The Standard - 2015 July 04 - Saturday

VOL. XXIX  NO. 134  2 Sections 24 Pages P18  SATURDAY : JULY 4, 2015  www.thestandard.com.ph  editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Vitangcol, Ebdane charged

A3 MAGUINDANAO, N. COTABATO LASHED BY HEAVY RAIN

By Francisco Tuyay TROPICAL Storm Egay made a sharp southwest turn Friday, putting it on course to pass over Northern Luzon, with landfall expected in Batanes by Sunday night or Monday morning, the weather bureau said Friday.

Rainy in the south. A resident of Mandaue City sets off to catch eel

amid the heavy rain in the area and in the Visayas in general that caused the capsizing of ferry that killed 45 people. Inset, rescuers prepare their diving equipment to search for any survivors of the sinking in Ormoc.

MICHELLE ALVAREZ ANED / AFP

In Mindanao, heavy downpours since June 24 brought heavy flooding in Maguindanao province, affecting 95,000 residents in 13 towns and shutting

Ormoc capsizing death toll hits 45

By Vito Barcelo THE death toll from the capsizing of the MB Kim Nirvana rose to 45 people, including an eight-month-old baby and his 13-year-old brother, the Coast Guard said Friday as search and rescue operations continued in the waters off Ormoc City for 11 missing passengers.

At least 124 people have been rescued,

among them three American tourists--Rhome and Chip Nuttall and Larry Drake, the Coast Guard said.

Coast Guard spokesman Armand Balilo said the MB Nirvana had just departed Ormoc City in Leyte province bound for the town of Pilar on Camotes Island, east of Cebu Island, at around 12:10 p.m. Thursday when it encountered big waves causing it to flip over.

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down 32 schools.

The Office of Civil Defense in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao placed the number of people affected at 19,032 fami-

lies or 95,160 individuals in the floods that struck 81 barangays of the towns of Ampatuan, Datu Salibo, Sultan Sa Barongis, Rajah Buayan, Datu Abdullah Sangki, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Buluan, Mangudadatu, Pandag, Mamasapano, Paglat, Northern Kabuntalan and Datu Paglas.

The school shutdowns have affected 8,111 students while P6.6 million worth of crops in 859 hectares have been destroyed.

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Aquino demands probe of fake rice

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CHINA TOLD TO RESTRAIN SELF

By Vito Barcelo and Bloomberg

The Philippines has raised the alarm anew over China’s massive reclamation activities in disputed territories in the South China Sea, calling on Beijing to “exercise self-restraint.”

“The Philippines reiterates its serious concern on China’s massive reclamation activities and planned construction of facilities in those features. These activities cause irreparable damage to the marine environment and marine biodiversity of the region,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

The DFA said China’s reclamation and construction activities “grossly violate” the 2002 Asean-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and may serve to escalate the disputes and Protest. On the to evepromote of Filipino-American Friendship Day, a women’s group holds a protest near the US Embassy in Manila to denounce what they called a lopsided friendship between undermine efforts peace, the two and nations.

DANNY PATA security, stability.

“The Philippines calls on China anew to heed calls from the region and the international community to Trooping the honor line. Philippine National Police officer-in-charge Leonardo Espina salutes the colors as he troops the line during a exercise self-restraint in the conduct testimonial parade in his honor at the Philippine Military Academy where he graduated 34 years ago. of activities pursuant to Paragraph 5 of the DOC,” From A1... the department added. conduct its probe into the matter to panel will submit to the Supreme The congressman said Bantilan Harry Roque, director of the address and determine what he said as Court a copy of the panel’s report seemed to have violated his oath and UPInLaw Center’s Instituteprovince, of InterNorth Cotabato “two important issues: whether the so that the high court could look the code of ethics for lawyers by repnational Studies,sixdescribed flooding Legal has affected baranFrom A1... extortion really happened or not; and into ethical questions against a law- resenting Wang and a complainant as China’smunicipal construcgays“worrisome” in Pikit town, whether the purpose of extortion is to yer who represented both Wang Bo in a separate estafa case. tion of artificial islands in Johnson disaster risk reduction and manBut Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary buy out support for BBL or not.” and the man who filed a complaint The good government commitSouth Reef,officer its expansion its arti- Alejano backed Nograles’ suggestion.

Earlier, several lawmakers said against the Chinese businessman. tee has invited Bantilan, Jose Chua, agement Taheraof Kalanficial island “I agree with [Congressman Kar- that the House panel conducting the “We will send a copy to the Su- the complainant against Wang in a tungan said.in Fiery Cross reef, and its The deployment naval said forcesthe to lo Nograles] in this: just to erase the probe,

by Pampanga Rep. preme Courtthe so that high tribuestafa case, and Prosecu2013 to headed 251 this year. be patroled, CoasttheGuard needs P3-million Roman Romulo demanded to weather ofbureau By Macon Ramos-Araneta ward off any opposition. doubt that the House will just cover Oscar should not stop in nal could what appears to tor Antonio Rivera, who conducted The Rodriguez, agency, which is attached to the to beef uplook bothinto its personnel and its know why the passengers of the rains brought about by an interThe Philippines has already lodged up the issue or harass the witnesses,” its quest for truth involving theand al- be improper conduct on the part of amotorized preliminary investigation on Department of Transportation equipment. outrigger that captropical convergent zone would SENATOR Francis Escdero remind- leged an arbitration case against China be- Alejano, a former mutineer, said. payoff. also committed to slash Bryan Bantilan, one ofGuard Wangsaid Bo’s Wang’s deportation case on Feb. 11, Communication, For 2015, the Coast it sized in the waters of Ormoc were continue due a tropical depression the Coast Friday it saidGuard the Senate maythat also Rodriguez, said. of coast to next hearing on July 7.life vests fore the United Nations International edAlejano marine pollutionmeanwhile, accidents. said his lawyers,” will patrolRodriguez 59,088 kilometers notitsprovided individual that is expected to enter PhilipTribunal on the Law of thethe Seas, which was granted a P5.6 billion budget this Escudero said given the volume of in addition to doing traffic cop duupon boarding. pines. refused to acknowledge. year on condition that it would step Beijing maritime it might have been ties“Lahat on 11,285 kilometers of lahat shipping “The need tosaid. get their Schooltraffic, and Philippine Constitupo ng anggulo, ng terest is authorities at stake),” Coloma Knownconstructions internationally “Linup safety inspections of sea vessels law “These areas happenbetter if the Coast Guard had set lanes. act together.

This tragedy clearly tional Assembly (Philconsa). aspeto na patungkol sa pagtalima Last Friday, the Philippine Confa, ” Egay was 445 kilometers east ing in the face of China’s snub of the and reduce the number of mishaps “The problem was that when they sa Konstitusyon ay masusing pinagstitution Association and three higher safety targets.

“If it needs more personnel, then it betrays the messy enforcement of, of Baler, Aurora at 4 p.m.

Friday among the country’ s 9,574-strong arbitral proceedings that precisely From A1... were crafting it they kept it under at patuloy pa rin po itong leaders compliance on Friday asked There were close to 50 million pas- aralan should fill up the 1,037 vacant posi- Catholic and haphazard with with maximum winds of merchant fleet. impugn China’ssustained legal rights to do theships prelate that pinag-aaralan,” said. the Supreme Courtsafety to declare as unsengers on lastsaid, year.adding In addition tions,” Escudero he said. simple maritime standards, 75 kph nearsaid. the center andChina’s gusti“The targets, to begin with, are al- wraps,” so,” Roque “Clearly, “Kaya mayroon po tayong sense while the measure was being draftHe added that the has President has constitutional the relies two agreements to the merchant fleet, there are 9,437 The Coast Guard an authoin a country that heavily on conduct is not only illegal but is also of ness of up to 90 kph. ready very low, so there’ s no atexcuse urgency hinggil diyan yan ed, it was a National Council the government with the fishing boatsclear andthat 202 there millionwere tonsno of formed rized troop ceiling of Peace 7,730, but only signed sound by inter-island sea travel to contemptuous oftothe proceedings.”

Egay is forecast move west northfor why they can’t be met, ” said Esculang naman ang dahilan kung bakit participation from lawmakers. to look into the constitutionality of MILF that envision the establishcargo passed through Philippine ports 6,693 of these positions are filled. move people and conduct trade, Theat United States has described west 10 kph and is expected to be dero, who chairs the Senate commitdesedido si Pangulong Aquino na He also said that this is why this BBL and found that, through the ment of a Bangsamoro government” in 2013, Escudero said. for lawmakers leadership Escuderoofsaid a Coast Guard to Romulo China’s efforts to build military 210 km east of Casiguran, Aurora on tee on finance. maisulong yung prosesong pan- is not the right time former Chief Justice replacesaid. the Autonomous Region facilities on reclaimed is- gkapayapaan “All of the above point to the need modernization program should be The capsized banca MBCA KimSaturday and 130 km eastdisputed northeast of Escudero’s remarks after a to follow Aquino’s order to submit Hilario Davide, the BBL is in line in Muslim sa loob came ng kanyang Mindanao. lands as “troubling” and plans to panunungkulan to keep highway safe. with drafted, and funded.

Nirvana-B wasthrough carryingits178 people (That’s whyoff there BBL our this nautical year, because the prothelegislated 1986 Constituion.

Philconsa, president Tuguegarao City on Sunday. motorized outrigger capsized the the raise issue during annual And the Coast hasby a great role Part of the program, said, is and plus Leyte sacks of riceFerdinand and cement.

The is a sense of urgency regarding that law was Guard haunted “doubts, “Pareho lang po anghekanilang Rep. Martin Onthe Monday, the storm shouldtalks be Port of Ormoc Thursday, killing at posed in Washington this month. matter and that’s the reason why complains and rejections” by several opinyon na sa kanilang pagsusuri Romualdez, also asked the high to play in seeing to it that indeed it is, ” the acquisition of aircraft that are light vessel was headed to Pilar town in the vicinity of Calayan and the Baleast 45 people.

Daniel Russel, assistant US sec- President Aquino is firmly decided critics tumatalima naman ang Bangsamto Islands, reject Cebu, the Framework needed in search-and-rescue op- court in Camotes when it enbuyan group of islands and 190 km During the budget process, the he said.and individuals. retary of state for East Asian and to push for the peace process within “Klarong-klaro na maraming con- oro Basic Law na isinubmit na po Agreement theand Bangsamoro or The senator conceded, however, erations. countered bigon waves capsized soon Northwest of Basco, Batanes on TuesCoast Guard vowed to cut maritime Pacific affairs, was responding to a his term),” Coloma added. stitutional infirmities nathat implikasyon natin sa Kongreso.

Ganunpaman, FAB dated Oct. With 12, 2012, and the Maricel V. Cruz that given the large area needs to In the House, Pasig City Rep. after it left Ormoc. day. by 5questioned percent from 264 in sa pagbago ng Constitution. Pangal- kinikilala po natin na ang ating mga Comprehensive Agreement on the Chinese statement saying the coun- accidents Critics had the constiThe weather bureau raised pubtry would complete island-building tutionality of the BBL, which seeks awa, parang kapag ginawa ang BBL mambabatas ay mayroong tungku- Bangsamoro or CAB dated March lic storm signal days.” no. 1 over to create a Bangsamoro political en- magiging federalism na, paranginvestigation cart lin narevealed tiyakin din 27, 2014, whichshe’ grant efforts “inwarning the upcoming A preliminary thatyung hu-constitutionto go home with me, maybe d be“unconscionaone of the caIsabela and Cagayan, including the tity that would replace the Autono- before the horse, alitythe ng wooden lahat nghulled batas nasualty kanilang ble” financial, economic and Construction of military and civilmanhorse errormuna couldayusin have caused now. I’m glad that shesocial, was firm in her deciBabuyan group of new islands, 30 mous Region in Muslim Mindanao. muna natin yung gobyerno ipinapasa, kaya iginagalang po na- political benefits to the MILF. ian facilities on the and with expandferryklase to flipngover when it made a sharp right turn sion, ” Lucero said.

Bagaforo thatafter there areport several man natin lahat ng kanilang pagsisiAside Romualdez, thea cousother to 60 kph would winds continue, expected China’s in 36 ed islands From A1... on Friday urged Aquino natin (It is clear soon it left in Leyte province.

Lucero, however, lostfrom his aunt Celsa, and to let the next President pass the constitutional infirmities in amendsa aspetong petitioners were former Senator Franhours. of Foreign Affairs said.

Ministry Some passengers movedkap toward the rightito,” side Coloma of in isadded. still missing. the constitution.

The BBL has not been passed before cisco Tatad, Archbishops Ramon “The recentrainfall announcement out BBL Estimated will be modHeinto saidlaw. the motorized banca, owneding by and Jorgechangingferry, to tilt slowly before capsizing, Likelast other Arguelles, survivors,Fernando Lucero blamed The prelate said he believes that Second, once the the BBL iscausing passed,it our Congress adjourned its session Capallathe andoverRoof Beijing that within the Chinese goverate to heavy the 400-kiBung Zarco, was maneuvering but was caught by Balilo said. loading of cargo for the capsizing of the MB Kim there is a need for the national govr government will become a federal June 11.

Congress will open July 27, mulo de la Cruz, and former National ernment intends to continue and lometer diameter of the tropical a big wave. ferry cement rice Aquino but it will Nirvana. vessel was loadedNorberto with more than 200 to hold more consultations one. This is like“The putting thewas cartcarrying be- the same and day that deliverThe Security Adviser Gonzales. expand theweather construction facili- ernment storm, the bureauof said.

Some of has the survivors were brought tofore a hospital didn’t appeartake to be overloaded, ” Balilo said. sacks of cementThe and FAB rice. was negotiated and signed as the BBL allegedly several conthe horse.

We should care of his final State of the Nation Address. tiesFishermen on the reclaimed outposts that and small sea craft in Ormoc, infirmities. while rescue operations weerethe ongoing.

Oneweofshould the passengers, Lucero,said saidthat he was “What sudden.peace It overturned stitutional horse first and fix the Allan Coloma the Aquino ad- happened by formerwas government panel chief it’s constructing in the are been advised not to venture outSouth over Survivors that many passengers, includ“Sana ang said Pangulong Aquino ay kind of government that we have,” ministration is willing to coordinate and now Supreme Court Associate Jusdisappointed at first when his daughter refused to swiftly, ” recalled Lucero.

“Some passengers were China Sea is troubling,” Russel said. the eastern seaboard of Central huwag magmadali at hayaan Bagaforo with the lawmakers come upme,tice while the CAB was” ing children were trapped underniya the boat when itsaid.go back with him to Camotes Island, but when theand grabbing so Marvic I had toLeonen, swim away from them, “Frankly, we’re concerned, and Luzon, seaboards of Southern Luang susunod na administrasyon sa Coloma, however, rejected Bagawith a consensus. negotiated and signed by incumbent flipped over. motorized banca capsized, he was grateful she had he added. others are concerned,” he added. pagsasabatas ng panukala (I hope foro’s claims,not saying that ever since “Open naman po tayong makipgovernment chief Mirzon and Visayas and the northern The banca measures 17 meters and has a gross joined him.

Lucero added they were notpeace givennegotiator any life vests, Washington will levy its protest President Aquino will not rush to the BBL was crafted, the national agtalakayan sa kanila, pakipag-uniam Coronel Ferrer with MILF peace and eastern seaboards of Mindtonnage of 33.58. said he went to Leyte to fetch his daugh- a statement the boat captain, Warren Oliverio, deduring the Sino-US talks, which are pass the BBL but instead let the next government hasLucero long been explain- awaan. Kasi po importante rito mag- panel head Mohagher Iqbal. anao. Waves expected reach Balilo said the Coast Guard is leading the search, ter, Geraldine, who a babysitter inpagkakaunawaan Sogod, nied. at slated to startare Monday andtoinclude administration to make this into ing the details and provisions of works the as karoon tayo ng Pending the judgment on the una height ofof 1.25 4.0 Kerry metersand in with divers from the RedinCross and the Navy.

Southern Leyte.

“They given life vests,ofbut them Secretary StatetoJohn law),” Bagaforo said a Churchmeasure and even held several conpagkakaroon ng consensus, ika nga,wereconstitutionality thesome FAB of and the open sea.

Rescue workers continue to scour the area deBut Geraldine refused to go back with her father had taken it off, ” he said.

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang. owned Radio Veritas interview. sultations among involved parties dahil ang nakataya rito ay napaka- CAB, the petitioners sought a temResidents in low-lying and spite big waves, Balilo said.

China’s island-building program, and promised instead to gohalagang home onaspeto her birthday The passenger banca has more thanenjoining 200 life Bagoforo appealed to the govern- and stakeholders. ng ating pambanporary restraining order mountainous areas 2,000 of the which has reclaimed acresBiof ment Theto Coast Guard that the low pressure this year. vests, the captian but Florencio he was unable to hold moresaid consultations Thearea Palacelater official maintained sang kagalingan o national interest Budgetsaid, Secretary Abad and col region and Samar provinces land, three-quarters of that amount with addedgovernment to the likelihood of poorMoro weather. that the BBL does lawyers, notaftermath violate the are open to any andhow un-many anyofother from were further releasIn the of the(We capsizing, Lucero wastalkssay the official passengers wearing are alerted against flash since December, haspossible upset smaller Islamic Liberation Front Constitution, foraccident. any and all activities to A formal investigation into(MILF) the cause of1987 the sinkgrateful.as it even as- derstanding. Because it is important them at the ing timefunds of the With Sandy floods and with landslides. neighbors competing territo- legal entities, Sena- sembled a high-profile study group here for us toshe have an understanding pursue or implement the FAB and the ing will start thisCongressmen, week, Balilo said.

“She doesn’t know how to swim.

Had agreed Araneta, PNA tors, former chief justices, Deans of to analyze the BBL. rial claims such as the Philippines. and consensus since our national in- CAB and any all acts and issuances.

Maguindanao

Step up safety measures, Tug-of-war Chiz advises Coast Guard Bishop

Ormoc

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Comelec still can’t decide on lease bid

By Sara D. Fabunan THE Comelec’s decision to award the contract to lease 23,000 Optical Mark Reader units to Smartmatic-Total Information Management Corp. is still uncertain as it is still considering using former poll commissioner Gus Lagman’s hybrid system.

In a recent press briefing, Commission on Elections Commissioner Christian Robert Lim said the commission en banc had yet to decide whether or not they would use the hybrid system and that the deal with Smartmatic might be scrapped once they chose Lagman’s manual-automated system for next year’s Presidential elections.

“As of now, the commission en banc is also looking at the hybrid system. If we agree to use the hybrid, we will not issue the notice to proceed,” Lim said.

He said their recent decision to favor Smartmatic only entitled the company to be awarded the contract, but as long as they had yet to issue a notice to proceed, their decision could change anytime.

“Even granting the protest, basically it just entitles you to award, but the end date of that is the issuance of the notice to proceed by the agency, and that’s the most critical portion,” Lim said.

“At the same time, we don’t want to waste any time. While we are evaluating the hybrid system, we are proceeding the decision on the protest.”

Ombudsman raps Vitangcol, Ebdane

By Rio N. Araja

THE Ombudsman on Friday ordered the filing of criminal charges against Al Vitangcol III, a former general manager of Metro Rail Transit 3, and five incorporators of Philippine Trans Rail Management and Services Corp. or PH Trams for graft arising from an illegal contract for the train system’s maintenance.

The Ombudsman also indicted Zambales Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. for the theft of minerals inside a mine site in Zambales that is being operated by Coto Mines.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales approved a resolution indicting Ebdane; Romelino

Gojo, a member of the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board, private individuals Weng Chen and Camilo Esico, and three other people connected with Geoking Asia Mining Corp. for theft.

The cases stemmed from a complaint filed by CMI, the mineral rights holder of the area cov-

ered by the Coto chromite project under a mineral production sharing agreement, and which has been operating the Coto Mines for over 50 years Morales found probable cause that Vitangcol, Wilson de Vera, Marlo de la Cruz, Manolo Maralit, Federico Remo and Vitangcol’s uncle-in-law, Arturo Soriano, the provincial accountant of Pangasinan, conspired to illegally award the MRT3 contract to the PH Trams-CB&T joint venture.

The Ombudsman said Vitangcol used his power and authority as general manager and chief

end-user, head of the negotiating team, member of the bids and awards committee, all in one, “to dictate the proponents invited for the preliminary negotiations” of the maintenance services and “intentionally hid his [affinitive] relationship with Soriano, which would have automatically disqualified PH Trams.”

The Ombudsman also ruled that PH Trams, incorporators were equally liable for executing a false affidavit of disclosure on Aug. 12, 2012, saying none of the incorporators was related by affinity to any member of the procurement teams.

Fake rice. Presidential assistant Francis Pangilinan holds up fake rice that was made from a substance used in making flexible plastic in Taguig City.

DANNy PAtA

6.1 quake rattles Visayas, Mindanao Visitor from Davao.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte delivers a speech during the 17th anniversary of the group Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption in Camp Aguinaldo. LiNo SANtoS

A MAGNITUDE-6.1 earthquake struck Surigao del Norte on Friday afternoon and also jolted the Visayas and Mindanao, the government said.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the earthquake was tectonic in origin, and that its epicenter was 41 kilometers northeast of Burgos in Surigao del Norte.

The quake took place at 2:43 pm and was felt at Intensity 5 in Surigao City, Siargao Island, Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, Carrascal and Surigao del Sur. It was felt at Intensity 4 in Dinagat Island, Intensity 3 in San Juan in Southern Leyte, Tacloban City, Palo in Leyte and Lapulapu City, and Intensity 2 in Bislig in Surigao del Sur, Hinatuan in Surigao del Sur and in Davao City. PNA

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SC focuses on poll cases

By Rey Requejo THE Supreme Court is gearing up to resolve all pending electoral protest related to the 2013 elections “within a reasonable time” as it expects a deluge of new electoral protests arising from the 2016 polls, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno said, expecting a deluge of new cases beginning in October.

Seeking respect. Members of fishermen’s group Pamalakaya picket the Chinese consular office in Makati City on Friday to demand that Beijing respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Philippines. DANNY PATA

IMF notes PH budget flexibility

By Sandy Araneta THE International Monetary Fund said the government should improve its “unusually large amount of complexity and flexibility” in its budget process even as it gave the Philippines a favorable score on fiscal transparency.

In its June 2015 report, the IMF cited the Philippines’ public financial management reform strategy as having helped initiate reforms, but there is much room for improvement on various areas of the budget system.

“While this has not affected macroeconomic and fiscal policy outcomes over the last few years... this could rapidly change should the political or external environment become less favorable,” it said.

Also, the report noted that appropriations sometimes exceed

the programmed budget because of unforeseen circumstances.

Setting up an Unprogrammed Fund is a good way to address unexpected circumstances but IMF Country Representative to the Philippines Shanaka Jay Peiris said there should be a limit on these discretionary funds just like what was being implemented in global best practices.

“To institutionalize [fiscal reforms in recent years], you need a [public finance management] law... which would provide guidance for the next generation,” he added.

Nonetheless, Deputy Presidential Spokesman Abigail Valte said the favorable score on fiscal transparency the country received from the lender validates the Aquino administration’s transparency agenda.

“These findings serve to validate the

Aquino administration’s transparency agenda. Initiatives such as the DBM’s Budget ng Bayan website and the government’s open data portal which currently hosts 1,237 data files help to advance openness in the country,” Valte said.

“As always, we remain committed to further improving our efforts by engaging in productive dialogue with other groups and advocates,” Valte also said.

As part of this year’s series of AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation meetings, the Department of Finance (DOF) held the APEC Workshop on Fiscal Management through Transparency and Reforms last June 9-10 in Bagac, Bataan.

The event brought together delegates, transparency advocates, and representatives from finance ministries in a series of discussions on fiscal innovation.

“I think in a very reasonable time, we will be able to [resolve the cases related to the 2013 polls] because we, ourselves, have to be prepared. The filing starts in October so we are making preparations,” Sereno told reporters.

Election protests concerning the presidential, vice presidential, senatorial, and congressional races are respectively handled by the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, Senate Electoral Tribunal and the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal.

The PET is composed of 15 justices of the Supreme Court, while the SET and HRET are respectively composed of three senators and three SC justices, and three congressmen and three SC justices.

The present members of the SET from the SC are Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, and Associate Justice Arturo Brion. Representing the SC in the HRET, meanwhile, are Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco, Diosdado Peralta, and Lucas Bersamin.

“We have decided that we will really prioritize them and we are working on them. We are trying to make sure that if we can dispose everything that has to do with the past elections we will do that,” the Chief Justice said.

According to her, resolving pending electoral cases is one of their “two-pronged approach” to prepare for the May 2016 elections.

The other part involves the setting up of training programs for the judges who are going to man election courts.

“These judges are just designated and we have rules for that. I am starting to identify already the candidates for the program,” she disclosed.

Hague hearing set July 7 THE Philippines will send a high-level delegation to The Hague next week to argue Manila’s position in the arbitration case it filed against China, officials said on Friday.

During a press briefing in Malacanang, Deputy Presidential Spokesman Abigail Valte said the delegation will include Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr, Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and Supreme Court Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza.

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr, who will also be part of the delegation, has already left to go to Amsterdam to meet with Philippine lawyers, Valte

said. The case will be heard from July 7 to 13.

Others are Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, as well as Undersecretary Emmanuel Bautista, who is the executive director of the Cabinet Cluster on Security, Justice, and Peace, said Valte.

“This is not yet a hearing on the merits. This is hearing that will deal with the issue whether the tribunal has jurisdiction over the complaint,” said Valte.

Even if the country will have a problem enforcing any ruling from the arbitral court, Valte said “what is important is the decision, that we have something more to move on.”

“It’s not just we have filed (a case) only to say we did something, and then just left it there. That’s one of the things I think that is being disproven by this. And really a lot of the members of the delegation have something to contribute to the discussions,” she said.

Valte said these people have been part of the discussions on the dispute involving the West Philippine Sea, and they would also like to see the progress of the complaint, of the memorial before the tribunal.

“Really, to us, if China has chosen not to attend then that is their decision but for the government, we will fully support and see through these proceedings,” she said.

Tiring trip.

Two young Yemeni children are knocked out at an immigration counter in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 as their parents go through arrival formalities upon thier arrival from Aden which is in the throes of a civil war. RUDY SANTOS

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NP has no funds for bets – Villar

By Macon Ramos-Araneta IF you’re a politician looking to join the Nacionalista Party to get some financial muscle in the 2016 elections, Senator Cynthia A. Villar says you better start looking elsewhere.

“NP has no money, Villar said during the weekly “Kapihan sa Senado.”

“But remember we have 10 governors, 27 congressmen, 150 mayors, 10 vice governors, so we have a network and we’re very close,” said the wife of former Senate President Manny Villar, who is the president of NP. “Usually, when you run, you raise your own funds. You don’t ask that from your party,” Villar said, adding that NP’s strength is in its number across the country.

Three NP senators – Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and Senators Bongbong Marcos and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV – are all prospective candidates in 2016.

Cayetano and Trillanes, whose terms in the Senate expire on 2019, have declared their plan to run for president and vice president, respectively.

Marcos has remained mum about his plan to seek higher office and merely assured he will run in next year’s elections.

Villar said it is difficult for a party which is not in a position to retain that kind of membership but we’re very close and we’re like a family.

“I think that’s their advantage.

They hey can rely on this network to support them if they go for a national position,” Villar stated.

However, Villar said NP is yet to decide the role it will play in the coming polls. She said they are still waiting for the decisions of their three partymates.

“They have to agree among themselves what they want to do in the 2016 elections. After they have agreed, then we will decide what to do because it is not nice to look at that your partymates have plans and you do not consider them. So we are not planning until they have finalized their decisions,” she said.

Plastic free. Students of the Universidad de Manila flash their main messages during a forum to mark the 6th International Plastic Bag-Free Day in Manila. DANNY PATA

PNoy orders DOJ to probe fake rice

By Rey Requejo, Sandy Araneta and Anna Leah E. Gonzales PRESIDENT Aquino has ordered the Department of Justice to investigate the entry and sale of alleged fake rice from China, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Friday.

De Lima revealed that she received a directive from the President to inquire into it to determine how the reportedly poisonous rice penetrated the local market and if there are people who could be held liable.

“I will constitute a task force to investigate that and coordinate with Sec. Kiko Pangilinan in his capacity as presidential assistant on food security and agricultural modernization,” De Lima said,

in an inteview.

Reports indicated that fake rice, which experts said is poisonous as it is made of sweet potatoes, synthetic resin used for making plastic, and plastic shaped into grains, was recently discovered in Davao del Sur. Earlier this week, a family in Davao City complained of stomach aches after eating what they believed was synthetic rice.

Resident Carmencita

Grinio brought a sample of the fake rice to the National Food Authority, after the cooked rice reportedly had the appearance of styropor, a synthetic packaging material.

The alleged fake rice sample found in Davao City showed the presence of a contaminant which the NFA identified as the plasticizer dibutyl phtalate (DBP), according to NFA Administrator Renan Dalisay.

“The findings show that both samples are starch-based although it still has to be determined if the starch found in the Davao sample is indeed rice, corn or potatoes,” Dalisay said.

Dalisay said some of the samples will have to be sent overseas as the country currently does not have the necessary

equipment for the succeeding tests.

Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization Francis Pangilinan said however that the findings are not yet conclusive whether the rice is fake or not.

“There are still further tests needed to determine if there are resins so test results are stil inconclusive. We will have to conduct further testing,” Pangilinan said.

“The samples when tested contained amounts of dibutyl phthalate, a chemical compound.

DBP is a plasticizer used for cosmetics,” Pangilinan added.

Pangilinan said that there is no cause for alarm as DBP when taken in small amounts is not harmful.

Luy shared in pork, too

By Rio N. Araja WHISTLEBLOWER Benhury Luy admitted on Friday that pursued some transactions involving congressional pork barrel funds without the knowledge and consent of his counsin-employer Janet Lim Napoles, who is accused of being the scam mastermind.

Luy told Napoles’ lawyer, Dennis Buenaventura, that he was able to earn P150,000 from a transaction with Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada through his ex-deputy chief of staff, Pauline Labayen.

He said the transaction involved a P35million project in 2012 when Luy was promised a two-percent commission of P700,000.

“To be honest, I just wanted to earn from Pauline. I also wanted to know how Pauline would earn. She offered me a percentage, which was two percent,” he added. Only a portion of the P700,000 or the two percent commission, or P150,000, was given to him, he said.

He also admitted to being the conduit between Labayen and Merlina Suñas, another whistleblower, to enable Labayen

to use the Napoles-linked People’s Organization for Progress and Development Foundation to open a bank account for a project. Suñas was the president of POPDFI. According to Luy, Labayen opened the bank account with a P35 million fund from the pork barrel fund of at least three lawmakers who are now under investigation.

“So may balance pa siya na P600,000?” Third Division member Associate Justice Samuel Martires asked.

“Yes, your honor,” Luy answered.

Luy had already admitted he received P4 million to P5 million in kickbacks as Napoles’ finance officer from 2004 to 2012.

He said Napoles promised 0.5 percent kickbacks for foundation presidents and another 0.5 percent for the incorporators. Luy is president of the Napoles foundation Social Development Program for Farmers Foundation Inc. Luy later had a falling out Napoles who detained him for three months on suspicions of starting his own scam. Napoles is now serving a life sentence after being convicted for the serious illegal detention of Luy.

What pollution? Four boys appear to be unmindful of the pollution of the Pasig River as they horse around under the Jones Bridge in Binondo, Manila on Friday. PNA/ AVITO DALAN

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‘Disqualify bets who don’t leave appointive positions’

By Maricel V. Cruz ThE house Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms has approved a proposal to disqualify election candidates who fail to vacate their appointive position on the day of filing the Certificate of Candidacy.

The committee, chaired by Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro, approved the proposal embodied in house Bill 1976 authored by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez.

Rodriguez said Batas Pambansa 881, otherwise known as the Omnibus Election Code, provides that persons holding an appointive office or position are automatically deemed resigned on the date of the COC filing. Subsequent election laws, Republic Act 8436 (Automated Elections Act) and RA 9006 (Fair Elections Act), however, are both silent on this election rule.

This makes BP 881 still the applicable law insofar as the deemed resigned provisions for appointive office is concerned, according to Rodriguez.

Even RA 9369 which amended RA 8436 retains the deemed resigned provision for appointive officials. however, Rodriguez said since RA 9369 adjusted the deadline for the COC filing to an earlier date, confusion has arisen on the interpretation of the exact time of the deemed resignation—whether at the time of the COC filing or during the start of the campaign period.

“There is a need to clarify the law on appointive public officials as they file their COC,” Rodrtiguez added.

Rodriguez stressed there is a marked distinction between appointive public officials and elective public officials. he said unlike their elected counterparts, who have fixed terms as willed by the electorate, appointive officials are either co-terminus with their appointive authority or career officials who are prohibited from electioneering and partisan activity.

Sailor play. Children from Bgy. Cabahug in Mandaue City find ways to amuse themselves during high tide. MICHELLE ALVAREZ

Immigration vows no repeat of Thursday’s airport queue

By Vito Barcelo

The Bureau of Immigration said it would implement a new deployment plan at airport counters to avoid a repeat of the long queues experienced this week at Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The bureau will maximize its work force during peak hours by adjusting the duty shifts to seven instead of the existing four shifts, with overlaps between shifts, Immigration officials said BI spokesperson Elaine Tan admitted that the bu-

reau failed to anticipate the unusual spike in tourist departures on Thursday. The lines started getting longer at around five in the morning, when only eight immigration officers were on duty to process 1,767 passengers of 11 flights.

Bureau chief Siegfred

Mison called on the terminal head and the duty supervisor for their explanation for failing to manage the queue.

“We are still getting all the facts from terminal head Chem Siguan and the duty supervisor. We apologize for this temporary inconvenience and firmly commit to the public that such events, if inexcusable, will not happen again considering that we are maximizing the number of immigration inspectors during peak hours,” Mison adds.

“More and more tourists are coming in and out of our country. For us at

the Bureau of Immigration, this adds to the challenge.

In spite of our numbers, we will ensure a more efficient deployment of our people so that we are responsive to the increasing demands at the counters.” Tan added in her apology.

“Due to the limited number of immigration officers, those assigned at the arrival counters are directed to augment the workforce at the departure area whenever possible. “however, due to the heavy passenger density at the arrival area, the scheme was not possible,” added Tan. Despite the limited re-

sources, BI promised the public that the same incident would not happen again.

BI likewise reminded the traveling public to be at the airport at least three hours before their estimated departure time, and must be cleared at the immigration inspection at least 45 minutes before boarding time.

“Our immigration officers call out passengers whose flights are about to depart, so it is best to approach the immigration duty supervisor if we know that we are about to be late,” advised Tan.

Justice Department forms anti-competition task force

By Rey E. Requejo ThE Department of Justice has created a five-member task force to handle cases involving anti-competition practices, such as price fixing and cartels.

Justice Assistant Secretary Geronimo Sy, head of the DOJ Office for Competition, explained that the focus of the Task Force on Anti-Competitive Agreements and Cartels would be on cases involving price fixing, output restriction, market allocation, bidrigging and similar anti- competitive agreements.

Justice Secretary Leila de

Lima designated five members from the National Prosecution Service, Office of the Chief State Counsel and Office for Competition to compose the task force.

“Effective anti-cartel enforcement requires a dedicated unit equipped with the necessary tools and capacity to handle the complex nature of competition cases,” De Lima said.

De Lima admitted that the DOJ has already recommended to the Supreme Court the designation of specialized courts to hear and decide on competition cases.

“The use of investigative strategies and techniques grounded on international

best practices is key to enforcement,” Sy said.

Prosecutor General Claro Arellano said the creation of the task force was “an indication of the department’s serious stance in the fight against the most harmful forms of business conduct.”

The formation of the task force came after Congress ratified last June 10, 2015 the Philippine Competition Act that penalizes bad market behavior and abuse of dominant position. The DOJ said this would further strengthen the competition reforms, which the DOJ-OFC has consistently supported and advocated.

The first federalist? George Asenerio, grandson of one of Jose Rizal’s students, says Rizal preferred federalism as a form of government. DANNY PATA

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Lumads stop road project, say they were not consulted

By Alvin T. Guanzon

BUTUAN CITY—Tribesmen belonging to Mayapay Tribal Council barricaded a P120-million road project in Mount Mayapay-Nongnong in this city, claiming that their free prior and informed consent was not obtained according to law.

“We do not even know who the private contractor is, when the construction started, how it is funded, and other information that the public must know,” said Datu Malingat, tribal chieftain.

Under RA 8371 or the Indigenous People’s Rights Act, no project, improvements and de-

velopment to be undertaken by government and private firms, individuals within ancestral domain areas of the indigenous people must proceed without consultation with the tribal people or without obtaining their FPIC. The law also says that the National Commission on Indigenous People

must first issue a certification that such consultations in fact took place.

“We are not against development, we only wanted these people to respect the laws, particularly IPRA,” Datu Malingat said.

The Mayapay Tribal Council, a group of lumads of Manobo lineage living on Mt. Mayapay in Butuan City, was recognized by the NCIP and the Butuan City government through Resolution No. 564-2014.

Datu Malingat, with Christian name Aurelio Talibong, Jr., is the son of the legendary Datu Mayapay whose forefathers first settled on the mountain here.

Last month, the council wrote to

the Department of Public Works and Highways expressing its opposition to the project but received no reply.

The council also wrote the office of Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand Amante, Jr., barangay Bonbon officials, the Philippine National Police, the military, Department of the Interior and Local Government Lilibeth Famacion of DILGCaraga and NCIP regional director Pinky Grace Pareja requesting more information on the project being constructed within their ancestral domain.

“But again we received no replies from them . This is why we barricaded our area to stop the road project,” Datu Malingat added.

Jump for joy. Local residents from Jovellar in Albay enjoy splashing at the Quitinday underground river. DANNY PATA

Spanish govt to help conserve heritage

By Ferdie G.Domingo CABANATUAN CITY— Amid the controversy over the Torre de Manila condominium project, the Spanish government has vowed to support the Philippines’ heritage conservation efforts.

Spanish Ambassador Luis Antonio Calvo said culture has always been a factor in the friendship and twinning between the Philippines and Spain.

“I am pleased, as the new ambassador to Manila, to reaffirm that culture continued to be so for the past few months,” he said, adding the joint effort to continue exploring the sources of the two nations’ common past will be significantly boosted with the signing of new agreements on architectural archives.

He said experts from the Philippines and Spain can resume the catalogue work of the National Archives of the Philippines and be able to transfer its contents to a medium or format that will guarantee their continued existence, conservation and availability to an ever-increasing number of researchers interested in the history of the two nations.

A second agreement, he said, will institutionalize the collaboration between the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the Archivo General de Indias in Seville and other Spanish historical archives, depositories of numerous and unknown documents of the Philippines.

Calvo noted that with regard to cultural cooperation, conservation of Philippine architectural heritage is being undertaken through the projects of the Escuella Taller Foundation, a 100-percent Philippine entity on whose Board of Trustees are the Embassy of Spain and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation.

Fake seasoning products seized in Bulacan, N. Ecija

By Florante S. Solmerin SoME P9.1 million worth of fake seasoning products was seized by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in separate operations in Bulacan and Nueva Ecija.

CIDG spokesperson Chief Inspector Elizabeth Jasmin said the operation was conducted by the Anti-Fraud Commercial Crimes Unit led by Superintendent Milo Pagtalunan.

In his report to CIDG Director Benjamin Magalong, Pagtalunan said they simultaneously implemented two search warrants at the warehouses located at RIS Industrial Complex in Barangay Tabe, Guiginto, Bulacan and in Purok 5, Barangay Calipahan, Talavera, Nueva Ecija The team led by Supt. Cesar Paday-

os seized 313 sacks of granules in production of fake seasoning and volumes of counterfeit brand-name boxes with an estimated amount of P5.6 million in Bulacan.

The team of Chief Insp. Roger Sebastian seized two units of manufacturing machines, two units air compressor, sealer, 90 sacks fake granules, 41 rolls brand laminated sachets, several boxes with name of fake products with an estimated value of P3.5 million and assorted documents in Nueva Ecija.

“The owners and operators of searched warehouses were not around during the operations, however, cases for violation of Section 168 in relation to Section 170 of RA 8293 (Unfair Competition Law) will be filed against them,” Magalong said.

Water everywhere. Children near Carbon market in Cebu enjoy the heavy rain, oblivious to the flooding it is causing elsewhere. MICHELLE ALVAREZ

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opinion

ADELLE chuA editor

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

poWer point eLiZABeth AnGsioCo

NegatiNg the Rh Law

[ EDI TORI A L ]

Another dAy, Another mishAp OFF the coast of Ormoc, Leyte at noon on Thursday, a boat carrying 191 people capsized. While most of the passenger survived, 45 are confirmed dead; at least 10 remain missing.

This tragedy is the latest disaster to talk about these days, with the Philippine Coast Guard, assisted by the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Air Force, leading the investigations into the cause of the ship’s mishap.

Among the leads being explored are human error and overloading, with bad weather causing rough waves. There are reports that the boat made a sharp right turn after being hit by waves; the passengers panicked and caused the boat to tilt.

The vessel was found to be carrying 150 sacks of cement as well as construction materials. There are also accounts that life jackets were not made available to the passengers.

Expect the usual calls for swift investigation and for justice for the missing and the dead.

Unfortunately, such calls are only heard every time there is a mishap. In between such incidents, regulators and executives responsible for ensuring the safety of the public are left to their own devices.

The calls will be loud because it is practically election season and everybody is looking for somebody else to blame.

They also wish to be portrayed as having empathy for the victims and their families. They will echo the angry words and demands that those responsible for the tragedy must be made accountable.

Recall what happened two months ago when a fire hit a slipper factory in Valenzuela, causing the death of dozens of workers. The investigation revealed that the factory did not use adequate safety measures and the workers themselves employed not by the factory but by a third-party company that hires workers on contractual basis.

In that incident, there was much recrimination and blame-tossing. In the end, the victims allowed the settlement of their case and nothing more was heard about how other factories in other places all over the country are run and evaluated.

These mishaps will continue happening as long as the people in office take their responsibilities for granted, seeing their roles as routine and becoming used to the idea that people’s lives depend on their action – or inaction.

This is the issue to be highlighted, not the usual game of politicians where they feel compelled to make populist shoutouts without adequate follow through.

Marshalling resources for Mindanao BACK ChAnneL ALeJAndro deL rosArio It takes a visionary and someone who understands the complexity of the Mindanao problem to come up with an encompassing solution.

Stepping up to the challenge, Senator Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has proposed a mini- Marshall Plan to solve the decades-long conflict

in Mindanao. The inspiration of Marcos’ plan was George Catlett Marshall, the architect for Europe’s rapid recovery after World War II. Marshall, then the Secretary of State, was commissioned

by US President Harry truman to fast-track postwar Europe’s economic recovery. Since then, Marshall’s name became synonymous with economic recovery planning through the infusion of massive funding assistance from international sources.

In a speech at the Philippine Constitution Association last

tuesday at the historic Manila Hotel, Senator Marcos said full modernization of Mindanao is the only way forward for the region whose potential has been stalled by disparate rebel groups and neglect by the central government in Manila. Philconsa, led by its president, Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, has filed a petition before the Supreme Court questioning the constitutionality of the government-proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law. Conferred by Philconsa the ti-

A modernization plan can only be achieved with the full-scale pacification of all insurgent forces and all-out law enforcement in the region.

A9

tle of “great defender of the Constitution,” the senator remarked he found it ironic that today, a Marcos was defending the 1987 Constitution drawn up during President Cory Aquino’s revolutionary government. ”With all the money and numbers the present Aquino government is prepared to commit to a Muslim Mindanao region, we can design a mini-Marshall Plan with internal investments complemented by international funding institutions,” said Marcos who is submitting a substitute bill to the flawed and controversial Bangsamoro Basic Law when Congress resumes on July 27.

But a modernization plan can only be achieved with the fullscale pacification of all insurgent forces and all-out law enforce-

ment in the region, Marcos said. He cautioned against entrusting the maintenance of peace solely to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the aftermath of the Mamasapano, Maguindanao massacre of 44 PNP-Special Action Force commandos.

The fatal flaw of the MILF-government panel was its failure to include the interest of the other stakeholders in the proposed autonomous region. Lumping the Christian communities, indigenous people like the Lumads, the Moro National Liberation Front and the Sultanate of Sulu under the hegemony of the MILF is both unac-

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-

ceptable and unworkable, said the senator who took his Senate committee on local government to Mindanao provinces to be placed under the ambit of the BBL .

After a series of consultations that gave him a sense of how the locals feel about being governed by the MILF, the senator said he is determined to do the right thing. He is also considering, as an alternative to the mini-Marshall plan, the revision and upgrade of the constitutionally compliant Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. The MILF seconded by the government peace negotiators

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portrayed the ARMM as a failed experiment when all it needed was more support to succeed, said Senator Marcos.

He raised his concern that the government peace panel gave away to the MILF all the powers and features of an independent state such as a parliamentary form of government, its own police force and a commission on audit.

For sure, there are many Filipinos who share the senator’s apprehension that we might be creating a state within a state that can easily secede from the Republic.

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. Verzosa Head, Advertising Solutions Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

tHE Reproductive Health Law is again under attack and opponents seek to ban ALL family planning supplies, particularly contraceptives from the market.

The Alliance for the Family Foundation Philippines, Inc. (ALFI), headed by lawyer Maria Concepcion Noche filed a Petition for Certiorari, Prohibition and Mandamus with the Supreme Court against the Department of Health (DOH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Center for Drug Regulation and Research (CDRR).

The more than 100-page petition “questions the manner of implementation of the RH Law... as being contrary to the RH Law and the Judgment of the Supreme Court and carried out without observance of due process and with grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction”.

It will be remembered that ALFI also petitioned the SC to declare the RH Law unconstitutional because according to them, all hormonal contraceptives are abortifacient and result in killing the unborn. This remains as their basic premise in the present petition (beyond the technical aspects of contraceptive registration and law’s implementation).

According to III. The Parties, “... the instant Petition is being filed on behalf of all generations of Filipinos yet unborn who are in danger of being deprived of the right to life ...” (emphasis and underscoring supplied). This is how extreme their position is prompting RH advocate Alfredo Melgar to quip, “Now, life begins from imagination and no longer from conception”. Beyond the unborn that has actually been conceived, Noche and party are also protecting those they imagine will be conceived.

Because of this positioning, the rights and lives of women, both rich and poor are put in peril. In their Prayer, they want the Highest Court to: Issue a temporary Restraining Order and/or Writ of Preliminary Prohibitory and Mandatory Injunction to order respondents and their agents to: 1. Stop registration or re-certification, procurement, sale, distribution, or administration of all RH supplies including contraceptives; and, cancel or withdraw all registrations or re-certifications already done on all RH products and supplies including contraceptives; withdraw these from the market; and prohibit further purchase, sale, distribution, and use of these RH supplies.

2. Annul all orders, resolutions and all actions done or issued by respondents and their representatives for registration, purchase, and distribution of RH supplies including contraceptives.

3. Order the FDA to draw up rules for evaluation and testing of contraceptives; and for DOH to formulate rules in the procurement, distribution, and dispensation of RH supplies particularly contraceptives.

4. Approve all rules and guidelines previously mentioned and for the tRO to be effective until this is done.

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

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A8

opinion

ADELLE chuA editor

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

poWer point eLiZABeth AnGsioCo

NegatiNg the Rh Law

[ EDI TORI A L ]

Another dAy, Another mishAp OFF the coast of Ormoc, Leyte at noon on Thursday, a boat carrying 191 people capsized. While most of the passenger survived, 45 are confirmed dead; at least 10 remain missing.

This tragedy is the latest disaster to talk about these days, with the Philippine Coast Guard, assisted by the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Air Force, leading the investigations into the cause of the ship’s mishap.

Among the leads being explored are human error and overloading, with bad weather causing rough waves. There are reports that the boat made a sharp right turn after being hit by waves; the passengers panicked and caused the boat to tilt.

The vessel was found to be carrying 150 sacks of cement as well as construction materials. There are also accounts that life jackets were not made available to the passengers.

Expect the usual calls for swift investigation and for justice for the missing and the dead.

Unfortunately, such calls are only heard every time there is a mishap. In between such incidents, regulators and executives responsible for ensuring the safety of the public are left to their own devices.

The calls will be loud because it is practically election season and everybody is looking for somebody else to blame.

They also wish to be portrayed as having empathy for the victims and their families. They will echo the angry words and demands that those responsible for the tragedy must be made accountable.

Recall what happened two months ago when a fire hit a slipper factory in Valenzuela, causing the death of dozens of workers. The investigation revealed that the factory did not use adequate safety measures and the workers themselves employed not by the factory but by a third-party company that hires workers on contractual basis.

In that incident, there was much recrimination and blame-tossing. In the end, the victims allowed the settlement of their case and nothing more was heard about how other factories in other places all over the country are run and evaluated.

These mishaps will continue happening as long as the people in office take their responsibilities for granted, seeing their roles as routine and becoming used to the idea that people’s lives depend on their action – or inaction.

This is the issue to be highlighted, not the usual game of politicians where they feel compelled to make populist shoutouts without adequate follow through.

Marshalling resources for Mindanao BACK ChAnneL ALeJAndro deL rosArio It takes a visionary and someone who understands the complexity of the Mindanao problem to come up with an encompassing solution.

Stepping up to the challenge, Senator Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has proposed a mini- Marshall Plan to solve the decades-long conflict

in Mindanao. The inspiration of Marcos’ plan was George Catlett Marshall, the architect for Europe’s rapid recovery after World War II. Marshall, then the Secretary of State, was commissioned

by US President Harry truman to fast-track postwar Europe’s economic recovery. Since then, Marshall’s name became synonymous with economic recovery planning through the infusion of massive funding assistance from international sources.

In a speech at the Philippine Constitution Association last

tuesday at the historic Manila Hotel, Senator Marcos said full modernization of Mindanao is the only way forward for the region whose potential has been stalled by disparate rebel groups and neglect by the central government in Manila. Philconsa, led by its president, Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, has filed a petition before the Supreme Court questioning the constitutionality of the government-proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law. Conferred by Philconsa the ti-

A modernization plan can only be achieved with the full-scale pacification of all insurgent forces and all-out law enforcement in the region.

A9

tle of “great defender of the Constitution,” the senator remarked he found it ironic that today, a Marcos was defending the 1987 Constitution drawn up during President Cory Aquino’s revolutionary government. ”With all the money and numbers the present Aquino government is prepared to commit to a Muslim Mindanao region, we can design a mini-Marshall Plan with internal investments complemented by international funding institutions,” said Marcos who is submitting a substitute bill to the flawed and controversial Bangsamoro Basic Law when Congress resumes on July 27.

But a modernization plan can only be achieved with the fullscale pacification of all insurgent forces and all-out law enforce-

ment in the region, Marcos said. He cautioned against entrusting the maintenance of peace solely to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the aftermath of the Mamasapano, Maguindanao massacre of 44 PNP-Special Action Force commandos.

The fatal flaw of the MILF-government panel was its failure to include the interest of the other stakeholders in the proposed autonomous region. Lumping the Christian communities, indigenous people like the Lumads, the Moro National Liberation Front and the Sultanate of Sulu under the hegemony of the MILF is both unac-

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-

ceptable and unworkable, said the senator who took his Senate committee on local government to Mindanao provinces to be placed under the ambit of the BBL .

After a series of consultations that gave him a sense of how the locals feel about being governed by the MILF, the senator said he is determined to do the right thing. He is also considering, as an alternative to the mini-Marshall plan, the revision and upgrade of the constitutionally compliant Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. The MILF seconded by the government peace negotiators

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MEMBER

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portrayed the ARMM as a failed experiment when all it needed was more support to succeed, said Senator Marcos.

He raised his concern that the government peace panel gave away to the MILF all the powers and features of an independent state such as a parliamentary form of government, its own police force and a commission on audit.

For sure, there are many Filipinos who share the senator’s apprehension that we might be creating a state within a state that can easily secede from the Republic.

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. Verzosa Head, Advertising Solutions Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

tHE Reproductive Health Law is again under attack and opponents seek to ban ALL family planning supplies, particularly contraceptives from the market.

The Alliance for the Family Foundation Philippines, Inc. (ALFI), headed by lawyer Maria Concepcion Noche filed a Petition for Certiorari, Prohibition and Mandamus with the Supreme Court against the Department of Health (DOH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Center for Drug Regulation and Research (CDRR).

The more than 100-page petition “questions the manner of implementation of the RH Law... as being contrary to the RH Law and the Judgment of the Supreme Court and carried out without observance of due process and with grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction”.

It will be remembered that ALFI also petitioned the SC to declare the RH Law unconstitutional because according to them, all hormonal contraceptives are abortifacient and result in killing the unborn. This remains as their basic premise in the present petition (beyond the technical aspects of contraceptive registration and law’s implementation).

According to III. The Parties, “... the instant Petition is being filed on behalf of all generations of Filipinos yet unborn who are in danger of being deprived of the right to life ...” (emphasis and underscoring supplied). This is how extreme their position is prompting RH advocate Alfredo Melgar to quip, “Now, life begins from imagination and no longer from conception”. Beyond the unborn that has actually been conceived, Noche and party are also protecting those they imagine will be conceived.

Because of this positioning, the rights and lives of women, both rich and poor are put in peril. In their Prayer, they want the Highest Court to: Issue a temporary Restraining Order and/or Writ of Preliminary Prohibitory and Mandatory Injunction to order respondents and their agents to: 1. Stop registration or re-certification, procurement, sale, distribution, or administration of all RH supplies including contraceptives; and, cancel or withdraw all registrations or re-certifications already done on all RH products and supplies including contraceptives; withdraw these from the market; and prohibit further purchase, sale, distribution, and use of these RH supplies.

2. Annul all orders, resolutions and all actions done or issued by respondents and their representatives for registration, purchase, and distribution of RH supplies including contraceptives.

3. Order the FDA to draw up rules for evaluation and testing of contraceptives; and for DOH to formulate rules in the procurement, distribution, and dispensation of RH supplies particularly contraceptives.

4. Approve all rules and guidelines previously mentioned and for the tRO to be effective until this is done.

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

S AT U R D AY : J U LY 4 , 2 0 1 5

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OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

Freedom oF the press and mass media BACK­ BENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN Part 1

MaNy of our people believe that freedom of the press is the most important mechanism that gives life to our democracy. It is through that freedom that we come to know about the venalities being committed by our government officials; that without it, our institution would die.

Nonetheless, behind the facade of what we consider our sanctified freedom, seldom do we know that there is a wide difference between the press as we understand of it, from the media, although both assume to possess the privilege of freedom to carry out their undertakings.

Hardly could one distinguish the freedom of the press from that of the so-called freedom to control the media. To make ourselves clear, freedom of the press has reference to what an individual or group of individuals wants to convey without prior restraint. From that point of view, it is treated as an absolute right. But in the course of time, our concept of freedom of the press has evolved such that practically, it would not mean anything if the writer cannot channel his thoughts through an institution called “mass media” (plural of medium), because the purpose is to disseminate as much information to the widest possible audience.

Thus, the freedom of the press that we came to understand refers to freedom of the people engaged in pamphleteering or writing in tabloids for which the author directly conveys his ideas to his readers. Because of progress and the desire to reach the widest possible audience, the so-called “mass media” was conceived and that began with the founding of newspapers operating on a daily and regular basis. The concept of newspapers in the early days operated in the true spirit of freedom of the press. But as it grew, requiring more capital to keep its operations going, it evolved to become a big corporation, owned and operated by business moguls, for which the paper is now used to defend the interest of the stockholders. Effectively, the noble motive of disseminating the truth gave way to the

interest of business.

Because of advances in telecommunications and technology, mass media gave birth to a specialized form of information dissemination called the audio system or listening through the radio.

Later, the video and audio system came into being with the advent of television. Today, a novel and revolutionary mass media – the Internet – where both the users and the audience invoke their right to freedom of the press.

Through the Internet, one can convey one’s thoughts around the world at the flick of one’s fingers, and send them at the speed of light. The internet created a distinctly form of mass media communication called “social media” to distinguish itself from the mainstream media which was based on the

This freedom, which we used to believe was absolute, has departed from its original meaning.

corporate-run tri-mass media of radio, television and newspapers.

The users or practitioners of the social media, like Facebook, blogs and social news, etc., revived the true meaning of freedom of the press. People actively interact to discuss issues they like to tackle, and are free to oppose and criticize each other, unhindered by restraints that are rooted in protecting one’s interest. It is a wonder of science that put truism to Marx’s prediction that instead of class struggle, a new form of mass communication would rise to devour the traditional mass media.

Today, some newspapers are barely surviving the onslaught of competition posed by the social media and the internet. It is considered the freest of all mass media because there is in that system the active involvement of both parties in a system called “interactive communication”.

The beauty about this

EAGLE EYES DEAN TONY LA VIÑA

a balanced view oF biotechnology

IN my last column, I highlighted Pope Francis’ appreciation of the role of science and technology in society. I emphasized that Laudato Si’ is not anti-science or antitechnology. Indeed, in paragraph 103 of the encyclical, Pope Francis clearly sees a positive role for what he calls “technoscience” which “when well directed, can produce important means of improving the quality of human life, from useful domestic appliances to great transportation systems, bridges, buildings and public spaces”. Pope Francis recognizes that technoscience, citing “the beauty of an aircraft or a skyscraper” can create art and “enable men and women immersed in the material world to “leap” into the world of beauty”. He points out that many works of art and music are produced from new technologies: “So, in the beauty intended by the one who uses new technical instruments and in the contemplation of such beauty, a quantum leap occurs, resulting in a fulfillment which is uniquely human.

In the next paragraph Pope Francis then acknowledges the enormous power that technoscience - nuclear energy, biotechnology, information technology, knowledge of our DNa, etc. – gives to humans. according to Laudato Si: “More precisely, they have given those with the knowledge, and especially the economic resources to use them, an impressive dominance over the whole of humanity and the entire world. Never has humanity had such power over itself, yet nothing ensures that it will be used wisely, particularly when we consider how it is currently being used.”

In a later section in the encyclical, consistent with this view of science and technology, Pope Francis weighs in on the issue of modern biotechnology, sharing a balanced perspective that acknowledges the risks and benefits of genetic modification. He describes the challenge we are dealing with in the use of this technology: “This is a complex environmental issue; it calls for a comprehensive approach which would require, at the very least, greater efforts to finance various lines of independent, interdisciplinary research capable of shedding new light on the problem.” among others, Pope Francis emphasizes the ethical and socio-economic aspects of modern biotechnology. among others, Thus Laudato Si’ attacks the expansion of genetically modified crops that destroy the complex network of ecosystems, diminishing the diversity of production and affecting regional economies, now and in the future. He also condemns the expansion of oligopolies and the use of terminator seeds. Finally, he laments the tendency to justify transgressing all boundaries when experimentation is carried out on living human embryos.

Overall though, Pope Francis points out that: “It is difficult to make a general judgment about genetic modinnovation is that the author opens himself to disagreement and criticism, no matter how bankrupt and morally depraved one would argue his point of view. The rule of selfrestraint is observed if one wished to avoid being spammed or receive violent repercussions arising from uncalled-for and libelous commentary.

Of course, the user can be sued for libel, but the majority just do not care anymore. Why bother to listen to an anarchist, a fundamentalist, a zealot, a religious charlatan, a selfrighteous politician, or to a loony fringe when there are many intelligent people out there from whom we could learn more about life? The set of standards considered morally acceptable has been reverted to the individual, for him to judge what is morally upright and rationally correct.

The traditional mass

media is considered a dying industry today. Nonetheless, from a positive point of view, the mass media gave a glimpse of what it takes to know what is taking place around us. But along the way, the general public has failed to detect that the freedom of the press they used to understand and often believed as absolute, has departed form its original meaning such that it is now considered more of a right reserved to the owners of the mass media.

Maybe the interest of the individual is tolerable as he can only speak and write for himself, but not of the interest of the mass media because it portrays its interest as the interest of the general public.

The mass media now acts as the purveyor of what is good for our society. The publishers, the owners of radio and television, have their peculiar interest

ification (GM), whether vegetable or animal, medical or agricultural, since these vary greatly among themselves and call for specific considerations. The risks involved are not always due to the techniques used, but rather to their improper or excessive application. Genetic mutations, in fact, have often been, and continue to be, caused by nature itself. Nor are mutations caused by human intervention a modern phenomenon. The domestication of animals, the crossbreeding of species and other older and universally accepted practices can be mentioned as examples.” (LS 133) Pope Francis also acknowledges that there is no conclusive proof to show that GM cereals may be harmful to human beings; in fact, he observes that their use has been economically beneficial in some regions. But, he cautions that there are still important difficulties that should not be underestimated. He describes these concerns in paragraph 134 of Laudato Si: “In many places, following the introduction of these crops, productive land is concentrated in the hands of a few owners due to ‘the progressive disappearance of small producers, who, as a consequence of the loss of the exploited lands, are obliged to withdraw from direct production’. The most vulnerable of these become temporary laborers, and many rural workers end up moving to poverty-stricken urban areas. The expansion of these crops has the effect of destroying the complex network of ecosystems, diminishing the diversity of production and affecting regional economies, now and in the future. In various countries, we see an expansion of oligopolies for the production of cereals and other products needed for their cultivation. This dependency would be aggravated were the production of infertile seeds to be considered; the effect would be to force farmers to purchase them from larger producers.”

In this regard, Pope Francis encouraged “a broad, responsible scientific and social debate needs to take place, one capable of considering all the available information and of calling things by their name”. The truth is that sometimes complete information is not available, resulting in policy decisions made on the basis of particular interests, which can be politico-economic or ideological.

The result of this is that it makes it challenging to arrive at a good - balanced and prudent – assessment. Pope Francis encourages discussions where “all those directly or indirectly affected (farmers, consumers, civil authorities, scientists, seed producers, people living near fumigated fields, and others) can make known their problems and concerns, and have access to adequate and reliable information in order to make decisions for the common good, present and future.”

Facebook: tonylavs5 Twitter: tonylavs on what they want to be printed, or say in public, but remain silent on issues related to their business interest which reason why they call themselves the “mainstream media” because they claim to represent the dominant choice of the people for information and news analysis.

They dare not indulge in a hard-hitting news analysis for fear of losing their highly prized advertisers that often have close ties with the corrupted institutions we have. It is their advertisers that they want to please by putting in things they want to hear and read.

They cannot rock the boat that earned for them millions by their parody of our freedom of the press.

This explains why most newspapers now and, to some extent, the radio are financially hemorrhaging.

One must bear in mind that the writer could only find expression in what

he writes if he is hired or given permission by the owner of the media. The right of the mass media to invoke their freedom of the press is far superior to the right of the individual who conceived and created what is to be written.

If the discredited communist regimes were accused of monopolizing the mass media and screening all things that should be disseminated to the people, the same is true today of our corporate-owned mass media. Writers are no longer called writers, but newspapermen because they are employees especially tasked to gather and write news, but not to think! The same is true of our radio announcers and television anchormen.

They are not free to open their mouth as they wish or even entertain the notion they have the right to freedom of the press. rpkapunan@gmail.com

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OPINION

adelle chua EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

FINALLY, A POSSIBLE END TO THE BBL NIGHTMARE

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA An event that may trigger the liberation of the Filipino people from the potentially disastrous effects of the unconstitutional Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) pending in the Senate took place last June 19, 2015.

That day, the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa) headed by Leyte Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, and former negros Oriental congressman Jacinto Paras, filed separate petitions in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality not of the BBL itself, but of the source of this underhanded attempt of the administration of President Benigno Aquino III to allow a state-sponsored dismemberment of the Republic in favor of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The petitions assail the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro – the blueprint for the controversial BBL. To appreciate the arguments raised by the petitioners, a brief historical overview is in order.

In the 1970s, then-President Ferdinand Marcos sought a peaceful solution to the Muslim insurgency in Mindanao.

Multi-party negotiations ultimately led to the signing of the 1976 Tripoli Agreement, which called for autonomy, not independence, in Muslim Mindanao. That autonomy was eventually embodied in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) created pursuant to Sections 15 to 21, Article X of the 1987 Constitution.

In 1989, Congress enacted Republic Act no. 6734, the Organic Act of the ARMM. During his term, President Fidel Ramos created the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (PAPP). In turn, President Gloria Arroyo ordered that peace with the Muslim rebels in Mindanao shall be undertaken by the PAPP “in ac-

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cordance with constitutional processes.”

Thereafter, a government peace panel negotiated with the MILF. This led to the infamous Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) which called for the creation of a virtual sub-state in Mindanao – the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE).

The MOA-AD had controversial features, including a provision which speaks of the “associative relationship” between the Republic of the Philippines and the BJE. It also contained provisions which guaranteed amendments to the 1987 Constitution. Because of these legal infirmities, the MOA-AD was challenged in the Supreme Court even before it was signed by the government peace panel.

On October 14, 2008, the Supreme Court declared the MOA-AD unconstitutional. The Supreme Court ruled, among others, that the government peace panel cannot guarantee amendments to the 1987 Constitution to accommodate the stipulations in the MOA-AD; that the MOA-AD violates the Constitution; and that the “associative relationship” between the Republic of the Philippines and the BJE as stipulated in the MOA-AD is unconstitutional because it implies that the BJE is an entity headed towards independence. The decision was written by then Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales, who is the current Ombudsman.

In December 2012, President Aquino called the ARMM “a failed experiment” and ordered his devoted PAPP, Teresita Deles, to create a new government peace panel to sit down with representatives of the MILF. Eventually, the government peace panel was convened, with law professor Marvic

Leonen representing the government, and a certain Mohagher Iqbal (a pseudonym) representing the MILF. On October 15, 2012, this government peace panel signed the so-called Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB). Further negotiations led to the signing of four (4) annexes and their inclusion in the FAB. Pursuant to the FAB, President Aquino created the Transition Commission, which will prepare the draft BBL for the approval of Congress, and which will recommend amendments to the 1987 Constitution to accommodate the BBL. In December 2012, Miriam Coronel Ferrer succeeded Leonen after Aquino appointed the latter to the Supreme Court.

Later, the FAB and its annexes were integrated and called the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

Like the FAB and its annexes, the CAB contains provisions which violate the 1987 Constitution, and guarantees that the Constitution will be amended to accommodate the provisions of the CAB. It also states that the relationship between the Republic of the Philippines and the Bangsamoro Government created under the CAB shall be “asymmetric” in character. noted experts in Constitutional Law see no difference between the terms “associative” relationship used in the MOA-AD and “asymmetric” relationship used in the CAB. On March 27, 2014, the CAB was signed for the government by Ferrer, Senen Bacani, Yasmin Busran-Lao, and Mehol Sadain. Thereafter, the Transition Commission submitted a draft of the BBL to President Aquino for his approval. After some amendments to the draft were made in Malacañang, President Aquino submit-

Marshalling.. From A9

Negating..From A9

CAAP workers decry loss of P1-B benefits Here’s how the government rewards its hard-working employees. It takes back pay increases and benefits they have been receiving since 2012.

The decision of the Commission on Audit and the Governance Commission on Government -Owned and -Controlled Corporations to stop the P1-billion in benefits already given to Civil Aeronautics Administration of the Philippines employees who helped the country get back to international aviation standards is most unfair and insensitive when seen in light of the high costs of living.

The country’s international carrier, Philippine Airlines, is now able to fly to European destinations after CAAP employees pushed themselves to meet rigid requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for airport safety standards. Earlier, the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) also lifted sanctions on Manila’s airport for its sub-standard airport facilities and operations. now that the Philippines is back to Category 1 status, PAL continues to fly to Los Angeles, San Francisco and even added new York to its US routes.

Recently, PAL also made a breakthrough in returning to its former London, UK destination.

All these can be attributed to the professional performance of the CAAP workers. But with the government’s shabby treatment of our skilled workers, the country will continue to suffer from the exodus of Filipino professionals.

We have seen this happen with the lowlypaid weather forecasters of Pagasa.

I am confident about no. 3 because these rules are in place. Besides, the law is quite clear in terms of the process of registering or certifying contraceptives.

Also, the law’s Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) outlines in detail processes of DOH and FDA. In 4, noche asks the SC to approve the rules that she demands from DOH and FDA. I do not know how the Justices will consider this as it seems to set precedents. Does this mean that on controversial issues, the SC can be asked to scrutinize and approve all related rules and procedures? This is unnecessarily burdening the SC. Worse, is the Highest Court now being asked to perform functions of lower administrative agencies? Is SC being demoted?

Granting ALFI no. 2 will set government back in implementing the RH Law. DOH will need to start again. It took government many months to prepare so it can fully implement the law.

Structures from the local to national levels had to be organized, all sorts of guidelines were drawn up, education activities were implemented so implementors are on the same page. now that all these are done and things are set, noche demands everything to be rescinded.

The same is true with the FDA. Based on records, the FDA spent many months in scrutinizing, testing, and evaluating contraceptives that applied for registration or re-certification. It

employed the services of and consulted with experts before approval was released. now, ALFI wants these revoked.

ALFI succeeded in partially getting no. 1. The SC’s second division issued a TRO ordering the FDA from further registering or re-certifying contraceptives with pending applications. It also orders the DOH and its representatives to stop purchase, distribution and use of two brands of subdermal implant contraceptives, Implanon and Implanon nXT. The FDA has already approved 50 contraceptive brands. Only three applications remain pending and thus, affected by the TRO. Government and its representatives now cannot distribute and use the two implants BUT can continue doing family planning services using all other approved contraceptives.

This is not what the anti-RH want.

They are asking the SC to BAn ALL HORMOnAL COnTRACEPTIVES FROM THE MARKET. In noche’s letter to Sec. Janette Garin dated 19 March 2015 (Annex L of the petition), she said that ALFI was opposing the applications for re-certification of all contraceptives because they are all abortifacient.

This was her same position during the Oral Arguments on the RH Law. On July 9, 2013, she was questioned

by Chief Justice Sereno whether a poor, unhealthy woman with already too many children using contraceptives is violating the constitution. noche said YES.

ted the draft BBL to both houses of Congress for appropriate action. The draft BBL submitted to Congress contains provisions lifted directly from the CAB. Undoubtedly, both the MOA-AD and the CAB guarantee amendments to the 1987 Constitution. Likewise, the “associative” relationship stated in the MOA-AD is no different from the “asymmetric” relationship mentioned in the CAB. Thus, pursuant to the 2008 decision of the Supreme Court regarding the MOA-AD, the CAB is also unconstitutional.

The recent petitions against the CAB are anchored on this judicial precedent. It logically follows, of course, that if the CAB is unconstitutional, then the draft BBL, which traces its legal origin from the CAB and its related agreements, is a legal nullity.

Supporters of the BBL say that the aforesaid petitions are premature because the BBL is still pending in the Senate. That argument is specious. To repeat, the petitions are directed against the CAB and not the BBL. Moreover, in the 2008 judicial precedent, the Supreme Court declared the MOA-AD unconstitutional even before the government peace panel was able to sign it.

Other supporters of the BBL ask why the petitions were filed years after the CAB was signed. That is beside the point. Unconstitutional acts of government officials do not ripen to validity by the mere passage of time.

Although the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) is expected to represent the Aquino administration in opposing the petitions, the OSG may not represent Mohagher Iqbal and the MILF. Government resources, already limited as they are, should not be used to defend an inexistent person and his revolutionary organization.

She also said that an infertile woman who wants to get pregnant and managed to fertilize eight (8) eggs through artificial means should carry all those eggs to full term unless she proves that she will die in doing so.

This is how small noche regards living women compared with the unborn. The CJ in response said that with noche’s statements, it has become the duty of the women to put themselves at risk because of the Constitution.

Imagine if the SC via the TRO granted all of ALFI’s demands? Then ALL Filipino women will no longer have access to contraceptives! RH advocates fought many years for the rights of economically disadvantaged women to have the same access to family planning supplies with those who can afford to buy, noche’s group wants to remove this access even from women who buy their contraceptives.

While the TRO did not grant all of ALFI’s demands, the danger remains.

The SC still needs to decide on the petition with finality.

It is time for all women (and allies), rich and poor, who want their reproductive health and rights respected to unite against these sinister moves to undermine what we fought for.

In the name of the LIVInG Filipino women, we are not going to allow the RH law to be rendered inutile. bethangsioco@gmail.com @bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on FaceBook

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

PH racing club’s suspension lifted THE Philippine Racing Commission lifted the suspension they imposed on Philippine Racing Club, Inc. after the racing club’s successful testing of their new totalizator equipment last Thursday.

Boxing wants more women’s tiffs at Olympics LAUSANNE—The International Boxing Association (AIBA) wants to see more women fighting at the Olympic Games, its president Wu Ching-Kuo said.

“The introduction of women’s boxing at the London Games in 2012 was a success,” Wu told AFP in an interview.

Women’s boxing will be in Rio again next year and the “aim is to get it increased for 2020 in Tokyo,” Wu said.

There were gold medals in three weight divisions in London, but the AIBA wants the International Olympic Committee to agree five categories between 48 kilos and 75 kilos.

“The boxing at the European Games in Baku were held in this format and we think this is what should be done for the Tokyo Games,” Wu said.

“This would be part of the Olympic Agenda 2020 which calls for equality between men and women.

It would benefit boxing and overall the Olympic Games,” the AIBA president added.

Wu, who stood against Thomas Bach for the IOC presidency in 2013, said a proposal has been made to the Olympic leadership and a decision made just after the Rio Games.

The London Olympics brought women boxers such as Katie Taylor of Ireland into the international spotlight.

The next women’s world championships, the Rio qualifying tournament, are in Astana, Kazakhstan in February. AFP

Getting ready for the Universiade. Dancers perform during opening ceremony rehearsals for the World University Games in Gwangju. The World University Games was set to open last night in Gwangju with defiant organizers predicting a record participation despite the backdrop of a deadly respiratory disease sweeping host nation South Korea. Some 13,000 athletes and officials from 145 countries are expected to participate from July 3-14 in Gwangju, a southwestern city 280 kilometers (168 miles) from the capital Seoul. AFP

‘Sponsors will quit a FIFA without reform’ LAUSANNE—A former top FIFA official who left after criticising its president Sepp Blatter has warned that big sponsors will start leaving world football’s governing body unless major reforms are undertaken.

Michel Zen-Ruffinen, who succeeded Blatter as FIFA secretary general from 1998 until 2002

when the latter was elected president, said he would be interested in returning to the body if “order” is restored to the scandaltainted body.

Zen-Ruffinen, a critic of Blatter’s leadership style left FIFA in 2002 after producing a report which accused the president of mismanaging FIFA’s finances.

Blatter said last month he would stand down as FIFA was left reeling by two separate corruption investigations.

“I do not exclude returning, but I would have to know who would be running the organisation and if he has the will to put things in order,” Zen-Ruffinen told AFP in an interview. AFP

After delays in all of PRCI’s June racemeets due to faulty equipment that the agency said led to a decline in sales for the period, Philracom invoked its powers under Presidential Decree No. 420 and imposed a suspension on the racing club last week until it could satisfy the Commission that it could operate without further problems.

“The suspension was necessary,” said Philracom Chairman Andrew A. Sanchez, “to protect the interests of the betting public, as well as those of the industry and the government.”

According to PRCI Executive Vice President and Chief Finance Officer Allan V. Abesamis, their service provider Global Versatech, Inc. has installed two new servers to replace the two faulty ones that will be rehabilitated and used as back-up systems.

GVI President Gary Lauriano assured the Commission that “the new systems will perform well and not pose any disruption to PRCI’s races in the future.”

Given the assurances of PRCI and GVI, Philracom “approved for resumption” the conduct of races at PRCI’s Santa Ana Park racetrack starting on its next regularly-scheduled racemeet this weekend (July 4 and 5).

Talent, beauty at PSL volley meet

Top chess finishers. The top finishers in the seniors’ division of the 23rd Shell National

Youth Active Chess Championship (Shell Active Chess) National Capital Region leg are shown with Janot Barretto, Shell Downstream Social Performance manager, GM Eugene Torre and Shell Business Operation Data Analyst Melanie Magno during awards’ rites at SM Megamall Event Center. They are (second from left) McDominique Lagula of San Beda College, top female player Crissa Canada of Adamson University, champion Marc Kevin Labog of Adamson University, and Carlo Caranyagan of Arellano University.

VOLLEYBALL darlings Gretchen Ho and Cha Cruz spearhead a stellar cast of participants when the PLDT Home UlteraPhilippine Superliga Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup 2015 powered by Smart Live More fires off July 18 at the sand court of SM by the Bay. Two of the most beautiful faces in the sport today, Ho and Cruz are tipped to treat fans to a sparkling display of charm and volleyball prowess in this tournament that will be aired live over TV5, with Accel as the official outfitter.

Ho—a commercial model and the league’s former ambassadress—will be teaming up with Frances

Molina for Petron XCS. Cruz, meanwhile, will connive with veteran Michelle Laborte for Cignal A. A pair of beauties in Filipino-American Alexa Micek and Fille CaingletCayetano will also be seeing action for Petron Sprint 4T, while Wensh Tiu and April Rose Hingpit will be campaigning for Cignal B, making the race to the crown between two of league’s powerhouse squads doubly exciting.

“This tournament is our contribution in elevating the game of volleyball in the country,” said PSL president Ramon “Tats” Suzara, who will preside the general technical meeting and drawing of lots on July

9. “Knowing that beach volleyball is way different than indoor volleyball, we made sure that we will have a very balanced and competitive field. All competing teams must work hard for the prestige of becoming the inaugural PSL beach volleyball champion.”

Aside from Petron and Cignal, also vying for glory in the women’s division are Foton, Philips Gold, Sonac, Gilligan’s, and Quantum Plus, among others.

Foton will be fielding two teams with Pau Soriano and Bea Tan bannering the Hurricane and Patty Orendain and Fiola Ceballos— the reigning Queen of the Sands—teaming up for the Tornadoes.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Bata weaves magic in NJ tilt

By Ronnie Nathanielsz EFREN “Bata” Reyes wove his magic once again to win the Accu-Stats ‘Make It Happen” One Pocket Invitational last weekend at Sandcastle Billliards in New Jersey.

Three One Pocket legends, led by Reyes and three future stars of the game, did battle in an intriguing contest with four of the players chosen based on known ability over their careers, according to Accu Stats, The 61-year-old Reyes, who is a One Pocket legend, was joined Scott Frost, American Shane Van Boeing, and fan favorite Alex Pagulayan, who played for the Philippines for some years, but then reverted to representing Canada, where he was reportedly taken cared off by the pool organization.

The two remaining spots were filled by up-andcoming Justin Hall, who has had several high finishes in One Pocket tournaments in recent years and newcomer to the big stage, Danny Smith, who had a significant challenge match win against Darren Appleton.

The format was a simple race-to-three round robin, with the players and the two best records advancing to the finals.

Cage clinics. United States Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg and Pasay City Mayor Antonino Calixto are shown with persons with disabilities, the participants of the basketball clinic which the embassy conducted.

Langley leads; Tiger finds his groove at Greenbrier WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS—Tiger Woods found his groove at the Greenbrier Classic on Thursday, bouncing back from his disastrous US Open with a four-under-par 66 that left him four shots behind first-round leader Scott Langley.

Langley had eight birdies with no bogeys in his career-best eight-under-par 62.

He hit 12 of 14 fairways and 17 of 18 greens in regulation as he matched the Greenbrier’s best opening round as well as the lowest first-round score on the PGA Tour this season.

But it was Woods’ solid firstround effort that grabbed the headlines, as the 14-time major champion improved on his best first-18 effort of his 2015 campaign by a whopping seven

strokes.

Woods posted his first round in the 60s since the Masters, where rounds of 69 and 68 in the second and third rounds helped him finish tied for 17th.

That performance at Augusta National in April has been the brightest spot of Woods’s season to date and he arrived at the Old White TPC off a missed cut at the US Open at Chambers Bay, where his rounds of 80 and 76 added up to the worst 36-hole performance of his career.

“Even though my scores don’t indicate it, my swings don’t indicate it ... my feels were telling me that I wasn’t that far off,” said Woods, the former world number one who has slumped to 220th in the world.

“It was just a matter of just getting into a little bit of the rhythm and flow of it, and I found that.”

Woods, playing his only tuneup for the British Open at St. Andrews in a fortnight, teed off on 10 and got to three-under with birdies at 12, 15 and 16 before giving a stroke back at the par-five 17th.

After a birdie at the par-four second, Woods dropped two shots at the par-four sixth, where he was in the rough off the tee and in a greenside bunker with his approach shot.

But he held on with three straight birdies to cap his round.

“Wasn’t good, making a double

there,” Woods said, adding that he told caddie Joey LaCava “We’re just playing too well to be at oneunder par.”

He was hoping to get back to three-under for the round “And we happened to pull off a hat-trick coming home,” said Woods, who stuck his approach within four feet for birdie at the seventh then rolled in putts of 18 and 19 feet at the last two holes.

Langley, seeking his first PGA Tour title, had a one-shot lead over New Zealand’s Danny Lee and fellow American Jonathan Byrd.

Both Lee and Byrd had seven birdies without a bogey to reach seven-under 63.

It was a further stroke back to England’s Brian Davis and Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa on 64, while half a dozen players shared sixth on 65. AFP

Sasaki says Japan will do better vs US EDMONTON—Japan coach Norio Sasaki admitted his side struggled to control England before a dramatic own-goal sealed a 2-1 win at the Women’s World Cup and set up a title rematch with the United States.

Defender Laura Bassett turned the ball into her own net deep into injury time to send a heartbroken England home from their first semi-final and holders Japan through to their second straight final in Vancouver next Sunday.

The opening two goals came from penalties from Japan captain Aya Miyama (33) and Fara Williams (40) as a gritty English side matched the reigning champions.

Japan’s ‘Nadeshiko’ had been unable to dictate play the way they had in their five previous games, which were also won by one-goal margins.

“Today we had a tough game. I thought we could play the way we wanted to and we could stick to our plan, but they were playing in a very simple manner and they were also powerful,” said Sasaki. AFP

12 games kick off taekwondo tourney

Janin Marcaida (left) connects with a roundhouse kick to her opponent Thea Ramos in the 2014 Philippine Taekwondo League.

TWELVE matches will kick off the 2015 SMART/MVP Sports Foundation Philippine Taekwondo League starting today at SM Fairview.

The competition, which will be staged in different SM Supermalls nationwide until November, is supported by PLDT, Meralco, Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee.

The opening matches pit SSCR against Mapua, UP against San Beda, ADMU against SSR, LPU against San Beda, Mapua against ADMU and LPU against CSB in senior men’s division and AU against UP, Letran against FEU, San Beda against AU, FEU against ADMU, UP against San Beda and ADMU against Letran in the senior women’s group.

According to Commissioner Monsour del Rosario and tournament director Stephen Fernandez, the tourney will feature elite teams from different schools, colleges and

universities affiliated with the Philippine Taekwondo Association.

The event will use the PSS (Protective Scoring System) and ESS (Electronic Scoring System), electronic armors and socks together with the IVR (Instant Video Replay) system to eliminate human error and ensure accurate, fair scoring and spectator-friendly competition.

The tourney aims to highlight the progress of taekwondo here and gives the athletes the chance to show their techniques and styles in sparring (kyorugi) as well as enable more people to watch the popular, exciting sport.

PTL will feature a special round called “Tag round” where a team with a maximum of 10 players can have unlimited substitutions in one round of five minutes. The team that makes the highest score wins the match.

Martial arts enthusiasts and other fans, especially children who are interested to learn the sport, are invited to witness the event.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Nietes’ challenger arrives early

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

MANDATORY challenger Francisco “Chihuas” Rodriguez (17-2-1, 11 KOs) arrived in Manila in the early morning hours of Monday, checked in with his trainer at a hotel in Malate and began training on Tuesday afternoon at the Elorde Gym on Taft Avenue.

The Standard and boxingmirror.com were alerted to the plan of Rodriguez and his team to travel to the Philippines last Sunday, two weeks ahead of his title fight against Donnie “Ahas” Nietes (35-1-4, 21 KOs) for the World Boxing Organization flyweight championship on July 11 at the Waterfront Hotel Casino in Cebu City.

The Standard was able to track him down through contacts in the boxing business and watch him train for more than

two hours during which he did a total of 10 rounds, including shadow boxing, punching the heavy bag and five rounds on the punch-mitts.

Rodriguez showed handspeed, good footwork and head movement in slipping punches and on occasions switched to a southpaw stance as he let loose with rapid-fire combinations on the punch-mitts with trainer Carlos Gonzales and ripped into the heavy bag with power punches. He also has a strength

and conditioning coach and a cutman Jose Becerril and Raul Garcia Gonzales.

His trainer/manager Jose Antonio Hernandez said Rodriguez has trained for two months and sparred with World Boxing Council/International Boxing Federation No. 10 Saul Juarez and Armando Torres and is in perfect condition both physically and mentally and has no problem with making the weight considering he had moved up from minimum weight to flyweight.

“Rodriguez had very good sparring and he’s in good condition,” Hernandez said.

“He suffered a slight ankle injury, which necessitated a one week postponement of the fight but he’s fine and we have no problems. Nietes is a good champion, but Francisco will win and realize his dream of becoming a three-

Republic of the Philippines ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF THE ANCILLARY SERVICES PROCUREMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE NATIONAL GRID CORPORATION OF THE PHILIPPINES AND SPC POWER CORPORATION, WITH PRAYER FOR THE ISSUANCE OF PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY

division world champion.”

Trainer Carlos Gonzales said “most Mexicans come here to fight. Francisco comes here to win and we are confident he will end the long-running record of Nietes.”

The early arrival of Rodriguez in order to get acclimatized provided fight fans a glimpse of how seriously he’s pursuing the quest to become the first fighter to beat the longest-reigning Filipino world champion.

Rodriguez, a former IBF/ WBO minimum weight champion, who won the minimum weight title beating Nietes’ good friend and stablemate Merlito Sabillo via a 10th round TKO and retained his title in a classic “Fight of the Year” unification battle with Japan’s fearless World Boxing Council champion Katsunari Takayama, has prompted Nietes to train harder than ever before.

Francisco Rodriguez takes a breather from his training. JUN LUPENA

12. Schedule 4 of the ASPA provides that the applicable maximum hourly rates for the capacity covered by the ASPA are as follows: a. b.

DR: Maximum Hourly Rate of PhP1.25/kW; and RPSR: Maximum Hourly Rate of PhP4.00/kVAR.

13. NGCP submits that the rate represents a reasonable recovery of its opportunity cost in making available generation capacity to provide the procured AS; 14. The rate under ASPA was subjected to a simulation by NGCP, as follows: Without Dispatch DR

PhP/kW 17.1218

With Dispatch

PhP/kWh

PhP/kW

0.0418

8.9117

PhP/kWh 0.0217

ERC CASE NO. 2015-113RC NATIONAL GRID CORPORATION OF THE PHILIPPINES AND SPC POWER CORPORATION, Applicants. x-----------------------------------------------x

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: Notice is hereby given that on June 11, 2015, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and SPC Power Corporation (SPC) filed an application for the approval of their Ancillary Services Procurement Agreement (ASPA), with prayer for the issuance of provisional authority.

RPS

Total Scheduled MVar Revenue for the Month

Payment on the Energy and Variables

PhP/kW

PhP/kW

1.3345

PhP/kWh 0.0033

5.9749

PhP/kWh 0.0146

A copy of the Rate Impact Simulation is attached as Annex “C”; 15. Consistent with the AS-CRM, all the related and incidental expenses which NGCP will incur as a result of the procurement and operation of the ancillary services shall be recovered from all the load customers in the Cebu-Negros-Panay (CNP) Sub-Grid;

ALLEGATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY

NATURE OF THE CASE

16. It is a declared policy of the State to ensure the quality, reliability, security and affordability of the supply of electric power (Section 2b, EPIRA). To this end, there is a need to comply with the system requirements for AS to ensure grid system reliability. As mentioned above, NGCP has the mandate to procure the required AS;

1. The instant application is for the approval of the ASPA between the NGCP and SPC, pursuant to the Decision dated 3 October 2007 in ERC Case No. 2006-049RC entitled: “In the Matter of the Application for the Approval of Ancillary Services – Cost Recovery Mechanism (AS-CRM) of the Ancillary Services Procurement Plan, with Prayer for Provisional Authority”;

17. The current levels of available contracted AS in the CNP has not yet reached the desired levels necessary for the system reliability. Thus, Applicants executed this ASPA. A copy of the relevant actual data showing the required and available levels of DR in the CNP is attached as Annex “D”;

THE PARTIES

18. As the demand for power in the Visayas increases, the requirements of the system to ensure stability, reliability and security likewise increases. Ensuring the integrity of the system is essential to protect the interests of the public and particularly key to small and large-scale businesses. The absence of system reliability and stability will certainly discourage investments and growth;

In the said application, NGCP and SPC alleged, among others, the following:

2. NGCP is a corporation created and existing under the laws of the Philippines, with office address at NGCP Building, Quezon Avenue corner BIR Road, Diliman, Quezon City. It is the concessionaire which assumed the power transmission functions of the National Transmission Corporation (TRANSCO) pursuant to R.A. 9136 otherwise known as the “Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001”1 (EPIRA); 3. NGCP holds a franchise under Republic Act No. 95112 to engage in the business of conveying or transmitting electricity through high-voltage back-bone systems of interconnected transmission lines, substations and related facilities, and for other purposes. The franchise also includes the conduct of activities necessary to support the safe and reliable operation of the transmission system; 4. SPC is a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the Philippine laws with principal office address at 7th Floor Cebu Holdings Center, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City.

5. SPC is the owner and operator of the Cebu Diesel Power Plant (CDPP) located in Naga City, Cebu Province, which was certified and accredited by NGCP to be capable of providing Dispatchable Reserve (DR) and Reactive Power Support Reserve (RPSR), herein collectively called as Ancillary Services (AS);

ANTECEDENT FACTS 6. The EPIRA provides that it is the responsibility of NGCP, as TRANSCO’s Concessionaire, to adequately serve generation companies, distribution utilities and suppliers requiring transmission service and/or ancillary services through the transmission system3; 7. Similarly, the Philippine Grid Code (PGC) provides that NGCP is responsible for determining, acquiring, and dispatching the capacity needed to supply the required Grid Ancillary Services and for developing and proposing Wheeling Charges and Ancillary Service tariffs to the Commission4; 8. Ancillary services (AS) as defined in Section 4b of the EPIRA “refer to those services that are necessary to support the transmission of capacity and energy from resources to loads while maintaining reliable operation of the transmission system in accordance with good utility practice and the Grid Code to be adopted in accordance with this Act.” Such services are essential in ensuring reliability in the operation of the transmission system and consequently, in the reliability of the electricity supply in the Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao grids; 9. In order to implement and regulate the procurement of AS, the Commission approved the Ancillary Services Procurement Plan (ASPP) through its Order dated 9 March 2006 in ERC Case No. 2002-253 and the Ancillary Services-Cost Recovery Mechanism (AS-CRM) through its Decision dated 3 October 2007 in ERC Case No. 2006-049RC; 10. Pursuant to its mandate, NGCP invited and negotiated with all prospective generation companies capable of providing ancillary services, one of which is SPC. Upon conducting several tests on CDPP, NGCP determined that its units are capable of providing DR and RPSR. The copy of the Accreditation Certificate No. 2015-V0022 dated 16 January 2015 is attached as Annex “A”; 11. Consequently, they executed the subject ASPA for the supply of DR and RPSR for a period of five (5) years under a non-firm arrangement. A copy of subject ASPA dated 26 May 2015 is attached as Annex “B”;

19. Applicants respectfully submit that the immediate approval of the ASPA by this Honorable Commission will greatly improve the reliability and security of the Grid. In support of these allegations, NGCP submits a copy of the Judicial Affidavit dated 5 June 2015 executed by Engr. Philip DL. Dasalla, Head of the Net Access and Customer Account Division, Revenue and Regulatory Affairs Department of NGCP, which is attached as Annex “E”; 20. They pray that for the Commission to: a.

Immediately issue a provisional authority to implement the subject ASPA; and b.

After notice and hearing, approve the subject ASPA. The Commission has set the instant application jurisdictional hearing, expository presentation, pre-trial conference and evidentiary hearing on July 15, 2015 (Wednesday) at nine o’ clock in the morning (9:00 A.M.) at the ERC Visayas Field Office, St. Mary’s Drive, Banilad, Cebu City.

All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the proceeding may become a party by filing, at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements in the ERC’s Rules of Practice and Procedure, a verified petition with the Commission giving the docket number and the title of the proceeding and stating: (1) the petitioner’s name and address; (2) the nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding, and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and (3) a statement of the relief desired.

All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the proceeding may file their opposition to the application or comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before the applicants conclude the presentation of their evidence. No particular form of opposition or comment is required, but the document, letter or writing should contain the name and address of such person and a concise statement of the opposition or comment and the grounds relied upon.

All such persons who may wish to have a copy of the application may request the applicants, prior to the date of the initial hearing that they be furnished with a copy of the application.

The applicants are hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the application and its attachments, subject to reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs.

Likewise, any such person may examine the application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the usual office hours.

WITNESS,the Honorable Chairperson, ZENAIDA G. CRUZ-DUCUT, and the Honorable Commissioners, ALFREDO J. NON, JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT, and GERONIMO D. STA. ANA, Energy Regulatory Commission,this 15th day of June, 2015 at Pasig City.

ATTY. FRANCIS SATURNINO C. JUAN Executive Director III 1

Republic Act No. 9136 entitled, “An Act Ordaining Reforms in the Electric Power Industry, Amending for the Purpose Certain Laws and for other Purposes”;

2

An Act Granting the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines a Franchise To Engage in the Business of Conveying or Transmitting Electricity Through High Voltage Back-Bone System of Interconnected Transmission Lines, Substations and Related Facilities, and for other Purposes; Section 9 (d); Section 6.3.1.2;

3 4

NON-FIRM CONTRACTED CAPACITY RATE AND IMPACT SIMULATION

(TS-JUNE 27/JULY 4, 2015)

Tabuena storms to flawless 8-under 64 DAVAO—Miguel Tabuena put on a dazzling show of shotmaking and impeccable iron game and putting and stormed ahead by three with a bogey-free eight-under 64 as twoday leader Michael Bibat bombed out with a 75 in the third round of the ICTSI Rancho Palos Verdes Classic here yesterday.

Staying within striking distance with back-toback 66s, Tabuena finally took the lead with a torrid start capped by a stirring five-birdie string linking both nines before slowing down with pars in the last six holes for a 31-33 card.

With a whopping 20-under 196 aggregate, the 21-year-old Tabuena seized a three-shot lead over Elmer Salvador and moved 18 holes away from nailing his second win on this year’s ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour and getting past absentee Angelo Que in their spirited battle for the Order of Merit crown.

“I’ve gained some kind of momentum playing five weeks in row. So, I’ve been hitting it really well,” said Tabuena, who won the kickoff leg at ICTSI Splendido and finished runnerup or tied for second in three tournaments after seven legs of the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. Salvador, also in top form following his repeat win at ICTSI Riviera last week, nearly matched Tabuena’s hot round but bogeyed the final hole and settled for a 32-34 and 66. His 199 aggregate, however, kept him three shots behind the young but solid Tabuena, who had 19 birdies and an eagle against just one bogey after 54 holes of the P1.5 milion event sponsored by ICTSI. He could’ve actually churned out a lower output but turned a bit impatient in the last six holes and missed at least two birdie opportunities.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Protecting our boxers’ interests INSIDE SPORTS RONNIE NATHANIELSZ

WE have always maintained that rather than attend conventions of the various world boxing organizations abroad, along with his two commissioners Fritz Gaston and Atty. Aquil Tamano at considerable expense to the taxpayer, Chairman Ramon “Monju” Guanzon could afford to have one person attend and instead make sure to attend world title fights, or even interim title fights of Filipino boxers to make our presence felt, strengthen the confidence of our fighters and serve notice to promoters, especially in countries like Thailand, South Africa and Mexico that we won’t stand any nonsense.

The International Boxing Federation flyweight title fight between former light flyweight champion and mandatory challenger Johnreil Casimero against Thai champion Amnat Ruenroeng two Saturdays ago at the Hua Mark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok was an utter disgrace.

Ruenroeng, who was ironically trained by Filipino Aljoe Jaro and his brother, resorted to every conceivable dirty tactic in securing the victory, aided and abetted by a pathetically incompetent referee who, on the basis of his performance in that fight, should be banned for life by the IBF if it has any desire to protect its name and the integrity of the sport of boxing.

An unshaven, ragged-looking referee Larry Doggett appeared totally confused as the Thai champion, from the opening bell, resorted to dirty tactics which, when unchecked, gave him the license to commit acts most foul.

Numerous take-downs associated with Muay Thai and wrestling and a series of strangleholds around Casimero’s neck, plus a number of holding and grappling fouls, turned what could have been a good fight into a foul-infested contest, where legitimate fight fans and respected men in media both in the United States and the Philippines were left aghast at the ineptitude of referee Doggett and the ugly tactics of Ruenroeng.

Such supposed champions are a disgrace to the sport as well as their country. That two Filipinos in Ruenroeng’s corner did nothing to even remotely try and stop the Thai champion’s madness, somehow compounded what was clearly an unmitigated crime.

We understand that for the Jaro brothers, it was merely a job. But considering the fact that they were helping a Thai against one of their

own countrymen, that job should have been carried out with far more restraint and certainly with more concern and respect for a Filipino former world champion.

If, as we have often suggested, chairman Guanzon was at ringside, then surely his mere presence could have served as some form of deterrent even to the Jaro brothers, who could have been made to answer for their connivance with the Thai champion if nothing else. Winning at all cost should never be an option!

The vast powers of the GAB chairman could have come into play. But his absence allowed them to get away with an act that bordered on the criminal.

We hope chairman Guanzon with whom we have had many differences will heed our sincere advice and from now on be present at world title fights involving Filipinos. It doesn’t have to be a Manny Pacquiao, who is perfectly capable of taking care of himself and protecting his interests. But it’s the other budding challengers that need Guanzon’s presence if not his help.

Chairman Guanzon is an honest man, that much we can say. That is why we want him to be the watchdog at fights and not someone like Boxing Division chief Dr. Nasser Cruz.

We cannot forget how Dr. Cruz was in the corner of Hong Kong’s popular Rex Tso in a fight at the Cotai Arena in Macau wearing Tso’s uniform in a bout, where the Hong Kong fighter was trained by Aljoe Jaro.

Imagine, a Philippine government official working the corner of a Hong Kong fighter and enjoying the perks that went with the job. Disgusting to say the least and a reflection of the sense of decency if nothing else, of Dr. Cruz, who somehow gives the impression that he is running circles around Guanzon and playing favorites with individuals like Brico Santig and Thai businessman Naris Singwancha whose name once again surfaced affixed to a Filipino boxer in the main event at the recent OPBF Convention fight card in Bacolod in partnership with Brico Santig.

In an administration where President Aquino constantly reminds us of the straight path, one of the agencies under the Office of the President —the GAB—is sadly taking its own route, which is certainly nowhere near what the President envisions.

GAB chairman Guanzon, as we said before, is an honest man. What he needs to do is to ensure that his personal honesty manifests itself in the actions of the boxing division, while anyone who fails or falters should be fired or in boxing lingo —knocked out cold!

SMB eyes 2-0 lead; Rain seeks equalizer

By Jeric Lopez

A COMMANDING 2-0 lead is up for grabs for San Miguel Beer as it goes for a second straight win against Rain or Shine at the resumption of their best-of-five semifinal series in 2015 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup playoffs.

Game 2 is slated at 5 p.m. today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, with the Beermen having a golden opportunity to take a firmer grip on the series should they duplicate their win in the opener against the Elasto Painters.

San Miguel Beer coach Leo

Austria and starting point guard Alex Cabagnot, who led the Beermen’s charge in Game 1, expects a tough fightback from the veteran Painters, but are hoping they can weather the storm ahead. ‘’It’s good that we were able to get the 1-0 lead, but I expect

Wendell McKines drives to the basket and is fouled by SMB’s Gabby Espinas in a PBA Governors’ Cup semifinal game won by the Beermen, 101-95.

Barako sends Yeo to GlobalPort IN yet another player movement, Barako Bull is reportedly shipping one of its top players, veteran starter Joseph Yeo to GlobalPort in exchange for the Batang Pier’s 2016 first-round pick.

The trade was finalized yesterday and is now up for approval from the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s office.

As a result, the already deep and talented backcourt of GlobalPort, which already boasts of guards Terrence Romeo, Stanley Pringle, Ronjay

Buenafe and Denok Miranda, will further be enhanced with the entry of Yeo, who is a capable scorer and playmaker himself.

This came just a day after Barako Bull swapped scorer Carlo Lastimosa to Blackwater in exchange for playmaker Brian Heruela. Yeo is coming off a big showing in the Energy Colas’ campaign this Governors’ Cup in his first and only conference with the team, where he is one of the team’s leading scorers. Jeric Lopez

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Saturday, July 4, 2015

ACROSS 1 Laird’s accent 5 Turnpike 9 Extol 13 Brake pad 14 Like some fears 15 — salts 17 Necessary thing 18 Sonnet or ode 19 Slice thin 20 Shakespeare’s Globe 22 Helped out 24 McKellen and Holm 25 Bill tack-ons 26 Champagne glass sounds 29 “Oho!” and such 31 Belgian, perhaps 32 Damsel 33 Meditation practice 36 Clumsy vessel 37 Shut with great force 40 Dublin’s loc.

41 Bad-mouth 42 Shades 43 Part of REM

45 In-box contents 47 Chocolate treats 48 Makes baskets 51 Elvis swiveled them 52 Soft wools 54 Resulting 58 Wooden post 59 Spiky hair style 61 Environs 62 Townshend and Seeger 63 “Rosamond” composer 64 Uniform 65 Balance 66 Beowulf’s drink 67 Tackles’ neighbors DOWN 1 Cellar, briefly 2 No way! (hyph.)

3 Trellis coverer 4 Holds on to 5 Gets mellow 6 Nose stimuli 7 Stein filler 8 DJ’s disc 9 Gore or Nielsen

10 11 12 16 21 23 26 27 28 29 30 32 33 34 35 38 39 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51

Cabagnot regained his Rain or Shine to make adjustments and give us a tougher clutch shooting as he came through in the time. I’m countGame Today second half of ing on my players to anticipate (Game 2, Semifinals - Smart Game 1, finishAraneta Coliseum) ing with 15 key that and be ready 5 p.m. - San Miguel vs. points to help in Game 2,’’ said Rain or Shine San Miguel. The Austria. ‘’Rain or Shine is a strong Beermen also drew doubleteam and it is well-coached. It double performances from will bounce back strong. We their remarkable frontline in just have to be prepared for that June Mar Fajardo, AZ Reid and and continue doing our job for Arwind Santos and solid scorus to move closer to the finals,’’ ing from Marcio Lassiter.

These usual suspects will added Cabagnot.

The Philippine Cup cham- once again be banked on by pion showed a lot of resiliency Austria to counter Rain or as it battled back and wiped Shine’s firepower, led by Wenout an early 24-point deficit in dell McKines and Paul Lee, Game 1 to eventually stun Rain who both had big Game 1 performances as well. or Shine, 101-95.

Plant parasites Custom White Cliffs town Docs prescribe them Profits, informally Bouquet tosser Actor — Everett Petty or Loughlin Vexes Bactrian beast Opposite of hubs Haleakala’s isle Scoots along Cleveland’s waters Kelly and Flanders Lofty capital Trickles down Relieve Calls to mind Least Got twisted Yellow jacket Put in a log Rock tumbler stone Auburn tint

53 Tinned meat 55 Where Tabriz is 56 Oddball

57 Chitchats 60 Suffix for press

PREVIOUS PUZZLE SOLVED

7-4-15

© 2015 UFS, Dist. by Univ. Uclick for UFS

LOTTO RESULTS 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 4 DIGITS 00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

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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

Germany’s Dustin Brown celebrates after beating Spain’s Rafael Nadal (inset) during their men’s singles second-round match in the 2015 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon. Brown won, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. AFP

Staying true to his roots Chiefs nip Pirates ARELLANO University squandered a big lead, but relied on their defense in the endgame to escape with a 80-78 win over the Lyceum Pirates in the 91st National Collegiate Athletics Association men’s basketball tournament at the SanJuan Arena yesterday.

The win was the Chiefs’ first victory in two games.

Arellano was ahead by 16 at the half, but saw its lead whittled down at the stretch and was actually in trouble in the final 28.3 seconds after Joseph Gabayni connected inside the paint off Joe Lacastesantos’ pass to cut the lead to two.

But Dioncee Holts blocked a potential gametying jumper and another defensive ploy from Allen Enriquez kept Gabayni and Mer Ayaay from scoring in the last 3.4 seconds.

In the other seniors’ game, Nigerian import Bright Akhuetie had a monster game of 44 points and 19 rebounds to lead the University of Perpetual Help Altas to a 77-69 win over the College of St. Benilde Blazers the Altas’ second straight win. Peter Atencio

LONDON—Dustin Brown insists he will remain true to his rasta roots after the dreadlocked German qualifier stole the Wimbledon spotlight with a stunning upset of Rafael Nadal.

Brown produced an almost flawless display of serve and volley tennis to beat two-time Wimbledon champion Nadal 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 and secure just the fourth Grand Slam win of his career.

The flamboyant 30-yearold’s striking appearance and eye-catching play made him the talk of the All England Club on Thursday.

But beating Nadal in front of a packed crowd on Centre Court was a rare headline-grabbing moment for Brown, a journeyman ranked 102 in the world who has spent much of his

Nietes’ foe arrives early TURN TO A14

career labouring in relative obscurity.

Brown spent three years travelling and living in a VW camper-van purchased by his parents as he drove to tournaments around Europe, often stopping at laundrettes to wash his own clothes and stringing rackets for other players to make extra cash.

Regardless of his sudden burst of fame, Brown, who still can’t afford a coach, has no intention of letting the adulation affect his beliefs and laid-back personality.

“It’s difficult when people ask me about myself because for me it’s normal. I could be

sitting here and saying, Why are you guys all different?” he said.

“I’ve been like this. I’m not trying to be a certain way.

That is how I am, and always have been.

“Obviously playing this sport, you have to adapt a few things to be able to play the sport.

“But I try not to change myself too much while I’m doing that.

“Obviously it’s great that people appreciate it. But if I would worry too much about what people think then I wouldn’t have the hair and wouldn’t look the way I look.”

Sublime fashion Brown has been beaten in the first round of nine tournaments in 2015 and, before arriving at Wimbledon this year, he hadn’t won a Grand

Tiger regains groove TURN TO A13

Slam match since making the third round at the All England Club two years ago.

But Brown never gave up on the dream of having a moment like Thursday’s win and he says beating Nadal in such sublime fashion was the perfect reward for all his years of grinding in anonymity.

“Well, obviously all of that has made me to the person I am, tennis-wise and also as a person and as a character,” he said.

“When I watch my matches it’s like, Okay, that’s a good shot, maybe that was stupid. That is how I am.

“That’s what makes me dangerous, especially on these surfaces.

“And I guess all that led to this day today, which is probably the best day of my life so far.”

Brown, making his Centre Court debut, had never beaten a seeded player at a major before, but he felt his aggressive tactics could unnerve the out-of-form Nadal.

“Obviously he’s one of the best players of the sport and all the kids that play tennis dream about being able to play on that Centre Court,” he said.

“Being able to put that performance together, it was definitely very difficult and I’m very happy that I held it together for the whole match.”

Brown, who was born in Germany to a Jamaican father and German mother, changed nationality from Jamaican to German in 2010 after becoming exasperated by a lack of support from the Jamaican tennis federation. AFP

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SATURDAY: JULY 4, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

Globe takeover BayanTel OKd

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE National Telecommunications approved the takeover of Bayan Telecommunications Inc. by Globe Telecom Inc. amid opposition from rival companies.

The NTC said “the acquisition

by Globe of controlling interest in BayanTel pursuant to the courtapproved amended rehabilitation plan and master restructuring agreement neither poses any prejudice to the public interest and convenience nor will make the service fail to operate or function better,” the NTC said in a 19-page

decision.

The regulator said the joint application of BayanTel and Globe would enhance competition in the cellular mobile and broadband markets, rejecting the claim of rival Smart Communications Inc. that it would result in grossly disproportionate assignment of radio frequency.

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., Digitel Mobile Philippines Inc., Next Mobile and Eastern Telecommunications Philippines Inc. also opposed the transaction.

Globe and BayanTel filed a joint application with the NTC to allow the Ayala-owned company to convert its debt in BayanTel into equity.

The regulator’s approval will give Globe a 54-percent ownership stake in the BayanTel owned by the Lopez Group, which owns the balance.

Globe acquired 98.26 percent of BayanTel’s loans and 100 percent of Radio Communications of the

Philippines Inc.’s liabilities. RCPI, a unit of BayanTel, is owned by the Lopez Group.

The acquisition cost of $130 million was lower than the $400-million face value of BayanTel. Globe vice president for corporate communications Yolanda Crisanto said the company was “happy with this decision.”

Globe president Ernest Cu had said his company and BayanTel were looking into various forms of collaboration that would benefit both companies, including DSL (digital subscriber line) and broadband.

Globe had secured NTC ap-

proval of the joint use of BayanTel’s frequencies in the 1750-1760 megahertz/1845-1855 megahertz range.

The joint use agreement will allow Globe to address the increasing demand for voice, SMS and mobile data services, and Bayantel to offer its mobile telecommunications services to customers.

Besides frequency, Bayan has an existing nationwide network, which is composed of satellite, terrestrial and land/submarinebased cable facilities.

Sought for comment, PLDT Group spokesman Ramon Isberto said “we have no comment on the matter.”

PSe comPoSite index Closing July 3, 2015

8500 8000 7500 7000 6500 6000

7,535.30 43.01

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing JULY 3, 2015 42

P45.020

43

CLOSE

44 45 46

HIGH P45.000 LOW P45.120 AVERAGE P45.076 VOLUME 452.600M

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

PSE advocacy. The Philippine Stock Exchange Inc., through the PSE Foundation, will pursue another school building project with Philam

Foundation Inc. through the construction of a one-storey, two-classroom building for the Cassidy Elementary School in Carigara, Leyte. The school building is expected to be turned over to the school by August this year. Shown after the signing of an agreement are (from left) PFI President Maximillan Ventura; Philam Life chief executive J. Axel Bromley; PSE president and chief executive and PSE Foundation chairman Hans Sicat; and PSE Foundation president Harry Liu.

P23.70-P24.40 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, July 3, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

45.1630

Japan

Yen

0.008125

0.3669

UK

Pound

1.560900

70.4949

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129022

5.8270

Switzerland

Franc

1.059659

47.8574

Canada

Dollar

0.797321

36.0094

Singapore

Dollar

0.741950

33.5087

Australia

Dollar

0.763417

34.4782

Bahrain

Dinar

2.659221

120.0984

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266667

12.0435

Brunei

Dollar

0.739208

33.3849

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.029602

1.3369

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

12.2966

Euro

Euro

1.108600

50.0677

Korea

Won

0.000894

0.0404

China

Yuan

0.161163

7.2786

India

Rupee

0.015783

0.7128

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.264823

11.9602

New Zealand

Dollar

0.672405

Taiwan

Dollar

0.032420

30.3678 1.4642 Source: PDS Bridge

Govt to hold bidding for two Naia bus services

THE government is bidding out a contract to provide airport bus services at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, similar to those in Hong Kong and Singapore.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board issued a memorandum circular to invite interested applicants to participate in the auction in offering premium bus airport services at Naia.

The LTFRB initially identified two airport bus routes, includ-

ing the Naia–Roxas Boulevard area including Mall of Asia and Entertainment City and the Naia– Makati central business district route.

Each route will have two subroutes, with one serving Naia Terminal 1 and 2 and the other serving Naia Terminal 3.

Each route variant and subroute will have no more than five stops, all within the ‘target zone’ to ensure efficient travel times for passengers.

Under the guidelines, the air-

port bus units will have a 24-passenger seating capacity that will operate from 4 a.m. to 12 midnight and can only pick up passengers on designated off-street stops.

It will be equipped with onboard CCTV, Wi-Fi, on-board automated bus arrival electronic display and announcement system.

Drivers of the premium airport bus will be on salary basis. For the convenience of passengers, there will be booking office in off-street

stops and airport terminals.

Suggested fare for the 18-km Makati-Naia route and 24-km Naia-Roxas Boulevard route airport bus service is P300.

The LTFRB said interested applicants must submit their legal, technical and financial qualification documents to the board on or before Aug. 3, 2015.

A pre-qualification conference is scheduled on July 10, while the opening of the qualification documents is on Aug. 3.

Darwin G. Amojelar

SATURDAY: JULY 4, 2015

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Friday, July 3, 2015

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 4.2 17 30.45 10.4 0.92 1.01 100 1.46 30.5 75 91.5 137 361.2 57 180 124 3.26

2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.97 1.68 12.02 19.6 6.12 0.74 0.225 78 0.9 17.8 58 62 88.35 276 41 118.2 59 2.65

AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources COL Financial Eastwest Bank Filipino Fund Inc. First Abacus MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Union Bank Vantage Equities

7.5 73.35 108.30 94.00 45.25 2.50 1.74 15.94 19.4 6.41 0.7 0.425 93.05 0.98 18.50 27.10 66.35 94 306.4 38.5 163 60.00 3.15

47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 148 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 0.98 241 12.5 3.95 74 33.9 90 13.26 293 5 5.25 12.98 15 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.86 7.34 238 3.28 0.315 2.65 234 1.3 2.17

35.9 1.11 1.01 1.86 7.92 32 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 0.395 173 8.65 2.3 33 23.35 17.3 5.88 250.2 3.37 3.87 8.45 10.04 3.03 1.95 1 4.02 1.65 5.9 161 1.55 0.138 2.09 152 0.640 1.2

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group C. Azuc De Tarlac 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 Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp.

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

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phinma 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.

Vulcan Ind’l.

44.75 1.46 1.04 1.96 10.38 91.50 18.38 27 57.5 2.45 1.48 12.66 20.000 9.00 7.57 10.06 1.7 11.8 26.6 82.4 13.30 13.40 5.85 0.530 196.00 10.12 2.02 59.50 24.15 25.35 6.04 298.00 3.95 4.8 8.81 12.00 3.37 1.96 3.3 4.16 1.98 6.2 164 1.63 0.142 2.18 193.9 0.76 1.23

0.59 59.2 30.05 2.16 7.39 3.4 3.35 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 4.92 0.66 1455 76 5.29 9.25 0.85 17.3 0.71 5.53 6.55 9.66 0.0670 1.61 2.99 84.9 974 1.39 156 0.710 0.435 0.510

0.44 48.1 20.85 1.6 6.62 0.23 0.23 634.5 7.390 12.8 2.6 2.26 0.152 837 49.55 3 4.84 0.59 12 0.580 4.2 4.5 3 0.030 0.550 2.26 59.3 751 0.93 80 0.211 0.179 0.310

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

Forum Pacific GT Capital JG Summit Holdings Keppel Holdings `A’ 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. South China Res. Inc. Top Frontier Unioil Res. & Hldgs Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.475 57.0000 22.30 1.29 7.04 0.245 0.270 779 7.6 13.48 3.1 4.29 0.207 1359 72.00 5.4 7.27 0.66 13.64 0.61 4.67 6.48 3.8 0.0330 2.010 2.7 59.00 897.00 0.75 81.950 0.3350 0.1990 0.290

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

SHARES 9,823,581 40,049,383 34,476,617 81,386,836 161,283,358 562,290,580 891,399,576

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 7.4 7.1 73.3 72.7 109.70 108.00 94.70 93.95 45.5 45.3 2.50 2.50 1.74 1.71 15.94 15.8 19.5 19.4 6.43 6.40 0.7 0.7 0.420 0.415 94.4 93.1 0.98 0.98 19.10 18.90 28.40 27.30 67.50 66.05 93.1 93 306.8 306.6 39.5 38.5 164.9 160.1 60.00 61.15 3.15 3.15 INDUSTRIAL 44.8 43.9 1.37 1.36 1.04 1.01 1.97 1.93 10.42 10.3 93.00 91.50 18.4 18.36 26.95 26.85 57.5 55.2 2.51 2.38 1.47 1.4 12.8 12.48 20.600 20 9.07 8.70 7.68 7.45 10.36 10.02 1.7 1.7 11.9 11.8 26.8 26.15 83.6 82.5 13.98 13.98 13.78 13.10 5.95 5.84 0.510 0.510 197.00 195.40 10.18 10.12 2.03 2.03 59.00 57.00 24.35 24 25.6 25 6.08 5.98 298.00 293.80 3.98 3.98 4.87 4.8 9.08 8.86 11.98 11.70 3.44 3.33 1.97 1.95 3.46 3.19 4.16 4.15 1.97 1.89 6.4 6.4 170.5 166 1.63 1.61 0.143 0.140 2.18 2.17 196.9 193.6 0.76 0.74 1.23 1.20 HOLDING FIRMS 0.470 0.470 57.2000 57.0000 22.65 22.05 1.17 1.17 7.00 6.97 0.245 0.230 0.270 0.270 781 772 7.79 7.62 14.00 13.40 3.43 3.4 4.40 4.40 0.214 0.205 1370 1345 72.30 71.70 4.58 4.53 7.3 7.16 0.66 0.65 13.8 13.58 0.63 0.62 4.77 4.62 6.33 6.54 3.9 3.8 0.0340 0.0320 2.010 1.930 2.69 2.56 60.20 59.10 890.00 882.50 0.75 0.75 81.400 81.300 0.3350 0.3300 0.2080 0.1900 0.290 0.290

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

7.4 73 108.00 94.25 45.4 2.50 1.74 15.94 19.4 6.43 0.7 0.415 93.5 0.98 19.06 28.40 66.05 93 306.6 38.5 160.1 60.00 3.15

-1.33 -0.48 -0.28 0.27 0.33 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.31 0.00 -2.35 0.48 0.00 3.03 4.80 -0.45 -1.06 0.07 0.00 -1.78 0.00 0.00

7,600 15,430 1,326,450 1,449,330 49,700 92,000 40,000 6,600 1,656,400 8,900 64,000 100,000 2,595,560 828,000 198,600 11,600 73,920 2,550 1,990 223,000 983,570 7,880 80,000

44 1.37 1.04 1.96 10.32 93.00 18.38 26.95 57.2 2.48 1.4 12.5 20.400 9.00 7.45 10.22 1.7 11.88 26.15 82.5 13.98 13.78 5.87 0.510 195.70 10.14 2.03 59.00 24 25.6 5.98 296.00 3.98 4.8 9.00 11.98 3.33 1.97 3.46 4.15 1.97 6.4 166 1.63 0.142 2.17 193.8 0.74 1.21

-1.68 -6.16 0.00 0.00 -0.58 1.64 0.00 -0.19 -0.52 1.22 -5.41 -1.26 2.00 0.00 -1.59 1.59 0.00 0.68 -1.69 0.12 5.11 2.84 0.34 -3.77 -0.15 0.20 0.50 -0.84 -0.62 0.99 -0.99 -0.67 0.76 0.00 2.16 -0.17 -1.19 0.51 4.85 -0.24 -0.51 3.23 1.22 0.00 0.00 -0.46 -0.05 -2.63 -1.63

2,701,500 17,000 658,000 123,000 5,000 1,030 1,558,500 69,500 380 4,176,000 485,000 299,900 5,627,500 166,500 4,228,500 218,900 12,000 9,500 769,000 100,820 200 700 685,700 26,000 1,219,540 290,500 6,000 1,800 257,100 63,200 1,426,200 247,010 13,000 193,000 3,632,500 800 366,000 408,000 5,324,000 287,000 7,000 600 1,410 52,000 680,000 311,000 1,953,390 740,000 83,000

0.470 57.0000 22.15 1.17 7.00 0.245 0.270 772 7.62 13.44 3.43 4.40 0.214 1345 71.7™0 4.57 7.3 0.66 13.62 0.63 4.62 6.5 3.85 0.0330 2.010 2.69 59.45 886.00 0.75 81.300 0.3350 0.2080 0.290

-1.05 0.00 -0.67 -9.30 -0.57 0.00 0.00 -0.90 0.26 -0.30 10.65 2.56 3.38 -1.03 -0.42 -15.37 0.41 0.00 -0.15 3.28 -1.07 0.31 1.32 0.00 0.00 -0.37 0.76 -1.23 0.00 -0.79 0.00 4.52 0.00

560,000 625,660 1,316,600 5,000 15,600 12,000 10,000 180,850 526,400 5,318,000 7,000 3,000 320,000 134,995 1,122,010 1,200 584,000 37,000 724,400 5,000 8,532,000 677,400 37,000 2,600,000 8,531,000 4,000 86,310 366,360 2,000 9,270 1,340,000 220,000 20,000

383,765.00 53,107,086.00 -10,332,706.00 -7,500.00 -34,800.00 58,700.00 102,416.00 12,160 9,800 31,740,085.00 -216,696.00 -2,070,338.00 93,100.00 -2,489,900.00 -133,947,027.00 -54,163.00 -252,000.00 30,110,605.00 -114,260.00 -8,504,470.00 -72,765.00 14,320.00 1,914,280.00 10,446,475.00 122,023.00 586,406.00 406,074.00 -11,900.00 -1,916,505.00 -181,323.50 2,754,537.00 153,931,366.00 2,471,738.00 96,900.00 -3,571,020.00 84,325.00 -8,405,836.00 110,390.00 27,513,606.00 -8,190.00 -530,500.00 8,200.00

54,250.00 184,708,975.00 36,000.00 -2,397,913.50 -4,005,130.00 -104,550.00 -17,749,465.00 598,253.00 -22,278,690.00

9,309,965.00 16,438,650.00 -1,220,460.00 -524,952.00 -8,220,620.00 -64,900.00 -2,672,640.00 585,260.00 3,061,965.00 -591,177.00

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

Close

10.5 1.99 41.4 5.6 5.59 7.1 1.44 1.97 1.48 0.69 0.97 2.22 2.1 1.8 4.88 0.180 8.54 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 7.56 1.62 8.59

6.74 0.65 30.05 3.36 4.96 4.6 0.79 1.1 0.97 0.415 0.83 1.15 1.42 1.27 2.75 0.090 2.69 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 3.38 0.83 5.73

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ Cebu Holdings Cebu Prop. `B’ Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A’ Cyber Bay Corp.

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

MRC Allied Ind. Primex Corp.

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

10.5 66 1.44 1.09 14.88 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 1700 2720 8.41 119.5 0.017 0.8200 2.2800 12.28 3.32 3.2 1 2.46 15.2 0.62 1.040 6.41 4 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1 11.6 10 0.490 1.9

1.97 35.2 1 0.63 10.5 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 830 1600 5.95 102.6 0.011 0.041 1.200 6.5 1.91 1.95 0.650 1.8 6 0.335 0.37 3 2.28 79 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55 7.59 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) FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. I.C.T.S.I. IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Island Info ISM Communications Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Macroasia Corp.

Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown MG Holdings NOW Corp.

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

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

Yehey

0.0098 5.45 17.24 0.330 12.7 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.440 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 3.06 0.020 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9

0.0043 1.72 6.47 0.236 6.5 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.2160 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

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

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

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

TA Petroleum

70 120 515 111 1047 76.9 78.95 84.8

33 101.5 480 101 1011 74.2 74.5 75

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

First Gen G GLOBE PREF P MWIDE PREF PF Pref 2 SMC Preferred A SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C

6.98

0.8900 LR Warrant

10.96 88 12.88

2.4 13.5 5.95

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

Double Dragon IRipple E-Business Intl Xurpas

High

VALUE 737396218.88 1,229,749,644.324 989,071,884.43 948,326,465.61 112,471,568.798 135,489,679.6578 5,176,431,441.782

FINANCIAL 1,715.38 (down) 1.27 INDUSTRIAL 11,551.28 (down) 38.98 HOLDING FIRMS 6,741.66 (down) 48.07 PROPERTY 3,042.94 (down) 21.53 SERVICES 2,077.96 (down) 9.26 MINING & OIL 13,566.16 (down) 103.42 PSEI 7,535.30 (down) 43.01 All Shares Index 4,320.43 (down) 14.56 Gainers: 65 Losers: 83; Unchanged: 57; Total: 205

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

PROPERTY 7.340 7.240 7.300 0.71 0.69 0.71 37.70 36.80 36.80 3.36 3.33 3.33 5.25 5.18 5.25 5.71 5.61 5.61 0.84 0.83 0.84 1.25 1.25 1.25 1.08 1.03 1.08 0.440 0.440 0.440 0.870 0.870 0.870 1.22 1.21 1.21 2.02 1.95 1.99 1.30 1.29 1.29 5.05 4.87 4.87 0.110 0.110 0.110 7.2 7.2 7.2 29.85 29.95 29.00 1.73 1.72 1.72 3.37 3.34 3.34 20.35 19.94 20.35 0.75 0.74 0.75 7.2 6.68 7.2 0.840 0.840 0.840 6.780 6.520 6.780 SERVICES 6.03 6.2 6 6.09 62.35 62.4 62.3 62.4 1.14 1.12 1.11 1.11 0.640 0.650 0.640 0.640 13.56 13.54 12.86 12.86 9.15 9.23 9.07 9.14 0.0820 0.8500 0.0800 0.0800 3.65 3.69 3.51 3.52 88.5 89.5 88.6 88.7 945 930 930 930 2500 2540 2480 2482 6.45 6.50 6.42 6.48 113 113 111.5 111.8 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.209 0.231 0.209 0.219 1.3700 1.3700 1.3000 1.3000 9.30 9.32 9.00 9.30 2.69 2.75 2.57 2.66 2.01 2.19 2.04 2.16 0.650 0.690 0.660 0.680 2 2 1.96 2 5.81 6.05 6.23 5.81 0.345 0.340 0.335 0.340 0.495 0.490 0.455 0.490 4.50 4.79 4.77 4.77 3 3 3 3 117.50 113.50 112.00 113.50 18.78 18.80 18.00 18.78 2800.00 2826.00 2800.00 2800.00 0.660 0.670 0.660 0.670 1.300 1.320 1.270 1.270 37.20 37.25 36.95 37.05 76.00 76.50 74.75 74.80 9.54 9.60 9.47 9.47 5.35 5.45 5.35 5.35 0.315 0.330 0.325 0.330 1.770 1.900 1.780 1.840 MINING & OIL 0.0051 0.0050 0.0050 0.0050 2.80 2.80 2.65 2.65 6.49 6.50 6.39 6.39 0.245 0.238 0.238 0.238 6.8000 6.8800 6.8800 6.8800 0.96 0.93 0.9 0.93 0.79 0.8 0.78 0.79 6.95 7.00 6.92 6.95 1.64 1.67 1.62 1.65 0.310 0.320 0.310 0.310 0.222 0.225 0.221 0.224 0.226 0.237 0.237 0.237 0.0130 0.0130 0.0130 0.0130 0.0140 0.0140 0.0140 0.0140 3.25 3.3 3.21 3.28 22.85 23.35 22.7 22.7 3.8 3.85 3.76 3.78 2.0400 2.0400 2.0400 2.0400 0.0120 0.0120 0.0120 0.0120 4.28 4.29 4.28 4.29 6.08 6.110 6.040 6.08 1.73 1.76 1.790 1.730 0.015 0.015 0.014 0.015 146.50 147.00 142.20 144.00 10.82 11.1 10.2 10.4 PREFERRED 61.75 62.95 61.75 62.9 118 118 118 118 523 533 523 523 112 114 112 114 1054 1055 1054 1055 75.25 75.3 75.2 75.3 85 85 85 85 89 89 88.9 89 WARRANTS & BONDS 3.700 3.830 3.700 3.700 SME 10.2 10.4 10.2 10.22 68.8 68 60 65.95 11.32 11.64 11.1 11.44 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 123.5 123.5 123 123

7.310 0.71 37.65 3.36 5.12 6.5 0.84 1.25 1.03 0.440 0.880 1.21 1.95 1.31 4.99 0.114 7.2 29.90 1.72 3.34 19.94 0.75 7 0.830 6.580

T op g ainerS STOCKS

Low

-0.14 0.00 -2.26 -0.89 2.54 -13.69 0.00 0.00 4.85 0.00 -1.14 0.00 2.05 -1.53 -2.40 -3.51 0.00 -3.01 0.00 0.00 2.06 0.00 2.86 1.20 3.04

38,400 226,000 12,070,200 1,109,000 222,500 4,500 1,534,000 21,000 7,000 500,000 96,000 807,000 27,063,000 100,000 14,773,000 20,000 23,000 2,540,200 863,000 3,000 9,617,200 511,000 22,400 69,000 2,628,500

-30,756.00 -22,080.00 -97,152,890.00 -2,411,610.00 1,148,423.00

1.00 0.08 -2.63 0.00 -5.16 -0.11 -2.44 -3.56 0.23 -1.59 -0.72 0.47 -1.06 0.00 4.78 -5.11 0.00 -1.12 7.46 4.62 0.00 -3.97 -1.45 -1.01 6.00 0.00 -3.40 0.00 0.00 1.52 -2.31 -0.40 -1.58 -0.73 0.00 4.76 3.95

21,900 9,880 5,000 92,000 300 10,552,600 8,300,000 493,000 704,150 20 50,840 24,000 681,120 31,400,000 66,340,000 83,000 183,600 198,000 251,000 144,000 112,000 5,467,100 40,000 20,000 3,000 20,000 1,080 169,600 175,880 1,002,000 21,692,000 67,300 51,360 3,275,000 1,116,400 200,000 309,000

-1.96 -5.36 -1.54 -2.86 1.18 -3.13 0.00 0.00 0.61 0.00 0.90 4.87 0.00 0.00 0.92 -0.66 -0.53 0.00 0.00 0.23 0.00 -1.70 0.00 -1.71 -3.88

482,000,000 65,000 310,600 -273,909.00 110,000 1,000 3,558,000 27,400.00 170,000 -12,640.00 1,700 1,385,000 83,990.00 260,000 1,010,000 10,000 43,500,000 2,000,000 194,000 -127,010.00 3,312,900 -32,878,205.00 681,000 -11,400.00 2,000 100,000 19,000 -47,180.00 879,200 -1,118,112.00 2,389,000 -537,000.00 19,400,000 193,500 -8,993,519.00 669,900 52,300.00

1.86 0.00 0.00 1.79 0.09 0.07 0.00 0.00

160,670 700 360 610 9,530 166,400 39,260 224,610

0.00

134,000

0.20 -4.14 1.06

516,600 1,800 1,565,100

373,226.00

-0.40

5,720

6,150.00

950.00

2,136,700.00 -15,987,330.00 -151,200.00 -154,480.00 -1,434,170.00 46,277,446.00

-35,840.00 -218,374.00 -102,150.00 9,012,187.50 -14,722,870.00 5,424,833.00 -314,830.00 522,966.00 2,600.00

-14,233,873.00 4,900.00

-672,144.00 129,266,980.00 -132,000.00 8,164,560.00 -47,605.00 1,046,746.50 10,285,656.00 3,029,316.00

-4,229,144.50

15,761,900.00

1,794,448.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

F&J Prince 'A'

3.43

10.65

Keppel Holdings `A'

4.57

-15.37

Macroasia Corp.

2.16

7.46

Cebu Prop. `B'

5.61

-13.69

PAL Holdings Inc.

4.77

6.00

Anglo Holdings A

1.17

-9.30

Ginebra San Miguel Inc.

13.98

5.11

Agrinurture Inc.

1.37

-6.16

Lepanto `B'

0.237

4.87

Da Vinci Capital

1.4

-5.41

Cityland Dev. `A'

1.08

4.85

Apex `A'

2.65

-5.36

Pryce Corp. `A'

3.46

4.85

Asian Terminals Inc.

12.86

-5.16

Phil Bank of Comm

28.40

4.80

ISM Communications

1.3000

-5.11

Island Info

0.219

4.78

IRipple E-Business Intl

65.95

-4.14

Waterfront Phils.

0.330

4.76

Melco Crown

5.81

-3.97

SATURDAY: JULY 4, 2015

B3

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

Meralco, German win MRT deals

By Darwin G. Amojelar

A SUBSIDIARY of power retailer Manila Electric Co. has won a six-month contract from the government to maintain the power systems of Metro Rail Transit Line 3.

The Transportation Department said the P43.23-million contract required MRail Inc. to maintain the railway line’s power supply and overhead catenary systems beginning July 5.

MRail will work together with five other companies in managing various components required to fulfill MRT-3’s daily operations.

The P23.9-million contract for rail tracks and permanent ways was awarded to Jorgman-KorailErin Marty joint venture, while the P23.35-million contract for maintenance of buildings and facilities was given to Global Epcom

Services Inc. The P7.28-million upgrade and maintain communications systems was awarded to Trilink Technologies Inc. The P6.95 million automated fare collection system was awarded to Future Logic Corp.

Global-Autre Porte Technology has been maintaining the MRT 3 based on a contract that the agency rolls over every month.

The biggest contract, the P131million deal to maintain MRT 3’s rolling stock was awarded to the joint venture Schunk Bahnund Industrietechnik GmbH of

Germany and Comm Builders & Technology Philippines Corp.

The agency has yet to award the contract for the conveyance system.

The sub-contractors were engaged directly under a multi-disciplinary approach to increase the efficiency of work per component until the long-term maintenance provider is procured.

The Transportation Department said it anticipated that dayto-day repair works and the supply of spare parts would improve under the new approach.

The DOTC is currently seeking the approval of the Government Procurement Policy Board to proceed with an alternative mode of procurement for the three-year maintenance contract.

Among other major rehabilitation and improvement projects the department initiated were the addition of 48 new train cars, the prototype of which is set to arrive in

mid-August this year. The project is expected to address the long lines commuters currently endure.

Over 7,000 lineal meters’ worth of new rails have also been procured to replace the worn-out segments of the line’s tracks to enhance passenger safety.

A pipeline of further system improvements includes the signaling system replacement, general train overhauling, and the upgrading of ancillary systems such as pocket tracks and a power substation. These are in various stages of project preparation and procurement.

Meanwhile, other improvement projects are also now under way and are scheduled to available to the public later this year, including the new tap-and-go ticketing system which will cut queuing time for passengers, and the rehabilitation of all toilets of the MRT3 line.

Megaworld exhibit.

Megaworld Prime RFO, which pioneered the personalized after-sales services for ready-for-occupancy clients, is showcasing a special exhibit at the Newport Mall Atrium in Newport City featuring its various services and innovative home designs for RFO properties. The special exhibit, dubbed “Flow into Prime Living”, will run until July 8 in Newport Mall Atrium and July 14 to 23 in Eastwood Mall Atrium. Shown during the opening of the exhibit are (from left) Megaworld first vice-president and head of commercial division Kevin Tan, chief operating officer Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso and vice president for sales and marketing Donna Vicedo-Racho.

Trans-Asia plans 600-MW plant in Pangasinan

By Alena Mae S. Flores TRANS Asia Oil and Energy Corp. plans to build a 600-megawatt coal fired power plant in Pangasinan province, records from the Energy Department show.

The department earlier allowed Trans-Asia to conduct the grid impact study for the two by 300MW Baquioen circulating fluidized bed coal fired power plant in Sual, Pangasinan.

Company officials did not comment, although Trans-Asia said it had been increasing its power generation portfolio.

Trans-Asia earlier announced it aimed to double its power generation capacity to 1,200 megawatt over the next five years.

Trans-Asia president Francisco Viray said the company had an existing portfolio of around 600 MW, which could be doubled by 2020.

“It can be done,” Viray said, adding that the additional capacity would come from the participation in the remaining assets of the government up for privatization and greenfield power projects such as new wind farms.

The additional capacity will require investments of about $1.2 billion in the next five years.

“We will prioritize remaining privatization of PSALM [Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp.] of CBK and Casecnan hydro plants. We like CBK because it’s in Luzon,” Viray

said.

The government announced plans to privatize CBK and Casenan hydro power plants by offering its contracted capacities to the independent power producer administrator. It has not yet set a definite bidding date.

The CBK hydro projects consist of 22.6-megawatt Caliraya in Lumban, 20.8-MW Botocan in Majayjay and the 684.6-MW Kalayaan I and II in Kalayaan, Laguna. J-Power and Sumitomo Corp. of Japan operate the CBK power plants.

The 150-MW Casecnan project, meanwhile, was built following the signing of a build-operate-transfer contract between the National Irrigation Administra-

tion and California Energy Casecnan Water and Energy Company Inc. in 1994.

Viray said the company was also keen on developing the Sibunag and Ballesteros wind projects totaling 120 MW but it was still waiting for the additional wind allocation for availment of the feed-in tariff.

The Renewable Energy Act provides for a feed-in-tariff rate of P8.53 per kilowatt-hour for an initial 200-MW allocation of new wind generation capacity.

Trans-Asia and Ayala Corp.’s wholly-owned subsidiary, AC Energy Holdings Inc. (formerly Michigan Power Inc) is putting up a 270-MW coal plant in Batangas.

Market tumbles ahead of Greek poll STOCKS retreated Friday, after a two-day gain, ahead of weekend’s Greek referendum that could decide its eurozone future.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, shed 43 points, or 0.6 percent, to close at 7,535.30 on Friday. Despite the loss, the index was still up 4.2 percent since the start of the year.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also fell 14 points, or 0.3 percent, to settle at 4,320.43, on a value turnover of P5.2 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 83 to 65, while 57 issues were unchanged.

Only four of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green.

SM Prime Holdings Inc., the real estate unit of the SM Group, rose 2.1 percent to P20.35 while chemical producer D&L Industries Inc. gained 2 percent to P20.40.

Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. added 0.5 percent to close at P93.50. Bank of the Philippines Islands rose 0.3 percent to P94.25.

Meanwhile, Wall Street ended in the red Thursday as a strong increase in US jobs was overshadowed by the Greek crisis and stagnant wage growth.

Seoul dropped 0.14 percent, or 2.92 points, to end at 2,104.41 and Sydney fell 61.5 points, or 1.1 percent, to 5,538.3, while in late trade Hong Kong was 0.50 percent lower.

Shanghai tumbled 7.13 percent at one point in the morning and Shenzhen slumped 6.96 percent, with mainland markets pummeled by profit-taking and margin traders calling in their bets.

Despite a mild recovery in early afternoon exchanges the two indexes closed sharply lower again. Shanghai slid 5.77 percent, or 225.85 points, to 3,686.92, giving up 12.07 percent since last Friday.

Shenzhen sank 5.30 percent, or 117.33 points, to 2,098.48 -- losing 16.16 percent over the week.

However, Tokyo reversed morning losses to end marginally higher, adding 17.29 points to 20,539.79 With Greeks heading to the polls Sunday, analysts said investors were in a holding pattern until they had a better idea about the country’s future.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras broke off debt reform talks Saturday and called the plebiscite on creditors’ proposals -- leading it to default on a loan repayment Tuesday.

European leaders have warned that the poll is effectively an inout vote on Greece’s future in the eurozone. With AFP

SATURDAY: JULY 4, 2015

B4

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

IN BRIEF

Best Express Operator.

DMCI Homes defended

THE Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the country’s largest business organization, defended beleaguered property developers that have invested heavily on property projects, citing the case of DMCI Homes Inc. The group said Friday construction of buildings and other projects that had complied with all the requirements of the National Building Code and obtained building permits from local government officials should be allowed by government to be completed.

The PCCI said in a statement stopping or restraining construction of legitimate projects midway was a serious disincentive to investments.

“DMCI locked in investments for the long term in its Torre de Manila project confident that compliance with the law was a rock-solid assurance that it would complete its project,” said PCCI. It said the restraining order eroded the confidence of existing and future investors on the safety of their investments in the country. Othel V. Campos

Greek fallout dismissed

FINANCE Secretary Cesar Purisima said the Philippines can withstand the Greek fallout because of a strong fiscal position and no significant exposure to Greece.

Purisima also cited the country’s healthy international reserves of $80.4 billion at the end of May, which could cover about 10 to 11 months worth of imports and 4.5 times the country’s debts maturing within the shortterm period.

“The adequate reserves that the Philippines holds serve as a buffer for external risks as well,” the Finance Department said.

Emerging markets face a risk of capital flow reversal after Greece missed its repayment to the International Monetary Fund on June 30.

“The Philippines has no significant exposure to Greece having minimal trade with a mere 0.01 percent of total exports and only 0.02 percent of total imports from Greece in 2014. Likewise, remittances from Greece account for only 1.38 percent of the total,” Finance said.

Gabrielle H. Binaday

Pafmil: Flour prices fair

THE Philippine Association of Flour Millers Inc. said Friday the price of locally milled flour are reasonable and fair.

“These prices reflect market conditions, on top of the product’s high quality and consistency demanded by discriminating and quality conscious Filipino consumers,” Pafmil executive director Ric Pinca said in a statement.

Pafmil issue the statement amid an ongoing investigation of the Trade Department on possible profiteering by some flour millers and bakers, Pinca noted that locally-milled flour were mostly processed from high quality wheat from the United States. The Philippines imports about 95 percent of its wheat requirements from the US. Pinca said the Philippines had the best bread flour in Southeast Asia. He added Turkish flour does not live to the quality and price of locally-milled flour.

“It would be comparing apples to oranges. They just do not match and the comparison is unfair to Philippine flour,” the group said. Othel V. Campos

FedExExpress, a unit of FedEx Corp. and the world’s largest express transportation company, has been named Best Express Operator at the 2015 Asian Freight, Logistics and Supply Chain Awards in Hong Kong.

Anthony Leung (left), managing director of FedEx Express, Hong Kong and Macau, receives the award. Held annually, these industry awards honor the organizations that demonstrate leadership and consistency in service quality, innovation, customer relationship management and reliability in their fields.

Taiwan lender buys former Orion Bank

By Julito G. Rada

YUANTA Commercial Bank Co. Ltd., one of the biggest financial institutions in Taiwan, is taking full control of Makati-based thrift bank Tongyang Savings Bank from its affiliate Yuanta Securities Korea, a high-ranking Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas official said.

“It’s Yuanta Bank [Taiwan] that acquired Tongyang Savings Bank (Philippines),” Bangko Sentral Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. said in a text message Thursday evening.

Tongyang Savings was formerly known as Orion Savings Bank Inc. It changed its name to Tongyang Savings Bank Inc. in May 2006. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Makati City. Its primary market

is South Korean expatriates in the Philippines.

Espenilla earlier said an Asian bank, which he did not identify at first, was going to acquire “100 percent of an existing thrift bank.” He said Yuanta’s application was approved by the Monetary Board on June 25.

Yuanta’s application became the fifth approved this year by the Bangko Sentral since the domestic banking industry was

further liberalized in 2014 to lure more foreign direct investors.

Yuanta Commercial Bank, formerly known as Asia Pacific Commercial Bank, was established in February, 1992. The bank became a part of Fuhwa FHC in August 2002, and was renamed Fuhwa Commercial Bank. After the merger between Fuhwa FHC and Yuanta Core Pacific Securities in April 2007, followed by the renaming of Fuhwa FHC to Yuanta FHC in September, 2007, the bank was renamed Yuanta Commercial Bank.

Tongyang Savings Bank Inc. provides banking services, including saving accounts, all-in-one accounts, special savings accounts/ time deposits, salary loans, car loans, business loans and others.

Yuanta last year completed the acquisition of Tongyang Securities from Tongyang International and Leisure.

Earlier this year, the Bangko

Sentral approved the applications of Industrial Bank of Korea, Shinhan Bank of Korea, Japanbased Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. and Taiwan-based Cathay United Bank.

Industrial Bank of Korea--established in 1961--is owned by the government of the Republic of Korea and headquartered in Jung-gu, Seoul.

Cathay United Bank is one of the largest commercial banks in Taiwan, with a capital value of TW$52 billion (approximately US$1.7 billion) and more than 160 branches in Taiwan.

Shinhan Bank is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It was the first bank in Korea, established under the name Hanseong Bank in 1897. It was reestablished in 1982.

It is part of the Shinhan Financial Group, along with Jeju Bank. Shinhan Bank merged with Chohung Bank on April 1, 2006.

Seatca: New illicit tobacco trade report insufficient THE Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance has stamped “failed” a recent tobacco industry research report funded by a giant cigarette firm on the socalled illicit trade in the Philippines and 13 other Asian countries.

The giant tobacco firm allegedly funded the second research on illicit trade of tobacco products in Asia, called “Asia-14 Illicit Tobacco Indicator,” which was carried out jointly by a Washington based group, International Tax and Investment Center and a UK group, Oxford Economics.

Like its predecessor (Asia-11 Illicit Tobacco Indicator 2012),

the recent pro-giant tobacco industry report was without scientific basis, Seatca said.

The Asia-14 Report said the 341.2 percent excise tax increase (P2.72 to P12) in the Philippines on January 1, 2013 was the main driver of the alleged large volume increase in illicit consumption at 198 percent or 18.1 percent of total consumption.

An alleged 89.8 percent of illicit consumption and 16.3 percent of the total in 2013 was attributed to domestic illicit consumption, which was estimated to have grown to 11 billion cigarettes based on the Asia14 Report.

However, like its predecessor (Asia-11 Illicit Tobacco Indicator 2012), the research findings are biased to favor an international tobacco company, Seatca said.

Seatca said in its critique that the Asia-14 Report failed to highlight significantly higher tax revenues after the 2013 excise tax increase. For tobacco excise alone, the Philippine government collected P70.4 billion, higher by 113.7 percent in 2012.

Excise revenue gains were, thus, 454 percent higher than the Asia-14 Report’s estimated excise tax losses in 2013.

Seatca’s critique, in effect, disproved allegations that the

Bureau of Internal Revenue was losing revenues through illicit tobacco trade. BIR Commissioner Kim Henares earlier said the overwhelming growth in sin tax collection was an indication of the inconclusiveness of the Asia-14 report alleging the fastrising illegal cigarette trade in the country.

“The Asia-14 report fails to provide scientifically sound and unbiased information to policy makers and other tobacco market stakeholders,” said Hana Ross, principal research officer of the Economics of Tobacco Control Project at the University of Cape Town.

S at u r D aY : J u LY 4 , 2 0 1 5

B5

ceSar barrioquinto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Number of China’s Christians growing TIANJIN, China—Chinese priest Lin Xiuqiang is pleased with his new Catholic church, its tall tower topped with a cross and grateful to the Communist officials who paid $19 million to build it.

China’s Christians are divided between state-run churches that pledge allegiance to the officially atheist Communist party, and “underground” congregations who maintain their independence.

Dozens of church buildings have been demolished and crosses removed in recent months, in what has been seen as a tougher approach by the ruling party towards China’s believers, estimated at around 70 million and growing.

But at the same time some local governments are allowing new spires to sprout and even showering funds on places of worship as they seek to woo the faithful to the official church.

Built in immaculate red brick, Lin’s new Hedong Catholic church in the port city of Tianjin was finished last month.

Inside, light from its stained glass windows falls onto glass chandeliers, illuminating a huge crucifix and rows of barelytouched wooden pews.

The 120-million yuan ($19 million) construction costs were paid by the local government, Lin told AFP. “We are happy. The church gives us a new place to practice our faith,” he said, emerging from the church’s wooden confession box.

But the Hedong church is aligned with the state-run Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, and local Vaticanapproved bishop Melchior Shi Hongzhen is barred from the premises.

The 88-year-old lives at the small, metal-walled Zhongxin Bridge Church, and local Catholics told AFP authorities restrict his movements.

The unheated facility, in the shadow of a busy motorway, is surrounded by damp ditches filled with construction waste, and at its entrance a statue of Jesus and Mary and a metal cross are both stained with rust.

“You can see how bad our environment is,” said one male member of the congregation, who asked not to be named. AFP

world Seoul to inject $20b to bolster economy

SEOUL—The South Korean government on Friday agreed to inject $20 billion into the flagging economy, which has been hit by the MERS virus outbreak and sluggish consumption.

International meeting. People attend the international conference for Jehovah’s Witnesses at theFlanders Expo in Gent on July 3. AFP

The 22-trillion-won ($19.8-billion) stimulus package was passed at a cabinet meeting of government ministers, the finance ministry said.

“The extra budget will help revitalize the economy and stabilize the livelihoods of ordinary people who have been affected the most by the fallout from MERS,” Vice Finance Minister Bang Moon-Kyu was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency.

As of Friday morning, the virus had killed 33 people and a total of 184 cases had been confirmed. Forty-two of those remain hospitalized with 12 in critical condition, according to the health ministry.

The 22-trillion-won package includes an already-announced 15- trillion-won supplementary budget and seven trillion won of other expenditures such as expanded investments by state companies and additional credits for exporters.

The extra expenditure is expected to raise the economic growth rate by 0.3 percentage points this year and 0.4 percentage points in 2016.

South Korea forecasts its economy will grow 3.1 percent this year and 3.5 percent next year.

Moody’s said consumer sentiment had plummeted as a result of MERS, halting the recovery in domestic demand, as the external sector continues to drag on growth.

“Our tracking model suggests GDP growth slowed to 2.6% year over year in the second quarter, which is lower than our 2.9% estimate from May”, Emily Dabbs at Moody’s Analytics Ltd. said in an article this week.

Confusion and secrecy over the MERS outbreak has fanned public uncertainty, and parallels have been drawn with the government’s poor response to the 2014 Sewol Ferry disaster, which subdued domestic demand for many months, Dabbs said.

Dabbs was referring to a ferry accident that claimed more than 300 lives, mostly teenagers.

The government of President Park Geun-Hye has also been criticized for inadequately responding to the MERS outbreak.

“Should the government fail to regain the public’s trust, the outbreak could take a larger economic toll.

The outbreak has caused us to lower our GDP forecast to 2.6% for 2015”, Dabbs said. aFP

Japan frustrated over North Korea’s abduction probe TOKYO—Tokyo voiced its frustration on Friday a year after North Korea said it had started re-investigating the fate of the Japanese kidnapped by Pyongyang’s spies decades ago, with no new leads in sight.

“It is extremely regrettable that no abduction victims returned home although it’s been a year since the investigation started,” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said

during a parliamentary session. “[Pyongyang] have told us that they have been conducting a comprehensive probe into all [disappearances of] Japanese nationals sincerely but that it would take a bit more time” to conclude, he said.

North Korea admitted in 2002 that it had kidnapped 13 Japanese in the 1970s and 1980s to train its spies in Japanese language and customs.

Five of the abductees were allowed to return to Japan, but Pyongyang has insisted, without producing solid evidence, that the eight others are dead.

The issue is a highly-charged one in Japan, where there are suspicions that perhaps dozens of other people were taken.

Pyongyang and Tokyo struck a deal in May last year in which the secretive state said it would

investigate all instances in which Japanese citizens were snatched.

As North Korea set up an investigation committee on July 4 last year, Japan eased some of its unilateral sanctions targeting the Stalinist state.

Tokyo has protested that it is keeping its side of the bilateral bargain.

Abe said Friday that his government would work more strenu-

ously to draw concrete results from North Korea.

Tokyo will continue to maintain its policy of “dialogue and pressure” towards Pyongyang, he said.

The accord last year had been viewed as a sign of a possible thaw between two nations that do not have formal diplomatic relations and frequently exchange barbs.

AFP

B6

s at u r D aY : J u LY 4 , 2 0 1 5

WORLD

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Berlin slams door on Greece rescue For the No vote. Police face anti-EU protesters in front of the European commision offices in Athens on July 2, during a demonstration supporting the no vote for the upcoming referendum. Greece’s government and international creditors raised the stakes on July 2 over a weekend referendum seen as decisive for the nearly insolvent EU country’s political and financial future. AFP AFFIDAVIT OF LOSS

ERRORS & OMISSIONS

I, Pelagio Marquez Alvarez, 88 years old and residing at 29 Tindalo St., Pilar Village, Las Piñas City. That I lost my Loyola lot certificate in Sucat Parañaque, under contract no. 8086969 with Certificate of ownership no. 79-02929.

Particularly described as APOSTLES GARDEN TERR ACE, Section C, Block 62, lot 4.

In Classified A d s section must be brought to our attention the very day the advertisement is published.

We will not be responsible for any incorrect ads not reported to us immediately.

( T S - J U LY 4 , 2 015 )

NOTICE OF NO CHILDREN I, Pelagio Marquez Alvarez, 88 years old and residing at 29 Tindalo S t ., P i l a r V i l l a g e , L a s P i ñ a s C i t y, Metro Manila. Af ter having been d u l y s w o r n i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h l a w, depose and say: 1) T h a t I w a s m a r r i e d t o C a r m e n G. Alvarez of legal age and we w e`r e f o r m e r l y r e s i d i n g a t # 2 5 7 D . K a n l a o n S t ., Q u e z o n C i t y.

2) T h a t w e n e v e r h a d a c h i l d r e n w i t h my wife Carmen G. Alvarez who is already deceased.

3) I executed to the foregoing to attest to the truth hereof and for all legal purpose this af f idavit may ser ve.

Doc. No. 329 Page No. 67 Book No. 286 S e r i e s o f 2 0 15 ( T S - J U LY 4 ,11,18 , 2 015 )

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC This is to inform the public that Marilou Noveno is no longer connected with Cirrus Global, Inc. effective June 30, 2015.

BERLIN—Germany has broken ranks with Paris and Brussels in slamming the door on talks with the Greek government on a new bailout deal before Sunday’s crucial referendum, analysts say.

After weeks in which German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande appeared united in their efforts to end a stalemate with Athens, the discord could hardly have been clearer.

While the European Commission, backed by France, was still maneuvering to try clinch a last-minute accord between debt-laden Greece and its creditors Wednesday, Berlin slammed on the brakes.

Addressing the German parliament, a seemingly sanguine Merkel said Europe could “calmly” await the outcome of Greece’s referendum on bailout conditions because the bloc was “strong”.

Besides, “a good European is not one who looks for an agree-

ment at any price”, she insisted.

She also reiterated the position of her finance minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble, that a new aid deal between Greece and its creditors could not be negotiated before the referendum.

But in a nearly simultaneous declaration, Hollande said that an agreement was needed “immediately”.

“It’s been a while that we’ve been talking about this agreement it must happen now,” he said.

On Thursday, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls denied any “distance” between Berlin and Paris.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras took his international partners by surprise

last Saturday by announcing he would put the decision on their bailout terms in the hands of the Greek people, leading to a breakdown in talks and fueling fears of a ‘Grexit’.

Germans may at times appear unmoved at the prospect of Greece crashing out of the euro, but it “in fact worries many” in Berlin, as well as in Paris or Brussels, said Claire Demesmay, political scientist at the German Council on Foreign Relations.

She said the scenario would also be a “personal setback” for Merkel, seen as the ideological heir to exchancellor Helmut Kohl, who oversaw the creation of the single currency.

But Demesmay said that the differences between Merkel and Hollande on the Greek crisis boiled down to differences in “method”, rather than substance, and could be explained by differences in public opinion in the eurozone’s two biggest economies. AFP

Any transaction entered into by this person from this date thereafter shall not be honored by the company. ( T S - J U LY 4 , 2 015 )

Republic of the Philippines PROVINCE OF QUIRINO Cabarroguis -o0oBIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE INVITATION TO BID The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the Provincial Government of Quirino invites all interested contractors to apply for eligibility and to tender bids for the following project/s: 1.

Contract ID Name of Project

: :

2015-079 Furnishing & Installation of One (1) Unit Digital Radiographic Machine (Full Direct digital radiographic system with single detector, high frequency generator, integrated table and wall stand)

Location

:

QPMC, Cabarroguis, Quirino

Scope of Work

:

Furnishing & Installation of One (1) Unit Digital Radiographic Machine (Full Direct digital radiographic system with single detector, high frequency generator, integrated table and wall stand)

Approved Budget for : the Contract (ABC) Source of Fund : Duration :

P 12,200,000.00 MOA-DOH 90 CD

The BAC will conduct the procurement process in accordance with the Revised IRR of R.A 9184. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the opening of bid.

To bid for this contract, a contractor must submit a letter of Intent (LOI), purchase bid documents and must meet the following major criteria: (a) prior registration/accreditation with Provincial Government, (b) Filipino citizen of 75% Filipino-owned partnership, corporation, cooperative, or joint venture, (c) with PCAB license applicable to the type and cost of this contract, (d) completion of similar contract costing at least 50% of ABC within a period of 10 years, and (e) Net Financial Contracting Capacity at least equal to ABC, or credit line commitment for at least 10% of the ABC. The BAC will use non-discretionary pass/fail criteria in the eligibility check and preliminary examination of bids.

The significant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below: 1.

Receipt of LOIs prospective bidders

2.

Issuance of Bid Documents

July 4, 2015 – July 19, 2015

3.

Pre-Bid Conference

July 8, 2015, 3:00PM, Special Projects Unit, Conference Hall, 2nd Floor, Commercial Bldg., Capitol Compound, Capitol Hills, Cabarroguis, Quirino

4.

Receipt of Bids

July 20, 2015, 2:30PM, Special Projects Unit, Conference Hall, 2nd Floor, Commercial Bldg., Capitol Compound, Capitol Hills, Cabarroguis, Quirino

5.

Opening of Bids

from July 4, 2015 – July 19, 2015

during the opening ceremony of the International Festival of Jounieh on July 2. AFP

July 20, 2015, 3:00PM, Special Projects Unit, Conference Hall, 2nd Floor, Commercial Bldg., Capitol Compound, Capitol Hills, Cabarroguis, Quirino

The BAC will issue hard copies of Bidding Documents at the BAC Secretariat, Capitol Hills, Cabarroguis, Quirino, upon payment of the applicable non-refundable fee. The Pre-Bid Conference shall open only to interested parties who have purchased the BD’s. Bids must be accompanied by a bid security, in the amount and acceptable form, as stated in Section 27.2 of the Revised IRR. Prospective bidders shall submit their duly accomplished forms as specified in the BD’s in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The first envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid. The second envelope shall contain the financial component of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and the post-qualification.

The Provincial Government of Quirino reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process at anytime prior Contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder/s.

(SGD) DENCIO A. PAGBILAO Prov’l. Planning & Development Coordinator BAC Chairman ( T S - J U LY 4 , 2 015 )

International festival. Fireworks light up the sky of Jounieh bay, north of the Lebanese capital Beirut,

Odd-shaped melons herald summer TOKYO—Japanese consumers are used to paying through the nose for fruit, and now that summer’s here there’s another way for them to empty their wallets: cube and heart-shaped watermelons.

But this pricey produce is not intended to tempt your taste buds it’s more ornament than the perfect picnic food.

Over at the Shibuya Nishimura luxury fruit shop in downtown Tokyo, a cube-shaped watermelon, about the size of a baby’s head, sells for 12,960 yen ($105).

Not to your liking? Well, how about a heart- or pyramid-shaped

melon to sit on that chic coffee table in your living room?

“This fruit is meant to be a feast for your eyes, but they don’t taste very good,” admitted the shop’s senior managing director Mototaka Nishimura.

“They should be displayed as ornaments, maybe mixed with flowers.”

Farmers plant young watermelons inside acrylic containers to get the desired shape.

While the price may sound high, it’s actually something of a bargain in Japan where people traditionally exchange gifts, in-

cluding expensive fruit, with clients and relatives a couple of times a year.

A deep-pocketed Japanese department store in April shelled out an eye-watering 300,000 yen for a pair of mangoes, a record price for the second year in a row.

This year’s must-have luxury fruit is a particular brand of strawberry, with a single berry currently selling for around $415.

However, all pale in comparison with the tear-inducing $25,000 price tag for a pair of cantaloupe melons auctioned in 2008. AFP

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PROPERTY jdlacsamana@gmail.com

JOEL D. L ACSAMANA EDITOR

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SoutHern living getS better witH riomonte in nuvAli

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yala Land Premier (ALP) recently launched its seventh residential project in NUVALI, an 85-hectare community that offers generous lot cuts averaging 530 sqm. with some lots reaching around 800 sqm. working witH nAture “We decided that we would work with the undulating terrain, natural greenery and waterways,” said Arch. Manny E. Illana, studio head of ALP’s design group. “Only trees and plants that are endemic to the area will be planted and the natural lay of the land will be maintained,” Riomonte has an interconnected system of parks, pocket gardens and open spaces which embrace residents in lush greenery. A 700-meter long Main Park rests at the heart of the development and connects to a sprawling 4.5-hectare Ridge Park that bounds the western side of the property. The Ridge Park is then adjacent to a 20-hectare setback from Cauang-Cauang River, providing additional verdant spaces outside the development.

Rain gardens and pocket parks, ranging in size from 120 to 1,900 sqm., are located throughout the community. The entire property is enveloped by landscaped perimeter parks that are 8 to 10 sqm in width. These wide open spaces provide residents additional areas for recreation, while at the same time, serve as buffer

zones that distance residences from the property’s boundary.

Amenities in the development are divided between a Social Zone, featuring the social hall, resident’s lounge and children’s play area; and an Activity Zone which comprises a multi-purpose court, an indoor fitness area and a swimming pool.

This low-density development will have an average of 165 homes per neighborhood, a generous 10 lots per hectare. Lot prices range from P18,250 to P26,650 per sqm. briSk SAleS Sales in Riomonte have been exceptionally brisk, averaging P100M per day, totalling P2.7B as of today.

“ALP properties have always been consistent in providing the distinctive living experience that our clients are accustomed to,” said Jose Juan Z. Jugo, managing director of ALP. “Property values have risen significantly since the launch of Abrio in 2007, where some lots were sold at P10,000 compared to P30,000 today. People have also seen the transformation of NUVALI into a flourishing eco-community in less than eight years and how ALI has delivered, and continues to deliver, its commitments to its various stakeholders.”

ALP developed the successful communities of Abrio, Montecito, Santierra, Elaro, Luscara and Soliento, all in NUVALI.

rockwell lifeStyle. Young professionals and families need not look far for condo developments that offer “affordable indulgence.” 53 Benitez, Rockwell Primaries’ first project, brings together all the qualities of an ideal home, all within reach. A two-bedroom unit, which already includes a parking slot and a drying cage, is offered at roughly Php 6.8M, and given at a discounted rate of Php 6.5M for cash transactions. Options are given to buyers for a more flexible payment scheme that works within their budget. “Finding the perfect home for your family is a challenge nowadays, most especially when it comes to the terms of payment.

This is why we at Rockwell Primaries offer an easier way for homeowners to gain access to the home they deserve,” said Malou Pineda, senior vice resident, Rockwell Primaries. Located within minutes of New Manila, 53 Benitez is a stone’s throw from the city’s top schools, hospitals, and commercial districts.

living within tropical parkland. About 50 percent of Riomonte’s total land area is dedicated to green spaces, road ways and amenities.

A pocket for your thoughts. Riomonte, with five pocket neighborhoods, is in NUVALI South, approximately 9-km. away from main commercial points such as Ayala Malls Solenad and Lakeside Evozone.

Sprucing up iloilo port. Megaworld recently partnered with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) – Iloilo to promote a green environment at the Port of Iloilo.

The company donated potted plants and trash bins to the port which serves an average of 2,000 passengers daily going to and from Bacolod, Cebu, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro and Manila. Last year, Megaworld also kicked off a similar program in the coastal area of Barangay Sooc, Villa de Arevalo in Iloilo City, planting hundreds of nursed mangrove seedlings in the area that surround the historic Iloilo River. At the turnover ceremony were (L-R) Engr. Rodel G. Lagmay, Jordan division manager, PMO; Edgar B. Sonza, admin officer, PPA-Iloilo and Jennifer Palmares-Fong, head of marketing, Iloilo Business Park. Megaworld is the developer of Iloilo Business Park.

A ‘HArdie’ buncH. James Hardie Philippines partnered recently with the National Housing Authority (NHA) to do a series of livelihood workshops on basic carpentry targeted at craftsmen living in NHA housing projects. The workshops give carpenters insights on the basic installation of HardieFlex® sheets on steel and wooden frames following correct spacings, as well as the proper way to cut and joint the sheets. Attendees used accessories such as HardieDrive® screws and HardieFlex™ putty. Cavite and Rizal provinces were the first areas that played host to the workshops. More are being eyed in 2015 at select NHA housing project sites. Said Livelihood chief Evangeline Javier of Southville 3 housing project (Muntinlupa): “These workshops are helpful to the carpenters, because we are planning to form a guild of carpenters from the participants. We will have a database of carpenters whom we can commission for our ongoing and future housing projects.”

S AT U R D AY : J U LY 4 : 2 0 1 5

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JOEL D. L ACSAMANA EDITOR jdlacsamana@gmail.com

PROPERTY

keeping Pepe company.

Did Torre de Manila fire the first shot across the bow of local conservationists? Or have commercial developers been around historical landmarks; we just didn’t notice?

DMCI says Torre De ManIla Is no “phoTo boMber”

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MCI Homes, the property unit of listed conglomerate DMCI Holdings Inc., came out with guns blazing this week, when it held a press conference where it argued that that the company violated no heritage laws when it built the 49-story Torre de Manila, dubbed as “the national photo bomber.”

“Since the housing project is around 800 meters behind the Rizal monument, finding good and unobstructed angles when taking photos of, or with, the monument could be easily done,” said Engineer Florence Loreto, DMCI spokesperson, and project development manager of the company. “View is subjective. It is a matter of perspective,” she told the media.

DMCI also denied that it was only allowed to build a seven-story condominium. The firm said that only one building permit was issued for the condominium and

by joel lacsaMana

it specifically approved the construction of a 49-story building.

Making a case for co-existence Loreto’s company insisted that there is no reason to demolish the controversial condominium building, as it can “co-exist” with the monument of national hero Jose Rizal in the park named after him.

The spokesperson likewise made a case that DMCI followed all the rules and complied with all relevant laws needed for the development of the project.

“Cultural heritage and progress can co-exist,” Loreto said. To prove her point, she cited the construction of high-rise structures around national monuments “normally” happens in major cities all over the world – such as in Jakarta, Amsterdam, Mexico City and Shanghai, among others.

She added that some industrial establishments in the coun-

try were also built in the midst of national monuments – such as the Bantayog ni Bonifacio in Caloocan City, the EDSA Shrine in Quezon City, the First Rizal Monument in the World in Camarines Norte, the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila and the Rizal monument in Zamboanga City, among others.

Questionable jurisDiction Immediately after the press conference, DMCI upped its communications offensive a notch: in a full-page advertisement published late in the week, it said that no less than the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) had commented that the Nation- al Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) does not have jurisdiction over the company’s construction of the Torre de Manila condominium.

DMCI said the condominium is located in Barangay 660-A, Zone

71, Ermita, Manila behind the old jai alai property, and the area is not designated by the National Historical Institute as a heritage zone, cultural property, historical landmark or national treasure.

“The cease and desist order issued by the NCCA was not supported by the OSG,” the company said.

“In a court comment, the OSG said the NCCA has no jurisdiction since it is confined only to national cultural properties declared as World Heritage Sites and works of National Artists, which the Rizal Monument and Rizal Park are not. The OSG also pointed out that the Torre de Manila did not threaten the physical integrity of the Rizal Monument and was beyond the five-meter buffer zone in the law,” it added. no laws violateD In the press conference, Loreto argued that the fact that commercial establishments in the country were

also built around of national monuments “prove that the past and present can go together, that heritage does not hamper progress.”

Loreto also stressed there is “no basis” to demolish the 46-story building since they “have not violated any laws” and the project was cleared by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP).

“The clearance from the NHCP allows us to erect Torre de Manila in that lot. It says that we are not in obstruction (of the view of the Rizal monument). We are outside the boundaries of the national shrine and the lot is a commercial property, with no cultural or historical significance,” she said.

She added that under the law, only those who “destroy, demolish, mutilate or damage any cultural property and modify, alter or destroy the original features or undertake construction in any national shrine” are punishable.

Make Mine Dusit in Davao

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usit International recently launched Dusit Thani Residence in Davao City.

Featuring 168 full-service apartment units, the development offers upscale, “magic-from-the-orient” options for business travellers.

“Dusit Thani Residence will offer a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of urban Davao,” said Ms. Evelyn Singson, president of Philippine Hoteliers Incorporated, the owning company of Dusit Thani Manila, at the formal opening of the project’s showroom. “We planned this urban residence and hotel to exude a resort-like experience that combines Filipino warmth and joyfulness, and Dusit’s trademark Thai hospitality.”

Dusit International partnered with Filipino real estate developer, Torre

Lorenzo in the conceptualization and construction of Dusit Thani Residence, and the adjoining dusitD2 Hotel. This is the first Dusit Thani Residence in Asia, as the company’s similar projects are in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The property, located in the heart of the jewel city of Southern Philippines. will be turned over in 2018.

The main highlight of the project is the “amenity theater” that fosters community and shared activities. Bound by the hotel and the residential tower blocks, the amenity theater contains the swimming pools, water features and decks amidst a tropical landscaped setting. Complementing this central feature are the dining outlets, function rooms, children’s play area, and wellness facilities. An infinity edge pool will be located at the second level.

“The architecture is contemporary and mindful of the comfort of our guests. The design incorporates tropical elements that allow for shading and ventilation while maximizing the use of natural lighting,” said Torre Lorenzo president Tomas Lorenzo.

Dusit International and Torre Lorenzo tapped Rchitects, Inc., to lead the project development. The firm has built resort and hotel projects in Boracay, Bohol, Ortigas, Cagayan de Oro and Palawan. Rchitects, Inc. is working with Manny Samson + Associates (MSA), a leading interior design company focused on decorating for hospitality projects across Southeast Asia.

The property can be found within Torre Lorenzo’s Siam 8000 property complex along Maryknoll Road, Lanang, Davao City.

Drawing a bead on business, luxury travellers. At the opening of the Dusit Thani Residence showroom were (from left) : Blue Development Inc. CEO Andrew Sparrow, Philippine Hoteliers Inc. vice chairman and president Evelyn Singson, and Torre Lorenzo president Tomas P. Lorenzo.

going thai, filipino. Distinctively Thai detail complement Filipino design elements and warmth in Dusit Thani Residence Davao.