The Standard - 2015 July 16 - Thursday

VOL. XXIX NO. 146 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 THURSday : JULy 16, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Govt seeks return of Napoles’ assets THE government said Wednesday it is seeking to recoup $12.5 million in assets from Janet Napoles, the accused mastermind of the pork barrel scam, as the United States attempts to seize her possessions.

The US Justice Department filed a civil forfeiture complaint Tuesday to gain control of assets purchased in the US with money intended for development and disaster relief.

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‘Pork for favoriteS’ Lacson insists favored lawmakers still get more funds

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

FORMER Senator Panfilo Lacson insisted Wednesday that pork barrel was embedded in the 2015 national budget despite a Supreme Court ruling that declared it unconstitutional, and that these funds were not distributed equitably among lawmakers.

Based on his team’s studies on the P2.6 trillion capital outlay, Lacson noted there were lawmakers who got more pork barrel through re-alignment and insertions.

“Because re-alignment and insertions are still very much alive, there were some congressmen and some senators who got more than the others,” Lacson said.

He said the “brighter and smarter” among the lawmakers were able to make re-alignments for their projects with different government agencies through bigger insertions.

Lacson added that he intended to question the budget before the Supreme Court.

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Changing of the guard. President Benigno Aquino III looks at the colors during a ceremony in For Bonifacio for incoming Army Chief General Eduardo Año. AFP

Noy wants Poe out of 2016 race, Serge claims

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Umali files extort raps vs Sandigan magistrate

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Govt

From A1...

Ready for July 27. Workers repaint the helipad at the Batasan in preparation for President Aquino’s State-of-the-Nation Address on July 27. LINO SANTOS

Osmeña: Noy wants Grace out of ’16 race

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III wants to remove Senator Grace Poe from the equation in next year’s presidential race so that as much as 60 percent of the votes that would have gone to her will go to the Liberal Party’s presumptive candidate, Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, Senator Sergio Osmeña said Wednesday.

In an interview, Osmeña said he believed that if Poe does not run, 60 percent of the votes that she would have received would go to Roxas, and only 40 percent would be shared by Vice President Jejomar Binay, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and others.

Binay was the consistent top choice of Filipino voters to succeed Aquino until he was dislodged by Poe in the last presidential surveys conducted by Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia.

Duterte, who repeatedly denied he

‘Pork From A1...

He also said Budget Secretary Florencio Abad was not responsive to his expose regarding pork barrel because he talked about special purpose funds.

“I haven’t reached that. I’m talking about regular budget of the national agencies. We haven’t reached special purpose funds yet. His response was wrong.”

In response to Lacson’s allegations, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday denied it had lump sum or discretionary funds amounting to P102.6 billion in the 2015 General Appropriations Act. “How can that be when the budget of the department is already P107.8 billion? We do have a budget for maintenance

would run for president, has been touring the country on “a listening tour” on federalism.

The President’s approach to Poe was natural, Osmeña said.

“You must eliminate an opponent,” he said.

Osmeña, a campaign official during the Aquino’s run for the presidency, said the President, also national chairman of Liberal Party, would rather name Roxas as the presidential candidate and have Poe run as vice president.

“But if the President is unable to convince her to be a member of his coalition, he’s not that strong a leader,” Osmeña said.

The senator said he had no information of a meeting the President was holding with Escudero, Poe and Roxas Wednesday night.

“I appears that Aquino is weak in wooing her. Well, it’s taking him so many meetings,” Osmeña said.

Osmeña said if Poe runs for president as an independent, this means she is breaking from the administration coalition.

“This will weaken the coalition and the party. So if the President cannot convince Grace Poe, how can he convince the voters to make his own candidate win?” Osmeña said.

and other operating expenses (MOOE) amounting to P102 billion, and the breakdown can be found in pages 909 to 928 of the national budgetary document,” DSWD Secretary Corazon J. Soliman said.

She added that the DSWD’s 2015 budget also has the following major categories: general administration and support, P980,680,000; support to operations, P265,747,000; and operations, P86,034,766,000.

“Part of the operations budget includes P62.2 billion for the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps); P5.9 billion for Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens; P4.9 billion for the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP); and P3.3 billion for the Supplemental Feeding Program (SFP),” she added.

The National Irrigation Administration also denied having

Osmeña said Poe would be better off serving six years as vice president before running for president.

“She’s fairly new in this game. This is not all about national politics and winning the elections. After that, the big work comes, the headache comes, [that’s] running the country,” he said.

“If you stumble around, then the whole country stumbles with you. However, she’s got the talent to run for president. So if she serves as VP for six years, in 2022, she’s a sure winner.”

Osmeña said Poe could win because “she’s perceived as being good in her legislative work and she’s personally popular.”

He also said there were no negatives about her, but if she joins forces with the LP, then all the negatives of the party will come out.

“As a matter of fact, 70 percent of the voters, based on the surveys, think that Aquino is honest but covers up for his corrupt associates,” he said.

At the same time, Osmeña said it was unlikely that Roxas would give way to Poe. “Who will now carry the Liberal Party [if Roxas does not run]? So just for the sake of the local candidates, the LP wold have to put up a presidential candidate,” he said.

a lump-sum fund of P11.3 billion.

In a statement, the agency said the General Appropriations Act of 2015 clearly shows that the P11.3 billion was broken down into projects per region with their corresponding budget allocation.

“The master list of projects is available to the public and anyone is free to scrutinize the 2-inch thick document at the NIA Office.

The master list is also published at the NIA website,” it said.

NIA Administrator Florencio Padernal said the only lump sum amount in the NIA budget is the P500-million quick response fund for disaster support for repair and rehabilitation of the agency’s facilities.

“This fund is valid for two years, only expiring by the end of 2016 and cannot be converted into a discretionary fund until expiration,” the NIA chief said.

He maintained there are no in-

They include a swanky Los Angeles condominium, a motel near Disneyland, and a Porsche Boxster Napoles allegedly bought for her daughter using aid funds.

Manila is helping its US counterpart in the effort to seize the assets, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said.

“If and when they succeed, we will request that the money will be turned over to us,” she said.

The complaint filed in a Los Angeles Federal District Court alleged Napoles paid tens of millions of dollars in bribes to Philippine politicians and officials from 2004-2012 to get $200 million in funds that were supposed to help poor Filipinos.

The organizations Napoles ran did not deliver the services, and she took the money for her own personal use, the department said.

Napoles, who is already in jail for kidnapping her cousin in 2014, has been charged along with family members in the corruption case.

Three opposition senators have been detained and charged in connection with the scam.

“It is US policy to keep no share of stolen money...

It is possible they will turn over the entire amount to us,” De Lima said.

She said a similar mechanism had been applied after a Philippine general was found in 2010 to have stashed millions of dollars in military funds in the US. “We support this action on the part of the US based on their law,” De Lima added.

Filipino officials are also concurrently seeking to recover Napoles’ assets that have been hidden or invested in the Philippines, she said.

However, the cases are still pending in court, De Lima added.

sertions in their 2015 budget of P146.235 million, as Lacson had suggested.

Also on Wednesday, whistle blower Sandra Cam challenged Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to file graft charges against allies of President Benigno Aquino III who were beneficiaries of the pork barrel scam.

“Why not file the 3rd batch of PDAF cases? Is this proof that the DOJ is for selective justice?” Cam said in a media forum in San Juan City.

“We need the truth to come out here. The people deserve to know if they are sincere in filing graft raps against these third batch of PDAF cases,” she added.

Cam, president of a whistleblowers’ group, said 15 politicians from Senate and the House, are included in the list of respondents.

“About 80 percent are allies of the government,” she said.

Napoles’ lawyer, Steven Uy, said he did not know how the US calculated the amount of $12.5 million, telling radio dzBB that some of these assets had already been sold.

“I know we have a legal team there to answer that.

It will eventually come out in the court that they (Napoles family) legally own it,” Uy added.

De Lima said the Philippine government is already helping the US government in the civil forfeiture case it filed against Napoles.

“The US case will complement and bolster our cases, both the civil case for forfeiture before the RTC and the plunder and graft cases before the Sandiganbayan,” De Lima told reporters.

She said the US move would not affect the ongoing cases against Napoles at the Sandiganbayan.

In the Philippines, the Anti-Money Laundering Council had filed on Febr.

25, 2014 a petition for civil forfeiture with the regional trial court of Manila. Two supplemental petitions were later filed to include additional assets.

The lower court initially issued an asset preservation order and eventually, in April 2014, a freeze order on Napoles’ bank accounts and properties, preventing her from having access to these assets during the duration of a forfeiture case.

Among the real properties covered by the freeze order are those of the Napoles family in Pangasinan and Cotabato, as well as condominium units registered under their companies in Malate, Manila, and Pasig City.

Napoles is now being tried by the Sandiganbayan on plunder charges for allegedly masterminding the P10 billion in pork barrel fund scam. – AFP, Rey E. Requejo

Cam said her sources within the National Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department want to move on the third batch of cases, but De Lima has put that on hold until the end of the year.

But Cam said she didn’t believe De Lima would file the cases this year.

“Why is the filing of these PDAF cases taking so long,” she said. “I do believe that De Lima is the Secretary of Selective Justice.”

Cam also chided President Benigno Aquino III noting that during his five years in office, he has indicted only three opposition senators.

“Why don’t they catch those in the third batch?” she said.

“I would just like to ask President Aquino if this tuwid na daan (straight path) is just for your enemies,” Cam said. – With John Paolo Bencito, Rio N. Araja, PNA

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Palace: PH adheres to law on sea MALACANANG on Wednesday stressed its adherence to international law and a rulesbased resolution to the disputes in the South China Sea in spite of China’s call to drop its arbitration case against it.

New cells. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima inspects newly built prison cells in Muntinlupa during a ceremony. DaNNy Pata

Governor raps ‘extorting’ Sandigan justice

By Rey E. Requejo AN ADMINISTRATION governor has filed a complaint against a Sandiganbayan magistrate who allegedly tried to extort P15 million from him in exchange for clearing him in a graft case that he was later convicted of after he refused the offer.

Oriental Mindoro Gov. Alfonso Umali filed the case at the Supreme Court against Associate Justice Jose Hernandez, the magistrate who heads the anti-graft court’s fourth division that tried and convicted him along with former Gov. Rodolfo Valencia and Romualdo Bawasanta, then a member

of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

“Before the decision dated 20 April 2015 came out convicting respondents in Criminal Case 23624, my camp was approached by a certain Mr. Ruel Ricafort, a person who was very close to Justice Hernandez and his wife,” Umali says in his complaint.

“Indeed it was clearly emphasized to me that Mr. Ricafort is a cousin of the wife of Justice Hernandez.

It was further relayed that if I wanted to be acquitted, all I needed to do was pay Pay 15,000,000 to Justice Hernandez.”

Umali said Ricafort had told him it was a “one-time offer” and that he should

“take it or leave it.”

He said when he refused, the judge made sure he was convicted.

“Indeed this complaint is about corruption in, of all places, the anti-graft court,” Umali said.

He said he believed he became a “target” of Hernandez because his brother, Rep. Reynaldo Umali, was partly responsible for Justice Gregorio Ong’s dismissal. He said Ong, who used to head the Sandiganbayan’s fourth division, and Hernandez were reported to be “good friends.”

Umali said Ong had sent emissaries to him requesting for intervention with the President to spare him

from his impending dismissal after he was implicated in the case of Janet Lim-Napoles.

Umali said Ong made it clear that he wanted to resign from his post instead of being removed, and that he would appreciate any form of assistance Umali could extend.

As a magistrate of the court that tries criminal cases against government officials, Hernandez wields power over the life, liberty, and property of the accused, as well as their careers in public service, Umali said.

He said those accused at the Sandiganbayan also risked losing their legacy and good name.

“The Philippines affirms its adherence to international law and preference for rulesbased resolution of maritime entitlement issues,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said in a text message to reporters.

“The Philippines has presented its position before the UN’s Permanent Commission on Arbitrations [that] we consider to be the proper forum for the resolution of disputes.”

Coloma made his statement even as China on Wednesday said it will not accept any decision of a United Nations arbitration panel where the Philippines has filed a case to solve the dispute in the South China Sea, describing the proceedings as one-sided and involved “a third party.”

“We are the victim in the maritime dispute and China will oppose any move by the Philippines to initiate and push forward the arbitral proceeding,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hua Chunying said in an official statement posted online.

But Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said arbitration was an internationally recognized dispute settlement mechanism, and that it was also provided in UNCLOS. “The arbitration would have been a good opportunity for china to explain the basis of its nine-dash line claim,” Jose said.

China on Tuesday urged the Philippines to drop its arbitration case over the South China Sea dispute to bring back the good relations between both countries.

“China urges the Philippines to come back to the right track of resolving disputes through negotiation and consultation,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hua Chunying said in a state-

ment.

The Philippines has asked the United Nations tribunal in The Hague to declare China’s claims to virtually all of the South China Sea invalid, saying Beijing’s actions had trampled on other nations’ rights.

However, China maintained that it “will never accept the unilateral attempts to turn to a third party to solve the disputes.”

China contends the tribunal doesn’t have jurisdiction and has refused to participate in its proceedings.

China offered again to open bilateral negotiations to settle the maritime dispute, which the Philippines rejected.

Hua Chunying said Manila should return to negotiations and consultation with Beijing, which he described as the ‘’right approach’’ of resolving the matter.

Hua said Beijing still opposed Manila’s move to bring the issue to a United Nationsbacked tribunal.

“On issues of territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, China will never accept any imposed solution or unilaterally resorting to a third-party settlement,” Hua said.

Hua said China was in fact the “victim” in the sea dispute, accusing the Philippines of illegally occupying some of the reefs in the South China Sea that Beijing treats as its territory.

“The origin and crux of the disputes between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea lie in the territorial sovereignty disputes caused by the Philippines’ illegal occupation of some islands and reefs of China’s Nansha Islands since the 1970s, and the disputes concerning maritime rights and interests that arose thereafter,” Hua said.

Sandy araneta and Vito Barcelo

‘Ampatuan Sr. could die anytime’

By Rio N. araja EX-MAGUINDANAO governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., the principal accused in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre case, is in a coma at the National Kidney And Transplant Institute in Quezon City and “can go any time,” his lawyer and spokesman said Wednesday.

“He is comatose and can go any time,” Salvador Panelo said.

He said Ampatuan was taken to the Kidney Institute on June 5 due to complications arising from his kidney ailment.

“I was told he suffered a massive heart attack yesterday [Monday] due to cancer of the

liver, triggering his comatose condition,” Panelo said.

“There has been no improvement.”

The Quezon City Regional Trial Court allowed five close relatives of Ampatuan Sr. to visit him in hospital, where some of his children, all grandchildren and close relatives— except for his detained sons— were already at the hospital.

At least three motions were filed by former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor Zaldy Ampatuan and former Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., the older Ampatuan’s sons and co-accused, seeking permission to visit their father.

Panelo said Ampatuan Sr. will be buried as soon as possible in case he dies, and his remains will be brought to Maguindanao.

The Ampatuans have been tagged as behind the killing of 58 people, including 32 journalists, on Nov. 23, 2009, while they were on their way to the Commission on Elections provincial office in Aguak to file the certificate of candidacy of former Buluan vice mayor Esmael Mangudadatu, the incumbent governor of Maguindanao, when heavily armed men attacked them.

There are 194 accused in the 58 counts of murder that have been filed in the case.

Protest. Members of Bayan Muna protest at the Monumento station of the Light Rail Transit demanding that the trains be made ready for the rainy season. LiNo SaNtoS

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Customs revamps officials

By Vito Barcelo and Gabrielle H. Binaday THE Bureau of Customs has reshuffled port collectors and other key officials in a bid to improve its collection performance.

Custom Commissioner Alberto Lina said the revamp affects mostly acting district collectors, a move seen to make its operations more “responsive.”

Lina signed Customs Personnel Order 13-126-2015 which re-assigns Bonifacio De Castro, acting district collector of Port of Subic to Office of the revenue Agency Modernization and was replaced by Ernelito Aquino, Pendatun Alim, acting district collector, Port of Iloilo to acting district collector, Port of subic, Samson R. Pacasum, Acting Sub Port Collector, MCT Tagoloan to Acting Sub Port Collector, General Santos City.

Honore R. Hernandez, Office of the District Collector, MICP to Acting Sub Port Collector, North Harbor, MICP, and Jennifer A. Lagbas Sub Port Collector, Sub Port of North Harbor to Acting Deputy Collector for Operations, POM. Lina noted that the agency hit its target only twice for the first six months of the year, the higher-on-target P35.657 billion revenues collected in March and the latest June preliminary data of P31.2 billion revenue collection.

The BOC revenue collections for the first semester was also short of its target of P202.185 billion. Revenue collections for the first half of the year is short by 11.8 percent to P178.357 billion.

No to lakeshore road. Activists picket the Department of Public Works and Highways central office in Manila to protest the planned Laguna Lakeshore Expressway Dike Project which they claim will displace around 200,000 families residing around Laguna Lake. EY ACASIO

Lawmaker bares another LTO scam

By Christine F. Herrera

QUEZON City Rep. Winston “Winnie” Castelo on Wednesday exposed another anomaly and corruption involving Land Transportation Office officials in collusion with unscrupulous insurance firms, this time amounting to P15 billion in bogus insurance coverage.

Castelo made the expose after his office received reports that certain insurance firms, with the help of some corrupt LTO officials, do not actually issue insurance policies to motorists despite their insurance coverage payments.

Castelo, chairman of the

House committee on metro manila development, had his panel come up with findings of overpricing of the P3.8-billion substandard car plates.

Panel member Isabela Rep. Rodito Albano III said the anomalous contract of procuring imported but substandard plates

was being done to raise funds for the 2016 election campaign of the administration.

Albano, along with Abakada Rep. Jonathan dela Cruz demanded that the P3.8billion car plate contract be suspended.

In the bogus insurance racket, Castelo said they issue photocopies of insurance contracts with the same serial numbers to vehicle owners.

Castelo assailed the practice of requiring owners to obtain Third Party Liability (TPL) insurance coverage before the registration of their motor vehicles at the LTO. “It has become a ‘milking cow’ of corrupt LTO officials and

incompetent insurance firms,” Castelo said.

“The collusion has turned the bogus TPL insurance business into a P15 billion a year industry, but with little benefits for policy holders,” Castelo stressed.

According to Castelo, more than 16 million motor vehicles are registered yearly, providing insurance firms a windfall, as this would mean at least P15 billion in annual insurance premium payments.

“Yet, owners could not get the supposed benefits because of the stringent and numerous requirements,” Castelo said.

“The TPL insurance coverage has become ineffective, unresponsive, and costly.”

Filipina pilots take to the skies

By Rudy C. Santos and Eric B. Apolonio

Come fly with me.

Philippine Airlines pilot Capt. Marie Geraldine Gamallo, 31, is one of the 25 Filipinas in the country who are certified for transcontinental jets, like the Airbus 330 and 340, although their number is quickly increasing. RUDY SANTOS

FEMALE pilots are rapidly increasing and earning their seats in the cockpit in the maledominated airline industry with Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines records showing that there are now 25 certified woman pilots operating planes across the country in the first quarter of 2015.

The first to earn that distinction in the Philippines is Capt. Aimee Carandang, the country’s first female commercial pilot who became the first full-fledged captain of Philippine Airlines in 1993, CAAP said.

The demand for pilots around the world has continuously increasing through the years and the needs are felt even in the country.

For those who inspire to become a pilot will face many risks and is therefore rewarded for its prestige for taking command in the cockpit and matched with a promise of a good compensation.

But CAAP Assistant Director General-Flight Standard Inspectorate Service (FSIS) Capt.

Beda Badiola noted that while the number of Filipina pilots is steadily growing, it is still small

“percentage-wise” with only only less than 2% of total pilots in the country.

CAAP records show there are 2,605 commercial pilot license-holders, 91 helicopter pilots, 538 airline transport pilots, 66 multi-crew pilots, 46 private helicopter pilots, 2,769 private pilots, 4,074 student pilot license-holders and 68 student helicopter pilot license-grantees in the country.

“There are so many female aircraft captains as of now, such as Philippine Airlines (PAL), Cebu Pacific (CEB) and other airlines to mentioned,” Badiola said. “More women want to fly an aircraft because it is a very challenging job and is mostly dominated by male pilots.”

Badiola said even his daughter Ileen BadiolaLogos shifted careers and belatedly went on to become a pilot at 42.

“My daughter is 42, married and with two kids, I asked her to learn how to fly. I persuaded her to change careers. She’s an AB Masscom graduate of Ateneo and a middle manager. Good thing is she adapted quickly,” he beamed.

His daughter is now a licensed commercial pilot with instrument rating and on her final interview with a reputable airline operator.

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Top doc indicted for tax evasion

By Rey E. Requejo The Department of Justice has approved the indictment of Dr. leo olarte, former president of the Philippine medical Association, for seven counts of tax evasion.

In a resolution, Assistant State Prosecutor Stewart Allan mariano ruled that there was probable cause to hold olarte criminally liable for violation of the National Internal Revenue Code for failure to file his income tax return.

The DoJ resolution, which was approved by Prosecutor General Claro Arellano, stressed that olarte failed to refute the allegations made by the Bureau of Internal Revenue that he was not able to file his ITR from 2006 to 2012.

BIR records showed that olarte paid P743,563.53 withholding tax from 2006 to 2012 from various employers.

The investigating prosecutor said olarte’s tax liability amounted to P1.3-million from 2006 to 2012 broken down as follows P319,072.16 (2006), P42,305.72 (2007), P38,808.19 (2008), P250,985.85 (2009), P191,301.01 (2010), P214,278.98 (2011) and P299,522.57 (2012).

Plunder charges filed vs DBP chief, 8 more

By Rio N. Araja DEVELOPMENT Bank of the Philippines (DBP) president Gil Buenaventura and eight bank directors were accused of plunder before the Office of the Ombudsman Wednesday for allegedly accepting bonuses totaling P312 million.

In their complaint, DBP vice president for program evaluation mario Pagarangan Jr. and Romulo Badilla Jr., president of the Association of DBP Career officials, said Buenaventura and the eight directors “illegally conspired” with officials of the Governance Commission for Government-owned and -Controlled Corporations (GoCCs) to release their 2014

performance bonuses that were 10 times higher than allowed by the rules.

Pagaragan and Badilla said the commission’s Circular No. 2014-05 stipulates that officials and employees of profitable stateowned or controlled companies may be allowed to receive bonuses of only up to 2.5 times the amount of their basic salaries.

“The GCG officials gave the

DBP officials performance-based bonuses of up to 12 times over their basic salaries,” the complaint said.

Buenaventura, the complainants said, received a bonus of P2,798,400.

The complainants also accused the respondents of violating the section of the GCG law that states the commission must recommend to the office of the President the amount of incentives for certain positions in consideration of the good performance of the GoCC. “Said GCG officials acted with grave abuse of authority and acting in excess of their authority in illegally and maliciously arrogating unto themselves the presidential power and prerogative to grant additional incentives,” the complaint added.

The other respondents were Jose Nuñez Jr., chairman of the DBP board of directors, and directors Reynaldo Geronimo, Daniel laogan, lydia echauz, Alberto lim, Raul Serrano, Vaughn montes and Cecilio lorenzo.

DBP officials Fritzie TangkiaFabricante, Donna Shotwell, ma.

Teresa Jesudason, ma. Teresa Atienza, Benel lagua, Anthony Robles, Perla melanie Caraan, Rafael Danilo Reynante, Cris Cabalatungan, Susan Prado, Alexander Patricio, Dennis Decena, marietta Fondevilla, Isidro Sobrecarey and other members of the DBP management committee were also included in the plunder suit.

Cesar Villanueva, ma. Angela Ignacio, Rainier Butalid and Paolo Salvosa of the GCG were also accused of plunder.

Local housing board pushed

By Maricel V. Cruz houSe leaders are prodding the Senate to pass a counterpart measure that will lead to the creation of the local housing Board .

Negros occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez, chairman of the house committee on housing and urban development, batted for the passage of house Bill 4963 as the proposed lhB is expected to provide the administrative machinery that will complement the efforts of shelter agencies to bring about the full implementation of the urban Development and housing Act. Benitez said the measure was approved by the house of Representatives on third and final reading on September 26, 2014 and was transmitted to the Senate on September 30, 2014.

“The creation of lhB at the local level shall accelerate the provision of adequate quality but affordable social housing nationwide,” Benitez said.

Pasig transporter. MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino gets behind the steering wheel of a ferry, one of 16 brand-new ferries launched on Wednesday at the Escolta Station in Manila to boost transportation along Pasig River. DANNY PATA

Comelec blasts poll automation opponents

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan ComeleC chief Andres Bautista on Wednesday said that the two separate petitions filed against the poll body may hamper preparations for automating the 2016 elections but he said he and the other commissioners were trying to address the issue.

“Your actions could possibly derail the elections in 2016,” Bautista said of the petitions against the conduct of parallel bidding for the supply of 81, 896 Precinct Count optical Scan machines and 70, 977 units of optical mark Reader. on Tuesday, the Supreme Court ordered Comelec to comment on these two separate petitions.

The SC also asked the Comelec and its former technical provider, the Smartmatic - Total Information management Corp. to comment on the petitioners’ application for a

temporary restraining order against the said biddings.

The separate petitions filed by a group led by Archbishop Rolando Tirona accused the Comelec of “committing grave abuse of discretion” when it issued a Resolution No. 15-004 on June 2 allowing the realignment of P12,64 billion for the lease of 93,977 new omR units.

Bautista said that he has yet to receivea copy of the petition, deferring any comment on the issue.

Comelec commissioner Christian Robert lim seconded Bautista’s statement saying that the agency will release its statement once they have officially received the copy of the petition. on July 7, the Automated election System (AeS) Watch asked the SC to stop the Comelec’s simultaneous parallel biddings citing the legality of such event.

“Simultaneous bidding finds no support in law

and is contrary to public policy,” the group said in a statement.

AeS Watch is pushing for a semi-automated or “hybrid” election system, which critics said is prone to cheating.

But Bautista ruled out the use of a hybrid system in 2016 elections as the Comelec does not want to “experiment” with any unfamiliar system given the limited time that the poll body has.

“At this point, we are not preparing for a hybrid election. If we go to the hybrid route, you have to purchase also a lot of machines, laptops, lCD projectors. We are not planning for that,” Bautista said.

Bautista said that the Precinct Automated Tallying System (PATaS) which was proposed by Augusto lagman contained some “promising features” but added that there could be challenges particularly on the logistics part such as the cost and legal issues.

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‘Probe MILF chiefs for murder’

By Rey E. Requejo

THE Department of Justice’s special team of investigators has recommended the conduct of preliminary investigation for murder and theft against three commanders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and two commanders of the Bangsamoro Islamic Liberation Front along with 98 others in connection with the death of 44 members of the Special Action Force (SAF), 18 MILF members and six civilians.

No to fake rice. Manila Mayor Isko Moreno goes around rice dealerships in Tondo, Manila on Wednesday to make sure traders don’t sell fake rice. DANNY PATA

Color-coded cards for aliens in place

By Vito Barcelo THE Bureau of Immigration stating today will issue a color-coded electronic Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR) identification cards as part of the government’s program to flush out illegal or undocumented foreigners.

Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison described the new ACR I-Card as a microchip based, credit card-sized, identification card which will be issued to all registered aliens who will stay in the Philippines beyond 59 days.

The new ACR cards will eventually replace the paperbased ACR card but those issued until July 15th will be valid for one year, Mison said.

“The issuance of the new ACR I-Card is part of our continued efforts to upgrade our public service and ensure the convenience of foreigners in transacting business at our offices,” Mison stressed.

The BI chief also noted that the use of the ACR I-Card will help prevent harassment, unwarranted and illegal detention of alien residents.

“It aims to eliminate instances where aliens are indiscriminately accosted, harassed and detained on mere suspicion or allegation of possessing fake or fraudulent immigration documents,” Mison said.

“It also decreases the cost of transacting business with the Bureau as it is designed to help eliminate fixers, illegal

middlemen and syndicates using falsified documents,” Mison also added.

The new format and design of the ACR I-Card will be issued to the following categories Permanent Resident; Native Born Resident; Special Non-Immigrant; Worker; Treaty Trader; Probationary Resident; Voluntary Registrant; Student; Tourist; and Gratis.

BI spokesperson Atty. Elaine Tan pointed out that the card is not a substitute for a passport or a visa, and cannot be used to replace either.

“A foreign national still needs a passport with a valid or current visa s in order to legally stay in the Philippines,” Tan said.

The official noted a number of advantages of the use of the new ACR I-Card.

“The number one advantage of having this I-Card is that you can open a Philippines bank account, which makes transferring money, keeping money safe, and withdrawing money easier at minimal charges,” Tan noted.

She said the other advantages are: Foreigners enjoy a faster processing time at the ports of entry and exit with a maximum of 10 seconds for the verification process; they are assured that they are holding a genuinely issued ACR; and they receive faster and more efficient service at the BI offices for immigration requirements.

In a transmittal letter to Prosecutor General Claro Arellano dated July 13, the joint special team from the National Bureau of Investigation and the National Prosecution Service recommended the probe of 102 individuals for the complex crime of direct assault with murder.

Mer Amilil, Operations Commander of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), BIFF Battalion Commander Muslimin Gumanding Amilil, MILF Battalion Commander Ben Tikaw, MILFCommanders Makku Tikaw and Salik Kikuk were among the 102 rebel fighters recommended for PI. Also included as respondents were elements of BIFF Hud Lamban Abdullah alias Hud Amilil, Zaharis Kusain Amilil, Mahmod Pidtub Amilil and Noel Sinsuat Ganoy.

Identified members of the MILF, on the other hand include Marop Kudos Omar alias Marup, Badrudin Minidal Abdullah, Suweb Inday Balabagan, Suari Anok Bhal, Sabi Samama Dalimbang, Musib Kamot Hasim, Randy Kindi Abdulrahman and Esmail Mamalangkas Kilay.

The DOJ’s special probe team on Mamasapano also included several John Does or still unidentified men.

Apart from the complex crime of direct assault with murder, the DOJ special team stressed that the respondents also committed theft when they took the personal properties of the victims.

Last April, the DOJ also recommended the filing of charges against 90 MILF, BIFF and PAGs members for the death of the 55th SAC. Commandos from SAF 55th who served as blocking force were those killed by Moro rebels in the cornfield in Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January 25, the DOJ said.

The team based its findings on the testimony of witness identified only as “Marathon.”

The DOJ’s special joint investigation team described the Mamasapano clash as “murder all the way and around.”

The January 25 clash killed more than 60 people, including 44 members of the elite PNP Special Action Force, 17 Moro rebels, and five civilians.

3 CA justices want no part in Junjun case Metro Manila’s top cop A THIRD justice of the Court of Appeals (CA) has opted to recuse himself from handling the latest petition of Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. against the second suspension order issued against him by the Office of the Ombudsman.

CA Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando has inhibited himself Mayor Junjun Binay from the case, but gave Celia Librea-Leagogo and no reason for doing so, SC Priscilla Baltazar–Padilla sources said. recused themselves from Hernando was the third the case. magistrate to inhibit in Hernando’s inhibition Mayor Binay’s latest case. paved the way for the desEarlier, Associate Justices ignation of another justice

to fill the vacancy through a raffle yesterday where Associate Justice Rodil Zalameda emerged as replacement of Hernando.

The two other members of the CA special division that will resolve the case are Associate Justices Amy Lazaro-Javier and Melchor Sadang.

But Javier took a leave of absence from yesterday until August 3. Associate Justice Nina Antonio-Valenzuela will temporarily take her place.

The appellate court earlier decided not to immediately issue the tem-

porary restraining order (TRO) sought in the petition of Mayor Binay. In a resolution last July 1, the appellate court instead required the Ombudsman to answer Binay’s petition first before deciding on the TRO plea.

In his petition, Mayor Binay asked the CA to once more issue a TRO and writ of preliminary injunction (WPI) on his preventive suspension— this time in connection with the allegedly overpriced construction of the Makati Science High School Building. Rey E. Requejo

bows out of service NATIONAL Capital Region Police Office director Carmelo Valmoria retired from the police service on Wednesday.

“I’m leaving with pride. I’m proud and fulfilled in the service,” said Valmoria who served as the NCRPO chief for almost two years.

Regional director for administration Chief Supt. Allen Bantolo will take over as officerin- charge until such time a permanent replacement for Valmoria is announced.

Valmoria relinquished his in simple retirement honor rites at the NCRPO Headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan,

Taguig City in the presence of Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas III, incoming PNP chief Ric Marquez and outgoing PNP officer in charge Leonardo Espina.

Valmoria, a member of Philippine Military Academy Class Sandigan 1982, was designated as Metro Manila chief on December 11, 2013 and served NCRPO as Regional Director for one year and seven months.

Valmoria was also a Regional Director of PNP Special Action Force and NCRPO Chief Directorial Staff and Deputy Regional Director for Operations.

Joel Zurbano

t h u r s d ay : j u ly 1 6 , 2 0 1 5

A7

news

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Health official warns vs unsafe water

By Johanne R. Macob

TLC. These pond turtles are being nursed back to health after they were rescued from captivity. AFP

4,000 rare turtles rescued from captivity in Palawan THOUSANDS of rare forest turtles have been rescued from horrifying conditions of captivity in the Philippines, saving the critically endangered animals from possible extinction, wildlife experts said Wednesday.

More than 4,000 live freshwater turtles and 90 dead ones were found in a pond inside a remote warehouse on the western island of Palawan four weeks ago in one of the country’s biggest wildlife rescues, they said.

They included 3,831 Palawan forest turtles, a critically endangered species found only on the north of the large island, as well as 160 Asian leaf turtles and 25 Southeast Asian box turtles.

“The turtles were in terrible conditions,” said Sabine Schoppe, director of the Philippine Freshwater Turtle Conservation Programme.

The reptiles had apparently been stored without food and water for up to six months, and veterinarians worked round the clock to save the animals, she said in a statement.

The turtles were apparently destined for pet and food markets in Hong Kong and China, the statement said.

“This number equalled the estimated remaining population of Palawan forest turtle in the wild, hence bringing the species to the brink of extinction,” it added.

Many of the rescued turtles suffered from a variety of ailments and injuries,

and some 360 others have since died.

About 230 are still being treated, while the rest were released back into the wild, Schoppe said.

Wildlife officials raided the warehouse on June 17 in the town of Bataraza, near the southern end of Palawan about 750 kilometers (miles) southwest of Manila.

The warehouse caretaker was questioned by police but not detained, said Jennifer Lyn Yap, member of the regulation and enforcement division of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, a government body tasked with protecting the island’s rich wildlife.

The owner remains at large, she added.

The turtles were transferred by truck to a rescue centre for critically endangered Philippine crocodiles in

the provincial capital Puerto Princesa, the only location on the island capable of housing such large numbers of rescued animals.

Trapping or trading in Palawan forest turtles is punishable by jail terms and huge fines.

Wildlife authorities suspect northern Palawan poachers had sold the turtles to a trader who transported them to the other end of the island.

“Our assumption is they would have ended in the Chinese markets, where they are sought after as food or pets,” Yap said.

The rescued leaf turtles are considered “near threatened” by the Swissbased International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Southeast Asian box turtles are deemed “vulnerable” by the same organization. AFP

LINGAYEN— The Provincial Health Office here advised public to be more cautious of the safety of the water they drink, especially during this rainy season.

“Along with the monsoon rains is the big possibility of contamination of our water sources,” said PHO head Anna De Guzman.

She said water coming from faucets and similar sources used for drinking and cooking shall first be boiled for three to five minutes.

The public may also use hydrochloride solution to be mixed with the water as a disinfectant, she added.

Meanwhile, for those obtaining water from refilling stations, De Guzman said consumers shall check on the water analysis certification of their respective refilling stations.

Water analysis of refilling stations, according to the health executive, shall be at least once a week.

De Guzman also emphasized the need for proper handwashing.

She then disclosed they have intensified their monitoring of prevalent diseased during rainy season including gastroenteritis, typhoid fever, leptospirosis, and dengue.

According to the PHO surveillance report as of July 13, 2015, there were 4,929 acute gastroenteritis cases listed this year, while there were 4,692 cases recorded for the comparative period last year. There was one death this year while there were four in 2014.

In regard typhoid, number of cases was higher this year with 355, as against last year’s 309.

No deaths were recorded in both periods.

Lawyer confirms 7 candy sellers, van belong to Quiboloy church DAVAO CITY—The seven arrested sellers of the durian candy that poisoned around 1,900 schoolchildren in the three provinces of Caraga region were confirmed members of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s “Jesus Above Every Name” church.

This was the confirmation from Quiboloy’s lawyer Sweetheart Aldevera after she sent a team on Monday to Caraga to investigate on the incident and conduct audit trail in the towns where there were victims of the food poisoning.

Aldevera said they had an instruction from Quiboloy, who has been out of the country for his U.S. sortie long before the incident happened, to closely coordinate and cooperate with the local government units and the police

in all areas of investigation.

“The pastor is worried for the schoolchildren and his thoughts and prayers are with them,” she said.

At the same time, Aldevera said her team is currently focusing on bailing out the seven church members while investigation is going on and pending result of the laboratory tests of the samples of candies taken from the arrested persons and from the factory here.

“We are waiting for the resolution of the prosecutor on how much bail bond we are going to pay,” she said, adding that they are also discussing how they can assist the victims.

“We would like to be fair with everybody,” Aldevera said. PNA

Muzzled. The Police Regional Office of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao conduct the ceremonial muzzle-taping of firearms to ensure no bullets would be fired during the Eid’l Fitr celebration on Friday. OMAR MANGORSI

T H U R S D AY : J U LY 1 6 , 2 0 1 5

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

VIEW FROM MALCOM ATTY. HARRY ROQUE JR.

MAKING A MOCKERY OF SUPREME COURT DECISIONS

[ EDI TORI A L ]

THE NEW CHIEF FINALLY, the President has decided.

After more than seven months of being leaderless, the Philippine National Police has a new chief, and not in an acting capacity. This week, President Benigno Aquino III appointed Police Director Ricardo Marquez director general, and he will hold this position until August 2016, months after the elections.

Marquez is best known for managing the security of Pope Francis when the pontiff visited the country early this year. He is also overseeing the preparations for the coming summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in November.

Other than these achievements known to the public, Marquez has been largely invisible, not because he has been mediocre, but because h e has eschewed the limelight, and notoriety, and merely focused on his job.

In this regard he is starkly different from his predecessor, Alan Purisima, who was suspended and later on dismissed by the Ombudsman for corruption charges. As if these were not enough, Purisima also headed the operation, while he was supposedly under suspension, where 44 police commandos were killed as they sought to arrest two terrorists in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

By contrast, Marquez seems to still be wondering whether he is up to the job: “I needed a tutor,” he said in jest, upon learning of his appointment.

Marquez said he would immediately buckle down to work because there is much to do. We agree, as we wonder why the President took much time deciding on the appointment. Aside from the looming regional summit this year and the elections next year, Marquez needs to preside over a body demoralized by Mamasapano and, some say, wracked by the factions within it, aside from the day-to-day issues of keeping the streets safe for ordinary Filipinos who worry about their security even from their homes.

A daunting task, indeed. We wish him well.

MAR AND MAR LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES SO Mar has joined the earlycampaigning game. If you missed it, you didn’t really miss much.

Something called the Movement for the Advancement of Reforms (MAR), a duly incorporated political vehicle created to promote the candidacy of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, announced its arrival in a full-page

paid ad in another newspaper.

Like most things Roxas does or that other people do for him to advance his political career, nobody seemed to have noticed.

But let’s not simply dismiss MAR’s creation, as many have apparently decided to do. After all, Roxas, despite his miserable survey ratings and obvious lack of momentum, remains the “presumptive presidential candidate” of the administration Liberal Party; if only because of this, he deserves some – if only passing – mention whenever the subject of serious candidates for President next year comes up.

As they say on Facebook,

Roxas obviously wants to become famous. So let’s indulge him a bit.

Because the ad was intended to look like a grassroots campaign to “appeal to Sec. Manuel A. Roxas II to accept the 2016 challenge,” it’s safe to say that he will reply, in an appropriately humble manner, with profuse thanks. This will be followed by a statement to the effect that running for President really isn’t on his mind right now, because he is up to his neck in work implementing the programs and projects assigned to him by President Noynoy Aquino.

And any or all of the 22 “na-

A9

The MAR ad is not intended to be a real declaration before that is legally allowed – it’s just a trial balloon.

tional spokespersons” listed below the ad put out by MAR can be expected to howl in disbelief, asking him to throw his hat – any of his hats, really – in the ring. As the dense ad copy said, “[w]e need a leader who has the moral ascendancy to unite our country towards peace, justice and prosperity, [a] person who has the integrity, competence and experience to govern our land.”

If all this sounds like one man talking to himself, that’s not far off from what’s really happening. The MAR ad, after all, is not intended to be a real declaration of candidacy, before that is legally allowed – it’s what’s called a trial balloon, sent up to gauge public opinion.

Of course, judging from the dearth of reactions, online or otherwise, to MAR’s creation, the long-standing answer to the question “How will Mar play outside of Cubao?” is, well, about the same it always has been. This late in the game, it will take nothing short of a miracle for Roxas to become just a real contender. *** As trial balloons go, of course, a Roxas candidacy is not really anything new. The real news would be if Roxas decides to abandon his presi-

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-

dential ambitions, despite the artificial “groundswell” of support created by paid advertising agencies and a small, non-expanding core of diehard supporters.

As I’ve noted several times before, a Roxas run is really contingent on many factors that are largely beyond his control, like whom Aquino chooses to be his successor. The undeniable fact remains that the not-too-subtle campaigning of Roxas, despite Aquino’s repeated profession that his favorite Cabinet member and best buddy is “at

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

the top of the list,” has been dead in the water for years now.

And it doesn’t look likely that Aquino, who seems obsessed with the idea of backing the right horse, has a lock on the President’s endorsement. Aquino makes no secret, for instance, of courting Senator Grace Poe, with or without Chiz Escudero, just to be able to ensure the continuation of the current administration’s programs – something that Roxas has always claimed is the reason why he should be the anointed one.

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

WE knew they would resurrect the Priority Development Assistance Fund and Disbursement Acceleration Program eventually. What we did not expect is that they would do so immediately after the Supreme Court had declared both the PDAF and DAP as being unconstitutional. Talk of being brazen. Talk of being shameless. Talk of being contemptuous.

In a talk before accountants, former Senator Panfilo Lacson unveiled the resurrection of both PDAF and the DAP. First, he mentioned that he had found no less than P428 billion in lump-sum appropriations which took the place of either PDAF or DAP. He cited the example of the budget of the Department of Agriculture amounting to P39 billion pesos. The senator then identified within this budget P6.25 billion for farm-to-market roads, which in reality would be farm-to-pocket roads of the Tongressmen.

Lacson also identified the resurrection of PDAF in the form of the socalled Unified Accounts Code Structure or UACS. According to Lacson: “Recently, the government rolled out reforms in our public financial management. The government adopted, starting last year, the so-called Unified Accounts Code Structure or the UACS, a single classification system for all our government financial processes—from budgeting to cash management to accounting and audit. UACS calls for transparency and accountability, or so they claim. As my team and I randomly analyze this coding system, say, of the National Irrigation Administration, we discovered that there were some codes missing. To our surprise, such ‘missing codes’ were utilized to insert some projects during the budget deliberation in the House of Representatives. We likewise discovered that, in the budget of the said agency alone, there is a total lump sum amounting to 11.3 billion pesos.”

Lacson further argued that “after the PDAF, we also discovered the obvious reincarnation of the SC unconstitutionally declared Budget Circular 541 which earlier gave the DBM the authority to pool and declare as savings unobligated, unutilized, and unreleased appropriations, not at the end of the fiscal year but the second quarter. We found it in Sec 70 and Sec 73 under the General 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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

T H U R S D AY : J U LY 1 6 , 2 0 1 5

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

VIEW FROM MALCOM ATTY. HARRY ROQUE JR.

MAKING A MOCKERY OF SUPREME COURT DECISIONS

[ EDI TORI A L ]

THE NEW CHIEF FINALLY, the President has decided.

After more than seven months of being leaderless, the Philippine National Police has a new chief, and not in an acting capacity. This week, President Benigno Aquino III appointed Police Director Ricardo Marquez director general, and he will hold this position until August 2016, months after the elections.

Marquez is best known for managing the security of Pope Francis when the pontiff visited the country early this year. He is also overseeing the preparations for the coming summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in November.

Other than these achievements known to the public, Marquez has been largely invisible, not because he has been mediocre, but because h e has eschewed the limelight, and notoriety, and merely focused on his job.

In this regard he is starkly different from his predecessor, Alan Purisima, who was suspended and later on dismissed by the Ombudsman for corruption charges. As if these were not enough, Purisima also headed the operation, while he was supposedly under suspension, where 44 police commandos were killed as they sought to arrest two terrorists in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

By contrast, Marquez seems to still be wondering whether he is up to the job: “I needed a tutor,” he said in jest, upon learning of his appointment.

Marquez said he would immediately buckle down to work because there is much to do. We agree, as we wonder why the President took much time deciding on the appointment. Aside from the looming regional summit this year and the elections next year, Marquez needs to preside over a body demoralized by Mamasapano and, some say, wracked by the factions within it, aside from the day-to-day issues of keeping the streets safe for ordinary Filipinos who worry about their security even from their homes.

A daunting task, indeed. We wish him well.

MAR AND MAR LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES SO Mar has joined the earlycampaigning game. If you missed it, you didn’t really miss much.

Something called the Movement for the Advancement of Reforms (MAR), a duly incorporated political vehicle created to promote the candidacy of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, announced its arrival in a full-page

paid ad in another newspaper.

Like most things Roxas does or that other people do for him to advance his political career, nobody seemed to have noticed.

But let’s not simply dismiss MAR’s creation, as many have apparently decided to do. After all, Roxas, despite his miserable survey ratings and obvious lack of momentum, remains the “presumptive presidential candidate” of the administration Liberal Party; if only because of this, he deserves some – if only passing – mention whenever the subject of serious candidates for President next year comes up.

As they say on Facebook,

Roxas obviously wants to become famous. So let’s indulge him a bit.

Because the ad was intended to look like a grassroots campaign to “appeal to Sec. Manuel A. Roxas II to accept the 2016 challenge,” it’s safe to say that he will reply, in an appropriately humble manner, with profuse thanks. This will be followed by a statement to the effect that running for President really isn’t on his mind right now, because he is up to his neck in work implementing the programs and projects assigned to him by President Noynoy Aquino.

And any or all of the 22 “na-

A9

The MAR ad is not intended to be a real declaration before that is legally allowed – it’s just a trial balloon.

tional spokespersons” listed below the ad put out by MAR can be expected to howl in disbelief, asking him to throw his hat – any of his hats, really – in the ring. As the dense ad copy said, “[w]e need a leader who has the moral ascendancy to unite our country towards peace, justice and prosperity, [a] person who has the integrity, competence and experience to govern our land.”

If all this sounds like one man talking to himself, that’s not far off from what’s really happening. The MAR ad, after all, is not intended to be a real declaration of candidacy, before that is legally allowed – it’s what’s called a trial balloon, sent up to gauge public opinion.

Of course, judging from the dearth of reactions, online or otherwise, to MAR’s creation, the long-standing answer to the question “How will Mar play outside of Cubao?” is, well, about the same it always has been. This late in the game, it will take nothing short of a miracle for Roxas to become just a real contender. *** As trial balloons go, of course, a Roxas candidacy is not really anything new. The real news would be if Roxas decides to abandon his presi-

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-

dential ambitions, despite the artificial “groundswell” of support created by paid advertising agencies and a small, non-expanding core of diehard supporters.

As I’ve noted several times before, a Roxas run is really contingent on many factors that are largely beyond his control, like whom Aquino chooses to be his successor. The undeniable fact remains that the not-too-subtle campaigning of Roxas, despite Aquino’s repeated profession that his favorite Cabinet member and best buddy is “at

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

the top of the list,” has been dead in the water for years now.

And it doesn’t look likely that Aquino, who seems obsessed with the idea of backing the right horse, has a lock on the President’s endorsement. Aquino makes no secret, for instance, of courting Senator Grace Poe, with or without Chiz Escudero, just to be able to ensure the continuation of the current administration’s programs – something that Roxas has always claimed is the reason why he should be the anointed one.

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

WE knew they would resurrect the Priority Development Assistance Fund and Disbursement Acceleration Program eventually. What we did not expect is that they would do so immediately after the Supreme Court had declared both the PDAF and DAP as being unconstitutional. Talk of being brazen. Talk of being shameless. Talk of being contemptuous.

In a talk before accountants, former Senator Panfilo Lacson unveiled the resurrection of both PDAF and the DAP. First, he mentioned that he had found no less than P428 billion in lump-sum appropriations which took the place of either PDAF or DAP. He cited the example of the budget of the Department of Agriculture amounting to P39 billion pesos. The senator then identified within this budget P6.25 billion for farm-to-market roads, which in reality would be farm-to-pocket roads of the Tongressmen.

Lacson also identified the resurrection of PDAF in the form of the socalled Unified Accounts Code Structure or UACS. According to Lacson: “Recently, the government rolled out reforms in our public financial management. The government adopted, starting last year, the so-called Unified Accounts Code Structure or the UACS, a single classification system for all our government financial processes—from budgeting to cash management to accounting and audit. UACS calls for transparency and accountability, or so they claim. As my team and I randomly analyze this coding system, say, of the National Irrigation Administration, we discovered that there were some codes missing. To our surprise, such ‘missing codes’ were utilized to insert some projects during the budget deliberation in the House of Representatives. We likewise discovered that, in the budget of the said agency alone, there is a total lump sum amounting to 11.3 billion pesos.”

Lacson further argued that “after the PDAF, we also discovered the obvious reincarnation of the SC unconstitutionally declared Budget Circular 541 which earlier gave the DBM the authority to pool and declare as savings unobligated, unutilized, and unreleased appropriations, not at the end of the fiscal year but the second quarter. We found it in Sec 70 and Sec 73 under the General 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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

T H U R S D AY : J U LY 1 6 , 2 0 1 5

A10

OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

DILEMMA OVER POE’S CANDIDACY TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

IT has been said that the only way Interior Secretary Mar Roxas can win the 2016 presidential elections, even if he were anointed by President Aquino, is if he runs unopposed.

This brings us to the question: Is this the reason why President Aquino is desperately trying to convince Senator Grace Poe, in a series of dinner meetings, not to run as president with Senator Chiz Escudero as her running mate?

While Poe has been saying that she still has to make up her mind, she has been dropping hints that if she were to run for president, she would run with Escudero and they would run as independents.

If this happens, the President would be in a dilemma because he knows Mar Roxas is not winnable.

That’s the reason the President is trying hard to convince Poe to run as Mar’s running mate. What he is doing, he says, is keeping the coalition intact.

The next question now is, can the President succeed in keeping Poe and Chiz in the coalition? The two seem bent on running as independents, given that Poe has surpassed Binay in surveys.

I believe that the President is working on the wrong premise. He may be thinking that that with Mar Roxas running for the presidency and with Grace Poe as his vice president, their chances against Vice President Binay would improve.

Granting without assuming that the President would be able to convince Poe and Escudero, can Mar’s chances against Binay improve with a very popular Grace Poe? Knowing how Philippine elections go, the popularity of a president or vice president candidate cannot be shared.

History tells us that even the much-vaunted popularity of then vicepresidential candidate Joseph Estrada could not make businessman and Nationalist People’s Coalition Danding Cojuangco win as President in 1992.

This is because popularity is something personal to a national candidate.

In the case of Poe, her popularity in the survey polls is no guarantee for victory. There are two factors that can make a presidential candidate win as seen in past elections--grassroots machinery and money. We saw all these during when the late movie icon Fernando Poe Jr., Grace’s adoptive father, ran in 2004 against incumbent President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

With the popularity of FPJ, he lost to Gloria, not because of cheating as alleged, but because FPJ ran out of funds in the last two weeks of the campaign.

That’s the reason the administration party and its candidate have the distinct advantage of having the grassroots following through local government units and all the resources and funding.

It may be argued that former Senate President Manny Villar had all the money to spare, and yet he placed No. 3 in 2010 when “BS” Aquino won and Es-

The President must decide soon.

trada placed second. That’s perhaps the best example that popularity is not all there’s to it unless one has both grassroots following AND money.

Just take note of the 2010 polls where Vice President Binay won over Mar Roxas, the running mate of the son of the late Ninoy and Cory Aquino. “BS” Aquino won despite his lackluster performance as a lawmaker.

He won because his mother, Cory Aquino, died at the right time.

But back to Poe. While I admire and respect her independence and integrity, that’s not all there’s to it .

The next president must hit the ground running. I doubt that Poe can meet that challenge considering her inexperience as an

A GOOD CHOICE DUTY CALLS FLORENCIO FIANZA SEVEN months is a long time for an important and critical government agency like the Philippine National Police to be led by an officer-in-charge. It is highly unusual and has never happened before.

The tenure of PNP OIC Leonardo Espina who is turning over the stewardship of the PNP to the newly appointed permanent PNP chief is actually longer than many Chiefs of Staff in the Armed Forces who served less than six months.

Finally however, the President has now made his choice of a permanent PNP Chief in the person of Ric Marquez, a member of PMA class of 1982. By all indications, the President took time, weighed all his options carefully and finally decided on an officer who is widely respected in the police organization.

It was a good choice.

Knowing a little about the President, I believe that under normal circumstances he most probably would not have not chosen Ric Marquez because his idea of a good and snappy officer is the likes of Alan Purisima. This time, he must have realized that the coming months are crucial, not only for him but to the country as well. He needs a competent manager to run the PNP. The country will be

elective official.

Besides, Grace still has to explain fully the residency and citizenship issues thrown at her. While there are those who believe she is a natural-born Filipino, there are also those who don’t.

And there are allegations that when she came back home when her adoptive father, FPJ, died, she had been using her American passport. She only renounced it when she was appointed chairperson of the Movie & Television Ratings and Classification Board.

My gulay, while the political horizon appears murky at the moment, it will soon clear up when the October deadline for filing Certificates of Candidacy come up.

I am willing to bet, though, that there could be three or at most five running for President, with more than five running for

hosting the APEC in November and a few months later, the 2016 national elections. The President obviously wants these two important and crucial events to be managed well, most especially the 2016 presidential elections. It could determine his fate.

According to inside information, the selection process appears to have been done meticulously.

This is perhaps due to the fact that most of the contenders are qualified and capable. And as it happens, except for Danny Constantino, all the other candidates worked directly with me at one time in their careers. I therefore know them all.

The first was Marcelo Garbo Jr. the senior of all the contenders and one of the youngest of the PMA class of 1981. He was the secretary of the Directorial Staff when I was the Chief of Staff of PNP Region IV in the 1990s. I therefore know his work ethics well. He was reported to be on top of the short list earlier because of his handling of the Cebu situation during the suspension of then- Governor Gwen Garcia. In the end, this appears to not have helped him.

Benjie Magalong was also a top contender and a very capable officer. He was my operations officer when I was Provincial Commander of the Province of Benguet. But after coming out with that damming Mamasapano report, few believed that he would make it to the top. He did the right thing of course

vice president.

Senator Bongbong Marcos is somebody to watch, and so is Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. The Marcos name is still magic in Ilocandia and so is the Romualdez name in Eastern Visayas.

The Marcos and Romualdez names may be anathema to some. Still, Bongbong Marcos is proving himself as a senator whom we can respect and admire, especially with his adamant stand on the controversial Bangsamoro Basic Law. Sometimes, when Bongbong speaks or appears on television, I cannot but remember the late strongman President Ferdinand Marcos, who in my book could have been the greatest president were it not for Martial Law. *** When Congress started deliberating the 2015-2016

and should be proud of it even if it may have caused him the top job.

Danny Constantino came out from out of the blue to contend for the top position. When he was promoted to three star rank recently, many thought he would get the job. In the end, he missed it by a whisker.

Juanito Vano was also a serious candidate and few would have objected if chosen. He also worked with me in the Northern Police District. But being a member of PMA class of 1983, it was difficult for him to bypass three members of PMA class 1982 who are equally qualified.

Ric Marquez eventually got the job. As Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma said “his qualification was the sole basis for the appointment” and I can believe this. Ric Marquez worked with me when I was Director of the Northern Police District. He is competent and professional. He does a lot of studying and preparation when given a mission. Most of all, he is not controversial and can speak and represent his organization well because of his credibility.

This is something that the PNP needs right now.

A leader that can rebuild the PNP image and standing in the aftermath of the Mamasapano operation.

I congratulate him for his well-deserved promotion and wish him the very best in the last remaining year of his service.

Immediately after his appointment, some peo-

General Appropriation Act or the national budget, there were claims that the much-hated PDAF or Priority Development Assistance Fund and that mongrel called the DAP or Disbursement Assistance Program, both of which were thumbed down by the Supreme Court, were inserted under the unprogrammed budget items called “lump sums” which remain to be discretionary funds for political purposes.

Now, that former Senator and recently Rehabilitation Czar Ping Lacson has come up with his own charges against the PDAF and the DAP, the President’s allies, friends and supporters are now disputing his charges. This includes Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chiz Escudero, who claims that there are

ple were saying that Alan Purisima had a hand in the selection. I doubt this.

People seem to overestimate the so called friendship between the President and Purisima. If they are still that close, could the President have allowed the Office of the Ombudsman to dismiss Purisima and deprive him of all his pension benefits? Yet, this appears to be what Malacañang did to him. It is the worst that could happen to a man in uniform.

Alan Purisima and the others like Raul Petrasanta will now spend the next few months or even years trying to get the decision reversed by the courts in order to clear their names.

Petrasanta’s case is sad because his dismissal derailed his chances to go to the top of his organization.

Insiders point out that one of the reasons why the President hesitated for so long to designate a permanent Chief was to try to figure out how to resolve the Petrasanta problem so that he can be appointed PNP chief.

In the end, it appears that saving Petrasanta would not be worth the trouble had the President insisted on this choice.

The tragedy of this whole sordid episode was the collateral damage to the subordinates who simply did the bidding of their bosses. Maybe it will serve as a lesson to all the personnel in the uniform services to be a lot more careful in doing everything that their bosses want them to do.

safeguards against misuse and abuse.

Coming from Lacson, who apparently has broken his alliance with the Aquino administration, the presence of PDAF and DAP in the present national budget becomes believable, especially so with the 2016 polls fast approaching.

It appears that we cannot just trust the Aquino administration. *** The idea of Comelec Chairman Andy Bautista to have polling precincts in shopping malls all over the country for the 2016 elections is an innovative idea that can help the voters in many ways.

Aside from the voters being assured of electric power, they don’t have to suffer the heat.

Go for it, Andy, and don’t mind the negative remarks.

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OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

MINORITY REPORT DANILO SUAREZ NEWS reports of the developments in the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the international tribunal in The Hague which is hearing the Philippine case against China’s massive claim over virtually the entire resource-rich waters in the West Philippine Sea, has once more brought to fore our concern for the country’s lack of effective territorial defense.

Since 1990, China has engaged in a creeping invasion over the contested waters, and has progressively become more aggressive in its posturing to assert its self-proclaimed indisputable historical rights to claim everything and anything within the infamous nine-dash line.

To date, the Philippines has been for the most part, unable to impose its claims over the disputed areas. As China continues to occupy more territory and embark on illegal activities within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone, we have not really achieved much by way of the legal and diplomatic remedies that have been undertaken to date. Even as this is being written, China continues its massive reclamation in the Ka-

ACHIEVING CREDIBLE DETERRENCE layaan Island Group.

Apart from the Scarborough Shoal, which China now effectively controls, China has already embarked on a massive reclamation project on at least seven reefs in the area: Mischief, Mabini, Chigua, Calderon, Kagitingan, Zamora and Gaven. Construction of military facilities, including an air strip, has also been monitored.

When these facilities become fully operational within the year, we will none the less be near solving our problems even if the arbitration court rules in our favor.

Given the urgency of the situation, I am of the firm conviction that we should already start rethinking our efforts on our territorial defense capabilities and in achieving credible deterrence as to put a stop in further incursions within the West Philippine Sea. Primary to this is to move away from our current penchant for buying refurbished and secondhand air and sea craft as part of the programmed acquisitions under the AFP modernization program. Instead, I humbly opine that we should focus the

procurement to state-of-theart surface to air/ surface to surface air defense systems.

A modern air defense battery costing $100-thousand each could easily down a $50-million plane or even a $300 million war ship. Compare that with our recent million dollar acquisitions which turned out are not even capable of safe flying.

Adding salt to the wound, a news report said that 28 military projects, including base upgrades, various air assets, and ships with a total cost P60.14-billion under the AFP Modernization Program might be delayed due to Malacañang’s inaction. Even more frustrating was the news report from another broadsheet stating that Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, outgoing Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. and Army Commander Maj. Gen. Hernando Iriberri were responsible for removing the programmed acquisition of a P6.5-billion shore-based missile system (the country’s primary defense against incursions in the WPS) negoti-

ated between the Israel and the Philippines under the first phase of the program, in favor of helmets, night goggles, body armor and radios to sustain internal security and terrorism operations.

These issues with our hardware acquisition exasperate me because I was one of the principal authors of the AFP Modernization Law. During the time when I was its Vice Chair, I purposely included in the law a provision that our military officers shall be shielded from political persuasions in the acquisition of our military hardware. It is very disappointing that the provision has been rendered ineffective and the only reason I could think of is that seasoned officers are forced to cater to the powers that be because of the relatively young age at which they are required to retire. Of course these officers, still at the prime of their lives, would like to secure a source of income after their retirement. For this reason I believe that is also high time for us to reconsider the mandatory retirement law for the AFP and the PNP.

RACING UNDER THE RADAR POP GOES THE WORLD JENNY ORTUOSTE DESPITE having a more than a century-long presence in the mass media, horseracing remains under the radar of the majority of Filipinos.

Yet in 2014, the Philippine Thoroughbred industry earned P8.22 billion in gross sales from betting handle, employed 6,165 people, and remitted P1.44 billion in direct taxes to the government, not counting indirect taxes.

Industry investors, from horseowners to racing club owners, have poured an estimated P5 billion pesos into Thoroughbred livestock and racing operations and breeding infrastructure and technology. The sport’s events have raised champions whose track times are close to matching those posted by stakes winners abroad.

However, the industry faces constraints from external and internal factors leading to a downtrend in recent years. To turn this around, the industry’s regulatory body, the Philippine Racing Commission, and the industry’s various sectors – horseowners, racing clubs, jockeys, trainers - are pushing

for a law that will give the agency a better capability to help address industry issues.

Yesterday, without fanfare, House Bill No. 4474 was taken up for deliberation in a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Government Corporations Public Enterprises, chaired by Senator Cynthia Villar.

Among the issues raised by members of the industry was the need to rationalize racing taxes. Racing is the most taxed form of gaming, with taxes levied on bets, winnings, and track income. Historical sales data show that the lower the taxes on racing, the higher the sales, leading to higher prizes and government revenue.

Villar, the only senator present at the hearing, requested the industry to submit a comparative analysis of taxes imposed on local gaming operations – racing, Lotto, casino, and the like - with a view to addressing this concern.

She also inquired into the livestock aspect of racing, particularly the National Stud Farm that is under the Bureau of Animal Industry. The NSF was established by Republic Act No. 4618 in 1965, and during its heyday provided at little or no cost the stud services of Thoroughbred stallions to racehorse breeders and to farmers.

According to BAI’s Dr. Gil-

bert Bolo, in 2000 the budget for the NSF was P9 million. There is presently no budget allocated to the NSF, which has been inactive for about a decade.

The senator told the racing industry, “You are not the only ones complaining” about the lack of livestock, adding that with the various efforts of livestock development scattered among different government agencies, the country has “failed” in the development of its livestock program. For instance, the country produces “only one percent of its consumption” of dairy products.

“We are studying whether this should it be centralized – sa ngayon kasi, iba ang sa goat, iba ang sa carabao.”

She said she is amenable to providing a P10 million budget for the BAI to buy stallions for a reestablished stud farm.

It was also at the hearing that the senator heard for the first time about illegal bookies in racing, and asked how their operations could be stopped.

Philippine Racing Club, Inc. EVP and CFO Allan Abesamis said, “Illegal bookies are the industry’s number one enemy. If they eradicated, the concerns of horseowners about low prizes and racetracks about income will be solved.” It is estimated that the sales of illegal bookies are the same as that of the racetracks.

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Making.. From A9 Provisions of the 2015 General Appropriations Act”. This, according to Lacson, is the rebirth of the DAP. In any case, it can be told that just as in the case of the defunct Countryside Development Fund which, due to its unpopularity as being an institutionalized source of corruption, was renamed Priority Development Assistance Fund, it can now be told that PNoy defied the Supreme Court anew by renaming both the DAP and the PDAF as UACS. What else is new? *** It has been reported by the media that Andal Ampatuan Sr is now comatose at the National Kidney Institute. I was able to confirm his illness because the mother of one of my best friends was confined next door to the Ampatuan patriarch.

At this point, we can only decry the snail pace of the on-going trial that may now deprive both the accused and the victims a judicial finding of his guilt or innocence.

While we have not objected to the requested furlough of the Ampatuan children who are currently detained in Bicutan to enable them to visit their father, we ask the PNP and the NBI to exercise extraordinary diligence in preventing their possible escape.

Mar.. From A9 Games and Amusements Board Commissioner lawyer As this is being written, in Aquil Tamano admitted that fact, Aquino is having a private GAB, which supervises the betdinner with Roxas, Poe and ting aspect of racing, is also Escudero, a phenomenon that mandated to police against illewouldn’t even be happening if it gal bookies. However, they are is true that the DILG secretary hampered by lack of manpower is on top of the President’s list. and arms.

Mar’s only hope of becoming “We were initially given a a viable presidential candidate police force by the DILG (De(based on his ties to Aquino and partment of Interior and Local his loud and long declarations Government),” he said, “but of being the rightful successorthis stopped in 2004.”

The senator is receptive to in-office) doesn’t even look like reforms and changes in the raca sure thing. ing industry - “We will touch Of course, Aquino has alon taxes and horse prizes” - but ready said that Roxas’ chances she does not seem inclined to of snagging the coveted enchange the nature of Philradorsement – and the machinery com to that of a GOCC as HB and resources that it brings – is 4474 seeks to do, reasoning that contingent on his making headwhether “the name is changed” way in the popularity surveys. other things remain the same.

And we all know how Roxas is “We have to fix how we do faring there. things, identify problems, and It takes a special mindset, come up with strategies to adafter all, for someone to seek dress them… We’ll do somethe presidency in this country. thing for the revival of the inThe seeker should be doggedly dustry.” determined, for starters, conPerhaps this time, with the vinced that the highest office in support of Senator Villar, the the land is his destiny. often-overlooked racing indusI think Roxas, like all who try will finally get the legislahave sought the office, has tive makeover it needs to make sold himself on the idea that it more responsive to changing times and circumstances. Malacanang Palace is his. Sadly, despite all his efforts – the *** creation of MAR included – Facebook: Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @jennyortuoste, Insthere is no real basis for Roxas’ tagram: @jensdecember, Blog: steadfast and ultimately futile http://jennyo.net belief.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Golf’s new poster boy Spieth in spotlight ST. ANDREWS—Tiger Woods has seldom, if ever, been upstaged in a major golf tournament, but at this week’s British Open, golf’s new poster boy, Jordan Spieth, will run him close.

Pre-season games. Justin Carter (4) of the Phoenix Suns attempts to shoot the ball against J.J. O’Brien (82) of the Utah Jazz at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada during the Las Vegas NBA Summer Games. AFP

Denver guard Lawson arrested for drunk driving; Omri gets deal LOS ANGELES—Denver Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson was arrested Tuesday in Los Angeles for drink driving, his second such citation within a six-month span, according to police.

Lawson was apprehended by the California Highway Patrol at about 2:30am local time after driving at high speed on a freeway.

“We have been notified of an incident involving Ty Lawson this morning in Los Angeles,” said Nuggets general manager and executive vice president of basketball operations Tim Connelly. “We will not have further comment on the matter.”

Lawson was scheduled to appear in court on Friday regarding a January 23 drink driving arrest in Denver but that could be changed.

He had been given pre-trial supervision release until that court date but his latest arrest

violates the terms from that earlier deal.

Lawson, 27, has spent all six of his NBA seasons with the Nuggets. He averaged 15.2 points and 9.6 assists a game last season for Denver, which went 30-52, 12th in the Western Conference and 15 games out of a playoff spot.

Meanwhile, Israeli swingman Omri Casspi and Cameroon forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute have signed deals Tuesday with the Sacramento Kings, the NBA club announced Tuesday.

Vlade Divac, a retired Serbian star now serving as the Kings vice president of basketball operations, announced the deals for Kings boss Vivek Ranadive, the NBA’s first India-born club owner.

Casspi, 27, reportedly signed a twoyear contract worth $6 million while terms for Mbah a Moute, 28, were not known.

Casspi averaged 19.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists in eight lateseason games last April for the Kings, although his full season averages were only 8.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists.

The 2009 first-round NBA Draft selection of Sacramento, Casspi, played two seasons with the Kings, two more in Cleveland and another in Houston before being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, who released him. He has career averages of 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists a game.

Mbah a Moute played nine games for the Kings in 2013 before being traded to Minnesota. Last season, he played for the Philadelphia 76ers, averaging 9.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists.

Over 466 NBA games, 300 as a starter, Mbah a Moute has averaged 6.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and one assist a game. AFP

The former world number one and 14-time major winner will still draw the crowds at St Andrews where he won in style in 2000 and 2005.

But such has been his fall from grace this year - he is now ranked 241st in the world - that it would not come as a huge surprise if he misses the cut for the second major in a row, something he has never endured before.

Spieth, on the other hand, is the man of the moment, gunning to become just the second player ever to win the first three majors of the year, after Ben Hogan in 1953.

That would open the door for a crack at the calendar year Grand Slam - a feat which proved too much for Hogan, Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.

The 21-year-old Texan has said little since arriving in Scotland on Monday straight after winning his fourth tournament of the year - the John Deere Classic.

But he made it clear after winning a playoff for the title in Illinois that -

despite criticism that he should instead have played links golf in Scotland - he would go his own way.

“I’ve got plenty in the tank,” he said.

“The only hard part is obviously the time zone adjustment, but there’s enough daylight there where I can play either really early or really late.

“So I’ll pick a game plan as we get on the flight here. I’ll talk to my instructor who’s over there and we’ll figure out what’s the best option to know St. Andrews as well as we can.”

It has been done before - notably by the late Tony Lema in 1964 - but many players and coaches believe that despite his superb short-game and excellent course management skills, Spieth could suffer at St Andrews, especially if, as forecast, the wind blows.

On the other hand, helping Spieth’s case is the fact that he will not have to deal with world number one Rory McIlroy, who injured an ankle playing football with friends, ruling him out the defence of his British Open crown. AFP

US singles’ champs to get record $3.3m MRI shows Nietes has small tear in right hand finger

NEW YORK—US Open men’s and women’s singles champions will receive a record $3.3 million in prize money this year, a 10 percent boost over last year, the US Tennis Association announced Tuesday.

The richest prizes in the sport will be part of a record $42.3 million total purse, which jumps 10.5 percent from 2014. Runner-ups will take home $1.6 million each with every player who makes the New York main draws of 128 assured at least $39,500.

Wimbledon champions Novak Djokovic

and Serena Williams each won $2.9 million last weekend while this year’s Australian Open winners each made $2.5 million and the French Open champions each took $2 million.

In all, US Open prize money has increased by 67 percent over the past three years.

“We continue our commitment to ensure that the US Open offers one of the most lucrative purses in all of sports,” USTA president Katrina Adams said. “As we have stated, total player compensation at the US Open will reach $50 million by 2017.” AFP

Brazil’s struggling football clubs win debt relief BRASILIA (AFP)--Brazil’s football clubs, whose financial mismanagement has become as bad as the national team’s performance on the field, have won debt relief in a law passed

by Congress.

The measure passed Monday in the capital Brasilia allows financially struggling clubs to repackage debts into

easier payments of up to 240 installments, with much lower fines for late payment.

In return, clubs are required to adhere to a series of measures modernizing accounts and increasing transparency and fiscal responsibility.

The government, which drafted the bill, estimates Brazilian football clubs’

combined debt at four billion reais ($1.27 billion).

The clubs’ financial disarray is thought to have contributed to a malaise running right through Brazil’s once all-conquering football machine, a decline demonstrated dramatically in the national team’s 7-1 defeat to Germany in the semi-final’s of last year’s World Cup. AFP

By Ronnie Nathanielsz DR. Camilo Arenajo, a bone and joint specialist, who examined the MRI done on World Boxing Organization light flyweight champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes, who hurt is right hand in Round 7 of his title defense against former WBO minimum weight champion and mandatory challenger Francisco Rodriguez, in a classic unanimous NIETES decision victory in Cebu last Saturday, indicated there is nothing to worry about.

In a telephone interview with The Standard/boxingmirror.com, Dr. Arenajo said the injury was “more of

a ligament, not of a bone” and that he discovered “a small tear of the middle finger joint of the knuckle.”

“The treatment is very simple. All he needs is rest. There is no need for medication,” said Dr. Arenajo, who suggested a warm compress and a nt i-i n f l a m m ator y medicine.

The well-known specialist added: “The normal healing period is between three to six weeks, but Donnie can still do his regular conditioning regimen without punching the heavy bag or the punch-mitts.”

He explained that the MRI or Magnetic Resonance Imaging can see all then tissues and helps diagnose and treat medical conditions.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

PH Davis Cuppers take on Taiwanese

Using his head. Celso Borges (left) of Costa Rica heads the ball against Marcus Harber of Canada during the first half of their CONCACAF Gold Cup match in Toronto, Canada. AFP

THE Cebuana Lhuillier Philippine Davis Cup team plays Chinese Taipei in Kaohsiung City from July 17 to 19, with both teams aiming for the same goal of returning to Group 1 in the Asia/Oceania Zone group.

Composed of veteran international players Treat Huey, who is ranked 62nd in the world doubles, Ruben Gonzalez, Patrick John Tierro, and Jeson Patrombon, the team looks forward to its match with Chinese Taipei and end the two-match victory run by the Chinese in their last two meetings even as the Philippines holds an overall record of 4-2 against them.

Both teams are fresh from their impressive victories in the previous rounds with Chinese Taipei routing Lebanon, while the Philippines was equally impressive in beating Sri Lanka.

Davis Cup team manager and Cebuana Lhuillier President/Chief Executive Officer Jean Henri Lhuillier believes the upcoming match will be a tougher one for the boys.

“But I remain confident that we have good chances of getting past Chinese Taipei though our team has to play at the highest level in all its matches,” said Lhuillier.

The Chines Taipei team is composed of Yen Hsun Lu, who is ranked 61st in singles and 143 in doubles, Hsien-Yin Peng, Hsin Han Lee, and Jui Chen Hung.

National finals lure 48 lady keglers LIZA del Rosario, considered one of Asia’s best lady pintopplers, leads 47others who will shoot for the 2015 Bowling World Cup national championship starting on Sunday, July 19 at Paeng’s Midtown Bowl in Ermita, Manila.

Del Rosario, who represented the Philippines in last year’s BWC international finals in Wroclaw, Poland together with Biboy Rivera, advanced to the three-day national finals by shooting a 10-game series of 1843 pinfalls in the center finals.

Former national champion Liza Clutario will also see action together with Krizziah Tabora, Lara Posadas and Alexis Sy.

Clutario posted the highest center final score of 2240, while Tabora, Posadas and Sy carded 1983, 2114 and 2082, respectively.

The top 34 bowlers after Sunday’s competition will advance to the second day scheduled on Tuesday, July 21 at Superbowl. They will play another 10 games to determine the top eight who will move to the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals on Thursday, July 23 at SM North EDSA. The men’s and ladies’ national champions will earn the right to carry the national colors in the 51st BWC international finals set on November 13 to 20, this year at Sam’s Town in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Only four Filipinos – Paeng Nepomuceno, CJ Suarez, Lita dela Rosa and Bong Coo – have so far emerged as international World Cup champions. In fact, Nepomuceno is the only bowler who

has won an unprecedented fourth World Cup crown so far.

The other lady finalists: Allen Joy Laigo, Leah Naorbe, Arlena Bucao, Jo Anne Bonifacio, Myrna Bautista, Jessica Myles Rivera, Cita Yumul, Anne Marie Kiac, Rochelle Munsayac, Pure Anselmo, Lilian Teano, Abbie Gan, Therese Dominique Lopez, April Anne Roxas, Norma Degawan, Evelyn Gamboa, Ofelia Iriberri, Lovella Catalan, Melshared Luzon, Gina Varilla, Silva Yap, Rica Macatula, Delia Marquez, Dotie Dilig, Perla Pacheco, Tess Eusebio, Susan Viray, Gie Garcia, Sherry Ann Cruz, Farah Onasa, Geraldine dea Rosa, Alyssa dela Rosa, Mary Joy Darang, Rachelle Leon, Bernadette Ipapo, Leah Plucena, Meriam Garcia, RJoy Daval Santos, Sheila Eluna, Luz Lagmay and Nancy Frianeza.

Kenyan runners Eliud Kering, Jakcson Chirchir and David Kipsang display the medals they won from the Manila Bay Clean-Up Run. They are joined here by the organizers from the Manila Broadcasting Company.

Kenyans fastest in Manila Bay Clean-Up Run ELIUD Kering, Jakcson Chirchir and David Kipsang – running mere seconds apart – were the top three finishers in the 21-km race at last Saturday’s Manila Bay CleanUp Run, while Mary Grace de los Santos, Susan Chepkwony, and Christable Martes topped the women’s division.

In the 10 km race, Richard

Salano, Ruel Suazo, and Jujet de Asis ruled the race, while Criselyn Jaro, Janice Tawagin, and Luisa Yambao triumphed in the women’s division.

Among the 5-km racers, Kevin Capampangan, Rustom Nava, and Carlito Fantilaga emerged winners, with Mary Ann Crishelle Perez, Cellie Rose Jaro, and Jhanine Eve

Mansueto taking the medals in the women’s category.

And in the 3 km run, Elbren Veri, Wenlie Maulas, and Rowell Hulleza, together with their female counterparts Lovielyn Pamarian, Feiza Jane Lenton, and Joida Gagnao were declared winners..

The 2015 Manila Bay CleanUp Run was a project of Manila

Broadcasting Company, in cooperation with the cities of Manila and Pasay, with support from Hapee Toothpaste, Bayad Center, Travel Book, Dok Alternatibo Mix 10 Coffee, M. Lhuillier, and Enervon.

The cause-oriented event kicked off the 76th anniversary celebrations of MBC’s flagship station DZRH.

Palawan netfest resumes TOP junior netters from Baybay, Leyte and nearby cities and provinces gear up for another fourday battle of smashes, volleys and groundstrokes as they clash for top honors in the Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group tennis tournament at Baybay City Tennis Club in Leyte.

Rep. Jose Carlos Cari has guaranteed the successful staging of the event, which has drawn participants from Ormoc, Maasin, Hilongos, Baybay, Tacloban, Samar, Isabel and those from Eastern and Southern Samar.

Free listup is ongoing with souvenir shirts to be given to all participants. For details, call Bobby Mangunay, PPS-PEPP Sports Program Development director, at 0915-4046464.

“We want to give all the young players the chance to get a feel of tournament play and we believe so many talents are just out there waiting to be tapped,” said Palawan Pawnshop COO Bobby Castro.

Local ace Anica Cari and Master Yan from Hilongos are expected to lead the chase for crowns after winning a pair of titles last year, along with another Baybay talent Joshua Torres, Ghylem Basalo and Samar-based Ma. Delrose Duran.

The tournament, serving as the 21st leg of a year-long nationwide circuit presented by Technifibre and sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association, is also the fourth of five tournaments in the PPS-PEPP Rainy Season Tennis Festival.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

PH jungolfer just 2 shots off lead SOUTHEAST Asian Games veteran Harmie Constantino went for the safety pars when the birdie putts didn’t fall, en route to a one-under-par 71 that left her just two strokes off the lead in the girls’ 1314 years division at the start of the IMG Academy Junior World Championships Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) in San Diego, California.

Villanueva ready. King Arthur Villanueva (right) is shown with trainers Ala and Edmund Villamor during their arrival in El Paso, Texas. The OPBF super flyweight champion Villanueva battles unbeaten Puerto Rican southpaw and former Olympian McJoe Arroyo at the Don Haskins Convention Center on Sunday (Manila time). Story on A16 Manila

Standard Republic of the Philippines

INVITATION TO BID SUPPLY OF LABOR AND MATERIALS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AGRICULTURAL TRAMLINE SYSTEM IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS 1.

The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) through its General Fund intends to apply the below specified sums, being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) as indicated herein to payments under the contract for the Supply of Labor and Materials for the Construction of Tramline System in Various Locations. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at Bid opening.

2.

The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization now invites bids from eligible contractors with at least Small B PCAB license with experience on cabling system for the Supply of Labor and Materials for the Construction of Agricultural Tramline System in Various Locations: PROJECT

ABC

CONTRACT DURATION

LOT I Supply of Labor and Materials for the Construction of Agricultural Tramline System in Bakun Benguet (650 m cable span)

PhP 1,907,532.13

120 CD

LOT II Supply of Labor and Materials for the Construction of Agricultural Tramline System in Sta. Rita, Samar (1,680 m cable span)

PhP 4,864,126.62

150 CD

Bidders should have completed a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II Instruction to Bidders.

3.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using nondiscretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

4.

Interested Bidders may obtain further information from the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of PhP 5,000 for Lot I and PhP 10,000 for Lot II, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB. The method of payment will be in cash. The Bidding Documents shall be received personally by the prospective Bidder or his authorized representative. Only those who have purchased the Bidding Documents shall be allowed to participate in the pre-bid conference and raise or submit written queries or clarification.

6.

The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization will hold a Pre-Bid Conference and Submission/ Opening of Bids on the following dates and locations which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents:

LOT I Supply of Labor and Materials for the Construction of Agricultural Tramline System in Bakun Benguet (650 m cable span) LOT II Supply of Labor and Materials for the Construction of Agricultural Tramline System in Sta. Rita, Samar (1,680 m cable span) 7.

Pre-Bid Conference

Submission and Opening of Bids

Location

July 27, 2015 10:00am

August 10, 2015 10:00am

PHilMech Liaison Office, 3rd Floor, ATI Bldg. Elliptical Road Diliman Quezon City

July 27, 2015 10:00am

August 10, 2015 10:00am

PHilMech Liaison Office, 3rd Floor, ATI Bldg. Elliptical Road Diliman Quezon City

Bids and eligibility requirements must be delivered on the date of Opening of Bids which will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend. Late bids shall not be accepted.

All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in the bid documents.

8.

The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization reserves the right to accept or reject any Bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all Bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected Bidder or Bidders.

PHILIPPINE CENTER FOR POSTHARVEST DEVELOPMENT AND MECHANIZATION (Formerly BUREAU OF POSTHARVEST RESEARCH AND EXTENSION) Main Office :CLSU Cmpd., Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija Tel. No. (044) 4560287 / 4560213 FAX No. (044) 4560110 Liaison Office: 3F ATI Bldg., Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City Tel. No. 9274019 / 9274029 FAX No. 9268159

(TS-JULY 16 & 24, 2015)

and Pauline del Rosario provided the only other bright spots in a slow start for the PH bets, who witnessed another show of force

by Asian rival Japan.

Japan took five of the 12 division leaderships and appeared poised to stretch their domination of this event that drew more than a thousand juniors from 56 countries and 42 states of the host nation.

Blanco was running sixth but 9 shots off the lead in the girls’ 7-8 years after a 63 at Sycuan Resort Pine Glen, while del Rosario carried the cudgels for the girls

Banned Rose gets ovation at All-Stars

TODAY Department of Agriculture Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines www.philmech.gov.ph

Project

Constantino birdied two of the four par-5s, but her bid to go low was snagged by numerous putting miscues on the tough greens of Country Club of Rancho Bernardo and with a bogey on the sixth had to settle for a share of sixth as the best Filipino performer for the day.

Teeing off early in the biting cold, Rupert Zaragosa recovered from a sluggish start with a solid back nine for a one-over 73 at Torrey Pines south to share 10th place just four shots the American leader.

Last-minute entry Alexi Blanco

15-17 bets hoping to defend the crown won by Daniella Uy last year by barging into the Top 10 with her own 73.

Cousins Aidric Chan and Carl Corpus both finished with 72s in the boys’ 13-14 play at Morgan Resort, but fell seven shots off the lead, while boys’ 11-12 top bet Jed Dy managed just a 75 and was tied with compatriot Josh Jorge at 21st.

The PH contingent supported by Philippine Airlines, ICTSI Sports, Friends of Jungolf and Cleanpak will try to turn their fortunes around in the second round on Thursday.

How the Philippine kids fared in the first round: Boys 15-17 Torrey Pines south: Rupert Zaragosa 73 tied for 10th, Ryan Monsalve 75 T32, Lanz Uy 77 T59, Kristoffer Arevalo 78 T76, Wei Wei Gao 79 T95, Luis Miguel Castro 80 T113 Leader Everton Hawkins/Irvine, California 69 CYAN MAGENTA YELL

(SGD) RAUL R. PAZ BAC Chairman

CINCINNATI—Pete Rose, the all-time hits leader banished by Major League Baseball for betting on games, received a standing ovation in a rare game appearance at Tuesday’s major league AllStar Game.

In the same city where Rose spent most of his playing days and became a legend nicknamed “Charlie Hustle” for his gritty determination on every play, fans cheered him for nearly 90 seconds.

Rose had a record 4,256 hits in a 24-year playing career that featured 19 seasons with the Cincinnati Reds. But he was banished

in 1989 after an investigation showed he bet on games while manager of the Reds, a rule violation punishable by a life ban.

New major league commissioner Rob Manfred met Rose for the first time before the game, Rose saying that Manfred told him, “I’ve never talked so much about a guy I’ve never met.”

But Rose is a popular topic because Manfred reinstating him is the only path for Rose to be considered for the Baseball Hall of Fame, an honor that would have been a sure bet for any player untainted by scandal and with Rose’s achievements. AFP

A fan with his face painted looks on during the 86th MLB All-Star Game between against the National League and the American League at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio. AFP

Longshot filly wins 3rd leg of Philracom Triple Crown AS I’ve said before, this is shaping up to be the Year of the Filly, and this looks even more likely when last July 12, the second-to-the-longest shot of all, Miss Brulay, surged past six foes to claim the 3rd leg of the Philippine Racing Commission Triple Crown at Metroturf.

Both the first and second legs of the event for elite 3YO were won by longshot fillies—Superv and Court of Honor. Miss Brulay, initially nominated for the Hopeful Stakes, was suddenly declared for the Triple Crown, which required her owner, Running Rich Racing’s Melaine Habla, to pay a supplemental fee of P180,000.

Habla and her family’s confidence in their filly was vindicated when Miss Brulay ran wire to wire over 2,000 meters to claim the top purse of P1.8 million, a figure ten times over the supplemental fee they paid.

Money Talks placed second, followed by Court of Honor and Princess Ella in third and fourth. The total time for the race was 2:07.2 (26’-24’-24’-24-28).

Miss Brulay (Cat Brulay x Near Miss) was ridden

by Kelvin Abobo to a half-length win and trained by Renato C. Hipolito.

Habla thanked SC Stockfarm, the breeder of Miss Brulay, and horseowner group MARHO chairman Mayor Sandy Javier for their support of her venture into racing.

At 27, Habla is one of the sport’s youngest horseowners. A dressage rider herself in Australia, Habla and her family “just love horses,” she said. “We have 30 runners aside from our breeding stock. Soon enough we’ll breed our own Triple Crown champion.” ***** Will veteran track icons Hagdang Bato and Pugad Lawin soon have the chance to redeem their grievous losses to upstart Skyway in last month’s Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office Silver Cup? They could have their chance at redemption in the 7th

Mayor Ramon D. Bagatsing (RDB) Racing Festival, to be held next month at the San Lazaro Leisure Park.

The racing festival was founded by the late mayors’ sons, Manila Rep. Amado S. Bagatsing and Philracom Commissioner lawyer Ramon S. Bagatsing Jr., both longtime horseowners and breeders.

The Philippine Thoroughbred industry and other sponsors give their full support every year to the RDB festival to honor the memory of the mayor, who was himself an avid horseman and gave vibrant support to the industry during the 1970s and ‘80s.

This year’s RDB racefest features a weekend full of trophy races backed by Philracom, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, MJC, Resorts World Manila, Solaire Resort and Casino, Midas Hotel and Casino, City of Dreams Manila, San Miguel Corporation, Mr. Eduardo Gonzalez, and Stradcom.

The main attractions are the event’s pillar races – the RDB Cup I for imports and locals 4YO and up, and the RDB Cup II for local-bred 3YO, both 1,750-meters. Each will have total prizes of P1 million.

It is in the RDB Cup I that Hagdang Bato and Pugad Lawin may redeem themselves, perhaps going against Low Profile, Pinespun, Messi, and Strong Champion.

The RDB Cup II might be the battleground of this year’s strong fillies Court of Honor, Miss Brulay, and Superv. ***** Spectrum is the one to watch in the July 25 Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office 2YO Special Maiden Race at Santa Ana Park.

In the trial race held July 10, Spectrum clocked 1:15.8 (25-23.8-27) over 1,200 meters, to win by three lengths.

Total Defiance came in second, followed by Killer Hook, Ora Et Labora, and Archer Queen last. Rolling Mill broke loose at the gate before the actual run and was scratched. ***** Facebook: Gogirl Racing, Twitter: @gogirlracing, Instagram: @jensdecember, Blog: http://jennyo.netEquid

T H U R S D AY : J U LY 1 6 , 2 0 1 5

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

A15 LOTTO RESULTS

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

Sylvia AlejandroMichel Giguere triumphs at National Open pairs championship Smashed. La Salle-Dasmariñas’ Eddiemaer Kasim goes for a kill against St. Benilde’s Berwyn Coming (5) and Ron Jordan during their Spikers’ Turf Collegiate Conference clash at The Arena in San Juan. St. Benilde dominated La Salle-Dasmariñas from start to finish and fashioned out a 25-18, 25-18, 25-15 romp to force a three-way tie for the Group B lead.

Reid wants to leave in a blaze of glory

By Jeric Lopez

ALREADY in his fifth tour of duty in the Philippine Basketball Association with two Best Import awards up his sleeves, Arizona Reid wants to complete his successful journey in the league with a championship.

A resident import since 2011, Reid, who played his first three PBA stints for Rain or Shine in 2011, 2013 and 2014 before moving over to San Miguel this season for the two import-laden conferences, continues to prove why he’s always one of the top imports in the league.

But there’s still one thing that’s missing from Reid’s PBA resume -- a championship.

Even prior to the start of the tournament, Reid was already very vocal on how badly he wants

to be a PBA champion.

Now that the Beermen are closing in on the Governors’ Cup championship with a firm lead in the ongoing finals against Alaska, Reid is now nearing the finish line, but he knows he and his squad need to finish the race first. ‘’I really really want to win the championship here so badly and that’s what I’m here for,’’ said Reid. ‘’Right now, I’m in a good position to do that with San Miguel since we’re ahead and almost there, but

we still need to finish strong to finish the job.’’

In multiple instances within the conference, the 29-year-old Reid shared that this will most likely be his last time to be a reinforcement in the league as he sets to allot more time to his family back home in the United States. ‘’This might be it for me here after this conference since I want to also spend more time with my family,’’ said Reid. ‘’That’s why I really want to win this championship and I’m thankful to be in the position to do that now. I’m hoping for the best.’’

The long-haired reinforcement came close to capturing a championship last season with Rain or Shine.

Despite reaching the finals in

last season’s edition of the tournament with the Painters, Reid and the Elasto Painters fell short against eventual champion Star, then known as San Mig Coffee, in a classic five-game series.

Aside from Reid, San Miguel coach Leo Austria personally noticed how his resident import wants to triumph and win it all for his team and for himself. ‘’AZ (Reid) really wants to win that championship for us. That’s his goal, that’s why he’s leading us very well in this entire conference,’’ said Austria. ‘’Makikita mo talaga sa kanya iyon na gusto niya mag-champion.’’

Reid narrowly lost the Best import award this conference to Alaska’s Romeo Travis by only 37 points.

Makati Football Club booters win in Denmark THE Makati Football Club Boys 11 bested a tough field, including a fancied Norwegian club in the finals, 6-1, to rule the Cup No. 1 International Tournament in Frederikshavn, Denmark recently.

Over 200 teams from 21 countries took part in the annual Scandinavian tournament with the young MFC booters winning four games over Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Germany in the elims while one to the Cantolao squad from Peru, considered as one of the top youth clubs in the world.

MFC sustained its top form in the quarters, routing Algeria, 6-0, then blasting Moldovia from Romania, 4-1, in the semis to seal a championship showdown with the

Norwegians.

The MFC delegation, composed of boys and girls aged 11-18, was also invited to and trained at the Real Madrid summer training camp in Valdebebas Madrid, Spain, the official training ground of the world famous club, including La Liga First Division players Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.

The victory should augur well for the MFC side’s buildup for the 33rd Gothia Cup slated next week in Goteborg, Sweden, regarded as the World Youth Cup, the biggest in the world with over 1,700 teams composed of 35,000 players from 140 countries participating.

MFC last won the Gothia Cup Boys 11 trophy in 1985.

Members of the victorious Makati Football Club Cup display their medals after topping the Cup No. 1 International Tournament in Denmark. They are (back row, from left) delegation head Tomas Lozano, Sebastien Orcullo, Jasper Lim, Yanick Agora, Jed Smith, Hooven Villarosa, and head coach Francisco de Asis, and (front row, from left) Louis Jandau, Lucas Rodriguez, Inigo Torres, Umi Abelarde, James Detera, Emmanuel Mariano and Matthias Lozano.

THIS premier pair event held under the SYLVIA LOPEZ auspices of the PhilALEJANDRO ippine Tournament Bridge Association was held at the Elks Club, Makati City on July 11, 2015, produced an unexpected win for the pair which only agreed to play on Thursday, July 2, 2015.

Mr. Michel Giguere is a visitor from Canada and is an avid bridge enthusiast.

Bridge Base Online was instrumental in getting our act together. I mentioned in previous columns how Dubion and Mahmood utilized the BBO in fine tuning their partnership agreement and also the Singaporeans Bridgeboy and Krobono. On the seating arrangement, Giguere picked the number seven. He said this was his lucky number. Indeed, it turned out this was lucky for us.

On round one we were first. On round two were placed fourth. However, AlejandroGiguere were the first overall winners with a percentage of 59.8%.

-oOoI feature the continuation from the World Bridge Series from the account of Ron Klinger “Showdown in Sanya”.

In the Open Room, Weistein (East) led the diamond five. Declarer (North) won with the queen and played the club six to the ten and king. West shifted to the spade deuce to the nine. The heart four went to the king, and declarer ruffed a club with the spade ace, then played heart ace-queen to ditch the other club loser. After diamond ace and diamond six, ruffed with the spade seven and overruffed, declarer had ten tricks plus 620.

The contract can always be made, but after the diamond lead, declarer did not even raise a sweat. A trump lead looks the least risky. As Taf Anthians and David Bird suggest in Winning Suit Contract Leads:“Consider leading a trump only when the side suit leads are unattractive.

Choose one only when all three of the side suits are headed by honours.” As North asked South to transfer, it was likely that North had some tenace holdings in the outside suits.

In the Closed Room, Starkowski lead the diamond deuce (low from a doubleton). Meckstroth took dummy’s ace and continued with a low diamond. East rose with the king and played back the diamond five, ruffed with the queen; West discarded the heart three. A spade to the nine held, and declarer cashed the spade ace. Then came the heart deuce to the king and the heart ten to the ace.

South threw a club on the heart queen, but West ruffed, and the defense collected two club tricks for one down and a gain 0f 12 imps.

Declarer could have succeeded by ducking the first diamond or by taking the diamond ace and playing three rounds of hearts to ditch a loser. Another option was diamond ace, heart king, spade finesse, spade ace, and then three rounds of hearts.

There were 14 declarers in four spades; nine made it.

-oOoWinning pairs of the Alejandro Duplicate Game on June 30, 2015 1) Satomi Suzuki-Harumi Ieada 2) Chris Tweddell-Mila Camus 3) Joli Kansil-Justo Manlongat Winning pairs of the Manila Peninsula on July 01, 2015 1) Susan Kwee-Justo Manlongat 2) Abe Rivera-Aiko Taylor 3) John McPherdan-Ayesha Fuchs Winning pairs of the Cambridge Club July 02, 2015 North/South Ranks 1) Hector Tarrazona & Abe Rivera 2) Sylvia Alejandro & Satomi Suzuki East/West Ranks 1) Ayesha Fuchs & John McPhedran 2) Dolly Montenegro & Bambi Harper Comments to: sylvia.alejandro@yahoo

A16

T H U R S D AY : J U LY 1 6 , 2 0 1 5

RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

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

sports@thestandard.com.ph

Floyd told: Cut the mind games

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

SPORTS

WORLD Boxing Council welterweight silver champion Amir Khan has challenged undefeated poundfor-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. to stop the mind games and announce, who his next opponent is for his reported final bout on Sept. 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Ls Vegas.

Paul George, who is coming off one of the worst injuries of his career, is raring to bounce back in a big way in the coming NBA season.

Indiana Pacers’ George coming to Manila on July 20 NIKE Philippines announced on Wednesday that it will host two-time NBA All-Star, Paul George, in Manila, Philippines on July 20.

His visit is designed to inspire young Filipino athletes, especially Nike #Rise players, to step up and out beyond their limitations to realize their true basketball potential.

In the past 11 months, George has overcome one of the worst injuries of his career with an astounding return to the game with a strong contribution

Makati Football Club booters win in Denmark TURN TO A15

to help his team win that game. He definitely has what it takes to rise beyond any limitations. Fans are invited to ask George how to #Rise above all challenges via a twitter Q&A session.

Fans can post their questions and tag @yg_trece and #RISE. George only began playing basketball formally in his freshman year in high school and by the time he was a junior, he had already caught the attention of recruiters when he competed in Amateur Athletic Un-

ion (AAU) tournaments.

In 2010, he was drafted in the professional league and made his debut in October of the year with the Indiana Pacers. At the end of the season of his inaugural year, he was named to the NBA 2011 All-Rookie 2nd team.

Since then, George has been selected to compete in the Slam Dunk Contest and Rising Stars Challenge during the 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend; invited to play at his first NBA All-Star Game in 2013 and was part

Nietes has a tear in right hand finger TURN TO A12

of the All-Defensive 1st team in 2014.

In 2013, at the end of the season, he was named NBA Most Improved Player. In 2014, he was selected to represent the United States of America at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup. However during a training session in August he sustained a fracture that saw him sitting out most of the 20142015 season. He made his return in April 2015 showing that he had overcome his injury to play well enough to help his team win that game.

Mayweather earlier indicated he would fight Andre Berto or Karim Mayfield, but The Standard/boxingmirror.com leaned that it would be Berto, although either choice has been widely criticized as too easy a fight for the American.

The Daily Star of London reported that Khan is desperate to be named the opponent of Mayweather, but is still no closer to getting the nod and has accused him of being unprofessional.

“I just don’t know why he’s playing these little games. I think it’s just unprofessional really from a person like Floyd Mayweather, who is renowned as one of the best fighters ever,” Khan said.

The former Olympic silver medalist added: “He is playing these little games just to look for every advantage that he can get. But I’m not going to let it get to me. I’m just going to keep calm and collected.”

A somewhat desperate Khan then posed the question: “Why not just be a man, say who you’re going to fight and get it done? Stop playing these little games.”

He even suggested that maybe Mayweather was making him wait and distracting him, “making sure I am not focused on what my job is, so I’m not in the gym and he’ll catch me off guard. But that’s not going to happen . I’m always in the gym and I always keep myself fit. I don’t think that will affect me in any way.”

Although he is fasting because of Ramadan, Khan uses a leeway given him by hitting the gym at midnight to train, hoping that Mayweather will eventually call him out, but right now it appears to be a long shot.

Meanwhile, undefeated OPBF super flyweight champion “King” Arthur Villanueva believes the time is now as far as his chances of winning a world title when he battles unbeaten Puerto Rican southpaw and former Olympian McJoe Arroyo at the Don Haskins Convention Center in El Paso, Texas on Sunday (Manila time).

“There will be “no next time. We need this title now,” said Villanueva in an overseas telephone interview with The Standard/boxingmirror.com.

The 26-year-old Villanueva has a record of 27-0, with 14 knockouts.

Lead trainer Edmund Villamor, who arrived in El Paso after handling World Boxing Organization light flyweight champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes in his masterful victory over former world minimum weight champion and mandatory challenger Francisco Rodriguez last Saturday in Cebu, confidently predicted his ward will win, pointing out that McJoe Arroyo “is a fighter like Marco Demecillo, which is good and is what King Arthur likes.”

THURSDAY: JULY 16, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

B1

Exports to hurt growth in Q2 PSe comPoSite index Closing July 15, 2015

8500 8000 7500 7000 6500 6000

7,559.04 20.28

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing JULY 15, 2015 42

P45.215

43

CLOSE

44 45 46

HIGH P45.150 LOW P45.270 AVERAGE P45.200 VOLUME 629.200M

P475.00-P675.00 LPG/11-kg tank P40.55-P46.70 Unleaded Gasoline P27.90-P31.15 Diesel

oPriceS il P

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

WEAK exports are expected to drag down gross domestic product growth in the second quarter, Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said Wednesday.

Data showed merchandise exports sank 4.1 percent year-on-year in April and 17.4 percent in May, amid sluggish global demand.

Balisacan said he was hoping exports would recover in June to help improve the secondquarter exports data.

“In the first two months of the second quarter, exports growth was negative. We were hoping that June exports would be better,” Balisacan said at the sidelines of the signing of the joint memorandum circular on national evaluation policy framework that calls for the purposive conduct of independent evaluation of government programs and projects.

Balisacan said the downtrend in exports was also observed in other countries. “We have some challenges because of exports. Globally, exports have been less robust than what we

expected,” he said.

He said despite the drop in merchandise exports, services exports such as business process outsourcing revenues and tourism receipts continued to grow. “That’s growing faster in recent years than merchandise exports,” he said.

GDP grew 5.2 percent in the first quarter, the slowest in nearly three years, because of sluggish government spending. This was below the government’s full-year target range of 7 percent to 8 percent.

Balisacan said the slower inflation rate could offset the weak exports this year. Data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority showed inflation hit its lowest rate of 1.2 percent in over two decades.

“Oil prices are low, consumer confidence is still high. So that can drive consumption growth.

We expect investment... And the government spending, we hope that it’s really much better in the second quarter,” said Balisacan.

Balisacan said given the uncertainties in the global market, it would be a bigger challenge to hit even the low end of the 7 percent to 8 percent growth target set by the government this year.

Meanwhile, debt watcher Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services warned that its current investment grade rating for the Philippines

might be downgraded if the government failed to sustain reforms.

“We may lower the ratings if the administration’s reform agenda stalls…,” S&P said in a regional report on Asia-Pacific sovereign rating trends mid-year 2015.

S&P said it might also lower the ratings “if a successor administration reverses recent gains in the Philippines’ fiscal or external positions.”

The next presidential elections will happen in 2016.

S&P upgraded the Philippines rating to a notch above investment grade (BBB) with a stable outlook on May 8, 2014.

S&P said it might raise the ratings “if further institutional and structural reforms boost investment and economic growth prospects... or if changes in governance and the policy environment lead us to a better assessment of institutional and governance effectiveness.”

“We consider this scenario unlikely over the next year, however,” it said.

It said the Philippines’ stable outlook balanced the country’s strong external position, which featured rising foreign exchange reserves and low external debt, against low income and developing institutional and governance framework over the next 18 months.

today

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

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

45.2050

Japan

Yen

0.008106

0.3664

UK

Pound

1.563600

70.6825

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129024

5.8325

Switzerland

Franc

1.058313

47.8410

Canada

Dollar

0.785176

35.4939

Singapore

Dollar

0.734592

33.2072

Australia

Dollar

0.745323

33.6923

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652379

119.9008

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266638

12.0534

Brunei

Dollar

0.731904

33.0857

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.029385

1.3283

UAE

Dirham

0.272264

12.3077

Euro

Euro

1.100800

49.7617

Korea

Won

0.000875

0.0396

China

Yuan

0.161059

7.2807

India

Rupee

0.015805

0.7145

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.262826

11.8810

New Zealand

Dollar

0.670916

30.3288

Taiwan

Dollar

0.032228

1.4569 Source: PDS Bridge

Fitness partnership. New San Jose Builders tapped Italian fitness brand, Technogym, as its gym equipment provider for Victoria Sports

in a ceremony held at Victoria Towers in Quezon City. Shown signing the agreement are (seated from left) NSJBI president Cesar Sanqui, E-Sports International managing director Audris Romualdez, NSJBI chairman Jose Acuzar and co-chairman Isagani Germar. Victoria Sports is envisioned as the largest all indoor and social club membership project in the country.

Low inflation gives room to cut reserve ratio, Medalla says

By Ditas Lopez AN INFLATION rate below 1 percent would give Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas room to reduce the reserve requirement ratio for banks to encourage greater spending, according to a member of the central bank’s board.

“The low inflation rate creates space for the BSP to reduce the reserve requirement,” Felipe

Medalla, a member of the monetary board of Bangko Sentral, said in an interview over the phone Wednesday.

“We have a very high reserve requirement, which should go down,” Medalla said.

The central bank held its benchmark interest rate for a sixth straight meeting in June after the economy grew at its weakest pace in more than three years, and said

it has room to adjust the policy stance if needed.

Consumer prices in June rose at their slowest pace since at least 1998, and the monetary authority has cut its forecasts for this year and next.

The country’s inflation rate may be below 1 percent this month or next, said Medalla, a former economic planning chief.

The central bank raised the RRR

for universal and commercial banks by 1 percentage point to 20 percent in May 2014, and hasn’t adjusted it since.

The Philippine RRR is among the highest for inflation- targeting central banks, said Medalla.

The rate on special deposit accounts, a secondary rate, shouldn’t be reduced as it is already below the mid-point of the monetary authority’s inflation

target of 2 percent to 4 percent, he said.

There’s no need for additional monetary stimulus now, Medalla said, pointing to government underspending as the drag that must be addressed to spur growth.

Should the US Federal Reserve start raising interest rates, the Philippines needn’t follow suit as it increased borrowing costs last year, he said. Bloomberg

THURSDAY: JULY 16, 2015

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Wednesday, July 15, 2015

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 4.2 17 30.45 0.92 2.6 890 1.01 100 30.5 91.5 137 361.2 57 180 1700 124

2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.97 1.68 12.02 19.6 0.74 1.02 625 0.225 78 17.8 62 88.35 276 41 118.2 1200 59

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

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

4.63 73.2 104.00 94.50 45.6 2.41 1.60 16 20.3 0.68 1.82 795.00 0.395 91.05 17.90 63.80 95 309 37.7 152.1 1470.00 60.00

47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 89 20.6 125 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 17 31.8 109 15.3 9.4 241 12.5 74 33.9 90 13.26 293 5 5.25 12.98 6.75 15 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.86 238 5.5 3.28 0.315 2.65 234 1.3 26

35.9 1.11 1.01 1.86 7.92 40.3 15.32 62.5 10.08 29.15 1.5 1.5 10.72 9.55 9.04 6.02 8.86 8.61 20.2 71.5 13.24 5.34 173 8.65 33 23.35 17.3 5.88 250.2 3.37 3.87 8.45 3 10.04 3.03 1.95 1 4.02 1.65 161 4.1 1.55 0.138 2.09 152 0.640 10.02

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

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

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

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

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phinma Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Phoenix Semiconductor Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ SPC Power Corp.

Splash Corporation Swift Foods, Inc. Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

43.6 1.36 1.05 1.96 10.36 53.95 18.32 180 25.85 55.8 2.4 1.47 12.2 20.450 8.95 7.50 9.77 13.16 25.15 81 13.90 5.78 192.00 10.64 55.50 24 25.8 5.68 292.80 3.93 4.89 8.15 4 11.90 3.30 2.26 2.78 4.05 1.96 164 4.5 1.76 0.146 2.17 192 0.71 24.90

0.59 59.2 30.05 7.39 3.4 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 1455 7.5 76 6.5 5.29 6.66 9.25 0.85 17.3 0.71 5.53 6.55 1.61 2.99 84.9 974 1.66 1.39 156 0.710 0.435 0.510

0.44 48.1 20.85 6.62 0.23 634.5 7.390 12.8 2.6 837 5.3 49.55 3.43 3 3.52 4.84 0.59 12 0.580 4.2 4.5 0.550 2.26 59.3 751 1.13 0.93 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 F&J Prince ‘A’ GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Keppel Holdings `A’ Keppel Holdings `B’ Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

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

Minerales Industrias Corp.

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

0.485 57.1000 22.30 6.88 0.241 769 7.54 13.14 3.47 1365 6.50 72.00 3.85 4.57 4.99 7.15 0.66 12.74 0.58 4.82 7.25 2.000 2.75 60.00 905.00 1.23 0.68 78.800 0.3250 0.1990 0.275

10.5 1.99 1.75 0.375 41.4 5.6 5.59 1.44

6.74 0.65 1.2 0.192 30.05 3.36 4.96 0.79

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Arthaland Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ Cebu Holdings Century Property

7.280 0.72 1.160 0.220 38.30 3.32 5.15 0.84

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

SHARES 15,823,010 73,480,055 134,563,016 93,209,885 307,357,746 1,412,926,491 2,038,504,263

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 4.9 4.69 73.35 72 105.10 103.50 95.00 93.80 45.65 45.6 2.53 2.53 1.58 1.44 16.1 16 20.45 20.3 0.68 0.68 1.80 1.60 815.00 815.00 0.420 0.415 91.5 90.3 18.20 17.90 64.15 63.75 95 95 310 304 37.7 37.3 153.7 152.2 1470.00 1470.00 60.50 60.50 INDUSTRIAL 44.2 43.45 1.38 1.37 1.05 1.02 1.98 1.95 10.52 10.32 53.95 50 18.32 18 199 160 26.8 26.1 56.8 56.7 2.45 2.36 1.42 1.4 12.2 12.02 20.850 20.35 9.03 8.95 7.55 7.41 9.90 9.70 13.8 13.8 25.45 25.2 81.5 80.5 13.98 13.90 5.75 5.8 193.50 191.90 11.06 10.56 55.45 52.05 24.3 23.95 25.9 25.6 5.88 5.68 295.00 291.00 3.95 3.95 5 4.88 8.30 8.17 4.4 4.2 11.90 11.70 3.31 3.22 2.31 2.23 2.79 2.65 4.05 4.01 1.85 1.85 167.9 162 4.5 4.5 1.85 1.77 0.152 0.146 2.16 2.14 192.7 187 0.73 0.72 24.60 24.60 HOLDING FIRMS 0.490 0.470 57.5000 57.0000 22.65 22.10 7.05 6.88 0.241 0.240 772 767 7.7 7.55 13.58 13.20 3.4 3.4 1370 1358 6.65 6.65 71.90 70.85 3.85 3.85 5 5 5 3.74 7.2 7 0.69 0.65 12.8 12.7 0.6 0.57 4.92 4.81 7.3 7.23 1.970 2.010 2.75 2.58 60.10 59.50 907.00 901.00 1.22 1.21 0.72 0.69 79.500 77.000 0.3250 0.3150 0.1990 0.1950 0.295 0.270 PROPERTY 7.350 7.200 0.80 0.72 1.200 1.150 0.220 0.220 38.50 37.95 3.36 3.28 5.23 5.15 0.86 0.85

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

4.69 73.35 105.00 94.55 45.65 2.53 1.44 16.08 20.35 0.68 1.80 815.00 0.420 91.2 17.90 63.80 95 310 37.5 152.4 1470.00 60.50

1.30 0.20 0.96 0.05 0.11 4.98 -10.00 0.50 0.25 0.00 -1.10 2.52 6.33 0.16 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.32 -0.53 0.20 0.00 0.83

109,000 33,640 7,957,240 930,050 71,800 8,000 14,000 300 57,000 30,000 14,000 70 130,000 2,407,420 305,300 308,070 10 26,050 314,000 2,819,250 15 5,850

44.15 1.37 1.04 1.95 10.32 53.95 18.3 194.8 26.75 56.8 2.4 1.41 12.06 20.800 9.00 7.50 9.78 13.8 25.25 80.5 13.94 5.78 193.00 10.9 55.45 24.05 25.9 5.71 295.00 3.95 4.94 8.20 4.4 11.90 3.30 2.24 2.66 4.01 1.85 162 4.5 1.81 0.152 2.15 187 0.72 24.60

1.26 0.74 -0.95 -0.51 -0.39 0.00 -0.11 8.22 3.48 1.79 0.00 -4.08 -1.15 1.71 0.56 0.00 0.10 4.86 0.40 -0.62 0.29 0.00 0.52 2.44 -0.09 0.21 0.39 0.53 0.75 0.51 1.02 0.61 10.00 0.00 0.00 -0.88 -4.32 -0.99 -5.61 -1.22 0.00 2.84 4.11 -0.92 -2.60 1.41 -1.20

1,788,500 7,000 365,000 211,000 500 650 246,500 570 208,500 6,640 1,288,000 34,000 26,600 5,307,000 1,761,400 5,438,400 18,996,900 2,900 6,224,900 36,610 621,000 162,300 1,176,030 1,925,800 3,020 2,156,200 63,500 142,500 288,950 3,000 748,000 4,806,600 2,000 105,000 234,000 910,000 1,247,000 7,540,000 2,000 8,030 1,000 819,000 4,170,000 546,000 1,998,010 536,000 100

0.480 57.3000 22.45 6.88 0.240 768 7.6 13.42 3.4 1370 6.65 71.70 3.85 5 5 7.2 0.68 12.8 0.6 4.9 7.29 2.000 2.7 59.50 905.00 1.21 0.72 77.300 0.3250 0.1990 0.275

-1.03 0.35 0.67 0.00 -0.41 -0.13 0.80 2.13 -2.02 0.37 2.31 -0.42 0.00 9.41 0.20 0.70 3.03 0.47 3.45 1.66 0.55 0.00 -1.82 -0.83 0.00 -1.63 5.88 -1.90 0.00 0.00 0.00

16,940,000 325,640 33,157,600 17,600 670,000 298,930 2,437,800 13,721,600 1,000 85,595 100 1,339,590 1,000 2,000 3,000 756,500 35,000 3,620,400 559,000 52,309,000 375,300 6,264,000 73,000 99,840 210,280 12,000 51,000 25,630 440,000 320,000 280,000

7.250 0.75 1.200 0.220 38.30 3.36 5.15 0.86

-0.41 4.17 3.45 0.00 0.00 1.20 0.00 2.38

958,000 3,872,000 119,000 15,000 5,564,800 1,097,000 18,700 1,563,000

9,790.00 1,648,766.00 40,393,362.00 -6,595,698.50 1,524,575.00

304,820.00 57,050.00 -54,100.00 -85,034,117.00 -5,441,900.00 16,889,941.00 -5,364,570.00 -3,613,130.00 -238,527,393.00 -6,000.00 -14,948,030.00 -51,540.00

2,145,380.00 -340,800.00 12,050.00 29,098,275.00 1,499,727.00 13,012,593.00 -180,842,605.00 14,668,935.00 -283,306.00 8,273,236.00 11,600.00 187,416,217.00 6,602,932.00 -1,604,645.00 -691,530.00 -208,986.00 44,984,914.00 664,110.00 3,282,266.00 -62,700.00 -315,130.00 -109,690.00 -1,332,290.00 -970,245.00 -4,500.00 -107,950.00 4,320.00 -132,840,798.00

5,277,123.50 -5,340,180.00 -59,500.00 -169,261,145.00 10,695,312.00 -15,769,242.00 33,123,710.00 15,944,485.50

-490,405.00 -801,934.00 27,829,620.00 -3,020,000.00 81,500.00 -2,441,723.00 76,339,590.00 -14,540.00 -1,124,450.50

-6,052,879.00 -8,360.00 -9,306,225.00 338,780.00 12,750.00

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

Close

0.201 0.69 10.96 0.97 0.305 2.22 2.1 1.8 4.88 0.180 0.470 0.72 8.54 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 7.56 8.59

0.083 0.415 2.4 0.83 0.188 1.15 1.42 1.27 2.75 0.090 0.290 0.39 2.69 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 3.38 5.73

Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

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

MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp.

Phil. Realty `A’ Primex Corp.

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

10.5 66 1.44 1.09 14.88 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 12.3 7.67 4 1700 2720 8.41 1.97 119.5 12.5 0.017 0.8200 2.2800 5.93 12.28 3.32 2.53 3.2 95.5 1 2.46 15.2 0.62 1.040 22.8 4 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1 11.6 0.85 2.95 10 0.490 1.9

1.97 35.2 1 0.63 10.5 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 10.14 4.8 2.58 830 1600 5.95 1.23 102.6 8.72 0.011 0.041 1.200 2.34 6.5 1.91 1.01 1.95 3.1 0.650 1.8 6 0.335 0.37 14.54 2.28 79 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55 7.59 0.63 1.71 5 0.315 1.14

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

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

DFNN Inc. Easy Call “Common” FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. IPeople Inc. `A’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown MG Holdings NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

Paxys Inc. Phil. Seven Corp.

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

Yehey

0.0098 17.24 0.330 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 1.030 3.06 0.020 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9

0.0043 6.47 0.236 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.013 0.014 3.240 18.96 2.11 0.365 1.54 0.012 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67

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

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

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

TA Petroleum

70 553 515 8.21 12.28 111 1060

33 490 480 5.88 6.5 101 997

1047 76.9 84.8

1011 74.2 75

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

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

6.98

0.8900 LR Warrant

88 12.88

13.5 5.95

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

IRipple E-Business Intl Xurpas

High

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

0.128 0.128 0.128 0.445 0.430 0.445 10.42 10 10.38 0.910 0.840 0.910 0.187 0.180 0.187 1.23 1.22 1.22 1.96 1.89 1.92 1.28 1.27 1.28 4.9 4.8 4.81 0.110 0.103 0.107 0.3050 0.2900 0.2900 0.4000 0.4000 0.4000 7.37 7.29 7.37 29.50 28.20 28.70 1.68 1.67 1.67 3.35 3.25 3.25 20.65 20.30 20.50 0.75 0.74 0.74 7.15 7.15 7.15 7.020 6.840 6.990 SERVICES 6.44 6.85 6.44 6.52 61.5 62.15 61.6 61.6 1.19 1.15 1.15 1.15 0.630 0.640 0.610 0.610 13.56 13 13 13 9.21 9.40 9.15 9.29 0.0800 0.0840 0.0820 0.0840 3.4 3.57 3.39 3.43 88.9 89 87.9 87.9 9.64 9.7 9.7 9.7 6.30 6.29 6.08 6.08 2.73 2.73 2.73 2.73 990 989.5 989.5 989.5 2456 2510 2484 2500 6.36 6.36 6.26 6.30 1.31 1.31 1.26 1.27 110.5 111.8 110.6 111.1 12 12.2 12 12 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.205 0.218 0.207 0.215 1.4200 1.4600 1.3500 1.4000 2.35 2.2 2.48 2.21 9.40 9.62 9.31 9.60 2.56 3.27 2.70 2.90 1.28 1.28 1.16 1.26 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 47.50 47.50 47.50 47.50 0.690 0.690 0.690 0.690 2.03 2.07 2.03 2.07 5.44 5.73 5.44 5.7 0.320 0.315 0.310 0.310 0.490 0.490 0.465 0.475 18.84 18.84 18.16 18.84 3 3.25 3.25 3.25 108.00 115.00 109.00 109.00 18.90 18.90 18.26 18.90 2838.00 2868.00 2844.00 2862.00 0.640 0.640 0.630 0.630 1.340 1.480 1.350 1.440 36.00 36.90 35.50 35.50 70.50 72.00 71.50 72.00 8.48 8.62 8.48 8.57 0.64 0.65 0.62 0.64 1.79 1.79 1.79 1.79 5.17 5.26 5.18 5.18 0.325 0.325 0.320 0.320 2.250 2.320 2.170 2.300 MINING & OIL 0.0063 0.0064 0.0061 0.0062 5.84 5.98 5.84 5.90 0.225 0.225 0.225 0.225 0.89 0.88 0.85 0.85 0.79 0.78 0.75 0.76 6.80 6.82 6.52 6.72 1.43 1.48 1.43 1.48 0.310 0.320 0.305 0.305 0.219 0.219 0.216 0.216 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.014 0.015 0.014 0.014 3.14 3.24 3.18 3.2 10.7 11.18 10.88 11.18 3.69 3.69 3.62 3.65 0.6200 0.5900 0.5800 0.5900 2.0600 2.0600 2.0500 2.0500 0.0110 0.0110 0.0100 0.0110 4.34 4.41 4.10 4.20 5.78 6.000 5.780 5.97 1.69 1.770 1.690 1.77 0.013 0.013 0.012 0.013 141.90 141.60 143.00 141.50 9.03 9.44 9 9.3 PREFERRED 61 63 62.55 62.65 528 529 529 529 520 525 525 525 6.39 6.3 6.3 6.3 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 113.5 112 111.1 112 1119 1120 1120 1120 1149 1149 1149 1149 1054 1050 1050 1050 75.4 75.95 75.4 75.95 88 88 87.5 88 WARRANTS & BONDS 3.800 3.950 3.700 3.880 SME 70 68 59.15 68 12.04 12.2 11.72 11.8 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 122.8 122.9 122.6 122.9

0.79 1.14 3.80 4.60 5.06 0.00 1.05 0.00 0.21 0.00 -1.69 1.27 1.24 1.41 -0.60 -1.52 0.99 0.00 0.00 1.60

470,000 170,000 3,448,800 1,747,000 1,480,000 154,000 28,317,000 176,000 17,838,000 1,500,000 80,000 20,000 99,100 3,255,200 147,000 121,000 8,624,600 115,000 4,000 4,489,700

1.24 0.16 -3.36 -3.17 -4.13 0.87 5.00 0.88 -1.12 0.62 -3.49 0.00 -0.05 1.79 -0.94 -3.05 0.54 0.00 0.00 4.88 -1.41 6.82 2.13 13.28 -1.56 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.97 4.78 -3.13 -3.06 0.00 8.33 0.93 0.00 0.85 -1.56 7.46 -1.39 2.13 1.06 0.00 0.00 0.19 -1.54 2.22

561,100 19,640 9,000 160,000 20,000 22,194,900 12,590,000 218,000 335,150 400 68,600 1,000 50 216,700 262,100 263,000 268,910 4,600 8,700,000 31,150,000 2,654,000 44,000 770,600 6,594,000 45,000 127,000 100 1,000 167,000 13,131,400 500,000 170,000 15,100 2,000 160 14,500 127,780 1,920,000 174,678,000 3,691,300 10,760 13,107,700 2,343,000 2,000 5,005,000 210,000 1,185,000

-1.59 1.03 0.00 -4.49 -3.80 -1.18 3.50 -1.61 -1.37 0.00 0.00 1.91 4.49 -1.08 -4.84 -0.49 0.00 -3.23 3.29 4.73 0.00 0.21 2.99

1,183,000,000 230,500 -17,588.00 410,000 119,100.00 4,565,000 119,100.00 238,000 4,000 -19,780.00 29,103,000 36,723,870.00 1,020,000 3,010,000 132,200,000 46,300,000 744,000 -466,200.00 3,283,400 8,537,896.00 136,000 -69,370.00 71,000 3,000 1,200,000 384,000 868,300 -6,489.00 789,000 -39,840.00 4,700,000 97,640 -1,892,203.00 262,100

2.70 0.19 0.96 -1.41 0.00 -1.32 0.09 0.00 -0.38 0.73 0.00

148,830 40 50 546,500 11,000 8,730 20,000 90 2,445 54,710 5,900

2.11

832,000

-2.86 -1.99

400 1,138,200

0.08

5,460

15,240,366.00 -662,500.00 -183,600.00 11,127,080.00 -4,074,390.00 -25,750.00 108,985.00 16,953,215.00 -67,200.00 64,071,680.00 -13,324,418.00 46,908.00

-17,858,430.00 -35,000.00 4,141,218.50 -161,425.00 -48,303,470.00 -1,590,306.00 -36,000.00 -321,700.00 -13,800.00 4,700.00 2,325,685.00 -78,680.00

5,238,004.00 31,000.00 75,500.00

83,160.00 75,048,610.00 22,401,150.00 -36,475,795.00 355,155.00 -31,001,268.00 -1,065,600.00 -17,782,036.00 -500.00

-8,137,248.00 -2,538,900.00

-3,016,503.50 -457,600.00

251,280.00

T op L oSerS

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,685.81 (up) 5.39 INDUSTRIAL 11,377.14 (down) 39.26 HOLDING FIRMS 6,799.24 (up) 14.82 PROPERTY 3,098.68 (up) 16.11 SERVICES 2,091.22 (up) 18.38 MINING & OIL 13,271.53 (up) 164.13 PSEI 7,559.04 (up) 20.28 All Shares Index 4,314.00 (up) 17.37 Gainers: 106 Losers: 62; Unchanged: 45; Total: 213

Close

0.127 0.440 10 0.870 0.178 1.22 1.90 1.28 4.8 0.107 0.2950 0.3950 7.28 28.30 1.68 3.30 20.30 0.74 7.15 6.880

T op g ainerS VALUE 1,651,392,919.286 1,862,953,681.38 1,987,866,000.42 1,000,856,472.46 1,855,499,073.17 121,760,711.889 8,494,593,867.106

Low

Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Liberty Telecom

2.90

13.28

Bright Kindle Resources

1.44

Phil H2O

4.4

10.00

Roxas and Co.

1.85

-10.00 -5.61

Keppel Holdings `A'

5

9.41

Omico

0.5900

-4.84

Paxys Inc.

3.25

8.33

Century Peak Metals Hldgs

0.85

-4.49

Chemphil

194.8

8.22

Pryce Corp. `A'

2.66

-4.32

Premium Leisure

1.440

7.46

Asian Terminals Inc.

13

-4.13

Jackstones

2.35

6.82

Da Vinci Capital

1.41

-4.08

MEDCO Holdings

0.420

6.33

Coal Asia

0.76

-3.80

South China Res. Inc.

0.72

5.88

DFNN Inc.

6.08

-3.49

Ever Gotesco

0.187

5.06

Acesite Hotel

1.15

-3.36

THURSDAY: JULY 16, 2015

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

Stock market rises for 5 day th

THE stock market rose for the fifth day Wednesday as investors trooped back to pick up blue chips that have tumbled last week at the height of the Greek debt crisis.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 20.28 points, or 0.3 percent, to 7,559.04 on a value turnover of P8.5 billion.

BDO Unibank Inc., the biggest lender in terms of assets, gained 1

percent to P105.

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., the biggest telecommunications firm, climbed 0.9 percent to P2,862, while rival while Globe Telecom Inc. advanced 1.8 percent

to P2,500.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which is into water and electricity distribution, toll roads and hospitals, rose 1.7 percent to P4.90, while DMCI Holdings Inc. of the Consunji Group increased 2.1 percent to P13.42.

The rest of Asian markets mostly rose Wednesday after data showed China’s economy grew more than expected in the second quarter, although Shanghai and Hong Kong

sank on fears the news will likely put off any fresh growth-boosting measures.

Investors are also awaiting testimony later in the day from US Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen on the bank’s plans for hiking interest rates.

Tokyo stocks edged up 0.38 percent, or 78.00 points, to close at 20,463.33, while Sydney climbed 1.05 percent, or 58.8 points, to close at 5,636.2.

Seoul gained 0.66 percent, or 13.68 points, to end at 2,072.91.

But Shanghai sank 2.40 percent and Hong Kong lost 0.41 percent in afternoon trade.

China’s National Bureau of Statistics said the world’s number two economy expanded 7.0 percent year on year in April-June, the same as the previous three months and better than the median forecast of 6.9 percent in an AFP survey of 14 economists. With AFP

PPA marks 41st Founding Anniversary MANILA, JULY 10, 2015—Taking off from its milestone last year, the Philippine Ports Authority is looking at sustaining the pace it has adopted as it transforms Philippine ports to world standards.

As it celebrates its 41st Founding Anniversary with the theme “Magkabalikat sa Pagsulong ng Ating Adhikain on 11 July 2015, PPA General Manager Juan C. Sta. Ana is encouraging the PPA Senior and Junior Executives to make a “one big push for 2015” and again try to find ways of providing excellent port services which correspondingly would result to increased customer satisfaction, port productivity and efficiency, and higher income for the organization.

The PPA Chief said that 2015 is another year for everyone to recharge and start a new and hopefully all-out extra effort that would create a multiplier effect on the country’s progress and growth and help the current administration leave a good legacy in terms of port operations.

The PPA has also lined-up several projects in compliance with the different international regulations that will take effect beginning the end of the year such as the Asean Economic Community, in which the ports will serve as major entry and exit points of commerce, trade and tourism for the members of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations. As of the moment, PPA is in the last stage of its initiatives in harmonizing its rules and regulations to guarantee the smooth implementation of the AEC at the end of this year particularly those policies related to Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Security.

PPA, through the guiding hands of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), is also in the process of privatizing several ports starting with the Sasa Wharf in Davao.

Considered the major gateway for the country’s fruit exports (particularly bananas) to the rest of the world, the privatization of the Sasa Wharf will allow the port to receive a major facelift that has been needed the past couple of years. The dilapidated state of the port has limited its operations in handling bigger cargo volumes and processing larger vessels, forcing cargo owners to transfer some of its operations to nearby private ports. However, with the privatization process already underway and is expected to be completed before the end of the existing administration, the port is anticipated to get back its glory days and will remain as Davao’s main gateway to the world.

The state-owned agency also continues to undertake Repair and Maintenance work of the 115 ports under its watch to make sure that they respond to existing economic times particularly on safety, security and convenience.

The PPA also continues to invest in its employees as it continues to transition to a “lean but mean” organization. Through partnerships with different globally-known training institutions and agencies like the World Maritime University, it is training junior and senior officers of the PPA for major aspects of port operations and maritime affairs.

“The Philippines, being a maritime nation, will benefit greatly in this endeavor particularly now as we bat to become one of the maritime superpowers in the world in terms of port operations, shipbuilding and manning and crewing,” Sta. Ana explained.

“With the current problem plaguing the Philippines in terms of its maritime schools and training institutes, tapping the capabilities of the WMU will greatly boost the competitiveness of the country’s seafarers in the world market,” Sta. Ana stressed. “I am therefore encouraging not only the government sector, but most especially the private sector to assess their current structure and see how they can accommodate the proposals of the WMU in terms of the education and training of their employees both off- and onshore.”

Sta. Ana adds, “This program for PPA senior and junior officers as well as other qualified personnel is expected to complement the succession plan for the next batch of PPA officers.”

Just recently, the PPA hosted a group of experts from the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Department of Transport in Port Policy and Administration in Papua New Guinea, also aimed at Capacity Development of all parties involved.

The agency is also elevating several projects from last year to this year in its bid to support the overall dream of the Government to promote the country as one of Asia’s cruise tourism hubs through the development of several cruise ports like Davao, Bohol, Boracay, Cebu, Manila, Puerto Princesa, Subic, and Zamboanga. It has also lined up various port programs for the development of cruise terminals. These include the Ports of Puerto Princesa, Currimao in Ilocos Norte and Catagbacan in Bohol Province.

“The administration of the Aquino Administration is coming to a close. Before it ends, we are proud to say that the Philippine Ports Authority has done its part in making trade and tourism vibrant again,” Sta. Ana said.

“We are encouraging those who are next in line to continue the progress and changes we already introduced towards the overall dream of the Philippines to become a maritime super power,” Sta. Ana added.

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Philam’s new fund. Philam Asset Management Inc. on Tuesday launched the Pami Equity Index Fund, which provides the public a chance to invest in the stock market with a

minimum investment of P5,000. The Fund will track the movement of PSEi, the 30-company benchmark index of the Philippine Stock Exchange. Pami expects the PSEi to hit 8,081 by end2015. Shown during the media launch of the Pami Equity Index Fund at Makati Diamond Residences are (from left) Philam Life’s head of equity fund management Eduardo Banaag Jr., Pami president Ferdinand Berba and Philam Life chief marketing officer Jaime Jose Javier Jr. RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ

Remittances rose 5.8% in May

By Julito G. Rada

MONEY sent home by Filipinos working Remittances in the first overseas grew 5.8 percent in May to $2.1 bil- five months climbed lion from $1.984 billion a year ago, amid sus- 5.4% to $9.9 billion. tained demand for skilled workers abroad, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Wednesday.

Data showed the growth in remittances in May accelerated from the 5.1-percent expansion registered in April.

This brought cash remittances coursed through banks in the first five months to $9.9 billion, up by 5.4 percent from $9.39 billion recorded in the same period last year.

“In particular, cash remittances from land-based [$7.5 billion] and sea-based [$2.4 billion] workers grew by 5.9 percent and 4.1 percent, respectively,” Bangko Sentral said.

Top sources of cash remittances were the United States, Saudi

Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong and Canada.

Personal remittances, which include non-cash items, rose 5.5 percent in May to $2.3 billion from $2.199 billion a year ago. This brought personal remittances in the first five months to $10.968 billion, up 5.2 percent from $10.428 billion a year ago.

“The continued expansion in personal remittances during the first five months was driven by stronger growth of remittance inflows from both land-

based workers with contracts of at least one year [5.9 percent] and sea-based and land-based workers with short-term contracts [4.1 percent],” Bangko Sentral said.

Preliminary report from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration showed total job orders reached 386,163 in the first five months. Of the total, 35.4 percent were intended mainly for service, production, and professional, technical and related workers in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Taiwan and the UAE. The continued efforts of banks

and non-bank remittance service providers to expand their international and domestic market coverage, as well as the introduction of innovations in financial products and services in the remittance market supported the stronger money inflows.

Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. earlier said the debt crisis in Greece would not affect the flow of remittances because the European country was not a primary source of money sent home by Filipinos working overseas.

Remittances fuel private consumption and one of the backbones of economic growth. Last year, cash remittances posted a record $24.308 billion, or 5.8-percent higher than $22.968 billion in 2013.

It also accounted for 8.5 percent of gross domestic product in 2014.

Bangko Sentral expects remittances to grow 5 percent growth in the whole of 2015.

RCBC’s first-half income climbed 25% to P2.5b RIZAL Commercial Banking Corp., a member of the Yuchengco Group of Companies, said Wednesday unaudited consolidated net income jumped 25.3 percent to P2.53 billion in the first half from P2.02 billion a year ago.

This translated into an annualized return on equity and return on assets of 9.3 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively.

“Clearly, RCBC is on-track.

We are advancing on all

fronts: from core lending to deposits to fee-based income.

We are pleased with our firsthalf numbers but we will continue to double our efforts in satisfying our customers and shareholders,” RCBC president and chief executive Lorenzo Tan said in a statement.

Net interest income reached P7.45 billion and represented 63 percent of gross income which increased 12.4 percent to P11.8 billion. The bank

achieved an annualized net interest margin of 4.2 percent, which remains one of the highest in the sector.

Core lending business was also sustained with loan book excluding interbank loans expanding 18 percent to P275.7 billion.

All market segments sustained their growth with average loan volumes of corporate, consumer, and SME increasing by 20 percent, 18 percent, and 30 percent, respectively.

Loans for small and medium enterprises comprised 12 percent of the bank’s total loan portfolio as planned. Meanwhile, microfinance lending through unit Rizal Microbank continued its consistent climb with outstanding loan portfolio increasing by 46 percent.

The interest income from the lending business contributed 83 percent of the total interest income of the bank.

Julito G. Rada

Splash’s income doubles to P93m

By Jenniffer B. Austria HOMEGROWN personal care producer Splash Corp. said Monday net income in the first half surged 133 percent to P93 million, on strong sales of beauty products.

Splash said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the growth in net income came on the back of stronger sales in personal care and food businesses as revenues from personal care business in the Philippines grew 17 percent while sales of personal care products overseas grew 19 percent.

Total food sales also increased 8 percent in the same period.

Splash said first-half gross profit climbed 20 percent to P1.1 billion from a year ago while first-half operating profit jumped 64 percent to P110 million.

Splash said stronger cash flows were made possible by higher sales and profits and improvement in working capital utilization.

Cash generated from operations in the first six months amounted to P416 million, or P74 million short of total cash generated in the whole of 2014.

Personal care flagship product Maxipeel, which increased its new-user base through new packaging and advertising, and SkinWhite, with strong consumer acceptance of its benefit of instant whitening, continued to sell strongly and maintained their dominance of the Philippine market.

T H U R S D AY : J U LY 1 6 , 2 0 1 5

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

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Bidding for P170-b rail opens

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE government on Wednesday opened the bidding for the largest rail project under the public-private partnership program.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the P170.7-billion south line of the North-South Railway Project became the agency’s “biggest project yet.”

The project will revive the oldest rail system in Southeast Asia, beginning with the Manila-Legazpi section plus additional branch lines spanning 653 kilometers.

“Rail systems are a driver for inclusive socio-economic growth. They encourage trade and business activity, and provide access to employment and educational opportunities. The PNR, once a symbol of the country’s economic progress, should be modernized into a safe, convenient, and efficient system by 2020,” he said.

The agency invited local and

international companies to participate in the auction. Metro Pacific Investments Corp., San Miguel Corp and Ayala Corp earlier expressed interest to join the bidding for the project.

A two-stage bidding process will be adopted, with the prequalification date targeted in the fourth quarter of 2015.

Opening of bids will be held in January 2016 and awarding in March 2016.

The winning bidder will operate, maintain and upgrade the south line for 34 years, including the construction period of four years Under the project’s terms, the winning bidder will take charge of designing, constructing, financing, operating and maintaining the 56-kilometer

commuter rail service, for daily riders on the Tutuban, Manila to Calamba, Laguna route and the 478-kilometer long-haul rail service, for travelers on the Tutuban, Manila to Legazpi, Albay route.

The long-haul service may also have the extensions from Calamba, Laguna to Batangas City and from Legazpi, Albay to Matnog, Sorsogon.

“This project will impact directly on a grassroots level. Those who have less in life, especially farmers and fisherfolk, will be given efficient means to expand their livelihood. This is our biggest project yet, and this is for those who need it most,” Abaya said.

Once the entire railway is operational in 2020, there will be 10 daily trips with seven train sets passing through 66 stations.

It is expected to yield a demand of 316,000 passengers a day in its opening year, and is projected to encourage around 44,000 public and private vehicle users to shift their commutes to the modernized railway.

Disaster preparation.

Metro Manila Development Authority and Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation teamed up to prepare for natural disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, conflicts and pandemics.

Shown during the signing of memorandum agreement at PLDT head office in Makati City are (from left) Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation president Rene Meily, Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino, PDRF chairman Manuel Pangilinan and MMDA undersecretary Corazon Jimenez.

Xurpas taps celebrities to form Xeleb

By Jenniffer B. Austria CONSUMER technology provider Xurpas Inc. has tapped four Filipino celebrities to form a new company that will develop and offer mobile games.

The new company called Xeleb Inc. is 67-percent owned by Xurpas, and 33 percent held by actress Anne Curtis, ramp model Isabelle Daza, television host Kim Atienza and sportsman/entrepreneur Erwan Heussaff.

Xeleb launched the first celebrity-branded game called “Anne Galing,” the first of many Anne Curtis-branded games, which is available on Google Play. Three more celebrity-branded games

will be launched in the latter part of the year.

Xurpas chief executive Nix Nolledo said the game could be downloaded on mobile phones for free but access would cost gamers P5 a day.

Nolledo said given the popularity of Anne Curtis and the pricing strategy for the game, Xeleb was expected to contribute to the company’s revenues.

“We were inspired by the runaway success of Kim Kardashian: Hollywood,” Xurpas chief operating officer Raymond Racaza said.

Kim Kardashian: Hollywood is a mobile game whose record-setting success created an entirely

new genre in casual games: the celebrity-branded game.

Launched in 2014, the game has been downloaded over 28 million times and played for over 11 billion minutes. Its success created a tentpole property for its studio, with various Kardashianbranded games now along the way.

“We view Anne, Isabelle, Kim and Erwan as tentpole properties.

We’ll build a constantly growing portfolio of games based on their celebrity brand,” Raymond said.

“The four celebrity shareholders will also help Xeleb expand its network of stars. Xeleb will own the celebrity games space,” Racaza said.

PH badly needs key economic reforms THE Philippines may not realize it immediately, but it cannot compete under a free regional trade regime, or in a single market called the Asean economic community.

Philippine lawmakers and President Benigno Aquino III have ignored economic reforms that can make it at par with the advanced economies of the Associ----------ation of Southeast Asian Nations. The local business community believes reforms must be done ASAP to prepare the Philippines for the AEC. Economist Gerardo Sicat, a former director-general of the National Economic and Development Authority and ex-World Bank senior executive in-charge of its Public Economics Group, said the Philippines could be one of the least prepared for the regional free trade.

“Those countries with the freest and most flexible policy mechanisms will gain the most, while those burdened with domestic restrictions will be slowed down by those restrictions since they could prevent or cause investments from happening,” said Sicat in one of his papers.

The former top economist said the Philippines has not acted on “the most difficult reforms” it needs to capitalize on the free trade regime that will usher under the AEC. “From personal observation, the most difficult reforms to undertake are often the last to be adopted,” Sicat said in an opinion essay. “I see that the main reforms we have to deal with [for instance, revisions of Constitutional economic provisions, labor market reforms, and investments in critical infrastructure] are stuck in Congress, in our own resistance, within the impasse of bureaucratic processes, and in the politics of wait—and—see.”

The Philippines, for instance, has lagged way behind its Asean neighbors—Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia—in the race for foreign direct investments, and is even having much difficulty keeping up with erstwhile tail-ender Vietnam.

The Philippine Business Group-Joint Foreign Chambers, whose members include 18 of the biggest and most active local and foreign business organizations in the country, has long urged the government to enact economic reforms to advance the Philippine economy.

SONA imperatives In a May 15 letter to President Aquino ahead of his final State of the Nation Address, the PBG-JFC listed eight proposals that require prompt executive action and seven more needing swift congressional approval to cash in on the “unprecedented improvements in competitiveness, attractiveness to investment, and overall boost in the Philippine image in the eyes of the international community.”

PBG-JFC’s proposals for Palace action, including the formation of a public-private energy council to solve the power crisis, reducing the Foreign Investment Negative List of industries where foreign participation is limited, and speeding up the implementation of critical infrastructure projects, are designed to ensure massive job generation, facilitate trade and boost competitiveness.

The business grouping highlighted the importance of Resolution of Both Houses No. 1, or RBH 1, authored by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., whose congressional approval “will encourage greater foreign investment as well as prepare the country for high-level plurilateral agreements, such trade as the Trans-Pacific Partnership.”

TPP is the centerpiece of the US trade agenda of the Obama administration.

“The Philippines possesses immense untapped potential that will be unleashed with the proper environment and policies in place,” said PBG-JFC in its latest letter to President Aquino. “It is our common position that the enactment and implementation of the above measures will accelerate the country toward the progressive nation we all aspire to become.”

Belmonte’s RBH 1 seeks to lift the 60-40 rule—the constitutional proviso requiring Filipinos to own at least 60 percent of local businesses and for their foreign partners to own a maximum of 40 percent—in the 1987 Charter.

The House failed to pass RBH 1 before Congress adjourned in June 12, but there is enough time for lawmakers to clear it in the third and final regular session. They have seven working months to pass the crucial bill from the time both chambers open in July until they close in February 2016 in time for the national elections campaign period.

With the fast-approaching deadline for the creation of the AEC by end-2015, Philippines Inc. president Antonio Lopa called on the Aquino administration to support the calls to amend the economic provision of the 1987 Constitution.

“By relaxing the limitations on foreign ownership, the Philippines will not only be able to participate in the TPP, but it will also be able to maximize its benefit from the Asean integration, and create much needed jobs for the Filipino people,” Lopa said.

“To realize inclusive growth, the country needs to further accelerate the velocity of growth by instituting a more open policy regime that nurtures a globally competitive investment climate that must be sustained beyond political timelines,” he said.

E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or business@thestandard.com.ph or extrastory2000@gmail.com

THURSDAY: JULY 16, 2015

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

Emperador’s 1 half profit to reach P3.3b st

By Jenniffer B. Austria

EMPERADOR Inc., the liquor unit of billionaire Andrew Tan, said Wednesday first-half net income may have reached P3.3 billion on softer liquor consumption.

Emperador did not provide a comparative net income figure in its disclosure to the stock exchange. A previous quarterly report filed by the company with the Philippine Stock Exchange showed net income in the first half of 2014 stood at P3.06 billion.

Emperador president Wiston Co said first-half revenues this year jumped 38 percent to P18

billion.

“Liquor consumption was softer in the first semester, but we expect a better performance in the second half of 2015,” Co said.

Emperador remains the market leader nationwide with a dominant market share of 50 percent.

Emperador in May launched Smirnoff Mule, which received a good consumer reception.

As part of the company’s strategy of introducing Whyte & Mackay products to the Asian market, the company is set to launch Andy Player whiskey in the early part of the fourth quarter of this year, Emperador said it aimed to promote a whiskey segment in the spirits industry targeting the young sophisticated consumers.

Emperador in 2014 acquired Whyte & Mackay Group Ltd. and its subsidiaries for £430 million ($700 million). It also bought 1,000 hectares of vineyard in Spain from Bodega Las Copas and San Bruno.

Emperador has been diversifying and strengthening its liquor portfolio as part of a strategy to

double its net income to P11.6 billion by 2016 to 2017.

The liquor company in June said it submitted a bid to acquire 100 percent of French cognac maker Louis Royer from Japan’s Suntory Holdings Ltd. Emperador this year has earmarked P3 billion in capital expenditures, including P1.5 billion for Whyte & Mackay and P1.5 billion to expand domestic capacities, including the construction of new production lines in its facility in Sta. Rosa, Laguna and a new glass manufacturing plant in Canlubang.

It also plans to launch eight new liquor products in the market this year.

Development roadmap. The Stratbase ADR Institute put into focus the Philippine’s readiness to compete with the Asean economies during the third forum of its ongoing flagship project called a ‘Strategic Agenda for National Development: Breaking the Political Cycle.’ The output will be a body of papers envisioned to serve as a roadmap and guide for the next government on key political and economic issues. Shown (from left) are Kiko Magno, director of De la Salle University’s Jesse M. Robredo Institute of Governance and president of the Philippine Political Science Association; Cleo Calimbahin, executive director of Transparency International; Ramon Casiple, chairman of Consortium on Electoral Reforms; Danny Reyes, professor of the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance; and professor Dindo Manhit, president of ADRi.

Otto set to spud Hawkeye oil well

By Alena Mae S. Flores OTTO Energy Ltd. of Australia is set to begin next month the drilling of the Hawkeye-1 exploration well covered by service contract 55 off southern Palawan to unlock the country’s oil and gas potential.

Otto said in a disclosure to the Australian Securities Exchange it issued a notice to Maersk Drilling, one of the world’s largest offshore drilling companies, to mobilize the Maersk Venturer ultra deepwater drill ship in July 31 to spud Hawkeye-1 well.

“It is expected to take several days to mobilize, with drilling operations to commence upon arrival of the rig on location,” it said. Drilling is expected to take around 23 days from rig arrival.

“SC 55 is on trend with Sabah production and recent discoveries, although no wells have yet been drilled in SC 55...Success at Hawkeye-1 would prove a working petroleum system in the area that would enhance the prospectivity of surrounding prospects and leads in the block that provide considerable upside,” it said.

Otto expects the total drilling cost to reach between $30 million and $35 million. The cost could increase by $2 million to $3 million if the well encounter hydrocarbons, more detailed evaluation and well logging. Otto said it was fully funded to drill the well.

Otto signed a binding agreement with BHP Billiton Philippines Inc. in early 2014 to terminate the farmout agreement in SC 55.

BHP Billiton re-assigned a 60-percent working interest to Otto, increasing Otto’s working interest to 93.18 percent in SC 55.

The key terms of the agreement includes BHP Billiton’s payment of $3 million to Otto and $24.5 million more upon drilling the first exploration well.

Unreleased IRA: A Constitutional violation

IN 1987 the people of this country approved a Constitution that grandly proclaimed that “Congress shall enact a local government code which shall provide for a more responsive and accountable local government structure instituted through a system of decentralization,” that “each local government unit shall have the power to create its own sources of revenue and to levy taxes, fees and charges, consistent with the basic policy of local autonomy, [which] shall accrue exclusively to the local government” and that “each local government unit shall have a just share, as determined by law, in national taxes, which shall be automatically released to [it].”

In 1991 Congress enacted a Local Government Code that sought the local government unit’s financial resources (1) by broadening their taxing powers, (2) by providing them with a specific share from the national wealth (generated) in their areas and (3) by increasing their share of national taxes to a maximum forty percent.

Obviously, things did not work out well in the succeeding decade and a half, because on

January 10, 2012 the founder of PRIDE (Philippine Regional Investment Development Corp.) filed with the Supreme Court a petition for certiorari prohibition and mandamus seeking the automatic and full release of the LGUs’ share of the IRA (internal revenue allotment), which is their share of the value-added tax and other excise taxes collected by the Bureau of Customs for the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

The petition was directed at the Executive Secretary, the Secretary of Finance, the Secretary of Budget and Management, the National Treasurer and the Commissioner of Internal Revenue.

Word has it that the Supreme Court will issue a ruling on the petition in the near future.

PRIDE felt a need to file the petition because the respondents and their predecessors have not complied with the dictates of the Constitution and the local government code. The noncompliance dates all the way back to 1992, the year after the Code’s approval into law.

PRIDE places at approximately P600 billion the share of VAT and excise taxes not released to this country’s provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays from 1992 to 2012. Yet the Constitution speaks of the “automatic release” of such share.

The region’s respective shares in the unreleased total amount vary according to their size and their place in the nation’s economic structure. Predictably, the regions with the largest IRA receivable from the national government were those with the highest gross regional products, namely Region IV-A, the National Capital Region and Region IV-B. The figures were P84 billion, P48 billion and P37 billion, respectively.

In the NCR the cities with the largest IRA collectible from the national government were Quezon City (P8 billion), Manila (P5 billion) and Caloocan City (P5 billion). No NCR component had an IRA collectible lower than P2 billion. By any definition these are enormous sums.

The national government’s blatant violation of the “automatic release” provision of the Constitution and denigration of the Basic Law’s aspiration of local-government strengthening is appalling. It is truly surprising that prior to Hermilando Mandanas, a former governor, no one had taken the national government to court for its failure to heed the Constitution’s provision on release to the LGUs of their IRA. PRIDE has stepped into the breach.

It is offering its services to the LGUs in anticipation—not unreasonable under the circum-

stances--of favorable Supreme Court action on the Mandanas petition. In its mandate-seeking letter to the heads of the nation’s provinces, cities and municipalities, PRIDE, a member of the Investment Houses Association of the Philippines, speaks of “negotiating and assisting [the LGUs] in discussing with the national government and its agencies and instrumentalities the terms of the release of [your] IRA receivables.”

PRIDE offers the local government units a program called LEFDP (Local Economy Financial and Development Program). PRIDE undertakes to “[provide assistance] in the study and implementation of development projects that will enhance LGUs’ fiscal autonomy leading to inclusive growth.” For the needed funds PRIDE is looking to the GFIs (government financial institutions) and the multilateral financial institutions.

The LGUs and PRIDE are praying that the Supreme Court will decide Hermilando Mandanas’ petition against the national government. So should anyone who firmly believes that good governance in this country depends to a large extent on the LGUs’ fiscal independence and enhanced financial capability.

E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

t H u r s D aY : J u LY 1 6 , 2 0 1 5

WORLD

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

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Spacecraft survives encounter LAUREL, United States—An unmanned NASA spacecraft whizzed by Pluto, beaming to scientists a message that it survived its historic encounter before sending back the closest look ever of the distant dwarf planet.

After a 4.8-billion-kilometer journey that took nearly 10 years, the nuclear-powered New Horizons—about the size of a baby grand piano— snapped pictures of Pluto as it hurtled by on autopilot.

The photos will reveal details of Pluto never seen before in the history of space travel. The images are to be released by the US space agency on Wednesday, once they are downlinked from New Horizons.

New Horizons is moving faster than any spacecraft ever built, at a speed of about 30,800 miles per hour.

Some 13 hours after the flyby, applause broke out in mission control at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Center outside the US capital Washington, as the spacecraft made its “phone-home” contact with Earth and all systems were reported to be intact.

“We have a healthy spacecraft,” said mission operations manager Alice Bowman.

Success. Members of the New Horizons mission team wait for a press conference at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory on July 14 in Laurel, Maryland. The New Horizons interplanetary space probe reestablished contact with NASA after a safe “We are outbound from Pluto.”

The confirmation eased anxiety among scientists passage, completing its closest approach fly-by of Pluto and making the United States the first to explore the dwarf planet. AFP who were waiting all day to find out if the $700-million New Horizons survived the chaotic Kuiper Belt, the region beyond Neptune that Stern has described as a “shooting gallery” of cosmic debris.

NASA had said there was a one in 10,000 chance that the spacecraft could be lost, and all it would MEXICO CITY—Mexican drug lord 8:52 pm, without indicating how long it behind it.

“It’s a natural behavior for prisoners in take would be “a collision with a particle as small as Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman paced ner- took for prison guards to sound the alarm. vously in his cell before bending down beGuzman’s second escape from a maxi- a confined space for a prolonged time,” a grain of rice.”

The spacecraft passed 7,750 miles—or about the hind his shower’s short wall and vanishing, mum-security prison in 14 years is a huge Rubido told a news conference.

The government also showed a video distance from New York to Mumbai, India—from according to newly released security foot- embarrassment to President Enrique Pena age of his daring jailbreak.

Nieto’s administration, which had cel- of the 1.5-kilometer escape tunnel, which Pluto’s surface at 1149 GMT. While the video released late Tuesday ebrated the capture of the world’s most had a motorcycle rigged on a special rail “It is truly amazing that humankind can go out system with two metal carts in front of it. and explore these worlds. And to see Pluto be re- shows Guzman walking back and forth wanted drug baron just 17 months ago.

While a massive manhunt for Guzman Guzman exited at the other end of the vealed just before our eyes—it is just fantastic,” three times before crouching into the shower with his prison garb on, National entered its third full day, prosecutors tunnel, going up a ladder into a building Bowman said.

New Horizons principal investigator Alan Stern Security Commissioner Monte Alejandro formally detained 22 officials from the on a property surrounded by fields.

The moment guards noticed that said scientists can now look forward to a “16-month Rubido said it was normal behavior for Altiplano prison outside Mexico City amid suspicions of an inside job. Twelve Guzman was gone, they issued a red alert data waterfall” that will help scientists write whole prison inmates.

The small hole on the shower floor that others held since Sunday were released. via radio and the prison was placed on new textbooks about Pluto.

The two-minute video shows the di- lockdown, Rubido said.

“We have completed the initial reconnaissance Guzman slipped into late Saturday is not But prosecutors are investigating whether of the solar system, an endeavor started under seen in the close-circuit camera, which is minutive Guzman—his nickname means president (John F.) Kennedy more than 50 years monitored 24 hours a day. It also does not “Shorty”—apparently urinating before protocols were properly followed, he said.

Some 700 federal forces were deployed ago, continuing today under President (Barack) show the moment he takes off a monitor- walking toward his small bed. ing bracelet.

He goes back toward the shower, returns to the nearby highway, flights were susObama,” Stern told reporters.

A surveillance camera was on the top to the bed, and back to the bathroom, pended at the nearby Toluca airport and Obama cheered the mission on Twitter. alerts were issued to other airports.

“Pluto just had its first visitor! Thanks @NASA - corner of a wall outside the cell and anoth- bending down behind the wall.

Guzman then sits on his bed and Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio it’s a great day for discovery and American leader- er inside pointing toward the shower, but authorities said they had two blind spots changes footwear before heading back to Chong said that Guzman “must have” had ship,” the US president wrote. the shower for the last time and bending help from prison officials in his brazen esNever before has a spacecraft ventured into the to protect the inmate’s privacy.

Rubido said Guzman was last seen at down. A towel on the dividing wall falls cape. AFP Kuiper Belt. AFP

Footage shows drug lord’s escape

Australia’s iconic birds in decline

Breakfast. Muslims break their fast in the Aysha mosque in Stockholm

on July 8. Even though the sun only sets around ten o’clock in the evening in Stockholm this Ramadan, the men arriving at the city’s Aysha mosque recently to break their fast appeared more serene than famished. AFP

SYDNEY—The populations of some of Australia’s iconic birds— including the laughing kookaburra, magpie and willie wagtail—are in decline in parts of the country, according to a report released Wednesday, with habitat loss, feral cats and foxes among the likely threats.

The State of Australia’s Birds report, published by Birdlife Australia, was compiled using data from 420,000 surveys collected by volunteers across the continent since 1998.

“It’s a surprise that common birds that we see everyday like magpies or kookaburras could be in decline,” the editor of Australian Birdlife Sean Dooley told AFP. “It just goes to show you the value of large-scale, broad-scale systemized surveys because if

you were relying on the anecdotal evidence of bird watchers and other people, they’d be saying that, ‘no, of course magpies are still common’.”

The report was supported by the government and two universities.

Environment Minister Greg Hunt, who launched the report in Melbourne, said his government was targeting 10 species for “priority action,” including the helmeted honeyeater, hooded plover, plainswanderer and boobook owl.

“I want to bring these birds back far enough from the brink to survive in the wild long-term,” Hunt said in a statement.

“I want future generations to enjoy the color, movement and song they bring to our lives.”

The minister pledged Aus$100,000 (US$74,610) to-

wards a project to tackle the 90 percent plunge in plains-wanderer populations since 2001, and another Aus$40,000 to studying two hooded plover sub-populations on the New South Wales state’s south coast.

Two more birds, the orange-bellied parrot and the western ground parrot, as well as eight others yet to be identified, would also receive special support, Hunt added.

Ahead of the Threatened Species Summit in Melbourne on Thursday, Hunt said some of the key factors causing the population declines included habitat loss, feral cats and foxes.

Dooley said other causes could also be responsible and the report would strengthen the push to tailor conservation efforts to local threats and species. AFP

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ceSAR bARRioqUinTo EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

world

France leading oak barrel trade JONZAC, France—Crafted by artisans using high quality oak, “Made in France” wine barrels—in which age some of the world’s most expensive wines—are selling like hot cakes abroad, with exports making up 70 percent of the market.

The barrels house an elite club of wines, with only two to four percent fermenting in these prized oak containers. Other wines usually age in concrete or steel tanks.

While the barrel market dipped slightly in 2014 after 20 years of solid growth, the industry is still going strong.

“The barrel market has reached maturity,” said Jean-Luc Sylvain, who heads the French Federation of Coopers (Federation des tonneliers), or barrel makers.

For most manufacturers, it’s all about the wood.

One doesn’t necessarily have to be a wine connoisseur to know that the drink gets much of its flavor from the wood it is stored in—oak in particular.

“The key to the business is the selection of the wood,” said Francois Moriniere, director general of Oeneo, a company that produces barrels and casks.

That’s why coopers employ full-time wood buyers, an important part of the barrel-making process. These wood wizards crisscross the country in search of the perfect raw material.

“We work with French history,” said Gael Morrissonneau, buyer for French company Radoux, which controls about a quarter of the global barrel market.

One of the best woods to make wine barrels is sessile oak, dating back to the plantations started by JeanBaptiste Colbert, finance minister for France’s legendary king Louis XIV, initially to build ships. AFP

Festival end. Revelers raise red scarves and candles as they sing the song ‘Pobre de Mi’ to mark the end of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, Spain, early on July 15. The annual San Fermin festival is a symbol of Spanish culture that attracts thousands of tourists who witness as crowds of people risk their lives by running with half-ton fighting bulls through the streets of the northern city of Pamplona despite heavy condemnation from animal rights groups. AFP

Greece set to vote on bailout ATHENS—Greece on Wednesday geared up for a parliamentary vote on the draconian reforms demanded by eurozone creditors in exchange for a huge new bailout, just hours after a bombshell report from the International Monetary Fund criticized the deal.

The outcome of the crucial vote was far from clear after the IMF issued a stark warning that Greece would need far more debt relief to stop it crashing out of the common currency than European governments have so far been willing to contemplate.

The last-ditch deal struck Monday saw Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras agree to sweeping changes to labor laws, pensions,

VAT and other taxes—many of which had been rejected by voters in a public referendum—in exchange for new funds to keep Greece’s struggling economy alive.

The parliament in Athens must approve the deal before the 18 other eurozone leaders start negotiations over what Greece is to get in return: a three-year bailout worth up to 86 billion euros ($95 billion), its third rescue program in five years.

Under the new plan, the eurozone governments will contribute between 40 and 50 billion euros, the IMF will contribute another major chunk and the rest will come from selling off state assets and the financial markets, a European official said.

Tsipras has predicted “the great majority of Greek people” will support the deal, but admits he “cannot say with certainty” that it will be enough to stop Greece exiting the eurozone—a so-called “Grexit”—until the final bailout agreement is signed.

A senior IMF official also said the fund would only participate in a third bailout if its EU creditors produced a clear plan. The current deal “is by no means a comprehensive, detailed agreement,” the official said.

It was not the first time the IMF has urged greater debt relief. But political analysts questioned why the strongly-worded report— which creditors were aware of on Sunday, two days before it was published—appeared not to have been taken into account in the agreement.

The revelations put greater strain on Tsipras, who has been forced to turn to pro-European opposition parties to get the reform measures through parliament in the face of opposition from some 30 rebel lawmakers in his own radical left Syriza party.

The embattled premier said he took “full responsibility” for signing an accord he did “not believe in, but which I signed to avoid disaster for the country” as it teetered on the brink of economic collapse.

“A prime minister must fight, speak the truth, take decisions and not run away,” Tsipras said in an interview on Greek public television, when asked whether he would resign if the reforms fail to pass or he loses his parliamentary majority.

Tsipras ally Panos Skourletis, minister for employment, urged lawmakers to “vote for the bill”, saying the government would “reduce the painful consequences of this agreement”.

But Syriza’s hard-line leftists, lead by Energy Minister Panagiotis Lafazanis, were reported by Greek media to have decided not to vote for the measures but call instead for a return to the drachma.

Polls published late Tuesday by Kapa Research found 72 percent of Greeks surveyed thought the deal was necessary, with the majority blaming Europe for the “tough measures”, but many see it as a humiliating climbdown for a country still reeling from years of painful austerity. AFP

4 years jail for Nazi bookkeeper LUENEBURG—A German court Wednesday sentenced a former Nazi SS officer known as the “Bookkeeper of Auschwitz” to four years in jail, in what was expected to be one of the last Holocaust trials.

Bastille Day celebrations. Fireworks light the skies above the Eiffel Tower in Paris on July 14 as part of France’s annual Bastille Day celebrations. AFP

Oskar Groening, 94, sat impassively as judge Franz Kompisch said “the defendant is found guilty of accessory to murder in 300,000 legally connected cases” of deported Jews who were sent to the gas chambers in 1944.

Groening served as a bookkeeper at the death camp in Nazioccupied Poland, sorting and counting the money taken from those killed or used as slave labor, collecting cash in different European currencies, and shipping

it back to his Nazi bosses in Berlin.

The sentence was longer than the three and a half years prosecutors had demanded in the court in the northern city of Lueneburg, which has been hearing the case since April.

Groening had on Tuesday seized a last opportunity to address the judges and said he was “very sorry” for his time stationed at the concentration camp, telling them that “no one should have taken part in Auschwitz.”

“I know that. I sincerely regret not having lived up to this realization earlier and more consistently.

I am very sorry,” he said, his voice wavering.

A group of Holocaust survivors said in a statement released after

the verdict “we welcome the conviction of Oskar Groening,” calling it a “very late step toward justice”.

Groening had testified in April and again this month that he was so horrified by the crimes he witnessed at the camp after his arrival in 1942 that he appealed three times to his superiors for a transfer to the front, which was not granted until the autumn of 1944.

Groening has acknowledged “moral guilt” but said it was up to the court to rule on his legal culpability seven decades after the Holocaust.

Some 1.1 million people, most of them European Jews, perished between 1940 and 1945 in the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp before it was liberated by Soviet forces. AFP

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TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR

BING PAREL

A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

BERNADETTE LUNAS

life @ thestandard.com .ph

WRITER

@LIFEatStandard

W EL L BEING

LIFE

A PLACE IN THE SUN ANA WARREN GONZÁLEZ

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or a developing country that’s still trying to surmount economic challenges, this is a rather ironic reality: We have the highest electricity rate in Asia and we are charged exorbitant fees for a basic necessity we apparently can ill afford.

Good thing then that the government has placed its support behind renewable energy initiatives, positioning the Philippines as a world leader in the technology with 30 percent of its power generation supported by the renewable energy sector. Looks like there’s hope on the horizon: the day will come when we spend more on ourselves than on our electricity bills.

THE BLACKS IN THE SUN

Impossibly tall siblings Alex and Sara Black have begun Yes! Solar Cleantech – the local dealership for US-based renewable energy firm Yes! Solar Solutions. During his apprenticeship at non-profit Californian firm GRID Solutions, Alex discovered firsthand how transformative solar power is. “(Filipinos) have gotten so used to the traditional way of implicitly accepting a system where we never had a choice as to where our electricity would come from. We would walk into a home and plug in all our appliances and equipment only knowing that electricity came from somewhere, somehow.”

Dissatisfied with the status quo and recognizing that there were solutions readily available, Alex turned to his sister with a proposal: Change the way that future generations consume electricity.

Sara, recognized as one of the country’s most amazing professional photographers, exclaims, “I immediately loved all the

possibilities I saw for the product in the Philippines, given how abundant sunlight is here. I immediately told Alex, YES! I am in.”

VALUE-DRIVEN

the recent movement of sustainable lifestyles.

“I’ve been on this journey of wanting to live more consciously, starting with the way I consume food, how I nourish and exercise my body, how I have been developing my spiritual awareness. This technology just gives me another avenue to be more mindful about how I consume and waste, what my individual participation is in the world.”

The backbone of Yes! relies on the values that support the siblings, and their shared vision for the future of the nation. Alex’s vision is massive and worldwide.

He quotes Pope Francis’ latest enc yclical, (Filipinos) have gotten Laudato Si, in which so used to the traditional MONEY OUT, BENEFITS IN His Holiness addresses way of implicitly climate change: “(The This re n e w abl e accepting a system encyclical) stressed energy stuff is a bit where we never had a that developing nations of a Catch-22. Lots choice as to where our such as the Philippines of people are wary to electricity would come stand to be the most invest in it because from. We would walk affected by climate of the steep initial change because of our investment. The into a home and plug in large dependency on developing world all our appliances and our natural reserves equipment only knowing needs renewable and ecosystemic more than that electricity came from energy services such as ever to reduce carbon somewhere, somehow.” emissions and to agriculture, fishing, and forestry.” It’s a fact: cease the reliance on renewable energy will diminishing fossil help address climate fuels – yet by the change. The Philippines nature of our economic is so battered and bruised by mutable weather situation, we’re hard-pressed to afford it. conditions – climate change is something we The siblings point out however that solar all need to think about. technology is the most affordable way to Sara’s values are more close to home. address renewable energy – and the easiest “Participating in solar energy helps each one way for each individual to participate in the of us to positively impact the environment initiative to save Mother Earth. by lessening our carbon footprint. Our vision To participate individually in the change is to create a community of people who live that impacts a nation – this is indeed a consciously, waste less, and gain more.” In worthwhile cause – and empowering indeed. fact, Sara connects the technology of Yes! to Put it this way: We invest in our appearance,

our businesses, in people we care about.

We spend money on self-beautification, on commerce, on our loved ones. We might as well spend money on the planet as well.

As their website proclaims, Yes! is all about clean air – clear conscience. It’s been said so many times that it has become cliché, but it still rings true: We really all have a part to play in saving Mother Earth. It’s not enough to expect your neighbor or your government to do something about it; the change starts from within. As with all positive change, it rebounds back to you as well with tangible benefits.

For more information visit www.yessolarphilippines.com

Sara and Alex Black

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

Amazing Me:

A yoga book for kids

W

e all know that it’s never too early to get your kids reap the benefits of yoga. But it can be challenging to get a kid interested in learning it. “Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor hips distance apart. Listen to your breathing and observe the cycle of breathing…” This may seem confusing to a kid trying to learn a thing or two about yoga. You might hear them giggle because they don’t understand, while some might chuckle not about the lesson, but because their interest is caught by something else.

Imagine storytelling and play as a means of getting the kids to engage and learn, with mooing and other sounds that make lessons more fascinating. Nica Hechanova, a certified yoga teacher for eight years, graphic artist, illustrator and founding member of Kids Yoga Philippines, created a book that will cater to children aged 3-12.

Amazing Me is a book that captured Hechanova’s way of teaching yoga to kids as an imaginative and playful story.

“High, higher, I soar! I am an eagle! My arms are wings I spread wide, I glide slowly down, I am light.” It is easy to imagine how a child will respond to these words. The verse spoke of the pose “Standing Forward Bend.” In the book, it is illustrated with colorful clouds, the sun, an eagle gliding, and a kid doing the yoga pose.

The book can be used by parents and teachers to engage and connect with kids. “Amazing Me inspired me to incorporate yoga in the classroom.

My kids love copying the poses because they feel challenged. Guided by adults, they feel like experts, “ says Rodita Lemon Salonga, an international school teacher for Lower School.

Amazing Me is composed of 11 yoga poses that are easily interpreted to kids via fun descriptions and colorful grahics. At the back of the book, parents and teachers can find a guide for getting into the poses.

Amazing Me is available at Urban Ashram Manila branches, BGC, Brixton Street in Kapitolyo, and at 6780 Ayala Avenue in Makati.

THE VITAMIN C THAT CARES Vitamin C is one of the most important nutrients the body needs as it aids in the growth and repair of tissues, helps in the healing of wounds and in strengthening and repairing bones and teeth. A child most especially needs Vitamin C not only for normal growth and development but also to boost immunity to illnesses.

H

Care-Cee is available in 30mL oral drops for infants and in 60mL and 120mL syrup for kids.

owever, not all forms of Vitamin C are suitable as some may cause a child’s sensitive stomach to become highly acidic, leading to an upset stomach or an even more serious gastric problem. Care-Cee in sodium ascorbate form is more gentle than Vitamin C in ascorbic acid form.

Sodium ascorbate is a buffered mineral salt of ascorbic acid, making it a good alternative especially for people experiencing gastrointestinal problems.

Compared to the more common ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate is a form of Vitamin C which is more bioavailable, meaning it is absorbed by the body well.

Sodium ascorbate may be beneficial in general immunity boosting as it helps ward off or prevent colds and

flu, assists in the healing of wounds, and aids the body in fighting infections without irritating the stomach.

Like any other Vitamin C supplements, sodium ascorbate is most effective in preventing or treating a deficiency of Vitamin C. It is still best to get Vitamin C naturally from fruits and vegetables, but taking a supplement ensures you meet your daily requirement.

Care-Cee is a proudly Filipino sodium ascorbate brand available in 30mL oral drops for infants and in 60mL and 120mL syrup for kids. Care-Cee is distributed by New MarketLink Pharmaceutical Corporation (NMPC) and is now available in all Mercury Drug outlets. For more information, call NMPC hotline at 836-5838.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

Quirino Avenue in Manila

Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City

@LIFEatStandard

Estrella Street in Makati

TREES IN THE CITY MAKE YOU HEALTHIER – STUDY It’s common knowledge that trees make the air and their general vicinity fresher, more beautiful.

But in highly THE GIST urbanized

BY ED BIADO d e n s e l y populated areas, there’s not a lot of them and we’ve always “paved paradise and put up a parking lot,” which results in the shrinkage and disappearance of green spaces. And if you need additional reasons to believe that we need more trees in the city, you should know that they may actually have a direct impact on your health and well-being.

Published in Nature.com’s Scientific Reports, new research from the University of Chicago, Indiana University, the University of Adelaide, the University of Toronto, the Institute of Clinical Evaluative Sciences and the David Suzuki Foundation found that people who live on city blocks with more trees are likely to be healthier than those who reside in neighborhoods with less trees.

The study took place in Toronto, Canada covering 530,000 individual trees planted on public areas and over 31,000 city residents.

“We find that having 10 more trees in a city block, on average, improves health

A tree-lined street in New York

perception in ways comparable to an increase in annual personal income of $10,000 and moving to a neighborhood with $10,000 higher median income or being seven years younger,” the researchers wrote.

Meanwhile, an 11-tree difference “decreases cardio-metabolic conditions in

ways comparable to an increase in annual personal income of $20,000 and moving to a neighborhood with $20,000 higher median income or being 1.4 years younger.”

Results “suggest that people who live in neighborhoods with a higher density of trees on their streets report significantly higher

health perception and significantly less cardiometabolic conditions.” To experience these benefits, increasing the street tree density by as little as four percent is hypothesized to be significant enough.

The paper acknowledges the “known” positive effects of trees in urban centers, such as improving air quality, reducing energy use for cooling and heating, and making the environments “aesthetically more preferable.”

It also cites previous research on the physiological and psychological restorative effects of exposure to green spaces.

It seems that planting more trees is a costeffective way to improve public health. Based on the findings, “improving health perception and decreasing cardio-metabolic conditions by planting 10 more trees per city block is equivalent to increasing the income of every household in that city block by more than $10,000, which is more costly than planting the additional 10 trees.”

Tree-lined streets and green spaces are common among Metro Manila’s gated communities, including Dasmariñas Village, Ayala Alabang Village and Forbes Park. But outside the subdivision walls, urban oases are hard to come by and the ones that remain are at risk of being completely annihilated. These include the Ayala Triangle Gardens, which tree population is set to be reduced once the northern part of the park gets turned into a mixed-use vertical development.

Bicolano fishers act to conserve tuna

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long the coast of Tiwi in Albay, a group of fishermen’s wives mend fishnets as they wait for their husbands to return. It is June, the season for yellowfin tuna.

The first of the bancas arrive, unloading a decent haul of pundahan or skipjack – small, striped tuna that have proven surprisingly resilient to commercial fishing. Others however return empty-handed while another disgorges a tub of galunggong or scad. Just one bankulis or yellowfin tuna has been landed, tipping the scales at 39 kilograms.

“The Lagonoy Gulf is the Bicol region’s richest tuna site – but it is heavily overfished,” explains Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources National Stock Assessment Project Head Virginia Olaño. “Two decades ago, fishers regularly caught large yellowfin. In 1998, a fisherman landed a 196-kilogram giant, as long as a car and fat as a drum. Now yields are waning and yellowfin average just 18 to 35 kilograms – meaning juveniles have replaced adults.”

Though yellowfin tuna are highly-prized, they are more than mere seafood. Top predators in the marine food chain, they maintain the balance between oceanic predators and prey.

“Today the Lagonoy Gulf’s most common fish are anchovies,” warns Olaño. “There aren’t enough predators to eat them – because we’ve eaten most of their predators.”

To stop overfishing and help manage existing tuna stocks in Bicol, the World Wide Fund for Nature, BFAR and the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries convened the first meeting of the Gulf of Lagonoy Tuna Fishers Federation, comprised of the coastal municipalities ringing the Lagonoy Gulf – 3,070-square kilometres of sea separating the Bicol mainland from the storm-swept island of Catanduanes. Over 500 people attended Bicol’s first large-scale gathering of fishers, held at the Lagman Auditorium in Bicol University’s Tabaco Campus.

“We’ve waited three years to formalize this federation, which covers 2,000 tuna fishers in the Lagonoy Gulf,” says BFAR Assistant Regional Director Marjurie Grutas. “GLTFF aims to synergize fisheries management while optimizing cooperation, knowledge-sharing and enforcement. We aim to eliminate illegal fishing, minimize the capture of juvenile tuna and drive commercial fishers away from municipal waters – the three leading causes of overfishing.”

Since 2011, WWF has been working to enhance yellowfin tuna management practices for 5,000 fishers in 112 tuna fishing villages around the Lagonoy Gulf and the coast of Occidental Mindoro.

WWF’s Public Private Partnership Programme Towards Sustainable Tuna has since organized tuna fishing associations in all 15 municipalities in the Lagonoy

Gulf, plus six LGUs in the Mindoro Strait. It spearheaded the registration and licensing of tuna fishers, vessels and gear to minimize bycatch and illegal fishing, deployed 1,000 plastic tuna tags to make the fishery traceable, and completed a series of training sessions on proper tuna handling to ensure that exported tuna continually meet international quality standards.

PPTST harnesses market power and consumer demand to promote sustainablycaught tuna and support low-impact fishing

The sigil of a jumping bankulis or yellowfin tuna adorns this little boy’s family boat. His future might very well depend on whether WWF’s work keeps these oceanic giants jumping. (Gregg Yan / WWF)

methods like artisanal fishing with handline reels – better alternatives to commercial tuna long-lines, which stretch up to 80 kilometres and are rigged with up to 3,000 baited hooks.

Today, about 52 percent of the country’s fish exports come from tuna, which buoys the lives and livelihoods of millions of Filipinos. WWF’s Global Oceans Campaign, Sustain Our Seas, builds on decades of work to rekindle the health and productivity of the Earth’s oceans.

Bankulis or yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) are the most highly-prized fish in Bicol’s Lagonoy Gulf.

A fisher shows off the lone, 39 kilogram fish landed in Tiwi. Classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as near threatened, yellowfin tuna sport metallic blue backs, golden flanks, silver bellies and bright yellow fins. (Gregg Yan / WWF)

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

THE 21-DAY SUGAR DETOX

Imagine yourself not having sweets for 21 days. That usually means just cutting down on chocolates, soda, pastries and fruit juice, right? The 21-day sugar detox is somewhat like that – but a whole lot more. product. Now, try to identify the rest of the ingredients. Can you pronounce most of them? You would be surprised that sugar can be known as cane juice, coconut nectar, dates, fruit juice, stevia, agave, barley malt, brown rice syrup, dextran, dextrose, diastase, ethyl maitol, lactose, levulose, maltitol, malt syrup, maltodextrin, sorbitol, treacle, xylitol, acesulfame K, aspartame and many other names.

Small changes like replacing soy sauce with coconut aminos or regular pancakes to special pumpkin pancakes will take place in your diet. Dining out will be a lot harder, and even the oils you consume are limited.

But it is all worth it.

FINE FETTLE

BY BUBBLES PARAISO

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ompletely cutting off sugar from your diet – even for just 21 days is quite a challenge. You are not allowed to eat not just the usual sweets but even your favorite fruits, except for maybe one green tipped banana or green apple a day, nothing more. It means scanning through all ingredient lists – even condiments like ketchup aren’t allowed.

In this journey, you will learn to identify all the different names sugar would hide under, and it is surprising how almost EVERYTHING we eat actually contains high amounts of sugar. To completely cut it off seems mad, but it is doable. The after-effect?

Not only are you a few pounds lighter, but you also feel better, and your taste buds are greatly affected, too.

How do I know this? Because I’ve done it. Before the sugar detox, I was already trying to cut down on my sweets. I’ve been drinking black coffee instead of my usual sugar-laden iced white chocolate mocha, eating dark chocolate instead of caramelfilled milk chocolate, munching on fruits instead of candy. But I wanted to go a step further. Fortunately, I found this book, The 21-Day Sugar Detox by Dianne Sanfilippo, which contains not just information about how to do the detox but recipes for what you can eat while on it as well. After scanning through it, I was more than happy to take on the challenge.

Unlike all other “detox” programs that you probably usually hear of, this one won’t stop you from chewing. It is a real food-based program that was designed to reduce or eliminate your sugar cravings. The three-week program focuses on quality food, and in the end it will change the way your palate reacts to food, particularly on how it perceives sweetness. I, for one, cringed at one bite of a chocolate bar a week after I did this detox. I simply could not take the sweetness anymore.

Aside from curbing your sugar cravings, this detox is a great jumpstart for a healthier you. Even without trying to, you will change the way you eat, and notice unexpected

THE DETOX

Even without trying to, you will change the way you eat, and notice unexpected changes such as increased energy, better focus or more restful slumber. changes such as increased energy, better focus or more restful slumber.

Studies claim that it takes 21 days to form new habits because the brain would imprint the patterns you do or choose as habits and therefore makes it easier for you to repeat them over and over. After having healthier food choices for 21 days, you wouldn’t even notice how greatly your food habits would have changed.

Ingredients from these products – barley, brown rice syrup, pancakes, sugar cane – are also known as sugar.

WHAT TO AVOID

Sugar is a sneaky little bugger. You’d be surprised as to how it hides itself. From natural sweeteners, naturally derived sweeteners to artificial sweeteners, all of these should be avoided like the plague. Check the ingredients list of the first package of food that you see. What are the first three ingredients? These three are usually the ones that have the highest volume in the

The 21-day sugar detox has three levels of detox, depending on your lifestyle. Everybody usually begins in level 1. On your first four days, you will crave, you will be hungry, you will feel weak. Keeping a journal and taking tabs on how you’re feeling on those three weeks will be very helpful. You will take supplements like L-glutamine to battle cravings and chromium to help your body regulate your sugar levels. Cinnamon will be your best friend, for it is a spice that tricks your mind that you are taking something sweet; brewed coffee mixed with cinnamon will be your new drink of choice.

You will want to quit. Lots of times. Your skin will break out, a sign that your body is letting out all the toxins you’ve accumulated over the years. And as you enter the final week of your detox, you will notice a spike in your energy. You feel better, lighter and happier. You no longer crave the food that you used to crave for. You will still want to quit, thinking you’re only short of two days anyway. DON’T. As you end the detox, you would be surprised at how fast 21 days went by, and without thinking about it, all your choice of sustenance has greatly changed for the better already.

I’ve done this detox once and I am planning on doing it again. It’s nice to have a support system when you do it, so I suggest logging on to Facebook and looking for the 21dsd groups that usually get together virtually from all over the world. Check out the website of the author for more information (www.balancedbites.com) and check the Internet for 21dsd approved recipes.

I’ve kicked my old sugar habits thanks to this detox. Are you ready to do that, too?

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @bubblesparaiso

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SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

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Jennylyn MerCado tOps the list

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By nickie Wang

ne by one, this year’s sexiest women voted by FHM’s loyal subscribers and readers sashayed on stage at the SMX Convention Center.

It was the annual FHM Philippines’ 100 Sexiest Women victory party.

The main event, touted as the ultimate viewing party, was supposed to begin at 8:30 p.m., yet program didn’t start until 10:15. Good thing, Dj Nina was playing a good mix of club, R&B and house music to entertain the already impatient crowd.

Around 40 sexy women, clad in colorful bikinis and other kind of wardrobe that left almost nothing to someone’s imagination, walked the ramp to the pleasure of ogling (and you bet, drooling, too) men who attended this year’s culmination of FHM’s sexiest women poll.

Completing the top 10 of this year’s sexiest list were Andrea Torres, Ellen Adarna, Sam Pinto, Solenn Heussaff, Angel Locsin, Jinri Park, Max Collins and Alodia Gosiengfiao.

Rachel Anne Daquis, the volleyball star from Far Eastern University and this year’s no. 8, was the only one in the event. She’s also one of the most applauded among those in the “Sexy Women” that night along with former Japanese adult film star Maria Ozawa and former sexy star Aubrey Miles (who said it would be the last time for her to walk on the stage for the FHM sexy women list). Well, if applause dictated who the winners were, those three were definitely the top 3.

An hour after the show began, the ambiance suddenly changed - the music mellowed down and the stage lights dimmed. Then,

male dancers took center stage and a familiar face emerged onstage. The woman clad in skimpy one-piece orange and pink bikini started singing Beyoncé’s “Crazy In Love,” the version we heard in 50 Shades of Grey. The stage lit up and revealed Jennylyn Mercado.

Following her sultry number, she lifted the mood of the crowd with an upbeat Jennifer Lopez’s song called “Booty.” As the confetti showered the stage towards the end of her number, the rest of the girls joined Jennylyn onstage. And that was it, the sexiest women in the Philippines parading for everyone to see.

FrOm victOry party tO BrO cOn The highly anticipated event known as the 100 Sexiest Victory Party is now an all-day event called FHM Bro Con. The men’s magazine describes it as a general men’s interest expo/convention.

The whole day event was open to all. The gates opened at 10 a.m. for the meet and greet with cover girls Diana Menesez, Meg Imperial, Maria Ozawa, and Valeen Montenegro. Bro Con attendees were also treated to live performances from Chicosci, Ebe Dancel, Spongecola, and Sandwich.

So, was the first FHM Bro Con a resounding success or at least lived up to expectations? By attendance and reception, the previous annual parties were better. The production numbers in the previous years were miles better, too. What the audience only wanted was just to have a good glimpse of the models, stars and celebrities they voted for. Apparently they didn’t have a “good glimpse” of them this year.

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1 This year's FHM sexiest women on one stage 2 Jennylyn Mercado receives here Sexiest Woman 2015 trophy 3 Brazilian model Daiana Menezes poses at the backstage 4 Aubrey Miles shows off her impressive curves in pink two-piece bikini 5 Ritz Azul (left) and Myrtle Sarrosa (right) join Jennylyn Mercado at the show’s finale 6 TV5’s Ritz Azul flaunts her killer curves 7 Strike a pose: this year’s sexiest women huddle onstage before fans and photographers for some sexy snaps 8 Bangs Garcia and Aiko Climaco in the show’s most applauded number

T HUR S DAY : J ULY 16 : 2015

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

Alex Gonzaga and Ejay Falcon star in new Wansapanataym episode

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M ALEx AnD EjAy in nEW TV PROjECT GLEnn REGOnDOLA Dreamscape Entertainment Television and ABS-CBN introduce Alex Gonzaga and Ejay Falcon as television’s newest pair. The two Kapamilya stars will star in Wansapanataym Presents: I Heart Kuryente Kid. At a press conference the other week, Gonzaga described her new leading man, “What’s good about Ejay is that he’s the quiet type. As you all know, I am very talkative so we complement each other. I’m pretty sure we will build good rapport.”

Gonzaga added she and Ejay live in the same village, so it would be easy for them to communicate and meet up when the situation calls for it.

Meanwhile, the former PBB

Teen Edition big winner expressed his excitement with his new project with Alex. He agreed that his leading lady is “very energetic, noisy, but really glad to be working with her.”

Apart from talking about the new show, Alex also took time in answering the issue that her career is going on a downhill race. Some people say that her last project on ABS-CBN, Inday Bote, suffered terribly in the ratings game.

“First of all, it’s my fans who reacted first because they were really affected. On my part, I trust Mommy, ABS-CBN, and of course, Dreamscape on their plans about my career,” she stated.

“I was actually touched by what Mother Biboy (Arboleda, Dreamscape Adprom Head) said that amid having many successful talents, they still consider me of one their babies,” she ended.

HHHHH When was the last time you cried? Probably, you would answer, “So long ago.”

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 41 42 43 44 47 51 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Cross the plate 6 United — Emirates 10 Masculine principle 14 Pika’s cousins 15 Travel document 16 NYC theater award 17 Demean 18 On a grand scale 19 Went in headfirst 20 Paper toy 21 Doesn’t lose (2 wds.)

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Bad guys Ms. Rubinstein Swimsuit half Middays Rousseau novel Outwitted London lav Maneuver slowly Lays asphalt — up (review) Eur. airline Boitano or Wilson

Karnak neighbor Office worker Humor Greek city-state Silent types Cherry cordial Layered cookie Boys’ school Wet down Foul-up Citrus fruit She, in Seville Ploys Garden dweller Good buy “Tosca,” for one

DOWN 1 Fountain treat 2 Cruise quarters 3 Give an address 4 Favor 5 WNW opposite 6 Confirms 7 Mellow 8 Three oceans touch it 9 Trench diggers 10 Calls from the Alps 11 Over and — 12 Filmdom’s Phileas Fogg 13 Davis of “The Fly”

But wait until you hear the jingle sang by Gary Valenciano entitled “Makakarating” and watch the video of Puregold’s “Pure Padala,” then you’ll end up crying a river.

The collaboration between Mr. Pure Energy and Puregold Price Club Incorporated President Vincent Co is one for the record.

Puregold has recently opened a remittance center that caters to overseas Filipino workers. Operation of the center has already started in the US, Singapore and Hong Kong.

“Senders are assured that the money they sent are allocated on the manner they want it to be spent by their family here in the Philippines,” Co explained.

Valenciano furthered, “During my concerts abroad, one of the issues OFWs usually discuss with me is the issue about their remittances being spent not on what they were intended for. That’s why, I have committed myself to be part of this campaign,” he said.

THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2015

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Maude portrayer Cellphone button Dander, plus Kim of “Vertigo” Water buffaloes Cartoon shriek “Bien” opposite Suffix for hero County event Bagel partner The Plastic — Band Donne’s “done” Pontificated Fasten (2 wds.)

Short orders?

Fleur-de- — Stretched to see Casper’s st.

Refine, as metal Terrace Pleasant smell “Kazaam” star Blank a tape Allude to The “March King” Pit “La — Bonita” Marquee notice of yore

illions of subscribers of Smart Communications (Smart) can now enjoy free access to one of the world’s most popular photo-sharing social media networks, Instagram, whenever they subscribe to top prepaid offers or the latest postpaid plans from the undisputed leader in mobile.

With the Free Instagram offer, Smart subscribers will be able to freely browse their Instragram feeds and upload their own photos and videos from their smartphones without additional data charges.

Prepaid subscribers will be able to enjoy free Instagram browsing and posting for up to 30MB per day with any popular prepaid promos that include All Text 20, Unli Call & Text 30, All in 99 and Mega 250, among many others.

Users who subscribe to any of Smart’s Surf Plus Plans, meanwhile, will instantly be able to enjoy the Free Instagram offer as part of their freebie app bundle for 30 days.

“More than just connecting, Instagram has allowed its users to give their friends and families a peek into people and the things they love the most—from the most vivid details of their daily lives, to the most exciting things that they are currently passionate about,” said Ariel P. Fermin, executive vice president and Consumer Business Group head at Smart.

“It’s more than just ‘sharing’, ‘liking’ or ‘commenting’—Instagram is giving Filipinos the chance to preserve their precious memories in visual form, and Smart is proud to provide access to all of these anytime, every-

where through our innovative mobile services,” Fermin added.

The Free Instagram offer comes on the heels of the company’s efforts to help its subscribers live the ‘Smart Life,’ which gives them access to the best digital services and most meaningful innovations that allow them to live out their passions in life.

The offer is seen to benefit the millions of Instagram users across the country, as well as those who have yet to try the app on their phones. Instagram is currently among the top five most used app by Philippine mobile users, according to the latest Ericsson Mobility Report.

It is the latest in the aggressive bid of PLDT’s wireless units to further grow its mobile data business, which in the first quarter of 2015 rose by 19 percent year-on-year, culling more than P2.2 billion in revenues during the period.

Smart’s mobile data traffic likewise increased by 188 percent during the same period, with subscribers exchanging more than 21 terabytes of traffic across the network fueled by pioneering offers such as the free Internet promo, which gave users 30MB of free mobile data everyday.

With the Free Instagram offer, Smart is continuing to enable Filipinos to enjoy entertainment everywhere through their mobile devices, with the help of other game-changing partnerships and services through iflix, FOX, SPINNR, and YouTube, among many others.

For more information on Smart’s Free Instagram offer, visit smart.com.ph/pages/freeinstagram.

T HUR S DAY : J ULY 16 : 2015

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

TV5 President and CEO Noel C. Lorenzana accepts Mansmith Market Masters Award

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MaNsMiTH MarkeT MasTers award for TV5 ceo

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V5 President and CEO Noel C. Lorenzana was recently honored at the first Mansmith Market Masters Award (MMMA), which acknowledged him as a visionary and a brilliant “ideas person” who has influenced people not just as a marketer but, more importantly, as a leader.

The first and only recognition for senior marketers based not just on corporate performance but on mentoring Mansmith Young Market Masters Awards (Mansmith YMMA) winners, the MMMA honors marketers that excel in marketing, sales, entrepreneurship, and whose achievements encourage and inspire young people to be innovative entrepreneurs and outstanding brand builders.

The TV5 top executive was nominated for the MMMA by his mentee Gladys Chan, who is a Mansmith YMMA awardee herself. During the awarding program, he was introduced by another one of his mentees and also a Mansmith YMMA awardee, Jane J. Basas, who described him as “the man behind many great marketing campaigns such as Rexona’s First Day Funk, Close-Up Lovapalooza, Dove’s Real Beauty, Smart’s Live More, Talk ‘N Text’s Araw-Araw Panalo and, most recently, TV5’s Happy Ka Dito.”

“A master is not only someone who is a genius in his field, but is someone who advances the art by dutifully teaching his pupils so that further genius can be developed.

And [Noel Lorenzana] has certainly done so, possibly having mentored the most number of YMMA awardees,” Basas emphasized.

Lorenzana’s marketing prowess and leadership skills combined have allowed his companies to make great strides toward a sustainable future. “I have always believed that great, respon-

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sible marketing can be a force of good in creating products and services, brand philosophies and points of view that have the power to change and improve people’s lives,” Lorenzana said in his MMMA acceptance speech.

He stressed the need for marketers to be mentored to become students of life, “to be curious about the world, and to learn about people and what motivates them, to be able to listen not to what people are saying but rather to what they are not saying.” He concluded his speech by describing the best marketers as “those who lead without titles but rather lead with inspiration of a vision for the consumer, the organization, and the team pushing the envelope.”

In celebration of Mansmith Young Market Masters Awards’ 10th year and Mansmith and Fieldes, Inc.’s 25th year, Mansmith continues its thrust of building a supportive environment in the marketing community by recognizing extraordinary marketing mentors who foster the spirit of excellence among the next generation of marketers.

HHHHH Happy Truck Ng BayaN wiNs jackpoT prize A month after its pilot episode, TV5’s “happiness-on-wheels” Sunday noontime program Happy Truck Ng Bayan is still nonstop when it comes to spreading cheer and happiness all over the country. On July 12, another contestant bagged the jackpot prize.

Aldrin Santos of Commonwealth, Quezon City brought home his total winnings of P225,000.

Before moving up to the “Kwartruck” segment, Aldrin was hailed “Barangay Most Wanted” after outwinning 150 of his neighbors.

Instrumental to Aldrin’s success was Happy Truck Ng Bayan’s

resident hunk actor Derek Ramsay who led him to the lucky capsule containing the jackpot prize.

Since Derek “feels responsible” for the fate of Aldrin and his wife after the contestants followed his advice in which capsule to pick, Derek joined Aldrin and his wife inside the capsule, so that whatever falls on the couple falls on him too. But to everyone’s surprise, it turns out the jackpot was right there all along.

Avid fans of the program noted that Derek has been quite lucky when it comes to guessing and picking the right capsules containing the jackpot prize. During the pilot episode of the show, Derek pointed to Gelli De Belen’s capsule and, true enough, it had the jackpot. Unfortunately, the contestant didn’t follow his advice. The first jackpot winner, Prince from San Juan City, ended up choosing Derek’s capsule, which also led him to the grand prize.

Meanwhile, hunky construction workers packed with wit and talent were in the spotlight as the show launched its newest hit

segment – “O.C.W. (Ooooh Construction Worker!)”

The personality search became an instant hit among audiences at the barangays and netizens.

“O.C.W.” made a buzz online as the hunky construction workers showcased their sexy grooves and proved that they’re more than right for the job.

Those who want to audition for “O.C.W.” can go to TV5 Novaliches in Quezon City, or send their photos and contact information to Happy Truck Ng Bayan’s Facebook account: http://facebook. com/HappyTruckNgBayan Don’t miss the ‘happy journey’ and join Ogie Alcasid, Janno Gibbs, Gelli De Belen, Mariel Rodriguez-Padilla, Derek Ramsay, Jasmine Curtis Smith, Empoy, Tuesday Vargas, Kim Idol, Eula Caballero, Ritz Azul, Alwyn Uytingco, Martin Escudero, Tom Taus, Toni Aquino, Vin Abrenica, Sophie Albert, Chanel Morales, Akihiro Blanco, Shaira Mae, and Mark Neumann in Happy Truck Ng Bayan every Sunday, 11:30 a.m,on TV5.

Derek Ramsay with the jackpot winner and wife

The country’s King of pay television Cignal TV never fails to offer unsurpassable deals to new subscribers with its widest selection of channels.

Cignal announces that starting July 2015, your family gets a passport to a more rewarding viewing experience for a very low initial cash out of only P 1,600.00 upon installation (P600.00 activation fee and minimum of P1000.00 installation fee) – applicable to all Cignal Postpaid HD Lite Plans from Plan 290 up to Plan 1, 590. So there’s no reason to wait anymore for that new viewing experience that the entire family can enjoy.

New Subscribers can avail of Cignal’s hard to beat Postpaid Plan 290 for only P290.00 per month where families can enjoy five channels in High Definition including HBO HD, Star World HD, Cartoon Network HD, Outdoor HD and Colours HD. For this unbeatable special rate, new subscribers also get to watch 40 premium Standard Definition (SD) channels like CNN, Star Movies, Disney Channel, AXN, Discovery Channel, Pinoy Box Office (PBO), MTV Pinoy, Basketball TV and more.

Cignal also has great news to NBA fanatics. NBA Premium HD is now available in Cignal’s Postpaid Plan 490.

For only P490 per month they can get updates and watch their favourite NBA teams.

Unlike other providers, with Cignal, you don’t have to pay extra charge to get your most favorite sport channel. NBA Premium HD is already included in the channel line up starting at Postpaid Plan 490, which has 50 SD channels and 12 HD channels including Fox Movies Premium HD, Disney XD HD, CNN HD, Fox Sports 3 HD, among others. Nothing like this has ever been offered before; which surely makes switching to Cignal much more attractive when you compare it in terms of price and quality of service to other pay-TV service providers at present.

This special promo runs from July to October 2015 only and initially available to residents of Greater Manila area including Rizal, Batangas, Laguna, Cavite, Pampanga and Bulacan; Metro Cebu; Metro Davao; Baguio; Bacolod; Iloilo; and Cagayan de Oro. For particulars, visit www. cignal.tv today and see how Cignal is making your television a “wow” experience once more.

T HUR S DAY : J ULY 16 : 2015

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ The Frank FaCT: SalvagIng For art ISAH V. RED It’s in his laid-back, subtle fashion sense (and probably the way he can pull off super tight skinny jeans) that Kapuso star Frank Magalona is drawing lots of curious eyes from anyone who comes across his way.

He translates his creativity in the way he carries himself and the mystery in his eyes compels you to find out about him a little more.

Francis Michael Magalona Jr., or simply Frank, is the eldest son of OPM legend and Master Rapper Francis Magalona. His creativity came out naturally since he grew up in a family of artists. Graduating from the College of Fine Arts, University of the Philippines in Diliman, Frank admits that his passion was not fully developed until he was already in art school, where he discovered his own style of self-expression.

Another thing to know about Frank is that, as an artist, he likes to work with paper and other planar objects. His undergraduate thesis, a collage made entirely of old newspapers, cartons, and other discarded materials—put together with the help of his family and friends, was borne out of his family’s past dependency on shopping and impulse buying. “All the pieces were authentic and actually came from our household,” shares the Kapuso actor.

As he tries to adopt a more frugal lifestyle, he now tries to use salvaged materials in his art and transforms them into functional masterpieces. “One day, I was forced to move out of the place that I used to stay in and relocate. I spotted these railroad ties at a gardening shop and turned them into a bed because I didn’t have one. I didn’t have a closet too so I used corrugated galvanized iron sheets to build one,” Frank recalls.

Frank is happy that has found his own identity as an artist, and his family has always been supportive of his journey. Being co-managed by his mother Pia Magalona, he has the motivation to explore different avenues for his expression. Since he entered show business, he has been part of several Kapuso teleseryes including Blusang Itim, Kung Aagawin Mo Ang Langit, Spooky Valentine, My Beloved, Hindi Ka Na Mag-Iisa, Mundo Mo’y Akin, Rhodora X, Yagit, and Once Upon A Kiss. After years of honing his talent and developing

his craft, Frank has recently added ‘brand ambassador’ to his resume.

His upcoming project as a brand ambassador is a pop-up bar that will reveal his creativity as an artist. For a short time this month, he will be introducing The Mind Fact, a hang out place where one can enjoy creating his own drink.

“I like experimenting whether in art or in my daily life so my pop-up [bar] is inspired by a chemistry lab.

Every night is also an experiment for the bar-goer who likes drinking. In my pop-up, you have the option to mix my delicious black drink called “Kolor Proof ” using test tubes and beakers filled with high quality alcohol and other fresh ingredients. I also like music, and in my bar, you can produce your own beats using actual deodorant spray cans. It’s the kind of place to have interesting conversations. This man likes to think, and on that night, he invites you to step inside his world,” he explains.

True enough, something within him keeps others intrigued as his cool, languid gaze can breathe life to the common phrase, ‘the eyes are the windows to one’s soul’.

Visit the Kapuso actor’s pop-up bar and have the chance to experience his art on July 22 at the Mind Museum.

HHHHH IntroducIng ManIla under FIre Manila Under Fire is a new progressive rock band from the southern side of Metro Manila. The band’s current members are Gab Gamboa (vocals), Gino Tambuatco (guitars), Nikos Kaziras (drums), and Bigs Villaseñor (bass). Together, they bring a variety of sounds and influences to the band’s music, incorporating genres such as jazz and post-hardcore.

The band’s unconventional name comes from an article written about Manila’s history. And at one point it was under fire. So when Gino read the sentence about this to Nikos after much frustration deciding on a band name, Manila Under Fire stood out and it stuck as the name.

After a few years (and a few lineup changes), the band hit a break when it auditioned for Red Horse Muziklaban, and with unwavering determination emerged victorious as the 2014 Red Horse Muziklaban grand champion. After they won, they partnered with Red Horse and MCA Music (internationally known as Universal Music) and recorded and released their self-titled first full-length album.

And now with sheer de-termination, and their sup-port from Red Horse and MCA, they are poised to take over the Philippine music scene. Armed with their unique musical sensibilities and relentless energy, Manila Under Fire is the lovechild of chaos and harmony. Blazing a trail all across the Philippines (someday perhaps the world), Manila Under Fire is sure to move you.

Manila Under Fire’s debut album is now out under MCA Music on CDs at Astroplus and Odyssey outlets, through digital downloads via spinnr.ph and iTunes and streaming also at spinnr, Apple Music, Spotify and Deezer.

For bookings and inquiries, please contact Sammy Samaniego at +632 9162504 local 107, +639209682991, +639178565174 or email sammy. samaniego@umusic.com or mcabookings@umusic.com. ➜ continued on c7 Manila Under Fire debuts as a recording band

Frank Magalona is the featured artist in the upcoming pop-up bar