The Standard - 2015 June 25 - Thursday

RotaRy club of manila newspapeR of the yeaR 2015 VOL. XXIX NO. 125 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 thurSday : JuNE 25, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Poe tops survey of possible Veeps

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2 bi execs sanctioned Mangotara, Repizo hit by Mison order

By Vito Barcelo

IMMIGRATION Commissioner Siegfred Mison has stripped the authority of Associate Commissioners Abdullah Mangotara and Gilberto Repizo and Executive Director Eric Dimaculangan, to sign documents in the wake of a bribery scandal that has rocked the bureau.

The move was prompted by allegations that suspected Chinese crime lord Wang Bo had paid Immigration officials P400 million in exchange for a reversal of his deportation order.

Under an administrative order issued by Mison, Mangotara, Repizo and Dimaculangan will no longer be able to sign documents pertaining to visa issuances and extensions, alien registration and citizenship, the lifting of orders and all other significant immigration matters.

The three have been limited to reviewing, collecting and coordinating issues from the divisions, sections and units.

Immigration spokesperson Elaine Tan, meanwhile, clarified that Eric Dimaculangan was not fired from the bureau, contrary to reports.

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After the break. Vice President Jejomar Binay delivers a speech a day after resigning from the Cabinet. Ey AcAsio

Binay declares himself leader of opposition TWO days after resigning from the Cabinet, Vice President Jejomar Binay on Wednesday declared himself as head of the opposition in the 2016 national and local elections.

“I’m Jojo Binay, your vice president, [and] I’m proud to be a real Filipino in heart and mind. I’ll will be with you for better or for worse, and now will lead the opposition,” Binay said in a televised press briefing at the Co-

conut Palace in Pasay City.

In his speech, Binay vowed to offer the Filipino people a compassionate and effective government. ”It is my dream to have an effective government so that more, and not few, will benefit from the economic growth that we will achieve,” Binay said. ”We should have a government which listens and have real concerns especially to the

poor,” he added.

The Vice President said he is fighting for a government that would let justice and peace reign, and one that would strive to create more jobs to help the needy.

Binay denounced the selective justice of the Aquino administration, criticizing the apparent disparity between the treatment of the opposition versus those allied with the ruling party.

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don’t limit search to your pals, Pnoy told

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No suspension order for Junjun

By Joel E. Zurbano

NO suspension order has been issued against Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. and other city government officials in connection with the alleged overpricing of the Makati Science High School Building, the Office of the Ombudsman said Wednesday.

Vigil. Makati City residents hold a vigil outside City Hall to show their support for the embattled Vice President Jejomar Binay a day after he resigned from the Cabinet. Ey AcAsio

2 BI execs From A1...

“The reports are not true.

All commissioners and the executive director are still in office,” said Tan. “Contrary to rumors, deputy executive secretary Eric Dimaculangan still acts as the board secretary, in addition to his visa implementation functions.

“He still is the board secretary. However, Mison designated lawyer Vicente Uncad as assistant board secretary to share the responsibility in handling deportation cases,” Tan added.

She said that all actions on the Wang Bo case and “collateral incidents” were before

Binay From A1...

Morever, the Vice President said while he and his family were being vilified, those allied with the ruling party that are embroiled in controversies have gone unpunished.

He said the government has allowed to go unpunished those officials allied with the present administration who were involved in the illegal use of funds through the Disbursement Acceleration Program and the Priority Development Assistance Fund, as well as the mismanagement of the Mamasapano operation in which 44 police commandos were killed.

“This is not justice for the majority, particularly the poor,” Binay said.

He said this “injustice” would motivate him further in pursing the presidency.

The Vice President said he accepted the offer to join the

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima for determination.

Wang had earlier been deported to China at the behest of Beijing, but the BI later issued another order reversing the summary deportation.

Mison claimed that he recommended Wang’s deportation, but his decision was blocked by two associate immigration commissioners who argued that Wang should not be deported to China as he had committed a crime in the Philippines.

De Lima had earlier issued a resolution reinstating the summary deportation order against Chinese fugitive Wang Bo. De Lima, in a resolution dated June 8, set aside the May 21 resolution of the BI’s Board of Commissioners reversing the

earlier deportation order and releasing the fugitive from BI custody, and ruled in favor of Wang’s deportation.

However, the implementation of the De Lima deportation order has been held in abeyance pending an investigation into allegations that a P400-million bribe was paid to prevent Wang’s deportation and other suspicious circumstances surrounding the issue, including the delay in the implementation, and eventual reversal, of the deportation order.

The House committee on good governance and public accountability has already launched an investigation into the controversy and summoned all immigration commissioners. The House hearingv is expected to resume on

July 7.

A ranking Immigration official who requested anonymity since he was not authorized to speak, said the two associate commissioners and Dimaculangan would continue to receive their salaries for doing nothing.

Dimaculangan, a former jail warden with close ties to the Aquino family, was appointed the bureau’s executive director by President Benigno Aquino III, and was said to be groomed to replace Mison.

Reports said it was Dimaculangan’s prodding that compelled the two associate commissioners to reverse their previous deportation order against Wang.

Dimaculangan has declined to comment on the allegations against him.

Cabinet in 2010 before because he wanted to repay with genuine service the trust of the public that elected him.

Binay dared his critics to face him in a clean and honest election in 2016 as he thanked the people for their continued trust in him despite incessant attacks against him.

The Vice President declared he would not back out as presidential candidate.

“I’m not withdrawing to any fight,” he said.

In a press conference at his office in the Coconut Palace, Binay decried as foul the charges hurled against him by those who were driven by personal ambition rather than the search for truth, and said his accusers had presented no evidence to prove he had benefited from the alleged overpricing of several Makati buildings.

Binay, who resigned from the Cabinet on Monday, described the government as callous and incompetent as a result of poor leadership.

Binay said he quit his Cabinet posts after serving for five years as chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and presidential assistant on overseas workers’ concerns, because he was unwilling to let his successful pro-poor programs that he carried out when he was still mayor of Makati be disparaged and vilified.

Officially declaring his intention to run for the presidency in 2016, Binay said no one–not even political propaganda-would stop him from seeking the country’s highest position.

A Palace spokesman on Wednesday declined to say if Binay’s break from the government would strain relations between his family and that of President Benigno Aquino III. “I do not wish to speculate on a matter that is personal between the two families,” said deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte, in text message.

In a radio interview, Makati Rep. Abigail Binay said her father’s resignation letter to Presi-

dent Benigno Aquino III was one sentence long indicating his “irrevocable resignation” with no reason or personal affection.

“He resigned on his own, he was not pressured. I don’t think there was anybody who could change my father’s mind,” she said.

Asked if there was a falling out between Binay and the President, she said: “I am not in the right position [to answer that] but he seems to be very tired; and in his view, this is the only way he can be liberated.”

She said her father had been “holding back” from all the attacks he had been getting from administration allies, including a longrunning Senate investigation into allegations of corruption when he was still mayor of Makati.

The congresswoman said her father was fed up with the “fakery and pretension” in trying to fit in the Cabinet.

She added that he was absent from last week’s Cabinet meeting, but this did not mean he was not invited. – Vito Barcelo, sandy Araneta, PNA

The Ombudsman issued this clarification following news reports that it had issued a sixmonth suspension order against the mayor and other city officials who were respondents in a plunder case over the alleged overpricing of the building.

“The investigation of the Makati Science Building is still ongoing. As of today, no preventive suspension order has been issued in the case,” the Ombudsman said on its Twitter account.

Lawyer Renato Bondal and a group of anti-corruption advocates filed the criminal charge with the Ombudsman in December last year.

Bondal, who ran but lost to Binay in the city’s mayoralty race, accused the incumbent mayor and his father Vice President Jejomar Binay of conspiring to defraud the local government of Makati City of P862 million in the construction of the 10-story school building when the elder Binay was still mayor of the city and when his son took over from 2007 to 2013.

The complaint stated that the project was built at the cost of P1.3 billion when the original estimate cost was only P470 million.

Also named respondents to the case were former and incumbent councilors Ferdinand Eusebio, Arnold Magpantay, Romeo Medina, Tosca Puno-Ramos, Alethea Casal-Uy, Virgilio Hilario, Monsour del Rosario III, Vince Sese, Nelson Pasia, Salvador Pangilinan, Ilias Tolentino, Ruth Tolentino, Henry Jacome, Leo Magpantay, Nemesio Yabut Jr., Armand Padilla, Israel Crusado Ma. Theresa de Lara, Angleliro Gatchalian and Ricardo Javier, along with members of the Makati City School Board in 2009.

Hundreds of Binay supporters gathered

in front of Makati City Hall as rumors of his suspension spread.

The supporters, mostly clad in black tshirts, came from different villages in the city and camped out under tarpaulin tents around the city hall.

At the Office of the Ombudsman on Agham Road in Quezon City, police cleared the building when employees reported a backpack left unattended inside the elevator of the building’s third floor.

Workers were told to leave the building and stay near the flagpole until the bomb squad had cleared the building. No bomb was found, police said.

In March, the Ombudsman ordered the suspension of Binay and 14 other officials in connection with the alleged overpricing of Makati City Hall Building II, but the mayor refused to vacate his post and challenged the order before the Court of Appeals, which temporarily stopped his suspension.

On Tuesday, Claro Certeza, legal counsel of the Binay family, said the Ombudsman made a mistake relying on the testimony of former Makati City vice mayor Ernesto Mercado, who said the Vice President ordered the rigging of the bidding process for the project.

He said Mercado’s claim that the now deceased former city engineer Nelson Morales had told him to fix the bidding process for the project was merely hearsay.

“The courts do not accept hearsay evidence because there is no way to prove whether it is true or not. Under our judicial system, a witness can only testify on something he has personal knowledge of. In this case, engineer Morales is not around to attest to a statement attributed to him by Mercado,” he said. – With Rio N. Araja

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War games not meant to provoke, palace says THE military exercises being conducted by the Philippines and Japan are not meant to provoke China, Malacañang said Wednesday.

“The PH [Philippines] has had these exercises before with our strategic partners, deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte said in a text message to reporters.

“It should not be taken as an affront to any other and is an expression of cooperation and learning from all those involved.”

On Tuesday, a Japanese military patrol plane circled over the disputed parts of the South China Sea during the start of an exercise with the Armed Forces of the Philippines that has irked China.

Still, a lawmaker on Wednesday called for an immediate stop to the exercises between the Philippines and Japan.

Rep. Antonio Tinio said he will file a resolution calling for a congressional probe into the Japanese military activities in the Philippines.

“President Aquino is committing a gross and blatant violation of the constitutional prohibition on foreign troops in allowing the joint exercise with Japanese military forces,” Tinio said in a statement.

He said the joint military exercises between Japan and the Philippines was “unconstitutional” and “violates Philippine sovereignty.”

“This includes the surveillance flight of a Japanese P-3 Orion reconnaissance plane over the disputed Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea that took off from an airfield in Palawan,” Tinio said.

The exercises by Japan and the Philippines come as Manila conducts separate drills with the United States military that began last week.

The Japanese military patrol plane was accompanied by a smaller Philippine patrol aircraft.

Japanese and Philippine officials said the Japanese P3-C Orion surveillance plane, with three Filipino guest crew members, flew at 5,000 feet above the edge of Reed Bank, an energy-rich area that is claimed by both China and the Philippines.

The disputed waters are close to the Spratly Islands, where China is building a series of man-made islands.

Japan’s presence in what it considers international waters may be seen

by China as tacit support for the ownership claims made by the Philippines.

Sandy araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

Preparation. Policemen practice crowd dispersal in Camp Caringal in preparation for President Benigno Aquino III’s State-of-the-Nation Address. Lino SantoS

Japanese fly more Orions JAPAN and the Philippines flew patrol planes near the disputed South China Sea waters for a second straight day on Wednesday, despite Chinese criticism of this week’s air and sea exercises.

A Japanese P-3C Orion and a Philippine Navy Islander conducted a search-and-rescue drill 50 nautical miles northwest of Palawan, officials said.

The flight was in the general direction of the resource-rich Reed Bank claimed by both the Philippines and China, but officials refused to say if the planes flew directly over the area.

The Philippines is also holding separate exercises with long-time ally the United States off Palawan this week as it seeks to bolster alliances in the face of its territorial disputes with China.

Meanwhile, a sophisticated fighter jet intended to boost the Philippines’ territorial defense of

the hotly-contested chain of islands in the South China Sea made a successful test flight last week in South Korea.

The South Korean FA-50 fighter jet was tested free of any technical glitches during the maiden flight conducted by Korean Aerospace Industries, the company that bagged the order for a squadron of aircraft for the Philippine Air Force.

The test flight came as a defense official defended the Philippines’ military exercises with Japan.

“The maritime challenges both our countries face place both of us almost in the same boat, with a common neighbor causing alarm and concern for both of us,” Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin told a forum in Japan.

China’s claim over almost the entire South China Sea overlaps with those of the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan.

It has intensified construction of artificial islands on reefs to reinforce its claim, sparking protests from the US and Japan as well as from the regional powers.

China has a separate dispute

with Japan over an island chain in the East China Sea. Following a similar flight on Tuesday by Philippine and Japanese aircraft, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang cautioned the countries involved in the naval drills against playing them up.

Beijing hoped the “relevant countries will not hype up the tensions in the region”, Lu said.

Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force Commander Hiromi Hamano told reporters that Wednesday’s joint training exercise—which he called a humanitarian and disaster response drill—was a success.

The Philippine Navy said the drill was a search and rescue exercise. And a spokeswoman for Philippine President Benigno Aquino said this week’s activities “should not be taken as an affront” to any other nation.

A spokeswoman for the Japanese defense department said its Orion was not used to spy over the South China Sea. “The purpose of this exercise is to enhance the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force’s capabilities in humanitarian support and disaster

relief, not to conduct surveillance activities,” she said.

Gazmin said there had been an “increasing convergence” of the two nations’ security concerns as he stressed the need for a visiting forces agreement with Japan that would pave the way for larger exercises.

“The maritime challenges both our countries face place both of us almost in the same boat, with a common neighbour causing alarm and causing concern for both of us,” Gazmin said in a speech in Manila.

Gazmin cited China’s declaration of an air defence identification zone in the East China Sea and its major reclamation work on South China Sea reefs claimed by the Philippines.

Reed Bank lies about 85 nautical miles west of Palawan, within the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone.

An encounter near Reed Bank between a Chinese vessel and a survey ship contracted by Philippine firm Philex Petroleum in 2012 has stalled exploration in the area. aFP, with Francisco tuyay

‘PNoy should look beyond friends in PNP’

By Macon ramos-araneta

Wet fiesta. Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and current and former Batangas officials and guests celebrate the fiesta in Balayan, Batangas, on June 24. Ver noVeno

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III should not look under his nose but go beyond friendship in choosing the next chief of the Philippine National Police, Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Wednesday.

He proposed the creation of a transparent body that will vet the candidates and recommend to the President a short list from which he will choose the next PNP head.

“This way, the friends of the President will not bump off those who are most competent, most loyal to the country, most upright, and most public service-oriented candidates.

The selection process should not be secret and must be open to the public,” Marcos said.

He noted that five months after 44 police commandos were murdered in Mamasapano in Maguindanao on Jan. 25 this year, former PNP chief Alan Purisima still enjoys the comfort of his home and the company of his friends, while the orphans of the fallen policemen cry for justice.

He said it appeared that Purisima’s closeness to the President was working in his favor, in the same way that he became PNP chief in 2012 because of Aquino’s friendship.

Purisima’s closeness to the President is seen to be the reason why he has not been charged in court for his major role, while on leave, in the botched police operation in Mamasapano that led to the death of the 44.

The reports say the strongest contenders for the post vacated by Puri-

sima are Chief Supt. Raul Petrasanta who is backed by House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte; Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo Jr. who is supported by Interior Secretary Mar Roxas; and Director Benjamin Magalong of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group who is backed by former Senator Panfilo Lacson.

On June 9, Marcos delivered a privilege speech calling on the President to stop giving Purisima “special treatment” and to remove him from the police force and charge him for the death of the SAF 44 Purisima resigned as PNP chief in February over the Mamasapano massacre. He was earlier suspended by the Ombudsman and replaced by Deputy Director Leonardo Espina, who took over as officer in charge.

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Poe still top pick for veep

By Sandy Araneta

His word. Senator Chiz Escudero explains why there will never be a rivalry between him and Senator Grace Poe during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum at the Luneta Hotel on Wednesday. DANNY PATA

Chiz sees no rivalry with Grace in 2016

By Macon Ramos-Araneta THERE will be no showdown between Senator Chiz Escudero and Senator Grace Poe in the vice presidential race.

“We will never, never be rivals,” Escudero said during the “Kapihan sa Manila Bay” news forum at the Luneta Hotel, adding that he will not likely run for vice president if Poe seeks the same position in next year’s elections.

Although they have not discussed the possibility in their continuing discussions, Escudero said it’s a far-fetched possibility.

“Perhaps, we don’t talk about it because that’s far from really happening,” said Escudero.

“I’m proud of her and I’m happy that she is leading the surveys for any position that she might want to run,” Escudero said, adding that he will support Poe whatever decision she makes.

The friendship of Escudero and Poe dates back to the 2004 presidential campaign of Poe’s father, the late actor Fernando Poe Jr., and deepened in 2010 when Escudero helped Poe when she first ran for senator.

But Escudero said only time can confirm possibilities. “I

don’t want to pre-empt her or corner Senator Poe on whatever decision she will make. Unlike the others, I don’t want to preempt her decision,” her said.

He said he will only announce his decision before the last day of the filing of certificates of candidacy in October and reiterated that he was an independent with no party to support him and bankroll a national campaign.

Escudero declined to comment on the possibility of getting the support of President Benigno Aquino III. “He texted me he will set (a meeting) but he has not yet given a setting. I don’t even want to prod him because he might be busy. He might have a lot of things to do being the President,” said Escudero.

At the same time, Escudero said appointive government officials who are thinking of running in the May 2016 elections, or at least being considered, should start to assess themselves.

“They should at themselves in the mirror. If they are decided to run, they should perhaps consider resigning their posts so that there will be sufficient time to continue the programs they started,” he said.

But if they are not yet sure, the senator said they still have the right to stay in their present positions.

He said government officials eyeing various elective posts should give their agencies enough time to find their replacements so there will be continuity of their programs.

ASIDE from being voters’ top choice president in 2016, Senator Grace Poe also remains the top choice of for vice president, according to the second quarter survey of the Social Weather Stations.

According to the SWS poll, Poe is preferred by 21 percent of the 1,200 respondents surveyed last June 5 to 8, five percentage points lower than the 26 percent voter preference during the first quarter survey.

Second is Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, with only 12 percent of the respondents choosing him as the next vice president.

Senator Chiz Escudero and Vice President Jejomar Binay are tied at third place with both 7 percent.

Other choices for vice president are former President and incumbent Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada 3 percent, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte 3 percent, former Senator and Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery Panfilo Lacson 3 percent, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago 2 percent, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano 2 percent, Senator Loren Legarda 1.4 percent, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV 1.1 percent, Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto 1 percent, Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., 1 percent, Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno 0.7 percent, Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. 0.7 percent and coxing champ and Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao 0.5 percent.

The SWS said eight percent of the respondents had no one to recommend for vice president while 22 percent were undecided on their candidate.

The survey results had sampling error margins of three percent for national percentage and six percent for geographical locations.

LP officials insist on Roxas

By Maricel V. Cruz

LIBERAL Party stalwarts in the House of Representatives on Wednesday said they remain optimistic that the ruling party will anoint Interior Secretary Mar Roxas as its presidential candidate in the =2016 elections.

Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice, the party’s vice chairman for political affairs, said Roxas not only has the integrity and competence, but experience to run the country.

Erice made the statement even as he said Roxas should not resign from the Aquino Cabinet, stressing the “expertise” of Roxas is still needed in the present administration.

Unlike Binay, Roxas and other Cabinet officials allied with President Aquino III only mean business and do not use their positions to campaign despite their political plans in 2016.

“They (Cabinet officials) are performing

specific important tasks for our government and for our people. There’s a very clear sign when they should step down from their respective posts and that’s after President Aquino declares them as candidates of the LP and the coalition. They can’t just leave and let this government cram in finding their replacement,” Erice told The Standard in a text message.

Erice said the resignation of Vice President Jejomar Binay was a different story.

“He had used his post for political mileage since Day One, and he left his post suddenly without consideration for anyone except himself,” Erice said.

Erice also played down the statement of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. that the House chief is inclined to support Grace Poe over Roxas, the LP’s presumptive candidate in next year’s presidential derby.

Government largesse. Interior Sec. Mar Roxas discusses crime-reduction

plans with officials of Caloocan City where he, Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino and Mayor Oscar Malapitan turned over closed-circuit camera’s for the city’s crime prevention drive.

MANNY PALMERO

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Water supply cuts start July 1 Rio N. Araja METRO Manila must brace for a water supply reduction starting July 1. thus warned dr. sevillo david Jr., executive director of of the national Water resources Board, who said el nino is causing a steady decline of water level in the Angat dam, main source of water for metro manila and nearby areas. the water board said it might cut metro’s supply by two cubic meters due to the low water level of Angat dam in Bulacan. the nWrB would lower the allocation of 43 cu.m. per second for domestic use to 41 cu.m, he cited.

“We expect Angat’s level would further dip unless there is downpour at the Angat watershed,” he said. “We expect to breach the 170 meter by end of June.” the elevation of the dam that supplies 97 percent of the national Capital region’s 97 percent supply of safe and potable water is plunging by 27 centimeters to 30 centimeters a day, he noted.

“Let us conserve water so that we could not further help reduce the dam’s low level, could recover the dwindling supply and could not feel the impact of the (moderate) el nino episode (to intensify mid-2015),”he said. the two-cu.m.-per-second reduction equivalent to 860,000 drums of water a day is not that significant to affect millions of water consumers of the two private concessionaires of the metropolitan Waterworks and sewerage system, he said. the manila Water Co. Inc. is the least affected by the water supply reduction since its main source of raw water comes from La mesa dam, he said. on the other hand, customers of the maynilad Water services Inc. have to bear the brunt of the reduction. “the main source of maynilad’s supply is the Ipo dam (to Angat dam),” david said.

He, however, said the rainy season could help Angat dam replenish its dwindling supply, he added. the dam needs two rainy storms to bring its level to its 180-meter minimum operating water level. gladys sta. rita, national Power Corp. president and chief executive officer, said the wet season could provide the metro’s requirement with a stable supply of water. the water situation has prompted the Commission on Audit to the nWrB to step up its information campaign to prevent overextraction of goundwater in metro manila and eight other critical cities.

Warning of a possible water crisis in 2025, the CoA released a 2014 study on water resource management.

Unclogged. Maintenance men of the Department of Public Works and Highway clear a drainage along Tomas Morato in Quezon City on Tuesday after the area was flooded waist-deep during a sudden downpour. LINO SANTOS

Recto: Anti-lemon law applies to govt purchases

By Macon Araneta As government embarks on a building spree this year, it should make sure the projects meet specifications, and if they do not, contractors must repair defects or refund the government for money spent. on this premise, senator ralph recto said government should start enforcing the anti-lemon provision in the government Procurement reform Act, which effectively puts a warranty on all goods bought by government agencies.

He said the “no return, no exchange policy” does not apply on government purchases as the said law, or r.A. 9184, mandates suppliers to replace substandard goods or face court cases, penalties and blacklisting. “this means newly-built roads which show cracks, new classrooms which

soon develop roof leaks, or irrigation canals which are tattered with holes not long after they have been inaugurated should be repaired by the contractor,” recto said.

Under rA 9184, which the civil service uses as the bible for procurement, even official supplies, car parts, appliances bought for government must pass the quality test.

If an item is found defective or substandard, the law requires the purchasing unit to demand a replacement from the supplier, he explained.

“If a car plate gets easily crumpled, or the color of the numbers fades soon, then the replacement clause in rA 9184 can be invoked once it established that it is not the fault of the end-user. “even textbooks riddled with mistakes or lemon lab equipment or substandard

hospital beds must be returned and replaced,” recto said.

If the contractor or supplier refuses, he will be banned from joining any future bidding for government contracts, which should be his least worry because he will also be hailed to court for violating procurement rules.

According to recto, the strict implementation of the warranty provision in r A 9184 will deter the construction of substandard infrastructure and the delivery of supplies made of inferior quality. “to ensure that government has something to hold on to during the trial period of a delivered good or project, the latter must be covered by a performance bond, which can only be withdrawn if the said good or project has proven its worthiness,” recto stressed.

New general promoted amid slots row Witness: Luy, Suñas had

By Florante S. Solmerin

PresIdent Benigno Aquino III has approved the promotion to brigadier general of nicolas “nick” Cruz Parilla, the first to get the starrank among the “Hinirang” Class of 1987 of the Philippine military Academy amid a row among the three branches of service—Army, navy, Air Force—regarding the inequity of slots in the promotion system.

Air Force spokesman Colonel enrico Canaya confirmed Parilla’s promotion to general. “I think the nerwly promoted general (Parilla) is set to pay a courtesy call to PAF chief Lieutenant general Jeffrey delgado today at 2 p.m.,” Canaya said.

Parilla hails from Canelar

PARiLLA

guanzon Bridge, Zamboanga City. His promotion became effective on June 24, 2015.

“His “mistahs” (classmates) described him as “a former shoe shine boy at edwin Andrews Air Base who has been blessed with a shining star”.

earlier, some disgruntled officers in the Army blasted the promotion system even vented their ire on Armed Forces chief of staff general gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. But Catapang explained he should not be blamed for the mess. observers believed the Army chief Lt. gen. Hernando dCA Irriberi should be answerable to his men’s grumblings for not fighting for them to correct the distribution of promotion slots for the three branches of service.

Because of this “inequity,” many senior officers in the Army still hold the rank of lieutenant colonel despite the fact that they are more senior officers being members of PmA Class ’89, ’90, 91, among others. of the 120,000 members of the AFP, more than 80,000 are in the Army.

dealings on their own

By Rio N. Araja

A WItness in the pork barrel fund scam involving masbate gov. rizalina seachon Lanete on Wednesday admitted to having conducted transactions without the knowledge of businesswoman Janet Lim napoles, the suspected mastermind. during Lanete’s bail plea hearing, marina sula took the witness stand, narrating her participation in the scam and the extent of her personal knowledge about the involvement of several lawmakers, including Lanete, in the controversy. she said principal whistleblower Benhur Luy and another witness, merlina suñas, had opened a maybank account in Buendia, makati City for a savings of P30 million, which was later withdrawn. sula, the property custodian of the JLn Corp., testified that in december 2012, napoles instructed her to close the maybank account containing funds for the People’s organization for People’s development Foundation Inc., of which suñas was the president.

According to sula, napoles discovered Luy and suñas had transactions with lawmakers.

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Korean fugitive loses amparo

By Rey E. Requejo

The Supreme Court has nullified the writ of Amparo privilege granted by a Manila City court to a South Korean fugitive earlier released upon order of Malacañang.

Voting 13-0, the SC reversed and set aside the March 14, 2014 ruling of Judge Paulino Gallegos of Manila City Regional Trial Court, Branch 47, who granted the Amparo petition of Ja Hoon Ku, who is wanted in South Korea over a $200-million theft case.

In ruling against the Korean national, the high court ruled that Ku was not entitled to such privilege because necessary elements for issuance of the writ were not present in his case.

“While Ku was arrested by agents of the Bureau of Immigration (BI), there was no attempt to conceal where he was nor a refusal to acknowledge such arrest or his whereabouts. There was no attempt to remove Ku from the protection of the law for a prolonged period of time. That Ku’s counsel was able to enter an appearance on his behalf the day after he was arrested demonstrates this clearly,” the SC noted.

The tribunal also stressed that Ku failed to sufficiently prove threats of his life and safety to avail of the privilege of writ of Amparo, which is anchored on one’s right to life, liberty and security and applies to cases of enforced disappearance.

“Ku claims that he fears for his life and feels the serious danger of being detained for a long period of time without any cause, and that he fears that the BI will fabricate criminal cases against him to hold him under detention. The Court noted that there is, however, no basis presented by Ku to substantiate his fears. This does not satisfy the burden required by the Rules on the Writ of Amparo, which places the burden on petitioner to substantiate his claims,” the SC said.

Aside from voiding Judge Gallegos’ ruling, the SC also ordered administrative investigation against him after he “knowingly disregarded” the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the SC a month before his assailed ruling.

The TRO enjoined the RTC from proceeding with the Amparo case and from implementing its January 2014 orders for the transfer of Ku’s custody from the BI to the Philippine National Red Cross.

“The Court hereby resolves to direct the Office of the Court Administrator to file the appropriate administrative charge/s against Judge Paulino Gallegos in accordance with the tenor of this decision, and to forthwith submit its report and recommendation thereon,” the SC ordered.

The SC admonished the judge for proceeding to grant the Amparo privilege on Ku, despite being notified of the TRO. “Judge Gallegos should know that judges must respect the orders and decisions of higher tribunals, especially the Supreme Court from which all other courts take their bearings. A resolution of the Supreme Court is not to be construed as a mere request nor should it be complied with partially, inadequately or selectively,” the high court pointed out.

Wattah! wattah! Residents of San Juan City celebrate the annual feast of St. John the Baptist by dousing themselves with water from a fire truck. According to biblical accounts, the saint baptized Christian believers in the waters of the Jordan river. LINO SANTOS

Waste-to-gas eyed for disaster control Night spot

By Joel E. Zurbano apologizes to fashion designer

MeTRO Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino on Wednesday proposed a waste-to-disaster management system where methane gas can be stored and put to use during a disaster of massive scale and other emergency situations.

In his speech during the inauguration of Refuse Derived Fuel Processing Facility in Pasig City, Tolentino urged its proponents to come up with a similar technology in which solid waste can be converted to methane gas and kept in cylinders and will be utilized for the government’s post disaster recovery and rehabilitation program.

“As we are all preparing for a major earthquake, it is but appropriate

to also conceptualize and develop a waste to disaster management system because energy will be very essential after a disaster,” he said.

The waste to disaster management system being proposed by Tolentino is similar to the United States Strategic Petroleum Reserve wherein an emergency fuel storage of oil is being maintained by the United States Department of energy and the largest emergency supply in the world.

The MMDA chief said 8,200 tons of garbage are hauled daily from Metro Manila. “If we can allot at least .5 percent of it for our energy reserve, we can be assured that we have energy to use after an earthquake or any disaster.”

RDF is fuel produced from shredding and dehydrating solid waste through the use of a waste converter

technology. It is widely-used in the United States of America, Germany, South Korea, and Japan.

The Philippines has stepped up readiness for a powerful quake after the 7.8 magnitude quake that killed about 9,000 in Nepal onApril 25, and the extremely deep tremor of equal magnitude off Japan on May 30.

Meanwhile, Malacanang said the government is ready to ease floodings that may occur during the rainy season.

“The NDRRMC (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council) and frontline agencies are now coordinating in order to ensure that everything is prepared in time for the rainy season,” said Deputy Presidential Spokesman Abigail Valte. With Sandy Araneta

Trans-women. Transgender women pose in front of a booth they designed for a competition during a water festival in a suburb of Manila on June 24, 2015. Owners of one of the Philippines’ trendiest nightclubs issued an apology, obtained by AFP on June 24, after one of their bouncers barred a transgender fashion designer from one of their clubs, triggering outrage in celebrity circles. AFP

ONe of the Philippines’ top nightclubs has issued an apology after its bouncers barred a transgender fashion designer from entering, triggering outrage in celebrity circles.

The management of the Valkyrie, in an uptown suburb of Manila, issued a statement on Tuesday stressing they do not discriminate against “transwomen and transgender individuals.”

“The Club does not refuse entry on the basis of an individual’s sexual orientation. The Club has, on many previous occasions, welcomed transgender guests into its premises,” said the statement, a copy of which was obtained by AFP on Wednesday.

The apology came after popular designer Veejay Floresca was denied entry into the fashionable nightclub earlier this month.

Floresca said she was barred from Valkyrie on June 12 with a bouncer telling her “cross-dressers are not allowed.”

On June 20, she tried to enter another uptown establishment, the Pool Palace Club, owned by the same company, but was blocked by a bouncer who questioned her California ID card, identifying her as a woman.

“No, you are still a man,” she quoted the bouncer as saying. However, a woman at the club intervened and got Floresca inside, she added.

The incidents touched off a firestorm with many accusing the management of discrimination.

Vice Ganda, one of the country’s most popular comedians, who is a part-owner of Valkyrie, said in a tweet: “The ‘No Crossdressing Policy’ in any establishment is so THIRD WORLD. If Valkyrie implements this crap I will pull out my very small share.” AFP

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

A7

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Montejo to launch road train in Clark SCIENCE and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo rolls out today the Hybrid Electric Road Train at the Clark Freeport Parade Ground in Pampanga which he hopes will be a boon to urban mass transport.

The launch of the Hybrid Electric Road Train is part of the preparations for Department of Science and Technology ’s upcoming 2015 National Science and Technology Week which will be from July 24 to July 28 at the SMX Convention Center, MOA Complex, Pasay City.

Designed and fabricated

by Filipino engineers from the DOST’s Metals Industry Research and Development Center under its Makibayan or Makina at Teknolohiya Para sa Bayan Program, the 40-meterlong road transport was developed to help address the worsening mass transportation problem in Metro Manila and in other urban areas throughout the Philippines.

The 40-meter long road train is a series of five airconditioned, interlinked coaches. Four of these trains can accommodate a total of 60 passengers each, for a maximum of 240 passengers per trip.

Montejo hopes that with the larger passenger capacity of the hybrid road train, it will be able to absorb more commuters especially during rush hour.

“We hope to see them in our streets the moment they are fully commercialized,” he said.

The road train has a maximum speed of 50kph and is powered by a hybrid engine that runs on either diesel fuel or electric batteries. The front coach generates the power for the entire transport.

Child’s play. Children in Bgy. Sugod in Valencia, Bukidnon play Dampa, a rubber game. TEDDY PELAEZ

Burglars take P1.4 million from Agusan Sur treasury

By Alvin T. Guanzon

BUTUAN CITY—The provincial treasury of Agusan del Sur lost some P1.376 million in cash for the 2015 Naliyagan Festival after burglars robbed the office located in the provincial capitol in Patin-ay, Prosperidad town.

Provincial information officer Armando Gomez said this was the fifth burglary incident in a local government unit for this year alone.

“This is alarming,” Gomez said. “Robbers victimized Municipalities of Rosario, Talacogon, Esperanza Trento and now the provincial treasurer’s of-

fice here inside provincial capitol. Their targets were treasurer’s office, I’ve heard two other LGUs in our neighboring Compostela Valley province were also victimized by burglary.”

Gomez said.

He said the provincial government discovered the burglary Monday morning when acting provincial treasurer Alvin Elorde noticed something was wrong with the door entrance when he was about to open

his office. “(Elorde) then noticed one of his cash vaults was already destroyed and opened,” Gomez added.

Investigators said the suspects used a master key to open the door and a crowbar to destroy the vault.

Agusan del Sur Governor Adolph Edward “Eddie Bong” Plaza, upon learning of the incident, ordered authorities to probe the incident and instructed the provincial administrator to

form a fact-finding team.

“All employees at the provincial treasurer’s office underwent investigation including finger print sampling conducted by SOCO as we are investigating all angles of the crime including possible inside job” Gomez claimed.

Plaza has also issued a directive to the province’s Civil Security Office to intensify security measure following the incidents in the LGUs.

Flash flood kills three, displaces 800 in South Cotabato, Kudarat

All muddy. Participants attend mass during the celebration of Taong Putik Festival in Barangay Bibilat,Aliaga, Nueva Ecija. FERDIE DOMINGO

GENERAL SANTOS CITY— Three people were confirmed killed while around 800 others were displaced as flashfloods and landslides hit parts of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat provinces early Wednesday.

Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management offices said the floods and landslides followed non-stop heavy to moderate rains in the area that began Tuesday evening.

In South Cotabato, severe flooding was reported in the municipalities of Banga, Norala, Tantangan, Tupi, and Koronadal City due to the

swelling of several rivers and their tributaries.

Landslides were also reported in Barangays Bunao and Lunen in Tupi after a portion of a mountain in the area collapsed at the height of heavy rains early Wednesday.

Ira Aguinaldo, staff member of the Tupi Municipal DRRM Office, said three casualties were reported in the landslide that hit a portion of Purok Tinago, Sitio Akmaon in Barangay Bunao.

Two of the casualties were identified as couple Nonoy and Monita Ga, both 74 years old.

“Our search and rescue team is currently in the area to retrieve the bodies of the casualties and assess the situation there,” she told PNA in a telephone interview.

Aguinaldo said flashfloods were also recorded in three other barangays in the area but no immediate evacuations and casualties were reported.

In Banga town, the MDRRMO reported that some 280 families comprising 600 individuals have evacuated due to the flashfloods that affected eight barangays in the area. PNA

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

A8

opinion

ADELLE chuA eDITOr

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

VIew frOm mAlcOm ATTy. HArry rOque jr.

Scarborough Shoal and the violation of human rightS

[ EDI TORI A L ]

A cleAn breAk VICE President Jejomar Binay resigned from the Cabinet this week, where he served as presidential assistant on housing and on overseas Filipino workers concerns. Talk has it that the last straw was his non-invitation to the most recent Cabinet meeting—an unequivocal message he s not welcome in the President s family any longer.

On Wednesday, he made his first statements against the administration he had served five full years – a far cry from the terse, one-word resignation letter he submitted on Monday.

Describing the administration as callous and incompetent, Binay has clearly put his game face on, as he assailed the Aquino administration’s double standards and lambasted his political enemies’ attempts to smear what he claims is his record of service to the people.

Palace spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the Vice President’s words were unfortunate, with the issues he raised better discussed in meetings with the President instead of broadcast to the public.

We say the break is welcome, in fact overdue, and not for Binay’s own benefit.

The Vice President can talk adequately for himself about how he will never give up his fight and how he remains committed to the plight of poor Filipinos.

What he does not talk about is how his act of breaking away from the President – and his ties with the Aquino family – also now gives Filipinos a real opposition, for once.

In our government’s history, there was a time when only two political parties ruled, with clear delineations as to personalities, principles, and positions on certain issues. More recently, though, the multi-party system wiped out whatever pretensions we had of having any legitimate differentiation.

Whoever, wherever was convenient was fair game.

Mr. Aquino has had critics, all right, in the past five years. What was missing was a leader, a perennial filibuster that prevented the President and his allies to have their way so easily.

But Binay chose to prolong his odd relationship with this administration, and because he has refused to speak ill publicly about his President or his policies, any criticism or even disagreement came sporadically from personalities which Mr. Aquino liked to liken to enemies.

All that seems over now. With Binay’s break, he carves his own path and in fact has begun creating a scenario in people’s minds of what a Binay presidency would look like: Pro-people, and the opposite of insensitive and incompetent, he said.

For the rest of us, this goes beyond Mr. Binay. This not just politics. This is about having real opposing party to keep our incumbents in line. This is about, for once, discerning whether we are getting the options we deserve.

Let’s keep this in mind well into the next administration.

A gOOD sTArT lOwDOwn jOjO A. rObles As declarations of independence go, Vice President Jejomar Binay’s speech yesterday wasn’t all that earth-shaking.

But it’s still a long way to the May elections, so I think I’ll put it down as a good start.

On the plus side, I find it refreshing that someone with such intimate knowledge about the inner workings of the Aquino administration has finally confirmed what many

outside of it already know: that this government is insensitive and incompetent.

There have been many former members of the President’s official family, after all, who have decided that they could no longer work with Aquino and who quit at various times during the five years that he has been in office. But, as if they had been sworn to silence, virtually none of them have talked out of school after leaving the Aquino-led student government.

On the minus side, I know a lot of people who think, as I do, that Binay’s statements

were “bitin.” There was really nothing new about what the Vice President said, no new details of insensitivity and incompetence revealed at a venue that was tailor-made for such revelations.

While Binay did mention the Mamasapano massacre and the continuing disaster that is the MRT train service, he did not tell us things that were not already common knowledge after being widely reported in the media. Binay didn’t even talk about incidents of criminal incompetence and worldbeating insensitivity that he witnessed in his own backyard

A9

I am heartened by binay’s own words yesterday: ‘Hindi ako umaatras sa laban.’

as government housing czar – and I am convinced that he could have cited many examples there, had he been so inclined.

In a way, I realize how hard it must have been for Binay to do what he did, given how long and how hard he worked at his relationship with his President.

Until yesterday, Binay never said anything bad in public about Aquino, despite all the attacks that have been made on him and his family by people who are believed to be mere talking heads and unthinking yes-men and surrogates of the Chief Executive.

And I’m sure that even Binay’s decision to resign unceremoniously from the

Aquino Cabinet this week was heartwrenching for him, because I think he wanted to postpone the breakup as long as possible – or even to prevent it from happening at all. Of course, as I’ve already written, Binay has been forced to quit because it has been made eminently clear to him that Aquino has no further use for him anymore, what with the rise of Grace Poe as a viable successor.

That said, I believe that Binay’s statement is a mere shot across the bow of the Aquino government.

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-

There has to be a lot more where that came from – and Binay must just be biding his time while plotting his next moves.

In the meantime, I think now that Binay has quit the loyal-soldier role, he can try out for the part of leader of the real opposition to the Aquino regime.

Personally, I think I like Binay much better when he isn’t defending those in power, when the odds are not in his favor. And it’s a role that he played with such gusto, whether

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

he was battling a dictatorship, a wellarmed adventurist faction of the military or an administration that repeatedly tried to unseat him as mayor of Makati.

In the days to come, I hope Binay takes more than just generalized jabs at a President who pretended to need his services and who led him on with implied promises of succession – but who dropped him like a hot kamote as soon as a “winnable” (and more malleable) option became available.

Continued on A11

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

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

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

CEnTER Law Philippines yesterday (June 24) submitted an urgent appeal to the United nations Commission on Human Rights to call attention to the human rights violations which took place on the fishing grounds of the scarborough shoal (locally known as “Panatag shoal” or “Bajo de Masinloc”). scarborough shoal is 18 hours away from the coastal towns of Masinloc and subic yet the fisherfolk still seek out the area because of its rich marine resource.

Aside from giving them their livelihood, the area also provides safe refuge when storms occur in the West Philippine sea.

Filipinos refer to it as “Panatag shoal,” with the word “panatag” meaning tranquil. There is more reason for the Filipino fishermen to seek refuge in scarborough shoal as it is within the 200 nautical miles-exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.

However, from April 2012, members of the Chinese Coast Guard and other Chinese maritime agencies have been physically harassing these Filipino fisherfolk when they visit the shoal. several of them have been approached while they were conducting their usual business as fisherfolk. They were either told to leave, or were intimidated to the point that they were forced to leave.

Macario Forones encountered Chinese personnel carrying AK47 rifles and was told to “Go away.” Intimidated by the weapons they carried, he and his group left the area. As they were leaving, Chinese helicopters followed them out of the area and even past it.

After this encounter, Forones chose not to go back scarborough shoal as he was traumatized by the experience.

The rights violated include: right to a livelihood, right to life, and their right to the places of refuge for ships in distress in accordance with the right to life. This is according to several United nations issuances, specifically the International Covenant on Economic, social, and Cultural Rights (ICEsCR), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and other international customary norms.

China and its state agents violated the right to an adequate standard of living of the Filipino fisherfolk —provided under Article 11 of the ICEsCR and under Article 25 of the UDHR—by preventing these Filipino fisherfolk from fishing in the traditional and marine resource rich lagoon of scarborough shoal.

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 h u R S D AY : J u N E 2 5 , 2 0 1 5

A8

opinion

ADELLE chuA eDITOr

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

VIew frOm mAlcOm ATTy. HArry rOque jr.

Scarborough Shoal and the violation of human rightS

[ EDI TORI A L ]

A cleAn breAk VICE President Jejomar Binay resigned from the Cabinet this week, where he served as presidential assistant on housing and on overseas Filipino workers concerns. Talk has it that the last straw was his non-invitation to the most recent Cabinet meeting—an unequivocal message he s not welcome in the President s family any longer.

On Wednesday, he made his first statements against the administration he had served five full years – a far cry from the terse, one-word resignation letter he submitted on Monday.

Describing the administration as callous and incompetent, Binay has clearly put his game face on, as he assailed the Aquino administration’s double standards and lambasted his political enemies’ attempts to smear what he claims is his record of service to the people.

Palace spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the Vice President’s words were unfortunate, with the issues he raised better discussed in meetings with the President instead of broadcast to the public.

We say the break is welcome, in fact overdue, and not for Binay’s own benefit.

The Vice President can talk adequately for himself about how he will never give up his fight and how he remains committed to the plight of poor Filipinos.

What he does not talk about is how his act of breaking away from the President – and his ties with the Aquino family – also now gives Filipinos a real opposition, for once.

In our government’s history, there was a time when only two political parties ruled, with clear delineations as to personalities, principles, and positions on certain issues. More recently, though, the multi-party system wiped out whatever pretensions we had of having any legitimate differentiation.

Whoever, wherever was convenient was fair game.

Mr. Aquino has had critics, all right, in the past five years. What was missing was a leader, a perennial filibuster that prevented the President and his allies to have their way so easily.

But Binay chose to prolong his odd relationship with this administration, and because he has refused to speak ill publicly about his President or his policies, any criticism or even disagreement came sporadically from personalities which Mr. Aquino liked to liken to enemies.

All that seems over now. With Binay’s break, he carves his own path and in fact has begun creating a scenario in people’s minds of what a Binay presidency would look like: Pro-people, and the opposite of insensitive and incompetent, he said.

For the rest of us, this goes beyond Mr. Binay. This not just politics. This is about having real opposing party to keep our incumbents in line. This is about, for once, discerning whether we are getting the options we deserve.

Let’s keep this in mind well into the next administration.

A gOOD sTArT lOwDOwn jOjO A. rObles As declarations of independence go, Vice President Jejomar Binay’s speech yesterday wasn’t all that earth-shaking.

But it’s still a long way to the May elections, so I think I’ll put it down as a good start.

On the plus side, I find it refreshing that someone with such intimate knowledge about the inner workings of the Aquino administration has finally confirmed what many

outside of it already know: that this government is insensitive and incompetent.

There have been many former members of the President’s official family, after all, who have decided that they could no longer work with Aquino and who quit at various times during the five years that he has been in office. But, as if they had been sworn to silence, virtually none of them have talked out of school after leaving the Aquino-led student government.

On the minus side, I know a lot of people who think, as I do, that Binay’s statements

were “bitin.” There was really nothing new about what the Vice President said, no new details of insensitivity and incompetence revealed at a venue that was tailor-made for such revelations.

While Binay did mention the Mamasapano massacre and the continuing disaster that is the MRT train service, he did not tell us things that were not already common knowledge after being widely reported in the media. Binay didn’t even talk about incidents of criminal incompetence and worldbeating insensitivity that he witnessed in his own backyard

A9

I am heartened by binay’s own words yesterday: ‘Hindi ako umaatras sa laban.’

as government housing czar – and I am convinced that he could have cited many examples there, had he been so inclined.

In a way, I realize how hard it must have been for Binay to do what he did, given how long and how hard he worked at his relationship with his President.

Until yesterday, Binay never said anything bad in public about Aquino, despite all the attacks that have been made on him and his family by people who are believed to be mere talking heads and unthinking yes-men and surrogates of the Chief Executive.

And I’m sure that even Binay’s decision to resign unceremoniously from the

Aquino Cabinet this week was heartwrenching for him, because I think he wanted to postpone the breakup as long as possible – or even to prevent it from happening at all. Of course, as I’ve already written, Binay has been forced to quit because it has been made eminently clear to him that Aquino has no further use for him anymore, what with the rise of Grace Poe as a viable successor.

That said, I believe that Binay’s statement is a mere shot across the bow of the Aquino government.

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-

There has to be a lot more where that came from – and Binay must just be biding his time while plotting his next moves.

In the meantime, I think now that Binay has quit the loyal-soldier role, he can try out for the part of leader of the real opposition to the Aquino regime.

Personally, I think I like Binay much better when he isn’t defending those in power, when the odds are not in his favor. And it’s a role that he played with such gusto, whether

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

he was battling a dictatorship, a wellarmed adventurist faction of the military or an administration that repeatedly tried to unseat him as mayor of Makati.

In the days to come, I hope Binay takes more than just generalized jabs at a President who pretended to need his services and who led him on with implied promises of succession – but who dropped him like a hot kamote as soon as a “winnable” (and more malleable) option became available.

Continued on A11

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

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

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

CEnTER Law Philippines yesterday (June 24) submitted an urgent appeal to the United nations Commission on Human Rights to call attention to the human rights violations which took place on the fishing grounds of the scarborough shoal (locally known as “Panatag shoal” or “Bajo de Masinloc”). scarborough shoal is 18 hours away from the coastal towns of Masinloc and subic yet the fisherfolk still seek out the area because of its rich marine resource.

Aside from giving them their livelihood, the area also provides safe refuge when storms occur in the West Philippine sea.

Filipinos refer to it as “Panatag shoal,” with the word “panatag” meaning tranquil. There is more reason for the Filipino fishermen to seek refuge in scarborough shoal as it is within the 200 nautical miles-exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.

However, from April 2012, members of the Chinese Coast Guard and other Chinese maritime agencies have been physically harassing these Filipino fisherfolk when they visit the shoal. several of them have been approached while they were conducting their usual business as fisherfolk. They were either told to leave, or were intimidated to the point that they were forced to leave.

Macario Forones encountered Chinese personnel carrying AK47 rifles and was told to “Go away.” Intimidated by the weapons they carried, he and his group left the area. As they were leaving, Chinese helicopters followed them out of the area and even past it.

After this encounter, Forones chose not to go back scarborough shoal as he was traumatized by the experience.

The rights violated include: right to a livelihood, right to life, and their right to the places of refuge for ships in distress in accordance with the right to life. This is according to several United nations issuances, specifically the International Covenant on Economic, social, and Cultural Rights (ICEsCR), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and other international customary norms.

China and its state agents violated the right to an adequate standard of living of the Filipino fisherfolk —provided under Article 11 of the ICEsCR and under Article 25 of the UDHR—by preventing these Filipino fisherfolk from fishing in the traditional and marine resource rich lagoon of scarborough shoal.

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 H U R S D AY : J U N E 2 5 , 2 0 1 5

A10

OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

LITTLE GARCIS AT THE COMELEC TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO SANTA Banana, despite the straight-path policy of President Aquino, nothing has changed among his friends and allies in Congress.

A well-known businessman told me that when he went to Congress to seek the renewal of the franchise of his radio network nationwide, he was told outright, and without any hesitation, that he must fork over P10 million.

The businessman thought that because he was friends with some legislators, he would breeze through the process. But he was told to pay up. Or else.

And to think that’s only in the House of Representatives. It could be much worse in the Senate.

Can Chairman Andres Bautista make a difference?

I could only empathize with my friend. When I was a chairman and president of a Makati telecom company, we needed to renew our franchise, and I had to go through the eye of the needle to get it done. In the House, some congressmen extorted P10 million from us. Santa Banana, in the Senate, we were asked for another P5 million.

Change under the Aquino administration, my foot. The more President Aquino intones his “Daang Matuwid,” the more corruption in government remains the same. *** When President Aquino appointed former law dean Andres Bau-

tista to the Commission on Elections, there were hopes that in the 2016 elections fraud would be a thing of the past. The former PCGG chairman was known for his honesty and integrity. He was seen as a reformist.

It is an open secret that there are still “little Garcis” in the commission, who can manipulate Smartmatic’s precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines in favor of some candidates for a hefty sum of money.

And Dean Bautista could just be the man to stop them.

However, when the President started to appoint questionable characters, known for their loyalty to the administration, as Comelec commissioners, people started to doubt that the 2016 polls would truly reflect the people’s will.

The fear about the 2016 polls now is that there would be a repeat of the manipulation through reprogramming the PCOS machines. This happened in 2013 with the 60-30-15 pattern in favor of the administration’s candidates.

That’s why there is much suspicion with the Comelec seemingly in favor of obtaining another 83,000 PCOS machines for next year’s polls.

There are hopes, however, that with Dean Bautista at the helm of the commission, things can still improve at the Comelec.

President Aquino should leave the legacy of clean and honest elections. *** With the breakaway of Vice President Jejomar Binay from the Aquino administration as a member of the cabinet, there’s logic to the call to all other Aquino cabinet members seeking local and national posts to do the same – unless, of course, they intend to prolong their stay in government to make the best of it, using the funds of government for their political ends.

There’s for instance, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who appears on television daily, salivating for the Senate, and Technical Education and

THE WEAKEST LINK It was Napoleon who said - Let ChiVietnam talks to them and our princiDUTY na sleep because when it wakes up, the pal ally, the US, talks to China all the CALLS world will tremble. time. It is an option worth considering Two hundred years hence, the dragFLORENCIO seriously because looking at the other on has indeed awakened and the world side of the coin, is not so good either.

FIANZA is alarmed at what China is doing. Now Examining the alliances and agreea legitimate world power and because ments of countries in the region that there are no more islands to be claimed, China simply are arrayed against China, the Philippine is the weakdecided to declare that 90 percent of South China Sea est link. This is clearly because we are the weakest both is its own. President Xi once declared that the Pacific militarily and economically. The defense agreements Ocean is big enough for two world powers, namely the between the United States, South Korea, Japan and TaiUnited States and China. This statement was reinforced wan are strong because the three countries have decent

by China’s recent defense white paper that stated that and credible defense capabilities of their own. It is the the country fully intends to develop a Navy that can Philippines that needs strengthening and this has to be project power way beyond South China Sea. What the done fast.

Chinese are doing in the South China Sea is therefore In fairness to the Aquino administration, no Presisimply a preparation until China is ready to roam all dent has spent more on defense procurement than he the oceans of the world. What China has done can no has. Unfortunately, however, we still have an Air Force longer be stopped. Not by us, the United States or the with no planes and a Navy with no ships. And in our United Nations. feeble attempt at military upgrading, our procurement We and the United States have completely misread has been plagued with allegations of corruption. BeChina’s long term strategic intentions. By saying that sides, it is not simply buying anything that is cheaper it is neutral and is not siding with any country as far out there but buying the right equipment and develas territorial claims are concerned. The United States oping an effective system to maintain and operate this basically green-lighted China to do what it wanted so equipment. long as freedom of navigation is maintained in the To date, we have bought helicopters from Poland area. and Italy and took delivery of some planes from Spain.

The seven reclamation projects undertaken by Chi- This is not to mention the two ships that Indonesia will na have now permanently altered the strategic equation build for us. In addition, we procured 21 Vietnam War in the South China Sea. China can now station combat era helicopters but only about five are flying because aircrafts in these reclaimed islands. Before the reclama- of alleged questionable deals by Defense officials. Right tion, China would need to fly 600 to 700 miles to reach now, our equipment inventory can only be described as our shores. Not anymore. Chinese fighter jets can now chopsuey. be stationed only 124 miles from us. In hindsight, mayI understand that perhaps it is a question of money. be we should have started doing what we are doing now We still refuse to invest more money in defense to prowhen China took part of the Paracels from Vietnam in tect of national interest. Vietnam, on the other hand, a short skirmish that killed about 80 Vietnamese sol- is now buying about three diesel-powered submarines diers. Problem is, we did not see China claiming Bajo and has asked the United States to lift its arms embargo de Masinloc considering that it is part of our exclusive so that it can buy more sophisticated armaments. We economic zone as stipulated in the United Nation Con- bought from the United States two Vietnam-era coast vention of the Law of the Seas, to which China is also guard cutters which we converted into frigates minus a signatory. Besides, the area is clearly within the con- all the guns and call the two our most modern ships. tinental shelf of the Philippines yet China completely No wonder China is laughing at us. We continue to ignored this fact. look at the United States, which is a treaty ally, as our In our conflict with China, the Aquino government principal protector, yet we are getting pittance. Egypt has been steadfast in maintaining that the problem is gets about $1.3B in military aid and was just provided multilateral and has refused to talk to China. It has also with modern Blackhawk attack helicopters while we never called a meeting of the National Security Coun- continue to use 50-year-old Huey Helicopters. It is true cil to discuss such an important issue. There are many that we do not have many options so cooperation with who suggest that perhaps it is time to sit down with the the US is perhaps a must but we have to use this alChinese and listen to what they have to say. Talking to liance as an opportunity to enhance and improve our them after all does not mean that we will abandon the military capability and not simply rely on the protective arbitration case that we filed at The Hague or stop what umbrella of the United States. we are doing in calling the world’s attention to what the We must on our own be able to develop a credible Chinese are doing. defense capability and not always be considered the But not talking to them is limiting our options. weakest link.

Skills Development Authority Director-General Joel Villanueva, who even now has his infomercials over television and billboards. I really wonder who is paying for them.

There’s also Agriculture Secretary Prospero Alcala, who wants to run for a local office in his home province in Quezon.

This is the same cabinet member facing numerous plunder cases. These cases, of course, have not reached first base.

Like Villanueva, Alcala has been linked to the pork barrel scam. Why they have not been indicted makes the President’s straight-path mantra a joke.

And then, there’s Energy Secretary Jericho

Petilla, who wants to run for a local post in Leyte, his home province. Come to think of it, what has he done to improve the energy concerns of Filipinos?

The longer these people cling to their Cabinet positions, the more people suspect that they are there for no other purpose but to use their office for some benefit. *** After issuing a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) for 60 days (from May 20 to July 6) on the dispute between the Bases Conversion Development Authority and the Camp John Hay Development Corp., the Court of Appeals has scheduled summary hearings on July 1 and 2 to decide the case.

The issues involving BCDA and CJHDevco are actually simple. Per decision of the Arbitration Tribunal and affirmed by the Baguio City Regional Trial Court, all the BCDA has to do is pay P1.42 billion to the Robert “Bob” Sobrepena firm so that the latter could vacate the camp. The tribunal has placed both parties in their pre-lease period.

But the BCDA did not pay. Instead, it placed the money in escrow with the Baguio RTC. My gulay, that’s against the law and in violation of the Rules of Court. To make matters worse, the Baguio RTC issued through the Sheriff Officer “Notice to Vacate” for some 1,613 investors or “buyers in good faith.”

That compelled the CJHDevco and the locators -- unit owners, golf shareholders and all investors -- to seek a TRO from the Court of Appeals.

To add insult to injury, the BCDA even wanted all investors to execute Deeds of Assignment by the investors to the BCDA of all their investments in an effort to make them seek refund from the developer.

I really don’t know what BCDA President Arnel Cassanova is up to since he’s co-terminus with President Aquino.

Still, this is just illegal!

It is hoped that in July 1 and 2, all these will be considered by the Appellate Court and make the BCDA respect the rule of law.

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

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

Scarborough..From A9

MINORITY REPORT

REPEATING HISTORY

DANILO SUAREZ SURVEY results showing Vice President Jejomar Binay’s slide into second place amongst 2016 presidential candidates recently grabbed banner headlines of administration-friendly broadsheets, as if to solidify the notion that the VP’s wide base of support is finally crumbling.

This notion however was immediately put in difficulty when contradicting results from another national survey, showing that the Vice President was chosen by respondents as the most trusted government official, was published in news reports.

The previous survey results mentioned were primarily anchored on the alleged public disgust at the VP, resulting from the hyped exposes captured during the past Senate hearings. But as shown by the latter survey result which identified VP Binay as the most trusted government official, in my opinion, just underscores the reality that the public’s awareness that the Senate “revelations” were nothing more than being part of the tremendous effort of the current administration to vilify the VP to ease him out of the 2016 presidential race and allow the administration candidate a better chance of winning.

In a previous article, I tackled the issue of the alleged overpricing of the facilities being leveled on the VP and his family members who have also served and continue to serve, earnestly, the interests of the people of Makati. As I have already stated, there is a big difference between “expensive” and “overpriced”. The issue of corruption against the VP is anchored on the fact that public structures built in Makati City are much more expensive than most other public school buildings.

As I also underscored then, this should be placed within the context that Makati City is the central business district in the entire NCR, and therefore you cannot expect a standard school or hospital.

While the buildings are expensive relative to, say, counterpart buildings in our provinces, they are miles apart in terms of the amenities of these facilities.

The Makati public school in question is equipped with the latest chemistry and computer science laboratories that are at par with those of our best private schools. Going by the principle that you are getting what you are paying for, certainly these facilities along with the equipment that have been acquired was

not and cannot be bought with chump change.

Surely our people understand the difference particularly the thousands of families that have children enrolled in these schools who are being afforded quality education which even mid-income families in other cities and municipalities cannot even hope to acquire for their children.

The people are seeing through this administrations selective justice, and how its political machinery is running overtime to demolish and assassinate the indomitable character of Vice President Jejomar Binay, who even now, continues to enjoy the trust and confidence of our people. For whatever it’s worth, they say the actual test of the pudding is in the eating. During the 2010 elections, all the surveys painted the VP as a losing candidate. All these surveys and “trending” were blown out of the water when the actual poll results were tallied showing the VP besting all those who were supposedly on top of the survey polls. I am quite confident as are the many supporters of the VP, that come 2016, history will repeat itself.

THE POWER OF PINK POP GOES THE WORLD JENNY ORTUOSTE THE transgender community is outraged after nightclub Valkyrie recently refused entrance to two transgender women, Veejay Floresca and Trixie Maristela, citing a nocrossdressers rule.

In a second incident, Floresca was at first denied entry by security personnel and only allowed inside after she showed her California state identification card that states her gender as “female.”

Floresca and Maristela subsequently discussed their grievances on social media, touching off a chain of reactions from netizens. The LGBTQ community and their supporters are angry and indignant, whereas others pooh-pooh the incidents as a mere dress-code issue or praise Valkyrie for “upholding decency.”

University of the Philippines organization Babaylan posted a statement on their Facebook page that says, in part: “ Thank you, Valkyrie. In the midst of all the outrage of the LGBT community, UP Babaylan would like to take a moment and thank Valkyrie for shutting its doors to our dear Babaylan sister, Trixie, and to other transgender women who thought that going to your club was a perfect idea of fun.

A11

“Because now, everyone codes (for example: no entry to were high-earners; that imknows your club sucks. people wearing sando and slip- pulse buying and brand aware“But your club is great to pers) and guidelines on behav- ness is also higher in that comhave brought the LGBT, es- ior (bouncers may eject drunks munity; and they have more pecially the trans community, and unruly patrons). It’s their personal income to spend on even closer together...Thank place, after all, and they can set non-essential items. you, Valkyrie, for being the their own rules.

The study also found that role model of systemic disMany are not aware that his- 70 percent of transgendered crimination that takes form in torically, transwomen had a re- people and 70 percent of gay seemingly harmless policies spected position in Philippine males exercise a big role in like a simple dress code.” society, serving the community decision-making in their famiGender Proud founder Gee- as babaylan (priestesses) along- lies. (Perhaps this stems from na Rocero called for a meeting side cis-gender (straight) wom- their economic power coming with Valkyrie management to en. They were shamans, heal- from high earnings and having discuss the incidents, saying on ers, therapists, culture bearers, no children).

Facebook: “You acknowledged and wisdom-keepers, who had In other words, many that this problematic ‘no cross- access to the spirit world and LGBTQ people are making dresser policy’ being enforced connected the people to the di- big money and have extra to on transwomen/gender non- vine realms. spend on luxuries and expericonforming people as urgent With the coming of the ences. but you don’t act on it…” Spanish colonizers and the Now, if Valkyrie implements On June 22, Valkyrie apolo- religion they brought and im- a dress code that has the efgized in a letter sent to online posed, LGBTQ people were fect of excluding transgender news outlet PEP.ph, saying marginalized and oppressed, people, that’s their lookout and “the management of Valkyrie and today that prejudice they will have to deal with the Nightclub and The Palace Pool against them is manifested in effects and consequences of Club wishes to clarify that it many cultural norms and other such a policy. does not discriminate against forms of suppression.

Here’s a Filipino saying transwomen and transgender Apart from the arguments that’s apt for this situation: individuals,” reiterating that related to intolerance and ex- Kung ayaw mo, huwag mo. Are their bouncers were only en- clusion, what many business you against Valkyrie’s ‘no crossforcing “safety policies and people do not realize is the dresser’ policy? Then don’t paguidelines.” power of the “pink peso” – or tronize them. Valkyrie isn’t the One point of view sees this the purchasing power of the only nightclub out there. entire incident as discrimina- LGBTQ community.

Let them feel the power of tory against a sizable and vis“Project Pink,” a 2011 study the pink peso. Let them also ible community of Filipinos, by the Philippine Survey Re- feel the power of the straight who are stigmatized for their search Center found that one peso that supports equal rights, gender and non-normative in 20 Metro Manila residents non-restrictive dress codes, lifestyle choices. identifies as a member of the and a good time for all.

On the other hand, Valkyrie, LGBTQ community, or about and any other private estab- 600,000 people, not including *** lishment for that matter, has those who do not publicly acFacebook: Jenny Ortuoste, the right to restrict its clien- knowledge their gender.

Twitter: @jennyortuoste, Instele, which is generally done Another finding of the study tagram: @jensdecember, Blog: through the imposition of dress was that many LGBTQ people http://jennyo.net

Article 11 of the ICESCR provides: 1. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions. The States Parties will take appropriate steps to ensure the realization of this right, recognizing to this effect the essential importance of international cooperation based on free consent.

Further, the actions of China’s state agents in forcing the Filipino fishermen to leave the traditional and rich fishing grounds of Scarborough Shoal and in preventing them from fishing in the shoal constitutes a violation of the Filipino fishermen’s right to an adequate standard of living under Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, xxx.

The actions of China’s state agents in preventing Filipino fishermen from seeking refuge in Scarborough Shoal in times of inclement and bad weather pose serious threats to the lives of these fishermen, and constitutes a violation of the Filipino fishermen’s right to life under Article 3 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

China is a signatory to both the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). As a signatory, it has an international obligation to uphold its contents and to prevent any violations from worsening.

The petitioners urgently appeal the United Nations to urgently intervene and investigate the human rights violations committed by China and its state agents against Filipino fisherfolk in Scarborough Shoal; to express grave concern on the human rights violations committed by China and its state agents against Filipino fisherfolk in Scarborough Shoal.

The appeal asks the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to remind, declare and direct China to cease and desist from committing these violations and from interfering with the rights of the Filipinos fisherfolk, and to remind declare and direct China to provide effective remedies and compensation following the violations committed by its state agents.

A good.. From A9 If Binay resigned because he could no longer take the abuse that was being heaped on him by his principal and those who worked with him in the same administration, then he should now respond in kind.

The Binay I know has always been a fighter, bucking the odds all his life and succeeding even when those who believed themselves to be his betters did everything they could to ensure his failure. And now that he has embarked on the fight of his life, he can’t pull his punches, especially when he’s been beat up like he was still an unknown antiMarcos activist making himself heard in the old parliament of the streets.

I am heartened by Binay’s own words yesterday: “Hindi ako umaatras sa laban.”

Binay can’t hold back now. He must finish what he started. *** Also yesterday, Binay inaugurated his United Nationalist Alliance’s new headquarters at the ECJ Building in Intramuros, Manila. While the new HQ is conveniently located because of its proximity to the main offices of the Commission on Elections, the location is also noteworthy because of who owns the property.

Yes, the “ECJ” is none other than Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr., the head of the Nationalist People’s Coalition.

Now read into that what you will.

T HURS DAY : J UN E 2 5 , 2 0 1 5

A12

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Djokovic looks to heal at Wimby LONDON—Three weeks after his heartbreaking French Open final defeat, Novak Djokovic resurfaces to defend his Wimbledon title and prove that his Paris scars have healed.

Deflategate. Patriots fans and members of the media wait for Tom Brady to leave NFL headquarters in New York City.

Brady was appealing the four-game suspension the league placed on him for the 2015 season for probably knowing about deflated balls used in games last season. AFP

Serena seeks 6th Wimbledon title LONDON—Serena Williams has set her sights on moving a step closer to an historic calendar Grand Slam as the world number one launches her bid for a sixth Wimbledon crown.

Williams returns to the All England Club next week for the first time since her distressing meltdown midway through a doubles match last year in which she was so badly affected by an apparent virus that she could barely hit the ball over the net.

Those bizarre images of a dazed Serena stumbling around Court One—coming just days after her lacklustre third round defeat in the

singles at the hands of Alize Cornet —prompted some to suggest the American’s glittering career was heading for a painful final chapter.

But the 33-year-old’s response has been typically dramatic and decisive.

Serena won the US Open to end 2014 on a high and then swept to Australian and French Open triumphs this year, bringing her back to the All England Club within two major titles of achieving the first calendar Grand Slam since Steffi Graf claimed the four top titles in 1988.

“Obviously I would love to win a Grand Slam. I think it would

be awesome,” said Serena, who defeated Lucie Safarova to clinch her third Roland Garros title earlier this month.

With 20 Grand Slam titles to her name, Williams sits third on the all-time list and is closing fast on Margaret Court’s record of 24, with the possibility of equalling second placed Graf ’s tally of 22 by the end of the year.

But for now, Serena, who has only won three Grand Slams in a year once in 2002, is focused solely on making a good start to her Wimbledon campaign after failing to get to the quarter-finals for the last two years. AFP

National juniors’ chessfest set June 26 to 30 THE National Chess Fedeartion of the Philippines announced yesterday that the National Juniors Chess Championship will get going on June 26 to 30 at Building F, Philsports in Pasig City.

The tournament is open to all chess players born 1995 upwards. Registration fee is pegged at P500.

NCFP Executive Director GM Jayson Gonzales said the last day

of registration is set today, from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. Round 1 will start on June 26 at 9 a.m.

For inquiries, interested participants may call Angelina Mortos at 0926-888-3862.

The world number one has stayed resolutely out of the spotlight since his Roland Garros upset by Stan Wawrinka ended his latest bid to complete the career Grand Slam.

Even his usual prolific social media activity has been reduced to scraps with a mere half-dozen postings on Twitter, only one of which pictured him working out on a grass court.

Despite his recent low profile, his rivals have no doubt that the Serb will be fired up to defend his Wimbledon crown just as he was in 2011 when he captured his maiden title in London.

“I’m sure after losing the French Open final he wants more, he wants to come back and win the next big one,” said Wawrinka.

Seven-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer, defeated by Djokovic in the 2014 final, also sees the Serb as favourite.

“He is the champion, the world number one and plays well on grass,” said Federer.

Djokovic’s loss to

Wawrinka in Paris was just his third in 44 matches this year.

With the Australian Open already under his belt, the shattering loss also ended his chances of going on to become just the third man in history —and first since 1969—to clinch a calendar Grand Slam.

Such Paris disappointments have previously worked in his favour.

His 2011 semi-final loss to Federer at Roland Garros ended a 41-match win streak that year.

However, just four weeks later, he defeated Rafael Nadal to secure a first Wimbledon title and then went on to his maiden US Open triumph.

Djokovic is also the most consistent of the top players at the majors—the last time he failed to make at least the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam was at Roland Garros in 2009.

But he argues that his record sometimes works against him.

“I think people tend to create more of a story where it’s just me,” he said.

Digos hosts Palawan netfest ACTION in the Palawan PawnshopPalawan Express Pera Padala regional age group presented by Technifibre shifts to Digos City beginning tomorrow with another huge field clashing for top honors in various divisions at the Digos City Tennis Club in Davao del Sur. Top junior players and rising stars out to make their mark from Kabacan, Pagadian, Gen. Santos City, Kidapawan City and Sultan Kudarat and those from nearby towns and cities have confirmed participation in the four-day Group 3 tournament serving as the 19th leg of the country’s longest-running circuit sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop.

Listup is ongoing. Events on tap are the boys’ and girls’ 12-, 14, 16- and 18-and-under divisions and the 10-unisex category. For details, call Bobby Mangunay, PPS-PEPP Sports Program Development director, at 0915-4046464.

“We believe there’s a lot of talents to be tapped in the countryside that’s why we’re committed to support Philta’s nationwide program not only to promote the sport but also to discover talents,” said Palawan Pawnshop COO Bobby Castro.

Tipped to contend for the crown in this week’s event, which also serves as the regional tournament program for children staged to address the need for a grassroots tennis centered on values formation, are Jyle Cyrin Martinez of Digos City, siblings Patricia Velez and John David Velez of Davao, and Nicole Bautista and Ma. Angelica Novis from Malita.

The circuit, sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association headed by president and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez, has staged 18 legs halfway through the season with 21 more tournaments on tap in various parts of the country.

The last leg in Sultan Kudarat, part of the PPS-PEPP Rainy Season Tennis Festival, proved to be another huge success with host Gov. Datu Suharto Mangudadatu likewise holding a veterans club level tournament.

Heading the winners were Mark Alcoseba, Open singles and doubles crown with Joset Judabal; Eddie Niegas and Nanding Bolasa (junior veterans doubles); Tam Calingasan and Abdulah Adin (pre-veterans doubles); Polet Casal and Jun Bagaforo (seniors veterans doubles) and Philip Lim and Henry Ladot (super veterans doubles).

Unheralded Skyway, owned by businessman Joey Dyhengco, romps to a 4-length victory

in the PCSO Silver Cup on Sunday, defeating Low Profile and stablemate Dixie Gold. Top favorite for the race was Hagdang Bato.

T HURS DAY : J UN E 2 5 , 2 0 1 5

A13

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Torres gains share of lead

Willie Torres celebrates with the traditional spraying of champagne after clinching the GT300 crown in the second leg of the 2015 Yokohama Philippine Grand Touring Car Championships Series.

RETURNING driver Willie Torres stole the limelight when he scored a big sweep in the second leg of the 2015 Yokohama Philippine Grand Touring Car Championship Series at the Clark International Speedway.

Torres hardly showed rust despite a long absence from the racing scene as he captured the premier GT300 crowns in both the morning’s Sprint and the GT Main Races of this event sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines and sponsored by Yokohama, the official tires and Sparco.

He had some lapses and his Evo8 wasn’t fully prepared for the race, but he relied on his innate his racing skills and experience in the ninelap Sprint Race. He was even more impressive in the rain-drenched, 15lap GT Main Race, where he posted his fastest laptime of two minutes and 14.527 in the third lap to gain a share of the top spot with the noshow, kickoff leg winner Veli-Matti Kaikkonen of Hafele Racing Team.

Also hogging the spotlight was the duel between Richmond dela Rosa and defending champion Paolo Mantolino in the GT200 division.

After Dela Rosa scored a sweep in the season opener, Mantolino proved he was eager to bounce back when he slipped past the former on the final lap to rule the Sprint Race. He appeared headed for a sweep as he preserved control of the top spot in the early goings of the GT Main Race.

But Dela Rosa refused to give up and continually pressured Mantolino, who later figured in a spinout in the midst of a heavy downpour, thereby sealing his early exit on the sixth lap and paving the way for Dela Rosa to preserve hold on the front seat the rest of the way, The victory firmed up Dela Rosa’s quest for the GT200 title with 115 points.

Walter Zamora copped the GT200 runner-up honors as Mantolino ended third to bring his current total to 89 points.

In the GT150 division, Dindo de Jesus prevailed over Patrick dela Rosa and NR Joaquin, but the younger Dela Rosa won the GT Main Race over Joaquin, while Ivan Diaz kept a perfect slate in the GT100 following another sweep over Edwin Rodriguez and Singaporean Joginder “King” Sin.

Doping casts shadow on US trials EUGENE—Doping allegations against coach Alberto Salazar and his top US runner, 2012 London Olympic 10,000-meter runner-up Galen Rupp, loom large as the US Track and Field Championships begin Thursday.

Athletes will be competing for spots on the US squad that will compete at the world championships in August at Beijing, with Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin—two sprint stars who have served doping bans—battling to position themselves to challenge defending champion Usain Bolt of Jamaica for 100 and 200 world titles in China in two months.

A BBC documentary earlier this month in collaboration with the ProPublica website accused Salazar, also the coach of British 10,000 Olympic champion Mo Farah, of violating anti-doping rules, with claims Salazar doped

Rupp in 2002 with the anabolic steroid testosterone when Rupp was only 16.

Salazar, based at the Nike camp in nearby Portland, was worked with Rupp for 14 years and his training partner Farah since 2011.

The report says Salazar encouraged using prescription medications for thyroid and asthma that were not needed for a competitive edge and abuse of the therapeutic use exemption rule where athletes can get approval to utilize otherwise banned medications.

Both Salazar and Rupp have denied any wrongdoing but they figure to draw attention at this week’s meet at Hayward Field, the University of Oregon track where the Rio de Janeiro Olympic team will be decided next year and world spots are up for grabs this week.

“I would think that any of

this black cloud, so to speak, will be overshadowed by all of the positives that are going on and will happen this week,” Vin Lananna, Rupp’s former coach at Oregon, told the Eugene Register-Guard.

Rupp seeks his seventh consecutive US crown in the 10,000 on Thursday and is also set to race the 5,000 on Sunday.

This will be his first meet since running the 5,000 at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on May 29.

Other Nike Oregon athletes looking for a spot in Beijing include Matthew Centrowitz in the 1,500, Shannon Rowbury, Treniere Moser and Mary Cain in the women’s 1,500, Rowbury and Jordan Hasay in the 5,000 and Hasay at 10,000.

Nick Symmonds, an 800m runner-up at the 2013 Moscow worlds and twice an Olympian, said he wants to hear more details from Salazar and Rupp.

“I hope the media attention

that comes from USAs is enough to finally get a statement from Nike, get a statement from Alberto, get a statement from Galen,” Symmonds told the RegisterGuard. “How we have gone weeks into this scandal without a single statement addressing these allegations is absolutely absurd.”

- Doping-hit sprinters back Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic 100m champion and 2005 world 100 and 200 champion, and Gay, the 2007 100 and 200 world champion, have faced skeptics and criticism themselves after comebacks following doping bans.

Gatlin ran a 100m personal best of 9.74 at Qatar last month, the fastest run in the world since Jamaican Yohan Blake went 9.69 in 2012, and strengthened Gatlin’s status as the fifth-best all-time performer. Gatlin won the 200 at the Prefontaine in 19.68. AFP

It’s Towns or Okafor for Wolves; Mozgov stays a Cav NEW YORK—Set to pick first in the NBA Draft for the first time in their 26-year history, the Minnesota Timberwolves are looking at center Karl-Anthony Towns and playmaker Jahlil Okafor.

Thursday’s annual allocation of unclaimed talent by the NBA’s 30 clubs could see the University of Kentucky match its record by having five players chosen in the first round while several top international players learn which NBA club will obtain their playing rights.

Towns averaged 10.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots a game last season for Kentucky, which also could see Willie Cauley-Stein, Trey Lyles, Devin Booker and Dakari Johnson also taken in round one.

Kentucky also had five players

taken in the first round in 2010.

T h e Timberwolves, who won last month’s NBA Draft Lottery to claim the top overall pick, could become the first NBA club to have MOZGOV three consecutive number one selections playing together in one season, having obtained 2013 top choice Anthony bennett and 2014 top pick Andrew Wiggins last year in the trade with Cleveland that sent star forward Kevin Love to the Cavaliers.

If Towns doesn’t go first, the other player drawing the most attention is Duke’s Jahlil Okafor,

a freshman center who averaged 17.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots a game for the Blue Devils last season.

W hichever big man the T-Wolves don’t take figures to be headed for the Los Angeles Lakers, who select second in the draft and need some inside help.

The Philadelphia 76ers choose third, followed in order by New York, Orlando, Sacramento, Denver, Detroit, Charlotte and Miami.

- Mudiay improved in China The global player attracting the most attention is guard

Emmanuel Mudiay of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who played 12 games for China’s Guangdong Southern Tigers before suffering a right ankle sprain.

Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers exercised their option Tuesday for a one-year contract extension with Russian center Timofey Mozgov through next season, team general manager David Griffin said.

The deal is for $4.95 million (4.4 million euros) and comes a week after the Cavaliers lost to the Golden State Warriors in the sixth game of the NBA Finals, handing the Warriors their first crown in 40 years and missing the chance to bring the city of Cleveland its first sports champion since 1964. AFP

Giampa new judge for Nietes bout

By Ronnie Nathanielsz LISA Giampa has replaced Patricia Morse Jarman as a judge in the World Boxing Organization light flyweight title defense of Donnie “Ahas” Nietes against mandatory challenger Francisco Rodriguez on July 11 at the Waterfront nHotel and Casino in Cebu.

The Standard and boxingmirror. com have not received a response to the query on what prompted the change.

Giampa is the wife of outstanding judge Chuck Giampa and has competed several years in training as an amateur judge in Las Vegas before the Nevada State Athletic Commission officially appointed her to their team as a professional judge in 2007.

Her first pro assignment was in Laughton, Nevada when she judged two eight-round bouts which resulted in unanimous decisions in both fights.

Giampa has attended judges’ seminars throughout the United States and foreign countries and is a proud member of the North American Boxing Federation family of professional boxing judges.

Although she primarily judges fights in Las Vegas, Giampa has also judged fights in Puerto Rico, Mexico, South Africa, China and the Philippines.

The importance of the NietesRodriguez showdown can be gauged by the fact that no less than World Boxing Organization president Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel will travel all the way from Puerto Rico to act as Fight Supervisor, which has been welcomed by Filipino boxing fans.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Chot, Alapag give young cagers a chance to ‘Rise’

By Peter Atencio YOUNG basketball enthusiasts, who have not been given opportunities to develop their skills, will be given a chance to do so.

Two topnotch coaches, former Gilas Pilipinas national coach Chot Reyes and assistant mentor Jimmy Alapag, will lead a nationwide search starting this weekend for young talents, who were never given exposure to higher levels of training in the sport.

“We are specifically targeting those who have not been scouted by any program. To do this, you have to go deep into grassroots and pick out the hidden gems,” said Patrick Reyes, country

marketing manager for Nike Philippines.

Reyes talked about the program during the launch of “Rise,” the first-ever reality documentary and basketball development program, with coach Chot Reyes and Alapag at the Green Sun Hotel in Makati City.

The program hopes to inspire young Filipinos to discover their ability to rise in the sport and raise their game to a higher level.

Youngsters aged 16 to 21 years old are among those being targeted by this program.

“It should not be discriminating. We will not be placing any quotas,” added Reyes.

Regional tryouts in four cities will begin this Saturday in Dagupan. It will be

held in Manila on Sunday, followed by Cebu on July 4 and Davao on July 5.

Coach Chot Reyes said that during the six-week program, 12 male and 12 female players will be chosen, and the selected athletes will try out the latest product innovations, as well as have access to professional training through coaches and athletes.

“They should display abilities to be team players,” said Chot on his criteria for selecting athletes.

The program encompasses technical training, as well as strength and conditioning sessions.

Television audience can follow the progress of the program on “Rise,” aired on TV5 every Sunday, starting in July.

Hole in 1 propels Lascuña to lead

Re p ub li c of t h e Phi li p p i n e s N AT I O N A L FO O D AUT H O R I T Y CA R AG A R EG I O N B ut u a n Ci t y I N V I TAT I O N T O B I D FO R T H E P R O C U R E M E N T O F H AU L I N G S E R V I C E S FO R T H E T R A N S F E R O F R I C E FR O M S U R I G AO C I T Y TO B U T UA N C I T Y / AG U S A N D E L S U R ( R E - B I D D I N G) T h e N AT I O N A L FO O D AU T H O R I T Y, t h r o u g h i t s C o r p o r a t e O p e r a t i n g B u d g e t f o r CY 2 015 , i n t e n d s t o a p p l y t h e s u m o f T W O M I L L I O N T W O H U N D R E D SEVENT Y T WO THOUSAND PESOS (Php 2 , 272 ,000.00) being the aggregated A p p r o v e d B u d g e t f o r t h e C o n t r a c t ( A B C) t o p ay m e n t s u n d e r t h e c o n t r a c t s o f hauling ser vices for the transfer of rice from Surigao City to Butuan City / A g u s a n d e l S u r ( R e - B i d d i n g) :

CONT. NO.

SOURCE WHSE.

RECEIVING WHSE.

MINIMUM NO. OF TRUCKS

DELIVERY PERIOD

QUANTITY (bag of 50 kg)

APPROVED BUDGET FOR THE CONTRACT (INCLUSIVE OF VAT) (PHP) PER BAG

TOTAL

BIDDING FEE (PHP)

I-SUN-E15

Rocha A /B/C Warehouses, Surigao City

GID I/II Warehouses, Libertad, Butuan City

6

Within June to Nov. 2015

40,000

27.10

1,084,000.00

5,000.00

II-SUN-E15

GID Whse., Km. 10, Surigao City

GID Alegria, San Francisco, Agusan del Sur

5

Within June to Nov. 2015

30,000

39.60

1,188,000.00

5,000.00

T h e N FA n o w i n v i t e s i n t e r e s t e d t r u c k o w n e r s /o p e r a t o r s t o s u b m i t t h e i r b i d s f o r t h e h a u l i n g o f r i c e s t o c k s f r o m S u r i g a o C i t y t o B u t u a n C i t y / A g u s a n d e l S u r.

Bidders should have c ompleted within the immediate last t wo years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the project.

The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, p a r t i c u l a r l y i n S e c t i o n I I . I n s t r u c t i o n s t o B i d d e r s ( I T B) .

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non- discretionar y “pass/failed” criterion as specified in the implementing R u l e s a n d R e g u l a t i o n ( I R R) o f R e p u b l i c A c t ( R A) 918 4 , o t h e r w i s e k n o w n a s t h e “ G o v e r n m e n t P r o c u r e m e n t R e f o r m A c t ”.

A c o m p l e t e s e t o f B i d d i n g D o c u m e n t s m ay b e p u r c h a s e d b y i n t e r e s t e d b i d d e r s o n J u n e 2 5 , 2 0 15 - J u l y 15 , 2 0 15 ( w o r k i n g d a y s o n l y ) f r o m t h e a d d r e s s b e l o w a n d u p o n p ay m e n t o f a n o n r e f u n d a b l e b i d d i n g f e e a s s p e c i f i e d i n t h i s Invitation.

N a t i o n a l Fo o d A u t h o r i t y C a r a g a R e g i o n s h a l l h o l d a P r e - b i d c o n f e r e n c e o n J u l y 2 , 2 0 15 a t 10 : 0 0 A . M . a t S u r i g a o d e l N o r t e P r o v i n c i a l O f f i c e , S u r i g a o C i t y, w h i c h s h a l l b e o p e n o n l y t o a l l i n t e r e s t e d p a r t i e s w h o h a v e p u r c h a s e d the Bidding Documents.

B i d m u s t b e d e l i v e r e d t o t h e a d d r e s s b e l o w o n o r b e f o r e J u l y 15 , 2 0 15 a t 10 : 0 0 A . M . A l l b i d s m u s t b e a c c o m p a n i e d by a B i d S e c u r i t y i n a ny o f t h e a c c e p t a b l e f o r m s a n d i n t h e a m o u n t s t a t e d i n I T B C l a u s e 18 . L a t e b i d s s h a l l not be accepted.

B i d o p e n i n g s h a l l b e o n J u l y 15 , 2 0 15 a t 10 : 0 1 A . M . a t 2 n d F l o o r, R u d y T i u V I I I B l d g . J .C . A q u i n o Av e n u e , B u t u a n C i t y. B i d s w i l l b e o p e n e d i n t h e p r e s e n c e o f the Bidders’ representative who choose to at tend.

T h e N a t i o n a l Fo o d A u t h o r i t y r e s e r v e s t h e r i g h t t o a c c e p t o r r e j e c t a ny b i d , t o a n n u l t h e b i d d i n g p r o c e s s , a n d t o r e j e c t a l l b i d s a t a ny t i m e p r i o r t o c o n t r a c t a w a r d w i t h o u t t h e r e by i n c u r r i n g a ny l i a b i l i t y t o t h e a f f e c t e d b i d d e r o r b i d d e r s .

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 r e f e r t o: Ms. Hyde Beth M. Pascual B AC S e c r e t a r i a t H e a d N a t i o n a l Fo o d A u t h o r i t y 2 nd F l o o r R u d y T i u B l d g . V I I I J .C . A q u i n o Av e n u e , B u t u a n C i t y Te l N o . ( 0 8 5 ) 815 3 2 8 4 ( 0 8 5 ) 2 2 5 6 7 01 Fa x N o . ( 0 8 5 ) 3 42 7 8 9 8

( T S - J U N E 2 5 , 2 015 )

Tony Lascuña

(S G D) G I L B . I B A R R A Assistant Regional Director and C h a i r p e r s o n , B AC

SILANG, Cavite—Tony Lascuña aced No. 12 and battled back from two strokes down on the final hole to tie Benjie Magada at the helm at two-under 69, one stroke ahead of Clyde Mondilla and two others at the start of the P1.5 million ICTSI Riviera Classic at Riviera’s Langer layout here yesterday.

Lascuña gained on a two-shot swing with a birdie on No. 9, his finishing hole on a hot, humid day, and cashed in on Magada’s missed green bogey-mishap on the 18th in a separate flight to force an early tie for the lead in what promises to be a spirited battle for top honors in one of the country’s toughest courses.

Mondilla fought back with two birdies in the last five holes to salvage a 70 and share third place with Zanie Boy Gialon, who negated his bogey on the par5 No. 5 with birdies on Nos. 9 and 10, and John Rey Pactolerin, who squandered a solid 33 start at the back with three bogeys in the first six holes at the front, needing to birdie the ninth to stay in the mix in the 72-hole championship sponsored by ICTSI. With Mars Pucay, Frankie Miñoza, Rufino Bayron, Mhark Fernando and Korean Seok Jun Min matching par 71s and defending champion Elmer Salvador, Jay Bayron, Jessie Balasabas, Miguel Ochoa and Keanu Jahns just another stroke behind with 72s, the chase for the top P270,000 purse in this seventh leg of the

ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour is tipped to go down to the last hole and putt on Saturday.

“The course is tough and I kind of struggled with my putting. I was just lucky to start with a hole-inone,” said Lascuña, still in pursuit of his first win this year after racking up five victories en route to retaining the Order of Merit crown last year.

The amiable Davaoeno shotmaker, coming off a joint 20th place finish in the Queen’s Cup of the Asian Tour last Sunday, used a Hybrid No. 18 and Srixon ball No. 4 in scoring a hole-in-one on the 234-yard No. 12 for his fifth career ace.

Magada, meanwhile, bucked a bogey-bogey start with five birdies in a 12-hole stretch from No. 5. After parring the par-3 17th, the wiry shotmaker looked headed for a solo view of the top but missed the par-4 18th and failed to get up-and-down from seven feet.

Salvador, who scored a runaway win in wet conditions in the Asian Development Tour leg here last year, launched his title-retention drive with a solid 33 at the front, only to lost his focus and putting touch at the back, bogeying Nos. 11, 14 and 17 to slid to joint 11th.

Miguel Tabuena, the kickoff leg winner at Splendido and the other fancied bet in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., stumbled with a double-bogey on No. 11 and dropped a shot on the 17th but hit one birdie at the front to drop into a big bunch of two-over 73 scorers, who included Dutch Guido Van der Valk, Dino Villanueva, Rolando Marabe, Korean Woo Seung Bin, Artemio Murakami, Marvin Dumandan, Solomon Gines and Thomas Kim.

Casimero excited to fight Ruenrong

By Ronnie Nathanielsz FORMER International Boxing Federation light flyweight champion Johnreil Casimero is excited for his mandatory challenge against flyweight champion Amnat Ruenroeng on Saturday at the Hua Mark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Trainer Jhun Agrabio told The Standard/boxingmirror.com that Casimero, who is chasing a second world title, was just two pounds over the 112-pound limit and was to have a light workout yesterday

afternoon doing “a little jogging and working on the treadmill.”

He said making weight for the official weigh-in at 11 a.m. on Friday is no problem.

“Ruenroeng is good and very fast,” said Agrabio of Casimero’s foe, whose tactic is to throw punches and quickly move out of trouble. “He won’t engage us, but we have devised a plan to force him to engage.”

The trainer said they had no problem with the judges assigned by the IBF and that they are looking forward to a great

fight and a victory.

Casimero has been training for over two months at the Roy Jones Gym in Las Vegas and feels in great shape for what is likely to be a tactical battle with well-known Filipino manager/promoter and trainer Aljoe Jaro, who will be working in the corner of Ruenroeng.

Jaro steered the Thai to a smart win in his last title defense against the hyped Chinese two-time Olympic gold medalist Zou Shiming, who was handled by Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach.

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

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

PSC hands out P9m to SEAG medalists

By Peter Atencio

FIL-AMERICAN sprinter Eric Shauwn Cray will get the biggest incentive out of the P9.015-million, which the Philippine Sports Commission will award to the athletes and coaches who have won medals in the 2015 Southeast Asian Games in Singapore.

PSC Executive director Guillermo Iroy said the cash gifts, which will come from the Philippine Gaming Corporation, will be given to winning athletes on Saturday at an awarding ceremony at the Philsports multipurpose arena in Pasig.

The 26-year-old Cray, a threetime All-American, will get a total of P300,000, for winning the men’s 400-meter hurdles with a record-breaking time of 49.40 seconds in beating Cong Lich Quach of Vietnam, and for

ruling the men’s 100-m dash in 10.25 seconds.

A total of P3.3 million in incentives will be given to the 29 gold medalists, while the 36 silver medalists will receive a total P1.8 million, and the 66 bronze medalists will receive a total o P710,000.

Meanwhile, coaches whose athletes won gold medals will receive a total of P1.75 for gold, P800,000 for silver and P350,000 for bronze.

Aside from Cray, the other

Eric Cray

gold medalists who will receive incentives from the PSC are triathletes Nikko Huelgas and Claire Adorna, the national rugby team, wushu athlete Daniel Parantac, billiards’ Dennis Orcollo (9-ball singles) and 9-ball doubles teammates Warren Kiamco and Carlo Biado, Fil-Japanese judoka Kiyomi Watanabe,

shooter Elvie Baldovino. hammer thrower Caleb Stuart, cue artist Chezka Centeno, gymnast Reynald Capellan, sprinter Kayla Richardson, cyclist Mariella Salamat, boxers Josie Gabuco, Ian Clark Bautista, Mario Fernandez and Eumir Marcial, the men and women’s softball team and the men’s basketball team.

Longshot Skyway stuns in PCSO Silver Cup STUNNED. That’s what the entire racing tribe were in the aftermath of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office Silver Cup, won by Skyway last June 21 at the Metroturf racecourse in Malvar, Batangas.

Sent off as the last choice out of eight runners—dehado sa lahat—selling only a little over P5,400 out of the total daily double pool of around P920,000, 4YO filly Skyway outlasted the heavy favorites in the 2,000 meter ordeal.

The top choices were coupled entries Hagdang Bato and Malaya; the former won the Silver Cup in 2013. The winner last year was Pugad Lawin, also entered in this race and sent off as third

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

Nunes’ Black-Out: Verdict

Slipstream 2.0. Globe Telecom brings the Formula One rush to the Philippines once again as it presents Slipstream 2.0, an event celebrating the journey of Marlon Stockinger as the first and only Filipino to make his way into the competitive world of Formula One racing. Slipstream 2.0 opens the world of the Prince of Speed, Marlon Stockinger, to Filipinos, and how he lives his life in the fast lane. Slipstream 2.0 is happening this Saturday at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City. From 12 noon to 5 p.m., the public can enjoy driving exhibitions, motorcycle stunts, and car parade and exhibit.

Marlon’s famous Lotus-Gravity Charouz Renault 3.5 car will also be on display for public viewing and photo opportunities.

Marlon will be at the event to show his amazing driving skills, as well as to meet and greet the lucky winners of the Slipstream contest. Apart from the event day’s activities, there will be pre-event gimmicks lined up for Marlon and everyone to enjoy.

ERIC APOLONIO

choice. The second favorites were coupled entries Dixie Gold and Hot and Spicy.

Hagdang Bato, a noted frontrunner, took the lead for most of the race, followed off-the-pace by Skyway under jockey Virgilio M. Camañero Jr., the tandem dropping to third in the backstretch.

They moved up at the far turn and steadily ate ground, Hagdang Bato fading to second and Low Profile persistently clinging to third.

Skyway gained even more down the stretch, seeming to fly the final hundred meters to win by four lengths under the whip.

This is quite an achievement, considering two things: she is filly, and she is a grey. The rule of thumb is, things more or less being

LOTTO RESULTS

equal, to choose a colt over a filly and a dark horse (bay or black) over a light-colored horse (roan or gray).

Skyway earned P2.5 million for her victory; second placer Low Profile took home P700,000, third placer Dixie Gold P350,000, and fourth placer Kaiserslautern P250,000. The upset outcome resulted in a carryover of the winner-take-all pool.

The time for the race was 2:05.4 (24’-24-24’-24’-28).

Sired by Bertrando out of Maria’s Tale, Skyway was bred by Joseph C. Dyhengco is trained by Anthony Francisco and owned by Deemark International.

The race proceeds were donated by PCSO to the President Elpidio Quirino Foundation, represented at the event by celebrity Cory

Quirino and family members Poncy, Justin, and Migui Quirino, and Paul and Connie Quirino Cuneta.

Also present at the awarding ceremony were, from PCSO, General Manager lawyer Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II and Assistant General Manager—Gaming Sector Conrado C. Zabella, as well as other members of the Committee on Races. ***** Skyway’s masterful performance makes me wonder if this is going to turn into a longshot fillies’ year, what with 3YO fillies Superv and Court of Honor scoring upset wins in the first (May 17) and second legs (June 14) of the Philippine Racing Commission Triple Crown series respectively.

These two races and the

PCSO Silver Cup are among the major ones on the calendar, and the exploits of these talented fillies so far remind me of the legendary racemare Sun Dancer, who swept the Triple Crown back in ‘80s and was undefeated in all her starts.

Will either of these two, or perhaps another filly, win the third leg on July 12? ***** In its June 10 Board meeting, Philracom approved the following raceday start times: beginning June 15, all weekday races shall start at 6:15 pm, and beginning June 13, all weekend races start at 2:30 pm. ***** Facebook: Gogirl Racing, Twitter: @gogirlracing, Instagram: @jensdecember, Blog: http://jennyo.net

THE account from Neapolitan Club: SYLVIA LOPEZ “The National ALEJANDRO Sports Judge (solicitor Tomamaso Toniolo)’s verdict about the lawsuit against Fulvio Fantoni and Claudio Nunes has been published today.

Fantoni and Nunes were charged because of an abnormal play, which raised doubts whether players received UI about the deal during the finals of the Italian Open Teams Championships’ Premier League (Salsomaggiore Terme), May 2015) Nunes’Black-out (2): Verdict/bridge/♠Neapolitan Club The Judge nominated two experts: Carlo Totaro and Dano De Falcon. The Defence presented several experts’ opinions, including Benito Garozzo’s.

The Judge’s and Defence’s consultants mostly agree that the Ace Diamonds lead makes sense from a technical point of view and that Nunes was a priori right to assume declarer was void in clubs (hence he did not double).

“It is however difficult to justify the very risky diamond continuation, given dummy’s shape after the screen was opened: the defender should have easily realized that Fantoni could not have had 8 clubs (given that dummy had a doubleton and that Fantoni did not preempt).

This means that the Ace of Clubs was cashing, thus defeating the contract. Nunes could have tried to give Fantoni a ruff later on.

To justify his actions, Nunes claims to “have had a moment of mental blackout, which made it impossible for him to think. He mechanically played another diamond, because he was convinced declarer had a club void.”

The vugraph operator sates that Nunes took around 10 seconds to choose the lead (with the screen closed) and only two seconds after that to continue with a diamond.

The Defence’s consultants (“some spontaneously, others..repeating”) fully support this defensive line.

The Judge’s consultants are more skeptic: Totaro thinks the blackout is possible, whilst De Falco does not find it plausible and leaves the Judge to make his own mind up on the player’s mental state.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office “points out not only that the play was abnormal, but also that Fantoni, when he realized Nunes had the Ace of Clubs, reacted in a way that seemed artificial and insincere” After agreeing that Nunes’ defence is not standard, the Judge has to decide whether Nunes’ justification is credible, or whether there are enough proofs to show that UI was received.

The Judge briefly digresses to explain the norms around how to prove someone guilty and warranties for the parties.

To protect the accused parties, the Judge states to have quickly surveyed the matter, “verifying that behaviours such as the one described by Nunes are indeed commonly acknowledged in psychology and the relevant literature, where they are referred to as cognitive closures (or difficulties, when less severe)”.

“The logical consequence of these remarks” the Judge concludes “is that there is no proof that UI was received and thus the players are acquitted.”

The full text of the verdict in Italian is available on the Italian Federation website.

The Public Attorney’s Office or the parties may appeal against the Sports Judge’s verdict.

The appeal has to be filled within 5 days of the verdict publication.”

-oOoWinning pairs of the Alejandro Duplicate Game on June 16, 2015 1) Fusako Breckner- John Mcphedran 2) Winston Arpon-Justo Manlongat 3) Harumi Ieda-Satomo Suzuki Winning pairs of the Manila Peninsula on June 10, 2015 1) Nalin Hiranthi Samarasingha 2) Lani Tayas-Titang Montinola 3) Joli Kansil- Sylvia Alejandro Winning pairs of the Manila Peninsula on June 17, 2015 1) Jopet Maliwat-Homer De Vera 2) Lani Tayas-Titang Montinola 3) Joli Kansil-Sylvia Alejandro Comments to: sylvia.alejandro@yahoo.

A16

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

RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

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

sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS

Carnival stun Bolts, 88-83

By Jeric Lopez

KIA did its best and its fate is now up in the air.

The Carnival dug deep in the clutch to pull off a tough 88-85 grinder over Meralco to somehow keep their hopes alive for the last quarterfinals berth in the 2015 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Hamady N’Diaye produced huge numbers of 24 points and 19 rebounds, but it was LA Revilla, who lifted Kia when the game was on the line, scoring eight of his 16 points in the final three minutes of play to assure that the Carnival will still have a shot at advancing.

Both Kia and Meralco, along with Talk ‘N Text, ended up tied at 5-6 in the standings. While the Bolts are guaranteed of a ticket to the next round already due to a

Mozgov stays a Cavalier TURN TO A13

superior quotient and the Tropang Texters already eliminated in the process due to an inferior quotient, the Carnival and Barangay Ginebra are now in a tug-of-war for the eighth and last seat in the quarters.

As a result, the Gin Kings (4-6) need to win against already-ousted NLEX (3-7) in their encounter as of press time to make it through and grab the last berth in the quarterfinals. Otherwise, Kia will advance.

Despite the loss, Meralco is still

assured of the No. 7 seed due to a superior quotient and will face No. 2 San Miguel Beer in the quarters with a twice-to-beat disadvantage.

Coming in, Kia, which was inspired by the sudden appearance of head coach Manny Pacquiao, knew it needed to win by 17 points or more in order for it to advance outright and garner enough quotient to make it through. Since it wasn’t able to do that and won by only three points, its fate now rests on the result of the battle between Ginebra and NLEX. ‘’Important win talaga ito sa amin kaya sinabi ko sa mga players ibuhos nila lahat at masaya naman tayo sa ginawa nila at nakuha namin ‘yung panalo,’’ said Pacquiao, who appeared for the first time since he attended the squad’s third game of the conference early on. ‘’Tignan natin ngayon kung ano mangyari.’’

Ace nets Lascuna share of lead TURN TO A14

With the game all tied heading the final two minutes of action, Joshua Webb knocked down a go-ahead triple with 1:14 left to put Kia ahead, 83-80, entering the last minute.

N’Diaye then split his charities with 49.7 seconds left to stretch the Carnival’s lead to two possessions, 84-80, but Reynel Hugnatan’s jumper with 23.8 ticks left kept Meralco in the fight, trimming the distance at 84-82.

But Revilla responded with two free throws on the other end to make it 86-82 before Gary David gave Meralco a chance by sinking three free throws after being fouled downtown to make it 86-85 with only 6.4 ticks left.

Two more free throws by Revilla made it 88-85 with 5.4 seconds left, leaving the Bolts with one more chance to send it to overtime, but David missed a triple attempt at the buzzer, allowing Kia to escape.

JR Buensuceso of KIA soars for layup, leaving his defender, Meralco’s Mike Cortez behind in PBA Governors’ Cup game won by the Carnival, 88-85.

High hopes for Pirates

THE Lyceum Pirates are hoping a change of coach could also change their fortunes in the 91st National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball tournament unfurling on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Topex Robinson has jumped from San Sebastian College last season to take over the coaching reins left by Bonnie Tan, who has moved on to the Philippine Basketball Association as part of the Globalport Batang Pier’s coaching staff, hoping to steer the Pirates to their first-ever Final Four appearance since joining the league four years ago.

And Robinson is bringing with him former PBA star Rommel Adducul as part of his staff.

“We’re not assuring anything because we know how tough the league is right now,” said Robinson. “But I have high hopes we’ll do better this season because I see my players’ desire to prove something.”

Robinson will try to improve on Lyceum’s seventh-place finish a year back with a crack roster headed by the core of Joseph Gabayni, Jebb Bulawan, Wilson Baltyazar, Jeremiaj Taladua and the high-scoring Guy Mbida.

THURSDAY: JUNE 25, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

business@thestandardtoday.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

BUSINESS

B1

Rice leaf analysis.

Researchers from the Philippine Rice Research Institute are exploring a new way of analyzing rice leaf nitrogen. PhilRice initiated a study to evaluate the performance of a visible NIR spectroscopy technology in estimating the leaf nitrogen contents of lowland rice cultivars. Shown is a PhilRice researcher conducting a leaf analysis.

Europe lifts ban on PH’s AirAsia PSe comPoSite

index

Closing June 24, 2015

7800 7500 7200 6900 6600 6300

7,643.33 91.77

PeSo-dollar rate 47

P45.125

46

CLOSE

45 44

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE European Union has lifted the ban on Philippines’ AirAsia, allowing the local unit of Southeast Asia’s largest budget airline to fly to European countries.

“Yes, the EU lifted the ban two weeks ago,” said Alfredo Yao, a board member of AirAsia Inc., operator of Philippines’ AirAsia.

Yao confirmed the company planned to expand routes to include Europe. AirAsia Berhad of Malaysia and Filipino

businessmen led by Yao own Philippines’ AirAsia.

The EU and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and European Union are set to formally announce the highlights of the updated EU air safety list soon.

“We are expanding actually. We

will have a board meeting on July 3,” Yao said.

Yao said Philippines’ Air Asia was looking at interconnecting with AirAsia X, the long-haul unit of the AirAsia Group for the company’s expansion to Europe.

Currently, only Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Air are out of the EU black list of airlines.

The decision comes after the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) upgraded the Philippines to Category 1 status, allowing PAL and other local carriers to add flights to and from the US.

43

HIGH P45.110 LOW P45.190 AVERAGE P45.145 VOLUME 442.170M

P480.00-P680.00 LPG/11-kg tank P41.20-P47.85 Unleaded Gasoline P28.85-P32.20 Diesel

oPriceS il P today

P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene P23.70-P24.40 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Tuesday, June 23, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

45.0260

Japan

Yen

0.008105

0.3649

UK

Pound

1.582600

71.2581

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129012

5.8089

Switzerland

Franc

1.084952

48.8510

Canada

Dollar

0.811622

36.5441

Singapore

Dollar

0.748503

33.7021

Australia

Dollar

0.774773

34.8849

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652520

119.4324

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266667

Brunei

Dollar

0.745712

33.5764

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.029718

1.3381

UAE

Dirham

0.272301

12.2606

Euro

Euro

1.134200

51.0685

Korea

Won

0.000910

0.0410

China

Yuan

0.161044

7.2512

India

Rupee

0.015761

0.7097

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.268097

12.0713

New Zealand

Dollar

0.687521

Taiwan

Dollar

0.032566

Cherry Foodarama to keep name

By Jenniffer B. Austria CONGLOMERATE SM Investments Corp. said Wednesday it will sign the deal to acquire a majority interest in Cherry Foodarama within the month.

“We hope to sign the agreement sometime this month,” SM Investments co-vice chairman Teresita Sy-Coson said in an interview at the sidelines of the Shareholders Association of the Philippines forum at Dusit Thani Manila in Makati City.

Sy did not divulge more details about the acquisition of Cherry Foodarama from the Ong family.

The Ong family, which owns Cherry Foodarama, will retain

a minority interest in the supermarket chain.

Sy said SMIC would not rebrand the three newly acquired supermarkets, which would continue to operate under the name Cherry.

Only two of the supermarkets, namely Cherry Foodarama Congressional and Cherry Foodarama Antipolo, are operational.

Cherry Foodarama Shaw was originally rescheduled to reopen at its original site along Shaw Boulevard in May, but the opening was delayed because of the entry of a new investor.

All Cherry supermarkets will close down on June 25 to pave

the way for the entry of the new investor.

The SM group, despite increasing competition from other grocery chains such as Puregold Price Club Inc. and Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc., remains the biggest supermarket chain in the country.

SM’s retail operations had a total of 279 stores of as end-March 2015, including 50 SM Stores, 40 SM Supermarkets, 43 SM Hypermarkets, 120 Savemore stores and 26 WalterMart stores.

SM said it would open 3 SM Stores, 3 SM Supermarkets, 10 SaveMore stores and 1 SM Hypermarket in the rest of the year.

12.0069

30.9563 1.4663 Source: PDS Bridge

B3

8990 pegs rates for P9-b bonds

B6

Philippines’ AirAsia earlier reported a net loss of P854.5 million in the first quarter of 2015, a significant improvement from P1.4-billion net loss in the first quarter of 2014.

The airline recorded revenue of P2.1 billion in the first quarter, 6 percent lower than P2.2 billion it posted in the first quarter of 2014.

AirAsia Philippines blamed the decline in revenue to the lower passenger volumes, which decreased 6 percent to 843,250 from 894,733 last year. Load factor went up by 11 percentage points to 77 percent from 66 percent.

AirAsia Berhad group chief executive Tony Fernandes earlier said Philippines’ AirAsia might be listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange in 2018.

The Philippine unit of Malaysia’s AirAsia secured the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission to acquire 100 percent of Zest Airways Inc. The Senate committee on public services approved the sale of Zest Airways to AirAsia Philippines in December last year. The House committee on franchise also gave its consent in February last year.

Malaysia’s Air Asia, through AA International, owns 40 percent of Philippines’ AirAsia Inc., while Filipinos Marriane Hontiveros, Michael Romero, Antonio Cojuangco and Alfredo Yao hold the balance of 60 percent.

Bakers face suit for profiteering

THURSDAY: JUNE 25, 2015

B2

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

MST BuSineSS Daily STockS Review Wednesday, June 24, 2015

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 4.2 17 30.45 2.6 890 100 30.5 91.5 137 361.2 57 180 1700 124 3.26

66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.97 1.68 12.02 19.6 1.02 625 78 17.8 62 88.35 276 41 118.2 1200 59 2.65

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

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

73.65 110.70 97.25 45.7 2.40 1.85 15.96 20.25 1.74 850.00 91 18.00 68.70 93.85 306.8 41.65 164.6 1500.00 61.00 3.15

35.9 1.01 1.86 7.92 15.32 10.08 29.15 1.5 1.5 10.72 9.55 9.04 6.02 8.86 1.06 8.61 20.2 71.5 13.86 13.24 5.34 173 8.65 33 23.35 17.3 5.88 250.2 3.37 3.87 8.45 3.03 1.95 1 4.02 1.65 5.9 161 1.55 0.138 2.09 152 0.640 10.02 1.2

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

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

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

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

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Phoenix Semiconductor Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ Splash Corporation Swift Foods, Inc. Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

44.5 1.04 1.89 10.5 18.5 27.7 57.95 2.17 1.47 11.6 19.040 9.14 7.64 9.90 1.78 11.9 25.4 83.55 13.86 13.84 6 194.80 10.02 57.95 24.95 24.4 6.35 294.00 3.90 4.66 9.09 3.89 2.01 2.57 4.24 1.98 6.25 169 1.66 0.147 2.18 190 0.79 22.60 1.35

0.59 59.2 30.05 7.39 3.4 3.35 823.5 10.2 84 0.66 1455 7.5 76 5.29 6.66 9.25 0.85 17.3 0.71 5.53 6.55 9.66 0.0670 1.61 2.99 84.9 974 156 0.710 0.435 0.510

0.44 48.1 20.85 6.62 0.23 0.23 634.5 7.390 12.8 0.152 837 5.3 49.55 3 3.52 4.84 0.59 12 0.580 4.2 4.5 3 0.030 0.550 2.26 59.3 751 80 0.211 0.179 0.310

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anscor `A’ ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp `A’ Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Keppel Holdings `A’ Keppel Holdings `B’ Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

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

Minerales Industrias Corp.

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

0.480 57.0000 22.50 6.75 0.248 0.250 793 7.98 13.22 0.237 1384 6.80 69.20 5.03 5.08 7.21 0.69 14.36 0.65 4.8 5.85 3.7 0.0310 1.580 2.58 60.50 876.00 84.600 0.3450 0.2050 0.270

10.5 1.99 0.375 41.4 5.6 5.59 5.6

6.74 0.65 0.192 30.05 3.36 4.96 2.8

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Arthaland Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ Cebu Holdings Cebu Prop. `A’

7.400 0.72 0.220 37.85 3.44 5.41 6.3

47 1.46 2.36 15.3 20.6 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 2.89 17 31.8 109 20.75 15.3 9.4 241 12.5 74 33.9 90 13.26 293 5 5.25 12.98 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.86 7.34 238 3.28 0.315 2.65 234 1.3 26 2.17

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 73.7 73.25 111.00 108.90 97.97 97.10 46 45.75 2.52 2.43 1.73 1.73 16 15.6 20.25 20 2.00 1.73 845.00 845.00 93 91 18.06 18.00 68.70 68.55 93.95 91 306.8 306 42 41.65 166.2 164.4 1505.00 1500.00 61.00 60.05 3.15 3.15 INDUSTRIAL 45 44.5 1.05 1.02 2.02 1.9 10.5 10.26 18.9 18.22 28 27 57.95 55.6 2.38 2.16 1.54 1.45 11.6 11.44 19.300 18.94 9.20 9.15 7.71 7.60 10.04 9.90 1.65 1.65 11.9 11.64 25.7 25.5 84.55 83.15 13.86 13.74 13.90 13.50 6 5.95 200.00 195.00 10.3 9.98 58.00 57.95 25.25 24.85 24.8 24.5 6.48 6.2 294.00 290.00 4.10 4.10 4.74 4.65 9.18 9.02 3.88 3.85 2.06 2.00 2.75 2.57 4.24 4.22 2.03 1.89 6.55 6.25 171 168 1.64 1.59 0.146 0.140 2.18 2.17 193 190.1 0.79 0.77 22.50 22.50 1.32 1.21 HOLDING FIRMS 0.495 0.480 58.3000 56.6500 23.05 22.70 6.78 6.77 0.248 0.245 0.260 0.250 799.5 791.5 8 7.95 13.48 13.04 0.242 0.240 1384 1365 6.96 6.83 71.25 69.25 6 5.9 5.2 5.2 7.43 7.24 0.7 0.68 14.48 14.26 0.63 0.63 4.91 4.7 6.2 5.5 3.4 3.99 0.0400 0.0320 1.750 1.580 2.6 2.6 61.45 60.40 876.00 867.00 83.500 81.000 0.3400 0.2900 0.2090 0.2020 0.270 0.220 PROPERTY 7.500 7.390 0.72 0.69 0.249 0.238 38.05 37.70 3.46 3.42 5.47 5.32 5.6 5.6

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

73.7 110.00 97.70 46 2.49 1.73 15.92 20 1.77 845.00 92.95 18.06 68.65 93.95 306.8 41.8 164.5 1500.00 60.20 3.15

0.07 -0.63 0.46 0.66 3.75 -6.49 -0.25 -1.23 1.72 -0.59 2.14 0.33 -0.07 0.11 0.00 0.36 -0.06 0.00 -1.31 0.00

15,020 2,647,970 901,190 5,200 34,000 3,000 8,400 1,441,900 117,000 60 4,680,280 7,000 300,520 120 220 179,900 720,630 130 12,390 11,000

45 1.05 2.02 10.5 18.9 28 57 2.36 1.51 11.52 18.960 9.20 7.71 9.98 1.65 11.64 25.6 83.55 13.74 13.90 5.96 200.00 10.26 58.00 24.85 24.5 6.42 292.80 4.10 4.71 9.09 3.88 2.06 2.68 4.22 1.97 6.55 171 1.64 0.144 2.17 193 0.77 22.50 1.32

1.12 0.96 6.88 0.00 2.16 1.08 -1.64 8.76 2.72 -0.69 -0.42 0.66 0.92 0.81 -7.30 -2.18 0.79 0.00 -0.87 0.43 -0.67 2.67 2.40 0.09 -0.40 0.41 1.10 -0.41 5.13 1.07 0.00 -0.26 2.49 4.28 -0.47 -0.51 4.80 1.18 -1.20 -2.04 -0.46 1.58 -2.53 -0.44 -2.22

1,525,200 30,000 5,925,000 400 66,000 249,600 170 12,752,000 426,000 147,700 3,936,800 1,352,000 12,043,800 82,600 6,000 36,700 3,548,100 1,186,760 36,900 2,900 319,200 415,380 585,800 15,570 862,000 51,000 23,400 335,170 1,000 225,000 1,685,800 999,000 594,000 21,267,000 255,000 170,000 9,200 1,770 11,000 1,900,000 812,000 2,018,740 639,000 100 20,000

0.485 58.3000 23.00 6.78 0.248 0.250 798 7.95 13.48 0.240 1383 6.85 69.55 5.9 5.2 7.36 0.68 14.36 0.63 4.91 5.99 3.7 0.0360 1.740 2.6 60.95 875.00 81.300 0.3300 0.2090 0.250

1.04 2.28 2.22 0.44 0.00 0.00 0.63 -0.38 1.97 1.27 -0.07 0.74 0.51 17.30 2.36 2.08 -1.45 0.00 -3.08 2.29 2.39 0.00 16.13 10.13 0.78 0.74 -0.11 -3.90 -4.35 1.95 -7.41

2,630,000 1,380,520 4,504,000 17,800 150,000 50,000 273,050 1,985,300 4,539,500 30,000 63,205 3,100 2,254,490 400 300 1,733,700 8,000 9,773,200 200,000 39,134,000 500,700 14,000 9,800,000 45,515,000 43,000 95,230 380,280 1,400 1,880,000 580,000 1,180,000

7.400 0.72 0.238 38.00 3.42 5.42 5.6

0.00 0.00 8.18 0.40 -0.58 0.18 -11.11

432,900 126,000 30,000 12,121,100 651,000 153,900 103,800

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

Close

High

Low

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

1.44 0.201 0.69 0.97 2.22 2.1 1.8 4.88 0.180 0.470 27 8.54 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 7.56 1.62 8.59

0.79 0.083 0.415 0.83 1.15 1.42 1.27 2.75 0.090 0.290 23 2.69 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 3.38 0.83 5.73

Century Property 0.87 Crown Equities Inc. 0.133 Cyber Bay Corp.

0.445 Empire East Land 0.870 Global-Estate 1.21 Filinvest Land,Inc. 1.84 Interport `A’ 1.30 Megaworld Corp.

5.07 MRC Allied Ind. 0.115 Phil. Estates Corp.

0.3200 Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry 24.00 Primex Corp.

7.35 Robinson’s Land `B’ 27.35 Rockwell 1.7 Shang Properties Inc. 3.39 SM Prime Holdings 19.42 Sta. Lucia Land Inc. 0.75 Starmalls 7.2 Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. 0.880 Vista Land & Lifescapes 6.550

1.15 0.75 1.12 -1.15 1.65 1.63 2.31 1.18 -4.35 -1.56 -2.08 -2.18 0.37 0.00 -0.59 4.02 0.00 0.00 -1.14 1.53

1,780,000 180,000 1,370,000 44,000 629,000 17,895,000 684,000 37,517,400 1,270,000 110,000 700 5,800 4,993,400 62,000 52,000 14,800,400 252,000 1,000 22,000 15,828,700

10.5 66 1.44 1.09 14.88 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 12.3 7.67 1700 2720 8.41 119.5 0.017 0.8200 2.2800 12.28 3.32 2.53 3.2 95.5 1 2.46 15.2 0.62 1.040 22.8 4 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1 11.6 0.85 2.95 10 0.490 1.9

1.97 35.2 1 0.63 10.5 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 10.14 4.8 830 1600 5.95 102.6 0.011 0.041 1.200 6.5 1.91 1.01 1.95 3.1 0.650 1.8 6 0.335 0.37 14.54 2.28 79 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55 7.59 0.63 1.71 5 0.315 1.14

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

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

DFNN Inc. FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. 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 NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

Paxys Inc. Phil. Seven Corp.

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

Yehey

-0.96 3.28 0.00 1.56 -1.52 0.78 -2.17 0.00 0.35 4.94 2.46 -1.05 0.78 1.75 3.64 0.00 -3.27 0.00 -1.06 -3.45 -5.80 -4.76 -1.51 0.00 0.00 0.00 -9.86 -9.00 -3.70 0.00 -7.26 0.00 2.49 4.48 0.00 0.27 0.20 -0.82 -1.52 -10.05 0.00 1.49 0.00

48,100 15,490 3,000 75,000 44,600 17,112,527 4,670,000 2,208,000 349,330 3,300 200 70 79,635 123,900 660,070 13,900,000 3,530,000 80,000 42,300 668,000 6,000 400,000 1,100 55,000 28,000 2,107,000 280,000 234,000 400 5,000 1,920 231,200 152,420 14,231,000 47,111,000 621,400 1,889,170 663,300 2,055,000 25,000 2,024,900 30,000 4,000

0.0098 5.45 17.24 25 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 3.06 0.020 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9 0.016

0.0043 1.72 6.47 9.43 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.013 0.014 3.240 18.96 2.11 1.54 0.012 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67 0.0100

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

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

TA Petroleum United Paragon

-3.85 -1.92 6.17 1.04 0.00 0.00 0.29 -1.78 -1.56 -0.44 0.00 0.00 0.30 1.28 2.95 1.98 0.00 2.33 0.00 2.04 0.00 0.70 0.00 -9.00

133,000,000 30,000 1,812,400 -2,093,374.00 8,400 398,000 7,000 9,700 21,177,000 -819,920.00 440,000 2,050,000 1,800,000 500,000 526,000 -372,590.00 1,937,300 -25,860,495.00 3,576,000 -113,260.00 60,000 1,200,000 36,000 383,200 -583,462.00 1,303,000 -18,180.00 11,800,000 -15,000.00 149,670 -10,516,143.00 198,200 400,000

70 553 525 12.28 111 1047 76.9 78.95 84.8

33 490 500 6.5 101 1011 74.2 74.5 75

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PF Pref 2 SMC Preferred A SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C

0.00 0.57 0.19 -1.75 0.00 0.09 -0.07 -0.23 0.06

600,400 200 2,310 1,045,000 17,510 5,950 130,560 8,060 84,090

-733,042.00 -7,920.00

6.98

0.8900 LR Warrant

-2.81

34,000

12,304,670.00 1,345,520.00 -117,203.00

10.96 15 88 12.88

2.4 3.5 13.5 5.95

-2.86 -1.09 0.60 0.54

1,116,300 4,100 120 1,042,300

-33,850.00

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

0.32

107,280

61,750.00

972,432.50 -169,089,290.00 -7,345,892.00

68,800.00 -5,951,275.00 42,250.00 121,165,798.50

0.89 0.87 0.88 0.134 0.131 0.134 0.450 0.440 0.450 0.870 0.860 0.860 1.24 1.21 1.23 1.90 1.84 1.87 1.35 1.32 1.33 5.15 5.05 5.13 0.114 0.110 0.110 0.3250 0.2900 0.3150 23.55 23.50 23.50 7.2 7.19 7.19 28.30 27.35 27.45 1.7 1.65 1.7 3.39 3.27 3.37 20.20 19.42 20.20 0.75 0.74 0.75 7.2 7.2 7.2 0.880 0.870 0.870 6.670 6.550 6.650 SERVICES 6.27 6.38 6.21 6.21 61 63 61.5 63 1.13 1.13 1.13 1.13 0.640 0.650 0.630 0.650 13.2 13 13 13 9.01 9.19 9.00 9.08 0.0920 0.0910 0.0900 0.0900 3.95 4.02 3.95 3.95 85.2 86 85 85.5 9.51 9.98 9.5 9.98 6.50 6.66 6.66 6.66 950 949.5 940 940 2570 2648 2560 2590 6.29 6.40 6.20 6.40 110 114 110 114 0.011 0.011 0.010 0.011 0.214 0.214 0.205 0.207 1.3000 1.3000 1.2700 1.3000 9.40 9.30 9.19 9.30 2.90 2.89 2.74 2.80 1.38 1.30 1.30 1.30 2.10 2.00 2.00 2.00 49.75 49.00 46.00 49.00 0.660 0.660 0.660 0.660 2 2 1.97 2 6.01 6.24 6.01 6.01 0.355 0.320 0.300 0.320 0.500 0.500 0.455 0.455 18.9 18.2 18.08 18.2 3 3 3 3 124.00 124.00 114.00 115.00 19.00 19.00 18.50 19.00 2810.00 2880.00 2820.00 2880.00 0.670 0.730 0.670 0.700 1.200 1.220 1.190 1.200 37.10 37.50 37.00 37.20 73.85 76.95 73.85 74.00 9.78 9.77 9.68 9.70 0.66 0.66 0.65 0.65 1.89 1.7 1.7 1.7 5.32 5.33 5.29 5.32 0.335 0.340 0.335 0.340 1.500 1.530 1.500 1.500 MINING & OIL 0.0052 0.0050 0.0050 0.0050 2.60 2.55 2.55 2.55 6.48 6.91 6.48 6.88 13.48 13.62 11.16 13.62 0.93 0.96 0.93 0.93 0.78 0.78 0.76 0.78 6.90 6.92 6.70 6.92 1.69 1.7 1.65 1.66 0.320 0.320 0.310 0.315 0.229 0.232 0.228 0.228 0.0130 0.0130 0.0130 0.0130 0.0140 0.0140 0.0140 0.0140 3.37 3.48 3.38 3.38 23.5 24 23.5 23.8 3.73 3.9 3.75 3.84 2.0200 2.0600 2.0600 2.0600 0.0120 0.0120 0.0110 0.0120 4.30 4.40 4.27 4.40 6.16 6.3 6.16 6.16 1.96 2.020 1.950 2.00 0.015 0.015 0.014 0.015 142.10 144.00 142.00 143.10 10.8 11.08 10.74 10.8 0.0100 0.0091 0.0091 0.0091 PREFERRED 62.95 63 62.85 62.95 523 526 526 526 529 530 530 530 1.14 1.14 1.12 1.12 110.5 110.5 110.5 110.5 1054 1055 1054 1055 75.55 75.5 75.3 75.5 85.3 85.1 85 85.1 89 90 89 89.05 WARRANTS & BONDS 3.920 3.930 3.760 3.810 SME 10.5 10.5 10.16 10.2 6.45 6.38 5.5 6.38 66.5 66.9 58 66.9 11.06 11.16 11 11.12 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 123.8 124.2 123.4 124.2

106,150.00 -396,050.00 -16,097,340.00 -619,630.00 -27,131,079.00

13,402,410.00

MST

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

SHARES 11,269,108 76,598,421 128,969,747 111,125,359 102,215,331 182,806,323 615,254,419

15,067,409.50

-675,525.00 -32,310,078.00 105,250.00 -403,593.50

12,068,660.00 -3,060.00 4,735,990.00 -297,318.00

-777,200.00

975,720.00 -17,469,838.00 -7,407,711.00 -27,835,117.00 365,785.00

-24,194,820.00 -6,546,273.00

16,573,173.00 113,480.00 -1,805,325.00 -254,975.00

32,828,722.00

830,770.00 560,974.00 135,760.00 511,030.00 -21,940.00 495,220.00

15,900.00 17,280.00 -21,800.00 17,585,851.00 -129,330.00

36,135,354.50 26,616,530.00 -17,628.00

-10,393,100.00 10,754,476.00 9,694,148.00 21,943,065.00

69,975,352.00 -5,704,223.00

7,479,118.00

39,577,130.00 46,600.00

3,219,040.00 -75,400.00 -4,397,127.50 -172,514,940.00

Double Dragon Makati Fin. Corp.

IRipple E-Business Intl Xurpas

T op g ainerS VALUE 1,008,449,025.084 1,180,947,358.00 1,504,681,605.88 1,235,261,636.02 1,084,993,835.16 140,237,075.74 6,190,845,239.484

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,749.83 (up) 6.99 INDUSTRIAL 11,639.88 (up) 119.88 HOLDING FIRMS 6,816.66 (up) 52.75 PROPERTY 3,077.05 (up) 45.46 SERVICES 2,117.65 (up) 40.89 MINING & OIL 13,773.08 (up) 132.59 PSEI 7,643.33 (up) 91.77 All Shares Index 4,371.02 (up) 38.32 Gainers: 97 Losers: 71; Unchanged: 37; Total: 205

81,335,688.00

-54,943,010.00

-65,000.00

-15,880.00 -1,370,223.50

-32,612,900.00 39,460,906.00

372,908.00

-9,567,293.00

46,500.00

12,400.00 -1,479,854.00 122,829,370.00 35,000.00 23,503,160.00 -11,072,755.00 -65,995,402.50 -444,753.00 -1,333,000.00 537,970.00

-9,059,256.00

-211,000.00 172,140.00

5,386,292.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Keppel Holdings `A'

5.9

17.30

Cebu Prop. `A'

5.6

Pacifica `A'

0.0360

16.13

Transpacific Broadcast

1.7

-11.11 -10.05

Prime Orion

1.740

10.13

MG Holdings

0.320

-9.86

Crown Asia

2.36

8.76

United Paragon

0.0091

-9.00

Arthaland Corp.

0.238

8.18

NOW Corp.

0.455

-9.00

Alsons Cons.

2.02

6.88

Zeus Holdings

0.250

-7.41

Atlas Cons. `A'

6.88

6.17

Euro-Med Lab

1.65

-7.30

Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

4.10

5.13

Phil. Seven Corp.

115.00

-7.26

Centro Esc. Univ.

9.98

4.94

Bright Kindle Resources

1.73

-6.49

Roxas Holdings

6.55

4.80

Lorenzo Shipping

1.30

-5.80

THURSDAY: JUNE 25, 2015

B3

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

8990 pegs rates for P9-b bonds

By Jenniffer B. Austria

LOW-COST housing developer 8990 Holdings Inc. has set the final rates for the planned P9-billion bond sale, according to one of the underwriters handling the transaction.

BDO Capital & Investments Corp. president Eduardo Francisco said in a mobile message Wednesday the interest rate for the five-year bonds was pegged at 6.21 percent per annum and that of the seven-year and 10-years bonds at 6.13 percent and 6.87 percent, respectively.

The offering period will start next week.

The final rates are on the high end of indicative rates earlier given by the company.

8990 Holdings earlier set the indicative rates for the five-year bonds in 2020 at 5.4944 percent to 6.244 percent per annum, seven-year bonds maturing in 2022 at 5.4378 percent to 6.188 percent per annum and the 10year bonds maturing in 2025 at 6.121 percent to 6.8705 percent a year.

8990 Holdings on Monday obtained the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission to issue P5 billion worth of fixed rate bonds with an option to increase it by another P4 billion in case of strong demand from investors.

The bonds will be listed with Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp.

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.

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

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.

8990 Holdings has been rapidly expanding in several parts of the country.

PLDT-Smart advocacy. PLDT-Smart Foundation and Smart Communications Inc. signed an agreement with C & E Foundation, Inc. to

help integrate the Central Visayan Institute Foundation-Dynamic Learning Program into the K to 12 curriculum. Shown after the signing of the agreement are (from left) Maximo Gomez, CEFI chief executive; CVIF principal Marivic Carpio-Bernido; CVIF president Chris Bernido; CEFI president and former DepEd Undersecretary Isagani Cruz; PSF president Esther Santos; Smart head of education programs Stephanie Orlino; and CEFI acting executive director Anna Marie de Castro.

Stock market surges; PLDT, SM Prime rally THE stock market jumped Wednesday on confidence Greece will finally hammer out a bailout reform deal with creditors and avert a default.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index surged 91.77 points, or 1.2 percent, to 7,643.33 on a value turnover of P6.2 billion. Gainers beat losers, 97 to 71, with 37 issues unchanged.

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., the biggest telecommunications firm, rallied 2.5 percent to P2,880, while Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-largest lender in terms of assets, climbed 2.1 percent to P92.95.

SM Prime Holdings Inc., the biggest property company, advanced 4 percent to P20.20, while Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which is into the toll road, electricity and water distribution, and hospital businesses, gained 2.3 percent to P4.91.

Alliance Global Group Inc. of tycoon Andrew Tan rose 2.2 percent to P23.

The rest of Asian markets rose for a third straight day Wednesday, with Tokyo hitting an 18-year high, With expectations high that a last-minute agreement will be reached, the euro resumed its downward spiral against the dollar as traders turned their attention to a possible US rate rise and European monetary easing.

Tokyo climbed 0.28 percent, or 58.61 points, to 20,868.03, its best finish since December 1996.

In late trade Shanghai had piled on more than two percent for a second straight day after plunging more than 13 percent last week.

Analysts said the market is benefiting from the release of cash that had been tied up for a recent batch of initial public offerings.

Hong Kong advanced 0.22 per-

cent in the afternoon.

Sydney was flat, adding 2.5 points to close at 5,686.8, and Seoul was 0.21 percent, or 4.33 points, higher at 2,085.53.

Global equity markets are on a roll this week after Greece at the weekend submitted bailout proposals that were welcomed by creditors.

Eurozone finance ministers will meet Wednesday to work on details of the new plan, before a full European Union summit is held the day after.

However, Greece’s leaders-elected on an anti-austerity platform--cautioned they had to get any agreement through parliament, with some members of the ruling party claiming red lines on some issues such as tax had been crossed.

Greece must unlock billions of euros in aid before a June 30 deadline to repay an International Monetary Fund debt. It

if fails it will default, with some warnings it could be ejected from the EU. Markets appear to have taken the view that an agreement in Greece “is a foregone conclusion,” Ric Spooner, chief market analyst in Sydney at CMC Markets, told Bloomberg News.

“Markets have now focused back on what they were focusing on prior to real concerns developing about Greece, and that is the adjustment for the potential for higher interest rates.”

On Wall Street Tuesday the Dow added 0.13 percent and the S&P 500 nudged up 0.06 percent.

The Nasdaq put on 0.12 percent to end at another record for a second day in a row.

And in Europe, Athens rose more than six percent, adding to a nine percent gain Monday.

There were also advances in Paris, Frankfurt, London, Lisbon, Rome and Madrid. With AFP

LT Group to spend P10b this year, still bullish on beer, tobacco LT GROUP Inc., the listed holding company of beer and tobacco tycoon Lucio Tan, is spending close to P10 billion this year as the company remains optimistic despite continued challenges affecting the cigarette and beer businesses.

“We are optimistic that this year will be better than the previous year. The economy is still growing at six percent and I think we are in the areas and businesses where we can take advantage of that growth,” LT Group president Michael Tan said in an interview after the an-

nual shareholders’ meeting held at Century Park Hotel in Manila Tuesday.

Tan said the problems of the tobacco business had not been resolved, but recent developments pointed toward a more positive outlook that would lead to a level playing field, and enable Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. to improve its earnings.

“We are happy that there is progress with the implementation of tax stamp and increased monitoring. Hopefully with help

of government agencies, we could extend this issue and put it to the stop,” Tan said.

Tan said the company’s tobacco business, due to the proliferation of illicit cigarettes, had been a drag to the conglomerate’s financial performance in the past two years.

“We have seen positive developments so hopefully we can turn it into positive results,” Tan said.

Competition in the distilled spirits business remains intense, aggravated by higher raw material costs.

Tan said a more focused mar-

keting strategy backed by intensified selling activities would help to expand volumes and boost the profitability of Tanduay Distillers Inc. The conglomerate is facing even tougher competition in the beverage segment, with the entry of more foreign brands.

LT Group said Asia Brewery Inc. would continue to capitalize on the growing young adult population and the higher purchasing power in specific segments to meet the changes in consumer preferences

through product innovation, while continuing its program toward cost improvement.

Tan said Eton Properties Philippines Inc. would remain cautious and selective, and would develop existing projects as well as leasing business.

“Eton is aware of the possibility of overheating in some segments of the residential sector, and is mitigating the risk by increasing its recurring income base, although at a gradual pace,” LT Group said.

Jenniffer B. Austria

B4

Women farmers. The Agriculture Department recognizes the role of women farmers in achieving food security and stabilizing rural economy. Luzviminda Oropesa of Catanduanes (third from left) emerged as the national winner. The other finalists are (from left) Cresencia Marudo-Tuiza of Calamba City (fifth place), Jesusa Rarangol of Isabela (fourth place), Nelly Seletaria-Arangali of Butuan City (second place), Annie Muyco-Bajade of South Cotabato (third place), and Lourdes Abad of Misamis Oriental (also fifth place). With them are Agriculture Undersecretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat (fourth from left) and Philippine Commission on Women chair Remedios Rikken (fifth from left).

Glencore sells Tampakan stake GLENCORE Plc. of Switzerland said Wednesday it sold its 62.5-percent stake in Tampakan copper-gold project in Mindanao to an affiliate of Indophil Resources NL. It did not identify the buyer of the stake, but Indophil, an Australian company, is now owned by Alsons Prime Investments Corp. of the Alcantara group.

Glencore said its subsidiary had executed a share sale agreement with an affiliate of Indophil Resources to sell Glencore’s remaining stake in the Tampakan project.

Glencore had a 62.5-percent stake in the Tampakan copper-gold project while Indophil held the remaining 37.5 percent.

Alsons completed the acquisition of Indophil in January 2015.

The Swiss resource company said the share sale agreement included “a number of conditions” which must be completed before June 30.

It said more details would be released once the completion date had passed.

Sagittarius Mines Inc., a joint venture between Glencore and Indophil, is developing the Tampakan project, which is said to be one of the world’s largest undeveloped coppergold deposits.

The long-delayed Tampakan project is being opposed by the provincial government of South Cotabato, because of the SMI’s plan to undertake open-pit mining. The project is held under a contract to the Philippine government.

Early estimates showed the Tampakan project had a global resource of 2.94 billion tons, containing 15 million tons of copper and 17.9 million ounces of gold at a 0.2 percent copper cut-off grade.

Aside from developing the mine, Alsons Consolidated Resources Inc. was also interested in building a 400-megawatt power

plant that will power the copper-gold project.

Alsons Energy Development Corp., a unit of Alsons Consolidated, was selected by Sagittarius Mines Inc., the mine operator, as the preferred power generation supplier of the Tampakan mine.

Alsons Energy earlier proposed put up an $892-million dedicated coal-fired power plant to support the power needs of the Tampakan mining project.

The copper and gold mine straddles the town of Tampakan in South Cotabato and Kiblawan in Davao del Sur. The government expected the developers of the project to spend $5.9 billion in developing the mining project.

A project feasibility study, completed in 2010 and submitted to the Philippine government, showed the project would be both technically and financially viable, generating significant taxes and royalties for the government. The project received an environmental compliance certificate in 2013. Anna Leah E. Gonzales

PH among countries best prepared for change THE Philippines outranked several large economies in terms of their capacity to thrive in the face of unprecedented change such as financial shocks or natural disasters, results of a global study show.

Professional services company KPMG International said the Philippines ranked No. 33 among 127 countries in the 2015 change readiness index, which measures the capacity to prepare for and respond to accelerating change brought about by everything from natural disasters and economic and political shocks, to long-term trends such as demographics and new technologies.

KPMG, which teamed up with Oxford Economics to produce the report, said despite of its lowincome status, the Philippines ranked higher than several advanced economies.

The Philippines, Indonesia, and Cambodia are lower-income countries that all ranked in the

top 50 in the index, it said.

“The Philippines in particular exemplifies the importance of change readiness,” Trevor Davies, executive director for the International Development Assistance Services center of excellence of KPMG International said in a statement.

“Much of the country was devastated by typhoon Haiyan in 2013, but the Philippines’ effective policies and institutions have enabled it to persevere, and it is projected to be one of the world’s fastest growing economies in 2015,” Davies said.

The Philippines received a score of 0.61 to rank No. 33 in the world. Singapore, the highestranked nation received a score of 0.84 while Chad was at the bottom of the least with a score of 0.23.

The Philippines outranked other Asian nations such as Thailand at No. 34; Indonesia, No. 43

and China, No. 45. It also placed higher than bigger economies such as Spain, Mexico, South Africa and Brazil.

Singapore, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Norway and the United Arab Emirates topped the ranking. The United States ranked No. 20.

KPMG said since 2012, the change readiness index has evolved to become a key tool that provides reliable, independent and robust information to support the work of governments, civil society institutions, businesses and the international development community.

The release of the index comes as United Nations member states prepare to adopt sustainable development goals in September that will help guide policies for the next 15 years.

“The CRI shows that there are no absolutes when it comes to change readiness,” said Timothy

Stiles, global chair for International Development Assistance Services of KPMG International.

“A country’s wealth is certainly a contributing factor, but many countries compensate for lesser wealth with robust governance, a strong social foundation, and a positive business environment,” Stiles said.

“A revealing trend from this year’s CRI is that countries with higher scores for more inclusive economies tend to perform better in the index, while conversely, income inequality tends to be associated with low change readiness,” said Stiles.

“In fact the nine countries ranked highest for inclusive growth are all in the top 15 of the Index. It sends a clear message that policies promoting inclusive growth can help countries be more equipped to manage inevitable change,” he said.

Roderick T. dela Cruz

BSP seen keeping policy rates unchanged

By Julito G. Rada THE Monetary Board, the policy-making body of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is expected to keep the policy interest rates unchanged during its meeting today, two foreign banks said Wednesday.

“We expect it to keep the reserve repo [overnight borrowing] and special deposit accounts rates at 4 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively. We acknowledge the near-term bias towards easing, but believe the central bank is comfortable with current trends,” Standard Chartered Bank said in a report.

ING Bank Manila said it also expected Bangko Sentral to keep the current policy stance, given the manageable inflation environment.

“BSP-MB is likely to keep policy settings steady at this Thursday’s monetary policy meeting. BSP Governor has been clear that there is no compelling reason to move policy settings either way,” ING Bank Manila senior economist Joey Cuyegkeng said in a report.

Cuyegkeng said inflation was expected to remain low but would steadily rise in 2016 closer to mid-point of the 2 percent to 4 percent inflation target.

“Domestic demand will remain strong and could receive a boost with better government performance which so far has turned out well from February to April,” he said.

He said inflation and volatility remained the major risks to policy which kept Bangko Sentral on its toes.

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

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

B5

Single investment body pushed

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

THE government should reform the tax incentive regime in the country and establish a single promotion agency to handle all foreign and local investments, government think tank Philippine Institute for Development Study said Wednesday.

“I’d rather have one [incentive giving body] for efficiency and consistency. They [foreign investors] better talk to one for uniformity of procedures and standards,” Philippine Institute for Development Studies president Gilberto Llanto said during the launching of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development 2015 World Investment Report Wednesday.

Llanto said unlike other Southeast Asian countries with only one incentive giving body, locators in the Philippines had to talk to different incentive promotion agencies.

“Secondary is that locators do some forum shopping because

there are different investment granting bodies, so they try to extract the most,” he said.

He said to attract more foreign investors, the government tended to give more incentives resulting in higher tax responsibilities for its people.

The government currently has seven investment promotion agencies, including the Board of Investment, Clark Development Corp., Philippine Economic Zone Authority, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan, BOIAutonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao and Cagayan Economic Zone Authority.

The UNCTAD report showed the Philippines was among the ninth largest foreign direct investment recipient in East and Southeast Asia last year, after attracting $6 billion worth of foreign direct investments.

China remained the top recipient of FDIs in 2014, with inflows of $129 billion, followed by Hong Kong with $103 billion. Singapore received $68 billion; Indonesia, $23 billion; Thailand, $13 billion; Malaysia, $11 billion; and Vietnam, $9 billion.

“Outward FDI from developing economies increased by 23 percent in 2014, to $468 billion. In contrast, net investment by developed countries was flat, primarily because a large expansion in cross-border mergers and acquisitions by some developed country multinational enterprises was offset by large divestments by others,” UNCTAD said in the report.

“FDI outflows from transition economies fell by 31 percent to $63 billion as natural-resourcesbased MNEs, mainly from the Russian Federation, reduced their investment abroad,” it said.

Best budget airline. AirAsia has been named the world’s best low cost airline and Asia’s best low cost airline for the seventh consecutive year during the Skytrax World’s Airline Awards held at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget. Shown receiving the award are AirAsia Group chief executive Tony Fernandes (second from left) and AirAsia Philippines chief executive Joy Caneba (third from left).

Biggest waste-to-fuel plant opens in Pasig

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales THE country’s largest refuse derived fuel facility opened in Pasig City Wednesday.

The RDF facility, operated by IPM Construction & Development Corp., can process about 600 tons of trash a day, equivalent to Pasig city’s daily trash collection.

About 25 percent to 35 percent of the processed waste becomes alternative fuel while the remaining organic waste is transferred to sanitary landfills.

The facility runs by mechanically segregating waste and selecting garbage with high-thermal value.

The solid waste is shred, pelletized and wrapped into bales for use as alternative fuel in cement plants, particularly those of the LaFarge Group in the Philippines.

IPM, the garbage collector of Pasig City, said the facility addressed serious concerns on increasing municipal solid waste and disposal.

The RDF facility also complies with the waste diversion requirement of Republic Act No. 9003 or Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

The facility is 60-percent owned by Basic Environmental Systems & Technologies Inc., a subsidiary of listed Minerales

Industrias Corp. and 40-percent owned by Lafarge Industrial Ecology International of France.

IPM, meanwhile, will operate and manage the RDF processing facility.

“This is the largest RDF facility in the Philippines to date.

We’re proud to be partners of Pasig City, MMDA and LaFarge in this pioneering endeavor to save the environment by reducing our dependence on fossil fuel,” IPM president and MIC treasurer Isabelita Mercado said.

The co-processing of RDF from municipal solid wastes for cement plants is an environmentfriendly technology used in many countries.

5 insurance firms abandon steel plant I NDUSTR I A LIST Abeto Uy has found out that trusting his steel ma nu facturing business to insurance companies is ironically a risky affair.

Abeto, whose steel companies pioneered several manufacturing technologies in the Philippines, has sued five insurance firms for refusing to pay his group’s claim, after a fire destroyed the cold mill plant of unit Steel Corporation of the Philippines in Munting Tubig, Balayan, Batangas province on Dec. 7, 2009.

Charged before a regional trial court of Makati City were Mapfre Insular Insurance Corp., Philippine Charter Insurance Corp. (now known as Charter Ping An insurance Corp.), Asia Insurance Philippines Corp., New India Assurance Co. Ltd. and Malayan Insurance Co. Inc. Abeto, chairman of the Philsteel Group of Companies, could not comprehend the actuations of the insurance companies, despite an independent investigation confirming no foul play on the fire incident. His insurers are respected in the industry and have built a reputation of trust.

Malayan Insurance, for one, is a member of the Yuchengco Group of Companies, while Mafre Insular counts Mapfre of Spain and Insular Life Assurance Co. Ltd. of the Philippines as its owners.

Court documents showed a fire razed the SCP plant in 2009, destroying the cold mill equipment worth $33.8 million. The accident also caused business interruption losses amounting to $8 million.

The Balayan cold mill plant, along with the rest of its manufacturing facility, was valued at $216 million.

Adjusters Crawford & Company Philippines Inc., BA Insight International Inc., with international forensic experts Forensic Services Inc., International Recovery Services Inc., and Standard Insurance Co., acting as part of the panel of insurers, conducted an ocular inspection at the fire scene and damaged cold rolling mill and recognized SCP’s claims.

SCP actually requested six insurance companies, including Standard Insurance, to either pay for the burned cold rolling mill or replace it. The six did not heed SCP’s request, forcing Abeto to originally file a case in Batangas City.

Withn the case being heard in Batangas City, Standard Insurance of investment banker and sportsman Ernesto “Judes” Echauz, SCP’s sixth insurer, attested to the fire accident and paid the company the amount of $5.025 million in May of 2014, representing 12 percent of the pooled policy.

The five other insurers refused to pay their share of $29.8 million plus business interruption of $8 million, prompting SCP to file another case in Makati.

Paging the Insurance Commission SCP has also filed a complaint against the five insurance firms with the Insurance Commission in May for the continued non-payment of the balance of its claims.

The Insurance Commissioner can impose sanctions against the five that have not honored their commitment to pay the claim for damages incurred by SCP. He can suspend or revoke the licenses of erring companies found to have violated the Insurance Code.

Abeto, meanwhile, is confident he will win his case in court after Standard Insurance bolstered his claim. The long delay in the payment of insurance or rebuilding of the cold steel mill facility in Balayan town has displaced a number of workers and their families and halted the business operations of SCP. SCP is a pioneering registered company with the Board of Investments and the only steel firmthat qualified under Republic Act No. 7103, or the Iron & Steel Industry Act. It is one of the companies owned by Philsteel Holdings Corp., which produces cold rolled steel, the raw material used for innovative technology for galvanization, called Galvalume, that applies a protective zinc and aluminum coating to steel sheets, to prevent rusting and extend their life.

The holding company also owns Philippine Steel Coating Corp., Philmetal Products Inc., Steelframe Philippines Inc. and Philsteel Ventures Inc. Abeto is credited with contributing to the development and modernization of the local iron and steel industry. He formed SCP in response to the government’s call for a private sector-led integration of the middle to downstream sector of the local steel industry, one of the linchpins of industrialization.

E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or extrastory2000@gmail.com or business@thestandard.com.ph

THURSDAY: JUNE 25, 2015

B6

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

Republic of the Philippines Office of the President NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION (PAMBANSANG PANGASIWAAN NG PATUBIG) Region 8, Tacloban City Office Address: Website:

NIA Road, Marasbaras Tacloban City, Philippines www.nia.gov.ph

Telefax No. (632) 323-7596 TIN 000-916-415

INVITATION TO BID No. 11-2015 The National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Region 8, Marasbaras, Tacloban City through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), hereby invites Domestic Contractors, registered with and classified by the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB), to bid for the hereunder contracts. Bids received in excess of ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

Item/Description

Approved Budget for Contract (Php)

Duration

1. BIP Contract #01-2015 - Construction of Concrete Canal, Canal Structures, Terminal Facilities & Service Road of Basey Irrigation Project, Basey, Samar

31,558,980.45

270 cd

2. BIP Contract #02-2015 - Construction of Concrete Canal, Canal Structures, Terminal Facilities & Service Road of Basey Irrigation Project, Basey, Samar

20,283,142.86

210 cd

3. ElP Contract #03-2iH5 - Construction of Concrete Canai & Canal Structures of Basey Irrigation Project, Basey, Samar

20,770,497.73

210 cd

4. BIP Contract #04-2015 - Construction of Concrete Canal, Canal Structures & Terminal Facilities of Basey Irrigation Project, Basey, Samar

16,458,620.03

190 cd

The Prospective Bidders should have completed, within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project whose value must be at least fifty percent (50%) of the ABC. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of republic Act 9184 (R.A. 9184), otherwise known as the “Government procurement Reform Act”.

Prospective Bidders are not allowed to participate if they have negative slippage in their on-going contracts. Individuals with Special Power of Attorney (SPA) are not allowed to transact and participate in the procurement utilizing another construction firm. The pre-bid conference shall be open only for those who have purchased the Bid documents. No more sale of bid documents after pre-bidding conference in order for the bidders to submit a highly technical and educated bid.

The schedule of BAC activities are as follows: BAC Activities

Schedule

Time

Issuance of Bid Documents

Starting June 11, 2015

2.

Pre-bid Conference

June 19, 2015

10:00 a.m.

3.

Receipt and Opening of Bids

July 03, 2015

2:00 p.m.

1.

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The BAC will issue a complete set of Bidding Documents to eligible bidders from the address above and upon payment of non-refundable amount of P25,000.00 for package no. 1, 20,000 for package no. 2 & 3 and P15,000.00 for package no. 4 to the Cashier..

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

(SGD.) GLORIA A. SEVILLA BAC Chairman

Noted: (SGD.) ROMEO G. QUIZA Regional Manager

Bakers face suit for profiteering

By Othel V. Campos

THE Trade Department said Wednesday it will ask the National Bureau of Investigation to file criminal charges against flour millers and bread makers found to be profiteering from low wheat prices in the world market.

Trade undersecretary for consumer protection Victorio Dimagiba said in news a briefing the Trade Department wanted to prevent a similar situation from happening again.

“All told, we do this to reduce the price of flour and bread. And we want to make sure that these industries will be more responsive during similar times in the future,” he said.

Dimagiba said the administrative case of simple query by the Trade Department on flour and bread prices was expected to progress into a criminal case once the data were transferred to the NBI. The Trade Department will meet with NBI on Friday to submit all the data collated from flour

Security sales of the washy kind

(TS-JUNE 25, 2015)

Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE

Roxas Boulevard Corner Pablo Ocampo, Sr. Street Manila 1004

InvItatIon to BId for the Replacement of Various Air Handling Units and other A/C Devices, 8th floor, EDPC Building 1.

The Department of Finance (DOF), through the Supplemental Appropriations for FY 2014 under Republic Act 10652, intends to apply the sum of EIGHT MILLION EIGHT HUNDRED THIRTY FIVE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED SEVENTEEN AND 11/100 PESOS (PhP 8,835,317.11) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Replacement of Various Air Handling Units and other A/C Devices, 8th Floor, EDPC Building. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2.

The DOF, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), now invites Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) registered suppliers to apply for eligibility and to bid for the Replacement of Various Air Handling Units and other A/C Devices, 8th Floor, EDPC Building. Bidders should have completed, within three (3) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project which is equivalent to fifty percent (50%) of the ABC for the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

3.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) No. 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

However, only those who have purchased the Bidding Documents shall be allowed to participate in the pre-bid conference and raise or submit written queries or clarifications.

4.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens, sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA No. 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

5.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the BAC Secretariat and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hours.

6.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on June 25, 2015 up to July 14, 2015 8:00 AM from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Ten Thousand Pesos (Php 10,000.00).

The Bidding Documents may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the PhilGEPS and the website of the DOF, provided that the Bidders shall pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

7.

The DOF will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on July 2, 2015, 10:00 a.m. at the DFG Conference Room, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

8.

The schedule of bidding activities is as follows: ACTIVITIES Schedule Advertisement/Posting of Invitation to Bid June 25, 2015 Issuance and Availability of Bid Documents Starting June 25, 2015 Pre-Bid Conference July 2, 2015 , 10:00 AM Request for Clarification July 4, 2015 (thru e-mail) Issuance of Supplemental Bid Bulletin July 7, 2015 Deadline for Submission of Bids July 14, 2015 , 9:45 AM Opening of Bids July 14, 2015 , 10:00 AM Bids must be delivered to the BAC Secretariat, General Services Division 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex P. Ocampo Sr., Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila on or before July 14, 2015, 9:45 am. The bidders shall drop their duly accomplished eligibility requirements, technical and financial proposals in two (2) separate envelopes in the bid box located at the abovementioned address. All the bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in the Instructions to Bidders (ITB) Clause 18.

9.

10. Bid opening shall be on the date indicated above at the DFG Conference Room, 4th Floor DOF Building. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend.

“LATE BIDS SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED” 11. The DOF reserves the right to accept or reject any and all bids, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: Ms. Lilia R. Tan, Head- BAC Secretariat Department of Finance BAC Secretariat, General Services Division 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex P. Ocampo Sr., Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila Telephone N.: 526-8475 Telefax No.: 525-4227 Email Address: ltan@dof.gov.ph/rudrez928@gmail.com.

SGD. GIL S. BELTRAN Undersecretary and DOF- BAC Chairman (TS JUNE 25, 2015)

millers and bakers, he said.

“And our recommendation is for the NBI to file criminal charges on companies found to have profited considerably due to their refusal to reduce the price of flour and bread,” said Dimagiba.

He said there were three possible charges the government might file against the companies, including profiteering on the part of the supplier who, in this case, are the flour millers; profiteering on the part of buyers or bakers; and collusion of both parties.

Based on the data collated by the Consumer Protection Group, 11 out of 16 flour millers responded to the letters sent by the group while seven of 12 bakers responded to the inquiry.

The government has yet to hear from Gonzalo & Sons Inc./Philippine Flour Mills, Delta Milling Industries Inc., Morning Star Milling Corp., Asian Grains Corp. and North Star Flour Milling Corp.

Data showed that those who responded to the Trade Department’s query, only Pilmico Foods Corp., Universal Robina Corp. and RFM Corp. reduced flour prices by 1 percent to 6 percent.

Among the baking companies that have not yet responded to the demand letter by CPG are Julie’s Bakeshop, The French Baker Inc., MLM Foods Inc., Tristan Jay Bakeshop and Michel’s Bread and Butter Bakery.

(Continued from Tuesday) FROM the Securities Regulation Code definition of ‘wash sales’ it can readily be seen why the Code prohibits such securities transactions. According to the Code, a person who engages in ‘wash sales’ “makes a bid, offer or dealing that has the effect, or is likely to have the effect, of creating a false or misleading appearance of active trading in a security, or with respect to the market for, or the price of, the security.” Furthermore, according to the Code, a person who “engages in transactions in which there is no genuine change in actual ownership of a security, taking into consideration internal control systems adopted by the firm to prevent manipulative practices” is a person engaged in ‘wash sales’.

Do the 28 transactions performed by DBP’s Treasury Department fall within the Securities Regulation Code’s definition of ‘wash sales’? The report of the office of the Commission on Audit’s resident auditor stated that the P14.3 billion worth of transactions involve DBP sales to and buybacks from a single counter party, First Metro Investment Corp., the investment banking arm of the Metrobank Group. No “genuine change of actual ownership” of the securities resulted.

Considering that the transactions were backand-forth transactions often performed on the same day, the public at large wants to know how the nation’s largest development financing institution came to incur a loss of P172 million.

Apparently the securities were sold and bought back (1) at the same price and (2) on the same day. How, the nation wants to know, could a loss as enormous as a P172 million have been incurred?

Any finance textbooks states that ‘wash sales’ are illegal, and therefore prohibited, because they distort open-market dynamics, artificially increasing the trading volume of the transacted securities, even when there is no resulting real change in beneficial ownership, and that ‘wash sales’ distort benchmark market interest rates— especially for illegal securities—in the process

misleading unsuspecting third-party financial institutions into thinking that large transactions were executed at a given publicly-accepted price or interest rate.

One needs no degree in finance to appreciate the effect on securities market—particularly on prices and interest rates—of two parties’ selling to and buying back, on the same day and at the same price, securities that are illiquid or losing value.

The Filipino people want to know, and rightly so, what made DBP decide to engage in a securities operation that resulted in so large a loss to an institution regarded as possessing a great deal of financial savvy. Necessarily, they also want to know the details—especially any commissions paid—of the arrangement between DBP and FMIC. In its defense DBP stated (1) that if it had done nothing, it would have lost approximately P10.7 billion by the end of 2014, (2) that it took trading opportunities that offset the P172 million trading loss and resulted in a 2014 net trading gain of P420 million, which contributed to its 2014 net income of P4.6 billion and (3) that if it had lost P10.4 billion, its capital would have been so impaired that it would have fallen short of the internationally agreed Basel III capital requirement and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ capital adequacy ratio.

There is a very large gap between an actual loss of P172 million and an estimated loss of P10.7 billion. The people of this country will want a plausible explanation for the gap.

Finally, it has been suggested in some quarters—and I echo the suggestion—that the DBP should have bitten the bullet and simply discussed with the BSP its securities-portfolio management problem. Chances are that BSP would have adopted an understanding attitude.

After all, securities values do not exist in a vacuum.

Whatever the outcome of the various inquiries that are being conducted into the DBP-FMIC transactions, one thing is clear.

In the management of its securities portfolio, DBP should henceforth stick to practices and procedures that are not violative of the Securities Regulation Code and BSP regulations.

E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

t H u r s D aY : J u n e 2 5 , 2 0 1 5

WORLD

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

B7

New laws aimed at terrorists SYDNEY—Dual nationals who help terrorists could automatically lose their Australian citizenship even if they have never stepped foot out of the country under new laws introduced to parliament on Wednesday.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton introduced legislation to amend the Citizenship Act as fears grow about the number of Australians fighting with jihadist groups and concern about the threat at home from radicalized individuals.

It specifies three mechanisms

and a series of grounds which could lead to an Australian, even if born in the country, being stripped of their citizenship.

They include a person convicted of a terrorist act by an Australian court and anyone found to be engaged in terrorist activity.

It also extends an existing provision covering fighting for the armed forces of a country at war with Australia to also cover fighting for a terrorist organization.

There are currently 20 such groups on Canberra’s list of terrorist organizations.

“This bill emphasizes the central importance of allegiances to Australia into the concept of

citizenship,” Dutton said in introducing the legislation.

“Citizenship is to be treasured. It’s a common bond that unites us all, whether we were born here or chose to make Australia our home.

“The world has changed so our laws should change accordingly,” he added.

Dutton said citizenship could be lost for not only engaging in terrorist acts but providing or receiving training linked to terrorism, as well as recruiting or financing for jihadist groups.

But he stressed that no one would lose citizenship unless they were also a national of another country as this would

Innocent man to get $6.25m NEW YORK—New York authorities on Tuesday agreed to pay $6.25 million compensation to an innocent man who spent nearly 25 years languishing in prison for a murder he did not commit.

Jonathan Fleming, 53, walked free in April 2014 when his conviction was overturned by the Brooklyn district attorney after spending nearly half his life behind bars.

He had been found guilty of the August 1989 shooting of a friend despite being with his family in Orlando, Florida, at the time of the murder.

“Mr. Fleming spent nearly half of his life behind bars for a crime that evidence available at the time proved he could not have committed,” said New York city comptroller Scott Stringer.

“We cannot give back the time that he served, but the city of New York can offer Jonathan Fleming this compensation for the injustice that was committed against him.”

Fleming went to hospital to see his dying mother after signing the settlement, his lawyers Paul Callan and Martin Edelman said.

“The swift settlement will enable Jonathan and his family to build a new life without the painful and costly prospect of further litigation,” they said in a joint statement.

In an interview with the Guardian last year, Fleming said he sat on his prison bed and cried for 10 minutes when he was told he was free.

He walked out of jail with just $93 and the clothes on his back, forc-

ing him to move from hotel to hotel, or stay with friends and family while he looked for work.

“I feel that I do deserve to be compensated,” he told the Guardian in a video interview. “Be-

cause at the end of the day, when it’s all said and done, everyone sees that I am innocent.”

Fleming had a Florida hotel receipt dated August 14, 1989, and time stamped at 9:27 pm, four hours before Dar-

B A N G KO S EN T R A L

NG

ryl Rush was killed in Brooklyn, around 1,600 kilometers away.

Fleming’s sentence is one of dozens that is being re-examined by a special unit in Brooklyn headed by a Harvard law professor. AFP

render them stateless and be in violation of the UN Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

“Automatic loss of citizenship will be triggered whether the conduct takes place inside or outside Australia,” he added.

“The loss of citizenship will be immediate, upon the person engaging in the relevant conduct.”

It was initially planned that Dutton himself would have the power to take away citizenship, without trial or conviction, but this has been dumped after advice that it would be unconstitutional.

He will now only inform people of their fate after advice NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC

Notice to the Public

BE IT KNOWN THAT JAY-MAR BUILDERS owned by CECILIA V. MANANSALA has changed its business name on August 5, 2013 and is now JAYMAR BUILDERS with principle address at 1432 Newton Street, Brgy. San Isidro, Makati City.

SeedWorks India Pvt. Ltd. Philippine Representative Office with office address at 1775 Gov. San Luis Rd. Brgy. Puypuy, Bay, Laguna has filed its petition to the Securities & Exchange Commission for the withdrawal of its license to operate in the Philippines. ( T S - J U N E 18 , 2 5 - J U LY 2 , 2 015 )

(TS JUNE 25, 2015)

B A N G KO S EN T R A L

P I LI PI N AS

NG

P I LI PI N AS

SECURITY PLANT COMPLEX BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE

SECURITY PLANT COMPLEX BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE

INVITATION TO BID

INVITATION TO BID

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), through its Bids and Awards Committee-Security Plant Complex (BAC-SPC), invites bidders to apply for eligibility and to bid for the hereunder requirement: Requirement/ Brief Description

One (1) lot Gold Plating Services of 45,000 pcs Papal Visit Commemorative Coin (Nordic Gold; Diameter – 34 mm, Thickness – 2.3 mm), per BSP Supplied Scope of Work

Approved Budget for the Contract

PhP6,525,000.00, VAT inclusive

Staggered Delivery Schedule

• 5,000 pcs – within 15 calendar days from receipt of 1st set of coin metals by the awardee • 5,000 pcs – within 30 calendar days from receipt of 1st set of coin metals by the awardee • 5,000 pcs – within 45 calendar days from receipt of 1st set of coin metals by the awardee • 5,000 pcs – within 60 calendar days from receipt of 1st set of coin metals by the awardee • 5,000 pcs – within 75 calendar days from receipt of 1st set of coin metals by the awardee • 5,000 pcs – within 30 calendar days from receipt of 2nd set of coin metals by the awardee • 5,000 pcs – within 45 calendar days from receipt of 2nd set of coin metals by the awardee • 5,000 pcs – within 60 calendar days from receipt of 2nd set of coin metals by the awardee • 5,000 pcs – within 75 calendar days from receipt of 2nd set of coin metals by the awardee

1. Bidders should have completed from Y2010 to present a contract similar to the requirement. The Eligibility Check/Screening and Preliminary Examination of Bids shall use non-discretionary “pass/fail” criteria.

2. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorship/partnerships/, or organizations with at least sixty (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grants similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), through its Bids and Awards Committee Security Plant Complex (BAC-SPC), invites bidders to apply for eligibility and to bid for the hereunder requirement: Requirement /Brief Description

Supply and Delivery of 1,600 rolls Film Shrink Wrap, per BSP Technical Specifications and Other Requirements

Approved Budget for the Contract

PhP3,476,000.00, VAT inclusive

Delivery Period

Activities

Schedule/Location

a.

Issuance of Bid Documents

Starting 24 June 2015 (from 9:00 A.M. to 2:00 P. M. only) Department of General Services, Rm. 405, 4th Floor, Bldg. A, BSP, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Tel. No. 926-2575 / Fax No. 927-8457

b.

Pre-bid Conference

03 July 2015 at 9:00 A.M. Rm. 401, BAC-SPC Conference Room, 4th Floor, Bldg. A, BSP, East Avenue, Diliman, QC

c.

Opening of Bids

17 July 2015 at 2:00 P.M. Rm. 401, BAC-SPC Conference Room, 4th Floor, Bldg. A, BSP, East Avenue, Diliman, QC

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

5. The pre-bid conference shall be open to interested parties. However, only those who have purchased the bidding documents shall be allowed to participate in the pre-bid conference and raise or submit written queries or clarifications. Technical/administrative representatives should attend the pre-bid conference to ensure completeness and compliance of bids. Attendance of representatives will be limited to two (2) personnel only.

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

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

Sgd. NANETTE A. ELLA Chairperson

The delivery of items shall be staggered as follows: 400 rolls – 30 calendar days from receipt of a copy of the executed Purchase Order 400 rolls – 30 calendar days after receipt of 1st delivery 400 rolls – 30 calendar days after receipt of 2nd delivery 400 rolls – 30 calendar days after receipt of 3rd delivery

1. Bidders should have completed from Y2010 to present a contract similar to the requirement. The Eligibility Check/Screening and Preliminary Examination of Bids shall use non-discretionary “pass/fail” criteria.

2. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorship/partnerships/, or organizations with at least sixty (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grants similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens.

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

Activities

Schedule/Location

a.

Issuance of Bid Documents

Starting 24 June 2015 (from 9:00 A.M. to 2:00 P. M. only) Department of General Services, Rm. 405, 4th Floor, Bldg. A, BSP, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Tel. No. 926-2575 / Fax No. 927-8457

b.

Pre-bid Conference

03 July 2015 at 9:00 A.M. Rm. 401, BAC-SPC Conference Room, 4th Floor, Bldg. A, BSP, East Avenue, Diliman, QC

c.

Opening of Bids

17 July 2015 at 2:00 P.M. Rm. 401, BAC-SPC Conference Room, 4th Floor, Bldg. A, BSP, East Avenue, Diliman, QC

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

( T S J U N E 2 5 , 2 015 )

from security agencies, with anyone targeted having an automatic right of review to the Federal and High courts.

The laws will be examined by a parliamentary committee on intelligence and security with the Labor opposition generally supportive of the changes.

The committee will also look into whether the legislation, if passed, could be retrospectively applied to take into account dual nationals currently in jail on terrorism convictions.

About half of the 120 Australians that the government believes are fighting with jihadist groups in the Middle East are dual nationals, Canberra has said. AFP

4. The bidding documents are posted at the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the BSP Website (www.bsp.gov.ph). Prospective bidders may download the bidding documents from any of these websites; provided that bidders shall pay a non-refundable fee PhP5,000.00 at the address above prior to, or upon submission of their bids.

5. The pre-bid conference shall be open to interested parties. However, only those who have purchased the bidding documents shall be allowed to participate in the pre-bid conference and raise or submit written queries or clarifications. Technical/administrative representatives should attend the pre-bid conference to ensure completeness and compliance of bids. Attendance of representatives will be limited to two (2) personnel only.

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

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

( T S J U N E 2 5 , 2 015 )

Sgd. NANETTE A. ELLA Chairperson

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

B8

cESAR bARRioqUiNTo EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

world

Anti-migrant stance criticized VIENNA—Austria on Wednesday blasted a decision by neighboring Hungary to suspend the application of a key EU asylum rule as “unacceptable” and warned of “negative” consequences.

“Austria cannot tolerate that,” Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz told his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto in a telephone call, a day after Budapest announced it was opting out of a rule requiring a migrant’s claim be processed in the EU country they first arrive in.

Hungary cited the influx of migrants for its decision, with a government spokesman declaring “the boat is full.”

“We all wish for a European solution, but we need to protect Hungarian interests and our population,” spokesman Zoltan Kovacs told Austrian media.

The EU reacted by demanding Budapest urgently clarify its decision.

Hungary received more asylum-seekers per capita than any other EU country apart from Sweden in 2014, up to nearly 43,000 from just 2,000 in 2012.

The tide of arrivals has surged further this year, with 60,000 migrants entering Hungary so far this year, according to government figures.

Many try to continue on to other European states but under the EU’s so-called Dublin III regulation those countries can return asylum seekers to Hungary to have their application processed there.

Hungary, which has taken an increasingly tough stance on immigration, says it has “exhausted the resources at its disposal” to accept further asylum-seekers.

Austria is the country most affected by Budapest’s move, with most of the migrants on its territory arriving either from Hungary or Italy.

AFP

Three-day visit. Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II inspects an honor guard with German President Joachim Gauck at the Bellevue Palace in Berlin on June 24. The queen is in Germany for a three-day visit, and her agenda includes a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and a visit at the former Nazi concentration camp Bergen-Belsen. AFP

Formal sentence for bomber BOSTON—A US federal judge will formally sentence Boston bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to death at a court hearing Wednesday when the 21-year-old former student will be offered the chance to speak.

The ex pot-smoker of Chechen descent, who came to the United States as a child and took citizenship in 2012, kept silent throughout his trial, which ended with the jury sentencing him to death on May 15.

Victims and their relatives are

expected to address the court Wednesday. Judge George O’Toole will then officially hand down the sentence, reached unanimously by the 12-person jury.

Tsarnaev expressed little emotion throughout his 12-week trial despite harrowing testimony and grisly video footage.

Neither has he expressed any public remorse, although a prominent Catholic nun, Sister Helen Prejean, who visited him in jail said that he did to her.

“No one deserves to suffer like they did,” she quoted him as saying.

The April 15, 2013 double bombings at the Boston Marathon were one of the worst assaults on American soil since the

September 11, 2001 attacks.

Carried out by Tsarnaev and his older brother Tamerlan, the bombs killed three people and wounded 264 others, including 17 who lost limbs, near the finish line at the northeastern city’s popular marathon.

It took the jury more than 14 hours to choose death rather than life imprisonment for Tsarnaev on six counts.

It was a stinging defeat to the defense, who argued for a “lost kid” who would never have committed such horrors without being manipulated by his older brother.

The brothers went on the run and killed a police officer, before Tamerlan was shot dead

and Tsarnaev arrested, four days later.

He was found, injured, in a grounded boat on which he had scrawled a bloody message defending the attacks as a means to avenge the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Only three out of the 12 jurors said he acted under Tamerlan’s influence or that Tamerlan directed the bombings, while only one juror determined he was unlikely to commit or incite acts of violence while serving a life sentence.

The jury also rejected the arguments from his defense team that he was the product of a chaotic family life, with a mentally ill father and his parents return-

ing to Russia in 2012.

During the trial, government prosecutors argued Tsarnaev was a remorseless terrorist who deserved to die and declared that life imprisonment would be the “minimum” punishment.

The death sentence is possible only under federal law. The state of Massachusetts outlawed capital punishment in 1947 and opinion polls had suggested residents favored a life sentence for Tsarnaev.

Tsarnaev will then be flown to either America’s only “supermax” prison, ADX Florence, in Colorado, or to the penitentiary at Terre Haute, Indiana, where male inmates sit on federal death row. AFP

Auction for Nazi-looted painting

Sister Nirmala, 81. Catholic nuns of the Missionaries of Charity pray next to the body of former superior general of the organization Sister Nirmala Joshi at the Mother House in Calcutta on June 24. Sister Nirmala Joshi, who succeeded Mother Teresa as head of her Missionaries of Charity in the eastern Indian city of Calcutta, died on June 23 at the age of 81, church officials said . AFP

LONDON—A Nazilooted painting that was hidden for decades is being auctioned by Sotheby’s Wednesday in a rare sale as investigators work painstakingly to identify the origins of hundreds of other works from the same haul.

Max Liebermann’s “Two Riders on a Beach” was found among more than 1,200 works of art in the Munich apartment of German recluse Cornelius Gurlitt when police raided it in 2012, capturing global attention.

The 1901 oil painting, which is expected to fetch up to ￡550,000 (766,000 euros, $625,000), is the first from the Gurlitt collection to be auctioned off.

“The challenge is to go through the provenance of every single picture in this collection,” Sotheby’s director Bernhard Brandstaetter said.

“It is a lengthy process to establish where a picture comes from, when it was bought and so on,” he said, describing the collection as “probably the most sig-

nificant find in the last 30 years”.

Richard Aronowitz, European head of restitution for Sotheby’s, described the Liebermann painting as a “scene of great tranquility and joy in nature,” adding: “This counterbalances the great sadness and trauma of the work’s history.”

Wednesday’s auction also includes a Gustav Klimt portrait lost to Jewish owners during the Nazi regime that is being sold after the resolution of a dispute between the descendants of the artist and

the subject.

The painting is estimated to go for up to ￡18 million.

Helena Newman, Sotheby’s co-head of impressionist and modern Art, described it as “one of his finest portraits to appear at auction in over 20 years.”

David Toren, one of several heirs of the Liebermann painting, was just 13 when he saw the picture being taken by the Nazis from the estate of his great-uncle David Friedmann in 1938, the day after Kristallnacht. AFP

T H U R S D AY : J U N E 2 5 : 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 ALMUSAL (Oil on canvas 2014)

BAGUIO (Oil on canvas, 2014)

MOTHER OF PERPETUAL HELP (Oil on canvas, 2013)

FLOWERS 7 (Acrylic on board, 2015)

GARDEN 9 (Acrylic on board, 2015)

IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY (Acrylic on canvas, 2014)

FLOWERS 1 (Acrylic on board, 2015)

FLOWERS 3 (Acrylic on canvas, 2015)

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE (Acrylic on canvas, 2013)

FLOWERS 10 (Acrylic on board, 2015)

CHARITY THROUGH ART Philippine-Italian Association stages a fund raising exhibition of Fernando Sena paintings

T

wo pillars of charity and art promotion have come together to raise funds for a religious missionary community.

The Philippine-Italian Association, a non-profit organization focused on strengthening the ties between Philippines and Italy through culture and the arts, stages a fund raising exhibition titled “The Servants of Charity – In All Things... Love” for the benefit of Guanella Home for Special Children.

Guanella Home is operated by the Servants of Charity and run by Italian missionaries that the association has been helping.

For the event, PIA fittingly picked a Filipino artist who has dedicated his life to sharing his knowledge in art and painting to others. The fund raising exhibition brings together Fernando Belen Sena’s most soughtafter suite of works, from botanical panoramas and picturesque vistas to religious iconography, portraiture and daily life.

Sena, who is dubbed as “The Father of Philippine Art Workshop,” devoted himself to free art classes for the underprivileged and those who have the desire to learn.

Armed with a Bachelor of Fine Arts major in Painting degree at the University of the East and the belief that a painter showcases his masterpieces and shares his knowledge

JESUS THE NAZARENE (Acrylic on canvas, 2014)

FLOWERS 4 (Acrylic on board, 2015)

STO. NIÑO 2 (Acrylic on canvas, 2013)

to the public, Sena has been conducting free art workshops in Tondo, Smokey Mountain, Sapang Palay, Carmona, Malabon and other places as far as Tabaco, Albay. He established advocacy groups such as the Kabataang Tondo Art Group and Art Discovery and Learning Foundation.

Sena is currently the president of the Art Discovery and Learning Foundation, Inc., which implements free art workshops for public school teachers, inmates and cancer patients.

In recognition of his noble efforts, the City of Manila honored him as “Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan” and was named one of the “Ten Outstanding Manilans” in 1979.

But more than being a respected and selfless teacher, Sena is also a renowned artist whose work has been exhibited in the Philippines, Germany, Belgium and China.

Through his paintings, Sena will be helping the 107-year-old Catholic missionary community Servants of Charity (Guanellians) that was founded in Italy. The congregation was established in the country in June 1989.

In All Things… Love will be on view at The Peninsula Manila, 3rd floor Gallery from July 4 to 12, 2015. This event is supported

by The Peninsula Manila, Rustan’s, Rustan’s Marketplace and Galleria Duemila.

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THURSDAY : J UNE 25 : 2015

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

HEARTBREAKINGLY COMICAL Goethe-Institut features a series of tragicomedies

A lot of people are under the impression that films from Germany are “typically German”: cold, conventional and overly intellectual. The GoetheInstitut tries to break this stereotype with its latest film series of German tragicomedies entitled Heartbreakingly Comical.

Every Wednesday until July 8, the Goethe-Institut will be screening three tragicomedy movies in its premises for free. Tragicomedy films are interplays of the sad and the funny, wherein the tragic elements are softened by humor and tragedy breaks the humorous.

These modern German tragicomedies may be funny, but they tell very real stories. “Hotel Lux” is a daring parody on Hitler and Stalin, combining the seriousness of history’s reality with the comedic exaggeration of the two historical personalities. “Kirschblüten – Hanami” is a sad yet uplifting story about selfless love – a poetic and humorous journey into one’s self.

Heartbreakingly Comical is the newest series of Wednesday Movie Nights, a permanent feature of the Goethe-Institut Philippinen. The screenings feature a wide range of German movies of various themes and issues. They are shown in German with English subtitles. The screenings will take place every Wednesday evening at 6:00 pm at the 4th Floor, Room 3 of Goethe-Institut Philippinen. Admission is always free and the film showings are open to everybody – Viewers get free drinks and some chips, too!

HOTEL LUX

Director: Leander Haussmann, color, 103 min., 2010/11 July 1 Berlin, 1933: Hans Zeisig and Siggi Meyer are a comedy act: At the Varieté Valetti, they do a brilliant parody of Hitler and Stalin – unperturbed by initial attempts to intimidate them. But that will not go on for much longer.

Meyer goes into hiding with the Resistance, gets caught and is taken to a concentration camp. Zeisig is forced to flee with a false passport and ends up in Moscow, in the notorious immigrants’ hotel Lux. The Soviet secret services mistake him for Hitler’s renegade astrologer; Zeisig interprets the stars for Stalin and gets caught up in the power struggle between Stalin’s schemers. Zeisig loves Frida, an underground resistance fighter from Holland, who protects him until she herself lands in trouble. In the end, a dream comes true after all: In August 1939, on the day that Hitler’s foreign minister comes to Moscow to sign the non-aggression pact between Stalin and Hitler, Zeisig, Meyer and Frida manage to flee to Hollywood.

A Tale of Samurai Cooking - A True Love Story (Bushi no kondate)

The God of Ramen (Ramen yori taisetsuna mono)

EIGA SAI 2015: FILMS THAT SHOWCASE THE FLAVORS OF JAPAN

F

ilm and food come together in the 2015 edition of the Japanese film festival, Eiga Sai. With the theme “Tasteful Japan,” the July film fest will feature the flavorful culinary world of the Land of the Rising Sun through contemporary films released in 2014.

The event, which kicks off the Philippines-Japan Friendship month in July, will showcase a variety of film genres, from comedy, historical drama and sci-fi/fantasy to feature and documentary.

Opening the film festival on July 9 (7:30 pm screening time) is the drama about the four-member Wakana family, “Our Family” (Bokutachi no kazoku) based on Hayami Kazumasa’s novel of the same title.

It follows the emotional story of the struggling family that believes a miracle can save its mother, who has been diagnosed with a brain tumor, from death.

Japan’s renowned actor Satoshi Tsumabuki gives a subtle and stirring performance as the responsible yet melancholic eldest son Kosuke.

The director of the film, Yuya Ishii will be coming all the way from Japan to grace the opening night at the Shang Complex. He is also scheduled for a Director’s Talk at the Lopez Center Studio, Ateneo de Manila University on July 10 at 3:00 pm and at the Shang Complex Cinema 2 on July 11 at 4:30 pm.

Ishii is known for the film “The Great Passage” which was selected as Japan’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards. In “Our Family,” he positively depicts the Wakanas’ fight against illness while employing a unique comedic sense and a fresh perspective towards the contemporary Japanese family.

Other films completing the Eiga Sai 2015 lineup include Wood Job! (Wood job Kamusari naa naa nichijo), a coming-of-age comedy about a city-bred person who decides on a whim to take up forestry work; Thermae Romae II (Terumae Romae II), a sequel to the live-action adaptation of Yamazaki Mari’s comic about a Roman empire bathhouse architect who travels in time to contemporary Japan to get new ideas; Parasyte (Kiseijuu), a sci-fi that depicts the friendship between a high school student and a mysterious parasite that takes over his

right hand; A Tale of Samurai Cooking – A True Love Story (Bushi no kondate), a historical drama that chronicles the internal affairs of the Kaga clan from the perspective of the talented cook who is asked to marry Funaki Dennai’s (kitchen samurai) son and heir and help him with his cooking skills.

Also to be screened are Princess Jellyfish (Kuragehime), based on Higashimura Akiko’s comic of the same name about a group of nerdy girls who meet a cross-dressing guy; Tada’s Do-It-All House: Disconcerto (Mahoroekimae kyosokyoku), the third installment in Miura Shion’s series follows the handyman duo who find themselves responsible for the care of Gyoten’s young daughter; It’s a Beautiful Life – IRODORI (Jinsei irodori), a drama about the sucess of three senior women who start up a food garnish business; PATISSERIE Coin de rue (Yougashiten koandoru), a sweet and emotional story of a cake maker’s daughter who travels to Tokyo to find her boyfriend but instead meets a former legendary pâtissier; Wa-shoku ~Beyond Sushi~ (WA-Shoku Dream), a documentary about the men who dedicate their lives to spreading Japanese food throughout the world; and The God of Ramen (Ramen yori taisetsuna mono), a heartwarming documentary about Japan’s favorite ramen house Taishoken and its owner, the Ramen legend, Yamagishi Kazuo.

All films are with English subtitles. Screening venues are at the Shang Cineplex Cinema 2 (July 9 to 19), FDCP Cinematheque, Davao (July 14 to 19), Abreeza Mall Cinema, Davao (July 24 to 26) and UP Film Institute (August 12 to 15) and Ayala Center Cinema 4, Cebu City (August 19 to 23). For detailed screening schedules and inquiries, go to www.jfmo.org.ph or call 811-6155 to 58.

Eiga Sai 2015 is presented by the Japan Foundation, Manila, in cooperation with the Embassy of Japan, Tokyo International Film Festival, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, UP Film Institute and the Film Development Council of the Philippines. It is supported by JT International (Philippines), Akira, SumoSam, Bobson, ClickTheCity.com and Eagle Broadcasting Corporation.

It’s A Beautiful Life (Jinsei Irodori)

Parasyte (Kiseijuu)

CHERRY BLOSSOMS – HANAMI (KIRSCHBLÜTEN - HANAMI)

Director: Doris Dörrie, color, 127 min., 2007/08 July 8 Rudi (Elmar Wepper) is unaware that he is suffering from cancer and only has a few weeks left to live. The doctor has only informed his vivacious, esoteric wife Trudi (Hannelore Elsner) of his diagnosis, and she decides that they should take a last holiday together. When they arrive on the Baltic coast, Trudi dies unexpectedly – and Rudi fulfills her lifelong dream of visiting Japan and seeing Mount Fuji.

For more information, please visit http://www.goethe.de/ins/ph/en/map/ ver.cfm?fuseaction=events.detail&event_id=20552521. For inquiries, please email to: program@manila.goethe.org

Tada’s Do-It-All House Disconcerto (Mahoroekimae kyosokyoku)

Patisserie Coin De Rue (Yougashiten Koandoru)

Our Family (Bokutachi no Kazoku)

THURSDAY : J UNE 25 : 2015

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

APPLE MUSIC FACES TAYLOR SWIFT-BACKED INDIE REVOLT, SWIFTLY CHANGES TUNE

BY ED BIADO Taylor Swift’s blog post explaining why she won’t be offering her 1989 album to Apple Music was all over the Internet last weekend.

In it, the music superstar revealed that “Apple Music will not be paying writers, producers, or artists for [the] three months” that the service is available on free introductory trial when it launches on June 30 until the end of September.

Essentially, the idea is that Apple is passing its customer acquisition expenses to musicians and rights owners.

And Tay Tay isn’t having any of it.

“This is not about me,” Swift wrote. “This is about the new artist or band that has just released their first single and will not be paid for its success... the young songwriter who just got his or her first cut and thought that the royalties from that would get them out of debt... the producer who works tirelessly to innovate and create... but will not get paid for a quarter of a year’s worth of plays on his or her songs.”

Apple senior vice president Eddy Cue introduces Apple Music

Pantene’s Labels Against Women

She concluded the seven-paragraph post by saying, “We don’t ask you for free iPhones. Please don’t ask us to provide you with our music for no compensation.”

Makes sense, right? (Read the whole entry on taylorswift. tumblr.com.)

This seems to have prompted Apple to revise its policy.

Through a series of tweets Sunday evening (Monday morning Manila time), Apple senior vice president Eddy Cue responded to the issue, “Apple will always make sure that artists are paid.” He clarified, “#Apple Music will pay artist for streaming, even during customer’s free trial period,” and added, “We hear you @taylorswift13 and indie artists. Love, Apple.”

Cue acknowledged “indie artists” because it’s them who are truly against Apple Music’s free-trial terms. Not many people know this because the so-called indie revolt (or boycott) is not as widely reported by mainstream media as Swift’s blog post, which is probably why none of it ever reached your Facebook feed. But prior to the policy

Taylor Swift

Gangnam Style

Let It Go

Cue responds to the issue

10 FOR 10: THE 10 MOST MEMORABLE YOUTUBE VIDEOS IN THE PHILIPPINES IN THE LAST 10 YEARS

A Charlie Bit My Finger - Again

Adele

change, independent-label organizations in major music markets worldwide have been very vocal about their opposition to the zero-royalty trial period.

US indie music trade group A2IM and the UK’s Association of Independent Music sent out memos cautioning their respective members about the implications of the deal. The Canadian Independent Music Association and the Australian Independent Record Labels Association released separate statements slamming the free model. The German Association of Independent Music Companies penned an open letter to Apple seeking an explanation and a reconsideration of the contract terms. Its French counterpart wrote a similarly worded open letter.

The Beggars Group, a consortium of four of the world’s most prominent indie labels (4AD, Matador, Rough Trade and XL Recordings) – whose roster includes Adele, The xx, Vampire Weekend, The White Stripes, and Grimes – likewise refused the terms.

decade ago, the most common place where people flocked to satisfy their thirst for audiovisual content was in front of the television set. The more channels one had, the more freedom there was to choose what one could watch. Thus, content was also limited by the number of channels available. But since YouTube’s launch 10 years ago, Filipinos’ watching behavior has changed. We are living in the golden age of online content with the amount of variety that’s become available, with more than 300 hours of videos uploaded on YouTube every minute.

As YouTube celebrates its 10th year, we look back at how Filipinos have consumed videos over the past decade, and what types of content have become most memorable.

In the Philippines, content ranging from groundbreaking music videos to short viral videos that made people laugh and tugged at their heartstrings have become memorable, if not iconic. In a country like ours influenced by Western culture, who would have thought that K-Pop would become so popular with Psy’s Gangnam Style leading the trend? This became the first YouTube video to reach one billion views and has been the most-watched video globally since its upload in 2012. I Got A Boy, a hit from another K-Pop sensation, Girls’ Generation, won Video of the Year at the YouTube Music Awards in 2013 and is another one of the most memorable YouTube videos for Filipinos, even if we can’t speak the language.

Filipino content creators won’t be left behind, though, as they produced videos that captured the local viewers’ fancy.

Abra’s tongue-in-cheek music video Gayuma and the equally hilarious, though slightly cringe-worthy amateur rap video Dota o Ako both went viral the first few weeks they were uploaded in 2012 and 2011, respectively. Apart from witty

rap songs, Filipinos are drawn to love songs like Nasa Iyo Na Ang Lahat by heartthrob singer and actor Daniel Padilla and Ikaw by Yeng Constantino. Ikaw is not just another love song, but a video peppered with candid shots of Yeng and her fiancé – an authentic romance that Filipinos could not get enough of. For Filipinos, authenticity is really important in a world with massive variety of content.

More often than not, children, too starred in those memorable videos, such as ABS-CBN’s Christmas Station ID for 2014 Thank You, Ang Babait Ninyo, performed by The Voice Kids Top 4. Another iconic video, commonly referred to as just ‘Charlie bit my finger’ or ‘Charlie bit me’, Charlie bit my finger - again! captured our hearts in 2007 with the cute toddler duo’s adorable brotherly antics. While not starred by kids, Disney’s Frozen soundtrack Let It Go has become one of the most loved by Filipinos, young and old. Its sing-along version is considered one of the most memorable videos on YouTube, which is not surprising considering that it has also become one of the most globally recorded Disney songs.

Apart from entertainment, meaningful content are also noteworthy and unforgettable. At a time when more and more women are rising to lead in businesses, Pantene Philippines’ Labels Against Women commercial inspired international discussion for its message against double standards in the workplace. The video empowered women with the taglines ”Don’t let labels hold you back” and “Be strong and shine.” Such was the impact of this video that even women of power such as Sheryl Sandberg praised the Pantene ad.

Clearly, the past 10 years have shown a diverse set of our most memorable videos, which reflects the massive variety of content that’s available to us. They also show the richness of Filipino choices when it comes to media consumption.

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T H U R S D AY : J U N E 2 5 : 2 0 1 5

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

The Lanao del Norte Cultural Dance Troupe at the Lanao del Norte booth showcases Maranao ornaments and kulintang decorated with okir in their performance

Lanao del Norte Tourism Officer Minda Regis

Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, Jr. with SM senior vice president for Marketing Millie Dizon at the opening ceremonies

PASUNDAYAG 2015: A glimpse of Northern Mindanao

L

ike its diverse topography of plains, forests, mountains, hills and coastal areas, the culture of Northern Mindanao – composed of the provinces of Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, and Misamis Occidental – offers a colorful tapestry of history and heritage.

Blessed with abundant natural resources, Northern Mindanao offers a lot of opportunities for adventure seekers with outdoor activities such as white water rafting, snorkeling, hiking and trekking.

Kapampangans and other residents of Central Luzon had the rare opportunity to have a glimpse of the rich culture, pomp, and pageantry of Northern Mindanao during the recent Pasundayag expo held at SM City Clark.

Pasundayag sa Northern Mindanao 2015 is a tourism, cultural and trade road show that aims to boost inter-regional tourism. Pasundayag, a Bisayan term which literally means a presentation

of products or traditions, became a venue for dazzling cultural performances by indigenous peoples – Umayamnon, Higaonon, the Lumads – from the area. The expo also showcased the tourist destinations and products from the different provinces that make up Northern Mindanao.

Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, Jr. graced the opening together with Department of Tourism Region II Director Ronaldo Tiotuico.

Local officials from Northern Mindanao including Lanao del Norte Representative Imelda Quibrazan Dimaporo, Vice Governor Ma. Christina Atay and Mayor Roberto Lagrosas of Monticao, Misamis Oriental were also on hand to help showcase the rich heritage of their region, known as the most peaceful in Mindanao.

SM Clark is the latest SM Mall to host Pasundayag sa Northern Mindanao. Earlier events were held at SM City Cagayan de Oro, the SM Mall of Asia, and SM City Iloilo.

An Umayamnon weaver from Gardens of Malasag Eco-Tourism Village

The Bukidnon State University Cultural Dance Troupe

Glitz and glam with Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (2014) Glitz and glam with Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (2014)

Our Our Historic Historic Romance Romance with with Theater Theater

By Gener ApAlit

By Gener ApAlit

heater is arguably one of heater is arguably of the most importantone forms the entertainment most important forms of that has entertainment has provenofinstrumental in that shaping proven instrumental in shaping Philippine history. Even before Philippine Even in before the Spanishhistory. occupation the the Spanish in the country, earlyoccupation dwellers resorted country, early drama dwellers resorted to indigenous in imitating to indigenous dramait in imitating life and translating into art via life andand translating rituals dance. it into art via rituals andthe dance.

When Spaniards arrived, When the Filipinos wereSpaniards initiated arrived, in the Filipinos zarzwela were initiated in the comedy, and senaculo, comedy, zarzwela and senaculo, which the Spaniards utilized which the Christianization.

Spaniards utilized to promote In to promote Christianization.

In present times, sub-forms such present times, such as oraciones andsub-forms declamaciones as oraciones and declamaciones are still practiced religiously by are still practiced traditional folks. religiously by traditional folks.

The Spaniards also introThecomedy Spaniards introduced to the also Philippines duced comedy to the Philippines as a colonization tool.

One of as aearliest colonization tool.

One of the staging’s of Spanish the earliest of Spanish comedy wasstaging’s Francisco Vicente comedy tributary was Francisco Puche’s work inVicente honor Puche’s tributary work in honor of Cebu’s first bishop 1598. of Cebu’s firstofbishop in 1598.

Today, traces this form can Today, traces in of the thisannual form Mocan still be found still befestivals found inofthe annual Moriones Marinduque. riones festivals of Marinduque.

During the latter years of the Duringoccupation, the latter years of the Spanish zarzwela Spanish theoccupation, zarzwela became main medium of thebecame main medium of theater and the Philippine drama started aterevolve. and Philippine drama started to Even national hero to evolve. hero Jose Rizal Even pennednational a zarzwela Jose Rizal penned a zarzwela entitled Junto al Pasig in 1880. entitled the Junto althe Pasig in 1880.

During time, construction During theZorilla time, the of Teatro in construction 1893 paved of Teatro in 1893 paved the way forZorilla many artists to showthe way many artists to showcase theirforproductions. caseIntheir productions.

1905, the contribution 1905, the contribution of In drama to Philippine history of dramaevident to Philippine history became as transcribed became evident as transcribed in the works of Arthur Stanley in the works of Arthur Stanley Riggs, an American writer, ediRiggs, American editor, andan historian whowriter, annotated tor, and historian who English translations of annotated six plays English translations of six plays during the American regime. during the American regime.

Luhang Tagalog, and Kahapon, Luhang Tagalog, Ngayon at BukasandbyKahapon, Aurelio Ngayon Bukas byGinto Aurelio Tolentino;atTanikalang by Tolentino; Juan Abad;Tanikalang Hindi Aco Ginto Patay by Abad; Hindi AcoMalaya Patay by Juan Matapang Cruz; Juan Matapang by Tomas Remigio;Cruz; and Malaya Magdapio Tomas Remigio; by Pedro Paternoand wereMagdapio political

by Pedro Paterno were political

Las Vegas met Broadway with KAOS (2010) Las Vegas met Broadway with KAOS (2010)

The Filipino’s affinity with theater is an extension of our love for culture and arts. affinity with theater is an extension of our love for culture The the Filipino’s and the arts.

Classic fairytale brought to life with Cinderella Classic fairytale(2013) brought to life with Cinderella (2013) Performance art is a way for Filipinos to expressart our Performance is creativity. a way for Filipinos to express our creativity.

plays later considered to be valuplays to laterPhilippine consideredhistory to be valuable and able to Philippine history and drama. drama.

Indeed, Philippine theater has Indeed, Philippine has evolved and come a theater long way evolved andthecome long way throughout years aand even in throughout theage, yearsit has and become even in today’s digital today’s digital it has become one of the mostage, influential medione of mostartists influential mediums forthe many to showcase ums for many to showcase their craft.

Withartists the advent of film theirtelevision, craft. With however, the adventthe of film and theand stage television, however, thepoputheater has become a less ateralternative stage has become a less popular for entertainment. lar Despite alternative for entertainment. virtually every houseDespite virtually household owning a TV every set and cinhold owning a TV set and emas being built in every mallcinall emasthe being built inthis every mallhas all over country, reality over deterred the country, thisactors realityfrom has not stage not deterred actors from honing their stage craft and keeping honing their for craft and keeping the passion theater burning thethe passion for theater burning in hopes that the masses will in theagain hopesflock that to thesee masses once plays will and once again flock to see magic plays and appreciate the innate of appreciate theater. the innate magic of Philippine Philippine theater.

Performing arts circles such arts circles such as Performing the Philippine Educational as the Philippine Theater AssociationEducational (PETA), Theater Philippines, Association Repertory (PETA), Ballet Ballet Philippines, Repertory

RWM revives ‘80s drama with ‘Bituing Walang Ningning: The RWM revives ‘80s drama with Musical’ ‘Bituing Walang Ningning: The Musical’

The Sound of Music (2011) set the the longest staging Therecord Soundfor of Music (2011) set of Broadway musical in Souththea record for the longest staging east Asia of a Broadway musical in Southeast Asia

Resorts World Manila is aiming to bring a Resorts World Manila is aiming toto bring slice of the best that theater has offera slice the on best that theater hashave to offer rightofhere our shores, so we inright here on our shores, so we have invested quite a bit fiscally and laboriously vested quite bit fiscally laboriously in making it aavenue that isand at par with the in making it a venue that is at par best theaters in the world.with the best theaters in the world.

Philippines, 9Works Theatrical, who are truly in it for the passion Philippines, 9Works Theatrical, and Full House Theater Comand Full Company, plus House smaller Theater groups such as pany, plus smaller groups such as the Teatro de Salinas of Rosario, the Teatrotodenurture Salinastheoftalents Rosario, continue of continue tostage nurture the talents promising actors.

Most of promising stage actors. Most of these groups encourage youngthese to groups youngsters delveencourage into the colorful sters toof delve the colorful world theater,into screening those world of theater, screening those

whosense are truly in it for the passion and of culture. andAlso sensecontributing of culture. significantAlso ly to the contributing resurgence ofsignificanttheater in ly to the resurgence theater in Philippine culture isofthe estabPhilippineofculture the establishment ResortsisWorld Malishment of Resorts World Arts Manila’s Newport Performing nila’s Newport Theater, which isPerforming seen as the Arts new Theater,for which is seen asmusicals the new home large-scale home for large-scale musicals

The majesty of The King and I (2012) The majesty of The King and I (2012)

thanks to the state of the art techthanks to thewhich state ofit the technology with wasart built. nology with which built. is “Resorts Worldit was Manila “Resorts World is aiming to bring a sliceManila of the best aiming to bring a slice the here best that theater has to offerof right that theater hasso towe offer right here on our shores, have investon quite our shores, so we have invested a bit fiscally and laboried quite a bit fiscally and laboriously in making it a venue that is ously making it atheaters venue that is at par in with the best in the at par with theRWM’s best theaters the world,” said ChiefinEnworld,” saidOfficer RWM’s Chief Entertainment Colin Kerr. tertainment Officer Colin Kerr.

The Newport Performing Newport Performing ArtsThe Theater not only provides Theater only the provides aArts venue that not matches level a venue that matches level of production of our the Western of productionbut of also our provides Western counterparts, counterparts, also provides an ideal venue but for bigger producan ideal venue for bigger tions.

Whereas before, a producscarcity tions.

Whereas before, a scarcity of venues resulted in fewer opof venues resulted in fewer opportunities to showcase musicals portunities to showcase musicals and plays, the Newport Performand Arts plays,Theater the Newport Performing has somewhat ing Arts Theater has somewhat resuscitated the waning interest resuscitated interest of the massesthe andwaning renewed their of the masses and renewed their interest in theater. interest theater. wherein there In a inmedium medium there areIn no aretakes, andwherein every actor’s are no retakes, actor’s movement, lineandorevery expression movement, or expression must have a line connection with his must havetheater a connection his audience, not onlywith serves audience, not only serves as a formtheater of entertainment for as a form entertainment for viewers butofprovides them with viewers but provides them with an unrivaled primal, sensory exan unrivaled sensory experience that primal, is second to none. perience second to none.

With that the iscontinuing pursuit continuing pursuit of With theaterthegroups and advocate of theater groups organizations suchand as advocate Resorts organizations such as the Resorts World Manila to uplift state World Manilatheater to uplift thecounstate of Philippine in the of Philippine theater in the try, the age-old stage nowcounhas the age-old stage to nowbreak has atry,golden opportunity a golden to break the fourth opportunity wall and rekindle the the fourth wall and rekindlewith the flame for Filipino audiences for Filipino audiences with aflame medium of entertainment that a medium our of entertainment that promotes cultural heritage promotes our cultural inheritage that was, for a moment, danger thatbeing was, forgotten. for a moment, in danger of of being forgotten.

T HUR S DAY : J UNE 25 : 2015

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

TJ Trinidad

Richard Cunanan

‘Kid Kulafu’ premieres on sKY paY-per-View Lauded by critics for outstanding performances by Alessandra De Rossi, Cesar Montano, and Buboy Villar, Kid Kulafu definitely stands at the top of the films about the Philippines’ “Pambansang Kamao.” The film has been shown in theaters around the world just before Manny Pacquiao’s match with Floyd Mayweather Jr..

Set in Pacquiao’s youth, the film chronicles the kid’s journey to boxing fame and glory. The film focuses on Pacquiao’s first boxing persona “Kid Kulafu.”

Named after the bottles of wine he used to collect for his Uncle Sardo, it served as his moniker for the fights before he rose to stardom. In this film, long-time fans will learn of Pacquiao’s past, and how his relationship with his mother, family, and friends molded the champion we know and love today.

Those who missed this in theaters now have a chance to watch it only on SKY Pay-Per-View.

Until July 15, SKYcable and Destiny Cable digital subscribers can watch the biopic in high definition – all in the comfort of their homes.

SKYcable subscribers can watch together with their family and friends via the following channels: Ch. 242 (HD) and Ch. 99 (SD) for Metro Manila, CAMANAVA, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, and Bulacan (San Jose Del Monte); and Ch. 701 (HD) and Ch. 21 (SD) for Cebu, Baguio, Iloilo, Bacolod.

Davao, General Santos, and Dumaguete. Destiny Cable subscribers can tune-in through Ch. 242 (HD) and Ch. 99 (SD).

Topper Fabregas, Roselyn Reyes, and Bart Guingona

ThE NECESSARy ThEATRE’S AWARD-WiNNiNg PLAy ON AiDS

A

ctor’s Actors, Inc.’s The Necessary Theatre is staging the Asian premiere of the Tony Award-winning play The Normal Heart, an intense drama about the struggle of an openly gay writer and activist to awaken the world to the emerging AIDS problem in the early 80s in New York City.

The Manila run opens on July 3, 8 p.m. with succeeding limited performances on July 4 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., and July 5, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati City.

Written by American playwright, LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) activist, and Gay Men’s Health Crisis founder Larry Kramer, the play follows advocate Ned Weeks as he wages a lonely fight against the indifference of the city administration, the media, the doctors, and other private individuals, especially from the gay community, to the early rise of the AIDS outbreak. The largely autobiographical play puts a human face to the crisis, which is often mired in statistics, as Ned also attempts to confront the issue personally.

Bart Guingona, who directs the local adaptation of the searing drama produced in New York, London and Los Angeles, also essays the role of the very intense Ned. Richard Cunanan plays Ned’s brother Ben, a successful and conservative lawyer whom Ned asks

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 48 50 51 52 56 60 61 63 64 65 66 67 68 69

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Ketch’s cousin 5 Flashlight carrier 10 Go kaput 14 Gaelic singer 15 Stir-fry 16 Meter maid of song 17 Vanessa’s sister 18 — renewal 19 Don Juan’s mother 20 Curious maiden 22 Workaholic’s lack 24 Brat

25 26 30 34 35 37 38 39 40 41 43 45 46

Yak Advice Facades — Kong Tenderfoots Radiate Qty. Home furnishing IRS form expert Mayberry kid Got going Flake off, as paint Harvested wool

By SEymOUR B. SANChEZ

Not to be found Flit about Cousteau’s domain Bell tower Hot sauce “It Walks by Night” author Invited Uhura’s crewmate Auto rod Kiwi language Historical periods Ticket info Wars against Carthage Soup-can flaw

DOWN 1 Shrill bark 2 Novelist — Seton 3 Hotelier Steve — 4 Stair part 5 Illegally seized 6 Name in cheesecake 7 Wheel part 8 Footnote abbr.

(2 wds.)

9 Backs out 10 Lawn game 11 Aborigine of Japan 12 Anatomical passage

THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2015

13 21 23 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 36 42 43 44 45 47 49 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 62

Loll around Mantra chants John, in Aberdeen Physics study Pizzazz Free Emulated Lorelei Meat avoider Trebek or Sajak Less green No longer fresh Really liked, man!

More gung-ho Night owl need (2 wds.)

Like Bedouins Put into words Music genre Dew glistener A word to kitty Kind of stand Gardner of mystery Hairy twin Garr of “Tootsie” Completely convinced Plaid wearers Depose “— -Tiki”

help from for funding his advocacy group. Although Ben loves his brother, he cannot seem to control his apparent homophobia from affecting his attitude toward Ned’s efforts.

Topper Fabregas portrays the role of Felix, the handsome newspaper reporter whom Ned falls in love and begins a relationship with. TJ Trinidad plays Bruce, the charming and also closeted banker, whom gay activists prefer over Ned to lead them that time. Tensions arise when Ned’s confrontational and vociferous approach comes in conflict with Bruce’s calm and cautious ways. Yet, the two must overcome their differences to achieve a common goal.

Roselyn Perez is Emma, the independent physician and researcher who is considered the most experienced authority about the strange new epidemic. An opinionated doctor and a fighter at the same time, she laments the lack of medical knowledge on the mysterious virus. The doctor prescribes abstinence from sex, pending the findings on how the disease is spread.

Red Concepcion is the funny and outrageous Southern boy Tommy, who is all the way out of the closet. Nor Domingo plays Mickey, the Jewish victim with a sense of humor. Jef Flores takes on multiple roles such as Craig, Grady and the Hiram Keebler City Hall representative.

Starting as an off-Broadway production, The Normal Heart had the gay community divided when it was first performed at The Public Theater in New York City in April 21, 1985, eventually winning a Dramatists Guild Marton Award, the City Lights Award, the Sarah Siddons Award for the best play of the year, and a nomination for an Olivier Award.

Kramer’s advocacy piece was later named one of the 100 greatest plays of the 20th century by the Royal National Theatre in 2000. It was then revived in Los Angeles and London and again off-Broadway in 2004. The play’s 2011 revival and Broadway debut, which opened in April 27 at NYC’s John Golden Theatre, got rave reviews and led to the production garnering the Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Play, Best Featured Actress for Ellen Barkin, and Best Featured Actor for John Benjamin Hickey; Drama Desk Award’s Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Director of a Play, and Outstanding Ensemble; Drama League Award’s Distinguished Revival of a Play; and Outer Critics’ Circle Award for Outstanding Revival.

The Normal Heart is produced with special arrangement from Samuel French. Ticket prices are at P1,500 orchestra center, P1,000 orchestra side and loge, and P500 balcony. For ticket inquiries, contact AAI’s TNT at 2150788 or 09175378313 or call TicketWorld at 8919999.

T HUR S DAY : J UNE 25 : 2015

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

rcM’s TV sTATIon of THe YeAr

T

from c8

he ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC), the country’s most trusted news channel, was hailed as the Television Station of the Year at the Rotary Club of Manila’s (RCM) annual Journalism Awards held recently at the New World Hotel. ANC scooped up the recognition for the second time after winning the plum for the first time back in 2010.

“We are humbled by this acknowledgement of our efforts. At ANC we always strive to be faithful to the needs of our stakeholders for different kinds of information. So this award is a big thing for the entire team. We are always evolving along with the needs of the market. So stay with us because greater things are coming,” said Nadia Trinidad, the News head of ANC. ABS-CBN also won big at the event, bringing home six out of the seven awards handed out by RCM, including Radio Station of the Year for DZMM. TV Patrol anchor Noli De Castro was awarded the Television Male Broadcaster of the Year, while Failon Ngayon and TV Patrol anchor Ted Failon was also named the Investigative Reporter of the Year.

DZMM’s Todo-Todo Walang Preno anchor Vic Lima came away with the Radio Male Broadcaster of the Year, and Radyo Patrol Balita anchor Ruby Tayag was given the Radio Female Broadcaster of the Year award.

HHHHH 2 TAMBULIs for ‘PAsAHero’ APP ABS-CBN’s commuter safety mobile app “PasaHero” bagged the Silver Tambuli for the Advocacy category and the Bronze Tambuli for the Mobile category in the recently held Asia-Pacific Tambuli Awards night.

The Tambuli awards mark “PasaHero’s” ninth and tenth recognition since it was first launched by ABS-CBN. It was also the only entry to get an award out of all the entries for mobile category.

The app, launched in Nov. 2013, aims to help people who take public transportation to go around the metro, make them able to protect themselves at all times, and to notify other commuters and the user’s trusted circle of trip details and notifications.

“We’re very happy and honored to be recognized by different award-giving bodies for our public service efforts and commitment that help us to promote our product, our app,” Boggs Labayen, digital strategist of ABS-CBN’s “PasaHero” team said.

“Our main goal in developing the app was to help people during their commute, to protect them, and give them tools to protect themselves. As of now, we have 70,000 users. We are currently evolving the app

and updating it to respond to the needs of the commuters as we plan to go beyond mobile applications and onto smart devices and the Internet,” he added.

HHHHH UnHAn, TAcLoBAn Tacloban City, a year and a half after typhoon Yolanda, revives the Sangyaw Festival to celebrate the resiliency of the Filipino people.

“We want our tourism back. We want to celebrate life with our lessons from Yolanda,” said Councilor Cristina Gonzales-Romualdez, chairman of the tourism committee, who is proud of the festival theme Tacloban: Resilient City! “Even in our tourism campaigns, we use this theme. We believe that with the help of God, our city will rise!”

The grand festival will be celebrated for a month that kicked off with a Grand Santa Cruzan on May 31 and ending with the city fiesta on June 30. Much-awaited activities are the Search for Miss Tacloban, the Parade of Lights, and the Sangyaw Awards for outstanding individuals and groups in the city.

The Parade of Lights on June 29 has always been the highlight of the Sangyaw Festival. According to Romualdez, the use of lights in the parade is symbolic. Before, it symbolized the city as the light in Region 8, with Tacloban’s status as the most progressive city in the region and the center of commerce and education.

“Today, it symbolizes that Tacloban is still shining bright despite the calamity. It is an invitation for people to visit Tacloban to encourage the city to be alive once again,” added Romualdez.

Over a million visitors is expected to join the city fiesta. Press people from Manila, political personalities, and GMA artists were invited by Romualdez to cover and grace the event.

A “Resilience Summit” will also be held, with local government officials and representatives from the academe around Eastern Visayas participating.

“The Sangyaw Festival will showcase to the world that Tacloban is beautiful and progressive even after the world’s strongest typhoon that claimed thousands of lives mostly in Tacloban in November 2013,” said Romualdez.

Last year, the city government skipped the celebrations as Tacloban was still deep into recovery from the the killer typhoon. It already reduced to half the P6 million original budget for the month- long festivities.

Romualdez said that it will be a simple celebration but beautiful and with social relevance, as it celebrates life with the people’s experiences and lessons after Yolanda.

ANC News Head Nadia Trinidad receives the award with Senator Grace Poe (right) The Silver and Bronze Tambuli of PasaHero

Tacloban City Councilor Cristina Gozales-Romualdez spearheads this year's Sangyaw Festival

TreaT DaD To Thrilling enTerTainmenT

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ll Dads deserve their own special TV time to relax and unwind. So this June, SKYcable has the kind of entertainment they will surely enjoy watching at home as we celebrate all the love and care they’ve given us through the years.

Dads can look forward to sporting events and TV series from SKYcable channels, available on the most affordable HD cable TV plan Dual Def 299, such as BTV and HBO. June is all about the NBA on BTV. Dads can relive the heart-stopping face-off between Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers

until end of the month. Those on the look-out for future NBA superstars can also watch the 2015 NBA Draft on June 26.

HBO will premiered two new comedy series this month. Dads curious to learn more about the whirlwind lifestyles and real-life problems of football players must not miss the debut of Ballers. Starring Dwayne Johnson, Carmelo Oquendo, and Annabelle Acosta, this show airs10 a.m. Mondayso with same-day 10 p.m. primetime replay.

Those looking for a darker comedy can look forward to The Brink

starring Mays Jackson, Iqbal Theba, and Stephen Wyatt Nelson that also debuted on June 22.

The show is about a fictional earth plagued with unimaginable geopolitical crises pushing all countries to the brink of a third world war. Genre fans can watch this at 10:30 a.m. with a primetime replay by 10:30 p.m. of the same day.

Dads who want more thrilling entertainment can also choose to avail of channels in High Definition (HD) through SKYcable SELECT, allowing them to watch shows that they can truly call their own.

Suspense-filled blockbusters from

Cinemax and Fox Action Movies, fast-paced sports from NBA Premium TV, Fox Sports 3, and ASN (All Sports Network), and limitless adventures from Outdoor Channel all guarantee to make Dad’s cable TV viewing more exciting.

SKYcable, the country’s leader in cable TV, offers the widest selection of premium entertainment with its over 190 channels, and top-of-theline services that allow subscribers to choose and add channels to their basic plan through SELECT, record, pause and rewind live TV through iRECORD, and watch real-time exclusive coverage of live

concerts and sporting events via PAY-PER-VIEW and FREE VIEW. To subscribe, contact SKY through mysky.com.ph or their customer service hotlines at 02-381-0000 for Metro Manila, CAMANAVA, and Rizal, 046-4844701 for Cavite, 049-534-1555 for Calamba, Binan and Sta. Rosa, Laguna, 02-520-8560 for San Pedro, Laguna, 044-693-5877 for Bulacan, 032-421-1818 for Cebu, 082-3055456 for Davao, 074-442-4841 for Baguio, 034-432-0051 for Bacolod, 033-300-1210 for Iloilo, 035-2251010 for Dumaguete, and 083-3013134 for Gen. Santos City.

T HUR S DAY : J UNE 25 : 2015

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ 2 Brillante Mendoza filM workshop nd

Fourteen original and fresh short films were shown during the event : Ugoy, Taytay, Naynay, Hangman, Mama, Pinoy Customs, Yapak, Kalakal, Premium, Tahanan, Clark, Ensay, Lapis, Last Man Standing, and Escort

Veteran actor Mr. Lou Veloso won the Best Actor Award for the film Tahanan.

ISAH V. RED

Director Brillante Mendoza with the acting and directing workshop Best Cinematography Award was received by participants. The workshop was a 10 day training for acting, directing and editing and has produced 14 new short films.

Maricel Cariaga for the short film Lapis

Best Actress Cataleya Suvio of the short film Hangman with Director Brillante Mendoza and SM SVP for Marketing Communications Group Millie Dizon.

Jayjay Medina won the Best Director and Best Editing Award for the film Taytay, Naynay.

The SM People’s Choice award went to Antonio Dimaguila, JR. for Mich Quito won the Best Film and Best Screenplay the short film Pinoy Customs by Director Brillante Mendoza and awards for the short film Tahanan.

SM SVP for Marketing Communications Group Millie Dizon.

For the participants, it was a night to remember. The second Brillante Mendoza Film Workshop held its culminating event at Sky Park, SM Aura Premier. Excitement was all over as the participants had fresh ideas for new films that everyone watched. Some participants even received special awards.

Mick Quito won the Best Film and Best Screenplay Awards for the movie, Tahanan, while JayJay Medina won the Best Director and Best Editing for the movie Taytay, Naynay. Cataleya Surio won the Best Actress award for Hangman, while actor Lou Veloso for his role in Tahanan shared the Best Actor award with Vincent Rillo.

Maricel Cariaga won the Best Cinematography Award, while Sen Vargas was awarded the Best in Production Design for Hangman.

Antonio Dimaguila, Jr.’s Pinoy Customs was the recipient of the SM People’s Choice Awards.

The Brillante Mendoza Film Workshop is a joint project of Centerstage Productions, SM Aura Premier, Samsung Electronics, and Goldilocks. The 2009 Cannes Film Festival Best Director and recipient of a knighthood from the French government for culture and the arts organized it last year.

The Workshop was an intensive seven-day workshop for Directing with introduction to Cinematography, Production Design and Editing, and Acting facilitated by Mendoza himself. The workshop, held for 10 days,

The Workshop was an intensive seven-day workshop for Directing with introduction to Cinematography, Production Design and Editing, and Acting facilitated

by Mendoza himself Jessica Soho with (from left) GMA Network EVP and CFO Felipe S. Yalong; Chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe L. Gozon; and President and COO Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr.

had participants from all walks of life – students, professionals, filmmakers – that underwent rigorous training.

The event showcased 14 short films produced by the participants.

These included Premium by Jao Romero, Taytay, Naynay by Jayjay Medina, Mama by Albert Almendralejo, Kalakal by Derek Morales, Hangman by Sen Vargas, Ensay

by Isabelle Villablanca, Clark by Jep de Guzman, Tahanan by Mick Quito, Last Man Standing by Clint Tayman, Ugoy by Charles Bautista, Escort by Joms Nueva, Lapis by Maricel Cabrera Cariaga, Yapak by Raffaell Orotyerro and Pinoy Customs by Antonio Dimaguila, Jr. Winners received SM gift certicates each and a Certificate of Appreciation.

HHHHH Jessica soho renews ties with GMa network She remains loyal to GMA Network, Inc. Jessica Soho signed a contract that makes her an exclusive talent of the network.

Present during the signing were GMA Network Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Atty. Felipe L. Gozon, President and Chief Operating Officer Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr., and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Felipe S. Yalong.

“Tayo ay hindi lamang nagagalak kundi very proud na pumirma ulit sa atin si Jessica. Si Jessica ay talagang very valuable sa GMA,” says Gozon.

Soho, who is now on her 30th year in the broadcast industry, hosts the top-rating weekend news magazine program Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS) on GMA. She also anchors GMA News TV’s primetime newscast State of the Nation with Jessica Soho (SONA) and banners the public affairs program Brigada.

“Nagpapasalamat ako sa patuloy na pagtitiwala na ibinibigay ng GMA Network. I wouldn’t be who I am today if not for GMA-7,” shares Soho.

Undoubtedly, Soho is the country’s most awarded broadcast news personality. She was the first Filipino female broadcast personality to win the George Foster Peabody Award for Investigative Journalism in 2000.

Her programs KMJS and SONA also helped the Network earn its fourth Peabody Award last year for its coverage of Typhoon Yolanda. Soho was also recognized by Reader’s Digest Asia as the Most Trusted News Presenter for four consecutive years. ➜ continued on c7