-channel system harmonizes with the TV’s 21:9 CinemaScope screen with a sonic performance worthy of an actual movie theatre.

With the same aspect ratio as a Hollywood motion picture, the 105UC9 CinemaScope 21:9 screen recreates the movie experience in the home. The curvature of the display has been carefully calibrated to maximize the immersive ambiance. And by combining Film Patterned Retarder (FPR) 3D technology with extremely high picture resolution, LG’s 5K 3D+ feature offers unobtrusive and compelling 3D viewing pleasure.

Thanks to the 5K 3D Upscaler, content in SD, HD and Full HD is converted into crystal-clear, near-ULTRA HD resolution.

The 105UC9 promises a greatly

satisfying user experience via LG Smart+ TV, which is centered on the intuitive webOS platform. LG’s webOS makes everything simple and fast, whether it’s switching between content; discovering exciting new shows, apps and services or connecting to media stored on external devices. And with the help of the endearing, animated BeanBird character, webOS also makes the initial setup and connection process quicker and much more enjoyable.

“We are thrilled to bring to the Philippines the newest and most spectacular innovation of LG, the 105-inch CURVED Super ULTRA HD TV,” LG Philippines Home Entertainment Vice President Hoony Bae said. “Last De-

Filipinos can now enjoy TV to its fullest with bigger and wider screen via LG Super UHD TV

cember, we launched the country’s largest 98-inch ULTRA HD TV. This summer, we take it a notch higher and reinforce that it’s all possible when you bring today’s most advanced TV tech-

nologies together. The vision behind the 105UC9 was to bring the movie theatre into the living room, providing the optimal home entertainment experience for our consumers.”

T UES DAY : J UNE 2 3 : 2015

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

Gimme 5 is the Most Promising Recording Group

StaR Magic aRtiStS win big at box officE awaRdS ISAH V. RED There is no denying Star Magic artists’ talents. Proof of that are the awards they won recently.

They even made a clean sweep of the trophies at the 46th Guillermo Mendoza Box Office Entertainment Awards lon June 14 at Solaire Resort and Casino.

Hosted by Julia Barretto and Matteo Guidicelli, Star Magic took home 12 major awards that night.

The top-rating drama shows were also lauded, showcasing the talents of Coco Martin, Julia Montes, and Jodi Sta Maria to name a few.

Presenters during the awards night were also Star Magic artists like Jolina Magdangal, Melai Cantiveros, Jason Francisco, Nyoy Volante, Jed Madela, Jodi Sta Maria, Jake Cuenca, and Jane Oineza.

Leading the pack of winners was Piolo Pascual, who bagged the Box Office King Award for the movie Starting Over Again.

John Lloyd Cruz took home the Film Actor of the Year Award while Angelica Panganiban took home the Bert Marcelo Lifetime Achievement Award at the young age of 28.

Other Star Magic artists who won were Xian Lim and Kim Chiu as Prince and Princess of Philippine Movies and TV, Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo as Teen King and Teen Queen of Philippine Movies and TV, Liza Soberano as Most Promising Female Star of the Year, Maja Salvador as Promising Female/ Singer Performer, Gimme 5 as the Most Promising Recording/ Performing Group, Iñigo Pascual and Sofia Andres as the Most Promising Love team for their movie Relax Its Just Pag-ibig.

ABS-CBN shows Ikaw Lamang and Be Careful with my Heart also won Top-Rating Primetime

Drama and Top-Rating Daytime Drama respectively.

HHHHH RichaRd Yap, Enchong dEE valuE couRagE Kapamilya chinito heartthrobs Richard Yap and Enchong Dee are teaching viewers the value of courage and facing one’s fears in the Wansapanataym special, “My Kung Fu Chinito.” The for-kidsTV special debuted on June 21 and airs every Sunday thereafter. “‘My Kung Fu Chinito is really for the kids and the whole family, not only because the story is entertaining, but also because it will teach them a lot of Filipino values,” said Richard, who plays the character of the superhero Kung Fu Chinito and who is hiding behind the identity of a rich businessman named Chairman Tai. “In our Wansapanataym special, the audience will learn the importance of a family’s love, and having the courage to do the things that they thought they couldn’t do, just like what happened to my character Diego when he meets the Kung Fu Chinito,” said Enchong.

Also joining Richard and Enchong are Rio Locsin, Marina Benipayo, Sofia Andres, Atoy Co, David Chua, Mutya Orquia, and Clarence Delgado

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My Kung Fu Chinito is really for the kids and the whole family, not only because the story is entertaining, but also because it will teach them a lot of Filipino values - Richard Yap, actor

Chinese Filipino actors Enchong Dee and Richard Yap are the new chinito superheroes of kids in Wansapanataym