The Standard - 2015 July 11 - Saturday

VOL. XXIX NO. 141 2 Sections 24 Pages P18 SATURDAY : JULY 11, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

UN panel receives plea on Arroyo

A5

NOY MEETS POE, CHIZ Escudero: Aquino hasn’t made up mind on who to support next year

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III met with Senators Grace Poe and Francis Escudero for five hours Thursday afternoon, suggesting he has not yet decided to endorse the Liberal Party’s presumptive candidate for president in 2016, Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II.

Both Escudero and Poe confirmed the President talked to them in Malacañang in a meeting that lasted more than five hours, with Escudero arriving at the Palace at around 1:30 p.m., followed by Poe an hour later.

Escudero said Friday it was likely the President has not yet made up his mind who

to support in next year’s elections because he is still talking to other prospective candidates, even those that are not members of his Liberal Party.

In a statement issued on Friday, Poe confirmed she and Escudero met the President.

“Yes, the President met with us. We Next page

New chief. President Benigno Aquino III hands over the ceremonial saber symbolizing command of the military to new Armed Forces Chief Hernando Iriberri, who replaced Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr., in Camp Aguinaldo on Friday. Malacañang Photo Bureau

Iriberri replaces Catapang as chief of military Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Aquino commended Catapang for exceeding his expectations in ensuring PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III peace and security in the country.

Aquino cited Catapang’s role in lauded outgoing Armed Forces chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Friday strengthening the capability of the and challenged incoming chief Lt. troops to deal with disasters and Gen. Hernando Iriberri to continue pointed to the role of Filipino peacethe reforms he started in the military. keepers in the Golan Heights.

“Lt. Gen. Iriberri, this is your chalIn a speech during ceremonies to mark the change in command in lenge: Continue the reforms started out

By Sandy Araneta and Florante S. Solmerin

by General Catapang and those before him, and further raise the quality of services of our soldiers,” Aquino said.

He added that part of the challenge for the incoming Iriberri was to make sure the 2016 elections are peaceful and clean.

Aquino again played up his straight path policy, saying the country had “plugged all the leaks in the system” Next page

Speaker: Reds now ready for new talks

A3

SsAT Ud R ay D AY: j: UJ N U LY UN e 2111, ,22001155

A2

news

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

CHINA TOLD TO RESTRAIN SELF Noy

From A1...

discussed 2016 but only to the extent of hopefully having a united ticket. No specific comBy Vito Barcelo mitments or positions were and Bloomberg mentioned. We will meet again as part of a continued consulThe Philippines has tation process,” she said.

Poe and Escudero, who were raised the alarm anew No. 1 and No. 4 in the last senaover China’s massive torial elections, are frontrunners reclamation activities in the race for the presidency and vice presidency. Poe has in disputed territories been leading recent surveys by in the South China Sea, the Social Weather Stations and calling on Beijing to “exPulse Asia for both positions, while Escudero has been faring ercise self-restraint.” well as the voters’ top choice for vice president.

“The Philippines reiterates its seThe two, who are close friends, rious concern on China’s massive reclamation activities and planned also have the highest trust ratconstruction of facilities in those ings among the senators. features. These activities cause irEscudero served as campaign reparable damage to the marine enmanager of Poe’s late father, Fervironment and marine biodiversity nando Poe Jr., when he ran and of the region,” the Department of lost for president in 2010.

Foreign Affairs said.

In the meeting with the PresiThe DFA said China’s reclamation dent, Escudero said no clear and construction activities “grossly message was made to them violate” the 2002 Asean-China Decabout any endorsement. laration on the Conduct of Parties Asked if he and Poe might be in the South China Sea (DOC) and the President’s alternatives, Esmay serve to escalate the disputes and China on their Protesters cudero noted they are both inundermine efforts minds. to promote peace, display placards and shout slogans against China’s construction activities in the South China Sea during a rally in front of the Chinese Embassy in Makati on Friday. dependents and not part of the security, and stability.

“The Philippines calls on China LP. anew to heed calls from the region Poe has repeatedly said she troops the line during a and the international community to Trooping the honor line. Philippine National Police officer-in-charge Leonardo Espina salutes the colors as hewould remain an independent exercise self-restraint in the conduct testimonial parade in his honor at the Philippine Military Academy where he graduated 34 years ago. candidate should she decide to of activities pursuant to Paragraph 5 seek higher office in 2016. She of the DOC,” the department added. had made said this clear to conduct its probe into the matter to panel will submit to the Supreme said Theshe congressman Bantilan Harry Roque, director of the address and determine what he said as Court a copy of the panel’s report the seemed to have violated oaththey and President earlier, his when UP Law Center’s Institute of Inter“two important issues: whether the so that the high court could look met the code ethics for lawyerstoby talk repon oftwo occasions national Legal Studies, described From A1... extortion really happened or not; and into ethical questions against a law- about resenting Wang and a complainant 2016. as “worrisome” China’s construcwhether the purpose of extortion is to yer who represented both Wang Bo inShe a separate case. be in bad said estafa it would tion of artificial islands in Johnson But Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary buy out support for BBL or not.” and the man who filed a complaint taste Thetogood government join the LiberalcommitParty South Reef, its expansion of its arti- Alejano backed Nograles’ suggestion.

Earlier, several lawmakers said against the Chinese businessman. tee has invited Bantilan, Jose Chua, just for the sake of running ficial island in Fiery Cross reef, and “I agree with [Congressman Kar- that the House panel conducting the “We will send a copy to the Su- the complainant against Wang inina upcoming elections. its deployment of naval forces to lo Nograles] in this: just to erase the probe, headed by Pampanga Rep. preme Court so that the high tribu- the P3-million estafa case, and Prosecurepresented Jose Tan in a bogus atto extortion, ” said Abakada Rep. from five to 15 days.

But Poe said shewho is open to a ward off any opposition.

By Christine F. Herrera doubt that the House will just cover Oscar Rodriguez, should not stop in nal could look into what appears to tor Antonio Rivera, conducted dela Cruz, the a member of itsShe alsoforpointed out that Wang to delay conduct Wang’s deportation. such asinvestigation the one for the The Philippines has already lodged Jonathan up the issue or harass witnesses,” quest truth involving the al- tempt be improper on the part of coalition a preliminary on Jose Tan, who sued him, were Bantilan alsoone contradicted House panel investigating an arbitration case against China be- the Alejano, a former mutineer, said.the and leged payoff. races in case 2013.

Bryan Bantilan, of Wang Bo’s senatorial Wang’s deportation on Feb. 11, LAWMAKERS are de- Wang Alejano Rodriguez,bymeanwhile, said his Wang’s lawyers,” Rodriguez toEscudero its next hearing JulyPresident 7. fore the United Nations International the same lawyer, claim that hesaid. did not repcase.said the Senate may also represented saidonthe manding thatof theauthoriTribunal on the Law Seas, which Wang is at the center of a scan- Bryan Bantilan. resent Wang during the inquest. didn’t make any specific offers to Beijing refused to acknowledge.

Bantilan said it would have House panel, chaired by him or Poe, but appealed to keep ties unmask the syn- dal in which Immigration officials lawTheSchool and Philippine Constitu“Lahat po ng anggulo, lahat ng terest is at stake),” Coloma said.

“These constructions are happen- have been accused of accepting Pampanga been impossible for Wang not to Rep. Oscar Rodriguez, administration coalitionConinAssembly (Philconsa). aspeto na patungkol sa pagtalima theLast Friday, the Philippine dicate inof China’s immigration ing in the face snub of the millions of pesos in bribes in ex- istional looking intowas thethat allegations remember him ay because he pinaghad tact by supporting a and common “The problem when they sa Konstitusyon masusing stitution Association three arbitral proceedings precisely change From A1... whose modus that operandi him for for reversing their March that was madekept to itcough next year to avoid diwereWang crafting it they under interviewed aralan at patuloy pa 15 rin minutes po itong candidate Catholic leaders on Friday asked impugn China’s legal rights to do 5 deportation order against the up P440 million which was then to discuss his defense during inviding the vote. wraps,” the prelate said, adding that pinag-aaralan,” he said. the Supreme Court to declare as unis delay deportaso,”to Roque said.the “Clearly, China’s lawmakers fordraftthe quest Chinese “Kaya suspect. mayroon po tayong sense used whiletothebribe measure was being Heproceedings. added that the President has constitutional two continuing agreements “He talks the about conduct is not only illegal but is also of urgency hinggil diyan at yan ed, it was clear that there were no tion of foreign fugitives formed a National Peace Council signed by the If government withpath the This prompted Dasmarinas City A release order for Wang dated swift passage of the Bangsamoro the reforms. the straight contemptuous of the proceedings.” lang 21 naman ang dahilan kung bakit Basic participation from lawmakers. to look into the constitutionality of will MILFcontinue, that envision the establishMay was set aside after allegaLaw. Rep. Elpidio Barzaga, Dela Cruz such as suspected Chiour country will The United States has described desedido si Pangulong Aquino na He also said thatCommissioner this is why this and BBLLeyte and Rep. foundFerdinand that, through the go ment of a Bangsamoro Martin Immigration of bribery surfaced. a long way in just government short span China’s crime efforts tolord build Wang military tions nese maisulong yung prosesong panis not the right time for lawmakers leadership of former Chief Justice to replace the Autonomous Region At a hearing of the House comSiegfred Mison and his deputy Romualdez to demand that CCTV of time,” Escudero said. facilities on reclaimed disputed is- gkapayapaan sa loob ng kanyang to follow Aquino’s order to submit Hilario Davide, the BBL is in line in Muslim Mindanao.

Bo, who become targets from the Bureau of Imon good government and commissioners Escudero said heitsand Poe lands as “troubling” and plans to mittee panunungkulan (That’s why there the BBL this year,Gilbert because Repizo the pro- footage with the 1986 Constituion.

Philconsa, through president produced before the accountability, Justice SecMangotara have migration agreed to another meeting, this for raiseextortion. the issue during annual talks public is a sense of urgency regarding that and posedAbdullah law was haunted by “doubts, “Parehobelang po ang kanilang and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Lima Wang’s exchanging accusations in the hearing. pagsusuri time in “We Washington with also the President and want tothis getmonth. to the bottom retary matterLeila and De that’s thesaid reason why been complains and rejections” by several panel opinyon nanext sa kanilang Romualdez, asked the high Russel, assistant sec- was theindividuals. flip-flopping over The footage, said, a “curious because he about Roxas. of Daniel this. There seems to be US an unPresident Aquinocase” is firmly decided critics and tumatalima namanBarzaga ang Bangsamcourt to reject the Framework retary hand of state for East Asian here and had notfor been deported after 47 Wang. prove who to push the peace process within “Klarong-klaro na maraming con- would oro Basic Law na between isinubmitWang na po Agreement on the Poe Bangsamoro or In a statement, also cited seen that’s working Pacificmakes affairs,these was responding to a days, his term),” implikasyon natinBantilan sa Kongreso.

Ganunpaman, FABaccomplishments dated Oct. 12, 2012, andsecthe was lying during evenColoma thoughadded. normal de- stitutional Testifyinginfirmities before thenaHouse panel and her in her that fugitives and Chinese statement saying the coun- portation Critics had questionedtook the constisa pagbago ng Constitution.

Pangalkinikilala po natin na ang ating mga ond Comprehensive Agreement on the testimony under oath. proceedings only Tuesday, Bantilan denied that he also their year in office. undesirable aliens vulnearable

Unmask Immigration Tug-of-war rings, lawmakers urge Bishop

try would complete island-building efforts “in the upcoming days.”

Construction of military and civilian facilities on the new and expanded islands would continue, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

“TheA1... recent announcement out From of Beijing that the Chinese government intends to continue and praised Iriberri’s track and reexpand the construction cord without mentioning of thefaciligraft ties on the the general reclaimed outposts charge faces beforethat the it’s been constructing in the South Office of the Ombudsman.

China Sea he is troubling,” said.

Instead, said IriberriRussel performed “Frankly, we’re concerned, and well during the midterm 2013 elecothers are concerned,” he added. tions, when he kept Abra, an election Washington will levy its protest hot spot,the peaceful. during Sino-US talks, which are At the time,Monday Iriberriand wasinclude comslated to start manding general of the 503rd Secretary of State John Kerry Briand gade of the 5thPremier Infantry Division.

Chinese Vice Wang Yang.

In February 2014, he program, was desChina’s island-building ignated as reclaimed the 56th 2,000 commanding which has acres of general of the Army.of that amount land, three-quarters Earlier Friday, Iriberri was installed since December, has upset smaller neighbors competing as the 46th with chief of staff of theterritoArmed rial claims as the Philippines.

Forces of thesuch Philippines in ceremonies

Iriberri

tutionality of the BBL, which seeks to create a Bangsamoro political entity that would replace the Autonoin Camp Aguinaldo. mous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

A member of the Philippine Bagaforo on Friday urged Aquino to let theAcademy next President pass the Military Class of 1983, BBL into however, law.

Iriberri, is scheduled to Theon prelate believes that retire Aprilsaid 22, he 2016, less than is abefore need for national govathere month the the May 9 national ernment to hold more consultations polls. as the BBL has allegedly several conIn his speech, Aquino commendstitutional infirmities. ed “Sana Catapang leading operations ang for Pangulong Aquino ay against high-profile targets, includhuwag magmadali at hayaan niya ing Islamic Freedom ang Bangsamoro susunod na administrasyon sa Fighters (BIFF) Basit Usman. pagsasabatas ngleader panukala (I hope President will not rush to He also Aquino cited Catapang’s leaderpass after the BBL let the next ship the but Jan.instead 25 Mamasapano administration to 44 make thiscominto debacle in which police law),” Bagaforo said in a Churchmandos were killed in a botched owned Radio Veritas interview. covert operation.

Bagoforo appealed to the governThe incident rift between ment to hold caused more aconsultations the military and the Philippine with government lawyers,NationMoro al Police, whose officialsFront felt the military Islamic Liberation (MILF) did notentities, come to the aid of the commanlegal Congressmen, Senados enough. tors,soon former chief justices, Deans of

awa, parang kapag ginawa ang BBL magiging federalism na, parang cart before the horse, horse muna ayusin Aquino muna natinalso yunglauded klase ngCatapang gobyerno for “the escape” natin (It greatest is clear that thereof areFilipino several constitutional from infirmities amendpeacekeepers Syrianinrebels in ing Golan and changing the year. constitution. the Heights last Second, once BBL senior is passed, our Irriberi, thethe favorite officer r government will become a federal of Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazone. This is like putting the cart bemin, is facing criminal and adminfore the horse. We should take care of istrative the Office the horsecharges first andbefore we should fix the of theofOmbudsman for we allegedly kind government that have,” delaying the implementation of at Bagaforo said. least three however, ammunition contracts Coloma, rejected Bagaworth P97.8 million. foro’s claims, saying that ever since theThe BBL was crafted,hastheasked national complainant the government has been explainOmbudsman to long immediately issue the detailspreventive and provisions of the aing six-month suspension measure and even held several conagainst Iriberri. sultations involved parties Irriberi among promised to win the and stakeholders. peace, sustain the Armed Forces’ The Palace official maintained transformation, that the BBL doesimplement not violate nathe tional policies, ensure peaceful 1987 Constitution, as it even aselections upgrade the country’s sembled aand high-profile study group military capabilities. to analyze the BBL.

mambabatas ay mayroong tungkulin na tiyakin din yung constitutionality ng lahat ng batas na kanilang Within the Armed Forces, Iriberri ipinapasa, kaya iginagalang po nahas for scrapping a manbeen natincriticized lahat ng kanilang pagsisikap sa aspetong ito,” Coloma added.

P6.5 billion shore-based missile sysBBL has not beenChina’ passeds before temThe meant to counter threat Congress adjourned itsSea session last in the West Philippine in favor June 11. Congress will open 27, of buying more helmets, rifles,July night the same day that Aquino will deliver combat systems and body armor for his final State of the Nation Address. theColoma troops. said that the Aquino adAt least two Housetoleaders on ministration is willing coordinate Friday welcomed Iriberri’s apwith the lawmakers and come up pointment. with a consensus.

Reps.

Senen Sarmiento of “OpenMel naman po tayong makipagtalakayan sa kanila, pakipag-unWestern Samar and Jerry Trenas awaan. importante rito magof IloiloKasi saidpo Iriberri was an “excelkaroon tayo ng pagkakaunawaan at lent” choice. pagkakaroon consensus, ika nga, Sarmiento, ng who sits as chair of dahil ang nakataya rito ayBoard napakathe Multi-Sector Advisory of halagang aspeto ng ating pambanthe Philippine Army’s transformasang kagalingan o national interest tion andany Vice-Chairman (We roadmap are open to talks and unof the Multi-Sector derstanding.

Because it Governance is important Council said Iriberri here for usoftothe haveAFP, an understanding represents the since new our andnational emerging and consensus in-

Bangsamoro or CAB dated March 27, 2014, which grant “unconscionable” financial, social, economic and breed ofbenefits militarytoofficers who are political the MILF. notAside only from adeptRomualdez, in combat tactics but the other petitioners were former Franare also very skillful in Senator civil military cisco Tatad,and Archbishops operations technologyRamon manArguelles, Fernando Capalla and Roagement. mulo de la Cruz, formerchoice National “Iriberri is theand perfect to Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales. replace Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr. The FAB was negotiated and signed who has reached thepeace mandatory reby former government panel chief tirement age. He isCourt not just a warrior and now Supreme Associate Jusbut he is also media savvy and also tice Marvic Leonen, while the CAB was has a long experience military negotiated and signedinbycivil incumbent operations. heard he is also a techie governmentIchief peace negotiator Miriam has Coronel Ferrer MILF peace and a good graspwith on the latest depanel head Mohagher Iqbal. velopments in military technology,” Pendingsaid. the judgment on the unSarmiento constitutionality of the is FAB and the Trenas said Iriberri known as the professional petitioners sought temaCAB, highly and apolitiporary restraining order enjoining cally neutral military officer, which Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and should be taken as an assurance any other official from further releasthat the military imparing funds for anywill andremain all activities to tial in next year’s elections.

With pursue or implement the FAB –and the Maricel V.any Cruz CAB and all acts and issuances.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK S At u r d Ay : J u ly 1 1 , 2 0 1 5

A3

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Rough ride. Vehicles navigate the potholed Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City that got that way as a result of the continuing monsoon rain in Metro Manila. Danny Pata

Tribunal to hear new arguments THE Philippine legal team will present a second round of oral arguments in The Hague after the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal decided to ask more questions on the Philippines’ petition against China over their maritime dispute in the South China Sea, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Friday.

The agency said the UN Arbitral Tribunal will again convene to deliberate on the presentation of the Philippines in the case it filed against China over the disputed territories, and to decide if it has jurisdiction over it.

“The Arbitral Tribunal will be convening today [Friday] to deliberate on the presentations made by the Philippines on its claims against China,” deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte told reporters.

“In the past two days, the Philippines presented its arguments to prove that the tribunal has jurisdiction over the matter and that there is no bar to the exercise of its jurisdiction,” Valte said.

“The Philippines will await word if it will be propounded

additional questions by the members of the tribunal and if a Second Round of Arguments on Hearing and Admissibility will be required. If so, then it will be held on July 13, 2015.”

Valte is part of the Philippine delegation to the arbitration proceedings, where China has refused to participate.

The Philippines has told the Arbitral Tribunal that China’s expansive claim over the disputed waters threatens the law of the sea and endangers small countries like the Philippines.

But Foreign Affairs refused to comment further on what will be the Philippines’ next move should the tribunal decide it has no jurisdiction on the dispute.

The Philippines merely wanted

the tribunal, which interprets UNCLOS, to invalidate China’s nine-dash line claim over the South China Sea, Foreign Affairs said. It said the second round of presentation would be held on July 13.

The high-level Philippine delegation, led by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, ended its first round of arguments after two days, telling the tribunal that the country’s case against China does not constitute specific exemptions under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which would preclude it from having jurisdiction.

“We are here because we wish to clarify our maritime entitlements in the South China Sea, a question over which the Tribunal has jurisdiction,” Del Rosario told the tribunal.

“This is a matter that is most important not only to the Philippines, but also to all coastal States that border the South China Sea and even to all the States Parties to UNCLOS.” Vito Barcelo and

Reds now ready to start new talks, says Belmonte

By Christine F. Herrera HOUSE Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said Friday the communist leaders living in exile in Utrecht had said they were ready to resume informal peace talks with the government, but the government did not give any commitment.

He said Jose Maria Sison and Luis Jalandoni had agreed to the meeting he had sought, and that they also wanted to tap him as the “bridge” between the communists and the government.

The formal peace talks between the government and the NDF were suspended in June 2011.

“Yes, they were ready to resume informal talks. I just listened,” Bel-

monte told The Standard.

“I just listened. There were no commitments on my part, but it was a very informative dinner with Joma and Jalandoni.”

Belmonte said Sison and Jalandoni did not impose “preconditions” to what he called an “initiative” to get the stalled peace talks with the rebels back on track.

He said he would report to President Benigno Aquino III the “informative dinner” that he had with the communist leaders.

He said he had sought the meeting with Sison, Jalandoni and Ruth de Leon Zumel in a Japanese restaurant in Amsterdam at 6 pm on July 9 while he was in The Netherlands.

Sandy araneta

Palace appoints 74 to govt positions

By Sandy araneta MALACAÑANG on Friday announced the appointment of 74 officials in various government agencies, including 15 officials of the Department of Interior and Local Government and 37 school superintendents.

The highest ranking appointment was that of Andrew Felix Arsenio De Castro as commissioner of the Presidential Commission on Good Government, replacing Maita Chan-Gonzaga.

The Palace also announced the appointment of 73 other officials in the different agencies including Armina Dielle Kapunan as assistant secretary of Department of Transportation and Communication and Calixto Mabesa Protacio as executive director of the Philippine Rice Research Institute under the Department of Agriculture.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Four provincial prosecutors of the Department of Justice were also appointed. They are Ma. Arlene Cordovez as Prosecutor V in Leyte; Dimapuno Magangcong as Prosecutor IV in Zamboanga del Sur; Mariam April Linsangan as Prosecutor IV in Cotabato City; and, Ivan Buyucan as Prosecutor II in Ifugao.

Other appointees include Aldrin Cruz Santiago and Bernardita Apilado-Garcia as members of the Philippine Regulatory Commission board of optometry; Filomino Castillo Jr. as member of the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board under Department of Trade and Industry; Patroncino Sigua Caisip as member representing the workers’ sector to the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board Region 4-A; Claro Suarez Cristobal, director general of Foreign Service Institute under Department of Foreign Affairs.

In memoriam. Relatives of the people killed by a collapsing mountain of garbage in Payatas commemorated the 15th year of the tragedy on Friday.

LIno SantoS

s at u r D aY : j u lY 1 1 , 2 0 1 5

A4

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Find jobs, Binay urges

By Vito Barcelo THE camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay on Friday urged Malacañang to offer concrete solutions to the rising unemployment and underemployment in the country instead of taking the credit away from the resiliency and industry of the Filipino people.

Just wanna have fun. Children enjoy the big waves caused the the southwest monsoon at edge of the seawall of Navotas Centenial Park on Friday. MANNY PALMERO

No fake rice in other places

By Macon Ramos-Araneta THE reported proliferation of fake rice is “an isolated case” because it does not exist elsewhere except in some areas in Davao, stressed yesterday presidential adviser on food security Francis Pangilinan.

“We believe this dibutyl phthalate which contaminated the rice is an isolated case up to or until today. [There is] no suggestion that it exists elsewhere outside where we found it in Davao. So it is isolated,” Pangilinan said.

“The (National Food Authority) will continue to do its daily inspection. This is an isolated case up to this time there is no indication that we have this kind of rice in other places,” added Pangilinan as he assured the public the government is on top of the problem.

He said Health Undersecretary Kenneth Hartigan Go said the three chemicals in

the fake rice are not harmful based on the results of the tests conducted by the health department at their satellite laboratory in Davao City.

But Go stressed that even though the chemicals – polyvinyl alcohol, cedrol and dibutyl phthalateare – are normally found in pharmaceutical drugs and not harmful to the human body in small doses, they should still be avoided.

“The government position is it shouldn’t be there in the first place but science is never exact,” he said, adding that other samples are also being tested.

“No doubt the Food and Drug Administration will share the results that were not found in other samples. So we think the handling, the exposure, the way it’s transported and the way it’s kept may have some bearing on the contamination,” Go said.

Go likewise said the three chemicals

traditionally found in pharmaceutical drugs are coloring, flavoring agents and also coating for tablets.

“Be that as it may, our assessment for these chemicals is first they shouldn’t be there but they’re there compared to controlled samples from other cooked rice bought from the market,” he added.

NFA Administrator Renan Dalisay said they had received 50 reports of alleged fake rice all over the country but only one, the case in Davao City, has tested positive for contamination.

He said the NFA sent quality assurance officers and classifiers to the area where alleged fake rice was found to determine if the samples are indeed fake.

He also said the public should not mistake corn rice and iron-fortified rice with the fake rice, noting that the first two products are legitimate projects of the Department of Science and Technology.

It was another prong in the Binay’s camp newly-adopted tack of criticizing the “bungling” and “insensitivity” of the Aquion administration, but Malacanang responded by daring Binay to instead debate with Ombudsman Conchita CarpioMorales.

“The recent Time [magazine] report that Filipinos are the most optimistic citizens in job hunting is a testament to the industry and the resiliency of our people,” said lawyer Rico Quicho, vice presidential spokesperson for political concerns, said.

“But for the Palace to grab the credit of the Filipinos’ integrity, for being hardworking, diligent and thrifty, is unthinkable that they would do it,” he said.

Quicho also said that instead of patting itself on the back, Malacañang should review its policies in order to address the problems of unemployment and underemployment.

“Instead of praising their worthless and insensitive government, they should find ways to resolve their fault. This way, we can look what the people needs,” Quicho said in Filipino.

Quicho said that contrary to what Malacañang is trying to show, unemployment and underemployment are still rampant in the Philippines.

“The International Institute for Management Development World Competitiveness Yearbook 2015 mentions that the Philippines has the worst unemployment and underemployment problem among ASEAN-5 economies,” he said.

“In 2014, the Philippines’ unemployment rate was 6.8 percent, much higher than Indonesia’s 5.94 percent, Malaysia’s 2.9 percent, Singapore’s 2.0 percent and Thailand’s 0.84 percent. We rank 41 out of 144 economies,” Quicho added.

He also cited IBON Foundation’s research that showed 4.3 million (10.5 percent) went workless and 6.9 million (16.8 percent) are underemployed out of the 41-million labor force in the country.

Miriam: Probe LTO plates

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Miriam Defensor Santiago asked her colleagues to investigate the billion-peso license plate standardization program of the Land Transportation Office amid public outrage over the supposedly inferior quality of vehicle plates being issued.

Santiago, a laureate of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service, said she will file a resolution on the LTO license plate deal on Monday, following published photos of vehicle plates damaged in knee-deep floods.

Other reports claimed that the paint on the license plates easily chip off and that LTOissued security bolts do not fit many vehicles.

“It is ridiculous for the LTO to impose a costly fine of P5,000 if the security bolts are not attached to the new license plates, when car owners have complained that these supposedly standard bolts do not even fit their car,” the senator lamented.

The Department of Transportation and Communications procured new license plates for P3.8 billion. The LTO reportedly charges

P450 per car plate, while vehicle owners have claimed on online forums that installation fees could reach up to P2,500.

“The faulty license plates and unreliable security bolts do not justify the billions of pesos in taxpayers’ money spent for the project, and the high price that the vehicle owners have to pay,” the senator said.

Santiago also urged due diligence in choosing contractors for government projects. “The LTO and DOTC must provide car plates that can withstand flood and other usual road hazards, especially since the country is vulnerable to typhoons,” she said.

Santiago remains on medical leave due to her lung cancer, stage four, but continues to be the top-performing senator. She filed the most number of bills and resolutions since the 16th Congress started in June 2013 and until it adjourned sine die last May. Meanwhile, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said the Senate will hear proposals to extend the validity of motor vehicle registration and driver’s license on the session resumes.

Innocent persistence. Homeless nine-year-old boy Daniel Cabrera does his homework by the light of a McDonald’s outlet, touching the hearts of thousands of netizens who lauded his ambition and persistence. AFP/JOYCE TORREFRANCA

s at u r d ay : j u ly 1 1 , 2 0 1 5

A5

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Jakarta urged to bust rings

By Sandy Araneta and Rey E. Requejo PALACE officials urged the Indonesian government on Friday to spare the life of death convict Mary Jane Veloso even as Justice Secretary Leila de Lima downplayed apprehensions that the Veloso may be executed after the end of Ramadan next week.

Malacanang said as the Philippine government is continuing its efforts to negotiate with the Indonesian government on saving the life of Veloso, who was convicted and sentenced to die after being caught smuggling into Indonesia 2.6 kilograms of heroin in 2010.

De Lima stressed that there is no report that Mary Jane would again be up for execution soon if the Philippine government fails to resolve the cases against her alleged recruiters in Manila.

“We have not received such feedback (from Indonesian authorities)… I don’t think that’s possible,” De Lima said, in an interview.

According to her, the Indonesian government has committed to suspend the execution of Mary Jane to allow the Philippine government to first resolve the case against the alleged recruiters.

“I am confident that it is really more of a comity and mutual respect of Philippines and Indonesia. They already said they would respect our legal processes so I don’t think they will back down on such statement,” De Lima said.

De Lima met with Veloso’s mother, Celia, in the afternoon after the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed the cases for illegal recruitment, estafa and qualified human trafficking against Maria Cristina Sergio, her live-in partner Julius Lacanilao and a certain “Ike,” the reported man of African descent who gave to Veloso the bag containing 2.6 kilos of heroin that led to drug trafficking conviction and death penalty against her.

Champion sensitivity. Boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao listens to Mary Jane Veloso, a Philippine death row inmate, during his visit to Wirogunan prison in Yogyakarta on July 10. AFP

UN panel receives Arroyo rights plea

By Rio N. Araja THE United Nations’ Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has taken cognizance of the petition of former president and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo over her arrest and continued detention over the alleged plunder of P366 million in Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office funds.

Arroyo’s lawyer Modesto Ticman said the UN Human Rights Council has already responded to the Feb. 26 petition filed by international human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin Clooney to look into the case of Arroyo.

He said the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has asked the Philippine government to comment if Arroyo’s plea should go through the special procedure or urgent action procedure, instead of

the regular procedure, for its swift resolution.

The UN letter was sent “as early as March or April,” Ticman said. “I just don’t know how the Philippine government reacted to it.”

He said there are some information that he could not disclose since they are “highly and strictly confidential” in nature.

Ticman said he last talked with Clooney in February via teleconference about Arroyo’s plight and the documents she would be needing in the filing the petition with the UN Human Rights Council.

“We just communicate with one another through email letters.

That’s my role, along with lawyer Larry Gadon,” he said.

Under the regular procedure, “the initiation of the regular communications procedure will result in complainant’s or counsel’s ability to provide comment on any government response received in this case as well as the rendering of an opinion by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on the arbitrary nature of the detention.”

She stepped into the alleged human rights violation on Arroyo after the Sandiganbayan denied her plea for bail although her other corespondents have been granted provisional liberty.

Bishops tackle polls

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

Only an isolated case. Food Security Sec. Francis Pangilinan (center) tells journalists tha the discovery of tainted rice in Davao City was only an isolated incident that has not been reported elsewhere. He was accompanied in the press briefing by National Food Administrator Renan Dalisay and Health Undersecretary Kenneth Go. LINO SANTOS

HUNDREDS of Catholic bishops are scheduled to meet with Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista next week to discuss issues abouth the forthcoming May 9, 2016 elections.

The confirmation was made by both Bautista and some of the bishops, who said the meeting will be at the sidelines of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ biannual plenary assembly at the Pius XII Center in Manila on Saturday.

Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines Secretary General Fr. Marvin Mejia said that the bishops particularly want to know from the Comelec the status of the automated elections.

“Basically the bishops want to know the plan of the Comelec and clarify some questions regarding the election,” Mejia said.

Bautista said, on the other hand, that CBCP President and Ligayen Archbishop Socrates Villegas has invited him to give an update on their preparations for the elections.

“I am scheduled to speak before the entire CBCP on July 12, I was invited to give an update on the election,” Bautista said.

Mejia said, also part of the discussion is Rev. Carmelo Diola of the Dillab Foundation, a Christianbased movement, to present its campaign which aims to help voters and candidates make choices based on values and realistic criteria.

The bishops from around the country will convene for their biannual plenary assembly at the Pius XII Center in Manila on Saturday.

Aside from the elections, the bishops will also tackle about the K-to-12 program of the Department of Education and the problem of illegal drug trade in the country.

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

A6 Distribution utilities now have to bid requirements

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Customs files smuggling charge vs firm, importer

By Vito Barcelo and Gabrielle Marie Consuelo H. Binaday

By John Paolo Bencito THE Energy Department has released a circular mandating all distribution utilities to undergo a competitive selection process in securing power supply agreements.

The circular, signed June 11 by former Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla before he stepped down on June 30, mandates distribution utilities like Meralco, Visayas Electric and Davao Light to bid out their uncontracted energy requirements instead of allowing them to just negotiate with their preferred generation companies.

Under the current practice, distribution utilities privately negotiate their power needs from preferred generation companies, invariably resulting in higher generation rates and disadvantageous terms to consumers.

This practice also closes the private distribution utilities market, comprising about 75 percent of the country’s power demand to truly independent generation suppliers.

Uncontracted energy requirements refers to “the energy and demand not yet procured individually or collectively by the distribution utilities, excluding those energy and capacity covered by PSAs that have been filed for approval before the ERC,” the circular read.

The new CSP intends to increase the transparency needed in the procurement process in order to reduce risks and ascertain least-cost outcomes in generation costs by power producers should political and institutional scenarios should change.

The new circular shall apply to any entity that owns, operates, or controls one or more distribution systems in the main grid and off-grid areas of distribution utilities/systems.

The new CSP is expected to lower the generation costs of consumers by about 30 percent, said power group Matuwid na Singil sa Kuryente (MSK).

“Most wonderful things start with a first step and we hope that this Circular for the electricity consumers will truly usher in an era of open competition in the generation market and reduce generation charges,” said David Celestra Tan of MSK. The Energy Regulatory Commission and the Department of Energy shall draft rules within 120 days after the effectivity of the circular to ensure that any CSP and its outcome shall redound to greater transparency in the procurement of electric supply.

THE Bureau of Customs has filed smuggling charges against a Cagayan de Oro firm and its importer for illegally importing from China 260,000 kilos of sugar worth more than P13 million.

15th anniversary. Survivors and relatives of victims of the Payatas tragedy remember their dead. LINO SANTOS

Charged were Argic Dinawanao, owner of AMD Royale Enterprises, and Steve Semblante, customs broker.

Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina said the shipment was intercepted at the Cagayan de Oro port May 24.

The shipment was declared as “kitchenware, furniture, stoneware, tableware and ceramic ware” and entered the Philippines in 10 40-foot containers, Customs Deputy Commissioner Arturo Lachica said.

“AMD Royale’s importation of refined sugar without import permit constitute violations of the Sugar Regulatory Administration’s rules that all importer of sugar must have SRA clearance prior to the release of the importation by the Bureau of Customs. Failure to secure an import permit from SRA makes the sugar importation unlawful,” said Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina.

Lachica said the seized sugar would first be checked if safe before being auctioned off.

Aside from the violation of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines, the BOC also filed charges for not rightfully declaring the vans of imported sugar.

10 Caloocan inmates finish mechanics course

By Jun David

Repairs. Maintenance workers repair pot holes along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. LINO SANTOS

TEN inmates of the Caloocan City Jail have graduated after finishing their Basic Automotive Mechanic course.

The program is a joint project of Labor Industrial Relations Office-Caloocan City Manpower Training Center and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and aims to provide basic training on various courses to inmates.

The inmates, who graduated on June 30, belong to the third batch of graduates and will be added to the list of the 30 other

inmates who finished courses in mechanics, massage and welding.

“This should se…nd a strong message that in Caloocan, we give a second chance to those who are willing to change,” said city Mayor Oscar Malapitan.

“We hope that the skills they acquired through this program will be used to improve their lives and become useful members of the society.

The trainings last for three months and are conducted by the trainor, Mr. Ruperto Faustino, who personally visits the inmates at the Caloocan City Jail.

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

A7

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

‘Chemical in fake rice must never be in food’

By Joel E. Zurbano THE chemical contaminant found in samples of fake rice from Davao City is prohibited in cosmetics and toys and must not be present in foodstuff, particularly rice, an environmental group said.

The Ecowaste Coalition expressed alarm over the detection of dibutyl phthalate on fake rice as analyzed by the National Food Authority—Food Development Center.

“We are deeply alarmed by the discovery of toxic DBP in synthetic rice that has reportedly penetrated the local market, particularly in the south,” said retired chemist and Ecowaste President Sonia Mendoza.

“The government should get to the bottom of this trade in hazardous rice laced with a chemical that is banned in the production of cosmetics and toys,” she said.

The group said the use of DBP, a chemical additive to adhesives and plastics, in concentration above 0.1 percent is prohibited in children’s toys under the Department of Health Administrative Order 2009-0005-A as amended in December 2011.

It added that DBP is also listed on Annex II, Part 1 of the Asean Cosmetics Directive as among the substances that “must not form part of the composition of cosmetic products.”

“The consumption of this tainted rice, especially by pregnant women and young children, may expose consumers to DBP, which is known to cause birth and reproductive disorders in laboratory animals,” Mendoza warned.

The group cited a study on rats by researchers at the School of Medicine at the Complutense University of Madrid, which showed that the oral intake of DBP by their mothers during pregnancy affected the offspring, with the effects being more apparent in the reproductive development of male pups.

Aside from being a reproductive and developmental toxicant in laboratory animals, exposure to DBP may also cause allergic reactions leading to adverse health consequences.

The group recalled that the Food and Drugs Administration issued an advisory on February 11, 2015 against a DBP-containing artificial nail adhesive that was brought to the agency’s attention.

According to FDA Advisory, “DBP has the ability to cause allergic reactions (and that) there were previous cases where allergic response to DBP was found to be severe. Allergic reactions can induce a state of hypersensitivity in the immune system.”

“It can cause the immune system to respond to chemical exposures with immunological reactions that are harmful, varying from hives to life threatening responses such as anaphylactic shock, where low blood pressure and breathing difficulties can result in death,” it said.

The group earlier urged consumers to exercise extra vigilance when buying rice and to immediately report any unlawful sale of fake rice to the authorities by calling or texting the NFA Bantay Bigas Hotline at 0906-4363133.

“Errant traders should be prosecuted and punished to the full extent of the law,” the group said.

Sheer willpower. Nine-year-old Daniel Cabrera became famous through a photo of him studying on a pavement in Mandaue City. AFP

Homeless boy in viral video gets aid, college scholarship A HOMELESS Filipino boy has been overwhelmed with aid after a heart-wrenching photo of him studying on the pavement and using faint light from a McDonald’s outlet went viral on the Internet.

Nine-year-old Daniel Cabrera will fulfil his dream of becoming a policeman after donations of cash, school supplies and a college scholarship poured in, his mother, Christina Espinosa, told AFP on Friday.

“We’re overjoyed. I don’t know what I will do with all of these blessings,” the stunned 42-year-old grocery store employee and domestic helper told AFP. “Now, Daniel will not have to suffer just to finish his studies.”

The photo, posted on Facebook last month by a college student, showed Cabrera doing his homework on a wooden stool placed close to a McDonald’s window to catch the light from the store.

The 20-year-old medical technology student, Joyce Torrefranca, captioned her Facebook post: “I got inspired by a kid.”

It was then shared close to 7,000 times on the social networking site and reported by local television.

Espinosa and her three youngest children, including Cabrera, have been living in her employer’s mini-grocery store since their shanty home was gutted by fire five years ago.

Espinosa said she earned just P80 pesos a day working at the store and as a domestic helper for the store’s owners in their nearby home. She augments the income by selling cigarettes and candy on the streets on Mandaue, an urban centre on Cebu island in the central Philippines.

Their grocery store home is close

to the McDonald’s outlet that had served as Cabrera’s study nook, she said.

Cabrera’s father died in 2013 due to severe diarrhea, said Espinosa, who has three older children, all married and living separate from her.

She described the boy as a tenacious child with a single-mined focus on getting an education.

“He is a very studious and determined boy... he would insist on going to school even without his lunch money because I have no money to give,” Espinosa said.

“He always tells me: ‘Mama, I don’t want to stay poor. I want to reach my dreams’.”

Espinosa said, aside from the cash, school supplies and scholarship offer that would guarantee his education through college, people had given school uniforms and a reading lamp.

The local church and government social welfare office had also received aid on his behalf.

“Our problem is how to manage all this financial assistance,” the city’s social welfare office chief, Violeta Cavada, told AFP. “He has become a symbol of poor slum boys in the city who can’t study because they don’t have electricity.”

Despite strong economic growth in recent years, roughly one quarter of the Philippines’ 100 million people still live on less than one dollar a day, and giant slums dominate all major cities.

Torrefranca’s post was shared around the world and in multiple languages, including Spanish, Ger-

man and Portuguese, all touched by the boy’s perseverance.

“I couldn’t believe how my post went viral and helped him in his studies,” Torrefranca told AFP on Friday.

She said she snapped a photo of the boy, whom she saw outside the fastfood chain for the first time, while she was on her way home from school.

“I was in awe. While other street kids were begging for alms, he was studying.”

Many who reposted Cabrera’s photo on their Facebook profiles agreed.

“I hope he makes it because in my book, he is a legend,” Alan Butler said on his Facebook page.

“Great story because thanks to this picture, his life will change.

Sad, because it is one of the thousands, probably millions who live in these circumstances,” wrote Christoffel Sneijders. AFP

Great find.

A boy from Tacloban who survived the wrath of typhoon Yolanda in Tacloban shows the fish he caught in Isla Bonita, Rosario, Cacite.

DANNY PATA

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

cYan magenta YelloW Black S AT u R D AY : J u LY 1 1 , 2 0 1 5

A8

opinion

ADELLE chuA eDitor

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

poWer point eliZaBeth angsioco

Social media irreSponSibility

[ EDI TORI A L ]

Will the shame campaign Work?

THe National Citizens’ Movement for Free elections says it will post over social media photos and videos of politicians engaged in self-promotion before the campaign period for the 2016 elections.

Namfrel will call these overeager candidates “election 2016 Pampams.” The word “pampam” is a play on “papansin,” referring to a person desperate for attention.

The organization describes “pampams” as those who put up their names and images on tarpaulins, posts, walls, traditional media, social media, or by riding on public service projects like the Conditional Cash Transfer, the distribution of Philhealth cards or relief goods and other services like vaccination.

“Infomercials” are usually released by incumbent Cabinet members who purport to tell the public that the agency they are leading is doing its job.

Namfrel claims that as of this month, it has featured about a hundred individuals who have engaged in early campaigning in one form or another. The posts have been provided by its volunteers and supporters. Namfrel is now asking citizens to participate in the campaign by posting photos and videos on its Facebook account or on Twitter, using the hashtag #pampam.

The idea is to shame these politicians enough that they would stop taking advantage of their incumbent posts to give themselves an edge in the next elections. election laws provide a loophole for candidates to engage in premature campaigning, because they are technically not considered candidates until they have filed their certificates of candidacy.

That’s legal talk. The objective of Namfrel’s campaign however is to make people remember who those notorious officials are – and not vote for them.

This will certainly work for discerning social media users who know why premature campaigning, especially using public funds under the guise of some public service, is abominable.

Social media users, and this includes the officials themselves, decision-makers, movers and shakers, media personalities, are influential. They get to define, to some extent, what gets reported on in traditional media. Among social media users are those who attended school, who are gainfully employed, and who have considerable disposable income that allows them to buy communication gadgets that in turn enable them to keep abreast of developments in the nation.

Unfortunately, social media users do not comprise majority of voters here. Who in fact make up the millions who decide the winners of an election—assuming that the votes are counted and canvassed correctly—are those who simply believe that the candidate they should vote for is the candidate who “cares” about them.

Caring, of course, is an arguable concept. Voters in dire straits mistake caring with investing politically, which means candidates present themselves as being able to solve the problems of their constituents. These problems are almost always financial in nature.Commiserating with victims of a tragedy, kissing babies, and handing out, by the way, “tokens” to remember them by—all these show that a candidate cares. So what if his or her name is on a tarpaulin on every street corner, offering profuse greetings during graduation, or easter, or fiesta.

A bigger question: Would a shame campaign actually work for politicians who actually have no shame?

RappRochement Back channel aleJanDro Del rosario SeNAToR Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said it was a lost opportunity when China opened the door to revive bilateral talks but the Aquino government shut the door.

Speaking recently in a radio and TV interview, Marcos said it is not enough to pursue a legal and rules-based approach solely to the territorial dispute in the

South China Sea. He said the government should try backchanneling anew and use the influence of Filipino officials and Fil-Chinese businessmen who have strong ties with Beijing.

Showing the statesmanship his father, the late former President Ferdinand Marcos adopted in initiating the establishment of diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China on June 9,1975, the senator is sanguine a rapprochement with China is still possible despite the arbitration tribunal hearing going on in The Hague.

It will be recalled President Marcos sent former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos as special envoy to China to help thaw relations with China in the wake of the Cold War between the West and communist countries.

Imelda, using her striking presence and charm to the hilt, won over Mao Zedong and the then-ruling Chinese leadership.

The Marcos diplomatic coup resulted in the country’s one China policy that opened a new era in Philippine-China relations until the bitter dispute over sovereignty in parts of the South

Beijing is incensed that manila brought the case to international arbitration instead of opting for bilateral talks.

A9

China Sea came to the fore to stir up what were once calm waters into stormy seas.

An international outcast Whether we win our case or not at The Hague hearings of the United Nations Arbitration Tribunal, China is already deemed an international outcast for upsetting world order and regional stability in Southeast Asia.

Refusing to participate in the case filed by Manila contesting China’s sweeping nine-dash line which encroached on the West Philippine Sea, Beijing nevertheless filed a petition with the UN challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal at the The Hague. This would

indicate China is worried about its international image even as it races to surpass the United States as a superpower. It’s not remote that China will overtake the US as an economic power although it still has a lot of catching up as far as US military power is concerned.

China cares about its international reputation. Loss of face is important to the Chinese despite its official pronouncements it will not abide by decision of the court at The Hague in

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 event it gets an unfavorable ruling.

Being a signatory to UNCLoS, that would make China a global pariah if not an international outlaw.

The US has tried to stay neutral in the overlapping claims of Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei and the Philippines with China. Washington has made clear it is committed to the defense of the Philippines if attacked.

But what if the Philippines were not attacked but simply fenced in by China in the West Philippine Sea and deprived

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

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

cYan magenta YelloW Black

of rights to explore the resourcerich seabed and to fish in its 200-mile exclusive economic zone under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ?

Beijing is incensed that Manila brought the case to international arbitration instead of opting for bilateral talks. The Philippine policy is multilateral talks to include the other claimants who signed the Asean Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea. 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

A TeeN star’s death and another teen star’s alleged sex video. These girls are social media’s flavor of the week, but in a very negative way.

The first, the daughter of known actors, is said to have committed suicide.

Her death came as a shock to many in show business. Her family, in their statement made very clear requests for the public to respect their privacy as they grieve for their loss.

Coming from the media industry, I suppose they knew very well that there would be those who would capitalize on this distressing event to make a quick buck, and in social media, to increase traffic on blog sites. Thus, the request for authorities to no longer conduct an investigation because they are convinced that their daughter took her own life.

True enough, social media was, and still is abuzz with postings on the girl’s death. As if the family’s request for respect for their privacy fell on deaf ears.

Many of the posts are outright insensitive and irresponsible. People are uncaring about the family’s feelings While the family tries to come to terms with losing a loved one, many netizens suddenly became experts on suicide, depression and the like. Speculations and assumptions on the cause of the tragedy abound. Many of the discussions on Facebook border on “chismis”.

Some bloggers lost no time in looking for angles that would surely bring more traffic to their sites. one particular blogger scrutinized the girl’s Instagram account and came up with her posted artworks and a cosplay picture, and labelled these as creepy.

The blog strongly insinuated that the girl was suffering from depression which could have caused the suicide.

After saying all these, the blogger had the nerve to condole with the girl’s family. To me, this is hypocrisy. of course the distasteful, insensitive blog got read by thousands of people and repeatedly reposted by netizens without any regard for how the grieving family would feel.

How hard is it for people to respect the family’s wishes during this very trying time? How have many of us become so insensitive to the suffering of others? Bakit natin pinagpipiyestahan ang mag ganitong bagay na wala namang kinalaman sa atin?

If we truly and sincerely want to condole with the family, all we have to do is to respect their wishes. We should not be adding to the tremendous grief that they have to bear. All we need to do is keep our mouths shut.

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

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

cYan magenta YelloW Black S AT u R D AY : J u LY 1 1 , 2 0 1 5

A8

opinion

ADELLE chuA eDitor

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

poWer point eliZaBeth angsioco

Social media irreSponSibility

[ EDI TORI A L ]

Will the shame campaign Work?

THe National Citizens’ Movement for Free elections says it will post over social media photos and videos of politicians engaged in self-promotion before the campaign period for the 2016 elections.

Namfrel will call these overeager candidates “election 2016 Pampams.” The word “pampam” is a play on “papansin,” referring to a person desperate for attention.

The organization describes “pampams” as those who put up their names and images on tarpaulins, posts, walls, traditional media, social media, or by riding on public service projects like the Conditional Cash Transfer, the distribution of Philhealth cards or relief goods and other services like vaccination.

“Infomercials” are usually released by incumbent Cabinet members who purport to tell the public that the agency they are leading is doing its job.

Namfrel claims that as of this month, it has featured about a hundred individuals who have engaged in early campaigning in one form or another. The posts have been provided by its volunteers and supporters. Namfrel is now asking citizens to participate in the campaign by posting photos and videos on its Facebook account or on Twitter, using the hashtag #pampam.

The idea is to shame these politicians enough that they would stop taking advantage of their incumbent posts to give themselves an edge in the next elections. election laws provide a loophole for candidates to engage in premature campaigning, because they are technically not considered candidates until they have filed their certificates of candidacy.

That’s legal talk. The objective of Namfrel’s campaign however is to make people remember who those notorious officials are – and not vote for them.

This will certainly work for discerning social media users who know why premature campaigning, especially using public funds under the guise of some public service, is abominable.

Social media users, and this includes the officials themselves, decision-makers, movers and shakers, media personalities, are influential. They get to define, to some extent, what gets reported on in traditional media. Among social media users are those who attended school, who are gainfully employed, and who have considerable disposable income that allows them to buy communication gadgets that in turn enable them to keep abreast of developments in the nation.

Unfortunately, social media users do not comprise majority of voters here. Who in fact make up the millions who decide the winners of an election—assuming that the votes are counted and canvassed correctly—are those who simply believe that the candidate they should vote for is the candidate who “cares” about them.

Caring, of course, is an arguable concept. Voters in dire straits mistake caring with investing politically, which means candidates present themselves as being able to solve the problems of their constituents. These problems are almost always financial in nature.Commiserating with victims of a tragedy, kissing babies, and handing out, by the way, “tokens” to remember them by—all these show that a candidate cares. So what if his or her name is on a tarpaulin on every street corner, offering profuse greetings during graduation, or easter, or fiesta.

A bigger question: Would a shame campaign actually work for politicians who actually have no shame?

RappRochement Back channel aleJanDro Del rosario SeNAToR Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said it was a lost opportunity when China opened the door to revive bilateral talks but the Aquino government shut the door.

Speaking recently in a radio and TV interview, Marcos said it is not enough to pursue a legal and rules-based approach solely to the territorial dispute in the

South China Sea. He said the government should try backchanneling anew and use the influence of Filipino officials and Fil-Chinese businessmen who have strong ties with Beijing.

Showing the statesmanship his father, the late former President Ferdinand Marcos adopted in initiating the establishment of diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China on June 9,1975, the senator is sanguine a rapprochement with China is still possible despite the arbitration tribunal hearing going on in The Hague.

It will be recalled President Marcos sent former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos as special envoy to China to help thaw relations with China in the wake of the Cold War between the West and communist countries.

Imelda, using her striking presence and charm to the hilt, won over Mao Zedong and the then-ruling Chinese leadership.

The Marcos diplomatic coup resulted in the country’s one China policy that opened a new era in Philippine-China relations until the bitter dispute over sovereignty in parts of the South

Beijing is incensed that manila brought the case to international arbitration instead of opting for bilateral talks.

A9

China Sea came to the fore to stir up what were once calm waters into stormy seas.

An international outcast Whether we win our case or not at The Hague hearings of the United Nations Arbitration Tribunal, China is already deemed an international outcast for upsetting world order and regional stability in Southeast Asia.

Refusing to participate in the case filed by Manila contesting China’s sweeping nine-dash line which encroached on the West Philippine Sea, Beijing nevertheless filed a petition with the UN challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal at the The Hague. This would

indicate China is worried about its international image even as it races to surpass the United States as a superpower. It’s not remote that China will overtake the US as an economic power although it still has a lot of catching up as far as US military power is concerned.

China cares about its international reputation. Loss of face is important to the Chinese despite its official pronouncements it will not abide by decision of the court at The Hague in

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 event it gets an unfavorable ruling.

Being a signatory to UNCLoS, that would make China a global pariah if not an international outlaw.

The US has tried to stay neutral in the overlapping claims of Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei and the Philippines with China. Washington has made clear it is committed to the defense of the Philippines if attacked.

But what if the Philippines were not attacked but simply fenced in by China in the West Philippine Sea and deprived

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

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

cYan magenta YelloW Black

of rights to explore the resourcerich seabed and to fish in its 200-mile exclusive economic zone under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ?

Beijing is incensed that Manila brought the case to international arbitration instead of opting for bilateral talks. The Philippine policy is multilateral talks to include the other claimants who signed the Asean Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea. 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

A TeeN star’s death and another teen star’s alleged sex video. These girls are social media’s flavor of the week, but in a very negative way.

The first, the daughter of known actors, is said to have committed suicide.

Her death came as a shock to many in show business. Her family, in their statement made very clear requests for the public to respect their privacy as they grieve for their loss.

Coming from the media industry, I suppose they knew very well that there would be those who would capitalize on this distressing event to make a quick buck, and in social media, to increase traffic on blog sites. Thus, the request for authorities to no longer conduct an investigation because they are convinced that their daughter took her own life.

True enough, social media was, and still is abuzz with postings on the girl’s death. As if the family’s request for respect for their privacy fell on deaf ears.

Many of the posts are outright insensitive and irresponsible. People are uncaring about the family’s feelings While the family tries to come to terms with losing a loved one, many netizens suddenly became experts on suicide, depression and the like. Speculations and assumptions on the cause of the tragedy abound. Many of the discussions on Facebook border on “chismis”.

Some bloggers lost no time in looking for angles that would surely bring more traffic to their sites. one particular blogger scrutinized the girl’s Instagram account and came up with her posted artworks and a cosplay picture, and labelled these as creepy.

The blog strongly insinuated that the girl was suffering from depression which could have caused the suicide.

After saying all these, the blogger had the nerve to condole with the girl’s family. To me, this is hypocrisy. of course the distasteful, insensitive blog got read by thousands of people and repeatedly reposted by netizens without any regard for how the grieving family would feel.

How hard is it for people to respect the family’s wishes during this very trying time? How have many of us become so insensitive to the suffering of others? Bakit natin pinagpipiyestahan ang mag ganitong bagay na wala namang kinalaman sa atin?

If we truly and sincerely want to condole with the family, all we have to do is to respect their wishes. We should not be adding to the tremendous grief that they have to bear. All we need to do is keep our mouths shut.

Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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

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

A10

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

LOSING ONE’S IDEOLOGICAL GYROSCOPE BACK­ BENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN THE founding and former chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines, Jose Ma. Sison, has lost his political gyroscope that his latest pronouncement practically put at stake the very integrity of the Party that raised the banner of antiimperialism to liberate our people. With the decision to openly support the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea, Sison and his band of misguided Marxist fundamentalists miserably failed to understand the problem, much more its implication. He and his holdouts in the Netherlands never truly gave a deeper circumspection in supporting the decision enunciated by the shameful lackey of the US imperialist, sending shockwaves to an alreadyflickering party that has inflicted more trauma on our people and evaporated to thin air their dream of being liberated.

The declaration to support “the legal struggle of the Philippine government against the aggressive acts of China in the West Philippine Sea” obviously reveals lack of understanding of the geo-political and historical situation in this part of the globe. To begin with, there could be no act of aggression that could be committed by a state in a disputed territory. The territory that was attacked or occupied must be part of the national territory or one where it has an indisputable sovereignty and jurisdiction. The islands which we are claiming were not part of the territory that were sold by Spain to the US for a mere $20 million dollars. The Kalayaan Group of Islands was not included was delineated as within the nautical boundary in the sale that included the inhabitants. Equally, China cannot claim aggression against the Philippines over those islands for the same reason that they remain disputed islands for which under international law and by the United Nations Charter, it failed to exercise effective occupation until recently.

As an ideologue, Sison should have sorted out the difference between supporting the Philippine government from its support for the Filipino people. For that, Sison is acting like Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto del Rosario who

wants to create a wedge between this country and China in the name of patriotism, and not because our people have direct economic interest in securing those islands. If Sison does not know it yet, China is also a claimant, and that invariably means that before the dispute was heated up by the US, both countries and the other claimants like Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all failed to establish an effective occupation which reason why there exists an overlapping dispute.

If only Sison saw that difference in supporting the policy of that government that has been hounding his group and by just being consistent in supporting the people who are still aching to be liberated form the yoke of US imperialism, he would surely distanced himself from this administration that now stands as the biggest and most corrupt caci-

Sison and company miserably failed to understand the problem, much more its implication.

que in the country.

Even after Tomas Cloma, who claimed to have discovered those islands and sought to own it on the assumption they were res nullius, China did not make a fuss out of that claim by the Filipino seafarer. With China now emerging as a world power, and the US raising anew its antiquated policy to contain China, it is no coincidence that our war chant came alongside with the pronouncement made

by President Obama of the US “Pivot Asia” policy. The role played by this government is to make it appear that the US is not alone in reviving its chauvinistic policy.

It is this government that allowed itself to be used by the US to stem its receding power from being completely washed out of Asia. It is this country that is acting now as the proxy of the US for which it has disguised its interest as our own interest. Sison, like Secretary of Foreign Affairs

INTEGRAL ECOLOGY – EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED THIS is the seventh column of this series on Laudato Si’, the papal encyclical issued by Pope Francis last month. With the Pope visiting Ecuador and Bolivia this week, it is a good time to write about Francis’ vision of integral ecology as both countries being in the Amazon and the frontlines of environmental and climate justice challenges. Indeed, as I share at the end of this column, Pope Francis further elaborated this vision in speeches he delivered in both countries.

The idea of integral ecology, which is the heart of Laudato Si’, is articulated explicitly in paragraph 138: “It cannot be emphasized enough how everything is interconnected.” In the subsequent paragraph, Pope Francis then emphasized that the environment is the relationship existing between nature and the society which lives in it: “Nature cannot be regarded as something separate from ourselves or as a mere setting in which we live. We are part of nature, included in it and thus in constant interaction with it. Recognizing the reasons why a given area is polluted requires a study of the workings of society, its economy, its behaviour patterns, and the ways it grasps reality.”

The Pope points out that the nature of environmental challenges requires us “to seek comprehensive solutions which consider the interactions within natural systems themselves and with social systems. This is because what we confront are not “two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather with one complex crisis which is both social and environmental”. The challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and other such issues require “an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature.” The consequence of interconnectedness is that “Every violation of solidarity and civic friendship harms the environment.” Thus In Bolivia, Pope Francis pointed out: “If politics is dominated by financial speculation, or if the economy is ruled solely by a technocratic and utilitarian paradigm concerned with maximum production, we will not grasp, much less resolve, the great problems of humanity.”

The encyclical also links the patrimony of nature with historic, artistic and cultural patrimony, all share the fact of being threatened by human shortsightedness and greed. Paragraph 143 observes: “This patrimony is a part of the shared identity of each place and a foundation upon which to build a habitable city. It is not a matAlberto del Rosario and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, could not see that the US Pivot Asia policy would have no meaning if there are no countries openly supporting that policy.

Sison’s concurrence in rejecting China’s offer for bilateral talks calling it “void ab initio” for claiming that it has an indisputable sovereignty over those islands is non sequitur because it is the same argument that our delegates would be raising at the Hague. Rather, his position is an implied endorsement of the continuing

EAGLE EYES DEAN TONY LA VIÑA ter of tearing down and building new cities, supposedly more respectful of the environment yet not always more attractive to live in. Rather, there is a need to incorporate the history, culture and architecture of each place, thus preserving its original identity.”

In the next paragraph, Pope Francis emphasizes “the need to respect the rights of peoples and cultures, and to appreciate that the development of a social group presupposes an historical process which takes place within a cultural context and demands the constant and active involvement of local people from within their proper culture.” Indeed, the consequence of disregarding a culture can be serious.

According to Pope Francis: “The disappearance of a culture can be just as serious, or even more serious, than the disappearance of a species of plant or animal. The imposition of a dominant lifestyle linked to a single form of production can be just as harmful as the altering of ecosystems.” (LS 145) In Ecuador and Bolivia this week, his first foreign trips since Laudato Si’ was released, Pope Francis had the chance to concretize the vision of integral ecology.

In Ecuador, he reminded its officials and people that utilization of their country’s abundant natural resources must not be about short-term benefits: “As stewards of these riches which we have received, we have an obligation towards society as a whole and towards future generations. We cannot bequeath this heritage to them without proper care for the environment, without a sense of gratuitousness born of our contemplation of the created world.”

Noting the presence of indigenous peoples of the Amazon, Pope Francis pointed out, quoting Laudato Si’: “That region is one of the richest areas both in the number of species and in endemic, rare or less protected species… it requires greater protection because of its immense importance for the global ecosystem… it possesses an enormously complex biodiversity which is almost impossible to appreciate fully, yet when [such woodlands] are burned down or leveled for purposes of cultivation, within the space of a few years count-

presence of US to meddle in the dispute. In fact, the only visible interest of the US in the West Philippine Sea is for the right of free passage to be respected, which was assured by China.

Admittedly, many of those islands are within the 200-mile exclusive economic zone set by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS).

China has ratified the UNCLOS, and that we assume that it would adhere to the 200-mile limit and recognize the EEZ. However, we did not mention that the

less species are lost and the areas frequently become arid wastelands”.

Pope Francis then concluded: “Ecuador – together with other countries bordering the Amazon – has an opportunity to become a teacher of integral ecology. We received this world as an inheritance from past generations, but we must also remember that we received it as a loan from our children and from future generations, to whom we will have to return it!

And we will have to return it in a better off state – that is gratuitousness!”

The Pope was just as eloquent in Bolivia. He recounted how as he was on the way to the cathedral, he was able to admire the peaks of Hayna Potosí, the “young mountain”, and Illimani, the mountain which shows “the place where the sun rises”: “ I also saw the ingenious way in which many houses and neighborhoods blend with the hillsides, and was struck by the architecture of some of these structures.

The natural environment is closely related to the social, political and economic environment. It is urgent for all of us to lay the foundations of an integral ecology, one capable of respecting all these human dimensions in resolving the grave social and environmental issues of our time. Otherwise, the glaciers of those mountains will continue to recede, and our sense of gratitude and responsibility with regard to these gifts, our concern for the world we want to leave to future generations, for its meaning and values, will melt just like those glaciers.”

What then is needed to promote integral ecology, according to the Pope in his speech to civil authorities in Bolivia, are: (1) an ethical and moral education which can cultivate solidarity and shared responsibility between individuals”; and (2) acknowledgement of the specific role of the religions in the development of culture and the benefits which can they can bring to society.”

These should lead to what Laudato Si’ calls an ecology of daily life.

As expected, Pope Francis singled out Christians proclaiming that, being disciples of the Good News, they must be “bearers of a message of salvation which has the ability to ennoble and to inspire great ideals” He challenges Christians to act in a manner that transcend individual interest, readiness to make sacrifices for the sake of others, sobriety and other virtues which develop in us the ability to live as one.” After all, this is the logic of integral ecology: “Because everything is related, we need one another.”

EEC only pertains to the exploration and exploitation of the marine resources in the area, and does not vest ownership or jurisdiction to countries adjacent to it.

President Marcos was quick to see this pitfall that he urged the members of the 1973 Constitution to see to it that those vast bodies of water separating the islands remain our historic and inland waters. Unfortunately, it is this government, which Sison is supporting, that impliedly abrogated the “archipelagic doctrine” when it allowed US warships to freely

navigate in those areas without first securing permission form the government.

To reiterate, China is not telling us to give up those islands.

Rather, our decision to bring our case to the Permanent Arbitration Court is now inversely interpreted as telling the Chinese to vacate which we know could never happen.

Whatever is the decision of the PAC, it could not affect China, much that it has refused to submit to its jurisdiction. Besides, China cannot consider our claim Continued on A11

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

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

WHEN CITIES VIOLATE THE LAW; THE RIZAL MONUMENT CONTROVERSY

LAST June 30, the Supreme Court nullified an ordinance of the local government of Quezon City which imposes an annual garbage fee on all households in the city, regardless of whether the garbage may be recycled or not. Ordinance No. SP2235, authored by city councilor Victor Ferrer, Jr. and approved by Mayor Herbert Bautista in December 2013, imposed a garbage collection fee ranging from P100 to P500 for households, and from P25 to P200 for condominium units, depending on the size of the property. Quezon City Hall announced that refunds will be made next year.

The court case was initiated by Jose Ferrer, Jr., a city resident. Thanks to his efforts, the residents of Quezon City have been spared an unnecessary burden on their finances, and another city ordinance recklessly approved by the Bautista administration has been exposed and annulled.

Here is a classic case of citizens protecting themselves from their own local government unit.

Ordinance No. SP-2235 was annulled because it violated the provisions of Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. Under this law, a city is allowed to impose charges only on the collection of non-recyclable waste materials. The city ordinance did not make any distinction as to the type of waste material generated and collected.

This recent pronouncement of the Supreme Court is another failing mark in the report card of the Quezon City government. It comes after residents protested a recently-approved ordinance which restricted the number of pets a household may maintain. The ensuing

Rapprochement..From A9 China’s two-pronged “crouching tiger, hidden dragon” strategy is to occupy the disputed waters in the South China Sea before the ruling of the court at The Hague. By reclaiming land and piling them on the shoals, reefs and protruding rocks, China constructed an airstrip and a harbor for its warships with the objective of extending its air and naval reach in the region.

China is beset with internal problems. Its GDP is in a slump: its stock market crashed; the air in major cities is heavily polluted from factories that must be kept humming to maintain its global exports It has to feed its l.2 billion people which is why it is poaching in Philippine waters to the detriment of our fisherfolk.

China is also facing domestic turmoil in the restive Xinjiang province and protests by residents and student in Hong Kong. The protests

public outrage prompted Quezon City Hall to reconsider the status of the antipet ordinance.

Despite its overflowing coffers, real estate and other taxes in Quezon City are among the highest in Metropolitan Manila.

This makes Quezon City a very expensive place for homes and businesses. Quezon City is no longer a city for the working class as envisioned by Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon. To add to the grim situation, some city councilors are facing graft charges before the Sandiganbayan for maintaining ghost employees in the government payroll.

When the city treasury is filled with money, and when graft charges hound certain councilors, a tax ordinance in certainly ill-timed, and attended with grave abuse of discretion. In such an event, any city resident can question the ordinance before the courts of law. The Constitution allows it.

City ordinances cannot contravene the provisions of the Constitution and of statutes enacted by Congress. Lackluster councilors think that their competence as local legislators is measured by the number of ordinances they sponsor and manage to get approved. The competent councilors know that there are times when it is not necessary to enact any ordinance.

It’s time the aldermen of Quezon City acquaint themselves with laws enacted by Congress. Former Quezon City Mayor and current House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. should provide members of the city council copies of statutes enacted by Congress – with a corresponding explanation of the contents.

Under the Ecological Solid Waste Man-

may have subsided but there’s no telling when it can be stoked again by repressive action from Beijing.

Is our severely strained relation with Beijing beyond rapprochement? Perhaps not, but if we win a favorable ruling at The Hague, the prospects of a diplomatic solution seem possible. But then again, Beijing could adopt a more hardline policy in dealing with its pesky neighbor.

The heart of the matter in our problem with Beijing is not with the Chinese people but the communist party leadership. President Xi Jinping and his ruling cabal are whipping up the Chinese people into a patriotic fervor that there is an outside threat from the US and its Philippine and Japanese allies even if there’s none. To cover their failings to address a growing demand for political rights and a looming food shortage, the Chinese leadership is looking at the rich resources of the South China Sea as the answer.

Losing..From A10 serious much that we did not include other claimants as parties to the dispute. We opted to single out China which no objective court can ignore.

In fact, the claim of Malaysia is even more odious and preposterous because it anchors its claim after it annexed Sabah. And from there, it claims the outlying islands near Sabah as its territory.

Thus, as we refuse to negotiate, China continues to hold on to those islands, and we could not do anything about that. In the meantime, the US continues to sell to us their outmoded arms while Sison continues to make a howl to US imperialism for the fact that he is the only Maoist leader to be declared persona non grata by China. Maybe Sison and del Rosario should sing the old ballad song titled Mona Lisa, the lyrics of which go: “Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep, they just lie there and they die there.” rpkapunan@gmail.com

A11

agement Act of 2000, biodegradable plas- plied with all the legal requirements for the tic may be used for secondary packaging, construction project, and that all permits while those which are non-biodegradable required by law were dutifully obtained may be prohibited. Secondary packaging prior to construction of the project. The materials are bags or containers in which Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Ingroceries are placed after they are paid for dustry supports DMCI, and it has asserted at the check-out counter in supermarkets, that the intervention of the judiciary in an grocery stores, and similar establishments. infrastructure project of this magnitude Ordinance No. SP-2235 is not the only does not encourage local and international city ordinance which violates the Ecologi- confidence in the Philippine business encal Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. vironment.

Many ordinances in Metropolitan Manila Manila congressman Amado Bagatsare repugnant to it. An ordinance in ing proposed that the Rizal Monument Muntinlupa City calls for a blanket prohi- be turned around to face Taft Avenue bition against the use of any and all kinds instead of Manila Bay. This way, Bagaof plastic, including biodegradable plas- tsing explained, the background of the tic, for secondary packaging. A group of Rizal Monument will be free of visual entrepreneurs who deal in biodegradable obstacles. An advertising consultant plastic for secondary packaging challenged also proposed increasing the height of the validity of the ordinance before the the Rizal Monument to compare with the Supreme Court a couple of years ago. It towering Quezon Memorial in Diliman. remains pending as of this writing. The Increasing the height of the Rizal Monuruling of the Supreme Court in the Quezon ment, the consultant says, may solve the City case may be a precedent. problem.

----------------------------------Right now, altering the Rizal MonuBy this time, everyone must be aware of ment may be unacceptable to many. the controversy involving the construction Even the Japanese occupation forces in of the Torre de Manila condominium proj- Manila did not alter the monument durect in Manila, and assertions made by the ing World War II, lest they court public Knights of Rizal that the project ruins the outrage. panorama surrounding the Rizal Park, the The solution to the problem does not Rizal Monument in particular. lie in altering the Rizal Monument. It The KOR lodged a case in the Supreme lies in determining if DMCI complied Court against the project developer, DMCI with the law. If DMCI followed the Homes. A temporary restraining order law, then the construction of the Torre has been issued prohibiting DMCI from de Manila cannot be enjoined, and any continuing with the project. Heritage problem its construction has on the pangroups and conservation societies have orama in Rizal Park is an unfortunate sided with the KOR. consequence of the shortcomings of the In a paid advertisement published in law, and that the law must be amended to early July, DMCI maintained that it com- prevent a repetition of this problem.

Social.. From A9 The “sex video scandal” of the second teen star is as, if not more infuriating. The girl is twelve (12) years old. Any which way you look at this, she is a child, a minor. And people have the gall to terrorize and victimize her (and her family) by circulating online alleged sex videos of her.

These videos, mind you, have not even been authenticated yet people are quick to conclude that the girl in the videos is indeed the child star.

Again, netizens immediately grabbed the opportunity to feast on the controversy, and of course, the girl. As of this writing, there is an ongoing “war” in social media between those who irresponsibly repost, comment, and blog about the child star and those who try to protect her from the disrespect and abuse.

First off, what people do in the privacy of their homes is none of other people’s business for as long as what they do is not a crime. So, instead of maligning and questioning the girl, people should go after the person/s who took the videos and/or uploaded the same on the worldwide web.

Being a minor, the girl is protected by various laws.

For one, R.A. 7610 or the law on “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Ex-

ploitation, and Discrimination” has strong provisions that may be applied in this case.

Under this law, a child refers to a person below eighteen (18) years of age.

Section 9 of the law says: “Any person who shall hire, employ, USE, persuade, induce or coerce a child to perform in obscene exhibitions and indecent shows, whether live or in VIDEO, or model in obscene publications or PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIALS, or to sell or DISTRIBUTE the said materials shall suffer...”

Moreover, Section 10.

Other Acts of Neglect, Abuse, Cruelty, or Exploitation and Other Conditions Prejudicial to the Child’s Development clearly states, “(a) Any person who shall commit any other acts of child abuse, cruelty or EXPLOITATION or to be responsible for other conditions prejudicial to the child’s development including ... shall suffer the penalty...”

Section 22. Protection of Girl-Children under the The Magna Carta of Women, R.A. 9710 also says that, “(b) GirlChildren shall be protected from ALL forms of ABUSE and EXPLOITATION”.

Finally, R.A. 9995 or the law “Defining and Penalizing the Crime of Photo and Video Voyeurism...” is also applicable. Section 4. Prohibited Acts

have these provisions: To take photo or VIDEO COVERAGE of a person ... performing sexual act or ANY SIMILAR ACTIVITY or to capture an image of THE PRIVATE AREA OF A PERSON/S ...” (d) To publish or broadcast or cause to be published or broadcast .... of such sexual act or any similar activity through VCD/DVD, INTERNET OR CELLULAR PHONES and other similar means or device.” (emphasis supplied).

Very clearly, therefore, those who took, uploaded and reposted the girl’s video have gone overboard and may be criminally liable. Should the girl’s family decide to take legal action, they have the law on their side.

Social media is a great platform to share information, educate, and communicate.

However, netizens must learn to use this responsibly. Enough of making people’s lives more miserable and perpetuating abuse and exploitation through social media.

Think before posting or reposting things. If what you are going to put in the Internet will harm or malign anyone, DON’T. bethangsioco@gmail.com @bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

SAT URDAY : J ULY 1 1 , 2 0 1 5

A12

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Spieth 8 back in patchy tune-up SILVIS—Jordan Spieth struggled in his return to the PGA Tour on Thursday, firing an even-par 71 in the opening round of the John Deere Classic, the final tune-up before the British Open.

Gatlin shoots rival Bolt a warning LAUSANNE—Justin Gatlin shot arch-rival Usain Bolt a warning with a consummate performance in his 26th successive sprint victory on Thursday, while Mo Farah returned to the track with a sublime win he said answered his critics.

Gatlin, the 2004 Olympic 100m gold medallist and 2005 double world sprint champion who consequently served two doping bans before nailing the 2012 world 60m indoor title, Olympic bronze at the London Games and a world silver in Moscow a year later, is peaking perfectly for next month’s world champs in Beijing.

At the age of 33, there is no doubt the American is currently the sprinter to beat, and at the Diamond League meet he saw off his two closest rivals this season in teammate Tyson Gay and Jamaican Asafa Powell.

A smart start and impressive drive phase from 60 metres through to the line saw him clock 9.75 seconds, with Powell edging Gay for second, both timing 9.92sec.

“I used this as a semifinals and Monaco (next week) will be a final, then I’ll go home and get ready for the world championships,” said Gatlin.

“No disrespect, I went into the race not thinking about my opponents, I just wanted to execute my phases.

“I had a traditional fast start, tried to dominate through the middle and carried on through to the finish line and that’s what I did.

“There’s no message to Usain, I just go out there and try and dominate.”

AFP

Jordan Spieth takes his second shot on the first hole during the first round of the John Deere Classic held at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois. AFP

Watanabe grabs 2nd straight victory DEFENDING back-to-back Superbikes’ champion Dashi Watanabe of Kawasaki pulled off a big surprise as he braved the heavy downpour and pulled off his second consecutive victory recently in the third leg of the 2015 Pirelli Superbikes Championship Series at the Clark International Speedway.

With the win, Watanabe wrested solo leadership in the premier Superbikes’ Open class of this event sanctioned by the Superbikes Racing Association and sponsored by Pirelli, FDR and ENEOS with media partners Inside Racing Magazine, Motorsiklo Xklusibo @ DZME 1530, and Motorcycle World Magazine.

Marvin Mangulabnan of BMW Racing Team dictated the tempo in the first four laps, with Watanabe

trailing by two seconds behind.

But his desire to capture a third straight plum and deliver his first championship trophy for Kawasaki helped Watanabe pack up enough courage to grab the top spot from Mangulabnan after passing the first turn.

Gaining confidence, he stepped on the gas to pull away and preserve his post the rest of the way.

Watanabe emerged champion as he wrapped up the eight-lap race with a 3.195 margin over runner-up Mangulabnan.

His archrival, Ducati franchise rider Raniel Resuello, checked in third while Toti Alberto of Team Ducati Philippines and Anthony Roman of KTM Philippines Team claimed fourth and fifth places, respectively.

The triumph, however, only moved Watanabe to overall third place with 52 points as Resuello kept hold on solo leadership with 67 points with Mangulabnan fast catching up with 64.

Promising young ace rider TJ Alberto of Team Ducati Philippines scored another double title feat when he clinched the SBK Novice crown over his more experienced rivals, runner-up Masato Fernando and third placer Paul Mark Doblada Alberto also ruled the SBK Intermediate class against Doblada.

His father Toti Alberto steered Team Ducati Philippines to another 1-2-3 sweep in the SBK Masters’ division together with runner-up Charles Nolasco and third placer John Defensor.

Manila Bay run today

Participants of the previous Manila Bay Clean-Up Run answer the starting gun. The advocacy event returns today, with some 3,000 runners expected to participate in both the male and female divisions of the 3K, 5K, 10K, and 21K categories.

CLEANLINESS efforts to save Manila Bay get a big boost with the Manila Bay Clean-Up Run, scheduled today.

About 3,000 runners are expected to participate, spread out through the male and female divisions for the 3K, 5K, 10K, and 21K divisions. For both gender divisions, P21,000 goes to the first-place finisher in the 21K run, P10,000 for the top 10K runner, P5,000 to the winner of the 5K run, and P3,000 for the 3K winner. Top finishers in each division will also be given medals and other prizes in kind People-watchers will be training their sights on 2014 Miss Earth Jamie Herrell, who has signified her intention to run, along with 2015

Reyna ng Aliwan Fiesta first runner-up Alexandra Faith Garcia, an accomplished triathlete and veteran of the Ironman competitions, who is in the roster of entries for the 21K race.

The Manila Bay Clean-Up Run is a project of Manila Broadcasting Company, in tandem with the City of Manila and Land Bank, as supported by Hapee Toothpaste, Bayad Center, Travel Book, Dok Alternatibo Mix 10 Coffee, 2Go, M. Lhuillier, and Enervon The Manila Bay Clean-up Run will also coincide with the 76th anniversary celebration of MBC’s flagship radio station DZRH—the Philippines’ oldest surviving radio network.

SPIETH is having a year for the ages after winning the first two major championships of the season and is hoping to use the John Deere as a springboard for success at the British Open which begins in one week.

The 21-year-old has happy memories after winning this event as a teenager in 2013 to become the youngest winner on the PGA Tour in 82 years, beating Zach Johnson and David Hearn in a playoff.

But he has his work cut out for him if he is to do it again as he finished eight shots back of the leaders on Thursday with three bogeys, three birdies and 12 pars in the first round at the TPC Deere Run. Spieth was six shots back after round one when he won in 2013.

“Just a rusty round,” said Spieth, who was criticised by some for playing this week instead of travelling to Europe to get ready for the British Open. “I didn’t get out on the golf course like maybe I should have.”

Americans Justin Thomas and Nicholas Thompson shot matching eight-under 63s to grab a one-stroke lead on Thursday. Thomas, who contended at last week’s Greenbrier Classic and is gunning for his first US tour title, began on the back nine and rolled in 10 birdies in his round.

Thomas, who had an early start, had three straight pars from 10.

He drained a six-footer for birdie at 13, but gave that shot back with a bogey on 14.

He responded by going on a run to finish up his front nine. Thomas ran off four straight birdies from 15, capped off by a putt from 53 feet at the par-four 18th.

A pair of pars at one and two started off Thomas’ closing nine. Thomas, 22, finished up with a par at the ninth.

“It’s hard not to shoot really low when you make that many putts today. It was great to see them falling,” said Thomas. “I hit some bad shots, but when I hit them bad I seemed to leave them in the right spots. It was a really good day, it was fun.” AFP

SAT URDAY : J ULY 1 1 , 2 0 1 5

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

A13

Webb grabs lead as golf play halted LANCASTER—Australian veteran Karrie Webb staged a back-nine birdie blitz to grab a share of the first round lead at a storm-hit US Women’s Open on Thursday.

Seven-time major champion Webb rolled back the years with a near-flawless opening round, starting with 10 straight pars before notching four birdies down the stretch to finish with a four-under-par 66 at Pennsylvania’s Lancaster Country Club.

The 40-year-old Queenslander, who won back-toback Opens in 2000 and 2001, said past experience had taught her to keep her emotions in check as she looked to get off to a smooth start in the tournament.

“I still have my challenges at a US Open,” Webb said.

“You always want to do well at this event. And for me it’s about controlling my emotions and not getting too high or too low, especially in the first couple of rounds.

“I did a really good job of that today. I played very well, I didn’t miss a fairway.

“When you play like that, it’s not easy but it’s less stressful than I could have made it.”

Webb finished her round several hours before klaxons sounded across the course shortly after 6pm local time as an electrical storm churned towards the region. AFP

Fighting Maroons backed. Handyman and Robinsons Supermarket pledged their support to the UP Fighting Maroons at a contract signing held recently at UP Diliman. Through this venture, both retail brands hope to promote good sportsmanship and an active, healthy lifestyle. This year marks the fifth year that the group pledged support. However, the retail group is more optimistic this year as UP is the host school of UAAP Season 78 which starts this September 2015.

The basketball team is also under new management of Dan Palami, who also manages the Philippine men’s football team, Azkals. Present at the contract signing were Robina Gokongwei, UP Chancellor Dr. Michael Tan and Team Manager Palami.

UP Fighting Maroons coach, Joe Ward, and a mix of rookies and veteran players were also present at the contract signing.

Chancellor Dr. Tan appreciates the financial support and remarked that the community believes that there is “nowhere to go but UP.” This is a tagline that UP alumni have adapted to its own Facebook page as a way to boost morale and rally behind the UP Fighting Maroons.

Mayweather picks Berto as his next foe

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

UNDEFEATED pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr., fresh from his unanimous 12-round decision over eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao in the Fight of the Century, is reportedly set to face Andre Berto at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sept. 12.

Mayweather is expected to win and equal heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano’s long-standing record of 49 wins without a loss, with some doubt as to whether he will retire as he said he would, or fight one more time in an effort to register a

50th win and break Marciano’s record.

There has been talk about a possible rematch with Pacquiao sometime next year as Mayweather’s last hurrah, but Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told The Standard/boxingmirror.

LeBron... From 16 Los Angeles acquired two-time all-star Hibbert for a second-round draft pick.

Hibbert spent the past seven seasons with Indiana where he averaged 10.6 points in 76 contests last year.

The Lakers also signed forward Brandon Bass, NBA Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams and second-round draft pick Anthony Brown to multiyear contracts.

Meanwhile, Deandre Jordan has pulled out of a move to join the Dallas Mavericks and has instead agreed a new four-year deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, US media reports said Thursday.

The 26-year-old, one of the most coveted free agents of 2015, had reportedly verbally agreed an $80 million move which would see him play in Dallas next season and take a lead role in the team.

However, Jordan abruptly pulled out of the deal and will now remain at the Clippers, where he has played for seven seasons.

Jordan’s change of heart came after a delegation from the Clippers visited him at his home in Houston on Wednesday, several reports said.

com that the Filipino boxer was driving him crazy by not returning to Los Angeles as promised to have the surgery on his torn rotator cuff on his right shoulder checked and undergo therapy.

Arum said he would not even think about negotiating a comeback fight for Pacquiao, following his loss to Mayweather last May 2, unless and until he has his shoulder checked out, undergoes therapy diligently and is declared perfectly healed and ready to fight again.

The 31-year-old Berto has a record of 32-3 with 23 knockouts and won the WBA welterweight Interim title, beating Joselito Lopez

by a sixth-round TKO last March 13 after dropping him twice in the round.

Berto earlier captured the vacant North American Boxing Federation welterweight title with a 12thround TKO over Jesus Soto Carass, whom he dropped in the 11th round en route to victory on July 27, 2013.

However, Berto dropped a decision to Roberto Guerrero in a clash for the WBC Interim title on Nov. 24, 2012.

Guerrero faced Mayweather on May 4, 2013 and lost by a lopsided decision with all three judges turning in identical 117-111 scorecards in favor of Mayweather.

Rodriguez: The king will fall CEBU CITY—Mexico’s Francisco Rodriguez, former World Boxing Organization minimumweight champion and mandatory challenger to WBO light flyweight champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes, the longest-reigning Filipino world champion, vowed that the “king will fall and a new king will be crowned” on Saturday night at the Grand Pacific Ballroom of the Waterfront Hotel and Casino.

Nietes and the cocky Rodriguez had quite a few exchanges during the final press conference prior to Friday’s weigh-in at the SM Activity Center, with both fighters expressing confidence.

The Filipino champ predicted he would “knock out Rodriguez and shut his mouth,” while avenging the loss of his good friend and stablmate Merlito Sabillo, who was beaten by the Mexican, who grabbed the title with an impressive 10th-round TKO. Rodriguez, who arrived in Manila one week ahead of schedule and trained for two hours daily at the Elorde Gym alongTaft Avenue, apparently had some concerns over his weight and looked gaunt at the press conference.

Ronnie Nathanielsz

Pinoy Pride 31 live on SKY pay-per-view FILIPINO boxing prowess will be pitted against the might of international fighters in the upcoming Pinoy Pride 31: Clash of World Champions event this July 11, 6pm at the Cebu Waterfront Hotel.

Fans will witness Donnie “Ahas” Nietes, Mark Magsayo, KJ Cataraja, and Roli Gasca battle it out against fearsome foreign boxers.

Headlining the evening is the match between Nietes and Mexican challenger, Francisco “Chihuas” Rodriguez. As the longestreigning Filipino World Champion, Nietes is eager to defeat Rodriguez to retain the title, and to avenge Merlito “Tiger” Sabillo who lost against the Mexican fighter two years ago.

Vying for the vacant International Boxing Federation Youth Featherweight Championship belt is an undefeated Filipino fighter, Mark Magsayo. He will take-on Mexico’s Rafael Reyes, who has earned 12 wins by knock-out.

Former Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation Super Bantamweight Champion, Roli Gasca will face South Korean Nam

Joon Lee in an undercard match, while amateur standout, KJ Cataraja, will make his professional debut in a six-round bout against Indonesia’s Ardi Tefa.

SKYcable and Destiny Cable subscribers can watch the most-awaited boxing event of the season either in standard or high definition for only P199. Catch it live and commercial-free on the following SKY Pay-Per-View channels: Ch. 195 (HD) and Ch. 140 (SD) for those in Metro Manila, CAMANAVA, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan (San Jose Del Monte); and Ch. 702 (HD) and Ch. 22 (SD) for those in Baguio, Iloilo, Bacolod, Davao, General Santos, and Dumaguete. Destiny Cable subscribers can tune-in through Ch. 195 (HD) and Ch. 140 (SD).

Boxing fans eager to instantly activate their pay-per-view subscription can visit www.mysky.com.ph/pinoypride31. They may also call the 24-hour customer service hotlines at (02) 381-0000 for Metro Manila, CAMANAVA, and Rizal; (046) 484-4701 for Cavite; (049) 534-1555 for Calamba and Binan, Laguna; (02) 520-8560 for San Pedro,

Laguna and Carmona, Cavite; (044) 6935877 for Bulacan; (082) 305-5456 for Davao; (074) 442-4841 for Baguio; (034) 432-0051 for Bacolod; (033) 300-1210 for Iloilo; (035) 225-1010 for Dumaguete; and (083) 3013134 for Gen. Santos City.

Only SKYcable provides quality home entertainment with the widest-range of standard and high definition digital channels; with over 190 channels, and other top-ofthe-line services such as flexible subscription options via SELECT; iRECORD that records, pauses, and rewinds live TV; as well as real-time coverage of live concerts and sporting events via FREE VIEW and PAYPER-VIEW. Subscribers interested to know more about SKYcable can simply log on to www.mysky.com.ph.

Enjoy 94 channels in clear digital signal for only P550 per month with Destiny Cable. For inquiries about the services and promos of Destiny Cable call 418-0000.

You may also contact Destiny Cable via their email address, weserve@destinycable.com.ph.

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

A14

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

SMB-ALASKA GOVERNORS CUP FINALS

Fitting end to 2015 PBA season

By Jeric Lopez

NOW that San Miguel and Alaska are once again back in the finals and battling each other for the 2015 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup championship, it’s safe to say that these two teams by far ruled this 40th season of the league.

Tabuena, Lascuña move up. Miguel Tabuena, shown above, surged ahead and zeroed in on a back-to-back championship, while Tony Lascuña charged back and moved closer to ending a winless campaign in the ICTSI Apo Golf Invitational crown at the Apo Golf and Country Club. Tabuena, four shots behind Frankie Miñoza and Jay Bayron halfway through the P1.5million championship, withstood a bogey-bogey start and overcame a sixstroke deficit with six birdies in an 11-hole stretch from No. 3, then bucked a bogey on No. 14 with a final hole birdie, capping a 35-33 card and a 68 that shoved him to the top at six-under 210.

ERRATUM

FOR FAST AD RESULTS, PLEASE CALL Advertising depArtment 832-5547 (DL); 832-5550 (TeleFax) emAiL Us @

advertise@thestandard.com.ph

There was an error in the ad placement of Province of Bataan dated March 23, 2015.

The date of Opening of Bids should have been April 10, 2015 instead of April 1, 2015.

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

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

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

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

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES CORPORATION 11-B Sunrise Drive. Brgy. Bagong Lipunan ng Crame Cubao, Quezon City

Notice of Stockholders’ Meeting To All ERC Stockholders: Please be informed that the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting of the Educational Resources Corporation shall be held on July 25, 2015 at 12:00 noon at the Barrio Fiesta EDSA, Greenhills, San Juan City to take up the following matters.

1. Election of new directors for the incoming fiscal year; 2. Report of the President; and 3. Other relevant matters Please be guided accordingly (Sgd) Atty. LACANDOLA S. LEAÑO Corporate Secretary (TS-JULY 11 & 18, 2015)

Although they both struggled a bit in the mid-season Commissioner’s Cup where neither made the semifinals, the Beermen and the Aces dominated the first and last conferences of the season as they were finally able to make use of their loaded firepower on a consistent basis.

In this season-ending conference where both squads are resuming their brewing rivalry and fight for the championship, it was evident that Alaska and San Miguel were in a another league when it comes to their level of play.

There were bumps and obstacles along the way but more or less, the path of both squads back to the finals is smooth as they both stamped their class to give themselves a crack at the crown.

“I think it’s fitting nga for the season to end with San Miguel and Alaska battling for the championship again,’’ said San Miguel coach Leo Austria, who

is seeking his second title after sterring the Beermen to the Philippine Cup. ‘’Kasi this season, ito ang mga teams na nagpakita talaga kaya dalawang beses na nasa finals.’’

As of this writing, the top seeded Aces and the Beermen are gutting it out in Game 1 of their best-ofseven finals war at the Mall of Asia Arena with the victor drawing an important first blood.

Overall this conference, the Beermen and the Aces won a combined 24 games and had lost only eight games for a high percentage heading the final stage.

And whichever team wins the Governors’ Cup plum, it’s quite clear this season is mostly about San Miguel and Alaska.

In other league development, Beermen superstar Junemar Fajardo is on course to win his second straight Most Valuable Player award as well as his second Best Player of the Conference after yet another dominant

campaign this season.

The 6-foot-10 behemoth, who already bagged the Best Player of the Conference in the Philippine Cup, is head and shoulders above others vying for the individual plum such as Jayson Castro, Greg Slaughter and Terrence Romeo and he is expected to most likely get the coveted award for the second straight time, something that hasn’t been done since Danny Ildefonso won it in 2000 and 2001.

The Leo Awards, which will recognize the players who shone the most this season, will be held on July 17 right before Game 4 of the Governors’ Cup finals.

Meanwhile, contrary to initial reports and his initial plan, Rain or Shine’s Chris Tiu is reconsidering his thoughts on retirement.

Tiu planned on playing out his contract in the PBA before walking away to focus more on their family business but after having good experiences with the Elasto Painters and finding his niche recently, the former Smart Gilas mainstay said that he is now open to continuing to play in the league. ‘’I initially intended to play in the PBA for just one contract period but now I’m reconsidering because I never thought I would still enjoy playing basketball this much at this level,’’ said Tiu in his official statement on the matter.

PH to hire foreign coaches to train boxers for Olympics

By Peter Atencio SPORTS officials said yesterday that they plan to bring in foreign coaches to help train Filipino boxers in time for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

After emerging from a meeting with Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia and Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (ABAP) officials Ricky Vargas and Ed Picson, Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco said yesterday that they had agreed to hire topnotch foreign coaches to help raise the level of

skills of the boxers, who officials agree have the best chances of winning an elusive Olympic gold medal for the country.

“It is the closest sport that can win medals in the Olympics. We had numerous attempts at it,” said Cojuangco.

“Instead of bringing athletes abroad, para maganda, every four months, may foreign coach na pumupunta dito at tumitingin sa mga atleta natin,” he added.

Cojuangco said local boxing has good coaches, but they still need foreign instructors to provide them with additional knowledge and new techniques.

“Magagaling ang mga coaches natin sa boxing. They just needed to be updated,” he said.

Among the boxing hopefuls, Charly Suarez has emerged as the country’s best bet for a slot in the Olympics after he won via a technical knockout over a former world youth champion in a recent Olympic qualifying AIBA pro boxing tournament held ashkent, Uzbekistan.

Suarez will see action in another qualifier on July 17 to improve his chances when he meets 5-time world champion Domenico Valentino of Italy in the second round on July 17.

Viloria eyes rematch vs Estrada

By Ronnie Nathanielsz FORMER two division world champion Brian Viloria is looking forward to a rematch with Juan Francisco Estrada, the talented Mexican who captured Viloria’s WBO and WBA flyweight titles via a twelve round split decision in Macau on April 6, 2013 but wishes to first take care of business against Mexican journeyman Danny Flores.

Viloria clashes with the 25-year old Flores who has a record of 14-7-1 with eight knockouts at the Florentine Gardens in Hollywood, California on July25 in what is considered a “stay busy” fight for Viloria who has won three fights in a row since his loss to Estrada in a fight where Viloria out-boxed the Mexican in the first five rounds but then made

the mistake of trying to slug it out with his opponent and dropped a close split decision.

Viloria told the New Standard/boxingmorror. com that he’s been “training hard at the Wild Card Gym under boxer/trainer “Speedy” Gonzalez” until his regular trainer and Freddie Roach’s assistant Marvin Somodio returns to LA from the Philippines where he is getting his wife’s papers fixed so she could return with him to Los Angeles.

He described his training as “very good and I feel great but I can’t look past this fight against Flores.”

He said the plan as announced by Top Rank promoter Bob Arum was for a rematch with Estrada and “that’s great because I always wanted a rematch.”

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

A15

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

A travesty of justice?

INSIDE SPORTS RONNIE NATHANIELSZ

WE were taken aback when we read that the Court of Appeals’ second division, in a decision penned by Associate Justice Ramon Cruz, had reversed and set aside an earlier ruling by the Manila Regional Trial Court junking former two-division world champion Luisito Espinosa’s claim against the organizers and promoters of his title defense against Argentina’s Carlos Rios in Koronodal, South Cotabato on Dec. 6, 1997.

We were even more surprised when the CA directed the estate of the late Rod Nazario and his legal heirs to pay Espinosa the amount of $130,349, interest thereon at 12 percent per annum calculated from the date of judicial demand on May 25, 1998 until June 30, 2013 and interest thereon at the rate of six percent from July 1, 2013 until full satisfaction.”

Whether the justices were moved by the publicity surrounding the supposed plight of Espinosa, who obviously didn’t get paid and was seemingly having a hard time, or took what they may have deemed a popular stand, we would never know.

It is well noting that in an excellent article by veteran journalist Gabby Alvardo complete with pictures, it showed that Espinosa was engaged in a fulfilling role as a boxing trainer in Hong Kong and appeared to be fine.

However, that it no way mitigates the crime that he was not paid his purse for his fight against Carlos Rios in South Cotabato, the territory of the prime mover, Governor Hilario De Pedro III. Having been involved in almost every step of the way in this fight and being present in Koronadal when events unfolded, we feel, with all due respect to the CA Justices, that they were not made aware of the real facts of the case and as a result, rendered a decision that we honestly believe was unfair to Nazario at the very least, we feel it’s time to set the record straight and hope that ultimately justice will be correctly and fairly served.

To begin with, the man who wanted the fight in Koronodal – was governor Hilario De Pedro III and Espinosa’s manager Joe Koizumi, who wanted a fight so he could get his share of the purse. It was as simple as that.

But they couldn’t promote the fight because they were not licensed promoters and so they requested Nazario and his longtime friend and partner Lito Mondejar to act as promoters and as obvious fronts for De Pedro and Koizumi.

We cannot understand why the honorable justices failed to accept the fact that Nazario and Mondejar merely accommodated the governor.

Surely, Nazario, an astute promoter wouldn’t dare think of promoting a world title fight in such a basically under-developed region, without proper television facilities and serious issues of peace and order.

Governor De Pedro was obliged to pay the training expenses of Espinosa, as well as his purse and when he failed to keep his commitment and in an effort to save the fight, De Pedro signed a promissory note with then Games and Amusements Board chairman Doming Cepeda and Nazario signing as witnesses.

But the governor didn’t deliver and sought the help of President Fidel Ramos, who instructed the Presidential Management Staff to pay Espinosa P1 million as an incentive for winning.

When Espinosa and his wife Maricherie, who had an uncanny sense of showing up whenever Luisito was to receive some money, showed up at Malacanang, we understand they were told that the P1 million was to be deducted from the amount governor De Pedro owed Espinosa as his purse for the fight.

Maricherie insisted that the P1 million should be paid on top of Espinosa’s purse and when the PMS didn’t agree, she stormed out with Luisito who was often bullied by his wife, in tow.

De Pedro was also responsible for a major disaster in terms of the television coverage of the fight, which was to be beamed to Argentina on a slightly delayed basis.

He promised us that a light plane or helicopter would be on standby to ferry a tape of the fight to Cebu for transmittal by microwave to Manila and then via satellite to Argentina. Lo and behold, the light plane or helicopter promised by governor De Pedro didn’t show up and even if it did, the individual manning the airport had left his post because there were no night-flying facilities.

It was a horrifying experience for us, since we couldn’t keep our commitment to Argentine television who threatened to sue. We also weren’t able to telecast the fights for Filipino boxing fans the same night. Millions in sponsorship money was lost because Manny Pacquiao who was handled by Nazario was also featured on the undercard.

A few years later, when Espinosa’s wife had abandoned him and married another man and he was down and out both financially and in spirit, Rod Nazario, typical of his kindness and generosity, handed then GAB chairman Eric Buhain P500,000 to be turned over to Espinosa without telling him whom it came from.

One of the seriously questionable decisions is why governor De Pedro wasn’t charged when he was the prime culprit in the entire mess? And why was Nazario, who was only trying to help ensure that the fight pushes through, penalized in such fashion?

It is a fact that sometimes media, because of its own sentiments, favors one party against another. Espinosa, betrayed and abandoned by his wife, was someone to be pitied for sure, but not at the expense of Rod Nazario, whose legal heirs are now being asked to pay a huge amount for a crime they were not a party to.

It reflects the sometimes sad story of people who wish to help being penalized for lending a helping hand.

Indeed, this must be classified as a travesty of justice.

Spain’s Garbine Muguruza falls to her knees as she celebrates beating Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska during their women’s semi-final match on Day 10 of the 2015 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London.

Muguruza won 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. AFP

Muguruza battles Serena in net finals LONDON—Garbine Muguruza became the first Spanish woman in 19 years to reach the Wimbledon final on Thursday with a rollercoaster 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 win over Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska.

The 21-year-old goes on to tackle either world number one and fivetime champion Serena Williams or 2004 winner Maria Sharapova in Saturday’s final.

Aranxta Sanchez-Vicario was the last Spanish woman to make the final at the All England Club while Conchita Martinez was the last champion in 1994.

Muguruza had to endure some nervy moments before she secured her maiden Grand Slam final spot, seeing a 3-1 lead in the second disappear against the threetime semi-finalist.

Muguruza, who has only one tour title to her name, then took victory with a power-packed flowing forehand, her

ALBERTO “AJ” Lim Jr. is out of the running in the Wimbledon junior tennis championships.

Lim and teammate Tung Lin Wu of Taipei took a 4-6, 5-7 loss to German Tim Sandkaulen and Hungarian Mate Valkusz in the first round.

His loss came a day after Lim took a 1-6, 1-6 setback to 10th seed William Blumberg in the boys’ singles.

Meanwhile, no. 1 Taylor Fritz, a Southern Californian top seed, and Michael Mmoh, beat Sandkaulen and Valkusz, 6-7 6-7 (3), 9-7, to reach the quarterfinals.

Third seed William Blumberg and Tommy Paul also made it to the round of eight with their 6-2, 6-3 win over Nuno Borges and Michal Dembek. Peter Atencio

Saturday, July 11, 2015

52 Lavish 54 Leaf juncture 56 Caligula’s nephew 57 VIPs 60 Snake or calculator 64 Indian garment 65 Cunning 68 Gutter locale 69 Poet’s black 70 Mallard cousins 71 Step — — (hurry) 72 Astronaut’s ade 73 Subway hanger 74 Customer lure DOWN 1 Old name for Sudan 2 Newsman — Abel 3 Amtrak driver 4 Bamboo munchers 5 Leia’s rescuer 6 — — recall . . .

7 Sporty trucks 8 More upscale 9 Aftershock 10 Bit down hard 11 Radiant glow

12 13 21 23 25 26 28 29 30 31 33 34 37 39 41 43 46 48 51 53 55 57

come before in case things changed,” she said.

Muguruza said she was hoping for the best when Radwanska challenged a ball she believed to be out but replays showed to be on the line.

“I was praying it was on the line,” she said of the challenge which took her to match point.

Had Radwanska not challenged, she would have won the point as the Spaniard had continued playing and hit her next shot out.

“It was 50/50 call on that ball. I decided to challenge.

Wasn’t really a good decision,” said the Pole. AFP

Lim, Taiwanese teammate LOTTO RESULTS out of Wimbledon running 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Room and board 5 Visit often 10 “Elder” statesman 14 Humerus neighbor 15 Out of bed 16 Rich red 17 Pisces or Libra 18 Female relative 19 Europe-Asia range 20 Sheep units 22 Conference 24 Turkish official 27 Univ. marchers 28 Really wallops 32 Fix up 35 Job-ad letters 36 Get a whiff of 38 Mail a payment 40 Bonny miss 42 Slow mover 44 Karate studio 45 Steal the scene 47 Pavlova and Freud 49 Camp bed 50 Back of a book

39th winner of the contest.

“I have worked all my life for this, I have no words,” said 20th seed Muguruza who will climb into the top 10 for the first time next week as a result of her performance at Wimbledon.

“It was a tough match.

Agnieszka has so much experience but I just wanted to keep fighting.”

Muguruza said she expected her family to fly to London to see Saturday’s final having told them to stay away as not to jinx her progress.

“My mother, father and brother will come over —I didn’t want them to

Skiers’ lift (hyph.)

Toon Olive Cpls.’ bosses Anatomical passage Bottom edges Coliseum Volcano goddess Good farm soils Noted fabulist Street lingo Old oil giant Madame’s jewel Pharaoh’s textile Tricycle riders Hurtful, as a remark Rustic road Sufficient, in verse Inoculants Decrees Calgary Stampede, et al.

Leggy bird Ali who said “Open sesame!”

58 Hematite yield 59 German coal region 61 Wynter or Carvey

62 Malicious 63 Solar plexus 64 Part of a tennis

match 66 Gulf st.

67 Salt meas.

PREVIOUS PUZZLE SOLVED

7-11-15

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

4 DIGITS 00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

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

A16

RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

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

sports@thestandard.com.ph

LeBron stays a Cav for $50m Ateneo, UST clash as V-League unwraps

SPORTS

G a m e s t o d ay 12:45 p.m. – UST vs Ateneo 3 p.m. – FEU vs UB 5 p.m. – San Sebastian vs St. Benilde

WOMEN’S volley takes center stage again today (Saturday, July 11) as the pioneering Shakey’s VLeague stages the Collegiate Conference with an explosive triple-bill headlined by the AteneoUniversity of Santo Tomas faceoff at The Arena in San Juan.

The Lady Eagles and the Tigresses clash in the 12:45 p.m. opener aired live on GMA News TV Channel 11 in a duel of talent-laden teams tipped to crowd for the championship in the mid-season offering of the league where it all started.

Alyssa Valdez, easily the face of the sport with her talent, skills and charisma, banners the Ateneo squad hoping to chalk up as many wins as possible before its star player leaves for Vietnam to lead a Philippine squad competing in an invitational tournament.

But UST is likewise itching to set its title drive in motion with a win and fuel the school’s drive for a seventh championship in the league sponsored

by Shakey’s and presented

by PLDT Home Ultera.

Far Eastern U, on the other hand, opens its title-retention bid at 3 p.m. against first-timer University of Batangas, which hopes to make an impact on its first crack in the league backed

by Mikasa and Accel.

San Sebastian and St. Benilde cap the blockbuster card at 5 p.m.

Games can also be viewed live via streaming on www.v-league.ph, according to the organizing Sports Vision.

Mayweather picks Berto as his next foe TURN TO A13

LeBron James has agreed to a two-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who also handed lucrative contracts to forward Kevin Love and point guard Kyrie Irving. AFP

Muguruza fights Serena in Wimby finals TURN TO A15

LOS ANGELES—LeBron James has ended speculation about his future after agreeing a two-year deal which will see him remain with the Cleveland Cavaliers next season, multiple reports said Thursday.

The NBA superstar has reportedly agreed a contract worth nearly $50 million after opting out of a two-year deal on June 29 to reach free agency.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported on its website that the deal comprised a $23 million contract for next season followed by a $24.7 million option for the 2016-2017 season.

James’s opt out decision was widely interpreted as a gambit designed to ensure the Cavaliers sign more top talent for next season after losing this year’s NBA finals.

Earlier this week point guard Mo Williams said he had agreed a deal with the Cavs which would see him reunite with James.

Williams played with James for two seasons between 2008-2010.

The Cavs have also handed lucrative contracts to forward Kevin Love and point guard Kyrie Irving, further enticing James to stay.

Cleveland is also close to agreeing a new deal with restricted free agent Tristan Thompson, who shares an agent with James, according to reports.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer said Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert had splurged around $330 million on contracts to surround James with a team capable of challenging for the title.

James averaged around 25.3 points and six rebounds per game during the regular season in 2014-15, but sharply improved his numbers during the Cavs playoff challenge.

He averaged 30.1 points per game in the playoffs, which ultimately ended with a 4-2 loss in the Finals to Golden State Warriors.

San Antonio Spurs veteran Tim Duncan agreed to a paycut before re-signing with the team Thursday at $5 million for one year.

The 39-year-old Duncan’s contract also includes and option for the 2016-17 season.

Duncan has played his entire career with the Spurs who made him the first overall pick in the 1997 entry draft.

The Chicago Bulls also made it official by announcing they had re-signed their leading scorer Jimmy Butler for a reported five years and $93 million.

Butler, who was named the league’s Most Improved Player last season, led the Bulls in scoring, averaging 20.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 65 games.

The Los Angeles Lakers were one of the busier teams Thursday, signing three players and trading for centre Roy Hibbert from the Indiana Pacers.

Continued on A13

B1

SATURDAY: JULY 11, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

IMF cuts growth goal to 6.2%

By Julito G. Rada

THE International Monetary Fund on Friday reduced its economic growth forecast for the Philippines this year to 6.2 percent from the 6.7 percent estimate it made in May due to weaker global growth and the country’s below-target fiscal deficit.

The multilateral lender expects gross domestic product growth to pick up in 2016 to 6.5 percent from the previous assumption of 6.3 percent.

“Real GDP is projected to grow by 6.2 percent in 2015 as lower

commodity prices lift household consumption and improved budget execution raises public spending, though slightly lower than expected previously due to weaker global growth and a fiscal deficit below targeted,” IMF resident represen-

tative to the Philippines Shanaka Jayanath Peiris said in an e-mailed statement when sought for comment on the latest World Economic Outlook update.

“Growth [however is] expected to accelerate further in 2016 to 6.5 [percent] as the budget deficit widens to the targeted 2 percent of GDP and in line with potential growth,” Peiris said.

The WEO update reduced the growth outlook for the Asean-5 nations by 0.5 percentage point to 4.7 percent for 2015, and 0.2 percentage point to 5.1 percent for 2016.

Asean-5 includes the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Peiris said that the “first quarter 2015 slowdown was due mainly to temporary factors, including the effects of dry weather on agricultural production, weak global demand and slow budget execution.”

The Philippine economy grew by 5.2 percent in the first quarter this year, lower than the 5.6 percent a year ago, due to the government’s lower spending.

The IMF on May 26 retained its previous growth forecast for the Philippines this year at 6.7 percent, higher than the 6.1-percent expansion in 2014, despite uneven and generally weaker global growth prospects.

Chikahisa Sumi, IMF head of

mission, said during the Article IV Consultation Mission to the Philippines that the outlook for the Philippines remained favorable.

However, Sumi said economic growth in 2016 would decline to 6.3 percent as the one-off fiscal impulse and oil price stimulus in 2015 were expected to wane. He said lower import prices should help keep inflation in the lower half of the target band, picking up in 2016 as oil prices rise.

Sumi said the inflation rate average this year could be higher at 2.4 percent from the previous estimate of 2.1 percent because of the possible lingering effects of El Niño.

PSe comPoSite index Closing July 10, 2015

8500 8000 7500 7000 6500 6000

7,392.59 14.90

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing JULY 10, 2015 42

P45.125

43

CLOSE

44 45 46

HIGH P45.120 LOW P45.200 AVERAGE P45.154 VOLUME 456.900M

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

oPriceS il P today

P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene

Financial inclusion. Thirteen government agencies collaborated on the crafting of the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion launched at the Philippine International Convention Center last week. Shown during a news briefing are (from left) Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr., Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, who serves as the UN Secretary-General’s special advocate for inclusive finance for development, UN resident coordinator and UNDP resident representative Ola Almgren and World Bank director in the finance and markets global practice Peer Stein.

Exports plummeted 17.4% to $4.9b in May—PSA

P23.70-P24.40 Auto LPG

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, July 10, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

45.1700

Japan

Yen

0.008245

0.3724

UK

Pound

1.538800

69.5076

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129014

5.8276

Switzerland

Franc

1.054741

47.6427

Canada

Dollar

0.787650

35.5782

Singapore

Dollar

0.740960

33.4692

Australia

Dollar

0.743716

33.5937

Bahrain

Dinar

2.657949

120.0596

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266667

12.0453

Brunei

Dollar

0.738225

33.3456

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.029455

1.3305

UAE

Dirham

0.272264

12.2982

Euro

Euro

1.103200

49.8315

Korea

Won

0.000885

0.0400

China

Yuan

0.161062

7.2752

India

Rupee

0.015794

0.7134

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.263539

11.9041

New Zealand

Dollar

0.672585

Taiwan

Dollar

0.032216

30.3807 1.4552 Source: PDS Bridge

EXPORTS plummeted 17.4 percent in May from a year ago, the sharpest drop in four years, as the fragile global economy led to a decline in demand for electronics, mineral and agriculture products.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed merchandise exports sank to $4.9 billion in May from $5.9 billion in the same month last year. This marked the second exports drop this year, following the 4.1-percent decline in April.

“The recent outturn of Philippine exports, as well as in many Asian economies, reflects the general market outlook and consensus in the near term, signaling a slow-

down of the global economy,” said National Economic and Development Authority deputy directorgeneral Emmanuel Esguerra.

HSBC economist Trinh Nguyen said the decline in May exports was sharp, reflecting the deteriorating demand from markets such as China and the European Union.

“That said, we do not forecast weak goods exports to have a very large bearing on growth as the Philippines has other growing income sources such as services exports and remittances. Still, the question is whether policy makers can do anything to offset lackluster external demand,” she said.

“We believe there is fiscal space to speed up spending. This will impact growth most directly. From the

monetary side, domestic demand is still strong, helped by steady income flows. The BSP [Bangko Sentral] will likely refrain from changing interest rates and likely allow some currency weakness,” said Nguyen.

The Philippines posted the worst drop in exports in May among major trade-oriented economies in East and Southeast Asia.

“Slowdown in global trade due to the weakening of China as well as the fiscal crisis in the Eurozone will certainly spill over globally, although the magnitude of the impact remains to be seen. Policy makers should remain vigilant on the possible outcome of these external developments and how they may impact the trade competitiveness of the country as well as the

domestic economy,” Esguerra said.

The 17.4-percent decrease in May pulled down the average merchandise exports in the first five months by 5 percent to $23.526 billion from t$24.772 recorded in January to May of 2014.

Exports of mineral products plunged 66.5 percent in May to $209.7 million due to lower earnings from copper metal, copper concentrates and other mineral products.

Export revenues from agrobased products dropped 32.3 percent, a turnaround from a 13.4 percent year-on-year expansion in the same month last year due to decreased earnings in coconut products, sugar products, and fruits and vegetables such as bananas.

SATURDAY: JULY 11, 2015

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Friday, July 10, 2015

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 17 30.45 10.4 2.6 890 1.01 100 30.5 91.5 361.2 57 180 124 3.26

2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.97 12.02 19.6 6.12 1.02 625 0.225 78 17.8 62 276 41 118.2 59 2.65

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

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank PB Bank Phil. National Bank PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Union Bank Vantage Equities

4.8 73.1 104.00 91.60 45.3 2.42 15.94 20.05 6.41 1.81 782.00 0.400 90 18.00 63.55 300 36.8 151.3 60.00 3.23

47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 89 148 20.6 125 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 33.9 90 13.26 293 5 5.25 12.98 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.86 7.34 238 3.28 0.315 2.65 234 5.28 1.3 26 2.17

35.9 1.11 1.01 1.86 7.92 40.3 32 15.32 62.5 10.08 29.15 1.5 1.5 10.72 9.55 9.04 6.02 8.86 1.06 8.61 20.2 71.5 13.24 5.34 0.395 173 8.65 23.35 17.3 5.88 250.2 3.37 3.87 8.45 3.03 1.95 1 4.02 1.65 5.9 161 1.55 0.138 2.09 152 4.28 0.640 10.02 1.2

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

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

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

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

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

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

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

42.55 1.38 1.01 1.93 10.1 53 91.00 18.2 100 26.75 55.35 2.37 1.44 12.2 20.000 8.90 7.29 9.50 1.75 12.5 24.75 76.95 13.76 5.75 0.500 187.20 10.16 23.4 25 5.52 294.20 3.93 4.81 8.25 3.18 2.09 3.04 4.07 1.96 6.25 162.2 1.64 0.143 2.10 193 4.5 0.7 23.75 1.17

0.59 59.2 30.05 7.39 3.4 823.5 10.2 84 4.92 1455 7.5 76 9.25 0.85 17.3 0.71 5.53 6.55 1.61 2.99 84.9 974 1.66 390 156 0.710 0.435 0.510

0.44 48.1 20.85 6.62 0.23 634.5 7.390 12.8 2.26 837 5.3 49.55 4.84 0.59 12 0.580 4.2 4.5 0.550 2.26 59.3 751 1.13 170 80 0.211 0.179 0.310

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anscor `A’ ATN Holdings A Ayala Corp `A’ Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings Filinvest Dev. Corp.

GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

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

Minerales Industrias Corp.

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

0.475 57.9500 22.00 7.00 0.250 749 7.51 13.16 4.30 1315 6.50 69.00 7 0.65 12.8 0.56 4.65 6.73 1.950 2.67 59.90 870.00 1.20 160.00 78.500 0.3150 0.1930 0.265

10.5 26.95 1.99 1.75 0.375 41.4 5.6 5.59 1.44 1.97

6.74 12 0.65 1.2 0.192 30.05 3.36 4.96 0.79 1.1

8990 HLDG 7.200 Anchor Land Holdings Inc. 7.99 A. Brown Co., Inc. 0.70 Araneta Prop `A’ 1.150 Arthaland Corp.

0.221 Ayala Land `B’ 36.55 Belle Corp. `A’ 3.2 Cebu Holdings 5.18 Century Property 0.83 City & Land Dev. 1.19

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

SHARES 9,872,922 58,534,124 57,214,856 97,080,342 62,015,407 5,711,944,749 5,997,107,150

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 5 4.65 73.1 72.8 104.90 103.10 94.50 90.50 45.45 45.2 2.50 2.50 15.98 15.9 20.2 20.2 6.41 6.40 1.82 1.70 775.00 760.00 0.395 0.395 90 88.2 18.10 18.00 64.65 63.55 306 300.2 37.2 36.8 151.4 150.4 60.00 59.40 3.23 3.18 INDUSTRIAL 43.4 42.25 1.44 1.38 1.03 1.02 1.98 1.92 10.28 10 53 53 91.00 91.00 18 17.98 140 112 26.75 26.5 55.55 55.35 2.38 2.31 1.41 1.41 12.3 12.2 20.000 19.58 9.00 8.71 7.32 7.23 9.65 9.40 1.78 1.7 14 12.06 25.7 24.8 80 76.5 13.78 13.50 5.8 5.7 0.500 0.500 193.10 187.10 10.86 10.16 24 23.4 25.45 24.4 6.2 5.54 294.00 285.40 3.95 3.93 4.87 4.75 8.48 8.25 3.21 3.15 2.16 2.06 3 2.79 4.08 4.05 1.96 1.96 6.25 5.51 168.9 161 1.64 1.6 0.144 0.142 2.15 2.09 190 185 4.5 4.5 0.71 0.69 23.80 23.80 1.20 1.14 HOLDING FIRMS 0.480 0.455 57.4500 56.3000 22.15 21.85 6.88 6.86 0.260 0.246 757 745.5 7.65 7.5 13.28 13.06 4.20 4.20 1319 1300 6.50 6.50 70.50 67.55 7.05 6.89 0.62 0.62 12.84 12.58 0.6 0.57 4.78 4.57 7.19 6.77 2.010 1.900 2.67 2.58 60.40 59.50 870.00 852.00 1.23 1.22 155.20 155.20 80.000 78.500 0.3300 0.3100 0.2000 0.1850 0.270 0.265 PROPERTY 7.400 7.200 8.40 7.99 0.70 0.70 1.160 1.150 0.220 0.220 37.05 36.60 3.25 3.16 5.2 5.1 0.83 0.82 1.19 1.19

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

4.89 73.1 103.10 94.50 45.3 2.50 15.98 20.2 6.40 1.81 760.00 0.395 90 18.00 64.30 306 37 150.8 59.55 3.23

1.88 0.00 -0.87 3.17 0.00 3.31 0.25 0.75 -0.16 0.00 -2.81 -1.25 0.00 0.00 1.18 2.00 0.54 -0.33 -0.75 0.00

65,000 14,210 3,301,190 970,720 28,200 5,000 216,300 50,100 3,100 9,000 200 210,000 2,055,740 129,600 20,680 26,530 189,200 942,970 45,620 1,195,000

43.4 1.38 1.02 1.94 10.1 53 91.00 18 135 26.65 55.35 2.33 1.41 12.3 20.000 8.87 7.28 9.65 1.78 13.48 24.85 80 13.78 5.74 0.500 189.00 10.44 24 25.45 5.85 294.00 3.93 4.85 8.40 3.15 2.13 2.8 4.08 1.96 6.25 168.9 1.64 0.144 2.10 185 4.5 0.7 23.80 1.20

2.00 0.00 0.99 0.52 0.00 0.00 0.00 -1.10 35.00 -0.37 0.00 -1.69 -2.08 0.82 0.00 -0.34 -0.14 1.58 1.71 7.84 0.40 3.96 0.15 -0.17 0.00 0.96 2.76 2.56 1.80 5.98 -0.07 0.00 0.83 1.82 -0.94 1.91 -7.89 0.25 0.00 0.00 4.13 0.00 0.70 0.00 -4.15 0.00 0.00 0.21 2.56

1,563,300 4,000 43,000 603,000 600 20 120 473,300 290 309,900 253,570 1,344,000 9,000 3,000 1,234,000 3,735,300 8,801,900 92,800 7,000 150,000 3,587,600 527,370 16,000 339,000 41,000 688,580 2,496,700 1,467,000 32,500 4,872,300 591,120 2,000 335,000 2,822,700 173,000 1,519,000 2,665,000 335,000 1,000 11,900 1,040 94,000 1,900,000 582,000 4,416,750 45,000 224,000 5,000 81,000

0.470 57.2500 22.00 6.88 0.246 747 7.5 13.10 4.20 1315 6.50 70.50 6.89 0.65 12.64 0.57 4.69 7.19 1.910 2.67 59.95 862.00 1.23 155.20 79.500 0.3300 0.2000 0.265

-1.05 -1.21 0.00 -1.71 -1.60 -0.27 -0.13 -0.46 -2.33 0.00 0.00 2.17 -1.57 0.00 -1.25 1.79 0.86 6.84 -2.05 0.00 0.08 -0.92 2.50 -3.00 1.27 4.76 3.63 0.00

680,000 1,479,620 12,795,100 23,800 650,000 468,910 1,144,900 3,772,000 2,000 122,355 2,000 872,210 746,600 178,000 2,478,400 106,000 18,573,000 2,481,500 9,463,000 4,000 202,310 220,400 98,000 190 2,610 350,000 150,000 50,000

7.380 8.40 0.70 1.150 0.220 36.85 3.2 5.15 0.82 1.19

2.50 5.13 0.00 0.00 -0.45 0.82 0.00 -0.58 -1.20 0.00

36,500 1,100 1,000 247,000 10,000 4,118,900 1,792,000 74,000 495,000 2,000

939,067.00 -83,139,087.00 7,422,143.50 -40.00 3,125,648.00 788,135.00 5,120

84,118,103.50 -149,104.50 6,004.00 -4,153,070.00 -81,586,789.00 1,782,544.00 -11,934,785.00 -96,000.00

1,042,186.00 -13,886,100.00 2,330.00 12,690.00 1,220.00 -11,478,664.00 -12,050,297.00 -28,468,624.00

-35,013,365.00 13,088,312.00 40,500.00 6,950.00 500.00 22,671,299.00 9,351,638.00 -2,964,560.00 -558,831.00 5,266,794.00 -701,090.00 -2,066,603.00 -193,210.00 -59,970.00 50,420.00 309,860.00 -95,580.00 -35,920.00 36,611,739.00 20,700.00

14,038,944.00 57,715,355.00 -148,608.00 -78,020,565.00 2,244,440.00 -261,024.00 -21,459,170.00 9,121,853.50 -1,439,686.00 6,018,764.00 26,446,030.00 -1,124,750.00 2,194,300.00 -5,593,928.00 -20,004,855.00 -8,610.00 -128,941.00

0.00 231,000.00 -19,974,255.00 -603,130.00 -263,079.00 -77,850.00

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

Close

High

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

0.97 0.083 0.415 0.83 1.15 1.42 1.27 3.1 2.75 0.090 0.290 0.39 23 2.69 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 0.83 5.73

Cityland Dev. `A’ 1.07 Crown Equities Inc. 0.126 Cyber Bay Corp.

0.430 Empire East Land 0.840 Global-Estate 1.19 Filinvest Land,Inc. 1.83 Interport `A’ 1.28 Keppel Properties 5.00 Megaworld Corp.

4.67 MRC Allied Ind. 0.110 Phil. Estates Corp.

0.2900 Phil. Realty `A’ 0.4400 Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry 23.00 Primex Corp.

7.16 Robinson’s Land `B’ 27.00 Rockwell 1.72 Shang Properties Inc. 3.35 SM Prime Holdings 20.20 Sta. Lucia Land Inc. 0.73 Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. 0.800 Vista Land & Lifescapes 6.650

0.93 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.28 0.78 -34.60 1.71 0.00 -1.72 4.55 0.00 1.68 1.85 -2.91 -3.28 -0.25 -1.37 1.25 1.95

16,000 70,000 500,000 5,000 240,000 10,260,000 32,000 300 27,879,000 250,000 650,000 10,000 500 20,000 2,780,000 1,491,000 12,000 40,957,400 213,000 19,000 4,371,400

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 0.8200 2.2800 12.28 3.32 2.53 95.5 1 2.46 15.2 0.62 1.040 22.8 6.41 4 18 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1 11.6 0.85 2.95 10 0.490 1.9

1.97 35.2 1 0.63 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 4.8 830 1600 5.95 1.23 102.6 8.72 0.041 1.200 6.5 1.91 1.01 3.1 0.650 1.8 6 0.335 0.37 14.54 3 2.28 8.8 79 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55 7.59 0.63 1.71 5 0.315 1.14

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. 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’ Island Info ISM Communications Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown MG Holdings NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

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

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

Yehey

0.16 0.49 0.88 1.64 0.00 -1.27 2.94 0.53 4.31 0.00 -0.17 1.61 1.56 -0.09 0.83 -0.49 3.85 1.32 -1.92 49.35 -10.26 3.03 0.00 -4.14 0.00 -3.16 -4.13 -0.22 1.69 -9.27 0.28 0.00 2.17 0.00 -1.54 0.00 -1.12 -2.41 -3.13 4.68 0.00 1.56 -6.47

33,900 9,460 3,000 29,000 8,007,600 2,780,000 83,000 319,830 23,900 50 85,670 81,200 68,000 658,120 900 1,820,000 286,000 93,300 67,000 44,000 1,400 74,000 10,000 6,602,200 40,000 70,000 500 7,000 14,000 200 120 20,700 109,075 1,137,000 11,516,000 2,692,000 1,528,040 10,660,100 884,000 5,000 813,600 340,000 10,264,000

0.0098 17.24 25 12.8 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.440 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 3.06 0.020 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9

0.0043 6.47 9.43 5.11 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.2160 0.013 0.014 3.240 18.96 2.11 1.54 0.012 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67

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

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

TA Petroleum

5.17 -0.35 9.61 12.00 0.00 -1.28 -2.08 -4.83 0.00 -3.57 0.44 7.69 7.69 1.97 -1.96 0.00 0.51 0.00 0.00 -1.42 -2.22 8.33 -1.28 -1.92

5,450,000,000 6,000.00 100,700 6,375.00 300 100 2,887,000 474,000 12,750.00 5,800 6,072,000 -450,450.00 460,000 11,430,000 430,000 1,300,000 95,800,000 6,500.00 65,000 -40,050.00 8,826,000 -7,774,257.00 294,000 -3,700.00 29,000 3,900,000 31,000 2,966,900 -4,070,851.00 2,210,000 -162,960.00 123,100,000 12,000.00 836,630 -6,634,346.00 92,200 27,720.00

70 553 515 8.21 12.28 111 1047 76.9 78.95 84.8 1.34

33 490 480 5.88 6.5 101 1011 74.2 74.5 75 1

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PF Pref 2 SMC Preferred A SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C Swift Pref

0.00 0.19 -0.19 0.84 -0.93 -0.44 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.11 38.30

227,330 5,680 100 17,900 4,000 9,750 190 13,760 5,000 1,650 20,000

6.98

0.8900 LR Warrant

10.96 15 12.88

2.4 3.5 5.95

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

Double Dragon Makati Fin. Corp.

Xurpas

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,669.46 (up) 10.24 INDUSTRIAL 11,221.38 (down) 54.10 HOLDING FIRMS 6,608.05 (down) 9.71 PROPERTY 3,010.34 (up) 24.96 SERVICES 2,051.15 (up) 17.20 MINING & OIL 12,745.66 (down) 116.69 PSEI 7,392.59 (up) 14.90 All Shares Index 4,227.21 (up) 7.86 Gainers: 87 Losers: 70; Unchanged: 54; Total: 211

Close

1.48 0.201 0.69 0.97 2.22 2.1 1.8 8.4 4.88 0.180 0.470 0.72 27 8.54 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 1.62 8.59

1.08 1.07 1.08 0.126 0.126 0.126 0.430 0.430 0.430 0.840 0.840 0.840 1.20 1.19 1.19 1.89 1.83 1.89 1.30 1.28 1.29 3.27 3.27 3.27 4.75 4.64 4.75 0.110 0.099 0.110 0.3100 0.2850 0.2850 0.4600 0.4600 0.4600 23.00 23.00 23.00 7.28 7.16 7.28 27.60 26.75 27.50 1.7 1.67 1.67 3.25 3.24 3.24 20.25 20.05 20.15 0.73 0.72 0.72 0.810 0.800 0.810 6.780 6.560 6.780 SERVICES 6.18 6.24 6.15 6.19 61.5 62.5 61.5 61.8 1.13 1.14 1.14 1.14 0.610 0.620 0.610 0.620 8.60 8.75 8.59 8.60 0.0790 0.0800 0.0780 0.0780 3.4 3.6 3.45 3.5 84.5 86 84.65 84.95 6.03 6.30 6.01 6.29 929.5 929.5 929.5 929.5 2388 2402 2384 2384 6.20 6.30 6.22 6.30 1.28 1.32 1.30 1.30 110.5 110.8 109.5 110.4 11.98 12.08 12.08 12.08 0.205 0.204 0.200 0.204 1.3000 1.3500 1.3000 1.3500 9.08 9.20 9.10 9.20 2.60 2.69 2.53 2.55 0.77 1.15 1.14 1.15 39.00 39.00 35.00 35.00 0.660 0.680 0.680 0.680 2 2 2 2 5.32 5.44 5.09 5.1 0.320 0.320 0.320 0.320 0.475 0.475 0.460 0.460 18.88 18.1 18.1 18.1 4.65 4.64 4.47 4.64 2.95 3 2.95 3 9.49 8.61 8.61 8.61 106.70 108.70 106.70 107.00 18.80 18.80 18.50 18.80 2770.00 2830.00 2766.00 2830.00 0.630 0.630 0.610 0.630 1.300 1.310 1.270 1.280 36.00 36.15 65.80 36.00 71.30 71.30 70.15 70.50 8.71 8.72 8.35 8.50 0.64 0.64 0.62 0.62 1.71 1.79 1.79 1.79 5.15 5.19 5.09 5.15 0.320 0.330 0.315 0.325 2.320 2.550 2.060 2.170 MINING & OIL 0.0058 0.0062 0.0057 0.0061 5.71 5.82 5.68 5.69 10.82 11.86 10.82 11.86 6.2500 7 7 7.0000 0.9 0.9 0.88 0.9 0.78 0.77 0.75 0.77 6.72 6.80 6.30 6.58 1.45 1.45 1.36 1.38 0.305 0.320 0.300 0.305 0.224 0.220 0.215 0.216 0.226 0.227 0.227 0.227 0.013 0.014 0.013 0.014 0.013 0.014 0.013 0.014 3.05 3.12 3.04 3.11 20.4 21.35 19.86 20 3.62 3.72 3.6 3.62 1.9800 1.9900 1.9900 1.9900 0.0110 0.0110 0.0100 0.0110 4.20 4.20 4.20 4.20 5.64 5.660 5.560 5.56 1.80 1.830 1.700 1.76 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.013 140.70 139.60 137.80 138.90 9.36 9.35 9.05 9.18 PREFERRED 62 62 61.65 62 527 528 528 528 521 520 520 520 5.95 6 6 6 1.08 1.07 1.07 1.07 113.5 113 113 113 1054 1054 1054 1054 75.4 75.45 75.35 75.4 84.5 84.5 84.5 84.5 88 88.65 88 88.1 2.35 3.3 3 3.25 WARRANTS & BONDS 3.550 3.660 3.300 3.500 SME 9.8 9.9 9.5 9.8 6.5 7.5 6.5 6.78 11.32 11.4 11.2 11.24 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 120.1 121 120.1 120.9

T op g ainerS VALUE 831,515,189.74 1,673,339,245.13 1,436,637,713.101 1,248,981,119.87 1,141,099,675.029 439,045,846.4608 6,797,548,911.33

Low

-1.41

438,000

0.00 4.31 -0.71

505,400 10,500 233,700

0.67

200,550

-1,070.00 86,000.00 -10,923,500.00 5,234,770.00 -144,850.00

-5,258,595.00 -1,762,480.00 332,367,215.00 -9,661,590.00

-22,030,810.00 7,726,298.50 -66,474,650.00 -36,698,407.00

184,000.00

-17,414,290.00

4,280.00 78,890.00 -16,974,040.00 8,524,550.00 -75,694,855.00 -32,958,988.00 -38,408,671.00 -496,000.00 2,062,022.00 75,060.00

-5,298,964.00 -95,400.00

-209,456.00 -3,350.00 5,650.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Lorenzo Shipping

1.15

49.35

Keppel Properties

3.27

Swift Pref

3.25

38.30

Manila Broadcasting

35.00

-34.60 -10.26

Chemphil

135

35.00

Phil. Racing Club

8.61

-9.27

Benguet Corp `B'

7.0000

12.00

Pryce Corp. `A'

2.8

-7.89

Atok-Big Wedge `A'

11.86

9.61

Yehey

2.170

-6.47

Philodrill Corp. `A'

0.013

8.33

Ferronickel

1.38

-4.83

Federal Res. Inv. Group

13.48

7.84

Universal Robina

185

-4.15

Manila Mining `A'

0.014

7.69

Melco Crown

5.1

-4.14

Manila Mining `B'

0.014

7.69

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

18.1

-4.13

Minerales Industrias Corp.

7.19

6.84

Lepanto `A'

0.216

-3.57

SATURDAY: JULY 11, 2015

B3

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

SM, Ayala prepare Cebu plan

By Jenniffer B. Austria

SM PRIME Holdings Inc. and Ayala Land Inc., two of the country’s largest real estate companies, will develop a joint master plan for the newly acquired 26-hectare reclaimed lot in Cebu City, an executive said Friday.

Both parties, however, agreed to do separate projects within the property. ‘’We will plan it together but we’ll do separate projects within the property to maximize the use and have coordinated development,’’ Ayala Land chief finance officer Jaime Ysmael told reporters at the sidelines of the Philippine Property Awards at Fairmont Hotel in Makati City.

The joint master plan is

expected to be completed before the end of the year while construction for the Ayala Land’s portion of the property will begin sometime next year, he said.

“It is not really a joint venture development but only a joint bid.

We will carve out areas for both companies,” Ysmael said.

Ysmael said while the equitable division of the 26-hectare SRP was still being finalized, SM Prime would likely get the portion

near the soon-to-be-completed SM Seaside Mall and Ayala Land would get the other side of the property.

He said Ayala Land planned to put up a mixed-use development, mostly residential condominiums.

The company will team up with Cebu-based unit Cebu Holdings to jointly develop the project.

SM Prime executive vice president Jeffrey Lim said in a separate interview the move to jointly bid with Ayala Land for the property would enable SM Prime to manage its resources considering the huge development.

Lim said SM Prime might allocate additional capital spending for the new lot, on top of the company’s programmed expenditures.

SM Prime earlier said it planned to spend P66 billion in capital expenditures this year.

Lim said as Seaside Cebu is already a huge shopping mall development, both parties agreed that the would just build support retail within the acquired SRP lot.

SM Prime and Ayala Land on June 30 won the contract to develop the 26-hectare South Road Properties Cebu with a bid of P10.09 billion.

SM-Ayala Land consortium was the lone bidder for the said lot.

The 26-hectare lot was the the largest portion of the 45.2-hectare SRP which was bid out by the provincial government of Cebu.

The other lot, comprising of 19-hectares, was won by Filinvest Land Inc. with a bid of P6.8 billion.

Toyota training program. Toyota Motor Philippines School of Technology recently held another send-off ceremony for 26 new graduates of the Specialized Toyota Automotive Training Program to be employed at Toyota’s extensive dealer network in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Shown is Abdul Latif Jameel Center for Continuous Learning director Louai Abdullah Fathi (center) presenting a plaque of appreciation to TMP Tech president David Go (left) in recognition of the school’s strong partnership with ALJID. With them is TMP president Michinobu Sugata (right).

China rebound boosts market STOCKS rose for the second day, after Greece submitted new debt reform plans and fears over a Chinese rout subsided as Shanghai stocks surged again.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, gained 14 points, or 0.2 percent, to close at 7,392.59 Friday. The gauge was up 2.1 percent since the start of the year.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also advanced 7 points, or 0.2 percent, to settle at 4,227.21 on a value turnover of P6.8 billion.

Gainers outnumbered losers, 87 to 70, while 54 issues were unchanged.

Property developer Megaworld Corp. was the biggest gainer among the 20 most active stocks, as it climbed 2.6 percent to P4.75 while Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. rose 2.2 percent to P2,830.

Jollibee Foods Corp., operator of the largest fastfood chain, gained 1 percent to P189. Property developer Ayala Land Inc. added 0.8 percent to close at P36.85.

Food manufacturer Universal Robina Corp., the most active stock Friday, tumbled 4.2 percent to P185.

Meanwhile, Shanghai rallied 5.01 percent in the afternoon after surging almost six percent Thursday as Chinese authorities beefed up measures to staunch a sell-off that has wiped trillions off mainland markets.

The gains came after China moved to stop “major” shareholders—those holding at least a five percent stake—from selling their stocks and launched a probe into short-selling in a bid to calm markets. With AFP

PH factory production decreased 3.1% in May

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

SkyBiz treat. SkyBiz, the newly established arm of Sky recently treated members of the Hoteliers

IT Association of the Philippines to a fun and memorable adventure under the sun at Eagle Point Resort in Anilao, Batangas. Shown are members of HITAP as they enjoy the beach activities that set the tone for future programs that aim to reward SkyBiz’s partners.

FACTORY production contracted 3.1 percent year-on-year in May, on weak global demand and prolonged dry spell, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show.

PSA said the drop in the volume of production index in May was the sharpest since the 7.7-percent decline in December 2011 and was a reversal of the 12.7-growth recorded in the same month last year.

Data showed the value of production index also sank 7.3 percent in May, as both volume and prices registered negative growth.

“Despite this slowdown in manufacturing, businesses remain optimistic. The low inflation environment, lower oil prices, continued inflow of remittances, expected strong demand from government expenditures, and the brisk busi-

ness activity in the nearing election season, will all help improve the sector’s performance in the coming months,” said National Economic and Development Authority deputy director-general Emmanuel Esguerra.

Food manufacturing, the biggest contributor to the index, shrank 13.9 percent in May from a year ago while footwear and wearing apparel dropped 19.2 percent.

“With the proper implementation of the Competition Law and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, we expect improvement in the business climate. Also, the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy will attract much needed foreign investments and spur the growth of transport equipment sector as well as textiles, glass, rubber and plastics, electronics and other related products,” Esguerra said.

SATURDAY: JULY 11, 2015

B4

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

IN BRIEF Chinese out of NGCP THE 18-man technical team from State Grid of Corporation of China are set to turn over the technical operations of National Grid Corp. of the Philippines to local personnel by next week, following the directive of former Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla.

National Grid, which operates the country’s transmission network is owned 60 percent by Filipino business group and 40 percent

by State Grid.

Asked for comment, Petilla said the Chinese technical team must follow the rules of the Bureau of Immigration.

“They have to leave by July 15.

This is not related to the West Philippine Sea dispute. They have to follow immigration rules. There is no transfer of technology,” the resigned energy chief said.

Petilla said the Chinese nationals could still reapply with the immigration bureau as long as an apprentice program is put in place at National Grid.

Petilla in February said the technical team must leave the country

by July amid concerns on China’s alleged capability to shut down the country’s transmission network.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Holcim pursues Lafarge HOLCIM Philippines Inc. is pursuing its plan to acquire certain assets of Lafarge Republic, one year after conducting a due diligence study on the possible combination of all or part of their businesses with each other.

Holcim said in a disclosure to the stock exchange its board authorized the company to make an offer and proceed with the acquisition of some assets owned by Lafarge Republic.

The assets include shares of stock of Lafarge Iligan Inc., Lafarge Mindanao Inc., Lafarge Republic Aggregates Inc., Quimson Limestones Inc., Sigma Cee Mining Corp. and APC Properties, Inc. Holcim also plans to purchase the assets of Star Terminal in Harbour Centre, Manila, and certain parcels of land as identified by the parties.

Holcim did not disclose the offer price for the assets.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Toyota bullish on Vios TOYOTA Motor Philippines will increase the production of its compact sedan unit, Vios, to 33,333 units starting in 2016 as it plans to enroll the model for incentives under the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence program of the Philippine government.

Toyota president Michinobu Sugata told reporters Thursday night that raising the output was mandatory to hit the required 200,000 unit production volume in six years.

“It is a very strict qualification and the requirements are not easy but Toyota will take this challenge.

In order to get the full incentives, we have to achieve the 200,000 production level. If we get the $1,000, our competitive edge will very much improve,” he said.

Sugata said all production would be geared for the domestic market, which was ready to absorb bigger volume as the country reached the age of motorization.

Toyota plans to invest more for the new model change of Vios.

Sugata said the company spent P billion for the recent full model change of Vios in 2013.

Othel V. Campos

PhilHealth-BDO deal. The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. has tapped Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. as its first local fund manager to

help grow the health insurance fund and ensure its stability for the benefit of PhilHealth’s 86 million beneficiaries. Shown sealing the investment management agreement are (from left) PhilHealth chief legal executive Edgar Julio Asuncion, chief finance executive Gregorio Rulloda, president and chief executive Alexander Padilla, BDO Trust executive vice president Ador Abrogena, senior vice president Noel Andrada and first vice president Ma. Cristina Concepcion.

Govt cuts Meralco’s distribution charges

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE Energy Regulatory Commission on Friday granted provisional authority to Manila Electric Co. to implement lower distribution, supply and metering charges.

ERC provisionally approved a distribution charge of P1.0114 per kilowatt-hour, supply rate of P0.2251 per kWh and metering fee of P1.3810 per kWh for Meralco, the country’s largest power distributor.

The ERC said in a statement the rates were 11.26 percent or P0.1752 per kWh lower than the current average rate of P1.5562 per kWh. In its application for approval of the interim average rate of P1.3939 per kWh, Meralco proposed to reduce the current rate by removing the component representing under-recoveries in the distribution charge for the second regulatory period, or from July 2007 to June 2011.

The ERC made a further reduction of P0.0129 per kWh to remove the allowance

for net efficiency, which was embedded in its rates for the third regulatory period from July 2011 to June 2015, and provisionally allowed the implementation of the interim average rate of P1.3810 per kWh, subject to a final decision after the hearings are concluded.

ERC ensured that Meralco will not overcollect from its customers for previous under-recoveries and allowed net efficiency adjustments, pending the appropriate rate starting in the July 2015 billing period.

“This is a welcome relief for Meralco’s customers. It will surely mitigate possible increases in the other components of Meralco’s retail rates occasioned by the tight supply condition and Malampaya gas restrictions that were experienced last month,” outgoing ERC chairman Zenaida Cruz-Ducut said.

Meralco has been waiting for the ERC approval to help offset the anticipated increase of P0.25 to P0.30 per kilowatt-hour due to yellow alerts in the Luzon grid during the June supply month.

Meralco has said the generation charge for July is 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.

Ducut is leacing the ERC as her seven-year term ends.

ERC created a new regulatory framework for the setting of the electric cooperatives wheeling rates under Ducut’s term.

The system loss caps were also lowered on electric cooperatives from 14 percent for to 13 percent and on private utilities from 9.5 percent to 8.5 percent.

The ERC also adopted new capital expenditure rules to aid the utilities in preparing their capex proposals. It released planning manuals such as the Electric Cooperative Distribution Utilities Planning Manual and Investor-Owned Electric Distribution Utilities Planning Manuals.

Under Ducut’s watch, the ERC became successful in setting up the regulatory framework for the implementation of the incentive mechanisms under the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, such as the feed-in tariff system and the net metering program.

Sin tax law fails to curb smoking due to cheap prices THE enforcement of the historic 2013 Sin Tax Law resulted in the emergence of small tobacco companies that offered cheap cigarettes, Stella Luz Quimbo, of the University of Philippines College of Economics, said.

Calling it the “Mighty effect,” Quimbo said cigarettes under the Mighty brand became the cigarette of choice for massbased consumers when the new sin tax rates were implemented.

In her paper titled “Does Taxing Sin Deliver us from Disease: An Initial Assessment of the Health Impact of Sin Taxes in

the Philippines,” Quimbo noted that the two-tiered structure of implementation of the upward adjustment of taxes on tobacco and alcohol had resulted in a tobacco war.

“It’s an intense struggle. To be honest, we didn’t really anticipate the Mighty effect,” Quimbo said. “I didn’t realize that there was going to be an extremely viable low-priced brand,” she added.

Mighty cigarettes as a result ate into the market share of Philip Morris and other major brands.

Quimbo, in a presentation

Thursday during the last day of the two-day 37th Annual Scientific Meeting of the National Academy of Science and Technology at the Manila Hotel, said the stiff market competition led to the rise of small tobacco companies that came out with lowpriced brands and gave Filipino smokers the capacity to continue their unhealthy habit.

“For as long as we don’t have a uniform tax rate, then that’s going to be a problem,” she said.

UP College of Medicine professor Antonio Miguel Dans noted that the unitary sin tax rate was going to be implement-

ed two years from now in 2017.

According to him, from 2013 up to the present, the sin tax law was estimated to have prevented some 3 million people from smoking, and saved 32,000 lives from smoking-related diseases.

“We wanted it to be unitary from the start. But it was a bargaining chip to the tobacco farmers, tobacco industry, to the northern bloc lawmakers,” Dans said.

“The prevalence of smoking is high because tobacco is cheap, and we are flooded with promotional materials at an early age,” he said.

S at u r d ay : J u Ly 1 1 , 2 0 1 5

B5

ceSar barrioquinto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

20 years on, Srebrenica’s ghosts still haunt Dutch THE HAGUE—Two decades after the Srebrenica massacre, one burning question still sears the Netherlands’s collective consciousness: Could the Dutch UN peace keepers have done more to save almost 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys from slaughter?

Europe’s worst atrocity since World War II took place in midJuly, 1995, when the lightly armed UN Dutch peace keepers were overrun by Bosnian Serb troops in the supposedly UN-protected “safe haven” of Srebrenica, during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War. Thousands of men and boys were murdered and their bodies dumped in nearby mass graves in the days that followed, as the Dutch UN battalion called the “Dutchbat” for short returned home via an alcoholfueled reception in the Croatian capital of Zagreb.

In the Netherlands the events at Srebrenica still stir up controversy, with questions remaining over the Dutch blue helmets’ role in what has been labeled as genocide by two international courts.

The Netherlands boasts a long tradition of peacekeeping, but at Srebrenica they “were confronted with their helplessness,” according to Ko Colijn, international political and security researcher at The Hague’s Clingendael Institute.

Numerous reports in the aftermath of the massacre indicated the Dutch had assumed the mission in Bosnia on purely moral grounds without first examining its feasibility, he added.

The Dutch decision was partly driven by a guilt complex born from an often passive attitude to Nazi occupation during World War II, these reports said.

This “error of judgment,” as it was later described in a Dutch parliamentary committee report, ultimately led to the resignation of Labor Party prime minister Wim Kok’s government in 2002, when it admitted it could have done more to protect the civilians at Srebrenica.

Srebrenica massacre survivors are demanding closer scrutiny of the Dutchbat’s actions 20 years ago and there have been unsuccessful attempts in the past to bring its senior commanders to trial. AFP

world Thousands evacuated as typhoon hits Japan TOKYO—Typhoon Chan-hom lashed Japan’s Okinawa island chain on Friday as it pushed towards Taiwan and onto China, leaving more than 20 people injured.

Third bull-run. Participants run in front of Victoriano del Rio Cortes’ bulls during the third bullrun of the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona, northern Spain, on July 9. Each morning of the July 7-14 fiesta, six-half ton fighting bulls are freed from a corral at 8 a.m. to rumble after hundreds of runners down a winding, 846.6-metercourse through cobbled streets to a bull ring, where the animals are killed in an afternoon bullfight. Last year, just over 17,000 people took part in the festival’s eight daily bull-runs, two-thirds of them for the first time, according to Pamplona city hall. AFP

Thousands were evacuated from eastern China in preparation for the storm which left five dead in the Philippines earlier in the week after heavy rain.

The powerful typhoon categorized as a “super typhoon” by some regional weather bureaus was moving northwest of Miyako island of the Okinawan island chain on Friday afternoon, with recorded gusts of 234 kilometers per hour, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The typhoon is expected to keep moving northward, bringing rainstorms and waves as high as 40 feet at sea, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported.

As trees were uprooted and buildings battered, at least 23 people were injured and 180 evacuated across the area, the Tokyo Broadcasting System broadcaster reported.

The meteorological agency warned that strong winds and high waves would continue to pound the island chain where 42,000 households have been left without power.

The storm left five dead in the Philippines, including three children, as it swept through from Tuesday with the flooding almost three feet deep in Luzon and 1,500 people displaced.

Chan-hom began to bear down on Taiwan Friday, where the weather bureau categorised it as a “severe typhoon.”

Four people have been injured so far, all of them by falling trees.

Taiwan’s stock market was closed and schools and offices were shut as heavy rainfall and fierce winds battered the north.

Troops have been deployed to the northeastern areas and fishing boats called back to ports.

Mountain communities were particularly at risk with warnings over landslides, authorities said. More than 1,000 villagers were evacuated from the remote township of Chien-shih in Hsinchu county which had been deluged with 12 inches of rain by Friday afternoon.

“The speed of winds and the amount of rainfall in the north and northeast have been on the rise in the past few hours,” Taiwan’s weather bureau said. AFP

Former Saudi foreign minister Saud al-Faisal dies RIYADH—Saudi Arabia’s Prince Saud al-Faisal, formerly the world’s longest-serving foreign minister who oversaw four decades of turbulent diplomacy for the oil-rich kingdom, died on Thursday.

A statement from the Royal Court said Prince Saud, who was born in 1940, died in the United States without giving the cause of death.

Funeral prayers will be held on Saturday night in the Muslim holy

city of Mecca for Prince Saud, who was one of the highest profile members of the kingdom’s ruling elite before stepping down in April for health reasons.

He oversaw Saudi Arabia’s emergence as a major diplomatic player, facing successive regional crises and maintaining a focus on relations with the West.

“May God accept him in paradise,” one of his nephews, Saud Mohammed al-Abdullah alFaisal, wrote on Twitter.

Tributes poured in for the prince after news of his death emerged, with the Royal Court describing him as a “symbol of honesty and hard work.”

US President Barack Obama said he was a “committed and accomplished diplomat” whose “legacy will be remembered around the world,” while Secretary of State John Kerry said he would miss his friendship and “wise counsel.”

Prince Saud was “a man of vast

experience, personal warmth, great dignity and keen insights who served his country loyally and well,” Kerry said in a statement, adding that he “will not be forgotten”.

Arab League Chief Nabil alArabi expressed his condolences in a statement, as did Germany’s embassy in Riyadh, calling Prince Saud a “respected statesman”.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said in a statement that the top diplomat had

“worked tirelessly for peace and stability in the Middle East”.

Saud was replaced as foreign minister in April by Washington ambassador Adel al-Jubeir in a major shake-up of the Saudi royal family and cabinet.

His departure came as Saudi Arabia leads a coalition of Arab states bombing Iranbacked rebels in Yemen and takes part in the US-led campaign against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq. AFP

B6

s at u r d ay: J u Ly 1 1 , 2 0 1 5

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

WORLD

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

‘Sherlock Holmes’ of the art world

Traditional dance. People enjoy the traditional espadrille dance during the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona, northern Spain, on July 10. 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

Erupting volcano strands thousands in Indonesia DENPASAR—An erupting Indonesian volcano forced the closure of five airports Friday, including on the holiday island of Bali, causing about 350 flights to be canceled and stranding thousands of holidaymakers.

The international airport on popular Lombok island was also among those closed late Thursday as Mount Raung on the main island of Java spewed clouds of ash, the transport ministry said.

The closures came during peak holiday season in Bali, a pocket of Hinduism in Muslim-majority Indonesia which attracts millions of

foreign tourists every year to its palm-fringed beaches.

“It’s pretty chaotic,” Katie Nagar, an American expatriate living in Indonesia, told AFP. She described arriving at the domestic terminal in Bali’s Ngurah Rai airport to discover her flight to Jakarta on Indonesian flag carrier Garuda had been canceled and rescheduled to Sunday.

“There’s basically just hundreds of people camped out on the grassy lawns in front of the airport. There’s lines of hundreds of people waiting to talk to customer service.”

An AFP reporter in the international terminal estimated about 1,000 people were stranded there, with some trying to seek information from airport officials while others were sitting or sleeping on the floor.

Trikora Harjo, general manager at Ngurah Rai, said that 330 flights 160 domestic and 170 international-had so far been cancelled at the airport due to the ash cloud.

“Right now the authorities have declared that the airport will be closed until 9:30 pm (1330 GMT), totally closed,” he said.

Garuda said it had canceled a total of 112 flights Friday. Most were to and from Bali airport, but 18 were to other airports affected by the ash cloud.

AirAsia, Virgin Australia, Jetstar, and Air New Zealand also confirmed flights to Bali had been canceled.

The disruption came as many Australians were in Bali for the school break, and many Indonesians were setting off on holiday ahead

of the Muslim celebration of Eid next week.

Authorities raised the alert status of Mount Raung, a 3,300-metre (10,800-foot) volcano, late last month to the second highest level after it began to spew lava and ash high into the air.

Government volcanologist Surono, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, said eruptions were continuing at the volcano Friday, and it was producing flames and a thundering sound. But authorities said no evacuations were necessary as those living in the area were already a safe distance away.

LONDON—One man has become a behind-the-scenes force in the international art world after securing the return of art looted by the Nazis to the descendants of its original Jewish owners.

The return of “Seated Woman” by Henri Matisse to the Rosenberg family was his work.

So was the restoration of “A Portrait of a Gentleman,” by 16thcentury artist El Greco, to the descendants of Jewish banker and art collector Julius Priester.

Two years after founding Art Recovery Group, a private company specializing in finding and recovering stolen, missing or looted art, he has been dubbed “Sherlock Holmes” in the specialist press.

“My staff makes fun of that actually,” said Christopher Marinello, a 53-year-old with piercing blue eyes and a Brooklyn accent.

Marinello became a lawyer after abandoning his own art studies due to lack of talent, or so he puts it.

He made a name for himself during the seven years he worked at the Art Loss Register, a private database of lost or stolen artworks and antiques. He has now become a competitor of his former employer.

“We set this (Art Recovery) up in 2013 to provide due diligence services to the art trade in an ethical and responsible and legal manner.”

Art Recovery now employs half a dozen people in London, 16 in New Delhi and has a presence in New York and Milan.

It maintains a database of lost or stolen art that it aims to make the most complete in the world.

Finding and getting back stolen art is far from easy. AFP

Tunisian PM to call Cameron after advisory on his country

Protest. Iranian protesters set dummies depicting US President Barack Obama and Israeli

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on fire on top of an Israeli flag during a demonstration to mark the Quds (Jerusalem) International day in Tehran on July 10. AFP

TUNIS—Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid said he would telephone British counterpart David Cameron on Friday to respond to his government’s advice that the North African nation was unsafe for holidays.

The Foreign Office guidance issued on Thursday night forced British tour operators to halt all holidays to Tunisia in a massive blow to a key sector of its economy.

“We will ring the British prime minister to tell him we have done everything we can to protect all British interests and those of others

countries that’s out duty,” Esebsi told a late-night session of parliament.

“Britain is free to take whatever decision it likes it’s a sovereign country but we too are a sovereign country and we have a position to take.”

Essid did not elaborate on what that position might be but he told lawmakers that the British decision would “have repercussions.”

Tunisia has brought in a raft of new security measures, including arming tourist police, since a jihadist gunman killed 38 foreign holidaymakers, 30 of them

Britons, at the beach resort of Port El Kantaoui on June 26.

But the Foreign Office said it did not believe they provided “adequate protection” and advised against all but essential travel.

Within minutes of the advice, tour operators Thomson and First Choice said they had canceled all flights to Tunisia for the rest of the season, until October 31.

Britain’s largest travel association, ABTA, said the 3,000 or so British tourists currently in Tunisia would be flown home as soon as possible. AFP

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

PROPERTY

JOEL D. L ACSAMANA EDITOR

jdlacsamana@gmail.com

B7

unique south LuZon LifestyLe uP for graBs with terraZa de sto.tomas

o

vialand Inc recently launched Terraza de Sto. Tomas, its newest venture in Sto. Tomas, Batangas, once a bucolic, rural area which has transformed itself into one of the premier real estate areas in South Luzon. The project offers a brand of living ideal for those who still value comfort and privacy, while still wanting to be in the center of things.

“Southern Luzon is proving to be a very lucrative market for real estate,” said Fatima Olivares-Vital, business unit head of Ovialand, Inc. “In fact, it is seen to be among the top three growth areas to

watch out for in the country.”

She noted that the financial readiness, land development, and evolution of style of living are slowly turning the region as the newest hotspot for people looking for meaningful property investments.

“Batangas is a town that is definitely ready now for the modern Filipino,” she said. “There is no shortage of business opportunities and lifestyle activities, and the community is especially friendly to families.”

Ovialand Inc. is a subsidiary of the Malate Construction and Development Corporation (MCDC).

Terraza de Sto. Tomas is Ovialand’s take on the type of type of living that caters to the professional, social, and personal interests of home seekers.

Living life at the top.

Woodridge Place gives a whole new meaning to countryside chilling.

EscapE to WoodbridgE mountain

w

oodbridge Place, a project of Tagaytay Highlands, the SM Group of Companies leisure development arm, is redefining luxury mountain resort living.

Theoretically only a 70-minute drive from Metro Manila, the 9-building condominium development is inspired by the architectural design of mountain resorts and ski lodges in Colorado, USA. It is perched at 1,715 feet above sea level in Tagaytay, giving residents unobstructed views of the surrounding natural beauties of the area.

“Woodridge Place perfectly shows sophistication in the countryside,” said Lennie A. Mendoza, senior vice president of Tagaytay Highlands.

She noted that living in Woodbridge means “living your life at the top, literally and figuratively.” The last two buildings of the development – namely Mahogany and Linden – are oriented on an east-west axis which allows the passage of natural daylight, and the mountain breeze. Both buildings have 11 residential floors where units sizes vary from one-bedroom to four-bedroom. Each that are de-

signed with the client’s comfort and convenience in mind. Each unit has large picture windows that allow homeowners to witness nature’s everyday miracle.

The two buildings also share a viewing deck that can be used as an activity area for intimate group soirees. Families may go on picnics or strolls in the two pocket parks on bright sunny days. Designed to provide firstclass amenities and unparalleled services, Tagaytay Highlands is also home to the first and only Swiss Cable Car System in the country, the funicular train, and two world-class golf courses.

northern BuZZ. A pocket urban development is happening, in all places, Baintawak, north of bustling Quezon City. Called Cloverleaf, the project is being built by Ayala Land, and what a project it is: the first phase of construction, which includes commercial, residential and office components, as well as a hospital, will be completed within the next five years. Ayala Land is sinking an initial P15 billion into the development of the first phase of the 11-hectare lot, starting with Avida; a two-hectare shopping complex that will welcome shoppers by the fourth quarter of 2017 and a 250-bed hospital specializing in cardiology and cancer, due for completion in the same year.

2015 ProPerty awards winners. SM Prime Holdings claimed top honors at the third annual Philippines Property Awards 2015 held at the Fairmont Hotel in Makati this week, bagging the Best Developer award. It beat last year’s champion Ayala land Inc. (ALI), which took home a Highly Commended accolade in the category together with fellow nominee Megaworld Corporation. Shown are awardees in the Best Luxury Development (Resort), Boracay NewCoast-Oceanway Residences-Megaworld Corporation and Global Estates Resorts, Inc.

Century ProPerties is on the Case. Century City, the flagship urban district of Century Properties in Makati, recently conducted its annual city wide earthquake and fire drill exercise. Century Properties Management, Inc., led the multi-party safety and security event in the second quarter of 2015, followed by an earthquake awareness program this July. The exercise gathered personnel of the Century City Estate Association (CCEA), its Security and Safety Division & Emergency Response Team (ERT), the Barangay Poblacion Fire Brigade, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the Safety Organization of the Philippines (SOPI), the Makati Public Safety Department (MAPSA), and the Makati City Bureau of Fire Pro- tection (BFP).

and Best Residential Architectural Design, Park Terraces-Ayala land Inc.

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

B8 sprucing up the hillside.

Serin promises to blend into the Tagaytay environment.

JOEL D. L ACSAMANA EDITOR jdlacsamana@gmail.com

PROPERTY

AvidA throws hAt in ring with p2B condo project in tAgAytAy Almost every weekend, hordes of traffic-addled, stressed-out Manila residents motor to the highlands of Tagaytay to grab some downtime: e.g. bask in the cool climate, catch a glimpse of Taal Lake, its patchwork fish pens and famous, though somewhat pugnacious-looking volcano, and buy plants and have picnics amidst fresh greenery .

Above all, lowlanders and natives alike battle traffic, sharp-elbowed tourists, and ogle at a jumble of commercial developments from high-rise condos, hotels, bed and breakfast establishments, strip malls, and a plethora of restaurants and establishments that tend to crowd the ridge area.

Now Avida Land Corp., the midrange property development unit of Ayala Land Inc., is placing its bet as well on this fast-developing tourist area in the sky, together with other big name developers who have staked their claims earlier. The company is gambling on an additional P4-billion sales by plunking its latest condominium tower atop the mountain fastness of Tagaytay, even as it continues to firm up its residential foothold in Cavite where Avida has remained a prominent player in residential village development with 116 hectares established across Dasmariñas, Bacoor and Imus.

Building it differently But Avida is planning to do things differently, by building its new condo venture dubbed Serin Tagaytay in an environmental manner, similar to its designs in other parts of Cavite, highlighting a range of style influences including Mediterranean, American, Asian and modern contemporary.

Serin promises to be a sprawling mid-rise development that features walkways with trellises, lounge and sitting areas, gardens and open spaces, plus viewing decks to enjoy the garden ridge views of Tagaytay.

A clubhouse, swimming pools and children’s play area are also integrated in the amenity deck.

just what the doctor ordered. Well-planned spaces, and fresh greenery galore.

Avida has invested at least P4.7 billion in Cavite over the last half decade. Now, it will infuse P2 billion for Serin Tagaytay, a six-phased project which, it said, the company will develop in the next five years.

In a press briefing this week, Avida senior division manager Herbert Herrero said the project is the company’s first vacation condominium project and the first in Tagaytay.

“With the 3-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,” he explained.

He added that the company expects sales of P4 billion from the project.

It will be launched this month, offering 235 units for its first tower.

Unit sizes are at 23 square meters to 80 sq m, with the largest units offering garden ridge views of Tagaytay.

Price starts at P2.6 million. top choice Serin East, with 1,343 total units, will be launched this month offering 235 units for its first tower.

The company earlier launched Serin West, with 480 units.

The west phase of the project will be completed by 2016 while

turnover of Serin East Tower 1 will begin in 2018.

Located along the Tagaytay-Nasugbu Highway, Serin lies between Ayala Malls Serin and Our Lady of Lourdes Church.

Avida’s strong presence in Cavite traces back to 2002 with Avida Residences Sta. Catalina, a 38-hectare development offering house and lots and lots only.

For its latest village project, Southgrove Estates in Imus, house and lots are 149 to 431 sqm in size with a package price starting at P5.2 million. The project is already 57 percent sold.

Avida Village Sta. Cecilia, Avida Residences Dasmariñas, Avida Settings Cavite in Bacoor and Southgrove Estates continue to post significant sales. Put together, Avida has some 4,203 residential units in Cavite.

As a whole, 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 per sqm to P15,500 per sqm, marking a 12 percent annual growth rate,” said Herrero.

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

8 AdriAtico cAptures MAnilA's chArMs. Eton Properties, the property arm of the Lucio Tan Group of Companies, is banking on 8 Adriatico, a 42-storey development at the corner of Padre Faura and Bocobo Streets in Manila, to convince buyers of a lucrative investment. As a modern residential condominium, the project positions itself as a place for those who want to feel the city’s heritage, while offering an excellent opportunity to invest as prices are expected to increase later in the year when Eton officially launches its selling activities for its MoveIn-Ready projects.