The Standard - 2015 July 08 - Wednesday

VOL. XXIX NO. 138 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 wedNeSday : JULy 8, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Palace rebuffs China on new talks

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doj: Can’t sue binay VP immune from suit like Aquino, says De Lima

By Rey Requejo

JUSTICE Secretary Leila de Lima said Tuesday that Vice President Jejomar Binay is immune from criminal prosecution while he is in office, reversing the position she took last October when she said he could be investigated for corrupt acts committed when he was still mayor of Makati.

In a statement, De Lima conceded that the Vice President, like the President, the justices of the Supreme Court and the Ombdusman and other constitutional officials, is an impeachable official and therefore cannot be tried in court without first being impeached from office. Next page

Contempt charge vs reporter withdrawn

By Maricel V. Cruz AN administration lawmaker on Tuesday backed off from his motion to cite The Standard reporter Christine Herrera in contempt for refusing to divulge her sources for her reports on allegations that money extorted from suspected Chinese crime lord Wang Bo had gone to bribing lawmakers to approve the Bangsamoro Basic Law Next page (BBL).

Chiz asks: Why rush P3-t 2016 budget?

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The hearing continues. An immigration officer removes the handcuffs on Chinese national Wang Bo on Tuesday during the continuation of the House hearing on his allegedly corrupt activities. Lino SanToS

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Poll body to charge 36 local execs, bets

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

THE Commission on Elections said Tuesday it will file cases against 36 local officials and candidates for overspending during their campaign in the 2010 and 2013 polls.

Based on the Comelec list, 11 of the violators were from President Benigno Aquino III’s Liberal Party; 10 were from the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats of former President Gloria Arroyo; six were from the Nacionalista Party of former Senator Manny Villar; three were from the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) of ousted President Joseph Estrada; and three were from the Nationalist People’s Coaltion of businessman Eduardo Cojuangco Jr.; three were independent candidates, and one was from an unspecified political party.

In a press conference, Comelec commissioner Christian Robert Lim confirmed that out of 40 individuals in the list, the Commission en banc has approved the filing of charges against 36 local candidates who violated the Election Code. The other four candidates were already dead.

Lim said one candidate, the Nacionalista candidate for mayor in Butig, Lanao del Sur, Ibrahim Mitoon Macadato, overspent by 1,459.7 percent the limit allowed by law in 2013.

Lim said the poll body would continue to prosecute incumbent officials and candidates who spent beyond the legal limits.

Other high spenders were Dante Tulio Reyes of PMP, who spent 475.08 percent over the limit when he ran for mayor in Batan, Aklan in 2010; and independent candidate Gima Gami Kallahal, who overspent by 424.7 percent when running for member of the Sangguniang Bayan in Tuburan, Basilan.

The other candidates who overspent when they ran for mayor, vice mayor, or governor, were Oliver Bradley Bagayan (Lakas-CMD); Galao Gaano Lomioan (PMP); Romeo Pacquing Magaway (unknown political party); Diomedes Casimsiman Amaroto Sr (Lakas-Kampi); Alberto Rediang (LP); Oliver Escamis Ranque (LakasKampi); Bonifacio Romaraog Billones (Lakas-Kampi); Glenn Romeo Gontang (NP); Maria Riza Pacon Ledesma (Lakas-Kampi); Mario Ballogan Buyaccan (LP); Rufo Tanqui-on

Contempt From A1...

During the resumption of the hearing conducted by the House committee on good government and public accountability, Dasmariñas City Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. withdrew his contempt motion after Herrera stated that he was not among the lawmakers who alleged received bribes in exchange for the swift passage of the contentious bill.

Barzaga asked Herrera if he was among the House members who admitted to her that they received money in relation to the BBL’s passage.

“You texted the Speaker [Feliciano Belmonte, Jr.] and the Speaker said the allegation is not accurate. You also texted other members of the House and they all denied the al-

Cabos (LP); Poceso Poncip Balasbas (NP); Abdul Said Utto Lumenda (Independent candidate); Rogelio Castillar Delapa (NP); Virginia Requillo Zacate (Lakas-CMD); George Sistona Legaspi (Lakas-CMD); Alex Manlapaz Manlapaz (LP); Rey Estoque Yamaro (LP); Junevell Oraiz Balandra (LakasCMD); Abdalun Hadjibon Awilun (Natio9nal Unity Party); Michael Antonio Magsaysay (Independent); Darell Dela Flor (LP); Carlos de Leon Valdez Jr (NPC); Felipe Fonte Ferriol (LP); Gody Cardenas (LP); Baltazar Visaya Sinajon (NPC); Jose Norella Jr (LP); and Aida Bandialan Dela Rosa (Lakas-CMD).

Those who ran for the House of Representatives were Narzal Mallares (Aksyon Demokratiko); Lydia Soriano Depra Ramos (Aksyon Demokratiko); Florencio Aranas Narido Jr (LP); Leopoldo Castro Tomas, (NPC); and Eduardo Kintana Veloso (NP).

Lim said the latest cases represented the third batch from 1,200 cases filed by the Camapaign Finance Unit (CFU) for overspending before the Comelec Law Department.

“Most of these are local candidates This is based on first in first out. The CFU has filed more than 1,200 cases for overspending and we are still continuing to file more for local candidtes,” Lim said.

Lim said the cases will be filed before the local courts depending on where the candidate ran.

The poll official appealed to those candidates who wish to run for the 2016 elections to take the election rules seriously.

Lim said that prospective candidates must realize their obligations once they file their certificate of candidacy (COC) in October.

“Being a candidate is not as simple a filing a COC. There are a lot of responsibilities and accountabilities attached to the candidate. I hope the prospective candidates will realize their obligagtions before they file their COC,” Lim said.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said there are now only 1,000 pending cases of campaign spending violations left.

Section 100 of the Omnibus Election Code provides that no candidate shall overspend for his election campaign than the amount set by the law.

Based on Section 13 of Republic Act No. 7166 of 1991, every candidate for president and vice president is allowed to spend P10, while other bets can spend P3 for every voter currently registered in the constituency, where he

filed his COC. Their political parties may also spend P5 for them.

Independent candidates, or those without any political party and without support from any political party, are allowed to spend P5 for every voter in the area in which they are running.

An election offense carries the penalty of imprisonment for one to six years, disqualification from holding public office, and deprivation of the right of suffrage.

Jimenez earlier said that during the administration of former Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes, the Campaign Finance Unit was formed as an independent office to scrutinize the candidates’ campaign spending.

“It was formed precisely for this purpose, and that it has met a significant measure of success. As a result, hundreds of cases of overspending are being investigated, preparatory to the filing of the appropriate cases,” Jimenez said.

At the same time, the Comelec said at least five people, including members of the Municipal Board of Canvassers (MBOC) may face six years imprisonment, removal of the right to vote, and disqualification from running for public office after they were accused of vote padding and shaving in the 2001 elections in Parang, Sulu.

Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said the poll body has already filed a case before the Sulu Regional Trial Court against three members of the MBOC and two others for conspiring to increase the votes received by Tupay Loong, who was then running for congressman for the First District of Sulu.

“Our law department has filed information against these people for dagdag bawas, a violation of the Omnibus Election Code,” Guanzon said.

She warned that under the leadership of Comelec chairman Andres Bautista, the election officials are serious in penalizing those who have violated the election law.

The Comelec law department accused Habib Ibrahim Ahmad, Hadja Lily Jalambo, and Eyang Tomoay, in their official capacities as chairman, vice chairman, and member of the MBOC of the municipality of Parang, respectively, in conspiracy with accused Rakag Maha and Nestor Lozano for willfully and unlawfully tampering and increasing the votes received by candidate Loong.

Maha was identified as the municipal accountant of Parang while Lozano was an employee at the Provincial Treasurer’s Office of Sulu.

leged bribery. You did not text me about this issue. Would it be safe to say I was not included among those [House sources] who admitted before you that I received money?”

Barzaga asked.

Herrera replied: “I’ve already heard you saying all over the radio that you would resign if it’s been proven that you accepted any amount. There’s no need to [interview you].”

Barzaga then withdrew his motion.

“I have defended my position. I will no longer pursue my motion to cite her in contempt,” Barzaga said.

The panel, headed by Pampanga Rep. Oscar Rodriguez, resumed its hearing to dig deeper into the allegations of bribery that first appeared in a series of articles in The Standard that quoted sources as saying P440 million in bribe money taken from

Wang had been allocated to pay off lawmakers to secure the swift passage of the BBL. Aside from Barzaga, other members of the panel failed to convince Herrera to reveal her sources.

Butil party-list Rep. Agapito Guanlao asked Herrera if she would have other secondary sources for her stories aside from interviewing at least five House members whom she talked to regarding the alleged bribery.

Herrera said the CCTV recordings would have spoken for itself if these were not overwritten.

Herrera also maintained she stood by her series of articles, noting that her sources were “very credible.”

Rodriguez raised concern that such allegations might weaken democracy and appealed to the members of the media to uphold democracy by practicing responsible journalism.

doj:

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Last October, she said impeachability did not equate to immunity, and that among impeachable officials, only the President was immune from suit.

But this week, she said, “Conventional wisdom among lawyers is that any criminal action against an impeachable official can only go so far as filing an information.”

“It is still up to the courts, especially the Supreme Court, to categorically decide on whether or not the filing of a criminal charge amounts to a violation of impeachability,” she said.

De Lima added that the courts cannot even order Binay’s arrest should cases be filed against him.

“The initiation of a criminal case entails the issuance of a warrant of arrest, and this implies restraint on the person of the impeachable official that highly compromises his status as such,” she said.

She said if the issue reached the Supreme Court, it would most likely rule in the Vice President’s favor.

Earlier, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal rebutted the opinion of Senate President Franklin Drilon that Binay was not immune from suit.

“If the President is immune from suit, then all constitutional officials, like the Vice President, Supreme Court justices, members of Constitutional Commissions, and the Ombudsman who could only be removed by impeachment, are likewise immune from suit,” Macalintal said.

Macalintal said the position being pushed by Drilon and other administration allies “smacks of unjust or invidious discrimination” and violated the equal protection clause of the Constitution.

The Palace on Tuesday dismissed allegations from the Binay camp that it was behind efforts to have him impeached.

“Ha ha! He must be kidding,” said presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda in a text message to the Malacañang press corps. “The President is governing, he [Binay] is campaigning. The President seeks to improve the lives of his bosses, he [Binay] is seeking to improve his image.”

Deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte also denied any Palace role.

“We don’t know what his basis is for saying that. We don’t know if there are quarters who are preparing to file an impeachment case against him, so we don’t want to deal with a hypothetical and speculative situation,” she said.

In a radio interview Thursday, Binay claimed that his camp has been hearing about impeachment complaints to be filed against him, but he did not name who he believes is behind the move against him in the House of Representatives.

A Senate panel report earlier recommended the filing of plunder against the Vice President, his son Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. and other individuals in relation to the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall Building 2.

The Office of the Ombudsman has also filed plunder charges against the Vice President and his son in connection to the allegedly overpriced construction of Makati Science High School building.

The Commission on Audit also

allowed the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to freeze the bank accounts associated with Binay, which could be used as evidence to prove that he committed plunder.

On Tuesday, Binay slammed some senators allied to the administration for focusing so much of their attention to attacking him politically, instead of looking for solutions to prevent further deaths and damage caused by storms, epidemics and sea tragedies.

In a radio interview, Binay also said he did not receive an invitation to the Senate hearing as claimed by Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, saying that the proceedings of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall Building have become a “politicized forum whose sole purpose is to make wild accusations and false statements” against the Binay family.

Binay was in Dasol, Pangasinan where he distributed a number of wheelchairs to the local elders and persons with disabilities.

“We fully know that this is all politically motivated,” he said.

“Typhoon, an epidemic and a sea tragedy, all of these that happened recently were disregarded and [the senators] gave more importance to politicking,” Binay said.

Binay’s spokesman, Rico Quicho, said the senators have resorted to the cheap gimmick of putting an empty chair in the Session Hall “when the only thing empty in this sorry excuse for a Senate inquiry is credible proof.”

The Senate used testimony of a person who has admitted to corruption and testimony of a person who admitted he lied and merely speculated, he said.

“This badly written telenovela has outlived its entertainment value. The hearings have consumed the time and resources of the Senate which could have been used for the benefit of our people,” Quicho said.

Pimentel on Tuesday said he will ask the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to cite in contempt Jack Arroyo, an alleged dummy for Binay, for constinuously snubbing hearings before his subcommittee.

“We will recommend to the mother committee that Arroyo be cited in contempt for refusing to appear despite being issued a subpoena,” said Pimentel.

In the hearing, it was alleged that Arroyo, a nephew of former senator Joker Arroyo, was used by Binay as his dummy in the Makati city government’s joint venture with Systems Technology Institute (STI), a computer school.

The Makati city government and the University of Makati entered in 2003 a joint venture with STI to put up Philippine Health Educators Inc., that manages the School of Nursing inside the University of Makati.

The Senate panel had earlier subpoenaed Arroyo to attend the hearing and told him to produce records of his tax payment.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said “the mysterious Mr. Jack Arroyo is nowhere to be found, just like the other dummies (Eduviges) Ebeng Baloloy and Gerry Limlingan, and also Laureano Gregorio.

So this is the pattern we are establishing here. The dummies don’t want to appear here because they know they can’t get away with this.”

– With Sandy Araneta, Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

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Guingona airs concerns about chopper purchase

By Macon R. Araneta SENATOR Teofisto Guingona said Tuesday he had qualms over the “negotiated contracts” on the allegedly anomalous purchase of 21 refurbished UH-1 helicopters for P1.2 billion.

He said only 2 percent out of the 67,000 contracts awarded by the Defense Department in the last two years underwent competitive public bidding, and that 98 percent became negotiated procurements after a failure of bidding.

“The first bidding was a failure because (Matthew) Rice failed.

The second bidding was a failure because Rice failed, and the third bidding was also a failure so they had the negotiated contract,” Guingona told reporters in an ambush interview after the continuation of the Blue Ribbon Committee’s hearing on the helicopter deal.

“To whom did they enter a negotiation, with those in which the three biddings failed? So it really puts a question in your mind: Did something we didn’t see happen?”

Rice is the project manager of Rice Aircraft Services Inc. or RASI tht bagged the contract to supply helicopters to the Department of National Defense.

Meanwhile, the department on Tuesday denied reports that a re-

alignment took place in its shorebased missile system project that has a budget of P6.5 billion.

“The SBMS project is merely a proposal at this time, and as such there is no ‘realignment’ but rather a re-prioritization of the said project in favor of the urgent need of our PA (Philippine Army) troops for individual force protection equipment,” department spokesman Arsenio Andolong said.

Guingona said he was baffled by the negotiated contract with the same person who failed in the first, second and third biddings. ` He said his panel will summon Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin to shed light on the matter as he signed he contract for the purchase of second-hand helicopters.

In Tuesday’s fourth hearing, Guingona described as alarming the statistics on the negotiated procurement although defense officials noted some of the contracts were at the battalion level and considered “small purchases.”

In 2013, he said, the data submitted by the DND showed that out of 35,000 contracts, only 650 underwent competitive bidding, and that meant that some were negotiated.

“In 2014, 32,000 contracts were awarded but only 420 underwent competitive bidding,” Guingona said. With PnA

Send-off. A member of the UN peacekeeping force kisses his daughter goodbye while waiting for an aircraft that will take him and his colleagues to Haiti during a send-off ceremony at the Villamor Air Base. DAnnY PAtA

Palace rejects call

by China for new talks on sea row MALACAÑANG on Tuesday again rejected a proposal that China and the Philippines hold bilateral talks to resolve the two countries’ maritime disputes in the South China Sea or West Philippine Sea.

Blowing the whistle. Rhodora Alvarez answers questions from Senator JV Ejercito on her revelations about the alleged anomalous helicopter purchases at the Senate on Tuesday. EY ACASIO

Chiz on P3-t budget: What’s the rush?

THE Cabinet quickly approved the proposed P3-trillion budget for next year on Monday, but Senator Francis Escudero criticized the rush on Tuesday and said the money was unlikely to be spent quickly because of several spending humps.

“It is useless to appropriate huge sums on time when these are spent slowly,” said Escudero, the head of the Senate’s finance committee.

In explaining the budget process, Escudero said Congress was the kitchen that prepares the food while the Executive branch was the waiter tasked to serve it.

“The problem is that the food is being served slowly,” Escudero said.

“As a result, the food is spoiled and the customers go hungry and we, the cooks, are frustrated.”

Escudero made his statement even as Rep. Terry Ridon, a member

of the Minority Bloc in the House, vowed to scrutinize President Benigno Aquino III’s budget.

“If Malacañang thinks it can get away with a bloated budget that unabashedly designed to fill the ruling party’s campaign kitty to the brim, then it is wrong,” Ridon said.

“We are prepared to scrutinize every centavo, every line item in the 2016 budget proposal. We will exhaust all means to expose every questionable item.”

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad on Tuesday said next year’s proposed budget was 15.2-percent higher than this year’s P2.606-trillion appropriation, and that it was the Aquino administration’s blueprint for greater inclusive growth and reform expansion.

But Escudero criticized the Aquino administration’s underspending, say-

ing it deprives the citizens of essential public services that they deserve such as improved education, better health care and more roads and bridges.

He said the Senate will scrutinize the details of the proposed P3.002trillion budget for 2016—the final spending program under the Aquino administration—to ensure the lawmakers will pass a reasonable and responsible budget on time.

He said the Senate will review the administration’s proposed spending package thoroughly to address the problem of underspending, which has been interfering with the economy’s ability to reach its full potential.

“This is the administration’s last hurrah against underspending. We’ll be asking them how they can win in the final round,” Escudero said.

Macon Ramos-Araneta, Maricel V. Cruz and Sandy Araneta

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said what was needed is a legally binding code of conduct.

“The Philippine position is clear: We need to recognize the principle of Asean Centrality because the Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea between China and members of the Asean signed this on 2002, and our call is continuing to to adopt a legally binding code of conduct,” Coloma said.

He made his statement even as Senator Francis Escudero asked various sectors to help defend the Philippines’ claim in the South China Sea. “If we can throw our support behind our national athletes, surely we can do the same for the legal giants who will be fighting for flag and country,” Escudero said.

Malacañang on Tuesday also said the Philippines was ready to present its case during the first day of the hearing on the country’s South China Sea claim versus China before

the Arbitral Tribunal in The Hague.

“The Philippines is set to present its case regarding the matter of jurisdiction before the Arbitral Tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, Peace Palace at The Hague, Netherlands,” Deputy presidential Spokeswoman Abigail Valte said in a statement.

She said the first day of hearing started at 2:30 pm until 5:30 pm on Tuesday.

(8:30 pm Manila Time on Tuesday).

Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, as agent of the Philippines, opened the presentation.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario discussed the reason for the filing of the Philippines’ case.

Thereafter, lawyers from Washington-based law firm Foley Hoag, led by Paul Reichler, presented the the arguments regarding jurisdiction, Valte said.

The entire Philippine delegation was present to witness the proceedings. Sandy Araneta and Macon Ramos-Araneta

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Pagasa: Egay out, but wait for Falcon

By Francisco Tuyay

Contraband rice. Agents of the National Food Administration, Bureau of Customs and National Bureau of Investigation seized about 100 sacks of rice smuggled from China during a raid at a supermarket in Binondo, Manila on Tuesday. DANNY PATA

Lawmaker slams train coach deal with China

By Maricel V. Cruz and Joel E. Zurbano

THE Aquino administration’s train coach deal with Chinese state company threatens the sustainability of the country’s transport system and makes it vulnerable to Chinese bullying, member of the Makabayan Bloc in the House of Representatives said on Tuesday.

Anakpawis Rep. Fernando Hicap warned that the contract to supply new trains for the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 was forged with the Dalian Locomotive & Rolling Stock Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of CNR Group which is a stateowned corporation of China.

“It is also a form of surrender and treason as it also underscores the country’s dependency on Chinese technology,” Hicap said.

“When the debate against China for our territorial claim intensifies, it is east for China to cut off support services for the

MRT, and with that the Filipino people are to suffer,” Hicap said, adding the Aquino administration has practically surrendered the country’s strategic transport sector to China.

“The Aquino government does not take Chinese transgressions seriously as shown by the MRT contract awarded to a Chinese state-owned corporation amounting to P3.75 billion of taxpayers’ money,” Hicap said.

Hicap also demanded that public-private partnership (PPP) contracts for the MRT

be immediately scrapped and for the transport system to be nationalized in order to break free from dependency on foreign investment and technology.

Hicap said the contract would make the Filipino people pay for Chinese industrial products that would in effect boost Chinese state funds, the same funds from which expenditures to prop up Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea are sourced.

“While the Filipino people are all enraged, Aquino’s Public-Private Partnership program is being promoted effectively coercing the public to pay while allowing China to rakes in income,” Hicap said.

“Chinese consulate officials are disrespectful, we Filipinos are being insulted, they did not even had the courtesy to receive the protest letter from the Fillipino fisherfolk,” Hicap said.

The DOTC awarded the contract to supply 48 new light rail coaches

to Dalian in 2013 after officials claimed it was the only bidder that satisfied the project’s eligibility requirements for the P3.7-billion MRT 3 capacity expansion. It proposed to undertake the project at P3.759 billion.

The agency expects the delivery of the new trains in January 2016.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said a prototype is on-schedule for delivery in midAugust while the dynamic testing phase will start in November.

Abaya claimed their project implementation team reported that the prototype appears to be of good and reliable quality with better traction motors to incorporate alternating current technology.

“What is important to us is that the train cars, once delivered, will be safe and reliable. So we prefer to be thorough with the manufacture, assembly, checking and testing of the prototype,” Abaya said.

TROPICAL Storm “Egay” is now outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility, but the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration is again monitoring Typhoon “ChanHom” which is still outside its jurisdiction.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council also issued a warning about “Chan-Hom,” which will be named “Falcon” when it enters the PAR, even as the council reported that Egay damaged at least P5 million in infrastructure and agricultural produce in the Cordillera Administrative Region, La Union, Pangasinan and Ilocos Norte.

The NDRRMC maintained that there were no casualties directly attributable to Egay, but 48,307 people, or 11,751 families, were affected with 13,527 fleeing to evacuation centers.

The agency said four landslides occurred in Palawan, Benguet and Apayao while there were 16 flooding incidents in La Union, Palawan, Apayao, Mandaluyong City, Marikina City, and Pasay City.

A total of 14 road sections and two bridges are still closed to traffic due to landslides, rock slides, flashf loods and overflowing of rivers in the provinces of La Union, Ilocos Sur, Benguet, Apayao and Isabela.

The tropical storm also damaged a total of 91 houses in the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Palawan and Benguet.

But state disaster officials warned residents in low-lying areas of renewed flooding and landslide due to the intensification of southwest monsoon which may bring torrential rains spawned by Chan-Hom. In its latest bulletin, Pagasa said the center of Typhoon “ChanHom” was 320 kilometers westsouthwest of Basco, Batanes and had maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 100 kph. It is forecast to move northward at 7 kph.

Marcos warns vs rice profiteers

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Anna Leah E. Gonzales SENATOR Ferdinand Marcos Jr. alerted the government against profiteers who may hike rice prices due to scare brought about by the alleged proliferation of fake rice.

Marcos, member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, warned that crooked rice traders may hoard rice supplies and create an artificial shortage to push up retail prices.

“This situation is not improbable and it has happened before in different situations. Given the creativeness of some dishonest rice traders who defraud the consumers to make money, the possibility of hoarding is not far-fetched,” he said.

He warned that once rice supplies are withheld in warehouses and a fake shortage is created, devious rice dealers and traders will be able to jack up rice prices at retail outlets.

He said the government should be one step ahead of these scammers and protect consumers.

“Government authorities should constantly monitor the supplies and prices of rice in the market and nip in the bud any attempt to exploit the situation,” he said./ macon ramos-araneta On Tuesday, the National Food Authority and Bureau of Customs in joint operations seized 200 bags of smuggled rice from China being sold in three business establishments in Manila.

NFA Administrator Renan B. Dalisay and BOC Deputy Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno led the teams in the surprise inspection of these establishments suspected to be selling smuggled rice from China.

Criminal Investigation Detention Group NCR Task Force Pantalan, headed by Senior Superintendent Joel Napoleon Coronel, also assisted the group during the inspection.

NFA said two supermarkets, Hua Chong Mart and Mandarin Supermarket in Binondo, Manila and Forwarders Food Mart and Grocery in Sta. Cruz, Manila were found to be selling smuggled rice from China.

Japanese aid. Hiroshi Watanabe, governor of the Japan Bank For International Cooperation, calls on Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene D. Almendras at Malacanang Palace on Tuesday. MALACAÑANG PHOTO BUREAU

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‘Hybrid’ election option bucked ThE Commission on Elections should ditch the use of a combination of manual and computerized elections next year and exert all efforts instead to ensure that the May 2016 national polls will still be fully automated.

This was the view of Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero who reiterated his objection to the so-called “hybrid” elections after the Comelec stated that the Precinct Automated Tally System (PATaS), which would combine manual and automated processes, remains an option in next year’s elections.

In fact, the Comelec already tested the hybrid system when it conducted a mock poll on June 27 at the Bacoor National high School in Cavite province.

For 2015, the Comelec received a total of P16.8 billion budget, but Escudero said he would look into spending plan of the agency for the automated polls if only to ensure a clean, orderly and credible 2016 elections.

Escudero said that reverting to manual voting system in 2016 would be a step backwards to a process marred by rampant cheating and other fraudulent election practices in the past. he said the proposal for hybrid polls “raises the chilling prospect of a wide-scale electoral cheating similar to what happened during the 2004 presidential elections.”

“It brings back memories of the ‘hello Garci’ controversy, which had cast doubt on the results of the 2004 presidential elections,” Escudero said.

The senator earlier warned that the Comelec was treading on dangerous ground with its proposal to use a hybrid election system next year, saying it would defeat the purpose of computerizing the elections.

Macon Araneta

TRO. Members of the Center for People Empowerment in Governance along with Alliance of Concerned Teachers, Bishop Gregorio Fabros, Broderick

Pabillo and Mary John Mananzan hold copies of their petition asking the Supreme Court for a temporary restraining order against the Commission on Election. DANNY PATA

Comelec bidding illegal, SC told

By Rey E. Requejo

The Supreme Court has been asked to stop the Commission on elections from pressing ahead with the parallel bidding for the repair of the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines and for the lease of new units of Optical Mark Reader (OMR) with a total approved budget of P14.57 billion.

In a 50-page petition, election stakeholders led by the Center for People Empowerment in Governance (Cenpeg) urged the SC to immediately issue a temporary restraining order against the implementation of Comelec Resolution No. 15-0355 and 15-03559.

Comelec Resolution No. 15-

0355 and 15-03559 approved the conduct of parallel biddings and the creation of two separate Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) to supervise the process, respectively.

Joined by representatives of various sectors, Cenpeg sought to nullify the two resolutions for be-

Ex-DPWH exec indicted for graft

By Rio N. Araja ThE Office of the Ombudsman on Tuesday indicted a former director of the legal services of the Department of Public Works and highways on graft charges.

The Ombudsman filed before the Sandiganbayan a complaint against Oscar Abundo for his alleged involvement to cause partial payment of P24,299,458.34 for the expropriation of a piece of land, including the right of way for two national highways despite his knowledge of several defects in the special allotment release order (SARO).

The case stemmed from the sale of fivesixth of Lots 41 and 43 located in Makar, General Santos City, Cotabato by the heirs of Mohamad Bin Abdurasak to the DPWh in 2001-2002.

Upon post-audit, the Commission on Audit said the sellers had no right to claim compensation because Lots 41 and 43 were allegedly owned by the Republic of the Philippines.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

The audit also reported “the DPWh paid the second installment of the claim despite the discrepancy in the name of the project as stated in Department of Budget and Management’s SARO” because the document mistakenly referred to the right-of-way claim for the Davao City-Bukidnon road, instead of the General Santos City-Koronadal road.

Abundo proposed the payment scheme for the sale of Lots 41 and 43 and that he instructed the DPWh Region XI director to prepare the deed of sale.

The Ombudsman said he purposely did not make any effort to correct the defective SARO to ensure that the funds would not be reverted at the end of 2001, instead, when the regional director returned the voucher covered by suballotment advice no. 2176, Abundo instructed him to retain the amount. he further instructed the chief accountant to issue a certificate of availability of funds to cover the P29-million partial payment.

ing unconstitutional and bereft of legal basis under Republic Act No. 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act (GPRA).

“Parallel bidding is a failed experiment because it doomed the bidding for the refurbishment of the PCOS machines, and failed to protect the public interest by giving the public the best possible advantages thru open competition,” the petitioners said.

“It may be well pointed out also that not a single basis or precedence exists to support the conduct of simultaneous public bidding by the Comelec SBACs,” they added.

The petitioners also asserted that the parallel bidding has no legal basis considering that the capital

outlay allotment of the Comelec for the year 2016 national and local elections (NLE) preparatory activities is only P11.43 billion, while procuring 93,977 new OMR units will exceed the legally authorized expenditure for the purpose by over P1billion.

“Suffice it to stress that if permitted, the Commission will be permitted not only to undermine Congress’ spending power but more importantly, to wreak havoc to the budget, the system, as well as desecrate the Fundamental Law of the land,” they stressed.

According to them, it is “illogical” for the Comelec to even consider procuring new OMR since there still are PCOS machines in its inventory.

Japan agency upgrades PH rating sustain an annual growth of around six percent in the ThE Philippines has re- near future due to strong doceived a credit rating up- mestic demand, Presidential grade from BBB- to BBB+ Spokesperson Edwin Lacifrom the Japan Credit Rat- erda said in a statement .

“Under the Aquino ading Agency (JCRA), Malaministration, we have recanang said on Tuesday.

According to the JRCA, ceived two previous credit the rating upgrade reflects rating upgrades from JCRA, the government’s improv- in April 2011 and May 2013. ing fiscal position, sound This is the 22nd positive ratexternal position, generally ing action our country has stable political and social enjoyed under this adminissituations and increased tration,” said Lacierda.

JCRA cited the Aquino prospects for sustained ecoadministration’s commitnomic growth.

The “BBB+” rating, which ment to prudent fiscal manis a notch below an “A” rat- agement policy as having improved the country’s ing, is stable.

The JCR said that the position.

“The figures speak for Philippines’ economy will

By Sandy Araneta

themselves: Our central government debt-to-GDP ratio fell from 49.2% in 2013 to 45.4% at the end of 2014.

Driven by strong domestic demand, the Philippine economy is projected to sustain a positive trajectory in terms of economic growth,” Lacierda said.

“The aim of building a truly progressive and inclusive nation has been at the center of the Aquino administration’s vision since 2010.

Recent advances in health, education, job creation, and infrastructure―as well as positive news such as this― serve to affirm the strength of this commitment,” the Palace official said.

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news

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House panel chides HGC for rejecting Romero offer

House to probe transport anomaly

and RII sit down and start mediation. The issues being raised prove to me support the conclusion that they really do not intend to sit down with them,” Castelo said.

The special committee on housing was constituted to specifically find ways for Romero and his firm RII builders Inc. and HGC to settle their 14-year legal dispute over the Asset Pool of the SmDRP. Castelo said because of the dispute, the government has been incurring interest expenses of P500,000 a day for the past 14 years, an amount to be ultimately shouldered by the taxpayers.

A membeR of the House Independent bloc on Tuesday urged Transportation Secretary Joseph emilio Abaya to fast track hasten the investigation of alleged anomalous practices and irregularities in the grant of franchises by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory board.

Abakada party-list Rep. Jonathan de la Cruz, in filing House Resolution 2208, said the alleged irregularities in the LTFRb have caused miseries to the commuting public and aggravated the “messy and chaotic” land transport situation in the entire country.

De la Cruz’s resolution came after the Ombudsman’s indictment of former metro Rail Trail general manager Al Vitangcol and the owners of GPH Global Transport, the O & m contractor of the mRT system, for graft and corruption.

De la Cruz stressed the need for Abaya to carry outa ‘clean up’ of the entire land transport system specially those involving the LTFRb’s irregular franchise issuances and the LTO’s anomalous plate making contract, among others, which has reportedly generated billions of pesos in ‘grease monies’ for certain high government officials.

De la Cruz’s resolution directed the House committees on transportation, and good government and public accountability, “to investigate, in aid of legislation, the reported anomalous practices and grave abuse of authority of the [LTFRb] in the exercise of its functions and the conduct of its rationalization program.”

De la Cruz ealier filed a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman questioning the same. It was the second complaint he had filed before the Ombudsman against the LTFRb officials for the same offense, the first one filed last year together with Kabataan Rep. Terry Ridon as co-complainant. Maricel Cruz

By Maricel V. Cruz

MeMbers of the special Committee on Housing at the House of representatives scored the state-owned Home Guaranty Corporation for rejecting the P2.9 billion offer of businessman reghis romero II to settle their long-standing dispute over the smokey Mountain Development and reclamation Project.

Noting that the offer could address the financial problems of the state guaranty firm and stop the P500,000 a day in interest expenses that are shouldered by the Filipino taxpayers, Quezon City Rep. Winnie Castelo said HGC’s

outright denial of the offer is a “blatant disregard” to all orders of various government offices for them to mediate and settle their disputes.

“We construe this as a blatant disrespect to all the offices who recommended that HGC

Last June 15, Romero sent his offer to Vice President Jejomar binay, Chairman of the HGC, to advance P2.9 billion to HGC to settle its exposure to the SmDRP. However, after only a day or on June 16, the HGC rejected the offer citing that the amount is too small and that an intra-corporate dispute is pending between Romero and his son, michael, over the ownership of Harbour Centre Port Terminal Inc. .

HGC said their exposure is P5.2 billion.

Jerome Canlas, executive Vice President of RbI, however said the amount of P2.9 billion was given by the HGC

during one of their meetings in 2010. He added the intracorporate dispute involving HCPTI should not be used as an issue because michael Romero or HCPTI has never been a party to the SmDRP. He said RbI is willing to execute an indemnity agreement in favor of HGC to shield it from any legal dispute arising from the settlement.

Ako bicol partylist Rep. Rodel batocabe said the outright rejection of HGC to Romero’s offer without even submitting a counter-offer is a manifestation that it really does not have the intention to mediate and enter into a settlement with the businessman.

SONA preparation. Maintenance men of the House of Representatives refurbish tables, chairs and other fixtures in preparation for the delivery of President Aquino’s last State of the Nation Address on July 27. LINO SANTOS

2 coast guards sacked; 2 more in Kentex ID’d

THe Philippine Coast Guard sacked two officers following the sinking of a motorized banca that left 61 people dead in Ormoc City.

Capt. Pedro Tinampay, commander of the eastern Visayas district and Ormoc City station commander Lt. Adonis Aniasco were relieved from their posts a week after the mbV Kim Nirvana capsized with more than 200 passengers and crew last July 2.

The vessel, mb Kim Nirvana-b, was bound for Pilar town on Camotes when it capsized some 200 meters from the Ormoc Pier.

PCG spokesperson Cmdr. Armand balilo said that Tinampay was replaced by Capt. William Isaga, former Tagbilaran City station commander, and currently commanding officer of the bRP San Juan and bRP Nueva Vizcaya.There was no replacement yet for Adonis who was reassigned to the manila head office. balilo said that the two PCG person-

nel, Fidel blanco and John Sabado, who gave the clearance for the ill-fated mb Kim Nirvana to sail were earlier relieved and reassigned at the PCG main office in manila.

In another tragedy, two more victims of the Kentex fire have been identified by Police Crime Laboratory Sr. Supt. emmanuel Aranas.

The two victims were Jony A. Descallar and marvy A. marcelino, Aranas said.

“Overall, there were 28 male and 45 female victims, with one unknown gender,” Aranas said.

“The PNP Crime Laboratory has already coordinated with the LGU-CSWD through the Chief of Police of Valenzuela Police Station regarding the 2 newly identified victims in order for them to facilitate the issuance of death certificates to the claimants,” he added.

Initial result of investigation showed that 68 were identified through DNA testing. Vito Barcelo and Florante Solmerin

New IBP officers take oath of office CHIeF Justice maria Lourdes Sereno on Tuesday administered the oath of office on the new set of officers of the 40, 000-strong Integrated bar of the Philippines.

Inducted as IbP National President and chairman of the board of governors was Rosario SetiasReyes, replacing Vicente Joyas who has completed his two-year term.

Reyes was formerly the IbP’s Vice Chair and governor of the Greater manila Area.

The other new IbP officials who took their oath before the Chief Justice were Abdiel Dan Ilijah Fajardo, executive Vice President and Vice Chairman of bOG (Western Visayas); Franklin Calpito, new chair of the IbP’s chapter in Northern Luzon; Jose De La Rama Jr. for Central Luzon, bienvenido Somera Jr. for Southern Luzon, Romeo Igot for the

Greater manila Area, emerson Aquende for the bicol Region, mae elaine bathan for eastern Visayas, Caesar europa for eastern mindanao and Domingo Redelosa IV for Western mindanao.

The new set of IbP officials will serve their term until 2017.

The IbP is the national and mandatory organization of lawyers in the country and was established as an official organization for the legal official by virtue of Republic Act 6397.

In her acceptance speech, Reyes vowed to steer the country’s mandatory organization for Filipino lawyers with the leadership philosophy of the IbP’s first president—retired SC Associate Justice Jose b.L. Reyes—who once said that “we have no master but Law, no Guidance but Conscience, no Aim but Justice.”

The new IbP president pledged

to uphold the highest tradition of the legal profession and to help in the administration of justice.

Reyes said she will improve legal ethics and bar discipline which was jumpstarted by former IbP President Roan Libarios when he underscored the “preventive approach” at combating the problem brought by wayward lawyers.

“The disposal of disciplinary bar cases and the de-clogging of our dockets are not only an issue of administration, but one of process. In due time, I will submit to the Supreme Court for its consideration, our amendments to the Commission on Integrity and bar Discipline Rules that will mandate the dismissal of clear, unmeritorious and harassment complaints against lawyers at the level of preliminary investigation,” she stressed. Rey E. Requejo

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news

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Boatful of sand. A man from Simuay, Sultan Kudarat pours sand he has scooped from the riverbed into his wooden boat. He earns between P140 and P170 for every boatload. OMAR MANGORSI

P30 museum fee triggers mayor-historian word war

By Ferdie G. Domingo

BALER, Aurora—The P30 entrance fee imposed by the municipal government on visitors of the Museo de Baler has sparked a word war between Mayor Nelianto Bihasa and a historian who questioned the supposed “unauthorized collection.”

Ilovita V. Mesina, chairperson of the Baler Historical Committee (BHC), said that any income generated by the museum must be under the jurisdiction of the Museo de Baler, Inc., a foundation which was organized principally to support the operations of the said museum.

Mesina said the MBI is in charge of funds for the repair and structuring of the museum and collected funds,

including the P30-entrance fee being levied by the municipal government.

The fee, then, must be deposited in the municipal treasurer’s office as trust fund whose release must be authorized by the MBI board members in a resolution.

The controversy arose after the municipal government began implementing the collection of entrance fees to visitors of the mu-

seum following the passage of an ordinance by the municipal council.

The museum, located at the Quezon Park, was set up in 2002 through funds of then-senator Edgardo Angara and his younger sister, former three-term governor and now Rep. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo.

To support its operations, the Angaras set up the MBI, listed a nonstock, non-profit organization. As such, no portion of funds shall inure to the benefit of the members.

Listed as incorporators were the Angara siblings, Edgardo’s son, thencongressman and now Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, then-mayor Arthur Angara and Enrique Q. Avanceña, grandson of late former Commonwealth president Manuel Quezon.

The foundation’s certificate of in-

corporation was signed in 2005 by Securities and Exchange Commission director Benito A. Cataran.

It was only recently when it was learned that a foundation connected to the museum.was set up by Angaras.

Critics of the Angaras accused the clan of owning the museum which, they claimed belonged to the municipal government which owns the lot where it was built.

“The fact that the MBI was a nonstock, non-profit foundation means the Angaras were not benefitting from it. In fact, they were spending their own money to ensure its sustainability,” she said.

Mesina, in a letter to Bihasa asserted the jurisdiction of the MBI over whatever income the museum generates, specifically the P30 entrance fee collected from visitors.

Hospitals must use conscience on down-payment issue—DOH

By Alvin T. Guanzon

A Mandaue City native soaks palm/ buli trunks in water. After 45 days, he would make them into brooms. MICHELLE ALVAREZ

BUTUAN CITY—Department of Health Caraga regional director Dr. Jose R. Llacuna, Jr. said private hospitals should rely on their conscience in deciding whether to accept or reject patients who are not able to make down payments for their hospital stay “We hope that what happened to 10-year-old Yanna Chan who died after Butuan Doctors Hospital allegedly did not accept her for treatment and confinement due to non-payment of P30,000 deposit will never happen again,” he said.

“We understand also the business concerns of these private hospitals,” Llacuna added.

Yanna’s parents, Gregory and Remedios Chan, allege that their daughter died because of the hospital’s refusal to admit her.

Republic Act 8344, signed into law on August 25, 1997 penalizes the refusal of hospitals and medical clinics to administer appropriate initial medical treatment and support in emergency or serious cases.

The Regional Development Council in Region VII (Central Visayas) recently passed a resolution pushing for enforcement of RA 8344 in hospitals and medical clinics including monitoring activities that said law be followed at all times.

Violators to its provisions shall be penalized by imprisonment, or a fine, both.

If the violation was committed pursuant to an established policy of the hospital or clinic or upon instruction of its management, the responsible director or officer of such hospital or clinic shall be penalized by imprisonment, or a fine, or both.

N. Ecija, Aurora towns to experience blackout NUEVA ECIJA—The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines has announced there would be a power interruption in towns of Nueva Ecija and Aurora today from from 8am to 6pm.

Lorenz Vidal, NGCP Central Luzon Corporate Communication Officer, said power interruption is scheduled in the towns of San Jose City, Aliaga, Talavera, portion of Sto Domingo, Quezon, Licab, Guimba, Talugtog, Science City of Munoz, CLSU, Lupao, Carrangalan, Pantabangan, Talavera, Natividad, Llanera, Palayan City, Bongabon, Gabaldon, Laur, Rizal and portions of Sto Domingo, of Nueva Ecija; and Dingalan, San Luis, Maria Aurora, Baler and Dipaculao of Aurora province.

Vidal said that the shutdown would facilitate the annual preventive maintenance of power transformer at Cabanatuan Substation simultaneous with maintenance works along Cabanatuan-Pantabangan 69kV line.

He added normal operations would immediately resume after work completion.

NGCP is a privately owned corporation in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the country’s power grid. It transmits high voltage electricity through “power superhighways” that include the interconnected system of transmission lines, towers, substations, and related assets. Butch Gunio

W E D n E s D Ay: J u Ly 8 , 2 0 1 5

A8

opinion

ADELLE chuA eDiTor

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

BACK ChAnnel AlejAnDro Del rosArio

NirvANA

[ EDI TORI A L ]

Believing his own press PRESIDENT Aquino was said to be elated this week over an infographic in Time magazine’s Asia edition showing that Filipinos were optimistic about getting a job.

At least 66 percent of Filipinos feel optimistic about finding work, beating five other countries including the United States, a Gallup poll that was the basis for the infographic showed.

The Time magazine article “Feeling good about finding work” was based on a survey in more than 130 countries in which residents were asked about local job opportunities.

Spewing the kind of fulsome praise that his boss appreciates, the Palace mouthpiece lost no time in crowing about the “achievement.”

“The President, who is known for his keen observation of the latest economic trends, said these surveys firmly attest to the efficacy of the economic and social reforms of the administration,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said.

Coloma said Aquino brought up the Time magazine article during a Cabinet meeting to discuss the P3-trillion budget for 2016.

Coloma said the administration’s efforts to uplift the living condition of Filipinos has resulted in a rapidly expanding job market and a year-on-year decline in the unemployment rate, which was recorded at 6.6 percent in January.

But as Mark Twain once noted, there are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics. What the administration drum beaters do not say is that the official 6.6 unemployment rate, which represents some 2.6 million Filipinos, actually increased from 6 percent in the previous three-month period.

Also, while the administration points to the creation of 1 million new jobs since 2014, it does not offer any analysis as to what type of jobs these are.

The Ibon Foundation, an independent think tank, noted that in the first quarter of 2015, all of the jobs created were part-time, low-wage and insecure. The increase in part-time employment occurred amid losses in full-time work, indicating “an increasingly distorted economy that has become less able to provide secure jobs with decent pay,” Ibon added.

Ibon drew its conclusions from the April 2015 Labor Force Survey from the National Statistics Office, which showed an increase of 544,000 part-time and informal jobs, but a 137,000 decline in full-time work in the first quarter.

The danger in having a President who believes his own press is that he will not realize the magnitude of the problems that beset the nation, and consequently will do nothing about them in the blissful belief that all is well.

But as President Aquino talks endlessly about the changes that are brought about by his reforms, and how he hopes these will continue when he steps down next year, it might help for him to keep in mind the words of New York City Mayor Rudi Giuliani, who noted that “change is not a destination, just as hope is not a strategy.”

Besides, more Filipinos hopeful of gaining employment also means there are just so many more of us who don’t yet have a job.

AbAyA’s crimes lowDown jojo A. roBles ONE day, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio abaya will be held accountable for all he’s done – and all that he’s not done – while serving in this government. But not, apparently, while the aquino administration remains in power.

Like many, i wondered why abaya, the president of

A9

the administration’s Liberal Party, was not charged by the Ombudsman in connection with the onerous and patently one-sided contract to maintain the all-but-abandoned Metro rail Transit Line 3. Then i concluded that charging abaya pins the blame for the mismanagement of Metro Manila’s main commuter train line on the alter ego of President Noynoy aquino in transport matters – and that’s just too close for comfort, as far as this government is concerned.

if you believe abaya’s excuse that he could not be held accountable for signing the contract with PH Trams because he was just two days in office at the time, then there’s no hope for you anymore. it simply boggles the mind how any Cabinet secretary could sign a contract whose contents he did not understand.

Over at the veteran’s Memorial hospital in Quezon City, for instance, a certain former President has been languishing in hospital arrest for the past five years for merely

Abaya remains the beloved of Aquino, untouched by suits filed by an ombudsman who claims she is non-partisan.

putting a marginal note on a document that allocated Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office funds to pay for the “blood money” of Filipino workers jailed in the Middle East. and abaya, who signed off on an anomalous contract in the name of the government, was not even charged for his role as the main actor in this sad tale of corruption.

Think about it, for a moment: al vitangcol, the MrT general manager who was forced to resign because of various anomalies under his watch, didn’t even sign the PH Trams contract; and yet vitangcol is the principal accused in the

Ombudsman’s case. and under abaya, the all-important Department of Transportation and Communications has stumbled from crisis to crisis, gotten embroiled in anomaly after anomaly and basically ground, like one of the remaining seven MrT trains, to a sudden, screeching halt. The leaking and world’s-worst airports, the unbelievable messes at the Land Transportation Office, the collapse of the commuter rail lines and the Philippine National railways,

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-

the poor state of internet connections, the abandoning of the seaports – you name the sector that is regulated or controlled by abaya’s department, he has managed to bring it to its knees. and yet abaya remains the beloved of aquino, untouched by suits filed by an Ombudsman who claims that she is non-partisan and takes orders from no one. What a farce. *** The finance department reported yesterday that it has raised $2.3 billion

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from the new “sin taxes” approved in 2012, through the law also known as republic act 10351. Of the amount, the department said, 81 percent came in the form of increased taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products.

The report jibes with a recent study conducted by a group calling itself the Southeast asia Tobacco Control alliance, which pointed out that the government collected significantly higher tax revenues after excise taxes 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

NirvaNa in Buddhism means a place for perfect bliss. The MB Nirvana (an oxymoron of a name in this case) that sank off the coast of Ormoc, Leyte, turned out to be a floating coffin for 61 passengers sent to their watery grave.

Last week’s sinking incident is the latest in the country’s long history of sea mishaps. and it’s not going to be the last. More lives will be lost because the inter-island shipping industry is loosely regulated by authorities in charge of maritime safety-the Philippine Coast Guard and Maritime industry authority—which are now play the blame game whenever disaster strikes.

For a country of 7,107 islands whose seafarers are recruited by international shipping companies, one would think we would have a safe and efficient means of sea travel. instead, traveling between islands has become as safe as swimming with sharks. initial investigation of the Nirvana sinking indicated that the cargo – cement and sacks of rice which were not well secured in the hold – shifted to one side causing the boat to tilt and capsize. it should have been the responsibility of both Marina and Coast Guard to check the ship’s cargo and passenger overloading.

Tentative tandems it looks like Davao Mayor rodrigo Duterte is not going to team up with presumptive Liberal Party presidential bet Mar roxas. The DiLG secretary last week appeared headed to getting Duterte as running mate after giving Davao City several police vehicles for use against criminality. But with Duterte’s comment that President aquino’s endorsement is ” a kiss of death,” it would be hard to reconcile a roxas- Duterte tandem.

Besides, Duterte has been consistently tentative on whether he would seek higher office or not. So, who will Mar roxas tap as running mate? it looks remote he will accept Senator Francis Escudero, the President’s ally and friend . Mar won’t forget nor forgive Chiz who torpedoed his vice presidential bid when the Bicol senator conspired with the aquino sisters to support Jejomar Binay in the 2010 elections instead of their own brother’s vP teammate.

Senator Grace Poe who’s leading the latest Social Weather Stations and Pulse asia poll surveys wants Escudero as her running mate. But Chiz is carrying the baggage of being an aquino lackey. if the Nacionalista Party takes in Poe as guest candidate, it might be too much for her to impose Escudero as vice presidential mate. The NP for sure will want to have its own vP candidate. Escudero cannot also seek the Nationalist People’s Coalition party support after NPC head Danding Cojuangco’s sad experience with Chiz in the 2010 elections.

The way things are shaping up Senator Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. who has proven his worth in the Senate, could either end up as the NP’s presidential candidate or at least its vP bet. vice President Binay, on the other hand, is still looking for a running mate. But it 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

W E D n E s D Ay: J u Ly 8 , 2 0 1 5

A8

opinion

ADELLE chuA eDiTor

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

BACK ChAnnel AlejAnDro Del rosArio

NirvANA

[ EDI TORI A L ]

Believing his own press PRESIDENT Aquino was said to be elated this week over an infographic in Time magazine’s Asia edition showing that Filipinos were optimistic about getting a job.

At least 66 percent of Filipinos feel optimistic about finding work, beating five other countries including the United States, a Gallup poll that was the basis for the infographic showed.

The Time magazine article “Feeling good about finding work” was based on a survey in more than 130 countries in which residents were asked about local job opportunities.

Spewing the kind of fulsome praise that his boss appreciates, the Palace mouthpiece lost no time in crowing about the “achievement.”

“The President, who is known for his keen observation of the latest economic trends, said these surveys firmly attest to the efficacy of the economic and social reforms of the administration,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said.

Coloma said Aquino brought up the Time magazine article during a Cabinet meeting to discuss the P3-trillion budget for 2016.

Coloma said the administration’s efforts to uplift the living condition of Filipinos has resulted in a rapidly expanding job market and a year-on-year decline in the unemployment rate, which was recorded at 6.6 percent in January.

But as Mark Twain once noted, there are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics. What the administration drum beaters do not say is that the official 6.6 unemployment rate, which represents some 2.6 million Filipinos, actually increased from 6 percent in the previous three-month period.

Also, while the administration points to the creation of 1 million new jobs since 2014, it does not offer any analysis as to what type of jobs these are.

The Ibon Foundation, an independent think tank, noted that in the first quarter of 2015, all of the jobs created were part-time, low-wage and insecure. The increase in part-time employment occurred amid losses in full-time work, indicating “an increasingly distorted economy that has become less able to provide secure jobs with decent pay,” Ibon added.

Ibon drew its conclusions from the April 2015 Labor Force Survey from the National Statistics Office, which showed an increase of 544,000 part-time and informal jobs, but a 137,000 decline in full-time work in the first quarter.

The danger in having a President who believes his own press is that he will not realize the magnitude of the problems that beset the nation, and consequently will do nothing about them in the blissful belief that all is well.

But as President Aquino talks endlessly about the changes that are brought about by his reforms, and how he hopes these will continue when he steps down next year, it might help for him to keep in mind the words of New York City Mayor Rudi Giuliani, who noted that “change is not a destination, just as hope is not a strategy.”

Besides, more Filipinos hopeful of gaining employment also means there are just so many more of us who don’t yet have a job.

AbAyA’s crimes lowDown jojo A. roBles ONE day, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio abaya will be held accountable for all he’s done – and all that he’s not done – while serving in this government. But not, apparently, while the aquino administration remains in power.

Like many, i wondered why abaya, the president of

A9

the administration’s Liberal Party, was not charged by the Ombudsman in connection with the onerous and patently one-sided contract to maintain the all-but-abandoned Metro rail Transit Line 3. Then i concluded that charging abaya pins the blame for the mismanagement of Metro Manila’s main commuter train line on the alter ego of President Noynoy aquino in transport matters – and that’s just too close for comfort, as far as this government is concerned.

if you believe abaya’s excuse that he could not be held accountable for signing the contract with PH Trams because he was just two days in office at the time, then there’s no hope for you anymore. it simply boggles the mind how any Cabinet secretary could sign a contract whose contents he did not understand.

Over at the veteran’s Memorial hospital in Quezon City, for instance, a certain former President has been languishing in hospital arrest for the past five years for merely

Abaya remains the beloved of Aquino, untouched by suits filed by an ombudsman who claims she is non-partisan.

putting a marginal note on a document that allocated Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office funds to pay for the “blood money” of Filipino workers jailed in the Middle East. and abaya, who signed off on an anomalous contract in the name of the government, was not even charged for his role as the main actor in this sad tale of corruption.

Think about it, for a moment: al vitangcol, the MrT general manager who was forced to resign because of various anomalies under his watch, didn’t even sign the PH Trams contract; and yet vitangcol is the principal accused in the

Ombudsman’s case. and under abaya, the all-important Department of Transportation and Communications has stumbled from crisis to crisis, gotten embroiled in anomaly after anomaly and basically ground, like one of the remaining seven MrT trains, to a sudden, screeching halt. The leaking and world’s-worst airports, the unbelievable messes at the Land Transportation Office, the collapse of the commuter rail lines and the Philippine National railways,

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the poor state of internet connections, the abandoning of the seaports – you name the sector that is regulated or controlled by abaya’s department, he has managed to bring it to its knees. and yet abaya remains the beloved of aquino, untouched by suits filed by an Ombudsman who claims that she is non-partisan and takes orders from no one. What a farce. *** The finance department reported yesterday that it has raised $2.3 billion

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from the new “sin taxes” approved in 2012, through the law also known as republic act 10351. Of the amount, the department said, 81 percent came in the form of increased taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products.

The report jibes with a recent study conducted by a group calling itself the Southeast asia Tobacco Control alliance, which pointed out that the government collected significantly higher tax revenues after excise taxes Continued on A11

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NirvaNa in Buddhism means a place for perfect bliss. The MB Nirvana (an oxymoron of a name in this case) that sank off the coast of Ormoc, Leyte, turned out to be a floating coffin for 61 passengers sent to their watery grave.

Last week’s sinking incident is the latest in the country’s long history of sea mishaps. and it’s not going to be the last. More lives will be lost because the inter-island shipping industry is loosely regulated by authorities in charge of maritime safety-the Philippine Coast Guard and Maritime industry authority—which are now play the blame game whenever disaster strikes.

For a country of 7,107 islands whose seafarers are recruited by international shipping companies, one would think we would have a safe and efficient means of sea travel. instead, traveling between islands has become as safe as swimming with sharks. initial investigation of the Nirvana sinking indicated that the cargo – cement and sacks of rice which were not well secured in the hold – shifted to one side causing the boat to tilt and capsize. it should have been the responsibility of both Marina and Coast Guard to check the ship’s cargo and passenger overloading.

Tentative tandems it looks like Davao Mayor rodrigo Duterte is not going to team up with presumptive Liberal Party presidential bet Mar roxas. The DiLG secretary last week appeared headed to getting Duterte as running mate after giving Davao City several police vehicles for use against criminality. But with Duterte’s comment that President aquino’s endorsement is ” a kiss of death,” it would be hard to reconcile a roxas- Duterte tandem.

Besides, Duterte has been consistently tentative on whether he would seek higher office or not. So, who will Mar roxas tap as running mate? it looks remote he will accept Senator Francis Escudero, the President’s ally and friend . Mar won’t forget nor forgive Chiz who torpedoed his vice presidential bid when the Bicol senator conspired with the aquino sisters to support Jejomar Binay in the 2010 elections instead of their own brother’s vP teammate.

Senator Grace Poe who’s leading the latest Social Weather Stations and Pulse asia poll surveys wants Escudero as her running mate. But Chiz is carrying the baggage of being an aquino lackey. if the Nacionalista Party takes in Poe as guest candidate, it might be too much for her to impose Escudero as vice presidential mate. The NP for sure will want to have its own vP candidate. Escudero cannot also seek the Nationalist People’s Coalition party support after NPC head Danding Cojuangco’s sad experience with Chiz in the 2010 elections.

The way things are shaping up Senator Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. who has proven his worth in the Senate, could either end up as the NP’s presidential candidate or at least its vP bet. vice President Binay, on the other hand, is still looking for a running mate. But it 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

W e d n e s d ay: J U Ly 8 , 2 0 1 5

a10

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

Powerhouse? really? to the point emil p. jurado M A L AC A ñ A N G announced last week that President Aquino was sending a “powerhouse” of high government officials, including two associate justices of the Supreme Court, to the Hague.

This is for the oral arguments at the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the issue of jurisdiction and merits of the case filed by the Philippine government over the reclamations of Beijing in the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea. The so-called “powerhouse” is composed of Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, who is assisted

by Paul Reichlar of the Washington-based law firm Foley and Hoag in the oral arguments on the issue of jurisdiction.

The other members of the delegation are Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Senate President Frank Drilon, House Speaker Sonny Belmonte, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Supreme Court Justices Antonio Carpio and Francis Jardeleza, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and retired Gen. Emmanuel Bautista for the cabinet security cluster.

Santa Banana, with so many high government officials and Supreme Court justices in tow, it’s not really a powerhouse.

The trip is more of a junket, really.

My gulay, what else can these extra baggage of high government officials do except to act a cheering squad for the Philippine solicitor general and his American counterpart!

It is bad enough that China has said it could not respect any decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

Well, at least in the case of Supreme Court Justice Tony Carpio, his stand on an age-old map of the Philippines and its territories would hold.

Jardeleza’s background on the UNCLOS as a former solicitor general would also be helpful. *** In the wake of the oral arguments at The Hague, now comes Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua saying that we should settle our differences though bilateral talks, adding that the door for consultation “is still open and will be open forever.”

It may be true as the Chinese ambassador claims that the door for consultation is still open and will be open forever.

The question is: Will China stop all its reclamation of islets and shoals at the West Philippine Sea? Beijing is now effectively in control of these areas.

With the continued bullying of China over all the protests of the Philippines, that’s the only way we can go. Despite all the warnings of the United States, China has done its worst, and will continue to do so apparently in an attempt to show that it’s a world power on its own.

Our only recourse is to run to the international arbitration body to make China, as a signatory to the UNCLOS, respect the international agreement.

Bilateral talks with China, my foot! We can talk to China until kingdom come, but will Beijing respect our rights and territory, as well as the claims of the nations? Of course not, when China is already building airstrips.

Sounds more like a junket to me.

Our only recourse now is world opinion against China. *** For weeks now, in the wake of the global attention given to no less than 50 states of the United States following the US Supreme Court decision (5-4) upholding same sex marriages, I have hesitated to comment on its repercussion in the Philippines. Here, gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders are also urging government and the Supreme Court to do likewise. I am aware of this because some of my relatives – nephews, nieces and grandnephews and grandnieces – also belong to the LGBT community.

I must say that as true and practicing Catholic, I still believe in the biblical dogma that there can only be a marriage between man and woman. God created us to procreate and have our children educated with

China’s bull market in ConsPiraCy theories by william Pesek CHINA’S financial world has officially entered the paranoia zone. As the Shanghai stock market experiences its worst three-week rout since 1992 —in defiance of government efforts to reverse the plunge—government officials are blaming shadowy conspiracies for the sell-off.

One narrative whipped up by state-run media has nefarious overseas forces driving down shares to embarrass President Xi Jinping and stymie China’s development.

Another conspiracy theory suggests that rumor-mongers are driving shares lower in order to profit from short selling. That’s prompted regulators to pledge a crackdown on “vicious” short sellers: Just ask Morgan Stanley, the recent subject of “hidden agenda” allegations by mainland media for voicing bearish views on the trajectory of Shanghai shares.

The problem is investors now recognize that China’s years-long rally was based more on hype than fundamentals, and they’re looking to reduce their exposure. But rather than deal with that reality, Xi’s team has been feverishly resisting it, including with interest rate cuts, a moratorium on initial public officers, and a stock-buying fund.

Beijing has shown it’s willing to throw any possible solution at the problem of falling stocks—but its effort to blame foreigners and short sellers is a sign of true desperation.

Data show very clearly that foreign money managers control fewer than 3 percent of Chinese shares. Those overseas forces Beijing sees fit to demonize? They’ve actually been adding to holdings as prices tumble.

Short selling, meanwhile, is far from epidemic on Chinese markets. As of Thursday, the day before media attacks accelerated, short positions the necessary values.

Lest I am misunderstood, I have no prejudice nor bias against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders. God made them that way for a purpose. I know many gays and lesbians as my friends, and I admire and respect their creativity and works of art. But, I believe that same-sex marriage has no place in our society. It is an abomination! *** Roman Tecson Romulo, son of my friend, former Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Executive Secretary Bert Romulo, is on his third term as congressman of the city of Pasig. The lawmaker is married to Shalani Soledad, a beauty.

From where I sit and my knowledge of the young Romulo’s worth as a legislator, he should move up to the Senate, that is, if we are to have someone

accounted for just $314 million of is supporting economic growth and trades on the Shanghai exchange, less asset prices by directing state-run than 0.03 percent of China’s market banks awash in bad loans to lend capitalization. more. Credit better marshalled into Shanghai’s reckoning has pundits the private sector is instead being grasping for lessons from past channeled to public works and financial crises. Much is being made, industries plagued with overcapacity. for example, of China’s “House of The only things holding China’s Morgan” moment. As Wall Street stimulus machine together are the crashed in October 1929, five top closed nature of its financial system financiers met at the New York offices and a currency essentially pegged to of J.P. Morgan and pooled resources the dollar. to support prices; on Saturday, 21 That was also true of other Asian Chinese brokerages did something countries in the 1990s—until similar, pledging more than $19 those governments lost control of billion to a stock-buying fund. If the narrative in markets. As more Monday’s events are any guide, they and more investors got wise to the may have to add a zero to that sum. depth of deflationary forces and While shares of the largest state- preponderance of unproductive run companies rose, most Chinese investments, they fled. It wasn’t the stocks fell anew, and the ChiNext media fueling panic, nor villainous measure of smaller companies sank foreign investors; it was the sudden 4.3 percent. arrival of reality—an understanding China’s embrace of the blame- that the fundamentals supporting game has a more recent crisis asset prices were illusory. written all over it: Asia’s 1997 This is where China finds itself meltdown.

The most vocal today—not in the throes of some giant practitioner then was Mahathir financial conspiracy, but an inevitable Mohamad, Malaysia’s prime reckoning with the realization that minister, who blamed foreign stocks sustained by government speculators like George Soros for propaganda have nowhere to go his country’s woes. Mohamad but down. The $3.2 trillion of argued that Soros and his ilk, after losses so far will continue until Xi breaking the Bank of England convinces investors he’s taking steps by shorting the British pound in to strengthen China’s economic 1992, had turned their sights on fundamentals. Unfortunately, the Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea Chinese government still seems and Thailand. In the years that more interested in battling fictitious followed, officials in Manila, Taipei plotters than grasping the real plot. and Tokyo regularly took aim at Bloomberg foreign traders with supposedly sinister intentions of hurting their markets. The relentless search for scapegoats Virtual allowed these governments to reality avoid pursuing painful, but necessary economic reforms. tony There’s a more salient lesson lopez Xi’s team should learn from 1997. Just like Bangkok, Jakarta Mr. Lopez’s column will resume soon. and Seoul 20 years ago, Beijing

focused in lighting “roman candles,” so to speak, towards quality, affordable education with welltrained teachers backed by modern training tools and equipment.

Roman, after all, has done work along educational concerns, as chairman of the Higher and Technical Education Committee and member of the Committees on Basic Education and Culture, Information and Communication Technology.

He has authored seven bills that have been passed in Congress, three of which have been enacted into law. These are Ladderized Education Act (RA No. 10647), the “Iskolar ng Bayan” Act (RA No. 10648), and the Open Distance Learning Act (RA No. 10660). My gulay, that’s some achievement for you!

The Ladderized Education Act allows a student to

enroll in a ladderized course in auto-motive servicing and welding in order to land a job at the earliest possible time. Through the program, the student can obtain a mechanical engineering degree without the need to repeat previously taken courses as these are already credited.

The “Iskolar ng Bayan” refers to scholarship grants in any state college or university for the top 10 students in every graduating class in around 81,000 public high schools nationwide.

The Open Distance Learning Act allows students to obtain bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees even at home or in their respective work places- this without having to take a leave from work as they can fulfill their courses requirements via computers.

Santa Banana, let’s have Roman Romulo, who holds

degrees in Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Bachelor of Laws from the University of the Philippines, light up more candles in education! *** To acting Makati Mayor Romulo “Kid” Peña: Why did you cancel the Makati sisterhood alliances with depressed towns and municipalities adopted by the Binays during their incumbencies in the City of Makati when they are much-needed? Is it out of spite, or are you getting orders from Malacañang and DILG Secretary Mar Roxas?

And why did you abolish the free shuttle program of suspended Mayor Junjun Binay to ferry people working not only at the Makati City Hall but other places in Makati when they are needed for people who cannot take the MRT3?

Is it also to spite Mayor Binay?

W e d n e s d ay: J u ly 8 , 2 0 1 5

OPINION

adelle chua EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

Never oN a SuNday SO I SEE LITO banayO I dId wonder why the Greeks scheduled their historic referendum on harsh austerity measures being imposed by their European creditors on a Sunday, of all days.

I recall that famous song which has become some kind of a popular anthem for the ancient republic—Never on Sunday. It was the theme song of an old movie starring Melina Mercouri, a Greek national treasure.

The results of Sunday’s referendum stunned the world.

Sixty-one percent of Greeks voted “No” to the reform package hammered out

by European central bankers largely under the tutelage of its strongest economy, Angela Merkel’s Germany. The vote put a lie to earlier polls which suggested a very tight race between those who would accept more austerity for a population long suffering from recession and financial crisis, and those who could stomach no more, even at the risk of a

abaya’S... From A9 on tobacco were increased in 2013, as a result of the law’s passage. According to Seatca, the government collected P70.4 billion in revenues from tobacco products, which is higher by 113.7 percent compared to the previous year’s collections.

Throughout the region, Seatca reported a 454-percent increase in revenues for governments compared to

possible departure from the European Union.

Both Greece and Europe are now at crossroads. A weakening European economy is further pressured by its population to stop pouring more assistance to the ailing Greek economy. And an angry Greek population has pushed the button for further uncertainty and deepening economic crisis. *** Over dinner a week before, davao City’s Rodrigo duterte told us of possible tectonic shifts in the world’s balance of power.

“Watch what happens in Greece,” the mayor said. “If the Greeks vote against the austerity package, Europe will find it difficult to convince membernations to extend further financial concessions.”

“Where will (Prime Minister Alexis) Tsipras go?” duterte asked, and then answered his own question: “China is waiting on the wings.”

“With its huge financial reserves and political resolve, China could buy out the Greek debt, and give the country a breathing spell of say, 15 years, extending highly concessional arrangements. This offer of help,

which the Russians could match with loans denominated in oil and gas, which they have plenty of, could then drive the Greeks out of the European Union, off the Euro currency, and China will have a new power center in Europe,” duterte predicts.

“Already the Chinese are all over the place, using their newfound economic advantage in Latin America and Africa.

And now in Europe,” the mayor added. days before, he amplified over these geo-political and international economic developments before the Asian CEO Forum held at the New diamond Residences in Greenbelt, Makati, where once again he denied any presidential plans. The CEOs, including representatives of major embassies such as the US, European Union, Japan, Australia and Belgium, were listening intently as the mayor from a southern city known largely for his tough anti-crime measures, perorated with deep knowledge on international matters.

“The world is changing, and the traditional fulcrums of power are shifting,” duterte told this writer and others over dinner in

davao Monday last week, and “we Filipinos must be aware and attuned to it.” *** In The Hague this week, the legal team retained by the Philippine Government, Foley Hoag LLP, will argue for the UN arbitral tribunal to accept jurisdiction over its complaint against China’s incursion into our territorial waters.

China has refused to recognize the jurisdiction of the international court, insisting on its “sovereignty” over the South China Sea on the basis of its “nine-dash line” geographic assertion.

If the UN arbiters at den Haag decide they have no jurisdiction, that is the end of the legal line for the Philippines. We cannot even advance the merits of our case.

And China will simply ignore whatever protests we do.

Our officialdom hopes the UN arbitral tribunal would accept jurisdiction, so that at the very least, the onus of international opinion would weigh against the Chinese, who however, just may not budge regardless.

This week, the country skates on thin ice in unusually warm Europe.

the findings of another group that puts out something called the Asia-14 Illicit Tobacco Indicator.

This group, which was created by the US-based International Tax and Investment Center and the UK-based Oxford Economics, earlier came out with its second report claiming that the illicit trade in tobacco products has caused governments in the region to lose revenues instead of increasing them

through excise taxes.

In the Philippines, the Asia-14 report said, the consumption of illicit tobacco products contributed to what it called was the growth in consumption of untaxed cigarettes to 11 billion a year. Seatca critiqued the Asia-14 study and found that it was tainted by serious methodology and data issues and the selective presentation of results.

Of course, the proof of the

pudding is in the eating. The Aquino administration said that the new, vastly increased collections from tobacco excise taxes enabled it to increase the budget of the department of Health by 57.4 percent in 2014 and 63.4 percent in the current year, compared to 2013 levels.

Tobacco excise taxes have also resulted in a 185-percent increase in the number of registered members of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., or PhilHealth.

#failocracy

A11

nIRvana From A9 seems no one is interested for fear of being tainted by the slew of corruption charges Binay and his wife and son are facing.

Binay’s falling political fortune was made more pronounced by the absence of former president and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada at the relaunching of the United Nationalist Alliance party. Estrada, Binay and Senator Juan Ponce Enrile were known as the Three Kings of UNA .

For now, the match-ups and the jockeying are still pretty fluid. These tentative tandems will firm up towards the deadline for the filing of candidacies in October when we get to know the contenders from the pretenders.

Cleaning up the MRT mess It had taken more than a year and the charge sheet may have been selective. But the Ombudsman, after studying the evidence, indicted former Metro Rail Transit manager Al Vitangcol et al for the anomalous award of the $1.15 million monthly contract to Phil Trams for the maintenance and servicing of MRT 3.

Senator Grace Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, is not pleased. She questioned why Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya was not included among those indicted. She raised a valid question on how the dOTC Secretary could not have known about the caper being pulled by his subordinate.

Abaya signed the MRT contract,without public bidding, with Vitangcol’s uncle-in-law Arturo Soriano whose company didn’t have any track record as railroad maintenance provider.

“I didn’t know Soriano was an uncle of Vitangcol. If we scrutinize every contract to see who’s related to whom, we won’t be able to award any contract at all,” Abaya lamely explained.

It’s called due diligence, Mr. Secretary, which every chief executive worth his salt is supposed to undertake before awarding any contract or taking over another company prior to buying it.

chong ardivilla

we dn e s day : j uly 8 , 2 0 1 5

A12

sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Injured Rory may miss British Open LONDON—Rory McIlroy could miss the defence of his British Open crown after announcing on his Twitter account on Monday that he had ruptured a ligament in his left ankle.

“Total rupture of left ATFL (ankle ligament) and associated joint capsule damage in a soccer kickabout with friends on Saturday,” the Northern Irishman said.

“Continuing to assess extent of injury and treatment plan day by day. Rehab already started.....

Working hard to get back as soon as I can.”

He also posted a photograph on Instagram showing himself on crutches and wearing a protective boot.

A spokesman for McIlroy later said that, despite the injury, he has not ruled himself out of defending his Open Championship title at St

Andrews from July 16.

However, the 26-year-old McIlroy has pulled out of the Scottish Open at Gullane, which starts on Thursday.

Scottish Open Championship Director Peter Adams said: “Naturally the news on Rory having to withdraw...is very disappointing for the tournament.

“Any tournament which loses the world number one through injury is going to be affected, but we are still looking forward to hosting one of the strongest fields in Scottish Open history over one of the great links tests at Gullane.”

And fellow professional Richie

Ramsay fears the worst for McIlroy’s Open chances having recently suffered a similar injury.

“I had a full tear of ligaments in my ankle not long ago. It takes a lot longer than you think to heal,” the Scot wrote on Twitter.

“3 months til I played after tearing ligaments and even then getting my foot to work the right way was tough.”

McIlroy won his first British Open crown at Hoylake last July and then went on to win the PGA Championship, taking his haul of major titles to four.

He was on target for a clean sweep of all four major titles at the Masters in April but could only place fourth behind Jordan Spieth.

The 21-year-old American then won again at the US Open last month and his budding rivalry with McIlroy was set to become the focal point of the Open.

Former Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance was taken by surprise by the news as he arrived at Wimbledon to watch the day’s action there.

“That’s the first I’ve heard of it but I’m in complete shock: that’s a big blow to (the Open) if he misses it,” Torrance said.

“That’s obviously bad news and I’d just wish him all the best and hope he can make a quick recovery.”

McIlroy gave no details about how long he expected to be sidelined, but injuries such as the one he has outlined can, like in Ramsay’s case, take weeks or, in the worst cases, months to fully recover from and even require surgery.

Should he be sidelined for more than a month, he would also be unlikely to be able to defend his PGA Championship which gets under way at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, on August 13. AFP

Gasol to stay with Grizzlies MEMPHIS—Spanish AllStar center Marc Gasol has agreed to terms to remain with the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies, in a five-year deal worth $110 million according to reports Monday.

ESPN and CBS Sports reported that terms of the deal would give Gasol a chance to opt out after four seasons.

Free agent deals cannot be signed until Thursday, leaving everything unofficial until then, but teams and players have been able to negotiate contract terms since last Wednesday.

Gasol, 30, never considered offers from other teams before deciding to stay in the city where he has spent his entire sevenseason NBA career. He averaged a career-high 17.4 points plus 7.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Grizzlies this past season.

Gasol sparked the Grizzlies to 55 victories last season and a spot in the second round of the NBA playoffs before being ousted by eventual champion Golden State.

In 2013, Memphis reached the Western Conference finals before losing to San Antonio.

Mavericks want Lin

Jordan Mickey (left) of the Boston Celtics fights for position against Brock Motum of the Utah Jazz during the NBA Summer League at EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. AFP

Nascar, Speedway Kyrgios calls swim legend Fraser ‘racist’ second set and responded to review crash SYDNEY—Temperamental Australian tennis star Nick to media questions on the

DAYTONA BEACH—A horrific crash at the end of the US stock car race which ended early Monday morning at Daytona will be reviewed by speedway and sanctioning body officials.

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) and Daytona International Speedway were coming to grips with the multicar wreck that took place at 2:41 Monday morning after rain delayed the start of the race by more than three hours.

Austin Dillon’s car went airborne and slammed into the retaining fence surrounding the speedway oval before flipping and skipping to a halt in the infield grass, its parts scattered across the track. AFP

Kyrgios slammed swimming legend Dawn Fraser as a “blatant racist” Tuesday after she told him to “go back to where his parents came from” following his stormy Wimbledon exit.

Kyrgios’s colorful antics, on show at the All England Club, have split Australians with some seeing him as good for a sport in need of characters, but others claiming his behaviour is petulant and disrespectful.

After losing in four sets to France’s Richard Gasquet on Monday, he was accused of giving up or “tanking” a game during a disastrous

incident with a string of sarcastic replies.

Sporting icon Fraser, winner of eight Olympic medals for Australia including four golds from 1956-64, blasted his behaviour in a national television interview as “absolutely disgusting”.

“I am so shocked to think that he went out there to play and he tanked... he did all that tanking, it’s terrible,” she said on the Nine Network.

She also appeared to take aim at Bernard Tomic, who was axed from Australia’s Davis Cup team on Sunday after a extraordinary tirade at Tennis Australia.

Australia’s Nick Kyrgios returns against France’s Richard Gasquet during their men’s singles fourth round match on Day 7 of the 2015 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London. AFP

DALLAS—Jeremy Lin, the first American NBA player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent, could be on his way to the Dallas Mavericks next season, according to reports Monday.

The 26-year-old free agent point guard, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers last season, is near to agreeing to terms on a deal that would bring Lin to the Mavericks.

No deals can be finalized until Thursday but teams and players can negotiate and many deals have been agreed upon since the free agency negotiation period opened last Wednesday.

In 2012, Lin became famous worldwide while playing for the New York Knicks. With players sidelined by injury and suspension and Lin struggling to stay on the roster, he was inserted into a game and helped the Knicks win.

New York went 7-0 with Lin as a starter or playing major minutes in a game and the Knicks battled back to a .500 record for that point in the season, every victory adding to the phenomenon dubbed “Linsanity.” AFP

We dn e s day : j uly 8 , 2 0 1 5

A13

sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Professional football player Russell Wilson (left), recording artist Ciara, and professional boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr. attend the 2015 BET Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. Mayweather was stripped of the WBO title he won from Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao. AFP

Mayweather stripped of title

By Ronnie Nathanielsz THE World Boxing Organization has stripped undefeated pound-for-pound No. 1 Floyd Mayweather Jr. of the WBO welterweight title he won from eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao in the “Fight of the Century” in Las Vegas last May 2.

Despite Mayweather’s initial protest over the WBO’s decision to allow Timothy Bradley and Jessie Vargas to fight for the belt, and gaining an extra deadline, the WBO Championship Committee, headed by Luis Batista Salas, has recognized Bradley as the new champion following his impressive, unanimous 12-round decision victory over Vargas. That bout, however, ended in controversy when Vargas staggered Bradley, who was on the verge of going down when referee Pat Russell mistakenly ended the bout with some seven seconds remaining, thinking the 10-second clapper was the bell.

Despite the protests of the Vargas camp, the WBO upheld the

decision, enabling Bradley to become the welterweight champion for the second time after having won the title from Pacquiao in a hugely controversial decision in their first meeting, with the Filipino regaining the title in a rematch with a lopsided unanimous decision.

Salas noted that due to Mayweather’s statements that he would relinquish all titles and his expressed desire to fight one, non-title 12-rounder bout before retiring to allow for the development of young fighters, the WBO World Championship Committee approved the June 27 bout between Bradley and Jessie Vargas for the Vacant WBO Welter-

weight Championship.

However, on May 20, having heard boxing commentators talk of an upcoming Bradley-Vargas bout for the vacant WBO Welterweight title, the WBO received a letter from the concerned Mayweather camp through his attorney, John Hornewer, stating that Mayweather had no definite plans for the future other than a September 2015 bout and specifically, desired to have a written confirmation from the WBO that he remained the WBO/ World Boxing Association/World Boxing Council Unified Welterweight Champion of the World.

However, Salas said: “Due to the WBO’s and Bradley and Vargas’ great respect for Mayweather, the status of the June 27 bout between Bradley, and Vargas for the Vacant WBO Welterweight Championship of the World was amended to an Interim WBO Welterweight Championship to allow Mayweather additional opportunity to make his determination whether he wished to retain the WBO Welterweight Championship in conformity with the WBO Rules.

Nietes’ foe is hungry for victory THE trainer of Francisco Rodriguez, the World Boxing Organization light flyweight mandatory challenger and former minimum weight champion, said his ward is very hungry for victory against champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes when they clash in a muchawaited showdown at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino on Saturday.

But three-time Trainer of the Year at the Annual Flash Elorde awards, Edmund Villamor, is confident that a determined Nietes will retain his title and extend his run as the longest-reigning Filipino world champion, who has held the crown

for almost eight years.

Rodriguez, who arrived quietly in Manila over one week ago, has been working out at the Elorde Gym along Taft Avenue and will leave for Cebu on the 8th.

His trainer Charlie Martinez, described the former champion as “one of the best all-round fighters in the world who is very hungry,” to win the title from Nietes.

But Villamor isn’t impressed by talk. He told The Standard/boxingmirro.com: “Let’s see what happens when he gets into the ring with Donnie, who has trained hard and is in

terrific condition and ready as ever .”

Villamor believes the power of Nietes, who dropped talented former mandatory challenger Moises Fuentes three times in the ninth round to score a spectacular knockout, will prove too much for the 21-year-old Mexican challenger.

“I am determined to avenge the loss of my friend and stablemate,” said Nietes, referring to Merlito “Tiger” Sabillo, who lost his WBO minimum weight title by a 10th round TKO to Rodriguez. “I know he is a champion and is good but he is cocky and we’ll see inside the ring.” Ronnie Nathan-

PLDT is Futsal Cup champ PHILIPPINE Long Distance Telephone Company emerged as champion for the first time in the Philippine Stock Exchange Futsal Cup held on July 4, 2015 at the Emilio Aguinaldo College Gymnasium, Manila.

Since its launch in 2010, the PSE Futsal Cup has been able to bring together listed firms and brokers in a day-long tournament and provide an opportunity for teambuilding and promote camaraderie across PSE stakeholders.

Based on the final ranking results, First Metro Philippine Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. was named first runner up, the second time in a row for First Metro to vie for the Championship title.

In the battle for second runner-up, International Container Terminal Services Inc. prevailed over Manila Electric Company through an extended penalty shoot-out.

PLDT also swept all the individual awards. Norman Azarcon was awarded Most Valuable Player after fielding two of the four goals in the championship game. Tristan Bulandus and Julio Mazo bagged the Best Goalkeeper and Best Defender awards, respectively, while Jose Mari Javier was the recipient of the Most Goals Award after scoring seven goals in the tournament.

Members of the champion Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company display their championship trophy and medals.

Miñoza rejoins PH golf tour FRANKIE Miñoza tries to make an impact on his return to the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour, joining redhot young gun Miguel Tabuena and veteran Elmer Salvador in one of the featured flights in today’s start of the ICTSI Apo Golf Invitational at the Apo Golf and Country Club in Davao City.

Miñoza skipped last week’s ICTSI Rancho Palos Verdes Classic won by Tabuena to honor a previous commitment but is all-pumped up for this P1.5 million event where he hopes to cap his run of Top Six finishes in the last four legs in the cir-

cuit with a victory this week.

He will be as much tested as Tabuena, who surged ahead of the Order of the Merit derby after holding off Salvador in the closing holes to snare the Palos Verdes crown, his second after dominating the kickoff leg at Splendido.

But Salvador is also out to get back at Tabuena and fuel his own drive for a second crown after romping off with the ICTSI Riviera Classic title last month, ensuring an early shootout among three of the fancied bets in the 72-hole championship sponsored by ICTSI.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

3rd leg Philracom Triple Crown: Longshot filly again?

THE connections of titled runner Miss Brulay must be ultra-confident of her condition, having opted to forego her nomination in the Hopeful Stakes and declare her for the more formidable—and prestigious—third leg of the Triple Crown series instead.

Both races for elite 3YO Thoroughbreds, sponsored by the Philippine Racing Commission, will be held this weekend at the Metroturf Race racecourse in Malvar, Batangas—the last episode of the Triple Crown on Sunday (July 12), and its auxiliary race, the Hopeful, on Saturday (July 11).

Miss Brulay will have to outrun fellow filly Court of Honor, the longshot winner of the second leg of the series, and five others.

In the 1,800-meter second leg (held June 14), Court of Honor shut down first leg (May 14) winner Superv, also a filly.

The 2,000-meter third leg will also feature yet another talented filly, Princess Ella, who won the 1,600-meter second Hopeful Stakes race last May 13.

The other entries in the Triple Crown third leg are Money Talks (to be ridden by jockey Jeffril T. Zarate), Icon (Jonathan B. Hernandez), Dikoridik Koridak (Jericho G. Serrano), and Sky Hook (Patricio R. Dilema). Court of Honor will be partnered with John Paul A. Guce, Princess Ella with Valentino R. Dilema, and Miss Brulay with Kelvin B. Abobo.

I don’t mean to discount the colts’ chances, but it looks like this is shaping to be a filly year.

Philracom Chairman Andrew A. Sanchez has coordinated with Metroturf management and with other industry sectors, drumming up interest in the last leg of the iconic series for local-breds.

The Tri-Organization of horseowners, comprising Marho, Philtobo, and Klub Don Juan de Manila, has promised support for the event by way of sponsoring the catering.

Also to attend the race are officers and members of the Press Photographers of the Philippines, who are participating in a three-part photo contest series sponsored

by Philracom. The winners of the second leg of the contest will be announced there.

The third Hopeful stakes race will be held also at Metroturf the day before (July 11) over 1,800 meters, and has attracted the following entries: Dinalupihan (with jockey Mark A. Alvarez), Princess Meili (Fernando M. Raquel Jr.), Gentle Strength (JB Hernandez), Jazz Wild (Daniel L. Camañero), Paguukol Bubukol (PR Dilema), Tubbataha Reef (Reynaldo O. Niu Jr.), and Spicy Time (Jeffrey B. Bacaycay). *** Facebook: Gogirl Racing, Twitter: @gogirlracing, Instagram: @jensdecember, Blog: http://jennyo.net

Altas, Blazers prevail

By Peter Atencio

GAB Danganon became the unlikely hero for University of Perpetual Help yesterday, as he scored back-to-baskets in the final seven seconds to lift the Altas to a 82-79 come-from-behind victory over the Mapua Cardinals in the National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament at the San Juan Arena.

Getting into position near the basket, Danganon received timely feeds from Earl Thompson and Nigerian Bright Akhuetie to score on drives en route to the win that had the Altas rolling to their third straight victory.

The 6’8 Akhuetie, who scored a season-high 44 points the previous game, led the Altas with 24 points and eight rebounds, Danganon added 16, and Crispin Elopre, 14.

“Doon mo makikita ang character ng mga player ko.

All the way, behind kami.

Importante ang last two minutes. Sabi ko sa kanila, huwag magmadali sa opensa. Kapag nakaagaw, duon tayo lalamang,” said Altas coach Aric del Rosario.

Josan Nimes had 16 points for the Cardinals, who fell to their second loss in three matches.

Mapua’s Nigerian import, Allwell Oraema, added 15 and

hauled down 18 boards.

Earlier, the College of St. Benilde Blazers saw their two big men troop to the bench with five fouls each, but their shooters bailed them out in the stretch in turning back Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals, 73-66, for their first win in three matches.

CSB’s big men Jeffrey Ongteco and Christian Fajarito fouled out one after the other, but guard Travis Jonson scored enough treys to keep the Blazers above water.

“We were able to bring our outside shooting today. In the past two games, iyun ang nawawala,” said Blazers coach Gabby Velasco.

Jonson made the all-important treys in the final 2:33 to keep CSB on top en route to the win.

Jonathan Grey had 19 points, including a drive that gave CSB an 11-point spread, 66-55, to

ANOTHER finals appearance is within reach and San Miguel Beer certainly wants to move forward to the big stage as it attempts to close out Rain or Shine at the resumption of their best-of-five semifinals showdown in the 2015 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup. Ahead 2-1 and just a win away from moving forward, the Beermen can secure the last finals berth when they square off with the Elasto Painters in Game 4 at 7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight.

But even with his squad having the series edge and on the verge of making the finals, San Miguel coach

lead the Blazers.

In the junior division, Alain Madrigal stepped up in the absence of suspended main man Ricci Rivero, drilling in 29 points to lead La Salle Greenhills (2-1), past EAC-ICA, 72-61.

Jasper Salenga had 30 points and had 11 rebounds for the Mapua Red Robins (2-1), who prevailed over the University of Perpetual Help Junior Altas, 87-51.

Madrigal, who took over the scoring chores after Rivero was suspended after committing a disqualifying foul in their game against the Altas, racked up 12 points in the first canto to help the Greenies establish an 18-8 spread.

Ooops. College of St. Benilde Jonathan Gray tumbles after losing the ball to Emilio Aguinaldo College guard Jose Morada in this bit of action yesterday in the NCAA men;s basketball tournmanet at the San Juan Arena. The Blazers won, 73-66. MANNY PALMERO

Game 4: Beermen seek second finals berth

By Jeric Lopez

Games Thursday (San Juan Arena) 10 a.m. • EAC-ICA vs LPU (jrs) 12 nn • San Beda vs San Sebastian (jrs) 2 p.m. • EAC vs LPU (srs) 4 p.m. • San Beda vs San Sebastian (srs)

Leo Austria still thinks that this next and was able to keep its poise down game ahead is the most important the stretch to take the win.

Waiting in the finals are the proone of the series.

“This next game is very pivotal,’’ lific Alaska Aces, who surprisingly said Austria. ‘’We’re hoping to fin- made quick work of the Star Hotshots, dethroning the ish the series. We’ll be Game Today defending champion ready for their (Rain Or (Game 4, Semifinals - Smart via 3-0 series sweep in Shine) adjustments.’’

Araneta Coliseum) The Beermen seized 7 p.m. • San Miguel vs. Alaska the other semis pairing.

Should the Beermen control of the series after listing a 114-108 triumph over succeed tonight and enter the big stage, the Elasto Painters in Game 3 Mon- it will be the second time this season that day night behind the strong perfor- San Miguel and Alaska will face each mances from AZ Reid and Alex Cab- other in the finals with the other being in agnot, who continued to led the way the season-opening Philippine Cup. In the three games in the series in offense, scoring 37 and 26 points, thus far, San Miguel is torching Rain respectively.

As in Game 2, San Miguel took or Shine with its torrid shooting from command for most part of Game 3 beyond the arc and that is certainly a

huge cause of concern for Painters coach Yeng Guiao as he points out that it is a huge factor on why the Beermen have taken the series lead.

As in Game 3, the Philippine Cup champions connected on 18 triples as outside sniping became one of their biggest weapons in carving out the win.

“We need to be better at defending them outside and address their three-point shooting,’’ said Guiao. ‘’We need to find a way to stop their three-point shooting to give ourselves a better chance.’’

Should the Painters prevail and force a knockout encounter, Game 5 will be played Friday night, which will give the Aces even more time to freshen up and prepare for the finals.

Bulls...

From A16

“We’ll see man. I can’t tell the future. I’m just going to work hard every day and get better myself. It’s a process and I truly enjoy the process,” said Clarkson.

Born to a Filipina mother, Clarkson was once considered to be part of Gilas Pilipinas but FIBA technicalities on dual citizenship thwarted the plan.

The 6’5” guard Clarkson, however, can still be a candidate for naturalization but that process has been reserved for foreigners who can help the Philippine team man the middle.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Filipino teener makes 2nd round of Wimbledon

By Peter Atencio SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD Alberto “AJ” Lim Jr. waylaid errorprone rival Jonathan Gray, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (13-11), yesterday in the boys’ singles’ first round of the Wimbledon junior tennis championships.

The 16-year-old Lim advanced to the second round af-

ter his close two-set encounter with Gray at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London.

Lim, who had five aces, will meet world no. 9 William Blumberg in the second round.

The world no. 75-ranked Lim had minimal service errors and was able to capitalize on Grey’s seven double faults to pull off

the win.

Blumberg arranged a showdown with Lim after he prevailed over Uzbek netter Djurabeck Karimov, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-4.

In other matches, top seed Taylor Fritz of the United States got past Jay Clarke, 6-3, 6-2.

Lim made it to the main draw after he won his two qualifying

round matches.

First, he got past Spanish netter Nicolas Moreno de Alboran, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, in the first qualifying round.

Then, he held back Yuya Ito of Japan, 1-6 7-6 (3) 13-11, to make it to the main draw.

In beating Gray, Lim was able to score on 47 of his 89 first serves.

LOTTO RESULTS

6/49 00-00-00-00-00-00 6/42 00-00-00-00-00-00 6 DIGITS 0-0-0-0-0-0 3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

P0.0 M+ P0.0 M+

Federer, Murray reach Final 8 LONDON—Roger Federer and Andy Murray reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals Monday but defending champion Novak Djokovic’s attempt to join them was thwarted by bad light after fighting back from two sets down to level with Kevin Anderson.

Seven-time champion Federer reached his 13th All England Club quarter-final with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 win over Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut, while Murray defeated giant Croatian Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (9/7), 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.

Djokovic, in danger of becoming the first top seed since Pete Sampras in 2001 to lose in the last 16, stood at 6-7 (6/8), 6-7 (6/8), 6-1, 6-4 against 14th seeded South African Anderson when play was suspended on Court One with the fourth round clash to be completed Tuesday.

Should the world number one achieve his fourth career victory from two sets down, he would face US Open champion Marin Cilic for a semi-final spot.

The 33-year-old Federer needed just 96 minutes to clinch victory over Bautista Agut and goes on to face French 12th seed Gilles Simon for a place in the semi-finals.

Federer holds a 5-2 career lead over Simon, who reached his maiden All England Club quarter-final by knocking out 2010 runner-up and sixth seed Tomas Berdych.

The Swiss star claimed victory on a sixth match point against Bautista Agut, whose challenge was seriously compromised by needing treatment on his right ankle after a bad fall in the sixth game of the second set.

“He definitely didn’t have the best fall in the second set, I was happy that he was able to continue to play,” said Federer.

“I’m sure Gilles is happy to be in the quarters but I hope to stop that run now.”

British third seed Murray claimed a 7-6 (9/7), 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 win over 2.11-meters (six feet, 11 inches) tall Karlovic to book his place in the quarter-finals for the eighth successive year.

Murray, the 2013 champion, will next face unseeded Canadian Vasek Pospisil.

Karlovic, at 36 the oldest man to reach the last-16 in 39 years, fired 29 aces in the three-hour Centre Court encounter, but that was well below par for a man who had blasted 136 in his first three rounds.

Murray hit 62 winners to the Croatian’s 75 but crucially only nine unforced errors to his rival’s 32.

“I came up with some good lobs and passing shots. I just needed to keep him low,” said Murray.

“It was an incredibly difficult match, it was mentally tiring because you just have to be ready when the chances come.”

French 21st seed Richard Gasquet defeated Nick Kyrgios 7-5, 6-1, 6-7 (7/9), 7-6 (8/6) in a controversial clash to avenge a second round loss to the temperamental Australian in 2014.

The 29-year-old, a semi-finalist in 2007, will next face fourth seed Stan Wawrinka after winning a last-16 clash at the majors for just the third time in 19 attempts. AFP

France’s Gilles Simon returns against Czech Republic’s Tomas Berdych during their men’s singles fourth round match on Day 7 of the 2015 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London. AFP

Record field vies in Shakey’s college tilt

V League Commissioner Tony Liao (left) discusses the mechanics of the Shakey’s V-League Season 12-Collegiate Conference as Sports Vision president Ricky Palou (right) and chairman Moying Martelino (third from left) look on during yesterday’s launch of the event at the PSA Forum at Shakey’s Malate. They are joined by PLDT Home Ultera product manager Pelaine Mallari (second from left). EY ACASIO

THE Shakey’s V-League is just getting bigger through the years.

Now on its 12th season, the country’s premier volleyball tournament for women will have a record of 12 teams seeing action when it kicks off its Collegiate Conference this Saturday at the San Juan Arena.

The field has been divided into two groups with reigning UAAP champion Ateneo de Manila heading one bracket and NCAA counterpart Arellano University leading the other one.

The same number of teams is seeing action in the second season of the Spikers’ Turf that opens on July 13. Both leagues are presented

by PLDT Home Ultera.

“It is our pleasant surprise that a lot of teams are participating with 12 school teams for both men and women,” said Moying Martelino, chairman of the

organizing Sports Vision in the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at Shakey’s Malate yesterday.

Bracketed with Ateneo in Group B are College of St. Benilde, La Salle-Dasmarinas, San Sebastian College, Technological Institute of the Philippines, and University of Santo Tomas.

With Arellano in Group A are Far Eastern University, National University, University of Batangas, University of the Philippines, and Polytechnic University of the Philippines, which took the slot left by powerhouse De La Salle.

Sports Vision president Ricky Palou, who was also present in the session presented by San Miguel Corp., Shakey’s, Accel, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, along with commissioner Tony Liao

and PLDT Home Ultera product manager Pelaine Mallari, stressed that invitations had been sent out to prospective school participants, including La Salle.

Palou said the invitation was coursed by the league to La Salle team manager Raffy Villavicencio, who initially agreed to field in the Lady Spikers, only to back out of the tournament later on owing to the many commitments of the many-time UAAP champions.

The La Salle men’s team though, is set to see action in the Spikers’ Turf.

“For the record, every year, we have invited De La Salle to participate,” said Palou. “Unfortunately, after their (Lady Spikers) participation four years ago, they decided not to participate. But every year, we invited school teams and these include La Salle.”

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A16

RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

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

sports@thestandard.com.ph

Bulls eyeing Fil-Am Clarkson

SPORTS

By Dennis Principe LOOKS like incoming NBA sophomore Jordan Clarkson is not staying with the LA Lakers for a long period of time.

Named to the All-Rookie First Team last season, Clarkson’s name has been mentioned in few but credible trade reports coming from established American NBA personalities.

One of them, Chicago sports anchor Mike Adamle, said that the Chicago Bulls are having talks with the Lakers regarding a multiple-player deal.

“I have a mini-update. If Bulls cannot get (Jeremy) Lin, they’re willing to keep the talk going if Clarkson is an option. Not sure if LA would agree,” was what Adamle posted on his twitter account.

Clarkson’s supposed gentle rise as one of LA’s future stars became uncertain when the team drafted a top-caliber point in guard D’Angelo Russell as their no. 2 pick in last week’s NBA Rookie Draft.

Days before the draft, Lakers General Manager Mtich Kupchak gave a hint about who they would be targeting in this season’s draft and also talked about how he sees the future of Clarkson.

“He was a good player on a very bad team so I don’t know how that’s going to play out, but we think he has a future. Jordan is not a prototypical ball handler of a point guard. He’ll make plays for the other players on the team, but by and large he looks to attack first,” said Kupchak.

The 23-year-old Clarkson was a starter in 38 of the 59 games he played in his rookie season and averaged 11.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists for the Lakers, which posted a franchise worst 2161 record last season.

Last month, Clarkson visited the country to do clinics and talked with the Philippine media. In an interview with The Standard, Clarkson sounded like he just wanted to play waitand-see about his future role with the Lakers.

Continued to A14

West

Aldridge

Leonard

Meet the NBA’s new super team

Duncan

In this May 2, 2015 file photo, San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili (right) drives against Los Angeles Clippers Glen Davis and Doc Rivers during an NBA playoff game at Staples Center. Ginobili, who helped Argentina win the 2004 Olympic gold and contributed to four NBA titles by the Spurs, confirmed he will return to the Spurs next season. AFP

SAN ANTONIO—Manu Ginobili, who helped Argentina win 2004 Olympic gold and contributed to four NBA titles by the San Antonio Spurs, confirmed Monday he will return to the Spurs next season.

The 37-year-old guard even had a mention for teammate Tim Duncan in his Twitter announcement that he would be back for a 14th NBA campaign, saying: “Happy to announce that I’m coming back next season. #gospursgo

#TDwouldvemissedmetoomuch.”

The Spurs, who is now being considered as the NBA’s newest super team, received more good news later Monday with a reported deal for free agent forward David West, a two-

Floyd stripped of WBO crown TURN TO A13

time NBA All-Star who spent the past four seasons at Indiana after eight more with New Orleans.

No contracts can be signed until Thursday, when salary cap limits for the 2015-16 season will be made official, but teams and players can talk and agree to terms before then.

Coming off the bench last season, Ginobili averaged 10.5 points, 4.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds a game. His career averages, all with the Spurs, are 14.3 points, 4.0

assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals a game.

The Spurs lost to the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of last season’s NBA playoffs, prompting Ginobili to consider retirement.

But Ginobili said Duncan’s decision would factor into his choice and Duncan agreed to return last week.

San Antonio also picked up free agent star LaMarcus Aldridge, who tweeted Saturday he was joining the Spurs after nine seasons with Portland.

Ginobili, named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2008 when he went to more of a reserve role, was a major player for Argentina’s gold medal run at the Athens Games, the only time US men with NBA talent failed to win Olympic gold.

The South American standout helped the Spurs win NBA titles in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014, when San Antonio defeated a LeBron James-led Miami Heat side in the final. AFP

Altas, Blazers prevail TURN TO A14

B1

WEDNESDAY: JULY 8, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

Inflation drops to 20-year low

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

INFLATION rate dropped to 1.2 percent in June, the slowest in two decades, on sufficient supply of food and moderate price pressures from energy and oil, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Tuesday.

The National Economic and Development Authority said inflation rate in June decelerated from 1.6 percent in May and 4.4 percent in June 2014.

“The June 2015 inflation rate is now the lowest, covering the monthly inflation series from 1995 to June 2015 using the current base year 2006. The figure

was also below the market expectation of 1.5 percent and very well within the inflation target range of 2 to 4 percent set by the government for 2015,” said Neda deputy director-general Emmanuel Esguerra.

This pulled down the average inflation rate in the first half of the year to 2.05 percent, near the

low end of the government’s target range of 2 percent to 4 percent for 2015.

“Aside from the steady and sufficient supply of food, inflation benefitted from reduced electricity prices due to lower fuel costs.

The double-digit year-on-year decline in the prices of unleaded gasoline, diesel, kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas or LPG, and the decline in Meralco rates affected key oil and electricity-related commodities and services in the current month,” Esguerra said.

The PSA said excluding selected food and energy items, core inflation also eased to a 22-month low of 2 percent in June from 2.2

percent in May and 2.8 percent in June 2014. It averaged at 2.3 percent in the first six months of 2015.

“The slackening of the core inflation provides less pressure for interest rates to increase, and this bodes well for household consumption and further supports economic expansion moving forward,” said Esguerra.

He said despite the latest inflation figure, there remained risks to inflation such as a prolonged El Niño dry spell that could affect harvests and the occurrence of typhoon in the second half.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said monetary authorities were

prepared to tweak the current policy stance, if needed, whenever recent developments both here and abroad threatened inflation in the months ahead.

Tetangco said in a text message these risks might arise from the volatilities associated with the debt crisis in Greece as well as the feared lingering effects of El Niño or dry spell until the end of 2015.

“While this outturn is at the low end of the target range, there remain upside risks of financial market volatility in reaction to developments in Greece and possibility of El Nino later this year that necessitate care in next moves,” Tetangco said.

PSe comPoSite index Closing July 7, 2015

8500 8000 7500 7000 6500 6000

7,442.65 12.50

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing JULY 7, 2015 42

P45.175

43

CLOSE

44 45 46

HIGH P45.125 LOW P45.180 AVERAGE P45.141 VOLUME 450.200M

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

Lopez Group advocacy. Five Lopez Group companies have adopted 24 schools in the Visayas earlier devastated by super-typhoon

Yolanda. The Lopez Group companies, led by First Gen Corp., added the schools to their list of recipients under the Adopt-a-School Program of the Department of Education. Officials from the Lopez Group companies and the DepEd, led by Secretary Armin Luistro, signed Tuesday an agreement to formalize their partnership. Shown after the signing of agreement are (from left) Leonardo Ablaza, project manager of the Leyte School Rebuilding Project; Anthony Fernandez, First Balfour Inc. president and chief operating officer; Valerie Jane Soliven, Rockwell Land Corp. senior vice president; Richard Tantoco, Energy Development Corp. president and chief operating officer; Luistro; Francis Giles Puno, First Gen president and COO; Mario Deriquito, DepEd undersecretary; Marie Asprer, DepEd executive assistant; and Ariel Ong, First Philec president.

MyTaxi eyes booking service in Cebu, Davao

By Darwin G. Amojelar MYTAXI Philippines Inc., the operator of GrabCar and GrabTaxi, plans to expand its private hire vehicle booking service to the cities of Cebu and Davao by the end of the year.

“For GrabCar, we’re focusing in Metro Manila, but we are looking at expanding in Cebu and Davao.

GrabTaxi started also there, so probably we will follow the same path,” Natasha Bautista, head of GrabCar Philippines, told reporters.

Bautista said that the company planned to undertake an initial public offering in the future.

“Of course that’s the mission, everyone wants to do that, but right now we want to make sure that we hit our numbers, we can’t really say right now,” she said.

GrabCar, the private vehicle booking service available through the GrabTaxi app, is the first to be fully accredited as a Transportation Network Company by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

Bautista said the GrabCar accreditation validated the company’s efforts in providing the safest and most convenient rides for passengers in the Philippines.

“With full accreditation, more

Filipino commuters will be able to use GrabCar and be confident that we offer a legitimate and safe private hire service. We will now focus on rapidly expanding our GrabCar service to serve more passengers across the Philippines,” he said.

GrabTaxi, meanwhile, is available in Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Bacolod and Baguio.

The Southeast Asia’s leading transport app Grab Taxi had said it would invest $4 million to ensure passenger safety in the Philippines and other countries in the region.

“We must continue to ensure that our safety standards are not compromised. This is why we’ve hired Yiling Kok as our regional head of safety, and will continue to set aside funds and resources for safety and security,” said GrabTaxi Group chief executive Anthony Tan. Over 83,000 taxi drivers have been using the GrabTaxi app, since its founding in 2012, to receive bookings in Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia. There have been over 4.4 million downloads of the app around the region.

P41.20-P47.85 Unleaded Gasoline P28.85-P32.20 Diesel

oPriceS il P today

P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene P23.70-P24.40 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Tuesday, July 7, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

45.1240

Japan

Yen

0.008162

0.3683

UK

Pound

1.560600

70.4205

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128977

5.8200

Switzerland

Franc

1.061233

47.8871

Canada

Dollar

0.790389

35.6655

Singapore

Dollar

0.741620

33.4649

Australia

Dollar

0.751710

33.9202

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652379

119.6859

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266667

12.0331

Brunei

Dollar

0.738880

33.3412

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.029550

1.3334

UAE

Dirham

0.272264

12.2856

Euro

Euro

1.105800

49.8981

Korea

Won

0.000888

0.0401

China

Yuan

0.161051

7.2673

India

Rupee

0.015812

0.7135

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.262667

11.8526

New Zealand

Dollar

0.670196

30.2419

Taiwan

Dollar

0.032335

1.4591 Source: PDS Bridge

WEDNESDAY: JULY 8, 2015

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Tuesday, July 7, 2015

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low 7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 4.2 17 30.45 0.92 2.6 1.01 100 1.46 30.5 75 91.5 137 361.2 57 180 1700 124 3.26 47 1.46 2.36 15.3 89 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 15.3 9.4 0.98 241 12.5 3.95 33.9 90 13.26 293 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 5.28 1.3 26 0.59 59.2 30.05 2.16 7.39 3.4 3.35 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 0.66 1455 76 9.25 0.85 17.3 0.71 5.53 6.55 9.66 0.0670 1.61 84.9 974 156 0.710 0.510 10.5 26.95 1.99 1.75 41.4 5.6 5.59 1.44 1.97 1.48 0.201 0.69

STOCKS

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 6.99 6.48 73.1 73 106.90 104.70 94.10 92.00 45.15 45 1.74 1.69 16 15.88 20.1 19.54 0.74 0.74 1.61 1.61 0.410 0.405 93.5 93.05 1.01 1.01 18.60 18.50 27.00 27.00 66.00 64.95 93 93 305.8 302 38.2 37.6 156.9 151 1470.00 1470.00 61.00 60.00 3.16 3.15 INDUSTRIAL 35.9 Aboitiz Power Corp.

43.6 44.2 43.5 1.01 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 1.05 1.05 1.04 1.86 Alsons Cons.

1.96 1.97 1.93 7.92 Asiabest Group 10.32 10.32 10.26 40.3 Bogo Medelin 54.95 50.25 50.05 15.32 Century Food 18.28 18.4 18.36 10.08 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 27.4 27.5 26.9 29.15 Concepcion 57 57 55.35 1.5 Crown Asia 2.37 2.45 2.39 1.5 Da Vinci Capital 1.43 1.41 1.41 10.72 Del Monte 12.82 12.7 12.4 9.55 DNL Industries Inc. 19.820 19.980 19.76 9.04 Emperador 9.10 9.00 8.80 6.02 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 7.26 7.36 7.20 8.86 EEI 9.82 10.14 9.82 1.06 Euro-Med Lab 1.75 1.83 1.7 8.61 Federal Res. Inv. Group 11.9 12.2 11.72 20.2 First Gen Corp.

26 26.25 25.55 71.5 First Holdings ‘A’ 79 81.8 78 13.24 Holcim Philippines Inc. 13.62 13.64 13.04 5.34 Integ. Micro-Electronics 5.89 5.9 5.87 0.510 0.510 0.395 Ionics Inc 0.510 173 Jollibee Foods Corp.

192.50 194.90 191.40 8.65 Lafarge Rep 10.12 10.12 10.04 2.3 LMG Chemicals 2.03 2.06 2.04 23.35 Manila Water Co. Inc. 23.8 24 23.7 17.3 Maxs Group 25.1 25.3 24.8 5.88 Megawide 5.9 5.9 5.82 250.2 Mla. Elect. Co `A’ 291.00 294.60 290.00 3.87 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 4.81 4.83 4.8 8.45 Petron Corporation 8.99 8.99 8.70 10.04 Phinma Corporation 11.96 11.96 11.70 3.03 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 3.28 3.30 3.27 1.95 Phoenix Semiconductor 1.96 2.01 1.96 1 Pryce Corp. `A’ 3.43 3.56 2.91 4.02 RFM Corporation 4.15 4.15 4.10 1.65 Roxas and Co. 1.97 2.05 1.97 5.9 Roxas Holdings 6.4 6.4 6 161 San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ 166 166 165 1.55 Splash Corporation 1.62 1.61 1.61 0.138 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.146 0.149 0.143 2.09 Trans-Asia Oil 2.15 2.19 2.14 152 Universal Robina 192.6 195.5 192.6 4.28 Victorias Milling 4.41 4.5 4.43 0.640 Vitarich Corp.

0.74 0.76 0.74 10.02 Vivant Corp.

23.00 24.00 23.75 HOLDING FIRMS 0.44 Abacus Cons. `A’ 0.475 0.480 0.470 48.1 Aboitiz Equity 58.0000 57.9500 57.0500 20.85 Alliance Global Inc. 21.80 22.20 21.70 1.6 Anglo Holdings A 1.17 1.27 1.27 6.62 Anscor `A’ 7.00 7.00 6.90 0.225 ATN Holdings A 0.245 0.290 0.245 0.23 ATN Holdings B 0.260 0.285 0.260 634.5 Ayala Corp `A’ 763 770 748 7.390 Cosco Capital 7.52 7.7 7.51 12.8 DMCI Holdings 13.40 13.60 13.20 2.6 F&J Prince ‘A’ 3.43 3.14 3.14 0.152 Forum Pacific 0.214 0.215 0.215 837 GT Capital 1343 1346 1337 49.55 JG Summit Holdings 69.95 71.00 68.55 4.84 Lopez Holdings Corp.

7.3 7.1 7.02 0.59 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 0.66 0.66 0.65 12 LT Group 13.16 13.76 13 0.580 Mabuhay Holdings `A’ 0.61 0.62 0.6 4.2 Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. 4.53 4.6 4.48 4.5 Minerales Industrias Corp. 6.44 6.5 6.43 3 MJCI Investments Inc. 3.85 3.85 3.8 0.030 Pacifica `A’ 0.0330 0.0350 0.0350 0.550 Prime Orion 1.880 1.940 1.730 59.3 San Miguel Corp `A’ 60.00 60.50 59.00 751 SM Investments Inc. 881.50 885.00 879.50 80 Top Frontier 81.200 81.000 80.200 0.211 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.3300 0.3350 0.3250 0.310 Zeus Holdings 0.260 0.270 0.270 PROPERTY 6.74 8990 HLDG 7.000 7.390 7.000 12 Anchor Land Holdings Inc. 8.40 8.00 7.99 0.65 A. Brown Co., Inc. 0.71 0.71 0.70 1.2 Araneta Prop `A’ 1.200 1.200 1.180 30.05 Ayala Land `B’ 36.30 36.80 36.30 3.36 Belle Corp. `A’ 3.21 3.32 3.2 4.96 Cebu Holdings 5.27 5.27 5.13 0.79 Century Property 0.83 0.84 0.83 1.1 City & Land Dev. 0.81 1.16 1.06 0.97 Cityland Dev. `A’ 1.07 1.06 1.06 0.083 Crown Equities Inc. 0.128 0.129 0.128 0.415 Cyber Bay Corp.

0.435 0.435 0.435 2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.68 12.02 19.6 0.74 1.02 0.225 78 0.9 17.8 58 62 88.35 276 41 118.2 1200 59 2.65

AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank Bright Kindle Resources COL Financial Eastwest Bank First Abacus I-Remit Inc. MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

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

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

SHARES 9,016,137 47,974,520 93,586,128 83,497,560 112,656,074 9,780,489,790 10,128,454,099

6.99 73 106.50 92.95 45 1.74 15.9 19.5 0.68 1.64 0.410 93.2 0.98 18.70 27.00 65.00 93 306 38 153 1475.00 60.80 3.16

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

6.5 73 105.50 92.00 45.15 1.69 16 20.1 0.74 1.61 0.405 93.5 1.01 18.50 27.00 65.00 93 305.8 37.75 151.8 1470.00 60.15 3.15

-7.01 0.00 -0.94 -1.02 0.33 -2.87 0.63 3.08 8.82 -1.83 -1.22 0.32 3.06 -1.07 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.07 -0.66 -0.78 -0.34 -1.07 -0.32

135,800 28,280 3,447,390 626,430 4,800 93,000 330,800 323,500 2,000 3,000 240,000 2,492,430 1,000 11,800 2,000 62,210 90 130 112,900 990,640 5 91,210 16,000

43.7 1.05 1.94 10.26 50.05 18.38 27.5 55.35 2.41 1.41 12.4 19.800 9.00 7.30 9.82 1.82 12.04 25.55 78.05 13.10 5.88 0.510 192.00 10.08 2.04 23.75 25.3 5.85 292.40 4.8 8.70 11.96 3.27 2.01 2.91 4.12 1.99 6.4 165.1 1.61 0.144 2.14 192.8 4.5 0.74 23.75

0.23 0.00 -1.02 -0.58 -8.92 0.55 0.36 -2.89 1.69 -1.40 -3.28 -0.10 -1.10 0.55 0.00 4.00 1.18 -1.73 -1.20 -3.82 -0.17 0.00 -0.26 -0.40 0.49 -0.21 0.80 -0.85 0.48 -0.21 -3.23 0.00 -0.30 2.55 -15.16 -0.72 1.02 0.00 -0.54 -0.62 -1.37 -0.47 0.10 2.04 0.00 3.26

3,112,000 61,000 57,000 300 310 61,500 341,400 4,560 3,224,000 50,000 258,500 3,147,400 112,600 10,817,300 59,400 1,776,000 38,100 2,239,200 373,730 6,300 1,013,100 7,000 434,810 495,900 13,000 345,000 103,600 561,500 284,980 813,000 1,523,300 8,900 159,000 536,000 9,015,000 247,000 19,000 8,600 600 1,000 340,000 380,000 2,095,690 547,000 244,000 2,800

0.480 57.3000 21.80 1.27 6.90 0.265 0.260 748 7.51 13.46 3.14 0.215 1339 71.00 7.02 0.66 13 0.62 4.48 6.48 3.8 0.0350 1.750 59.75 880.00 80.200 0.3250 0.270

1.05 -1.21 0.00 8.55 -1.43 8.16 0.00 -1.97 -0.13 0.45 -8.45 0.47 -0.30 1.50 -3.84 0.00 -1.22 1.64 -1.10 0.62 -1.30 6.06 -6.91 -0.42 -0.17 -1.23 -1.52 3.85

1,420,000 654,080 7,249,500 1,000 60,400 39,400,000 4,300,000 568,140 503,000 2,000 2,000 50,000 233,610 2,296,050 1,190,500 349,000 1,803,800 640,000 16,945,000 391,500 15,000 1,000,000 11,144,000 22,930 306,740 3,890 750,000 10,000

7.200 7.99 0.70 1.200 36.40 3.23 5.13 0.84 1.14 1.06 0.128 0.435

2.86 -4.88 -1.41 0.00 0.28 0.62 -2.66 1.20 40.74 -0.93 0.00 0.00

218,000 7,000 63,000 20,000 7,229,400 2,359,000 13,600 350,000 10,000 10,000 960,000 50,000

25,565.00 1,235,240.00 -132,442,628.00 -15,567,496.00 36,000.00 -17,400.00 4,945,498.00 3,704,378.00

53,357,031.50 -27,890.00 -3,273,560.00 -2,768,365.00 756,774.00 3,623,269.50 -6,320.00 -46,095,840.00 -30,160.00

735,622.00 88,510.00 3,102,238.00 4,512,256.00 213,901.00 3,892,430.00 -453,751.00 -10,208,920.00 -14,500,147.00 -36,692.00 5,336,158.00 -20,781,517.00 3,937,064.00 -3,325,995.00 702,230.00 8,820.00 16,036,904.00 787,660.00 -3,395,337.00 -36,270.00 689,720.00 403,290.00 -11,550.00 10,950.00 159,291,494.00 -27,000.00

12,826,278.50 36,748,880.00 -202,860.00 82,500.00 -139,592,340.00 369,550.00

97,685,475.00 40,591,686.50 -3,134,837.00 -5,992,718.00 13,324,960.00 -129,600.00 848,770.00 -1,168.00 83,228,255.00 -301,235.00

-264,014.00

52 Weeks

159,360.00

STOCKS

Close

High

0.97 0.305 2.22 2.1 1.8 4.88 0.180 0.470 0.72 27 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 1.62 8.59

0.83 0.188 1.15 1.42 1.27 2.75 0.090 0.290 0.39 23 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 0.83 5.73

Empire East Land 0.870 Ever Gotesco 0.174 Global-Estate 1.21 Filinvest Land,Inc. 1.89 Interport `A’ 1.28 Megaworld Corp.

4.87 MRC Allied Ind. 0.110 Phil. Estates Corp.

0.3000 Phil. Realty `A’ 0.4400 Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry 23.00 Robinson’s Land `B’ 28.40 Rockwell 1.71 Shang Properties Inc. 3.30 SM Prime Holdings 19.96 Sta. Lucia Land Inc. 0.74 Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. 0.830 Vista Land & Lifescapes 6.600

10.5 66 1.44 1.09 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 7.67 1700 2720 8.41 1.97 119.5 12.5 0.017 0.8200 2.2800 12.28 3.32 2.53 95.5 1 2.46 15.2 0.62 22.8 6.41 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1 11.6 0.85 10 0.490 1.9

1.97 35.2 1 0.63 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 4.8 830 1600 5.95 1.23 102.6 8.72 0.011 0.041 1.200 6.5 1.91 1.01 3.1 0.650 1.8 6 0.335 14.54 3 79 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55 7.59 0.63 5 0.315 1.14

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

Cebu Air Inc. (5J) DFNN Inc. FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. IPeople Inc. `A’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Island Info ISM Communications Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown MG Holdings Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Phil. Seven Corp.

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

Yehey

70 553 118 120 515 8.21 111 1047 76.9 78.95 84.8 1.34

10.96 15 88 12.88 130.7

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

-1.15 0.00 0.83 -0.53 0.78 -4.11 0.00 0.00 0.00 -1.41 -0.58 1.82 1.20 0.00 2.41 0.00

1,000 60,000 1,143,000 22,798,000 17,000 21,361,000 800,000 10,000 30,000 1,500 5,842,800 131,000 1,000 10,624,300 241,000 1,000 3,366,100

6.36 62 1.14 0.640 9.10 0.0800 3.4 86.3 6.65 910 2406 6.26 1.38 110.4 12 0.011 0.201 1.2900 9.20 2.65 1.27 45.00 0.660 2 5.44 0.330 18.08 4.70 113.00 18.78 2808.00 0.640 1.300 36.50 71.35 8.85 0.63 5.27 0.320 1.830

0.79 -0.64 2.70 0.00 4.00 -1.23 -5.56 2.13 0.00 -2.15 0.25 -1.42 4.55 -0.18 0.00 0.00 -4.29 0.78 -0.54 2.71 10.43 -2.17 -1.49 2.04 -0.18 0.00 0.22 4.44 2.54 0.00 0.36 -3.03 5.69 0.00 -0.97 0.91 -3.08 -0.57 0.00 2.81

40,300 15,290 17,000 13,000 15,355,900 6,820,000 535,000 162,760 20,200 360 168,720 140,700 55,000 274,050 6,500 2,500,000 9,630,000 633,000 155,800 123,000 1,000 1,000 11,000 141,000 1,319,300 300,000 11,775,000 5,000 343,590 91,700 103,760 6,686,000 39,162,000 895,600 1,122,650 8,277,800 3,595,000 882,100 40,000 960,000

0.0063 2.65 5.99 12.38 0.235 6.8000 0.9

26.00 0.00 -3.07 8.60 -1.26 0.00 0.9

9,694,000,000 35,600.00 1,000 965,400 -1,445,066.00 1,200 50,000 3,900 - 3 . 2 3

0.79 0.77 0.77 6.98 6.92 6.93 1.6 1.50 1.5 0.315 0.305 0.305 0.223 0.221 0.223 0.227 0.226 0.226 0.0140 0.0130 0.0130 0.0140 0.0130 0.0140 3.2 3.12 3.12 22.35 21 21 3.72 3.68 3.69 2.0500 2.0300 2.0300 0.0120 0.0110 0.0120 4.30 4.29 4.29 6.060 5.990 6.00 1.750 1.640 1.64 0.015 0.014 0.014 143.00 140.60 140.60 10.48 10 10 0.0095 0.0090 0.0095 PREFERRED 33 ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. 62.1 62.2 61.9 61.9 490 Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ 526 527 527 527 101 First Gen F 105.5 110.4 110.4 110.4 101.5 First Gen G 118 118 118 118 FPH Pref C 500 500 500 500 480 GLOBE PREF P 522 525 521 521 5.88 GMA Holdings Inc. 6.08 6.1 6.1 6.1 101 MWIDE PREF 114 114 114 114 PCOR-Preferred B 1149 1148 1148 1148 1011 PF Pref 2 1051 1054 1054 1054 74.2 SMC Preferred A 75.35 75.5 75.35 75.4 74.5 SMC Preferred B 85.05 85 85 85 75 SMC Preferred C 88.5 88.7 88 88 1 Swift Pref 2 2 2 2 WARRANTS & BONDS 0.8900 LR Warrant 3.640 3.730 3.690 3.730 SME 2.4 Double Dragon 8.87 10.06 9.88 9.91 3.5 Makati Fin. Corp.

6.63 6.45 6 6.45 13.5 IRipple E-Business Intl 65.9 68.5 60 68.5 5.95 Xurpas 11.16 11.54 11.16 11.5 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 105.6 First Metro ETF 121.1 121.6 120.8 120.8

-2.53 0.14 -6.25 -3.17 0.00 -0.44 -7.14 7.69 -1.58 -4.11 -0.54 -0.49 0.00 0.00 -0.66 -4.09 -6.67 -0.14 -2.72 -5.00

158,000 600 10,975,000 830,000 7,530,000 1,460,000 15,500,000 11,500,000 97,000 2,342,000 667,000 166,000 300,000 14,000 1,449,900 2,147,000 20,300,000 2,744,280 468,700 300,000

-0.32 0.19 4.64 0.00 0.00 -0.19 0.33 0.00 -0.09 0.29 0.07 -0.06 -0.56 0.00

152,910 130 9,340 3,000 4,000 1,150 6,000 50 30 5,155 60,400 30,000 29,010 1,000

2.47

12,000

11.72 -2.71 3.95 3.05

439,200 200 1,440 1,225,700

-0.25

6,550

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,683.78 (DOWN) 8.43 INDUSTRIAL 11,383.82 (DOWN) 32.64 HOLDING FIRMS 6,658.30 (DOWN) 28.46 PROPERTY 2,992.56 (UP) 4.21 SERVICES 2,057.70 (UP) 6.92 MINING & OIL 13,096.33 (DOWN) 173.00 PSEI 7,442.65 (DOWN) 12.50 All Shares Index 4,259.70 (DOWN) 5.52 Gainers: 71 Losers: 102; Unchanged: 40; Total: 213

Close

6.31 62.4 1.11 0.640 8.75 0.0810 3.6 84.5 6.65 930 2400 6.35 1.32 110.6 12 0.011 0.210 1.2800 9.25 2.58 1.15 46.00 0.670 1.96 5.45 0.330 18.04 4.50 110.20 18.78 2798.00 0.660 1.230 36.50 72.05 8.77 0.65 5.3 0.320 1.780

Abra Mining 0.0050 Apex `A’ 2.65 Atlas Cons. `A’ 6.18 Atok-Big Wedge `A’ 11.40 Basic Energy Corp.

0.238 Benguet Corp `B’ 6.8000 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 United Paragon

0.860 0.860 0.174 0.174 1.22 1.21 1.95 1.88 1.29 1.29 4.85 4.67 0.111 0.110 0.3000 0.3000 0.4400 0.4400 23.00 23.00 28.90 28.00 1.72 1.7 3.36 3.36 20.25 19.98 0.74 0.72 0.850 0.850 6.670 6.530 SERVICES 6.45 6.32 62.5 61.9 1.14 1.14 0.640 0.640 9.18 8.74 0.0820 0.0800 3.65 3.4 87.5 85.9 6.65 6.40 920 910 2466 2400 6.40 6.22 1.78 1.28 110.6 110 12 11.52 0.011 0.011 0.212 0.201 1.2900 1.2800 9.26 9.20 2.74 2.53 1.27 1.27 45.00 37.00 0.660 0.660 2 1.98 5.68 5.44 0.330 0.305 18.08 18.08 4.70 4.46 113.00 110.00 18.78 18.08 2830.00 2798.00 0.670 0.640 1.310 1.230 36.55 36.30 72.50 71.30 9.00 8.80 0.64 0.62 5.3 5.27 0.320 0.315 1.930 1.790 MINING & OIL 0.0063 0.0051 2.65 2.65 6.32 5.98 12.38 10.82 0.235 0.235 6.8 6.8 0.93 0.92

0.79 6.92 1.6 0.315 0.223 0.227 0.0140 0.0130 3.17 21.9 3.71 2.0400 0.0120 4.29 6.04 1.71 0.015 140.80 10.28 0.0100

T op g ainerS VALUE 834,478,615.07 1,072,098,107.07 1,572,519,821.918 859,973,291.59 1,654,972,527.41 543,952,612.4411 6,552,884,196.50

Low

0.860 0.174 1.22 1.88 1.29 4.67 0.110 0.3000 0.4400 23.00 28.00 1.7 3.36 20.20 0.74 0.850 6.600

0.0098 0.0043 5.45 1.72 17.24 6.47 25 9.43 0.330 0.236 12.8 5.11 1.19 0.85 5,198,000 1.62 0.77 9.5 5.99 4.2 1.17 0.48 0.305 0.420 0.2130 0.440 0.2160 0.022 0.013 0.023 0.014 8.2 3.240 49.2 18.96 4.27 2.11 3.06 1.54 0.020 0.012 7.67 5.4 12.88 7.26 10.42 2.27 0.040 0.015 420 115.9 9 3.67 0.016 0.0100

6.98 -28,307,810.00 -2,348,170.00

Previous

High Low

967,460.00 18,001,840.00 -47,224,570.00

24,607,320.00 48,871,365.00 -4,422,283.00 -635.00 -4,972.00 12,800,945.00 1,129,276.00 -92,766,240.00 -5,132,399.00

1,376,735.00 2,590.00

-4,192,627.00

110,146.00 -736,810.00 30,554,260.00 8,972,500.00 -20,748,680.00 -18,175,661.50 22,699,227.00 -897,750.00 -1,007,329.00 46,830.00

-2,011,540.00

-47,190.00 -5,522,865.00 -7,420.00 -24,580.00 -2,498,504.00 -116,610.00 6,520,855.00 -48,274.00 -377,201.00 -1,031,136.00

-565,500.00 1,748,560.00

31,848.00 -283,030.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

City & Land Dev.

1.14

40.74

Pryce Corp. `A'

2.91

Abra Mining

0.0063

26.00

Bogo Medelin

50.05

-15.16 -8.92

Double Dragon

9.91

11.72

Manila Mining `A'

0.0130

-7.14

Lorenzo Shipping

1.27

10.43

AG Finance

6.5

-7.01

First Abacus

0.74

8.82

Prime Orion

1.750

-6.91

Atok-Big Wedge `A'

12.38

8.60

Philodrill Corp. `A'

0.014

-6.67

Anglo Holdings A

1.27

8.55

Ferronickel

1.5

-6.25

ATN Holdings A

0.265

8.16

Calata Corp.

3.4

-5.56

Manila Mining `B'

0.0140

7.69

United Paragon

0.0095

-5.00

Pacifica `A'

0.0350

6.06

Anchor Land Holdings Inc.

7.99

-4.88

WEDNESDAY: JULY 8, 2015

B3

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

Market extends losses to 3rd day STOCKS fell for the third day, following overnight losses on Wall Street and as China’s equity rout resumed, countering speculation that a sell-off in risk assets may have been overdone after Greece’s rejection of austerity.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, fell 12 points, or 0.2 percent, to close at 7,442.65 on Tuesday. Despite the loss, the gauge was still up 2.9 percent since the start of the year.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also lost 5 points, or 0.1 percent, to settle at 4,259.70, on a value turnover of P6.6 billion.

Bloomberry Resorts Corp., operator of Solaire casino, emerged as the biggest gainer among the 20 most active stocks, as it climbed 4 percent to P9.10.

JG Summit Holdings Inc., the investment company of industrialist John Gokongwei, gained 1.5 percent to P71, while SM Prime Holdings Inc. of tycoon family Henry Sy, rose 1.2 percent to P20.20.

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. added 0.4 percent to close at P2,808.

Meanwhile, Asian markets mostly recovered Tuesday from the previous day’s Greece-fuelled sell-off, but Shanghai sank again as analysts warned government measures to staunch a recent rout will likely not be enough.

The euro held its ground after Greece’s weekend vote against creditors’ austerity proposals, with dealers hoping contagion will be limited if a bailout reform deal cannot be reached.

Crude prices also edged up after taking a hammering Monday on demand fears owing to the Greek crisis and China’s struggles to stabilize its stock markets.

Tokyo rose 1.34 percent, Sydney added 1.75 percent, Hong Kong gained 0.62 percent, Taipei advanced 0.50 percent and Wellington put on 0.63 percent. Seoul lost 0.52 percent.

But Shanghai dived 3.21 percent at the open, after Monday’s uptick, before recovering to sit 1.45 percent lower.

Eyes are on Europe, where Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will unveil new proposals Tuesday at a hastily arranged emergency eurozone summit in

Avida spending P3b in Tagaytay project

By Jenniffer B. Austria

AVIDA Land, the affordable residential unit of property developer Ayala Land Inc., said it expects to raise P5.5 billion in revenues from the newly-launched six-tower condominium project in Tagaytay.

Avida Land vice president and head for project and strategic development Apollo Tanco said in a news briefing Serin Tagaytay development would have 1,780 condominium units within the three-hectare development along the Tagaytay-Nasugbu Highway.

Average selling price is P3.3 million per unit.

Serin West, which offers 480 units over a two-tower devel-

opment, is seen to generate as much as P1.5 billion in sales while Serin East, with 1,300 units across four towers, is expected to yield as much as P4 billon.

Tanco said the company would spend P3 billion in the project.

The mid-rise development will have a clubhouse, adult and children’s swimming pools, trellised walkways, lounge and sitting ar-

eas, gardens plus a viewing deck.

The Serin Tagaytay is the eighth residential project to be launched by Avida this year.

At least 12 more projects are slated for launching before the end of the year.

Tanco said the launching of Serin Tagaytay would enable the Avida to have a complete residential product line in Cavite, which was one of the fastest growing cites in the country.

“With the three-hectare Serin, Avida now offers a complete residential product line in Cavite. Whether a customer considers a house and lot purchase, lot only or a condo unit, Avida will have it all in Cavite,” Tanco said.

Avida also recently unveiled Southgrove Estates in Imus, a house and lot development

package with price starting at P5.2 million. The project is already 57-percent sold.

Avida, which started its first project in Cavite in 2002 with a 38-hectare development offering house and lots and lots only, currently has 4,203 residential units in Cavite.

Avida’s residential villages across the province are 86-percent sold.

“Since its initial lot only offering in 2009, lot value has appreciated here from P8,500/ square meters to P15,500 per square meter, marking a 12-percent annual growth rate,” said Avida project and strategic manager for south Luzon Herbert Herrero said.

“The province remains a top residential choice for many Avida buyers,” he said.

Model country. Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala (third from left) meets with Commissioner Kermenu Vella (second from right) of the European Commission’s Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries during a meeting on July 1, 2015 in Brussels, Belgium. Alcala assured Vella of the Philippines continuing efforts to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing following the European Union’s decision to lift its yellowcard warning on the country two months ago. The revocation effectively spared the Philippines from possible trade sanctions from EU, one of the country’s largest markets for fishery products such as tuna.

TaskUs investing P675m to boost PH outsourcing operations

By Othel V. Campos TASKUS Philippines, a customer care and back office support provider, announced Tuesday a P675-million expansion program in the Philippines.

TaskUs Philippines co-founder and chief executive Bryce Maddock said the investment came in the form of a private equity funding from Navegar, a local fund established by individuals from the call center industry.

“The investment crystallizes our company’s expansion programs.

This includes the opening of new locations outside Metro Manila and the improvement of infrastructure to enhance our ability to deliver better customer service,” he said in a news briefing Tuesday.

The company recently opened its flagship regional corporate headquarters at 24/7 McKinley in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, as part of the first phase of the expansion program.

The new facility has a floor area of 2,500 square feet, occupying three floors of office space and boasts of facilities such as spacious meeting rooms, boardrooms, and recruitment facilities, as well as state-ofthe-art data centers equipped with variable refrigerant flow air conditioning system and 100-percent back up power capability.

The facility has a 400-seating capacity with amenities like a gym, theater and sleeping quarters.

The McKinley site is the company’s third facility after its offices in Imus, Cavite and SM Aura in Taguig.

Aside from expanding locations and strengthening the company’s infrastructure, the investment will also be used to improve employee enhancement programs to reinforce its exceptional, unique and employee-centric culture, said Maddock.

“Since our aim is to be the employer of choice among BPO

companies, we are emphasizing improving our present employee enhancement programs,” he said.

“Programs like the scholarship program for exceptional employees, the Learning Academy, and management training programs, to name a few, are all in place so we develop the best and most dynamic workforce in the industry and improve our customer service, while attracting other global customers to trust us with their business,” he said.

B4

Sin taxes raised $2.3-b revenue

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

THE Finance Department said Tuesday the government raised about $2.3 billion in revenues from the sin tax law, which financed the universal health care system and several infrastructure projects Finance Undersecretary Jeremias Paul Jr. said during the launch of a World Health Organization report the Philippines generated $2.3 billion from the RA 10351, or the Sin Tax Reform Act, since its passage in 2012.

Paul said tobacco taxes accounted for 81 percent of the $2.3-billion revenue.

“This law has enabled us to increase the budget of the Department of Health by 57.4 percent in 2014 and 63.4 percent in 2015 over 2013 levels. National government allocation for health

insurance premiums has increased and resulted to a 185 percent increase in the number of registered indigent PhilHealth members,” said Paul.

Finance said the sin tax revenues rose P50.2 billion in 2014, higher than the P49.2-billion target this year.

The incremental revenues earmarked for health like Philhealth premiums and Health Facilities Enhancement Program stood at P44.7 billion in 2013 and P42.6 billion in 2014. The share of total tobacco and alcohol excise collections amounted to 0.9 percent of the gross domestic product for 2013 and 2014, the highest since 2000.

Paul noted that cheap cigarettes sold by tobacco companies was one of the main problems that the agency was facing when implementing the fight against tobacco usage. He said some cigarettes were being sold for just P2 per stick in the market.

The WHO Report on Global Epidemic Tobacco-2015 is the fift h of its series since it was first published in 2007 to highlight the progress in tobacco control globally. The fift h

series, dubbed as Raising Taxes on Tobacco, was launched in the Philippines in recognition of efforts to reduce tobacco consumption after the passage of the Sin Tax Law. The report said the Philippines still had a long way to go in increasing taxes on tobacco.

The country is not listed in the 33 countries that can impose taxes representing 75 percent of the retail price of a packet of cigarettes.

WHO project manager of noncommunicable diseases Vinayak Prasad said the Philippine still belonged to those countries selling tobacco at an affordable price.

“The global average pack price was 3.51 international dollars, while the average for high-income countries was 5.53 international dollars. Cigarette pack prices, total taxes, and the tobacco excise component as a share of pack prices are all lower in low- and middleincome countries, with total tax as proportion of price varying between 46 percent and 55 percent, and running at almost 65 percent in high-income countries,” the report said

Manulife in Sta. Rosa. Sta. Rosa Mayor Arlene B. Arcillas (center) cuts the ceremonial ribbon at Manulife Sta. Rosa, with (from left) Manulife

Philippines chief marketing officer Melissa Henson, Manulife Philippines chief operations officer John Januszczak, Manulife Philippines Luzon Territory Head Marlon Vicente, Manulife Philippines president and chief executive Ryan Charland and Manulife Philippines South Central Luzon Agency Director Mervin Keng. Manulife Sta. Rosa, formerly at One Evotech Building in Nuvali, is now located at 3/F San Jose Building, Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Road, Barangay Don Jose,Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Jetti set to open Bataan oil depot

By Alena Mae S. Flores JETTI Petroleum Inc. is set to inaugurate late this week its P1.5billion Bataan Bulk Terminal facility.

The Bataan Bulk Terminal will give the company the logistics capability to cater to the rising demand for diesel, motor gasoline products and bunker fuel oil in Luzon, including the possible storage and supply of bioethanol and aviation fuel needs in the region.

The Bataan depot, Jetti’s second import facility next to the Tagoloan bulk terminal, will serve the product requirements for Luzon. Thus, the company will no longer have to transport fuel from Tagoloan in Mindanao to Luzon Jetti earlier said it increased its investment in the Bataan bulk terminal to P1.5 billion from P1 billion as the company aggressivel pursues an expansion program.

The company said in a statement it would use the additional capital expenditure in implementing the second phase of development.

The second phase of Jetti’s depot in Mariveles, Bataan will add 1.5 hectares to its existing twohectare development, bringing the current landholding in the area to 3.5 hectares “The idea of a Phase 2 was conceived in order to maximize the usable land area of the property,” said Jetti corporate affairs manager Leo Bellas earlier.

“By expanding our holdings, we now have the capability of adding more storage tanks to meet the growing market need for quality fuels in Luzon,” Bellas said.

Philam Asset bares array of alternative investments PHILAM Asset Management Inc., one of the largest asset and wealth managers in the mutual fund industry with over P40 billion in assets under management as of December 2014, offers an array of mutual fund options with a small or large amount of capital and a conservative to aggressive risk appetite.

The largest mutual fund in PAMI’s stable is the Philam Strategic Growth Fund, an equities based fund for aggressive investors that offers potential returns and inflows from shares in companies listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange, with P16.951 billion in assets under management as of December 2014.

Philam Fund is offering to adventurous investors a combination of fi xed-income investments—such as bonds, as well as stocks. By having a balanced fund, investors can better steel themselves against the volatility of the market, and reduce risk to their investment.

For conservative investors, they will find safety and security in the Philam Bond Fund, exclusively investing in local government bonds.

PAMI is a wholly owned company of Philam Life--the country’s premier life insurance company and a member company of the AIA Group, the largest pan-Asian life insurance group that has a unique heritage of serving the world’s most dynamic region for more than 90 years.

Amusement park safety. The Philippine Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions held a special event to promote the culture of safety in the operations and maintenance of amusement parks and attractions in the country. Enchanted Kingdom hosted the event, called the 2nd PhilAAPA Tour Operators Day EduTourism and Safety Forum. Shown (from left) are PhilAAPA president and Enchanted Kingdom chairman and president Mario Mamon, Enchanted Kingdom chief operating officer Cynthia Mamon, Santa Rosa City Mayor Arlene Arcillas, Education Assistant Regional Director Beatriz Torno, PhilAAPA executive director Ricky Tamparong and Enchanted Kingdom sales division head Lynne Adante.

W E D N E S D AY : J U LY 8 , 2 0 1 5

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

Argo thanato: The Pinoys in Greece THE result of the referendum where Greeks said no to more belt tightening even as creditors refused to extend a helping hand (or a lifeline) to the debt-laden Greeks is nothing less than tragic for a nation whose contribution to culture, arts, medicine and all other aspects of humanity continues to impact the way we live and think today. With banks closing following the refusal of the European Central Bank to approve an emergency loan, uncertainty looms like a gray shroud of death over the nation of proud people.

Over 60,000 Filipinos live and work in Greece today, and it’s not surprising that majority of them feel apprehensive about the future. But the BS Aquino administration proved once again just how out of touch it is to the situation suffered by ordinary Filipinos, especially those belonging to the bottom rung of the socioeconomic ladder, when a Palace mouthpiece practically declared that the Philippines will not really be affected by the crisis that is happening in Greece. Majority of our kabayans work in Greece as seafarers but a big number of them are also “household service workers”--the government’s preferred and politically correct term to refer to domestic helpers whose families back here depend on whatever the OFWs could send.

Several of these workers spoke to Happy Hour and admitted that they are afraid at the effect of the situation on their livelihoods. Many of the women who work as house helpers or cleaners told us they have no permanent employers, going from one house to another as part of a cleaning crew or doing laundry and ironing clothes on a per engagement basis.

Sure the administration of President BS could confidently say there is no need to repatriate the overseas workers in Greece despite the situation because the OFWs themselves refuse to come home knowing they have no alternative job or livelihood option waiting for them here. “We have no choice” or “We’d rather risk it here than go back to the Philippines and waste our days wondering where we could find work” is the usual reply that we got when we asked them if they would be willing to come back considering the worsening crisis.

As usual when conversation turns to families, some OFWs could not help feeling tearful--after all, each one of us has his own battle and more often than not, the feeling of nostalgia and the pain of separation are battlefields that OFWs often find themselves engaged in. More often than not, we end up speechless, not knowing what words of comfort to express when one of them starts talking about their years of backbreaking work cleaning bathrooms and toilets, taking care of other people’s kids knowing their own small children also need them--enduring the physical and emotional pain just to be able to send money for school, food, electricity, rent plus a little extra to save for a rainy day or a modest house to welcome them when they go home--only to find out that the money has been squandered.

“I scrimped and skimped and saved by resisting the need to buy new clothes until the old ones are thin from frequent washing and foregoing a lot of little luxuries just so I could save enough for the down payment for a small house in Cavite that would be payable in 10 years,” one of them recounted in the vernacular.

“I sent the money for the monthly amortization directly to my mother’s account expecting that in three years time the house would be fully paid. She didn’t tell me she has not been paying the monthly amortization so now I’m in danger of losing the house and forfeiting all the money I have paid because of the accumulated interest and other charges,” the tearful OFW continued.

“And now this debt crisis--how can I go home? Of course we are affected--my family will be affected because they will starve if I find myself out of work,” the poor woman lamented.

So sure, Mr. President, you and your mouthpieces just continue that line that the OFWs in Greece are not affected by the crisis. After all, they and the families dependent on them are not yet dead, are they?

••• For comments, reactions, photos, stories and related concerns, readers may email to happyhourtoday2012@yahoo.com. You may also visit and like our Facebook page https://www.facebook. com/happyhourmanilastandard. We’d be very happy to hear from you. Cheers!

B5

PLDT signs content agreement with Fox

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE two largest multi-media companies, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. and ABS-CBN Corp., announced Tuesday they have signed separate content partnerships with two foreign companies.

The country’s largest telephone company said it entered into a content partnership with Fox International Channels to offer a complete menu of video content to its PLDT Home and Smart subscribers.

“This content partnership with Fox gives us unparalleled breadth and depth in our entertainment library. Aside from subscription video-on-demand, our subscribers can now further enjoy entertainment everywhere as we also give them live shows and catchup television on the various Fox

channels,” Ariel Fermin, PLDT and Smart executive vice president and head of Consumer Business Group, said.

“With their nationwide reach and advanced multimedia platforms, PLDT HOME and Smart are the ideal content partners for us. We look forward to bringing our multi-faceted entertainment offerings to millions of Filipino homes in partnership with these industry leaders,” said Jude H. Turcuato, senior vice president and general manager of Fox In-

ternational Channels PH. PLDT’s partnership with Fox came after its recent groundbreaking partnership with Southeast Asia’s leading Internet TV service provider iFlix that provides the biggest library of movies and TV shows to the group’s over 75 million subscribers. The company invested $15 million in the iFlix partnership.

PLDT also invested 333 million euros or about P19.66 billion for a 6.1 percent stake in Rocket Internet, the owner of Zalora, Lazada, Carmudi, Lamudi and Easy Taxi.

Meanwhile, ABS-CBN said it teamed up with Singtel TV to offer The Filipino Channel to overseas Filipinos in Singapore.

ABS-CBN Global managing director for Asia-Pacific Ailene Averion said the carriage partnership of TFC and Singtel TV addressed the content needs of the Filipinos in Singapore.

Solar lamp posts.

FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. and the world’s largest express transportation company, donated 10 solar lamp posts to an indigenous community in Sitio Flora, Capas, Tarlac. FedEx managing deirector for the Philippines and Indonesia Rhicke Jennings leads volunteers in the installation of the solar lamp posts under the Hands On Manila’s All Lights Village 2015 program.

Thirty FedEx employee volunteers helped install solar lamp posts that will provide lighting to 100 families in the community.

The volunteers also refurbished the community learning center and hosted fun activities for residents in the area.

Meralco: Rate may rise by P0.30/kwh

By Alena Mae S. Flores MANILA Electric Co., the biggest electricity retailer, said Tuesday the generation charge may go up

by P0.25 to P0.30 per kilowatthour this month due to the tight power supply in June.

Meralco, however, said in a statement it was confident an expected reduced distribution charge would offset the increase in generation charge, or the cost the company pays to power suppliers.

Meralco said it was ready to implement a lower distribution charge in July once it received an order from the Energy Regulatory Commission approving its petition.

Meralco earlier asked the ERC to implement an interim distribution rate of P1.39 per kilowatt-hour, rep-

resenting a 10.4-percent reduction from the current distribution, supply and metering charges.

Meralco, meanwhile, said the generation charge for July was likely to go up due to higher prices at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, the country’s trading floor of electricity for the June supply month.

“Numerous instances of forced outages by other power plants also triggered a number of yellow alerts, thereby putting more upward pressure on WESM prices,” it said.

The Malampaya gas restrictions in June also resulted in the use of more expensive alternative fuels by some power plants, such as those of the First Gas plants.

Meralco customers in June enjoyed lower power rates of P0.58

per kWh due to the lower generation costs from suppliers.

Meralco said it would delay the schedule of its billing delivery for a number of days for some of its customers, pending an order from the ERC which it expects to receive on July 10.

Customers who will be included in the adjustment of the bill delivery schedule are those who usually receive their bills on the 6th to the 12th of the month.

Meralco said these customers can expect their bills to arrive within a week from the time they are supposed to get their bills. A customer whose bill usually arrives on the 10th of the month will most likely have his July bill between the 14th and the 17th of the same month.

WEDNESDAY: JULY 8, 2015

B6

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

Clark expands water services ByAnnaLeahE.Gonzales

Countryside entrepreneur. GT Comestics founder and chief operating officer Leonora Salvane received the Grand Chamber

Countryside Entrepreneur of the Year award from the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Shown during the CCCI Grand Chamber Awards Fellowship Night in Cebu City are (from left) Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama, Salvane, GT Cosmetics president and chief executive Rogelio Salvane Sr., CCCI president Tess Chan and Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III. Salvane earlier received the Outstanding Professional Award given by the Philippine Institute of Chemical Engineers in cooperation with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) for her exemplary professional and social civic contributions to the society and to the profession of Chemical Engineering.

Airbnb pursuing expansion in PH

By Othel V. Campos

AIRBNB Inc., a Californiabased hospitality digital platform, is expanding its presence in the Philippines by attracting more entrepreneurial Filipinos to hook up to their system and list their properties for rent by foreign and local tourists.

Airbnb managing director for Southeast Asia and India JiaJih Chai said the company now had more than a thousand daily listings in Metro Manila alone.

“More and more Filipinos are using Airbnb not only for travel but as a source of additional income. Listings are growing as we speak and we are hoping that many more Filipinos will

discover Airbnb as a partner in travel and in business,” Chai told reporters Tuesday during the two-day Slingshot Manila 2015 event at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

Airbnb, headquartered in San Francisco, has presence in major markets across 190 countries, with Paris as its top destination. Daily listings in Paris reached as much as 150,000 postings.

“But one of the fastest growing markets is East Asia, with Tokyo as the top choice destination of Airbnb travellers,” said Chai.

He said in the Philippines, Tagaytay and Baguio were high on the list of Airbnb travelers. The company also has links in major Philippine cities like Cebu and Davao.

Travelers have choice of working around their budget for lodging and accommodation.

They can choose modest yet clean and safe accommodations for only $50 a day to as much as $300 per day.

Chai was one of the resource speakers during Slingshot Manila 2015, the official start-up event of the ongoing Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Manila He said Airbnb had humble beginnings as a startup company two years ago. “Now it has grown as a very helpful tool in giving travelers options for their stay in any destination of their choosing with less hassle.

It is also a symbol of hope for other startup companies having a rough start as well as source of livelihood for many families out there,” he said.

He said Airbnb operated similar to the homestay program of the Philippine government.

“Ours is an online marketplace where one can choose where and how you want your stay to be in a place. Hosts can package their listing however they see fit. We do not interfere,” he said.

The company collects 3 percent from the host for every successful booking online.

CLARK Water, the sole provider of water and used water services in Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone said Tuesday it has recently constructed two deepwells that will add three million liters of water a day.

The deepwells, which were commissioned early this year, is part of Clark Water’s water security plan to address the demand and proper distribution of the supply requirements of its locators.

The plan which also includes the installation of 11 kilometers of water mainlines will further strengthen the company’s commitment to provide clean, safe and reliable potable water for all its customers within the concession area, Clark Water said.

Clark Water said within the next five years, the projected water demand inside Clark would increase to 62 million liters a day from the present 42 MLD. “Clark Water takes on a proactive approach in ensuring that the company is ready to supply the needed volume of its customers,” Clark Water said.

“Before the year ends, another deepwell is expected to become fully operational which will deliver an extra 2 MLD,” Clark Water said.

Clark Water, a subsidiary of Manila Water Philippine Ventures, is also looking at the feasibility of harnessing surface water sources to meet future water requirements.

DoE prepares schedule for lower threshold under open access

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Energy Department has issued a circular directing large customers with a demand of 750 kilowatts to one megawatt to secure power supply contracts not later than June 25, 2016, ahead of the implementation of lower threshold for open access and retail competition.

The agency issued Department Circular 2015-06-0010, which

mandated all contestable customers with an average demand ranging from 750 to 999 kW for the preceding 12-month period “to secure their retail supply contract with RES [retail electricity suppliers] no later than June 25, 2016.”

The Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 mandates that the threshold for open access can be lowered to 750 kW from 1 MW, two years upon implementation. Open access was imple-

mented in December 2013.

The circular aims to provide policies to facilitate the full implementation of retail competition and open access in the Philippine electric power industry.

It stated that the large power customers currently served by their franchised distribution utilities were mandated to secure their respective RSCs not later than June 25, 2016.

Power stakeholders have raised

concerns that Manila Electric Co. continued to be the major supplier of electricity under the 1 MW threshold of retail competition and open access, which allows large power users to choose their own suppliers.

Data from the Philippine Electricity Market Corp., operator of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, earlier showed that 204 or 56 percent of 366 contestable customers were being supplied by

MPower, Meralco’s retail electricity supplier unit.

The circular also said that by June 26, 2016, the aggregators should be allowed to compete with the RES, generation company and prospective generation company.

Aggregators refer to a person or entity engaged in consolidating electric power demand of end users in the contestable market for the purpose of purchasing or reselling electricity on a group basis.

W e D n e s D aY : J u LY 8 , 2 0 1 5

WORLD

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

B7

UN showdown over Srebrenica UNITED NATIONS— The UN Security Council was headed for a showdown on Tuesday over a British-drafted resolution that aims to mark 20 years since the Srebrenica genocide but faces stiff opposition from Russia.

Things getting worse in Aden ADEN—Overwhelmed by hundreds of sick and wounded each day, hospitals in Yemen’s second city Aden have been reduced to hospices lacking medicines and space as the country’s bloodshed rages on.

“The world is watching us slowly die,” said Abdullah Gahtan, a lawyer lying on a bed at Aden’s Al-Sadaka hospital.

Like many others in the war-ravaged city, Gahtan is suffering from dengue fever, which is spreading fast across Aden.

“The doctor prescribed a treatment, but we couldn’t find the medicines.”

The World Health Organization said last month that more than 3,000 dengue cases had been reported in Yemen since March, adding that the actual figure could be far higher.

Medical sources in Aden say the mosquitoborne infectious disease has already killed 260 people in the port city in recent weeks.

But dengue is only one of the many diseases, such as malaria and typhoid, rapidly spreading across the port city due to deteriorating sanitary conditions as rebels and pro-government forces wage fierce battles.

The United Nations has declared its highest level of humanitarian emergency in Yemen, where a Saudi-led Arab coalition has also been bombing the rebels since March 26.

In addition to some 3,000 Yemenis killed since March, the war has also left 14,000 wounded and displaced more than a million people, according to the UN. It says 21 million, or 80 percent of Yemen’s population, need immediate help and that close to 13 million people are unable to meet their food needs, while 15 million people have no health care. AFP

As Bosnia prepares for somber national commemorations of the 20th anniversary on Saturday, the 15-member council is to vote on a text that condemns the atrocities at Srebrenica and calls for boosting genocide prevention worldwide.

It remains unclear however whether Russia will veto the draft resolution that Moscow’s Deputy UN Ambassador Petr Iliichev has described as “divisive” and focused on just “one part of the conflict.”

The disagreement over the UN measure highlighted the divisions from the Balkan wars when Russia defended ethnic Serbs and Serbia, who are fellow Slavs, while western countries supported Bosnian Muslims and Croatia.

Running of the bulls. Participants run in front of Jandilla bulls during the first “encierro” (bull-run) of the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona, northern Spain, on July 7. The festival is a symbol of Spanish culture that attracts thousands of tourists to watch the bull runs despite heavy condemnation from animal rights groups. AFP

Republic of the Philippines Province of Kalinga City of Tabuk BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE

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The draft resolution has kicked up a storm in the Balkans, where Bosnian Serb leaders have refused to recognize the killing of 8,000 Muslim men and boys in July 1995 as a genocide.

The draft resolution stresses that “acceptance of the tragic events at Srebrenica as genocide is a prerequisite for reconciliation” and condemns genocide denial.

Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik has called the Srebrenica genocide a “lie” and accused Britain of trying to “register at the UN, on the basis of false declarations and reports, that a genocide was committed against Muslims.”

“Genocide is a crime, and those who committed it are criminals who should be punished as such,” British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft wrote in a letter to Mladen Ivanic, the Serb chairman of the Bosnian presidency.

“To say so is not ‘anti-Serbian,’ as some have alleged.”

In a letter to UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon, Mladic had called the resolution “anti-Serb because it fails to mention in any way the Serb victims of the Srebrenica region.” AFP

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INVITATION TO BID ITB No. GOODS-2015-10 The Local Government Unit of Tabuk through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) invites ManufacturerslDistributors/Suppliers to bid for the hereunder upgrading of Network System: Name of Project

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Cost of Bid Documents

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C a l l t o O r d e r.

Determination and Cer tif ication of a Quorum.

A p p r ova l o f t h e p r ev i o u s M i n u t e s o f t h e A n n u a l Stockholders' Meeting and Organizational Meeting held o n 24 J u l y 2 014 .

I V. Repor t of the President

• 2 014 H i g h l i g h t s

• 2 014 Pe r f o r m a n c e V. A p p r ova l o f t h e A u d i t e d F i n a n c i a l S t a t e m e n t s f o r t h e c a l e n d a r ye a r e n d e d 31 D e c e m b e r 2 014 .

VI. Certification and Ratification of Corporate Acts for the year 2014.

V I r. Election of the members of the Board of Directors for 2015-2016.

VIII. Appointment of External Auditors.

IX. C h a n g e o f P r i n c i p a l A d d r e s s f r o m Po r t A r e a , M a n i l a t o B G C , Ta g u i g C i t y X. Other Matters

P r o s p e c t i v e b i d d e r s s h o u l d h av e c o m p l e t e d a S i m i l a r c o n t r a c t w i t h a v a l u e o f a t l e a s t 5 0 % o f t h e A B C . T h e B AC w i l l u s e n o n - d i s c r e t i o n a r y p a s s l f a i l c r i t e r i a i n t h e e l i g i b i l i t y c h e c k /s c r e e n i n g a s w e l l a s t h e p r e l i m i n a r y ex a m i n a t i o n o f b i d s . T h e B AC w i l l c o n d u c t p o s t - q u a l i f i c a t i o n o f t h e l o w e s t calculated bid.

P r e - B i d c o n f e r e n c e w i l l b e o n J u l y 15 2 015 , 9 : 0 0 A M a t t h e B AC M e e t i n g R o o m , C i t y E n g i n e e r i n g O f f i c e , Ta b u k C i t y H a l l , D a g u p a n C e n t r o, Ta b u k C i t y B i d D o c u m e n t s a r e a v a i l a b l e d u r i n g o f f i c e h o u r s s t a r t i n g J u l y 14 , 2 015 a t t h e B AC - S e c r e t a r i a t , C i t y E n g i n e e r i n g O f f i c e a n d u p o n p ay m e n t o f a n o n r e f u n d a b l e a m o u n t o f b i d d o c u m e n t s a s s t a t e d a b o v e t o t h e LG U C a s h i e r, O f f i c e o f t h e Tr e a s u r e r.

A l l b i d p r o p o s a l s s h o u l d b e r e c e i v e d by t h e B AC C h a i r m a n / S e c r e t a r i a t o n o r b e f o r e J u l y 2 9 , 2 015 , We d n e s d ay, 9 : 0 0 A M a t t h e B AC M e e t i n g R o o m , C i t y E n g i n e e r i n g O f f i c e , Ta b u k C i t y H a l l , D a g u p a n C e n t r o, Ta b u k C i t y.

T h e B i d s a n d A w a r d s C o m m i t t e e ( B AC) r e s e r v e s t h e r i g h t t o r e j e c t a ny a n d /o r a l l b i d s o r p a r t t h e r e o f, o r t o w a i v e f o r m a l i t y t h e r e i n a n d /o r t o a c c e p t t h e b i d s a s m ay b e c o n s i d e r e d m o s t a d v a n t a g e o u s t o t h e L o c a l G o v e r n m e n t U n i t o f Ta b u k .

Only stockholders of record date at the close of business hour o f 01 J u n e 2 015 t h e r e c o r d d a t e a n d t i m e f i xe d by t h e B o a r d o f D i r e c t o r s a r e e n t i t l e d t o n o t i c e a n d t o vo t e a t s a i d m e e t i n g .

R e g i s t r a t i o n f o r t h e s t o c k h o l d e r s ' m e e t i n g s h a l l s t a r t a t 9 :3 0 a m .

I f y o u c a n n o t p e r s o n a l l y a t t e n d t h e m e e t i n g a n d w o u l d l i ke t o b e r e p r e s e n t e d by a p r ox y, yo u m ay a c c o m p l i s h a n d s i g n t h e a t t a c h e d p r ox y f o r m ( A n n ex "A" ), w h i c h m u s t b e r e c e i ve d by t h e O f f i c e o f t h e C o r p o r a t e S e c r e t a r y a t t h e o f f i c e o f t h e C o r p o r a t i o n a t A .C .

D e l g a d o c o r n e r 2 5 t h S t r e e t s , Po r t A r e a , M a n i l a n o t l a t e r t h a n f o r t y e i g h t (4 8) h o u r s b e f o r e t h e s c h e d u l e d m e e t i n g .

T h e C o r p o r a t i o n o r a ny o f i t s d i r e c t o r s o r o f f i c e r s i s n o t s o l i c i t i n g a ny p r ox y.

M a n i l a , 2 3 J u n e 2 015

Ve r y t r u l y y o u r s ,

FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTOR (SGD) MELITHA F. GASAPOS Corporate Secretary

(S G D .) R U BY P E T E R A . A L B E R T B AC C h a i r m a n ( T S - J U L . 8 , 2 015 )

( T S - J U LY 8 , 2 015 )

W E D N E S D AY : J U LY 8 , 2 0 1 5

B8 Lawyers back two women over attire RABAT, Morocco—Hundreds of lawyers have registered to defend two women who went on trial in Morocco on Monday accused of “gross indecency” for wearing dresses considered provocative, an activist said.

The women were arrested in the southern city of Agadir in mid-June after walking through a marketplace in the dresses, sparking anger among passers-by in the conservative Muslim kingdom.

The verdict is to be delivered on July 13, said Fouzia Assouli, head of women’s rights organization LDDF. The two women, hairdressers aged 23 and 19, were charged with “indecent exposure” for which they could face up to two years in prison.

They have been backed by hundreds of lawyers, many of whom appeared in court on Monday, said Assouli.

“Five hundred lawyers registered to defend the two women, but because of restricted space in the courtroom, only 200 were able to attend” the hearing, she told AFP. The lawyers took turns to put forward arguments in the case, she said.

One of them, Sibai Bakar, said the trial was a “chance for our country to amend its laws to conform with its commitments to human rights and especially individual freedoms.”

Rights organizations have denounced the trial and protests are to be held later this week in Agadir and in Morocco’s commercial capital Casablanca in support of the two women.

In the police report, the women were said to have been wearing clothes that were “too tight.”

Article 483 of Morocco’s penal code states that anyone found guilty of committing an act of “public obscenity,” such as “gross indecency,” can be jailed for between a month and two years.

The case comes amid growing calls for “morality” to be respected in Morocco, which has been frequently criticized by international groups for rights abuses. AFP

cESAr bArrioqUiNto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

world Emergency summit set over Greeks’ ‘No’ vote BRUSSELS—Eurozone leaders were to hold an emergency summit in Brussels Tuesday to discuss the fallout from Greek voters’ defiant “No” to further austerity measures, with the country’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras set to unveil new proposals for talks.

For Chanel. US model Kendall Jenner presents a creation for Chanel during the 2015-2016 fall/winter Haute Couture collection fashion show on July 7 at the Grand Palais in Paris. AFP

As the country’s economy gasps for air, with banks closed until at least Thursday on fears cash machines are running dry, Germany and France presented a united front, calling on Tsipras to make “precise” proposals in a bid to revive the bailout talks.

“The door is open to discussions,” said French President Francois Hollande Monday after crisis talks in Paris with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, held a day after Greeks rejected creditors’ proposed terms for a new bailout in a historic referendum that was a political victory for Tsipras but plunged Europe into crisis.

“It is now up to the government of Alexis Tsipras to make serious, credible proposals so that this willingness to stay in the eurozone can translate into a lasting program,” Hollande said.

For her part, Merkel said the conditions for a new Greek rescue package “have not yet been met.”

“And that is why we are now waiting for very precise proposals from the Greek prime minister, a program that will allow Greece to return to prosperity,” said Merkel, adding that eurozone countries had already shown “a lot of solidarity with Greece”.

Without any proposals, the European digital commissioner Gunther Oettinger told German media, any new negotiations would be “meaningless”.

Greece’s new finance minister Euclid Tsakalotos said Greece wants “to continue the discussion”.

Tsakalotos, who admitted to having “stage fright” upon assuming the post “not at the easiest moment in Greek history”, was thrust into the spotlight Monday after the surprise resignation of his firebrand predecessor Yanis Varoufakis.

Positions among Greece’s 18 partners in the eurozone vary ahead of Tuesday’s summit.

Germany, Finland, Slovakia and the Baltic states have taken a notably harder line, whereas France, Italy and Spain have adopted a more conciliatory tone. AFP

Cosby admits drugging woman for sex LOS ANGELES—In court documents unsealed Monday, embattled US comedian Bill Cosby admitted having drugged at least one woman with Quaaludes to have sex with her.

Cosby, accused of sexual assault by some 30 women over decades but who has so far escaped justice, made the admission in a deposition in 2005, talking about an incident from 1976.

The 77-year-old was questioned

by Dolores Troiani, a lawyer for Andrea Constand, a former women’s basketball director at Philadelphia’s Temple University where Cosby studied and was a member of the board of trustees.

Constand took her rape case to

court, but the case was dropped.

Cosby’s lawyers had long sought to block the publication of the court transcripts, but they were released Monday on the PACER public court records website.

In one exchange between Cosby and Troiani, the comic admitted having obtained seven prescriptions for Quaaludes, a powerful sedative drug.

“You gave them to other people?” asked the attorney.

“Yes,” replied Cosby.

Troiani then asked him: “When you got the Quaaludes, was it in your mind that you were going to use these Quaaludes for young women that you wanted to have sex with?”

“Yes,” replied Cosby, although a

short time later he said he had misunderstood the question, and was referring only to one woman.

“I misunderstood. Woman, meaning T....., and not women,” he said.

Later in the deposition, Cosby said: “I meet Ms (T, whose name was redacted to preserve her anonymity) in Las Vegas. She meets me back stage. I give her Quaaludes. We then have sex.”

The entertainer resigned from the board of Temple University last December as the sexual abuse accusations against him multiplied.

Cosby is famous for his role in “The Cosby Show,” a popular family sitcom that aired in the 1980s and 1990s. AFP

Remembering the victims. Floral tributes and messages are

pictured following a wreath-laying ceremony in London’s Hyde Park on July 7 in memory of the 52 victims of the 7/7 London attacks. AFP

W E D N E S D AY : J U LY 0 8 : 2 0 1 5

TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR

BING PAREL

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

BERNADETTE LUNAS

life @ thestandard.com .ph

WRITER

@LIFEatStandard

H OME & L I V ING

LIFE

C1 Don Young Safari in Africa

The River House

THE WORLD TRAVELER'S HOME

BY ED BIADO

“P

rizmic & Brill is a trademark developed with the idea of two travelers seeking the beauty, diversity and essence of the world and its cultures.”

This is how New York-born designer Matthew Sven Brill describes the brand that he built in 1986 together with writer and performance artist Vinko Mario Prizmic.

Based out of San Fernando in the province of Pampanga, P&B Valises et Compagnie Inc. employs thousands of artisans and workers with the common goal of creating pieces that would bring character to any space.

Prizmic & Brill’s signature style is combining hardwood, hand-forged brass and exquisite leather hides, and a detailoriented and meticulous fabrication process.

The brand specializes in vintage-style home furnishings and period pieces inspired by travel. “Thus, our hallmark resembles a vintage luggage badge,” points out Brill. “We have used a ‘Travelers Palm’ as part of our marketing graphics as well.”

The studied blend of travel influences and Old World charm translates into a very specific and refined aesthetic. Most of the pieces have a rustic and nostalgic feel to them; exotic and eclectic, even. Similar to heirloom items that have been passed on through generations, a Prizmic & Brill piece is marked by history and excellent craftsmanship.

“Our customer relates to our products because of their historical and classic roots.

Many of our items are travel-related – Trunks & Campaign Furniture – and they target a sophisticated clientele,” Brill notes.

That a space filled with Prizmic & Brill pieces encapsulates what a sophisticated traveler is looking for, the brand is a favorite contractor in the hospitality and property development industries. Both in the Philippines and abroad, they have designed custom pieces for major accommodation properties, upmarket residential developments and swanky restaurants.

Here at home, the Prizmic & Brill touch can be found at the Sofitel, ShangriLa hotels, Raffles and the Amanpulo resort. They’ve done work for Century Properties and Ayala Land as well. The company’s hefty contract design portfolio of international clients can be found on its website, www.prizmicbrill.com.

“Contract business is usually custom design or variations of our existing designs.

The product is designed for commercial use and designs often vary from the retail product by dimension and fabrication,” Brill explains. “Our designs are a collaboration – a result and evolution of combining the ideas and expertise of our customers over the last 25-plus years. I am talking about working with the best minds in furniture design, hotel developers, resort owners, interior designers and others.”

It is also very inspiring. “We have interpreted the designs of so many talented people that the result has crept its way into our own products – we improvise more than we design.”

Prizmic & Brill is in contract with the Professional Golfers Association as its exclusive supplier of pro-shop buildout

and fixtures, locker rooms, and dining and hospitality tent furnishings. Brill notes that while contract design for export “can be very profitable” due to “substantial” quantities, it is very risky because “interpreting the specifications of the client is difficult,” especially for products that have not been tested.

“Things can go wrong, which can be very expensive mistakes,” Brill candidly admits. “We must be very careful and methodological.”

Retail, on the other hand, “is much easier although we are selling products directly to the consumer, which requires a good sales and customer service team.”

Brill says, “We have two or three main collections that we add to over time. We reintroduce modified or improved versions of the same item as an evolution of product and design. We try to keep our products looking fresh and forward while always addressing how to improve utility, comfort and aesthetics.”

Carriage chair and P&B trunks

These products are showcased at the Prizmic & Brill flagship store at Greenbelt 5, which features trademark collections and pieces as well as the occasional new or updated item. The Prizmic & Brill brand also has presence in over 20 locations across the globe available through franchise holders.

P&B Valises et Compagnie was given the Mabini Award for Employer of the Year in 1991 for being the largest employer of handicapped workers and the Golden Shell Award from the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions in 1993.

The business is currently operated and managed by Brill’s wife, Carol Nicdao-Brill.

What’s next, then, for the company and the brand? According to Brill, “the future is more exciting products and presentation. Being world-class and staying there is the mission.”

W E D N E S D AY : J U LY 0 8 : 2 0 1 5

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

LIV.E SIMPLY

BY LIV E.

LIFE WITH FIVE “You have… what! Five?”

Like clockwork, it happens practically every time I meet someone new. First comes the question, often accompanied by a slight increase in pitch and volume at the end. Then the barely controlled flutter of eyelashes (a wonderfully efficient disguise, by the way, for the synchronized eye-pop and mouth-gape). And then, the inevitable clarification dragged along by a breath of halfdisbelief: “No. Really?”

“Yes, really,” I confirm, my eyes sparkling with laughter. “Five.”

I am, for real, the proudly happy mom of five kids, and did I mention that they’re all boys? When my youngest son was born, I was delighted that I could print on his birth announcement, “Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy” (count that; yes, it’s five). And, oh boy is right: what a wonderful, glorious thing it is to be queen in a testosterone-laden home of five boys (six, if you count my main man)!

I don’t really understand why it’s such a big deal for some that I have five kids (wait till they find out I delivered each one by Caesarian section! Now that has at times called for some serious weight-lifting skills, of the variety required to pull up chins from the floor). I remember one of my

aunts, a highly-revered and genius doctor, slapping my arm when she discovered I was pregnant with my fifth, saying, “My gosh!

Enough! This is already your fifth!” I hugged her and, without batting an eyelash, said, “But Tita, you have five yourself!” To which she replied, “Oh. Yes. That’s right.”

Once the information “mother of five boys” sinks in, I get asked a lot of questions, and I have to admit I get a kick out of each and every one of them: Don’t you want a girl? (If I had been given a girl, I would have loved her, but I’ve been given boys and I absolutely adore having them). Isn’t it hard having so many? (Nope, it’s a lot of fun. Noisy, yes; messy, perhaps; but fun, definitely!). How do you manage with so many? (Very well, thank you).

And my favorite: What’s it like?

Oh, honey, let me count the ways. But for now, let’s stick to five things I’ve learned from this beautiful job of raising boys, okay?

1. Have pizza delivery on your frequently-callednumbers list.

And burgers, for that matter.

And you might as well throw in French fries and chicken lollipops and spaghetti, too. Because boys are incredibly voracious eaters.

They can mow down an entire

Arlene’s fluffy white pack.

(From Left) Seraphina, Syriana, Donatella, Harper, Celestine, Lili La Rue, Queen Fallujah, and Ysobelle.

CANINE DEVOTION

The author with her fab five at Central Park, NYC.

table of food (just don’t ask me where they store it in their bodies, because in my home the only body that shows evidence of food consumption is mine).

2. Get up and hit the road running.

A home filled with testosterone is one brimming with energy. The best place to put all that energy is in sports: swimming, running, soccer, anything that gets them to expend all that food-induced power. An added benefit: sports help them learn to be gracious winners and graceful losers, lessons that will serve them well when they grow into men and face the bigger games in that arena called Life.

3. Develop the colors of your sense of humor.

Especially when they’re young, brown humor for some reason sends boys into fits of rollicking laughter. I’ve given up trying to understand and have learned to just accept that slightly gross, yucky stuff is really funny… to them, at least. So now I simply laugh along, because my older boys are evidence that this

fascination with yucky stuff will be replaced eventually by corny knock-knock jokes and, finally, by real wit and truly hilarious banter. It’s a process, I guess, that boys just need to ride out. And if throughout the ride, we end up rewarded with a home filled with colorful laughter, then that’s always a good thing, right?

4. Teach them to be both gentle and tough.

Little boys grow up to be big men. And I’d like to think that the hubby and I are doing all we can to make sure that they will be good men in a big way. Men who are tough enough to stand up to challenges – big and small – that come their way. Men who fight for the right values and principles, who readily champion the causes of those who need more because they have less. Men who are, at the same time, gentle enough to lend a hand without being asked, who are always ready with hankie to catch someone else’s tears, and who are confident and strong enough to shed their own tears or ask for a hug when the situation calls for it.

5. Train them to Look Up.

This, for me, is the most essential thing I’ve learned about raising boys (and girls, for that matter).

Because no matter how we try to protect our children, they will inevitably stumble at some point along the way. They will attempt to climb trees and swing from branches, and sometimes they’ll be king of the hill and sometimes they won’t. They’ll scrape their knees some and get their hearts broken at least once. The thing is, no matter how much we parents desire to protect our kids from all the trials and pains and dangers of the world, we’re only human after all: Limited. But there is One who is without limits, One who is stronger, tougher, gentler, and more loving than anyone else in the world. And if we teach our children to run to Him, in both victory and defeat, in good times and in bad, in this moment and at all times, then everything will always turn out right.

And I’m willing to bet five on that.

Follow me on Twitter @LivE_LiveSimply or send me feedback on liv@livesteban.com

PET PULSE

To call Arlene Sy a “rescue mom” would be an understatement, because she has made it her calling to rescue sick dogs that have been through miserable lives with previous “human parents” who relinquished the hairy creatures in exchange for monetary compensation.

Ask how many dogs she has and she’ll tell you “nine” – still including in the count a “fur kid” that passed away last Christmas. “She still lives with us in spirit so I still say nine,” she admits, adding that her first fur kid was a black/gray/white Shih Tzu named Fallujah that she acquired almost 13 years ago.

“I love all of them like my daughters but my eldest Fallujah will always be my favorite. She is my heart moving; she’ll always be my priority and I cannot imagine life without her,” she admits. Taking care of many dogs is no walk in the park though, so she has the help of three (sometimes four) fulltime dog-loving yayas whose main task is just to care for the needs of Arlene’s girls 24/7.

Arlene says she is at her best when she’s with her pets, having learned the real meaning of unconditional love, selflessness

and genuine compassion because of them.

“Only these bratinellas can make me patient,” she concludes.

PET PULSE will be a regular feature every Wednesday. It will be a short interesting read about our furry animal friends anecodotes or stories that make them special to us. We encourage you to send us remarkable stories about your pets. Please email us at life@standard.com.ph or send us a private message on our TW or IG account @LIFEatStandard.

W E D N E S D AY : J U LY 0 8 : 2 0 1 5

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

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HER LEGACY orchid garden. The most It took quite a while interesting home we brainstorming a title lived in had an intimate for my column. I was receiving area designed bouncing off names with with bay windows in friends during dinners, stained glass and a layout often at some nearby where all bedrooms were hole-in-the-wall favorite Whatever or randomly Vibering CALEIDOSCOPE connected. package it came in, my people words at obscure WORLD mom transformed the times… usually after 9

BY CAL TAVERA house into a home. p.m. while I tune in to I remember being my precious reality TV shows. I had no idea what I was going dragged to shopping trips hunting to write about, or if anyone would be down small antique stores with her interested to read my point of view. I friends. I remember this blue, green, had seven years of experience writing purple Missoni-inspired fabric that for local magazines but it was always draped our two and three seater sofas. I noncommittal, meaning I never had to remember the Indonesian hand carved submit an opinion. It was time to get out furniture and how grateful I am we kept the elephant chair and dining of my comfort zone.

To be candid, I never imagined table even after she was long gone. My I would end up styling spaces for a mother never studied design but she career. I resigned from my corporate had her style and it was imprinted in job for some time off and to give birth our childhood.

My favorite memory was that we to my daughter. After six months, I was toying with the idea of taking shared our homes with other expats short courses. I recall going through even on Christmas day which I newspaper ads and found out that thought initially should be reserved PSID (Philippine School of Interior for family only. At first, I didn’t Design) was offering three month- understand why we had to open our long classes. I thought it would be fun doors to people who weren’t close. and that it was a way to pass the time I was 10 when my parents explained three hours a day for a few days a week. to me, “They have no one else. Their I thought of it as a HOBBY. I never wives and family are abroad and they’re expected my three months would turn alone this Christmas.” No matter how into six and eventually a year passed. many people we entertained during After one year, there was an option to those days, my mother made sure continue to the advanced course. By our house was beautiful and that this time, some students decided they everyone was fed and having fun. The were done but my friends and I opted whole experience was to honor our to see it through. I don’t know what guests and hopefully create happier happened but in the months I studied memories. I feel that with design, the there, I just fell in love with the work spirit of my mom lives on. It helps even though I am horrible at drafting uplift spirits and brings dignity to the perspectives. When the teachers space and the people in it. So when I would ask us to introduce ourselves, was brainstorming, I decided to play each time my line would be “Hi, my around with names and I came up with “Caleidoscope World.” name is Cal and I can’t draw.”

Word origin from What pushed me to enroll myself every time a new semester rolls around oxforddictionaries.com: Early 19th and endure the periorbital dark circles century: from Greek kalos ‘beautiful’ from sleepless nights was because it + eidos ‘form’ + -scope.

Inspired by this, I choose to see and transported me back to the world my mother created for us. Growing up while share beauty in my world of design and my mom was alive and we lived abroad, maybe create wonderful experiences we would transfer addresses every three for you with this column as well. years. Each home was different – from bungalows done in the Indies styles to two-storey neo-classical houses with an Follow me on Instagram @cal_tavera

(Above) Circa 1989. The Missoni-inspired print from the author’s childhood; (below) The elephant two-seater passed down from the author’s parents is now a focal point in the living room.

A Safer Way to Wash Baby’s Clothes For first time moms out there, there’s probably nothing more rewarding than taking care of their little bundle of joy. But just as quickly, new moms also learn that they have to be ready for the unexpected messes that joyous moments such as feeding and playtime bring. Soiled garments, gooey bibs – all these make it a challenge to keep the little cutie adorably clean and fresh all day with mommy needing to wash load after load of cloth diapers, baby garments and sheets.

Unfortunately, most commercial laundry detergents are not “baby-friendly” because they contain harsh chemicals that can contribute to skin allergies and rashes. Which is why moms should choose a laundry wash that does not contain any ingredient that could irritate baby’s delicate skin.

One safer alternative is a trusted natural brand like Tiny Buds that recently launched its Natural Laundry Washes and Fabric Softeners for Babies – a must-try for all new moms. They

are made from mild and natural ingredients that will keep baby’s garments clean without harming delicate skin.

Each of the Tiny Buds Natural Laundry Products is developed from a natural plant base that rinses away easily in water and leaves little to no residue on clothes. Moms are also assured that the products are free from artificial coloring, strong fragrances, harsh chemical additives and fillers. Tiny Bud’s natural formulation is mild enough that the laundry water will not harm plants and the environment.

In addition to being safe for little ones and friendly to nature, moms will love these Natural Laundry Washes from Tiny Buds because they keep baby’s laundry touchably-soft and smelling fresh. Each one is color-safe and recommended by pediatricians for washing cloth diapers, too!

The new Tiny Buds Natural Laundry Line for Babies is now available in leading department stores and supermarkets nationwide.

To find out more about Tiny Buds’ other natural baby care products, follow Tiny Buds on facebook.com/tinybuds and instagram @tinybudsbaby. Moms can also visit www.tinybudsbaby.com or e-mail all inquiries, and sample requests to tinybuds.website@gmail.com.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

Proposed Waterfront Park, Hong Kong

URBAN MATTERS

BY KARIMA PALAFOX

W

THE PURSUIT OF LIVABLE CITIES

e seem to be in a lovehate relationship with our cities. Everyday, 200,000 people throughout the world move from the countryside into urban areas. In Manila, an additional 1,500 people a day are born and migrate to the megacity.

Imagine the difficulty in supplying the services and infrastructure needed to catch up with the growing number of people. More and more of us will be sharing limited spaces in these dense environments. If we cannot get it right, we will be converting more valuable farm and forestlands into built areas. Issues such as informal settlements, traffic, and air and water pollution will keep multiplying.

Despite the many challenges, cities are still the most efficient at inspiring creativity and encouraging collaboration, attracting talent, enabling business, and transporting people and goods.

I intend to share, through this column, ideas and reflections from journeying and observing hundreds of cities around the world, and from my experiences as an urban planner, economist and city dweller. I will also be featuring trends and best practices in design, architecture, planning and real estate. There are many lessons that can be learned in creating and revitalizing our cities, and it is possible to make Philippine cities more livable.

between providing for the local community and attracting visitors and investors; and achieving quick wins while staying focused on the long-term vision.

Every time our team (at Palafox Associates) works on a town plan, we start with a visioning workshop with the different stakeholders from the private sector, government and civil society. We ask them to express (say, write and draw) their aspirations for themselves and their community. Recurring responses include aspirations for a community that has a sense of place, is clean and beautiful. Cities all seek to be accessible, attractive to investors, and integrated with their neighbors. A good city allows its people to be innovative, and promotes health and wellbeing. It is safe and secure from crime and disasters, both manmade and natural. It provides the basic needs such as shelter, food, healthcare, electricity, water, security and education.

In my view, a livable city is one that provides people with choices: where and

DEFINITION OF LIVABILITY

Urban planning is a collaborative field. It involves diverse professionals – such as architects, designers, engineers, foresters, geographers, sociologists and economists.

It strives for harmony between the built and the natural environment; balance

Proposed Linear Park. Ermitaño Creek, San Juan City

how to live, how to travel from one place to another, and what to do for work, leisure, and play. Unfortunately, our urban environments have fallen short in providing good choices.

ADDRESSING CHALLENGES

The real estate industry has produced a housing boom for the top 10 percent, but an increasing crisis for everyone else. With an average household monthly income of P18,000, Filipino families spend a quarter of their expenses on shelter. It is close to impossible to find decent shelter in or near the city centers for a family at P4,500 a month. We have come to segregate places by income class, land use and building type.

This imbalance contributes to the notorious traffic congestion.

The volume of vehicle traffic and our inefficient mass transit system has made travel so inconvenient and expensive.

Only two percent of Filipinos travel by car, yet our streets are made for them

instead of for walking, cycling and public transport. In 2014, annual car sales grew by more than 20 percent. The volume of our roads will not grow that fast, and neither is it recommended.

Another pressing issue that our cities are facing is the lack of open spaces, which provide us venues for leisure and recreation, and breathing and refuge spaces. The World Health Organization recommends nine square meters of public green space per person. We (Palafox Associates) recommend at least one square meter of open space per person, and that parks be available every 500 meters. Our major cities have much less than that. Government and real estate developers need to stop building on land that have been designated as parks and open spaces, regardless if they own the property.

OUR SPACES DEFINE US

Winston Churchill famously remarked, “We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.” Environments have a direct effect on our physical and mental well-being, relationships and productivity. We should aim to transform them into places that inspire. However, our structures, streets, neighborhoods and infrastructure have been described as unsafe and dirty, fragmented, vulnerable and inefficient.

Oftentimes, our urban woes are attributed to the lack of planning, but what is more important is the collective decision and action to transform our environments.

Developments in our cities are a result not just of an architect or planner’s blueprint but also by different social, economic, environment and political forces. We all take part in building our cities, both through our active involvement and in our laxity.

Follow me on Instagram @karmipalafox

W EDNES DAY : J ULY 8 : 2015

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

NOW SHOWING

C5

SCAN THE ICON TO CONNECT TO SURESEATS.COM AND CLICK THE CITY

A GUIDE TO WHAT’S IN CINEMAS THIS WEEK BOYCHOIR

A n anonymous donor sent a recently orphaned 12-year-old boy (Garrett Wareing) to an elite musical boarding school. No one expected that this rebellious loner would achieve the standards required to join the Boychoir, a choral band of brothers who travel the world and maintain the school’s famed status.

TERMINATOR

Boychoir

PG

PG The fifth installment of the Terminator series is set in the year 2029.

John Connor, leader of the Resistance continues the War against the Machines.

At the Los Angeles offensive, John’s fears of the unknown future begin to emerge when Tech-Com spies reveal a new plot

by Skynet that will attack him from both fronts; past and future, and will ultimately change warfare forever.

EXETER - NEW

THE BREAKUp pLAYLIST

During a party in an abandoned house, teenagers perform an occult ritual that leads to a violent possession. The evil spirit quickly infiltrates the group, wreaking havoc as it moves from one body to another. Eventually, however, it’s revealed that the spirit in question is actually trying to convey a message and that the real source of horror isn’t particularly paranormal.

PG The romantic-comedy is a story about an aspiring professional singer (Sarah Geronimo) and a rock artist (Piolo Pascual) who collaborate in a song. As they work on their material, they start to develop feelings for each other.

They realize that following their heart is both the worst and the greatest feeling.

R13

Exeter The Breakup Playlist

SURVIVOR - NEW

R13 A State Department employee (Milla Jovovich) newly posted to the American embassy in London is charged with stopping terrorists from getting into the U.S. That puts her right in the line of fire and she is targeted for death and framed for crimes.

Discredited, she is forced to go on the run while she tries to clear her name and stop a large-scale terrorist attack set for New Year’s Eve in Times Square.

FINAL GIRL - NEW

R13 Every night, a group of senior boys trick a young, blonde girl into meeting them in the forest for a date.

Later, they hunt and kill her. One night, Veronica (Abigail Breslin) is picked as their next victim. When the hunt begins, the boys soon realize that they messed with the wrong girl.

MINIONS - NEW

THE WATER DIVINER

Minions

Evolving from single-celled yellow organisms at the dawn of time, Minions live to serve, but find themselves working for a continual series of unsuccessful masters, from T. Rex to Napoleon.

Without a master to grovel for, the Minions fall into a deep depression.

But one minion, Kevin, has a plan; accompanied by his pals Stuart and Bob, Kevin sets forth to find a new evil boss for his brethren to follow.

PG

The Water Diviner

PG Joshua Connor (Russell Crowe) goes to Turkey in search of his three missing sons, last known to have fought against the Turks in the bloody Battle of Gallipoli. Arriving in Istanbul, he is thrust into a vastly different world, where he encounters others who have suffered their own losses in the conflict. With seemingly insurmountable obstacles in his path, Connor must travel across the battle-scarred Turkish landscape to find the truth and his own peace.

COMPILED BY NICKIE WANG

Seeing blue with the u.S. embaSSy

T

he U.S. Embassy in Manila recently launched Seeing Blue: A World Ocean’s Month Movie Series with a special screening of the documentary Alien Deep: Ocean’s Fury at the Dome Theater in the Exploreum at SM Mall of Asia.

A project of the US Embassy in partnership with the National Geographic Channel Philippines in SM, this is part of the U.S. Embassy’s “#1Earth” environmental campaign and in support of the U.S. State Department’s efforts for ocean conservation.

Through this series of film screenings, the U.S. Embassy aims to help youth become more aware of the importance of caring for marine life and our coastal environments.

The Seeing Blue series features underwater explorer Dr. Robert Ballard, who found several lost ships, including the Titanic, the Bismarck, and the carrier Yorktown. He has

also identified unique forms of marine life. In Alien Deep: Ocean’s Fury, Dr. Ballard searches for answers as to why the ocean seems to be getting bigger, angrier and deadlier.

Students from various coastal cities in Metro Manila such as Muntinlupa, Navotas, Pasay, and Manila were invited to take part in the screening.

Other screenings were held in Pampanga and in SM City Batangas.

In his welcome remarks, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Philip S. Goldberg pointed out that the Seeing Blue advocacy aims to teach youth about some of the most pressing concerns of the Philippines; environmental issues and combating climate change. He added that youth must act to “protect, preserve and defend” the oceans for future generations.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Philippines CEO and Vice Chairman Lory Tan and Joseph Foltz of the Office of

Environment, Energy and Climate at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) answered the students’ question after the screening.

They also encouraged the students to understand change, prepare and adapt to it, and to take part in the Seeing Blue campaign—where they can make their own pledge for what they can do, in their own little way, to save the ocean, and to urge others to do the same.

The Exploreum is a strong supporter of scientific showcases. It is a total immersion experience that will stimulate curiosity and inspire science learning in everyone by creating fun, memorable experiences, because The Exploreum values science as an indispensable tool for understanding our world and enriching people’s lives.

The special screening of Alien Deep: Ocean’s Fury is one of the many educational events at the Exploreum in SM Mall of Asia.

U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines . Philip S. Goldberg at the U.S. Embassy’s special screening of the documentary Alien Deep: Ocean’s Fury at the Dome Theater in the U.S. Embassy’s Cultural Affairs Exploreum in the SM Mall of Asia.

Officer Kristin Kneedler The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Philippines CEO and Vice Chairman Lory Tan (right) and Joseph Foltz of the Office of Environment, Energy and Climate at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) answered questions about the environment from students from various coastal cities in Metro Manila such as Muntinlupa City, Navotas City, Pasay City, and Manila

W EDNES DAY : J ULY 8 : 2015

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

tURning QUEZOn City intO aRt anD fiLm CaPitaL niCKiE Wang The government leadership of Quezon City has a vision – they want the city to be the country’s art and film capital and a top destination for culture enthusiasts.

At the press launch of QCinema, the independent film festival established and funded by the local government, Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte expressed the city’s plan to be a haven for both budding and established filmmakers and artists.

“It’s already given that Quezon City is home to major broadcast and film corporations, but we also want to transform the city into something our citizen will be proud of,” the vice mayor told the press.

Belmonte wanted Quezon City to be known as a film festival city similar to Cannes, Berlin, Busan and Toronto that have also become popular for the film festivals they host each year.

“One day, we want people to have Quezon City in mind when we talk about film festivals. This is the main reason why we included QCinema as one of our administration’s land-

mark projects,” Belmonte explained.

The official furthered that the city government want the public to appreciate their effort in making the festival even bigger each year. For this, it gave the festival a P22 million budget for this year’s edition alone. She also added that refurbishment of the UP Film Center, one of the festival venues, is currently ongoing in time for the festival’s schedule in October.

CiRCLE COmPEtitiOn As part of the city’s endeavor to be in the forefront of filmmaking map, they introduced the QCinema in 2013.

Now on its third edition, the festival hopes to encourage and help emerging filmmakers turn their vision into well-crafted movies, inspired by such values as nationalism, gender sensitivity, freedom, and excellence.

Out of 168 entries, eight feature films made it as finalists for the Circle Competition, the main category in the QCinema International Film Festival 2015. A production grant of P1 million was given to each of the eight selected finalists. Winning film will walk home with P300,000 as cash prize.

This year’s line-up includes Water Lemon by Lemuel Lorca; Kapatiran

by Pepe Diokno; Lisa by Chuck Gutierrez; Patintero: Ang Alamat

ni Meng Patalo by Mihk Vergara; Gayuma by Cesar Hernando; Sleepless by Prime Cruz; Matangtubig by Jet Leyco; and Ang Huling Habagat

by Mario Cornejo.

As a growing festival, QCinema added a new category called DoQC International Documentary Competition. Five full-length documentary films made it to this year’s competition. They are Of Cats, Dogs, Farm Animals, and Sashimi by Perry Dizon; The Crescent Rising by Sheron Dayoc; Audio Perpetua by Universe Baldoza; Traslacion: Ang Paglakad sa Altar ng Alanganin by Will Fredo; and Bingat by Choy Pangilinan, Qubry Quesada, Joolia Demigillo and Abet Umil.

“The DoQC International Documentary Competition signals QCinema’s thrust in putting the spotlight on local documentary filmmaking,” Festival Director Ed Lejano said.

These documentaries will receive funding of P200,000 each and will compete with five other Asian features for the Pylon Award of the DoQC International Documentary Competition.

The festival will run from Oct. 22 to 31 at Trinoma, Gateway and UP Film Center cinemas. Other details are available on the festival website, www.qcinema.ph.

Festival Director Ed Lejano briefs members of the press on QCinema 2015

Cinematographer Will Fredo joins QCinema under DocQC competition

Young filmmaker Pepe Diokno is competing in this year's Circle Competition

Louise is Ysa’s new ambassador

y

oung actress Louise Delos Reyes is the newest beauty ambassador of YSA Skin Care and Body Experts.

“Louise is fresh and fabulous.

The perfect ambassador for our brand that only gives you the best in skin and body care,” said Operations Director Sheila H. Nazal.

This is the first skin care endorsement of the Best New Actress nominee in the 24th PMPC Star Awards for Movies for her lead role in the Peque Gallaga in-

Louise Delos Reyes with YSA Chief Executive Officer Robert Nazal and wife Sheila

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 49 50 51 52 53 57 59 60

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Pay attention 6 Golf tees 10 Headstrong 14 Mall for Plato 15 Thickening agent 16 Inkling 17 Entices 18 NBA team 19 Grad’s garb 20 One-sided victory 22 Destroy documents

23 24 26 29 31 32 33 34 38 40 42 43 46

Norse king Hangs around DVD predecessor Throw off heat Chatty alien Road-map org.

Forest ruminant Wakened Reclined Cold and windy Focal points Last page More than a snack

65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73

Gleeful cry Burr, to Hamilton Name in cheesecake “— -Tiki” Morning mugfuls Jokes around with Trailer rental (hyph.)

Many-colored flower Keep — on Belmont Stakes “Uncle Miltie” Gardner of mystery Church donations Hypnotized Cattail Hurricane centers Red-waxed cheese

DOWN 1 House part 2 Water, in Peru 3 Conflicted 4 Philosophy 5 Bothered 6 New mom’s helper 7 Victorian oath 8 Judge’s prop 9 AARP members 10 Just 11 Be crazy about 12 Kind of rat

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

13 21 22 25 26 27 28 30 35 36 37 39 41 44 45 47 48 53 54 55 56 58 61 62 63 64 66

Clock parts Hobbling Corn holder Boathouse gear Glen or dale “Brian’s Song” star Surprise attack Monorails Marinate Yodeler’s answer Zoologist — Fossey Widely scattered Foible Eggnog time You don’t say!

Like the Sahara Pretty beetle More appealing Windy City airport Tale Rough like a snake Trial figure Pinnacle Karachi language Ran away from Prefix for “trillion” — Dawn Chong

die film Agaton and Mindy.

“I only trust YSA and I am happy to be its ambassador. I want to share with other young women and men that it is important to take care of our skin,” said Louise, who started her showbiz career at age 7 in Ang TV 2.

She appeared in Ang Iibigin ay Ikaw and was a contract artist of GMA until 2004. One of her breaks was when she starred in Reel Love Presents: Tween Hearts and in her first lead role as Adana in Alakdana.

Her most recent TV appearances include Pari ‘Koy, Maynila, and Imbestigador: Robin Jacques Rape-Slay Case on GMA. Beauty-and-brains Louise is a fulltime resident Academic Scholar at the Lyceum of the Philippines University, where she is studying Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service. She is also the reigning Ms. LPU and has won other beauty competitions such asMs. Teen Philippines International - Luzon 2007, Ms. Jag Teen 2007 and Ms. Teen Super Ferry 2007.

W EDNES DAY : J ULY 8 : 2015

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

a New kiNd of hoRRoR filM

V

IVA Films cast three of today’s hottest and most refreshing young stars in its latest suspense-thriller offering , Chain Mail, showing in theaters nationwide on July 22. Nadine Lustre, Meg Imperial, and Shy Carlos top bill what the people behind the project call a “spine-tingling, suspense-laden movie of the year.

Adolfo B. Alix, Jr., who made a name in the country’s independent film movement (actually features shot in video format), directs the teen-oriented motion picture.

The movie revolves around the mystery surrounding the tragic death of several people suspected to have received a cursed chain e-mail. Some of the recipients passed on the mail to others for fear of breaking the chain and suffering the consequence while others ignored and brushed it aside.

This results to the death of a girl who received and opened a chain mail at a computer shop. Sandra (Shy), meanwhile, discovers that there’s a curse enveloping the chain mail. She vows to find its origin and try to stop the misfortunes it may cause to anyone who fails to pass it before another life perishes again.

Sandra suspects that Anne, her late best friend, is behind the tragic incidents that befell their friends.

She finds an ally in Jake (Khaleb), Anne’s boyfriend, who helps her uncover the grim reality behind the chain e-mail.

But will Sandra be able to break the curse before it’s too late or will she become one of its victims?

Also in the cast are Mark Bautista, AJ Muhlach, Jackie Lou Blanco, John Regala, among others.

from c8

HHHHH Rocco NaciNo’s latest pRoject Kapuso leading man Rocco Nacino feels lucky after bagging another big project at his home network. He is in the upcoming primetime series, Beautiful Strangers, slated to air this month.

In a recent interview, Rocco said it makes him even more motivated to excel and never stop improving his craft and be a role model for other aspiring actors. “To know that GMA is taking really, really good care of me by giving me good projects, nakakataba ng puso. It makes me even more humble and motivated na magtrabaho, kasi naiisip ko na for someone as simple as I am and is able to make it, it gives me that responsibility to other people especially the younger ones na nag-a-aspire na maging actor din, na kung nagawa ko, kaya rin nila.”

Being one of the homegrown talents of GMA 7, Rocco is happy and content with how his career is going right now. In fact, apart from working anew with Lovi Poe in Beautiful Strangers, he just ticked off one of the items in his bucket list of finally working with Heart Evangelista in the series.

“Nakakatuwa na gusto ng mga bosses na makatambal ko silang dalawa (Heart and Lovi). So napakaswerte ko. Finally, makakatrabaho ko na si Heart. First time ko to work with her and I’m really, really excited.”

It is likewise a privilege for him to work with some of the country’s talented and seasoned actors, like Christopher de Leon, Ayen Laurel, and Dina Bonnevie. Roc-

co makes sure he’s not intimidated by their presence.

“It’s my personality. Kahit sino ang kaharap ko, kakausapin ko siya professionally on and off cam.

Hindi ako nagpa-pa-pressure or nagpapasindak. I always maintain respect pero hindi ko hahayaan na ma-intimidate ako kasi mawawala talaga ako sa game ko.”

MoRNiNgs with cNN philippiNes TV addicts can start their day with CNN Philippines Traffic Center at 6:30 a.m. with Claudine Trillo delivering real time traffic updates around the metro.

In partnership with the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), SLEX Command Center, the local government of Manila, and Waze, CNN Philippines Traffic Center informs the audience on the latest traffic situation, suggests alternate routes and estimate travel time to destination.

CNN Philippines correspondents Paul Garcia, Pia Bonalos, and Paola Palma give the audience blow by blow traffic updates from everywhere in the metropolis.

At 7 a.m., Amelyn Veloso , Claire Celdran, and Trillo deliver the top and developing stories of the day.

Feature reports and stories that help complement the busy morning rush are also in Headline News.

Reports from all over the world and weather forecast for the region are what CNN International’s anchors and correspondents give the morning audience.

Headline News has segments like “PH in Photos” featuring pic-

Chain Mail features special effects that will make the audience scream in horror

Claudine Trillo Amelyn Veloso , Claire Celdran are the faces in CNN morning shows

tures of our country’s scenic spots and tourist attractions sent in by viewers; “On Stage,” the latest in the world of theater and the arts; and “Conversations,” focusing on the newsmakers and interesting people in the news headlines.

They also have themed segments for each day of the week. “Medical Mondays” features everything about health and fitness, “Techie Tuesdays” for the latest in gadgets and technology; “Wise Wednesdays” shares tips on spending wisely; “Travel Thursdays,” a glimpse of the world’s top destinations, including the “best-kept-secret” places and “Foodie Fridays” about the new eating places in the Metro.

CNN Philippines Traffic Center and Headline News air from 6:30 until 9 a.m, Monday to Friday.

Rocco Nacino is the male lead in the upcoming drama series, Beautiful Strangers on GMA7

Is there lIfe after death?

w

Warner TV premieres new medical drama, Proof, tomorrow night

arner TV’s new medical drama ‘Proof ’ explores ageold mystery.

Is death truly the end? Or is there something else beyond? Explore one of life’s most profound mysteries in the upcoming medical drama, Proof, premiering on July 9, 9:50 p.m., first and exclusive on Warner TV. Proof stars Jennifer Beals as the brilliant cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Carolyn Tyler who suffers from the recent, devastating loss of her teenage son Will (Jared Ager-Foster), the breakup of her marriage and a growing estrangement from her daughter Sophie (Annie Thurman).

Sharing her skepticism about the existence of an afterlife is Ivan Turing (Matthew Modine), a wealthy tech inventor who is dying of cancer. However, Ivan admits he is curious about the topic and wants to pursue scientific understanding using his considerable financial resources.

He urges Carolyn to look for proof on what happens after death by investigating cases of reincarnation, near-death experienc-

es, hauntings and other supernatural phenomena. It’s both a journey of exploration toward finding an answer to a question many people have asked, and a deeply personal and emotional journey for Carolyn, who hopes to find answers in the wake of her son’s death.

Assisting her on the task are Dr. Zedan Badawi (Edi Gathegi), a young intern from Africa; Janel Ramsey (Caroline Rose Kaplan), Ivan’s brilliant young protégé; and eventually crossing paths with a bestselling author who claims to be a psychic, Peter Van Owen (Callum Blue).

Also airing first and exclusive on Warner TV are The Last Ship (S2), Mondays at 9:50 p.m., Murder in the First (S2), Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m. and Rizzoli & Isles (S6), Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m.

Warner TV is available on SKYcable Channel 77, SKYcable HD Channel 197,Cignal HD Channel 119, Destiny Cable (Digital) Channel 77, Destiny Cable (Analog) Channel 80, and Cable Link Channel 30.

For more updates on the best in action, comedy and drama, follow on facebook. com/WarnerTVAsia.

W EDNES DAY : J ULY 8 : 2015

C8 Gloc-9 performing at MTV Music Evolution 2015

ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ Hip-Hop fans’ grand time at Luneta Abra

Apl. de. ap

ISAH V. RED Music fans flocked to the Quirino Grandstand, Rizal Park at the inaugural MTV Music Evolution 2015 in May. A stellar line-up of international and local acts took to the stage in celebration of iconic and contemporary hip-hop music.

Naughty by Nature, YG, Apl. de.ap, DJ Cash Money, Gloc-9, and Abra gave the crowd a hint of how hip hop is on the music scene these days.

Some 22,000 fans screamed their lungs out for every performance of each of the hip-hop group.

MTV Asia VJs Alan Wong and Hanli Hoefer with MTV Pinoy VJs Yassi Pressman and Chris Schneider hosted the event that opened with Gloc-9, who took the crowd through an intense five-song set against the backdrop of a neon-lit skyline drawn against the stage. The crowd came alive when he did “Sirena” – followed by an inspiring tribute to the country’s late “Master Rapper”, Francis M with the songs “Stars and Sun,” and “Kaleidescope World.” Fans raised their glow sticks, creating a sea of light that surrounded the stage.

Abra took the stage with Loonie and Ron Henley and his crew, Lyrically Deranged Poets, upping the intensity all throughout a medley of six songs. His performance of “Cerberus” was accompanied by a pyrotechnic display and a giant fireball at the end.

Apl.de.ap opened his set with a mash-up of “AP3” and “Bebot.” He showed a perfect balance between his Grammy-award winning Black Eyed Peas flavor and his homegrown character. He then led the audience through wholehearted performances of “The Apl Song” and

Naughty by Nature

Some 22 thousand hip-hop music fans got the thrill of their lives at the Luneta, when Filipino artists and others from overseas made some noise at the Rizal Park for the inaugural performance for this year’s MTV Music Evolution DJ Cash Money

YG pHotos: mtV asia., Kristian dowLing, ferdie arquero

“Be’ with Jessica Reynoso and got the crowd jumping later with “I Gotta Feeling. “The set then wrapped up with Abra and Loonie back on stage to perform “Where is the Love?” for the delight of the crowd.

DJ Cash Money then took the stage in a lit-up geometric DJ booth that illuminated the center of the stage. He brought some of his new school flavor and fused old school tunes into the mix, getting the crowd moving in unison amidst a spectacular array of lasers. He put forth an obvious love for the genre of hip hop with a fantastic combination of iconic hip hop tunes and gave the crowd a full- blown taste of where the genre came from as well as a look into where it is headed.

Next up was Billboard Hot 100 hip hop Artist, YG, who took the edge of the West Coast with him to Manila and to the stage of MTV Music Evolution. YG opened up his set along with DJ Goofy 500 and Slim 400, who performed BPT along with him. The trio then went into an energetic 15-song medley that included YG’s popular hits “My Hitta,” “Don’t Tell Em,” “Who Do U Love,” and “I Just Wanna Party. “ Wrapping up MTV Music Evolution 2015 was the iconic Grammy-award winning act Naughty by Nature who took Manila through a hip hop time warp. Showing some Filipino love, the hip hop icons appeared on stage wearing custom-made shirts bearing the words “Filipino by Nature.” The group who performed for the first time in Manila also delivered more than a fair share of timeless slogans, giving a toast to Tupac Shakur to further emphasize how hip hop carries on all throughout generations.

The Philippine crowd was more than pleased with the group even expressing their support for Philippine boxer Manny Pacquiao and took things leaps and bounds further by showing their respect for the Filipino brand of hip hop by giving the crowd a snippet of their rendition of Francis M.’s “Kaleidescope World.”

MTV Music Evolution 2015 wrapped up with all iconic and current hip hop artists taking the stage to the background of a breath-taking explosion of confetti, with Naughty by Nature proclaiming alongside their fellow hip hop artists, “This is history in the making!”

The free entry show is recorded live for global telecast under the MTV World Stage global series to an international audience of more than three-quarters of a billion households in over 160 countries. ➜ Continued on C7