The Standard - 2015 August 12 - Wednesday

VOL. XXIX NO. 182 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 wedNeSday : auguSt 12, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Court lets GMA visit wake of elder brod

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RoxAs, GRACe vie foR npC suppoRt

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) played it safe Tuesday by setting up separate meetings with two presidential contenders in one day—Liberal Party (LP) bet and Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II at lunch and independent Senator Grace Poe accompanied by Senator Francis Escudero in the evening.

NPC stalwards Reps. Mark Llandro Mendoza of Batangas and Mark Enverga of Quezon confirmed that the lunch meeting was initiated by the Roxas camp amid reports that some members of the NPC were inclined to support Poe if she runs for the presidency next year.

“Secretary Mar Roxas was specifically asking us to support him,” Mendoza said. But he said he would

respect the party’s final decision.

“At the end of the day, it is still the party decision that shall prevail.

We will abide by the party decision,” Mendoza said.

NPC officials were set to meet with Poe and Escudero at the New Manila residence of NPC chairman emeritus Edurardo Cojuangco Jr. An administration ally privy to LP meetings with its coalition partners said that the two meetings showed

that the NPC was still undecided about who they would support for the 2016 presidential election.

The source added that the party would likely come out with a decision

by December.

Earlier, NPC president and Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao said most of the members of the NPC were all for a Poe-Escudero ticket in 2016. But some NPC members contested Aggabao’s claim.

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Wooing the NPC. Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II and Senator Grace Poe gesticulate in file photos, while inset shows Roxas meeting with congressmen and other key officials of the Nationalist People’s Coalition on Tuesday. MaNNy PalMero aNd ey aCasio

‘2016 budget will still allow banned DAp practices’

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Let’s ride the MRT, critic dares Abaya retaries. We will be together with the commuters who line A SPOKESMAN for Vice up during rush hour,” said BiPresident Jejomar Binay dared nay’s spokesman for political Transportation Secretary Jo- affairs, Rico Quicho.

Quicho also asked Abaya seph Emilio Abaya Tuesday to ride the MRT-3 with him to explain the department’s “multidisciplinary” approach for a week during rush hour.

“No security, no undersec- to solving the MRT’s probBy Vito Barcelo

lems, which include a lack of trains, frequent breakdowns and dilapidated stations.

Abaya rode the MRT on Aug. 14 last year amid growing criticism of its service, but did so in the train reserved for women, senior citizens ad persons with disability. Next page

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‘Budget to continue DAP methods’

By Christine F. Herrera

THE 2016 national budget proposed by President Benigno Aquino III will let him continue impounding public funds and declare the as savings, much in the same way he did with the now-illegal Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), an opposition lawmaker said Tuesday.

Future leaders. Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez join student leaders in a selfie after the celebration of the Quezon Province Youth Convention at the Quezon National High School in Lucena City. Ver NoVeNo

Roxas From A1...

Mendoza earlier slammed the effort of Roxas’ mother, Judy Araneta Roxas, to woo support for her son from non-profit, charitable and nonpolitical groups such as the Congressional Spouses Foundation Inc. Mendoza said members of the CSFI were being invited by Mrs. Roxas to a lunch Wednesday at Gloria Maris, the same venue where allies of Roxas gathered last week to show their support for the administration bet.

Aside from Mendoza and Enverga, other NPC members who joined the meeting with Roxas were Reps.

Scott Lanete of Masbate, Victor Yu of Zamboanga del Sur, Susan Yap of Tarlac, Pedro Acharon Jr. of South Cotabato, Jorge Arnaiz of Negros Oriental, Aristotle Aumentado of Bohol, Evilio Leonardia of Bacolod City, Henry Pryde Teves of Negros Oriental, Mercedes of Negros Occi-

Let’s ride From A1...

The MRT carries up to 560,000 commuters a day, but is rated for only 320,000 passengers.

“Abaya’s highfalutin multidisciplinary approach to the MRT-3 maintenance, simply put, means more of the same corruption and ineptitude. And the number one beneficiary is the same company owned by a Liberal Party man,” Quicho said.

Quicho also slammed the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) for taking the services of seven contractors to operate and maintain specific components of the MRT 3.

Abaya said the contracts cover seven components: rolling stock; power supply; tracks and permanent ways; the automated fare collection system; communications; building facilities and equipment; and conveyance.

Abaya announced the scheme fol-

dental, Isidro Rodriguez Jr. of Rizas, and Darlene Antonino-Custodio of South Cotabato.

On the part of the LP, the Roxas meeting was attended by some of its stalwarts, namely Reps. Edgar Erice of Caloocan City, Christopher Belmonte of Quezon City, Josephine Sato of Occidental Mindoto, Leni Robredo of Camsur, a potential running mate of Roxas; and Sen. Ralph Recto.

The NPC is the second largest political party in the country with two senators, 47 members in the House of Representatives, 14 governors, and 22 city mayors.

House Majority Leader and Mandaluyong Rep. Neptali Gonzales II, meanwhile, said he believed that the LP was “solidly behind Roxas.”

“My assumption is the LP will be intact,” Gonzales told reporters at a news conference. “I do not suppose that the LP will be divided [in terms of who will they support for president in 2016,” Gonzales added.

LP stalwart and Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, however, said

the NPC could be split over the 2016 elections.

“NPC members are divided on who to support... It is possible that the party would be splintered into those supporting Roxas, Binay or Poe,” Evardone said.

According to reports, none of the vocal supporters of Poe were present during the meeting with Roxas.

“There were no commitments asked... He was appealing for the support of the party,” said Enverga.

“It’s part of the consultation process. We’d like to hear from the candidate – his platform, his plans for the country. We just had that opportunity to hear from him,” Enverga added.

Davao del Sur Gov. Claude Bautista said it was Conjuangco and businessman Ramon Ang who urged party members to meet Roxas and hear his plans.

“As of now, there is no final instruction from boss Danding (Cojuangco) and boss Ramon Ang so we’re just waiting for the marching

orders. Since we are just good soldiers in the party, we will abide by what he told us,” he added.

Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga, Jr. agreed that the NPC was playing it safe because the dominant LP will put up candidates against NPC bets in the national, local, provincial and city levels during next year’s elections.

“That is the dilemma of NPC candidates and even other members of the administration coalition,” said Barzaga of the National Unity Party, another ruling coalition member.

Amid the flurry of activity, the Palace said it is hoping the NPC coalition with the Liberal Party will continue the reforms of the Aquino administration.

“President Aquino... is hoping that the administration coalition could be maintained, especially on the aspect of the implementation of permanent reforms in the country,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. – With John Paolo Bencito and Sandy Araneta

lowing complaints from passengers of long queues during rush hour, as well as technical and safety lapses— including trains that run with their doors open.

The mass transit system has 13 stations stretching 16.7 kilometers along EDSA from Taft Avenue to North Ave. in Quezon City.

“Local and foreign train experts find this illogical and dangerous.

Why break up the maintenance work into seven companies? There will be no more single point of responsibility,” Quicho said.

If a problem occurs, each contractor would find reason to blame another.

“Under the set-up, representatives of the seven companies will be at the MRT control center during operating hours. If a breakdown or accident occurs, the representatives will inform their respective head offices.

They will try to pinpoint the one responsible for the breakdown or accident. Most likely they will blame

each other. Only after responsibility is established will they react. This was explained to the bidders for the seven scopes of work. The DOTC has clearly institutionalizedkapalpakan [failure] in its term of reference for contractors,” he added.

The monthly maintenance contract used to be P51.75 million ($1.15 million, at P45:$1). When divided into seven parts, the maintenance budget was doubled. Based on the DOTC website and press release, Items 1, 5, 6, and 7 alone already totaled P61.48 million. Items 2, 3, and 4, by their nature, are more expensive to maintain.

Item 7 alone – which involves maintenance and janitorial services in the stations--costs P23.35 million.

Quicho also cast doubt on the contractor, Global Epcom, the new company of Marlo dela Cruz, chairman of the erstwhile MRT maintenance contractor PH Trans.

“On record at DOTC, Marlo dela Cruz is the “authorized representative” of Global Epcom,” he said

Marlo dela Cruz carried the same title when PH Trams was still the maintenance contractor from October 2012 o August 2013.

Global Epcom took over in September 2013 after Dela Cruz and other PH Trams incorporator-directors were identified by Czech Ambassador Josef Rychtar in April 2013 as having tried to extort $30 million from Inekon Corp. in July 2012.

“Marlo dela Cruz and his father were the top fundraisers and campaigners for Mar Roxas (and President Aquino) in Pangasinan in 2010.

It goes without saying that Marlo dela Cruz is also close to [Budget Secretary Florencio] Abaya; we were told he can get appointments for contractors to meet with the Transport secretary,” he said.

Instead of using terms such as “multidisciplinary,” Abaya should explain why Dela Cruz is so influential at the DOTC, and why the Transport secretary hands out contracts to his fellow Liberal Party members.

During budget deliberations on the P3.002-trillion national budget, Bayan Muna Rep. Isagani Carlos Zarate chided Budget Secretary Florencio Abad for the revival of DAP in the new budget.

Zarate said these same Malacanang-imposed provisions had already been rejected by Congress in the 2015 national budget, in compliance with the Supreme Court ruling against the DAP. At the time, the Palace admitted to funding some 116 projects under DAP that turned out to be pork barrel distributed to lawmakers.

DAP funds were also used to oust then Chief Justice Renato Corona.

But Abad told the House panel Tuesday that the executive had to “clarify” the definition of “savings” to prevent a repeat of DAP. Zarate, on the other hand, said changing the definition of savings would make it easy for the executive to retain discretionary lump sum funds.

In a presentation during the Development Budget Coordinating Council hearing discussing the 2016 spending plan, Zarate illustrated how the definition of savings and augmentation has evolved.

“There is an obvious effort by Malacanang to change how savings are defined. The first change in the definition on savings was in the NEP 2015, where Malacanang insisted that savings be declared within six months and [that it] be able to transfer funds midyear,” Zarate said.

Opposition to the change in definition was strong in the 2015 budget, however.

“The definition of the GAA in 2015 hewed closely to the definition of savings as expressed in the Araullo vs Aquino case filed in the Supreme Court. However, this was changed once again by Malacanang in the NEP 2016,” Zarate said.

Abad said the definition of the savings in the 2016 budget is the same one approved by Congress in 2015, but adds qualifiers for “clarity.”

Earlier, Zarate and Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares claimed that the pork barrel still exists in the 2016 budget through Special Purpose Funds, unprogrammed funds and other lump sum allocations throughout budget item.

“We will submit to the decision of Congress as far as the definition of savings is concerned. We will respect your decision and we will abide by it,” Abad told the panel.

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Sandigan lets GMA visit dead brother THE Sandiganbayan on on Tuesday allowed former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to attend the wake of her half-brother, Arturo De la Rosa Macapagal, in Taguig City for at least three days.

The anti-graft court announced its decision even as Malacañang extended its condolences to the Macapagal family for the death of Arturo, an Olympian, who died Tuesday morning.

“We extend our deepest sympathies to the colleagues, friends and family of Arturo dela Rosa Macapagal, the second child and the eldest son of the late President Diosdado Macapagal,” Malacañang said in a statement posted on Facebook.

“He is also the brother of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.”

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said “The nation lost an outstanding Olympian and a respected business leader with the passing of Arturo D. Macapagal this morning.”

Coloma said Macapagal represented the country in the 1972 (Munich) and 1976 (Montreal) Olympic Games and held the national record in Olympic free pistol shooting for more than 21 years.

Mrs. Arroyo was not able to see her brother Arturo alive since he died just hours before her scheduled visit to the Makati Medical Center at 3 pm to 8 pm on Tuesday.

Immediately, her lawyer asked the Sandiganbayan to let her leave the Veterans Memorial Medical Center, where she is being held on plunder charges, to attend her brother’s wake.

The Sandiganbayan then allowed her to attend the wake from 4 pm to 8 pm on Aug. 11, 12 and 14. Rio n. araja and Sandy araneta

Repair work. Using a waterproof camera, a Maynilad worker fixes a valve on a pipeline connecting to Hermosa in Tondo, Manila, on Tuesday. Danny Pata

House tries, fails to pass BBL INVOKING a quorum despite the presence of only 15 lawmakers at the session hall, the House leadership attempted to resume the plenary debates on the controversial Bangsamoro Basic Law on Monday night but failed.

the original BBL.” Marcos made his statement even as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front vowed to look for all avenues to restore the 28 items that the House ad hoc committee on the BBL had struck down, MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said on Tuesday.

Iqbal, together with government chief negotiators Miriam CoronelFerrer and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles, met with the panel chairman and “While we have a quorum, I would Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus like to manifest that the sponsors of Rodriguez and other senior memthe BBL are more than ready to an- bers of the panel to appeal to the swer the interpellators, but not one lawmakers to bring back the 28 interpellator is here,” said Cagayan items, most importantly the issue of de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, the natural resources and the preamble.

“If there is no real autonomy, principal sponsor of the BBL. He made the statement even as there is no fiscal autonomy if there Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on is no access to resources,” Iqbal told Tuesday said his substitute bill for reporters after the meeting. the proposed Bangsamo Basic Law “The preamble is the soul of the bawas quite far from the House ver- sic law. Can you imagine a man and sion taunted as “railroaded,” but he a woman without a soul? That’s how was ready to defend it during the important is the preamble.”

Around 8 pm on Monday, Robicameral conference meeting.

“It’s quite far, but it’s not very, very driguez said he wanted to push far. Certainly, the principles that we through with the long-overdue deare following, we tried to do the bate after they learned that Marcos had already filed a substitute bill same,” Marcos said.

“I think we have been more rigor- on the BBL and was to submit the ous in remedying the constitutional measure to the Senate plenary deinfirmities that were identified in bate on Wednesday.

“I am here, Mr. Speaker. I am one of those in the list of interpellators. But I am scheduled to deliver the Makabayang SONA as this has been postponed some two weeks already,” said Anakpawis Rep. Fernando Hicap, who belongs to the Makabayan bloc.

“I had to rush down from my office when I heard the main sponsor announcing the resumption of BBL deliberations, but that the interpellators are nowhere to be found. I am here to interpellate,” said Zamboanga City Rep. Celso Lobregat, a staunch anti-BBL advocate.

“But where is the quorum? There are only 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ..... 14, including myself, 15 of us here. Where is the quorum?” Lobregat asked, as he looked around and pointed to empty seats and empty galleries.

House Deputy Speaker and Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao, who was presiding over the session, asked Rodriguez to respond when one of the lawmakers asked that the BBL deliberation be suspended due to a lack of quorum.

Rodriguez was banking on the earlier quorum, which was officially recorded at 188 and then grew to 194 at the session hall.

However, after the roll call, the lawmakers left the House premises until only a handful was present to

No endorsements from Catholic clergymen THE Catholic Church will endorse no candidate or party in the national and local elections on May 9, 2016, Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villages, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said Tuesday.

He made the statement after a lay organization urged the Church to endorse a candidate who is “worthy of support.”

“The CBCP was recently apprised of a lay initiative to screen candidates, to listen to them and to endorse those the movement deems worthy of support, [but] the CBCP and the Catholic Church in the Philippines will NEVER endorse a particular candidate or a particular party,” Villegas said.

Every election, several religious or-

ganizations such as the Iglesia ni Cristo led by Eduardo Manalo, the El Shadai led

by Mike Velarde, and President Benigno Aquino III’s ally Jesus is Lord leader Eddie Villanueva announce the candidates that they ask their followers to vote for.

A report says Aquino won the 2010 presidential elections due to the endorsement of the INC. However, Villegas said the Catholic Church will let its members decide whom to vote for according to their conscience.

He also called on his dioceses to organize public forums and debates that will allow the public to familiarize themselves with the positions, platforms, plans, beliefs and convictions of the candidates.

“All of these meetings, however, must be permeated by a genuine sense of fairness, consecration to the truth and, above all, charity,” Villegas said.

He expressed dismay at the lawmakers’ failure to pass the anti-dynasty into law.

“It is regrettable that Congress has, despite promptings by the Filipino people themselves, failed to pass a law that gives life to the constitutional rejection of political dynasties,” he said.

“Until Congress defines what dynasties are in a manner that fulfills the policy embodied in the fundamental law, we have nothing more but an inert provision of the Constitution that accusingly points at the refusal of Congress to act.” Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

listen to the counter-State of the Nation Address by the House Minority Bloc and the Makabayan Bloc.

Rodriguez insisted the BBL sponsors were ready to debate and defend the measure since this had been discussed in the panel for the past eight months.

“President (Benigno) Aquino (III), in his final State of the Nation Address, asked Congress to pass the BBL on time. We have been deliberating on this bill for eight months and it’s been weeks since the President asked us to act on this. So it is time to put it back on the table,” Rodriguez said.

“We are also more than ready to interpellate on the BBL. But where is the quorum?” Lobregat asked Rodriguez again.

“You always take refuge in having this deliberation postponed by invoking the lack of quorum,” Rodriguez retorted.

Aggabao suspended the session for two minutes to allow Rodriguez and Lobregat to agree on whether or not to debate with only 15 lawmakers around to hear them.

Aggabao then declared the BBL debate suspended until its resumption on Tuesday’s session. Christine F. Herrera and Macon Ramosaraneta, with Pna

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

COMMISSION ON APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCEMENT President Benigno S. Aquino III has submitted to the Commission on Appointments (C.A.) for confirmation the ad interim appointments of the following officials: Constitutional Commissions and Offices J. Andres D. Bautista –Chairman, Commission on Elections Armed Forces of the Philippines Hernando DCA. Iriberri – General; Eduardo M. Año– Lieutenant General The public may submit any information, written report or sworn complaints or oppositions in forty (40) copies on the above appointments to the CA Secretariat, 6th Floor, PNB Financial Center, DiosdadoMacapagal Blvd., Pasay City, Metro Manila.

For the schedule of the public hearings, the CA Secretariat can be reached through telephone numbers 551-7532, 831-0893, 831-1824, 834-2706, 831-1566 and 834-2713.

11 August 2015.

ARTURO L. TIU Secretary (TS-AUG. 12, 2015)

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Speaker leaves hospital

By Maricel V. Cruz

Rescue training. Rescue

workers from La Union participate in a training exercise conducted by the US military at Barangay Lubing in San Juan, La Union. CHRISTINE JUNIO

Quezon folk lauded for aid during storm

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rio N. Araja LUCENA CITY—Stressing that the country needs more people with hearts and a real concern and love for Filipinos, Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez thanked the people of Quezon for the empathy they showed after super typhoon “Yolanda” devastated the Eastern Visayas region.

“I am thankful to all the teachers, the non-government organizations, and the students who showed concern during Yolanda,” Romualdez told about a thousand youth leaders during the Quezon Provincial Youth Leaders Convention in Lucena City.

“I can’t forget what you did.

The sacrifices you did for us, for Tacloban, for Leyte and the Yolanda victims,” he stressed.

The congressman said they were able to rise from the sufferings wrought by Yolanda due to the empathy shown to them by “people with good hearts.”

“I am thankful for all your

concern so we are returning that concern to all of you. We are here because we are giving you back the concern you gave us,” he said.

Romualdez told the youth leaders the country needs not only intelligent and industrious leaders, but it also needs people who have empathy for the sufferings and sacrifices of tohers.

The congressman made the appeal as the Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development reported that thousands of families still live in gunsafe zones h without shelter assistance from the government close to two years after Yolanda.

“Some of them face the threat of forced eviction, like 3,000 families in Tacloban (Leyte) as reported by the National Secretariat for Social Action/Caritas Philippines in June,’’ PLCPD executive director Romeo Dongeto said.

On the other hand, those who have been relocated to permanent houses complained about the substandard quality of their houses and the lack of basic utilities, the PLCPD study showed.

Resettlement sites were also far from the work places of many residents, while there were still some who were willing to be relocated, but do not have a suitable place to go.

SPEAKER Feliciano Belmonte Jr. has been discharged from the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City after he was confined for four days due to dengue fever.

But Belmonte said he was discharged Sunday afternoon but he might not be able to immediately attend House sessions because his physician ordered to get more rest.

“I am still feeling weak,” the 78-year-old Congressman and former QC mayor said in a text message to reporters.

He was confned on Thursday last week and has missed congressional sessions since Congress convened its third and last regular session last July 27.

Belmonte, co-chairman of the Liberal Party, also missed the LP gathering on August 4 that was organized to show support for the presidential candidacy of Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.

Belmonte fell ill after fending off a supposed move to unseat him because of his lack of enthusiasm for Roxas’ candidacy.

Congressmen said the initiators of the ouster bid had wanted Belmonte to be replaced by Western Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento.

However, Sarmiento and other LP leaders denied reports of the ouster bid and reaffirmed their support of Belmonte’s leadership.

The Speaker, on the other hand, said the LP will remain united and he himself had no intention to leave the party even after President Benigno Aquino III endorsed the candidacy of Roxas, whom Belmonte described as “super well prepared to take over the presidency.”

At the same time, Belmonte noted that the House has already passed several “landmark legislation,” including the Sin Tax Reform Law, the Reproductive Health Law, and the K-to-12 educational system.

29 SAF cops promoted

By Francisco Tuyay and Joel Zurbano THE National Police Commission has approved the special meritorious promotion of the 29 Special Aaction Force commandos who were part of the operation against Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January.

Napolcom Vice-Chairman and Executive Officer Eduardo U. Escueta said the 29 police commandos served the warrants of arrest against Zulkifli and Basit Usman in Mamasapano where they encountered 700 members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

The clash resulted in the killing of 44 SAF Troopers and the wounding of 15 others, but also resulted in the killing of Marwan.

Escueta said the promotion to the next higher rank of 29 SAF members was recommended by then PNP Officer-InCharge, Police Deputy Director General

Leonardo A. Espina.

The 29 SAF members who were promoted to the next higher rank are as follows: PSINSP Rix Villareal, PINSP Recaredo Marasigan, SPO4 Bill Fernando Jumalon, SPO2 Hamidhan Tebbeng, SPO1 Allan Franco, SPO1 Ryan Temporada, SPO1 Reunaldo Tubog, PO3 Rommelo Magno, PO3 Darwin Rama, PO3 Arnil Ruiz, PO3 Albinar Samson, PO3 Juanito Yogyog, PO2 Solomon Agayso, PO2 Adolfo Andrada, PO2 Dioscoro Basanez, PO2 Carlos Bocaig, PO2 Ard Dulnuan, PO2 Christopher Lalan, PO2 Dominick Likingan, PO2 Jovalyn Lozano, PO2 Jose Mana-Ar, Jr., PO2 Anson Posot, PO2 Warither Jay Rebucas, PO1 Clifford Agayyong, PO1 Victory Fernandez, PO1 John Mariel Galvo, PO1 Eugene Macasasa, PO1 Yaulamidin Reniedo, and PO1 Jessie Surio.

“The courage displayed by these valiant police officers earned themselves not only the admiration of the members of the PNP but also of the people they had sworn to serve,” Escueta said.

Oral arguments. Supreme Court Spokesperson Theodore Te explains to journalists the main points brought up during the third round of oral arguments on the Torre de Manila case at Supreme Court in Manila. EY ACASIO

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Justify water rate hike—Palace

By Sandy Araneta and Rey Requejo Malacañang on Tuesday said that the concessionaires Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Manila Water company Inc. should only increase their rates if these can be justified.

IP Day. Members of Indigenous Peoples hold a protest against the ongoing dam project under Aquino’s watch in commemoration of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples held in Quezon City. LINO SANTOS

Caring for PWDs tax-deductible soon

By Macon Araneta SEnatE President Pro tempore Ralph Recto on tuesday said the bill making the caring of a person with disability (PWd) tax-deductible has been reported out for Senate floor debates Monday. the proposed measure, Senate Bill 2890, is a consolidated version of House Bill 1039 principally authored

by Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Romualdez and similar bills authored by Senators Sonny angara and Bam aquino. in his sponsorship speech, Recto said the bill confers upon a PWd the status of a dependent for income taxfiling purposes. under Senate Bill 2890, the “parent, child or legal guardian of a PWd” can claim a tax deduction of P25,000 in his annual income tax, which under the tax code is the same amount granted for every child under 21 years old. the Senate bill, however, removes the age limit when applied to a person with a disability.

He noted that even if one is already 50 years old, the person taking

care of the PWd can claim him/her dependent.

“So a brother caring for an autistic sibling, or a child who is taking care of a parent who has gone blind, can claim the tax deductible amount of P25,000,” he said.

“We must remove the age limit for a PWd-dependent because caring for him or her should not have an expiry date. Sometimes care extends from cradle to grave,” he said.

Recto said the bill is in response “to the reality that millions of families today who have turned their residences into homes for the aged or infirm.”

“We have a culture which frowns upon the practice of letting strangers care for a parent and even for those who are willing and wealthy enough to buck convention there are few such facilities here,” he said.

He conceded that the P25,000 that can be deducted from final tax bill “barely covers the cost of caring for a PWd. “ “it is, however, a good start. We’re ending the government embargo on this kind of tax credit,” Recto said.

Recto said the tax exemption for PWds must be partnered “with increased spending for PWds.” “Helping PWds requires initiatives in both the revenue and appropriations side,” Recto said, urging his colleagues “to install more and wider accessibility ramps to the national budget.”

He called for the expansion of PWd programs “like opening up of more special education schools, earmarking the supply of school furniture to PWd co-ops, the hiring of more abled disabled, making all roads comply with accessibility laws.” according to the 2010 census of Population and Housing released in 2013, the Philippines has 1.443 million PWds, or 1.57 percent of the country’s total.

Recto stressed this number “is a lowball figure” as it excludes PWds living on the streets, institutionalized in hospitals, or held in detention centers. “they are in the shadows. they have fallen through the cracks. this is the reason why we must also improve our registration system,” said Recto.

“the government follows a principle that the rate increase (for services) should be justified. the welfare of the people should be considered when it comes to implementing an increase in the water rates,” communications Secretary Herminio coloma Jr. said during a press briefing in Malacanang. coloma said the government was still discussing the rate increase with the water companies. coloma’s statement was made after Bayan Muna Reps. neri colmenares and isagani Zarate asked the Supreme court (Sc) on tuesday to stop water concessionaires Maynilad and Manila Water from demanding compensation from the government. the lawmakers filed a petition for certiorari with prayer for a temporary restraining order and/or a preliminary injunction against additional water rates. colmenares said Maynilad and Manila Water wanted to pass on corporate income taxes to consumers by increasing their rates but are being barred from doing so by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS). colmenares said the water concessionaires, to ensure profit, are now passing on their demands to the government. in the petition, colmenares explained that even if the arbitration panel affirms MWSS and denies the rate increase application, the concessionaires could still go to the government and ask “that it be compensated through ‘sovereign guarantee’ under their Letter of undertaking.” if approved, “the people still pay even if they won their

case against rate increases at all levels,” the petition added.

Maynilad is supposedly asking for P3.44 billion.

Manila Water, wants P79 billion to paper over potential revenue losses from 2015 until the end of its 25year contract or until 2037. colmenares said this is illegal as water concessionaires are public utilities. He explained that corporate income tax is not a recoverable expenditure that may be passed on to the public. named as respondents in the petition are President aquino, the two water concessionaires, in a petition, Bayan Muna party-list Representatives neri colmenares and isagani Zarate also called on the Sc to declare as unconstitutional article 12 of the concession agreements, which respectively provides for the submission of disputes to arbitration and the express waiver of the State’s right to appeal. the petitioners lamented that the said provisions violate various provisions of the 1987 constitution such as Section 6, article Xii (mandates the government to promote distributive justice and to intervene when the common good so requires); Section 1, article iii (insofar as these contravenes the water consuming public’s right against deprivation of property without due process) ; Section 1, article Viii (insofar as it nullifies the Supreme court’s power of judicial review) ; Section 19, article Xii (as it contravenes the State’s duty t subject monopolies to strict State regulation); and Republic act 6234 (MWSS) charter (insofar as arbitration effectively takes away the agency’s power and duty to regulate the water sewerage system).

DepEd open to calendar change Education Secretary armin Luistro on tuesday said that his department is open to moving the opening of the school year from June to September, but only if most of the country’s higher education institutions (HEis) have made a corresponding change in their school calendar.

“My position would be if all universities and colleges or majority of them would shift (academic calendar), the depEd would study the possibility of a calendar shift,” Luistro said.

Luistro for now maintained that there should be no compelling reason to change the school calendar in the elementary and high school levels as this may not adequately address flooding problems and cyclones caused by climate change. “in the middle of summer especially

if there’s El niño i think that would be a bigger problem. if in the middle of heavy rains – we’ll know about the storm signals and then we can suspend classes,” he explained.

Luistro said that holding classes during the hottest months of the year may have a negative effect among teachers and students in elementary and high school levels, noting that Filipinos are more resilient to the cold weather during the rainy season. “i have yet to see how we could cope with summer heat if the school year shifts. But i am not close to that,” the Education Secretary said. the department would wait until most higher education institutions in the country have shifted their academic calendar and see how college students beat the summer heat. John Paolo Bencito

Asean roadshow. ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management executive director Said Faisal and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Underecretary Alexander Pama discuss the three-day roadshow dubbed as “One ASEAN, One Response” as part of the Asean disaster management efforts at the Manila Hotel on Tuesday August 11.DANNY PATA

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NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

ON BILL OF PARTICULARS

High court okays JPE plea

By Rey E. Requejo

THE Supreme Court on Tuesday granted the appeal of detained Senator Juan Ponce Enrile for production of evidence in the plunder case against him before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the multibillion-peso pork barrel anomaly.

Voting 8-5 during its en banc, the high court resolved to grant the petition of the 91-year-old senator and reversed the ruling of the Sandiganbayan last year denying his motion for bill of particulars.

In a press briefing, SC spokesman Theodore Te said the high court specifically directed the Office of Ombudsman and its prosecution team “to submit a bill

of particulars, providing the information to be contained in the Court’s judgment.”

The copy of the SC ruling was not yet available for immediate release.

Among the information and details sought by Enrile in his petition were the names of persons who delivered and received the kickbacks or commissions, the dates of each delivery, the break-

down of the alleged P172,834,500 worth of kickbacks or commissions, the projects financed by the pork barrel funds and the names of the non-government organization involved.

Te explained that the SC ruling has provided the petitioner “the opportunity to confirm or change the (not guilty) plea that the Sandiganbayan entered for him, if he so wishes.”

But Te clarified that this would not mean a re-arraignment of Enrile before the third division of the anti-graft court chaired by Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje – Tang.

The SC also rejected the other prayers of Enrile in his petition, including the suspension of hearing in the Sandiganbayan and the

conduct of an oral argument on his plea.

The eight justices who voted to grant the plea of Enrile were Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco Jr., Teresita Leonardo – De Castro, Arturo Brion, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Jose Perez, Jose Mendoz and Estela Perlas –Bernabe.

The five justices who dissented were Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and Associate Justices Mariano del Castillo, Martin Villarama Jr. and Marvic Leonen.

Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza inhibited from the case, which he handled in his previous post as solicitor general, while Associate Justice Bienvenido

Reyes was on leave during the voting.

Meanwhile, the tribunal has reset to the next session the deliberations of the separate petition of Enrile to post bail in the plunder case, according to an insider.

In his petition, Enrile argued that the Sandiganbayan violated his constitutional right to a fair trial.

He cited section 9, rule 116 of the Rules of Court, which provides that “the accused may, before arraignment, move for a bill of particulars to enable him properly to plead and prepare for trial.”

The same rule also states that the motion should specify alleged defects of the complaint or information and the details being sought.

Commish drops OSG as counsel in Torre case submitted a position to the high court different THE National Historical from the stand of her Commission of the Philip- office. pines has released the OfIn a two-page letter to Hilfice of the Ombudsman as bay last July 29, the NHCP its counsel in the pending head questioned Hilbay’s case before the Supreme decision to change its earlier Court involving the con- position that there was no troversial Torre de Manila legal basis for the National condominium that alleg- Commission for Culture edly destroys the iconic and the Arts (NCCA) to issightline of the monument sue a cease and desist order of national hero Jose Rizal (CDO) on the construction. at the Luneta Park.

Diokno assailed the OSG NHCP head Maria Ser- for suddenly changing its ena Diokno attended Tues- position and now arguing day’s continuation of the that there is a legal basis to oral argument on the peti- stop the construction of the tion of the Knights of Rizal condominium. seeking the demolition of The NHCP said the OSG the 49-story building, with had earlier assured the a new counsel, her brother NHCP that “it is cleared of and De La Salle Univer- any responsibilities” since sity college of law dean Jose there is no legal basis to Manuel Diokno. compel the agency to issue a The NHCP made the cease and desist order to put decision after Solicitor an end to the construction General Florin Hilbay of the building.

By Rey E. Requejo

Condo controversy. Knights of Rizal counsel Johnson Domingo, Architect Emmanuel Cuntapay (center) and Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board Commissioner Antonio Bernardo confer with each other before the start of the 3rd part of oral arguments on the Torre de Manila condominium project held at the Supreme Court in Manila. EY ACASIO

Aviation men brace for volcanic ashfall THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines conducted the Volcanic Ash Exercise dubbed VOLPHIN 15/01 at CAAP’s Manila Area Control Center, the first in the country and in Asia Pacific.

The overall objective of the exercise is to maintain enhanced safety, regularity and efficiency of aviation in the

event of a volcanic eruption by demonstrating the provision and exchange of volcanic ash information handling, message distribution and coordination between agencies, CAAP said.

The “practice scenario” started at 7:00 am on Tuesday after the Operations and Rescue Coordination Center (ORCC) issued volcanic ash advisory

information coming from the Volcanic Advisory Center in Tokyo Japan.

The “practice” advisory was the eruption of Taal Volcano in Batangas at 8 am with a simulated re-routing of flights that are affected due to volcanic ash fall northwest of Manila affecting flights from Clark, Subic and Poro Point. Eric B. Apolonio

No more queues? MIAA gets 14 scanners FOURTEEN state-of-the-art body scanners were installed at the departure and final check areas at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminals as part of the security upgrade process that the Manila International Airport Authority has adopted.

MIAA general manager Jose Angel Honrado said that the new scanners cost P168 million or P12 million apiece and are intended to shorten the long queues of people who have to pass thgrough the security check.

The security equipment will augment the

existing x-ray and detection facilities being used by members of the Office of Transportation Security in charge of screening passengers and their luggage at the departure areas.

The new scanners can detect any object carried by an individual, by making a 360-degree turn within the millimeter wave zone, and would be marked as a subject of search.

The millimeter wave produced by the machine is not harmful to people, unlike the old type of fullbody X-ray which is harmful to the operator and the people passing through it. Vito Barcelo

Marijuana bill author: I was a user

By Maricel V. Cruz THE main author of the proposed medical marijuana in the House of Representatives on Tuesday admitted using the drug in his youth out of curiosity.

At a hearing conducted by the House committee on health, Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III, principal author of House Bill 4477, or “The Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act”, also appealed support for the passage of his measure that “makes cannabis accessible and available as an alternative treatment to medically qualified patients in an appropriate and regulated way.”

“Honorable Members of this Committee, let us aban-

don our fear of the unknown.

Let us open our minds to the latest developments in the fast moving world of holistic and integrative medicine,” Albano said.

Albano opened up about his experience in using marijuana in his younger years to allay fears that the drug would be a “gateway drug.”

“Those opposing the use of marijuana for medical purposes fear that it is going to be a gateway drug. I myself use marijuana in my younger years, but I did not get addicted to it. Hindi naman ako naging masamang tao,” Albano told the panel, chaired by La Union Rep. Eufranio Eriguel.

Albano said he had tried using all kinds of marijuana “but

nothing bad happened to me.”

Albano also appealed to critics of the medical marijuana bill to give the measure a chance and not to be judgemental about its “feared” side effects of alleged “addiction.”

“We are not espousing the use of recreational marijuana even to the youth because this has lethargic effect. But my point is: not all people have become criminals because of taking marijuana,” Albano said.

HB 4477, according to Albano, aims to legalize the use of medical cannabis as an alternative treatment to help qualified patients suffering from chronic or debilitating disease, severe and chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures or severe and persistent muscle spasms.

w e d n e s d ay : a U G U s T 1 2 , 2 0 1 5

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news

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Police, army arrest rebels behind ‘11 Misamis attack

By Alvin T. Guanzon

Two suspected New People’s Army rebels involved in the attack of the municipal police station of Medina town in Misamis oriental province in August 2011, killing one policeman, were arrested on Monday by joint operatives of the Philippine National Police and the 58th IB Philippines Army based in Gingoog City.

Captain Joe Patrick Martinez, spokesperson of the 4thInfantry Division Philippine Army, identified the captured reb-

els as Danilo Lampusay (also known as Dan-Dan) and Ejohn Lampusay. They were arrested Monday in Purok 2, Barangay

Minalwang, Claveria, Misamis Oriental.

Martinez said a former rebel pointed to the location of the two, making the arrest possible.

According to former rebel, the two were regular members of Sangay sa Partido Pampropaganda 3, guerilla Front 4B, north Central Mindanao Regional Committee (SPP3, gF4B, nCMRC) under Open Hangadon a.k.a Tingcas who led the recent attack at Hindangon, gingoog City CAA Patrol Base. He added

that they had killed three CAA members.

Major general Oscar T Lactao, Commander of 4ID said, “While the two have been arrested, their leader, who is the brain behind the attack, remains at large. This is the consequence when you join the new People’s Army. There will be nobody, not even your leaders, will come to your rescue. you are on your own to defend the charges against you. Soon the long arm of the law will reach their leaders. They have to face the crime they committed.”

Look, I’m half fish! Tourists in Boracay pretend they are mermaids. MICHELLE ALVAREZ

Region 10 had fewer TB cases in 2014

By Lance Baconguis CAgAyAn de Oro City—the Department of Health in Region 10 said the number of new cases of tuberculosis dropped in 2014 compared to the previous year.

The DoH recorded 8,455 new TB cases in the region in 2014 compared to 8,510 cases in 2013, new data from the DoH showed.

In 2012, there were at least 10 thousand new cases recorded.

The 2014 data however also showed alarming trends towards the rising cases of Multiple Drug Resistant TB. “There are 418 new MDRTB cases in 2014 compared to 2013,” says Jhun Ronald gilbolingo, the regional technical staff.

MDRTB is caused by the noncompletion of the scheduled TB medication which leads to the development of organism resistant to Isoniazid and Rifampin, two of the most potent TB drugs.

“This is also developed when patients do not take all their medication as instructed,” Barrera said.

The government has launched several campaigns including a TV commercial encouraging people to submit themselves for a free TB test if they have a cough lasting for two weeks.

“We cannot emphasize enough that there is no need to be ashamed.

If we suspect that we have TB, a free test can be done, and the medicines are free,” Barrera added.

“We don’t choose to be victims of TB, it is airborne, we got it from people with TB, and if we don’t submit ourselves to a free check-up, we can’t really tell if we have it or not” Barrera added.

Barrera added that the check-up is voluntary, so they cannot compel someone to undergo such TB screening.

Barrera added that the treatment usually takes six months to complete. Every two months, there is a required sputum test to determine the progress of medication.

Female cop from Ilocos among outstanding police officers

By Dexter A. See

Thank the rain. This rain catch basin atop Mt. Sto. Tomas, source of Baguio City’s tap water, is filled to the brim. DAVID CHAN

CAMP FLOREnDO, San Fernando City, La Union —An unassuming policewoman from Ilocos norte once again proved that good cops exist in Region 1.

Senior Police Officer 1 (SPO1) Aurora Joy DR Manuela was adjudged as one of this year’s Country’s Outstanding Police Officer in Service (COPS), a search of the Metrobank Foundation.

SPO1 Manuela is currently the chief clerk of the Provincial Police Strategy Management Unit of Ilocos norte Police Provincial Office.

There were two stages in the judging process: a documents review and final panel interview.

In her 13 years in the police service, Manuela contributed in the crime solution and crime prevention in Ilocos norte. Her competence, commitment and hard work helped in the reduction of criminality and insurgency in the province she has served.

During her assignment at the Provincial Intelligence Branch as Intelligence Operations PnCO, she utilized strategically the Barangay Information networks that successfully resulted in the arrest of criminal gangs.

She contributed to the safety and security of the residents when she became a member of the Provincial Anti-Private Armed group Task

Force where she shared her expertise on intelligence that resulted to the neutralization of criminal personalities listed in the watch list.

Her hard work helped in the reduction of illegal drugs trade in Ilocos norte as she contributed in the surveillance and buy-bust operations against illegal drug dealers through the Provincial Anti Private Armed group and Dangerous Drug Council of the Ilocos norte Police.

Manuela is also involved in the implementation and monitoring of the projects of the Ilocos norte PPO such as the Motorist Anti-Street Crime Operatives and Barangay Peacekeeping

Action Team Association for Direct Operations and Kabataan Laban sa Bawal na gamot which involved community organizations in preventing street crimes and proliferation of illegal drugs respectively.

She is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with units earned in Master of Public Administration.

It was never the plan of SPO1 Manuela to be in the police force, but she was challenged and suddenly shifted and it turned out to be something she can be proud of.

She said that being one among the COPS is a lifetime achievement and her legacy that she can share to her family and organization.

W E D N E S D AY: A U G U S T 1 2 , 2 0 1 5

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO

AN FR MARCOS, JR. RUN IS LOOKING GOOD

[ EDI TORI A L ]

DENIAL OF SERVICE LIKE the emperor who could not see his own nakedness, President Benigno Aquino III has a blind spot when it comes to the failure of his trusted lieutenants to provide the people the services they deserve.

Amid mounting examples of official incompetence and nagging allegations of corruption at the Department of Transportation and Communications, the President’s reaction has been to hunker down and circle the wagons, when he should have simply fired the offending official and put someone competent in charge.

For example, against irrefutable, empirical evidence that Metro Manila’s city train service has gone to rot and demands that Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya take responsibility and resign, the Palace this week insisted that the criticism was “baseless” and urged the public not to believe these “false claims.”

In yet another fine example of using bureaucratic double talk to signify nothing, the President’s spokesman said the DOTC had “initiated a multi-disciplinary approach to maintaining the MRT-3 system.”

With due respect to the President’s spokesman, we do not need a “multidisciplinary approach” to fixing the MRT’s problems. We need a real manager on top of the DOTC who can get things done—not waste two years on the job with nothing to show.

Thus far, the only thing we have seen Secretary Abaya do is to defend himself by questioning the motives of his critics, and beseech the long-suffering riders—about 600,000 daily--for “more patience” because spare parts for the shoddily maintained trains are expected to arrive next year.

Contrary to claims that only seven trains were running, Abaya said that 15 trains with 45 coaches were running during rush hours.

What Secretary Abaya does not say is that constant breakdowns can bring this number down to as few as five trains running on any given day, as it did one day in April. At times like these, riding the MRT can turn into a harrowing two-hour ordeal, when you throw in the time spent standing in line.

Abaya also fails to mention that 15 trains a day is hardly an ideal number, since MRT officials have admitted before the Senate that their trains are overloaded an astounding 171 percent.

President Aquino, apparently, is blind to all this and deaf as well to the voices of 600,000 of his “bosses,” who all have a horror story to tell about their daily commute.

In his state of denial, President Aquino can continue claiming that Abaya and his ilk are doing a great job at the DOTC—but he shouldn’t be surprised if people laugh at him derisively behind his back for failing to realize that, just like the emperor’s new clothes, Secretary Abaya’s achievements are all in his mind.

RAISING FUNDS AT DND (2) LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES (Concluded from yesterday) An indication of how powerful the group that is raising funds in the Department of National Defense, supposedly for the administration Liberal Party, is how it has claimed the scalps of those who have gotten in its way. The gang extorting P15 million in “administrative fees” from defense contractors has already cost the job two

high-level Defense officials, the seven-page intelligence report I obtained showed.

The first casualty was reportedly Defense Undersecretary Eduardo Batac, chief of the Office of the Undersecretary for Civil, Veterans and Retirees Affairs, who according to the Department of National Defense resigned due to personal and health reasons. Batac was identified in the document as being present in some of the meetings with defense contractors where the “administrative fee” to allow them to participate in the procurement of big-ticket

items under the modernization program of the Armed Forces was discussed.

Batac was basically told, a source I interviewed on the alleged racket, to shut up and leave, if he knew what was good for him. “He [Batac] was advised to just silently exit with a promise that he would keep his mouth shut so he would be spared from any legal case,” said the source.

The intelligence report also mentioned the case of former Office of Civil Defense and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

A9

‘The greater problem though is the new revelation that the effort is part of the fundraising for Malacañang.’

Council head Benito Ramos, who also resigned. “The main players of this group may be recalled to have been responsible for the problems experienced by then Undersecretary Benito Ramos when he was still the director of the NDRRMC [sic],” the document said.

In an interview before he resigned, Ramos told this newspaper that a certain group “has been operating against me, to remove me from my office” because he was not cooperating with them. Ramos described the people out to get him as a “demolition group” and that these individuals sent text messages to his wife claiming he was having an affair with his secretary.

He said he resigned “to stop the lies,” which greatly affected his wife. Ramos has not given any more statements to the media since then. *** This is not to say that well-meaning officials in the Defense establishment have not acted on the matter. In fact, the intelligence report is the product of an internal investigation conducted by the department, after it became aware of the alleged racket.

But it is not known if the report has been submitted to higher authorities

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-

in the department, or if it has reached Malacanang Palace. Especially since the DND was only recently in the news for allowing reported anomalies in the procurement of used Huey helicopters, contracted purchases for the military’s modernization program have become a very sensitive topic at Camp Aguinaldo.

The team that probed the reported shakedown of private contractors likened the extortion activities to an “internal threat” to the DND in the report.

“It is our suggestion that action

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

MST ONLINE

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should be made on these matters, because it appears that the Department’s enemies do not come from outside. The threat to the DND is actually internal,” the investigators said.

The intelligence report, however, said “there is no evidence to establish a clear link” between Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Undersecretary Honorio Azcueta to the racketeers, although their names “may have been mentioned in passing” by the contractors who blew the lid on the illegal acContinued on A11 tivity.

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

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

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

A POSSIBLE run for president by Senator Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Jr. is starting to look not only more and more possible. His prospects are actually starting to look good. FMJ hasn’t declared his candidacy but there is a growing clamor for him to do so when seen against the present field of 2016 presidentiables.

Consider the presidential field in 2016 and these political confluences: Mar Roxas as official Liberal Party candidate is locked in the embrace of President B.S.Aquino’s endorsement . Whether that is a blessing or a curse casts a shadow on his winning.

Vice President Jejomar Binay, despite regaining some ground with his True State of the Nation Address and one-upping PNoy by extolling the Mamasapano 44’s heroism, is already damaged goods from his allegedly-graft- ridden watch as Makati Mayor.

Senator Grace Poe’s residency and citizenship challenge has left serious doubts on her viability in 2016.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte for all his tough talk is seen as a reluctant if not tentative candidate.

Senator Marcos, on the other hand, is beginning to look good. As head of the Senate committee on local government, he did an encompassing review of the Bangsamoro Basic Law to include all stakeholders in the proposed autonomous region of Mindanao. His substitute bill which formulated a seamless transition from the ARRM to the new BBL autonomous region has been discussed in a Senate caucus and will be presented in plenary this week. Seventeen senators are reportedly OK with the Marcos substitute bill.

In his recent speech before Asia’s CEOs and captains of industry, Senator Marcos was a revelation. His vision and program of government in a possible Marcos II presidency is the first clear roadmap ever laid out by any presidential candidate. Mar Roxas doesn’t have any such vision except to carry on the “daang matuwid” of his political patron. Carrying on PNoy’s discredited straight path governance is a heavy burden.

For Mar to continue with this empty slogan does not add to the LP bet’s luster but in fact, becomes political baggage.

Senator Marcos’ speech before a gathering of Asia’s CEOs is currently the talk in company boardrooms. It is the most viewed item in The Standard’s Internet site. It would be superfluous to quote extensively from it.

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

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

W E D N E S D AY: A U G U S T 1 2 , 2 0 1 5

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO

AN FR MARCOS, JR. RUN IS LOOKING GOOD

[ EDI TORI A L ]

DENIAL OF SERVICE LIKE the emperor who could not see his own nakedness, President Benigno Aquino III has a blind spot when it comes to the failure of his trusted lieutenants to provide the people the services they deserve.

Amid mounting examples of official incompetence and nagging allegations of corruption at the Department of Transportation and Communications, the President’s reaction has been to hunker down and circle the wagons, when he should have simply fired the offending official and put someone competent in charge.

For example, against irrefutable, empirical evidence that Metro Manila’s city train service has gone to rot and demands that Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya take responsibility and resign, the Palace this week insisted that the criticism was “baseless” and urged the public not to believe these “false claims.”

In yet another fine example of using bureaucratic double talk to signify nothing, the President’s spokesman said the DOTC had “initiated a multi-disciplinary approach to maintaining the MRT-3 system.”

With due respect to the President’s spokesman, we do not need a “multidisciplinary approach” to fixing the MRT’s problems. We need a real manager on top of the DOTC who can get things done—not waste two years on the job with nothing to show.

Thus far, the only thing we have seen Secretary Abaya do is to defend himself by questioning the motives of his critics, and beseech the long-suffering riders—about 600,000 daily--for “more patience” because spare parts for the shoddily maintained trains are expected to arrive next year.

Contrary to claims that only seven trains were running, Abaya said that 15 trains with 45 coaches were running during rush hours.

What Secretary Abaya does not say is that constant breakdowns can bring this number down to as few as five trains running on any given day, as it did one day in April. At times like these, riding the MRT can turn into a harrowing two-hour ordeal, when you throw in the time spent standing in line.

Abaya also fails to mention that 15 trains a day is hardly an ideal number, since MRT officials have admitted before the Senate that their trains are overloaded an astounding 171 percent.

President Aquino, apparently, is blind to all this and deaf as well to the voices of 600,000 of his “bosses,” who all have a horror story to tell about their daily commute.

In his state of denial, President Aquino can continue claiming that Abaya and his ilk are doing a great job at the DOTC—but he shouldn’t be surprised if people laugh at him derisively behind his back for failing to realize that, just like the emperor’s new clothes, Secretary Abaya’s achievements are all in his mind.

RAISING FUNDS AT DND (2) LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES (Concluded from yesterday) An indication of how powerful the group that is raising funds in the Department of National Defense, supposedly for the administration Liberal Party, is how it has claimed the scalps of those who have gotten in its way. The gang extorting P15 million in “administrative fees” from defense contractors has already cost the job two

high-level Defense officials, the seven-page intelligence report I obtained showed.

The first casualty was reportedly Defense Undersecretary Eduardo Batac, chief of the Office of the Undersecretary for Civil, Veterans and Retirees Affairs, who according to the Department of National Defense resigned due to personal and health reasons. Batac was identified in the document as being present in some of the meetings with defense contractors where the “administrative fee” to allow them to participate in the procurement of big-ticket

items under the modernization program of the Armed Forces was discussed.

Batac was basically told, a source I interviewed on the alleged racket, to shut up and leave, if he knew what was good for him. “He [Batac] was advised to just silently exit with a promise that he would keep his mouth shut so he would be spared from any legal case,” said the source.

The intelligence report also mentioned the case of former Office of Civil Defense and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

A9

‘The greater problem though is the new revelation that the effort is part of the fundraising for Malacañang.’

Council head Benito Ramos, who also resigned. “The main players of this group may be recalled to have been responsible for the problems experienced by then Undersecretary Benito Ramos when he was still the director of the NDRRMC [sic],” the document said.

In an interview before he resigned, Ramos told this newspaper that a certain group “has been operating against me, to remove me from my office” because he was not cooperating with them. Ramos described the people out to get him as a “demolition group” and that these individuals sent text messages to his wife claiming he was having an affair with his secretary.

He said he resigned “to stop the lies,” which greatly affected his wife. Ramos has not given any more statements to the media since then. *** This is not to say that well-meaning officials in the Defense establishment have not acted on the matter. In fact, the intelligence report is the product of an internal investigation conducted by the department, after it became aware of the alleged racket.

But it is not known if the report has been submitted to higher authorities

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-

in the department, or if it has reached Malacanang Palace. Especially since the DND was only recently in the news for allowing reported anomalies in the procurement of used Huey helicopters, contracted purchases for the military’s modernization program have become a very sensitive topic at Camp Aguinaldo.

The team that probed the reported shakedown of private contractors likened the extortion activities to an “internal threat” to the DND in the report.

“It is our suggestion that action

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

should be made on these matters, because it appears that the Department’s enemies do not come from outside. The threat to the DND is actually internal,” the investigators said.

The intelligence report, however, said “there is no evidence to establish a clear link” between Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Undersecretary Honorio Azcueta to the racketeers, although their names “may have been mentioned in passing” by the contractors who blew the lid on the illegal acContinued on A11 tivity.

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

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

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

A POSSIBLE run for president by Senator Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Jr. is starting to look not only more and more possible. His prospects are actually starting to look good. FMJ hasn’t declared his candidacy but there is a growing clamor for him to do so when seen against the present field of 2016 presidentiables.

Consider the presidential field in 2016 and these political confluences: Mar Roxas as official Liberal Party candidate is locked in the embrace of President B.S.Aquino’s endorsement . Whether that is a blessing or a curse casts a shadow on his winning.

Vice President Jejomar Binay, despite regaining some ground with his True State of the Nation Address and one-upping PNoy by extolling the Mamasapano 44’s heroism, is already damaged goods from his allegedly-graft- ridden watch as Makati Mayor.

Senator Grace Poe’s residency and citizenship challenge has left serious doubts on her viability in 2016.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte for all his tough talk is seen as a reluctant if not tentative candidate.

Senator Marcos, on the other hand, is beginning to look good. As head of the Senate committee on local government, he did an encompassing review of the Bangsamoro Basic Law to include all stakeholders in the proposed autonomous region of Mindanao. His substitute bill which formulated a seamless transition from the ARRM to the new BBL autonomous region has been discussed in a Senate caucus and will be presented in plenary this week. Seventeen senators are reportedly OK with the Marcos substitute bill.

In his recent speech before Asia’s CEOs and captains of industry, Senator Marcos was a revelation. His vision and program of government in a possible Marcos II presidency is the first clear roadmap ever laid out by any presidential candidate. Mar Roxas doesn’t have any such vision except to carry on the “daang matuwid” of his political patron. Carrying on PNoy’s discredited straight path governance is a heavy burden.

For Mar to continue with this empty slogan does not add to the LP bet’s luster but in fact, becomes political baggage.

Senator Marcos’ speech before a gathering of Asia’s CEOs is currently the talk in company boardrooms. It is the most viewed item in The Standard’s Internet site. It would be superfluous to quote extensively from it.

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

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

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A10

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

MAR’S IMAGE WILL WORSEN WITH PNOY TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO AN antique collector, particularly for “santos” or ecclesiastical arts, told my wife -- herself an avid collector -- that there are no more of such in the market.

The reason these precious items disappear from the market is that avid collectors in the United States and Europe have brought them abroad where they command high prices.

It has been known for years that precious artifacts have been leaving the country by containers-load in the absence of a law safeguarding them from exportation.

I know for a fact that right after the Vietnam war, Vietnam’s precious arts and ant i qu it i e s were exported to Europe, especially to Catholic countries.

S a n t a Banana, would you believe that officials of the National Commission of Culture and Arts (NCAA) and the National Museum are t hems elves involved in this multi-billion anomaly?

Congress should investigate this! *** I have been asked if the continued debate on the citizenship and residency of Senator Grace Poe would enhance her image before the people instead of eroding it. After all, Filipinos tend to side with the underdog.

To me, whether or not Grace would benefit from the debate over her citizenship and residency is immaterial. There is a real issue here.

It is whether or not she, a foundling, was naturalborn and whether she continued to be such after marrying an American husband and became Mrs. Grace Poe-Llamanzares.

Unless the issues of citizenship and residency of the senator is put to rest by the Supreme Court, the question of Grace running for the vice presidency and presidency will be a sword

of Damocles hanging over her head.

Would you, dear reader, want an American to be your president?

I have said everything I have to say about Grace Poe’s citizenship and residency in my column yesterday. I cited facts and records.

And I have come to the conclusion that she is not a natural-born citizen, and that she does not have the required residency to run for vice president or president.

Santa Banana, she can even be cited for perjury when she signed a document under oath and had it notarized by a notary public. In the document, she claimed that she was born of Ronald Allan Kelly Poe (Fernando Poe Jr.) and Jesusa Sonora Poe (Susan Roces) when she applied for retention and reacquisition of her Philippine citizenship.

He will be identified with all the sins and inadequacies of his boss.

That was an outright lie because Grace herself had claimed she was a foundling and later on adopted by childless couple Fernando Poe Jr. and Susan.

And the senator claims she is honest? *** Would President Aquino’s anointment of Interior Secretary Mar Roxas enhance the image of the latter and possibly improve his ratings as a presidential wannabe?

I don’t think so. As Senator Serge Osmena, who was the President’s campaign manager during the 2010 polls, said: the President’s endorsement was already factored in all the recent Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations poll survey ratings. People did not doubt that Mar Roxas would be the administration’s and Liberal Party’s presidential candidate.

I also believe that the “Daang Matuwid” is too abstract. It is belied by the facts that under the Aquino administration, corruption has not only gotten worse, but institutionalized by a “fraternity-like” regime,

LET’S DEBATE COMMISSION on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista will order that presidential candidates participate in a debate – about four, in fact, in the run-up to the May 9, 2016 presidential elections. Under the law, RA 9006, the Comelec is authorized to hold three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate during the campaign period, which could mean between Feb. 9, 2016 and May 8, 2016.

In 2004, the presidential candidates, led by then frontrunner Fernando Poe Jr. of the opposition party, hardly participated in any debates. As a result, nobody knew what exactly the late FPJ stood for or what would have been his policies – except, as he told me, he would serve with his heart.

“Puso lang, erap,” was his repetitive and standard reply to every question I asked during an exclusive hour-long interview I had with him in 2004, one of the few, if any exclusives, he gave.

FPJ’s wife Manay Susan and Grace herself believe until today, the actor was cheated, especially with the Hello Garci scandal and the Ampatuans delivering zero vote for him in Maguindanao. But the official Congressional canvass showed Gloria Macapagal Arroyo clearly outdistanced the intensely private FPJ by more than a million votes – 1.123 million (12.905 million or 39.99 percent for GMA; 11.782 million or 36.51 percent for FPJ). Helping FPJ’s defeat was Panfilo Lacson running solo, with 3.5 million votes or 10.88 percent. Half of Ping Lacson’s vote could have easily wiped out GMA’s 1.12-million lead had the former police general not run.

In politics, FPJ was a tabula rasa – a blank slate, a trait which could mean positive, negative, or both. Positive means one has an open mind or is broad-minded. Negative means one has nothing between the ears, or is narrow-minded and insular, away from the maddening crowd, surrounded by an elite cabal of friends and cronies.

FPJ’s adopted daughter, Senator Grace Poe, is anything but a blank wall, however. She is more outgoing, more articulate, and more knowledgeable about many things outside of movies. using the words of former Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello, who used to be an Aquino ally until he could no longer stomach it.

“Daang Matuwid” has become a joke with the President’s brand of selective justice -- there’s one yardstick for critics and political opponents of Malacanang and another one for the President classmates, friends, partymates and shooting buddies.

With President Aquino going with Mar to campaign, people will be reminded of how he bribed members of Congress and the Senate to impeach, convict and oust Chief Justice Renato Corona with the Priority Development Assistance Fund and the Disbursement Acceleration Program. They will also re-

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ In debates, such talent will come in handy. Amazing Grace can hold her own against the likes of VP Jojo Binay, a lawyer, national security specialist, and long-time LGU executive; and Mar Roxas, a Wharton business graduate, former investment banker, legislator, and cabinet member under the Estrada and Aquino administrations.

Grace Poe, according to a profile prepared by the Movement for Good Governance, was educated at UP and Boston College in Massachusetts. She has a BA in Political Studies. Her work before being elected the No. 1 senator in 2013, included being the country’s chief movie censor and guardian of morals; a teacher, product liaison officer, and a product manager in the US; and an executive of her late dad’s FPJ Productions and Film Archives, Inc. VP Jojo and Secretary Mar will be Grace’s leading opponents in 2016, unless, of course, she is disqualified by reason of allegedly not being natural-born (nobody knows who her biological father was or his citizenship), or lacking the ten-year required residency, in which case Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada will be forced to throw his hat into the ring, “to protect the opposition votes,” he says, especially if Binay is also jailed and not allowed to campaign.

A candidate Erap has the habit of starting slow at the bottom of the ratings game only to gather momentum and overwhelm his election rivals on D-Day. He almost succeeded with that strategy in 2010, ending up No. 2 to winner BS Aquino III. In the 2016 Manila mayoralty race, reelectionist Mayor Erap is again the underdog, behind his two declared rivals.

In presidential debates, the people will see and hear their candidates for what they are, perhaps, warts and all.

A movie icon like Estrada or a tough guy like Rodrigo Duterte can easily put down their supposedly more cere-

member many of his failures and shortcomings especially what happened in Mamasapano.

Survivors and kin of the Fallen 44 have not been given justice they rightfully deserve, much less provided all the perks and benefits promised them. Would you believe that Yolanda survivors, especially those in Tacloban City who are still living in bunkhouses and tents would ever forget that the rehabilitation money promised them have been delayed? Why? That’s criminal to say the least. *** Speaking about the much-delayed and shameful implementation of fund releases for the rehabilitation of Yolanda survivors, the Department of Budget and Management now says that for the second half of this

bral rivals with one-liners that capture complex issues in pithy terms without need for elaborate or condescending explanation.

I would like the presidential candidates to focus on three things. One, how he/she can reduce unemployment. This requires job creation of at least two million a year. The economy, by itself, creates one million jobs a year, whether or not the president is a dog or a person. Two, how to reduce poverty incidence by percentage points or 5 million poor people per year (at this rate, a president can wipe out poverty in six years).

And three, how the Philippines can be made to compete in the age of ASEAN integration, globalization, and rising power rivalry between the US and China.

Corruption? To me, it is non-issue, except when kleptocracy is done so blatantly and offensively it triggers an outcry. Historically, the best-performing Philippine presidents were seen as corrupt, but efficient and effective. And the most honest presidents were seen as incompetent, ineffective, and plainly lazy.

A corrupt but competent president. Or an honest but incompetent one? To me, they do the same kind of damage. An honest but incompetent president does not do projects because he thinks the money will be stolen anyway. He has no vision. So he does not do roads, highways, airports, ports, reliable mass transit, and all the basic things. His men run circles around him and making hay without the glaring light of sunshine.

The result is chaos and penury (since no projects means no jobs creation).

Amid the turmoil, people cut corners.

When you cut corners, corruption seeps in.

The moral lesson? It’s daang matino (doing right), not daang matuwid (straight road) going nowhere.

Back to debating, tycoon Donald Trump has proved that being nasty and bombastic before tv cameras catches attention and raises ratings.

You know what, a survey found out that 85 percent of what Trump peddles for the headlines are lies.

So no lying, please. biznewsasia@gmail.com

year, the DBM plans, I repeat plans, to release P4.5 billion more for the the post-Yolanda rehabilitation work.

My gulay, should we take Budget Secretary Butch Abad’s word for it when we all know that 2016 is an election year? Santa Banana, funds intended for post-Yolanda rehabilitation could again be delayed and used instead for campaign purposes. From experience, we can’t take the word of Abad considering the need of Malacanang for campaign funds.

If the administration has been delaying the release of billions of funds for Yolanda survivors not only for Tacloban City and other places devastated by Yolanda, I see a pattern. The delays could mean using the funds for electioneering

purposes.

Knowing the duplicity of the DBM and Malacanang when it comes to funding, we cannot be too sure of the promises of Abad. *** There’s something sinister in the transfer of the libel case filed by suspended Makati Mayor Junjun Binay against Senator Antonio Trillanes from the Makati prosecutor’s office to the Department of Justice.

I say sinister since we all know that Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, an attack dog of the administration and the Liberal Party, was only too willing to accommodate discredited politicians into the WPP or Witness Protection Program to testify against Vice President Jojo Binay and his family.

W E D N E S D AY: A U G U S T 1 2 , 2 0 1 5

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

SPIN-A-WIN SO I SEE LITO BANAYO FORMER Chief Justice Reynato Puno’s observation that the spin doctors have taken over the matter of political choice for 2016 is a sad commentary on the state of Philippine politics.

“Truth is the first victim of spin doctors”, the highly respected jurist remarked while pushing for his advocacy of system change, a shift from unitary-presidential into a federal-parliamentary system.

Now comes my friend Reli German, the guy who “spun” then Senator and later VicePresident Erap’s perceived inelegant English (I say perceived because the guy, while not necessarily “Arrneow-spokening”, can hold his own in English discourse) into Erap jokes that charmed the middle class while maintaining his hold on the “masa” vote.

Reli explains, in defense of his trade, that PR practitioners and strategists based their work “largely on information and briefings supplied to them.” PR gurus describe their profession as “truth well told”.

Reli has a point. When a “spin doctor” portrays his principal before the public eye so differently from his accepted “persona”, or how the public at large knows and accepts him to be, the result is often a PR flop.

I do not know, and do not care to know, who for instance tried to “endear” Mar Roxas to the masa by making him “padyak” a tricycle in what looked like imported loafers when he was being packaged for the presidency in 2009. I was vacationing in the Ilocos with friends and family when I first chanced upon the TV ad in my hotel room at the Fort Ilocandia. I consider Mar a friend, and the first thing I did was call someone in his inner

Raising..From A9 The investigators, however, said the most worrisome allegation was that the grease money extorted from defense contractors go all the way up to the Palace. “The greater

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An.. From A9

circle and asked why in tarnation they came up with such an unbelievable spin. He could only mumble, a bit flustered I guess, that they did sufficient FGDs before they launched what was hoped to be a prize-winning ad.

“As always in these kinds of political exercises, the first victim is the truth,” CJ Puno observed. In fine, what you see is not what you will get.

In school, we ourselves were taught a lot of hogwash in Philippine history, written by illiterates, or rather, literati blinded by their patrons. That America came to the Philippines as an “altruistic” colonizer, for instance. Bullsh*t.

Ramon Magsaysay may have been a great president and a good man, but the CIA-written “spin” was that he defeated a “bad” president in the person of Elpidio Quirino, unfairly tarnished by such outright lies as the tale of the golden orinola and the 5,000-peso (at that time a princely sum) brass bed.

Intelligent Filipinos now recognize Apo Pidiong as one of our best presidents. In his own dignified manner, he stood up for Philippine interests, first as Roxas’ foreign affairs secretary, and later as president, and initiated most of the infrastructure that until today lasts, and have improved the economic landscape of the nation. The man retired to a modest house in then largely-forested Novaliches, and his heirs are not wallowing in wealth. Too bad Quirino did not have any “spin doctors”.

My good friend Greg Garcia, who is immortalized in local advertising history as the man behind the marketing success of Banco Filipino (before the financial geniuses behind it over-stretched their luck), with his “Subok na Matibay, Subok na Matatag” descriptive of the everybody’s bank, once prefaced a presentation to a common principal thus: “Tell me a fact, and I will listen.

“Tell me a truth and I will believe.

“Tell me a story, and it will live forever in my heart”.

Greg attributed this to an Indian proverb. And nothing best describes what PR “strategists” and communications people do.

The questions that spin-meisters like Reli German often try to elicit about their client, whether paying or “gratis et amore”, is whether they have true to life stories to tell. How they “spin” the stories into “tales” depend on whether the told stories are closest or farthest from the truth.

The rule of thumb should be: never alter the principal’s real persona to the point where the public will doubt the veracity of your claims.

Spinning is all about making a story about the truth. When you weave tales out of whole cloth, that is, when you spin a lie and hope to make it into spin-a-win, oftentimes, you falter. Never, ever—insult your audience.

Presidential campaign history is littered with the corpses of failed attempts because outright lies or exaggerated half-truths are discovered for what they truly are.

What spin doctors do is try to veer the debate in the public mind to the area where his candidate is most acceptable, and farther from the issues where he is vulnerable.

Now, how would a communicator try to veer away Veep Jojo from the issues thrown against him by Alan and Sonny, Koko and the Ombudsman herself? By showing pictures and footages of him eating with bare hands in a public market? That’s been done before. Monching Mitra was once shown casting a net into the sea, and in fact he did it so well the ad director was impressed.

Monching truly knew what it was like to be poor, and had to scrounge for a living in Aborlan, Palawan just to keep body and soul together in his orphaned youth. But somehow, the images did not sell, because as Speaker of the trapos in the HOR, he be-

came the personification of the trapo in the public mind. Unfair, but that is how campaigns go.

Again I wonder why the real Mar is not allowed to come out in his public imaging. The latest I have seen is all about purveying the same script of “daang matuwid”, with Mar wearing a yellow shirt and behind him is a sea of yellow drapery. Think of something original, guys.

I used to advise Mar, “gratis et amore”, when he was a congressman after his brother Dinggoy’s death. The guy has charm. He is intelligent. Sure, he often analyzes issues too much, maybe a habit he imbibed from years as an investment banker in New York and here. But he is a good man. He can’t help it that he was born rich, though.

I admired him more when I offered him a senatorial slot in Erap’s 1998 presidential run, as a “guest candidate” because we knew he would never abandon his Liberal Party. He declined, because Tita Cory and the LP had endorsed Fred Lim for president. I told him Fred would not win over Erap, and while he agreed, he quietly toed the party decision of which he was not a part.

Now look at the present landscape. Ask yourselves: who is presenting himself/herself as truly himself/herself?

Binay who wants to pit the poor against the rich? Mar who wants to be PNoy Part Two? Grace who wants people to remember the reel hero FPJ, who was deprived of his election a dozen years back

by Garci on behest of GMA? Digong who admits strong-hand tactics in squaring off with hardened criminals in his Davao?

Bongbong who re-incarnates his dad, the perhaps misunderstood yet achieving authoritarian? Ping the police chief who has re-invented himself as the independent budget expert who abjures pork in all its manifestations?

Let us see how the spin masters spin their wins. Or end up with egg all over their faces.

Nonetheless, it would be helpful to focus on and summarize the most salient points of the senator’s vision of his leadership. First of all, he wants a Freedom of Information bill passed. Despite promising the FOI passage during his 2010 campaign, Aquino never considered the FOI a key component to his so-called government of transparency.

Marcos also promises meritocracy in the bureaucracy and vows to appoint the best and the brightest to his Cabinet just like his father did who had Finance Minister Cesar Virata, Foreign Secretary Carlos P. Romulo, Labor Secretary Blas Ople, Justice Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile, Energy Secretary Geronimo Velasco, Agriculture Secretary Arturo Tanco, Trade Secretary Roberto Ongpin and Press Secretary Francisco S. Tatad.

There were no 3 Ks (kaklase, kabarkada and kabarilan) for FM then or for an FMJ Cabinet.

While Senator Marcos would certainly welcome the support of Big Business and follow an economic policy that would benefit business and the public, he made clear in no uncertain terms that he won’t tolerate a duopoly whose core businesses impose hardship on consumers.He cited the burden of electricity consumers who absorb the added cost of public utilities’ generation cost, capital outlay to improve services, corporate income taxes, and systems loss as a result of power line pilferage. Telecommunication companies are also on the senator’s radar The duopoly of telco carriers is the bane of cellphone users—expensive rate, poor connection, slow delivery — sometimes, non-delivery—of text messages.

An efficient public transport system, Marcos said, is a top priority in the event he wins the people’s mandate. He vows to hit the ground running in addressing the daily disruption of the Metro Rail Transit.

Commuters have been railing against the MRT and LRT’s poor service.

A presidential debate pitting Marcos against Roxas, Binay and Poe by all means should be held. The debate, proposed by the Commission on Elections, was welcomed by the House Independent bloc headed by Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez who said such a debate, not held since 1992, would give candidates an opportunity to present their platform of government and also allow voters to glean and size up the aspirants who want to lead this country.

problem though is the new revelation that the effort is part of the fundraising for Malacañang,” they said in the intelligence report.

The probe team has recommended “further investigation” into the illegal scheme.

“If the Armed Forces of the Philippines knew about this fact, then it would probably result in demoralization in the ranks...

If the [political] opposition gets hold of this conversation it could fuel speculation as well

as continued efforts against the administration. This matter has now become a national security concern in the light of the implications that this discovery might bring,” the investigators added.

What’s clear at this point is that

some well-entrenched and wellconnected officials and influence peddlers at the Department appear to have never heard of “daang matuwid.” Or else they would not be raising funds to “continue the reforms” by doing what they do.

#FAILOCRACY

CHONG ARDIVILLA

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W e D n e s D aY : a u G u s t 1 2 , 2 0 1 5

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

WORLD

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Europe’s sturgeons making a comeback VETREN, Bulgaria—Europe’s last wild sturgeons got a rare boost this summer when the conservationist group WWF Bulgaria released more than 50,000 babies of these prehistoric fish into the lower Danube, marking the end of a three-year project co-funded by the European Union.

These so-called giant “living fossils” date back to the time of the dinosaurs but are now teetering on the brink of extinction.

“The sturgeons are a very ancient species, which have survived to our time from the era of the dinosaurs almost unchanged... But they are now critically endangered,” WWF Bulgaria country manager Vesselina Kavrakova told AFP. Six varieties of sturgeons once lived in the Danube, the expert said. Now only four of these species are left.

“The Beluga, Russian and Stellate sturgeons are listed in international classifications as critically endangered and the smallest species, the Sterlets—the ones we bred—are listed as vulnerable but their condition is estimated as very bad,” she added.

The lower part of the river in Bulgaria and neighboring Romania is home to the EU’s last still viable populations of sturgeons, which live mostly in the Black sea but swim upriver to spawn.

They can grow to up to six meters in length and live for 100 years.

Extensive poaching for the sturgeons’ tasty meat and expensive caviar has led to their dwindling stocks, though local fisherman Rumen Ivanov insisted he had not heard of anybody catching a sturgeon “in ages”.

To counter the trend, experts have appealed to the governments of Bulgaria and Romania to extend their sturgeon fishing bans due to expire next year.

The sun has barely risen in the quiet village of Vetren but a dozen fish experts and fishermen are already feverishly preparing the release of the last batch of 2,000 wild sturgeons.

Bred from Sterlet caviar in artificial ponds some 400 kilometers away, they arrive in a big water tank and undergo a slow process known as “tempering” to help them get used to the water temperature in the river. AFP

Parade. People watch as the Toy Story float rides past during the Main Street Parade at Disneyland Paris, in Marne-la-Vallee, on Aug. 6, 2015. AFP

Ambitious Slovenia titillates wine world ORMOZ, Slovenia—From New York to Sao Paulo, epicureans have been reveling in a new generation of exciting wines from one of the least expected places—Slovenia, a vintner’s paradise in full renaissance.

The small nation has in fact a flourishing viticultural tradition stretching back some 2,400 years to the Celtic era, long before the Romans introduced wine-making to France and Germany.

Wedged between Italy, Hungary, Austria and the Balkans, Slovenia benefits from mineralrich soils and a continental climate, making it particularly ideal for producing white wines.

The reason they have remained a secret until recently is largely because of Slovenia’s history as a former part of communist Yugoslavia.

Under the rule of dictator Josip Broz Tito, the country’s wine industry was nationalized and vineyards were turned into state-run cooperatives.

For decades, not a drop was exported and even today most of the wine is still consumed

locally, with each of the two million inhabitants drinking an average of 39 liters per year.

“We come from a country no-one knows, we have a wine no-one knows and we have grapes no-one knows, so we have to be better than the rest,” said Tatjana Puklavec who runs the “Puklavec and Friends” (P&F) winery in the northeastern Ormoz region, known as the “Tuscany of the East”.

The P&F label has become a symbol of Slovenia’s ambitions to carve out a niche in the global wine market.

Debuted at a fair in Amsterdam in 2010, the brand’s white wines proved an instant hit with international crowds and are now selling all over the world.

“Buyers said, ‘finally something new from the old world’,” Puklavec told AFP in a recent interview.

The secret lies in combining well-known grapes with the local Sipon variety (or Furmint), known for its high acidity and herbal yet fruityfresh taste, she added.

This intriguing mix, coupled with the soil, gives Slovenian wines a unique taste that has puzzled wine experts all over the world.

“They say, ‘I cannot even think about what this reminds me of because it’s so unique’,”

Puklavec smiled.

P&F makes its wines in a seven-story cellar dug by Puklavec’s grandfather and other regional winegrowers in 1956 on the border with Croatia.

Across more than 1,100 hectares, the winery grows Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Welschriesling, Traminer, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Muscat and Sipon.

At the hilltop stand sophisticated presses with inner gas systems to preserve the aromas.

The grape juice is transported through pipes to storage rooms below and, as you walk downstairs into the cellar, you can see barrels and dusty bottles marked with the year of the harvest and the type of grapes.

The most precious drops are found in the archive cellar, which stores 270,000 bottles of the finest wine produced by the winery, including two dozen bottles of 1956 Sauvignon.

Although wine-making is a family tradition, it looked at one point as though the business had completely faltered, Puklavec recalled.

In the 1950s, her grandfather—a small wine maker with “an entrepreneurial vision”—joined forces with 40 other growers to create a cooperative in Ormoz, then still an underdeveloped region. AFP

Feud-riven retail giant promises reform SEOUL—The head of South Korea’s Lotte Group on Tuesday vowed a new era of corporate governance and transparency as he apologized for the family feud engulfing the beleaguered retail giant.

In an address broadcast live on television, group chairman Shin Dong-Bin also sought to deflect the growing anti-Japanese sentiment surrounding Lotte, which was founded in Japan but does 80 percent of its business in South Korea.

Talking in accented Korean, the native Japanese speaker twice bowed deeply before the cameras in a show of contrition for the bitter and very public battle for corporate

control that has pitted him against his father and elder brother.

“The current dispute has occurred as we have failed to make efforts to improve corporate governance and enhance transparency,” Shin said.

“We will be bold in reform in order to address concerns held by the people of Korea, our shareholders, contractors and employees,” he added.

At stake in the Lotte feud is the control of a sprawling conglomerate with 80 units across Korea—spanning retail, amusement parks, hotels and chemicals—and total combined assets of around $90 billion.

Among other reforms, Shin said he would push for the public listing of Hotel Lotte, which effectively controls the Korean business, while also streamlining the group’s complicated web of cross-holdings to enhance transparency.

“Lotte belongs to Korea,” the chairman said, stressing that the group’s Korean interests dwarfed the Japanese-based side of the business in terms of employee numbers and sales.

“There has been little flight of capital back to Japan,” Shin said, adding that the earnings made in South Korea had been plowed back into the domestic business. AFP

Dangerous cosmetics. This file photo taken on May 8, 2015, in

Abidjan shows women who use skin-whitening cosmetics. Many Ivorian women and men are using creams with dangerous chemicals for depigmentation despite government attempts to stop the practice. AFP

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Viloria: I can beat Gonzalez

By Ronnie Nathanielsz TWO-DIVISION world champion Brian Viloria is confident he can beat undefeated pound-for-pound No. 2 Roman Gonzalez of Nicaragua when they face off at New York’s famed Madison Square Garden in a blockbuster card headed by the clash between Gennady Golovkin and David Lemieux in a world middleweight unification bout on Oct. 17.

In an exclusive interview with The Standard/ boxingmirror.com, Viloria said: “I feel like it’s a good matchup. I have what it

takes to take him (Gonzalez) down.”

The moment the deal was sealed, Viloria began training camp with celebrated

Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach and his Filipino assistant Marvin Somodio.

“I will train really hard and we will pull out all

the stops and bring in a strength and conditioning coach,” said Viloria.

The former world light f lyweight and f lyweight champion added: “I will show him my experience and power. I’ve been in these types of situations before. I feel rejuvenated and good in this fight.”

Gonzalez, who had previously indicated he was willing to fight Viloria provided the price is right, is 28 years old and has

a record of 43-0 with 37 knockouts.

“The issue is getting paid well because I will not fight just to fight,” Gonzalez insisted. “I’m not running from anyone. I am ready to fight anyone but all I want is a good purse.”

Viloria, who is 34, has a record of 36-4 with 22 knockouts and is coming off a spectacular firstround TKO of Omar Soto in a rematch, after which he called out Gonzalez.

Cesafi cracks down on cheats

By Mikey Izumi EVEN before the opening of its 15th season, officials of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foudation Inc. cracked down on cheats and in so doing, strengthened the integrity of collegiate basketball in Cebu.

In the latest incident, another tampered record was discovered after officials of Cebu Eastern College conducted its own investigation and were shocked to find out that the documents of their leading player Mark James Roa had been tampered with to make him eligible to play this season.

Roa was found to be overaged as his date of birth was actually Nov. 15, 1995, contrary to his submitted NSO birth certificate which was November 15, 1997.

Because of this, nononsense CESAFI Commissioner Felix “Boy” Tiukinhoy Jr. announced that Roa “is banned for life in all CESAFI events and the game between CEC and USPF last Thursday is forfeited in favor if USPF.” Roa is the seventh player to be slapped with a lifetime after the same was slapped against SWU Baby Cobras Elmer Catinggan, Reynaldo Obarco Jr, Mark Anthony Quilab, Andy Turno, Edwin AboAbo. Their coach, Rey Lubguban, was also found guilty of submitting tampered documents.

Meanwhile, the University of San Jose-Recoletos Jaguars had their win over the University of Cebu Webmasters last Aug. 1 forfeited after CESAFI found out that the majority of the players of the team were unable to submit their ECG results, which was a league requirement for players before they are allowed to play this season.

Winter Olympics host. School children walk around the National Stadium, known as the Bird’s Nest, during a

tour of the Olympic park which hosted the 2008 Olympic Games. The Bird’s Nest will host competition at the IAAF Athletics World Championships beginning on Aug. 22, as well as the opening ceremony for the 2022 Winter Olympics, after Beijing was announced in July as the host city for the 2022 games. AFP

Rory confirms PGA start, says ankle is fine KOHLER—World number one Rory McIlroy confirmed Monday he will defend his title in this week’s PGA Championship and says the left ankle he injured is 100 percent ready to play.

The 26-year-old Northern Ireland star suffered ligament damage in the ankle last month while playing football with friends, missing his chance to defend the British Open crown last month at St. Andrews.

McIlroy played practice rounds at Whistling Straits over the weekend to test his ankle and went around nine

Grassroots program.

Philippine Volleyball Federation’s Regional Director for CARAGA Remy Banas accepts from PVF President “Tito Boy” Cantada, volleyball equipment and volleyballs for the region’s grassroots program. The turnover took place last Sunday in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur, where Cantada, PVF Managing Director Otie Camangian and Deputy Secretary General Gerard Cantada attended the closing rites of the Agusan del Sur Volleyball Association Referees’ Congress. The PVF’s outreach program is supported by Tanduay.

holes in the rain on Monday.

“To play golf, it’s 100 percent,” McIlroy said. “To go back on a soccer pitch, it wouldn’t be quite ready. But to do what I need to do this week, it’s 100 percent.”

McIlroy will play the first two rounds alongside US Open and Masters winner Jordan Spieth and British Open champion Zach Johnson.

“It felt fine, McIlroy said. “It’s good.

I’ve come a long way in five weeks.”

Meanwhile, a Grand Slam won’t be on the line, but Jordan Spieth will still

be shooting for a piece of golf history when the PGA Championship tees off at Whistling Straits on Thursday.

The 22-year-old American will be squarely in the spotlight as he tries to join Ben Hogan and Tiger Woods as the only golfers to win three major titles in the same year.

“That would be just such special company,” Spieth said. “But just like at The Open Championship, when I get there, it’s just going to be about that tournament, and that’s all that will be on my mind.” AFP

James, Rubio coming to PH

By Jeric Lopez THE Philippines is fast becoming a prime destination for National Basketball Association stars, perhaps because of the Filipinos’ unparalleled passion for basketball.

Proof of this is the arrival of NBA stars in the coming weeks, led by the returning Cleveland Cavaliers superstar Lebron James, who will be in the country from Aug. 19 to 22 as the Nike ambassador for Rise, a basketball program for talented street players, who will be given the chance to enhance and showcase their skills and possibly make it big in the basketball scene.

James first visited the Philippines for his Nike Tour in 2013. ‘’Get ready, @KingJames will be arriving to inspire Team Rise and Pinoy basketball to the next level,’’ said Nike Philippines in its Twitter account.

In addition, James is also set to conduct an open training on Aug. 20 at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

Not to be outdone, adidas will be bringing along Spanish guard Ricky Rubio to conduct his own clinics and training for local cage players.

Rubio, who will be in the country on Aug. 20 to 23, described his upcoming trip to the country via his twitter account as “a pleasure and honor” and added that he personally considers the event as a lifelong dream. ‘’Happy to announce that I will be on an International Tour this August visiting the Philippines and Dubai,’’ said the Minnesota Timberwolves star on his personnal Twitter account. ‘’Bucket list: visit Philippines!!’’

And there are more coming.

Denver Nuggets star Kenneth Farried and San Antonio Spurs sharpshooter Danny Green are also scheduled to hit Manila later this month to spearhead the NBA 3X Philippines 2015 also at the MOA.

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Caluag confident of making it to Rio

By Dennis Principe

BMX Olympian Daniel Caluag is confident he will get a return trip to next year’s Olympics to be held in Brazil.

The 28-year-old Caluag has been juggling his time between training and his work, apart from his newfound responsibility as a doting father to his daughter Sydney who will be a NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

year old this September.

Now working as a nurse in California, Caluag bared that he is having a full schedule both as a family man and an athlete where he gained the distinction

of being the only Asian qualifier during the 2012 London Olympics.

“I’m spending a lot of time with my family. Here in California, it’s a little bit harder to live on an athlete’s wage, I would say. So, I’m still full-time nurse which is a new career for me, but I’m still training and putting in all the work I need to do for the 2016 Games,” said Caluag.

Caluag is eyeing a spot in

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Republic of the Philippines Province of Agusan del Norte Municipality of Remedios T. Romualdez OFFICE OF THE BAC CHAIRMAN

The Municipal Government of Remedios T. Romualdez, Agusan del Norte, is inviting interested parties to participate in the Open and Transparent Bidding in process for the FIFTEEN MILLION PESOS Purchase of One (1) Unit Brand New Six (6) Wheeler Left Hand Drive Dumptruck, 4x2 and One (1) Unit Brand New Hydraulic Excavator.

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the 2016 Rio Olympics via next year’s World Championship, which is set sometime in May in Colombia.

While waiting for the Worlds, Caluag has set the Chula Vista BMX track as his training camp which is a two-hour drive from where he currently lives.

“It’s a perfect weather for training year-round and having access in Chula Vista would help tremendously with going

to 2016,” said Caluag.

Among those training in Chula Vista, Caluag disclosed, is Latvia’s Maris Strombergs, who is the only gold winner of the sport’s first two stagings in Beijing and London.

Caluag was named 2014 Athlete of the Year by the Philippine Sportswriters’ Association for being the sole gold winner in last year’s Asian Games in Incheon, Korea.

Asi wants payback vs China NLEX big man Asi Taulava sees a silver lining in the recent debacle suffered by the Philippines during the country’s bid to host the 2019 FIBA World Cup. Taulava, one of the 16 players now part of Gilas Pilipinas 3.0 training pool, believes the setback should propel them to win it all once they start their campaign in next month’s FIBA Asia championship in China, where only the gold-medal winner will advance to the 2016 Rio Olympics.

On Friday last week, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas,

Purchase of One (1) Unit Brand New Six (6) Wheeler Left Hand Drive Dumptruck, 4x2 and One (1) Unit Brand New Hydraulic Excavator RTR, Agusan del Norte

led by its president Manny Pangilinan lost to China, 14-7, during the voting for the right to stage the sport’s biggest event.

“I think it will hurt more if we can go there and we beat them on their own floor and bring the medal home. That would be the best feeling. Once we get that ticket, we may not be hosting the World Cup, but we’ll be going to the Olympics,” said Taulava.

For the 42-year-old Taulava, nothing feels better than wearing that uniform with the Philippine flag on one side with the

Fil-Am Miles Delmindo (left) mauls Rick Morias.

P15,000,000.00 Section 17.4 (IRR RA 9184) Appendix 25 Guidelines on the Sale of Bidding Documents 120 Calendar

Olympics’ five-ring logo on the other side.

But first things first, Taulava and company should now realize they have to go the extra mile now that key players have skipped the national pool due to supposed injuries.

Add to that the seemingly complex system which national team head coach Tab Baldwin is trying to incorporate with the tried and tested dribble drive pattern already mastered by old Gilas players, who are still part of the pool. Dennis Principe

Fil-Am scores KO in 1st fight

By Ronnie Nathanielsz YOUNG super middleweight Miles Delmindo, who at one time wanted to join the national pool of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines, and was hoping to qualify for the 2012 London Olympic Games, has turned pro and made an immediate impact.

In a four-round bout at the Franklin City Fair in Hillard, Ohio, Delmindo dropped Rick Morias twice with stinging left hooks behind a flurry of punches to force the referee to stop the contest at 0:33 of the opening round.

In July 2010, the promising 15-yearold Fil-Am amateur boxer visited the Philippines with his father Mario Delmindo and had a chance to spar with 18-year-old Dennis Galvan, who was a senior member of the national pool.

By all accounts, the sparring went well and coach Pat Gaspi reportedly liked what he saw in Miles, but at that time, said he needed to develop more speed and strength.

At that time, Mario Delmindo said he would work on getting his son dual citizenship so he could represent the Philippines in international tournaments such as the Asian Games and hopefully the Olympics.

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

1. The Municipal Government of Remedios T. Romualdez, Agusan del Norte, now invites the bids for the aforementioned procurement of equipments as indicated below:

Purchase of One (1) Unit Brand New Six (6) Wheeler Left Hand Drive Dumptruck, 4x2 and One (1) Unit Brand New Hydraulic Excavator 2. 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, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act.” The following shall be eligible to participate in the bidding to supply for the aforementioned as follows a. Duly licensed Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships; b. Partnerships duly organized under the laws of the Philippines and of which at least sixty percent (60%) of the interest belongs to citizens of the Philippines; c. Corporations duly organized under the laws of the Philippines and of which at least sixty percent of the outstanding capital stock belongs to citizens of the Philippines; d. Cooperatives duly organized under the laws of the Philippines and of which at least sixty percent (60%) belongs to citizens of the Philippines; or e. Persons/entities forming themselves into a joint venture, i.e., a group of two (2) or more persons/entities that intend to be jointly and severally responsible or liable for a particular contract: Provided, however, that Filipino ownership or interest of the joint venture concerned shall be at least sixty percent (60%). For the purpose, Filipino ownership or interest shall be based on the contributions of each of the members of the joint venture as specified in their JVA. 3. Interested bidders may obtain further information from Municipality of Remedios T. Romualdez, Agusan del Norte, and inspect the Bidding Documents as the address given below from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Mondays to Fridays.

4. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below starting on August 12, 2015 and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount prescribed pursuant to the guidelines aforementioned.

All set for Mars Kingdom bike journey

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of Remedios T. Romualdez at www.rtradn.gov.ph provided that bidders shall pay the nonrefundable fee for the Document not later than the submission of their bids.

By Peter Atencio

5. The BAC will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on August 19, 2015 at or before 2:00P.M. at the SB Session Hall, RTR, Agusan del Norte.

6. Bids will opened in the presence of the bidders representative who choose to attend at the address below on August 31, 2015 at 2:00 P.M. Late bids shall not be accepted.

7. The Municipal Government of Remedios T. Romualdez/BAC 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.

8. For further information, please refer to:

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(SGD) GIDEON T. BOKINGO BAC CHAIRMAN

FORMER Olympian Roberto Querimit is out to prove that in cycling, age doesn’t really matter.

The 65-year-old Querimit will make a go of it when he joins fellow oldtimers Sergio Duenas, a former national cyclist, and retired Tour campaigner Oliver Nebres in the Mars Kingdom 5,000-km Bike Tour Of The Philippines.

“Nag-ensayo kami. Naghanda kami na pumunta sa mga magagandang lugar gamit ang mga bike namin. Ngayon ko lang mararanasan ang challenge na ito. Pero kahit

matanda na ako kaya ko pa,” said Querimit, a member of the national Olympic team, which saw action in the Munich Olympiad in 1972, during a press conference launching the event at the Bay Leaf Hotel in Intramuros.

The three veteran cyclists said they are ready to take on the challenge they consider as a ride of a lifetime as they tour the three major islands of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao for 50 days.

Nebres, the youngest of the group at 33, was a fixture in various Tour campaigns from 2009 to 2015 before he retired. Duenas, like

Querimit, is also in his 60s.

The trio will start embarking on their journey on Sunday, Aug. 16, at the Jetti gas station along Macapagal Avenue.

They will first ride north towards Tarlac, and go as far as Laoag before they head south on Day 10 for a 10-day trip to Sorsogon in the Bicol Region.

A five-day ride Samar to Leyte follows, before they take a ferry ride for a week-long bike ride from Butuan City to Cagayan de Oro. The national tour, once completed, will coincide with the opening of the Philbike expo on Oct. 3.

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LOTTO RESULTS

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

P0.0 M+ P0.0 M+

Princess Ella headlines heading heading heading PCSO Derby M U LT I P L E

THE Philipstakes winner pine Racing Princess Ella Commission leads the THE HOARSE WHISPERER (Philracom) suspended lineup of the the Metro Manila Turf Club (MMTC) for two Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office days, yesterday and today (April 28 and 29) for National Grand Derby on Aug. 16, failing to ensure the airing of their live race covSunday, at the erage last April 23. Philippine Racing Club’s Santa Park in Naic,No. Cavite.

The Ana agency’ s Resolution 19-15 states The mile is open toaired 3YO that “since the race racemeet was not thewho samewere caused dissatisfaction prejudice to the pubrunners as 2YO inand PCSO Maiden races of lic which made them the loosefield [sic] of their 2014.

Headlining sixconfiis Prindence in horseracing.” cess Ella, who won the June 13 Philippine Further, “the said incident substantially Racing Hopeful stakes race reduced Commission the sales of the day and eventually also atthe Santa AnaofPark. affects revenue the government.”

Thursday sales at MMTC to avPrincess Ella, ownedarebysaidSC Stockerage P24.2 but sales April 23rider farm, will million, be paired withonregular reached only P14.96 Val Dilema.

SCmillion.

Stockfarm’s coupled For their failure to “maintain adequate entry Rockmyworld bewith steered broadcast coverage and to will comply what by John Paul upon Guce.

TheyPhilracom are competing is incumbent it” under rules against Joseph Republic Dyhengco’s Sky7978, Hook, and its franchise Act. No. MMTC two days the loneraces coltwere in suspended this racefor(with jockey and the schedule transferred Santa Ana Park Pat Dilema), Felipe to Vergara’s Driven and San Lazaro Leisure Park.

(Kelvin Abobo), Aurora Sevilla’s Epic MMTC was said to have violated Philra(Lester Jesus),U,and Tecson’s com’s PR de 3, section thatBingson requires racing Princess Meili“such (Fernando Raquel Jr). clubs to provide other facilities, devices, * * * *by* law or by the and instruments required Philracom raise public the of Also ontoAug. 16 is confidence a race in inhonor sport, ” and RA 7978’ Sec. 4(j) that requires the late George Y. sStribling, who founded MMTC to maintain “modern telecommunithe Philippine Jockeys Academy. cations and broadcasting equipment and faThe for New Philippine Jockeys Associacilities” “receiving and transmitting” data tion, by its president Gilbert relatedheaded to the betting system, the actual con- L. duct of horserequested races, and thethe announcements Francisco, Philracom for of winningThe numbers and provided dividends, among support. agency P500,000 other information. for the first to fourth placers of the race Insiders say that MMTC was unable to open not placed renewto its3YO airinghorses contractthat withhave Sky Cable in in any PCSO stakes race. time forPhilracom the April 23or races, although their Stribling wasby aCignal revered member of signal was carried that day. *** the racing community.

A jockey and a The Philippine Office he trainer in his Charity nativeSweepstakes United States, (PCSO) Racing Committee will feature upcame to Manila in the early ‘80s for a and-coming 3YO in a special maiden race on vacation and never took flight May 16 at the Manila Jockey Club’saSan Lazaroback.

He made Leisure Park. the Philippines his second home, a declared place for himself Eight and horsescarved have been to run over as meters, fillies to carry and colts and a1,400 racing consultant to 53 thekgsindustry 54.5 kgs. to the jockeys. mentor The fillies are: Jeci Lapus’s Knights Queen, The Academy offers a two-year apto be ridden by jockey PR Dilema; Ramon prentice course for paired riders.

High school Ocampo’s Miss Dainty with JB Hergraduates meeting theGolden physical nandez; Melanie Habla’s Cup requirewith JA Guce;are Divina Dy’s Divine Degrace with ments guided in riding techniques LF deprinciples.

Jesus; lawyerThose Narciso who Morales’s Sierra and successfully Lanes with the LD Balboa; andgo Wilbert complete training on toTan’s rideElproNido Island with FM Raquel Jr. JENNY ORTUOSTE

North wins. James Ryan Lam (left) shares his putting knowledge with North teammate Angelo Que on No. 2 in their clash with the South’s Tony Lascuña and Orlan Sumcad in The Duel 4 at Wack Wack. The North Team won, 4 1/2-1 1/2.

Bombers rally from 18 pts down to turn back Cards

By Peter Atencio

TRAILING by 18 points in the final four minutes, Jose Rizal University accomplished the improbable—chop down that lead one play after the other to turn back the Mapua, 90-87, in the National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament at the San Juan Arena.

The near-impossible feat that left everybody stunned, including JRU coach Vergel Meneses himself.

“Nu’ng naglalaro pa ako, ayokong dumating sa situation na naghahabol. It’s hard to play catch up basketball. Iyun ang wala na sa isip ko (the win).

Pero, kadalasan, it’s not about the coach, but the instincts of the players. When it comes to emergencies, they have to do their own thinking,” said Meneses.

The former Philippine Basketball Association superstar-turnedcollegiate coach had Tey Teodoro, Paolo Pontejos and Dave Sanchez to thank for the improbable fightback that handed the Bombers their fifth win in eight games in a four-way tie for fourth spot with the Cardinals and the Arellano University Chiefs.

Teodoro led the scoring for JRU with 32 points, including three of the four triples JRU scored in the fourth quarter,

putting the Bomboff Stephen Que’s Games Tomorrow ers to within five, foul with only 2.3 (San Juan Arena) 10 a.m. • EAC-ICA vs LPU (jrs) 81-86. seconds to go to Beda vs San Sebastian (jrs) Allwell Oraeme 12 nn • 2San complete a huge p.m. • EAC vs LPU (srs) split his charities 4 p.m. • San Beda v San Sebastian (srs) 20-1 run. to keep Mapua The Cards, who afloat, 87-81, but Pontejos, who played minus injured veterans Johad 16 points, buried a trey to san Nimes and CJ Isit (back spasm put JRU within striking distance, and dislocated shoulder, respec84-87, with 11.7 seconds re- tively), got 25 points and 19 remaining. bounds from Oraeme.

Teodoro then forced an inIn the junior division, Jasper bounding Andretti Stevens to Salenga exploded with 24 points turn the ball over and the Heavy and added 12 rebounds for the Bombers scored two more for an Mapua Red Robins, who demol86-87 count. JRU again regained ished the JRU Light Bombers, possession after Oraeme lost the 87-39. to improve to second spot ball in a rebound play after Te- at 7-1. odoro missed a charity shot.

The EAC-ICA Brigadiers Teodoro then drove off Oraeme drew 19 points from Kevin Dulin the next play to put JRU finally arte to wallop the Perpetual Help on top, 88-87.

Junior Altas, 88-62 in the other Again, Mapua turned the ball game, and hiked their record to over on Exequiel Biteng error and 4-4 in a tie with La Salle GreenSanchez sank two more charities hills at fifth place.

Pro loop wants concrete pact with basketball body TOKYO—The PBA and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas would have to come up with a mutually acceptable plan for future national teams involving the league’s players.

Both league chairman Robert Non and new president and CEO Chito Salud said the summit is a must so that all the concerned parties would have a more united stand when it comes to dealing with future international tourneys coinciding with the PBA season.

“We want a long-term formula for the constitution, formation and supervision of the national team,” said Salud. “We want crystal clear terms of engagement, which all stakeholders could agree to.”

Said conference should be held within the year, added Salud, so that all the stakeholders would have ample time to prepare for the recent changes in the FIBA calendar regarding qualifying tournaments for the World Cup and Olympics.

Under the new format, some of the FIBA qualifiers or windows would be played out on November, February and June of each year starting in 2017, dates which are right smack in the thick of the PBA season that starts October and ends in July.

The PBA, which has been lending its players to national teams since the 1990 Beijing Asian Games, is also set to provide the makeup of squads for the Asian Games.

Sports opening. Inter-Scholastic Athletic Association President Melanie Florentino of Feati University is flanked by her board of directors (from left) Raul Santos, Andy Cristobal, Engr. Marlon Asuque and Benjie Hernandez as she briefs sportswriters on her league’s seventh-season opening on Aug. 19, 9 a.m. at the Cuneta Astrodome during their Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum appearance at Shakey’s Restaurant in Malate, Manila. EY ACASIO

fessionally, losing their bugboy status after a racking up a certain number of wins.

Stribling, who died in 2012, was instrumental in enhancing the skills of the present generation of jockeys, and was proud of those who found work as professional jockeys and exercise riders in Japan, the Middle East, and North America. ***** Nominations for the fifth leg of the Philracom Import/Local Challenge took place yesterday, with entries being accepted up to 5pm, way after presstime.

I’ll release the lineup in my column next week. The 2,000-meter race is set for Aug. 23 at the Metroturf racecourse in Malvar, Batangas. *** Facebook: Gogirl Racing, Twitter: @gogirlracing, Instagram: @jensdecember, Blog: http://jennyo.net

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RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

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

sports@thestandard.com.ph

sports

Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao (left) and British champion Amir Khan are shown during their meeting in London early this year.

It’s Pacman vs Khan next By ronnie nathanielsz

EIGHT-DIVISION world champion Manny Pacquiao is likely to face Amir Khan in the Middle East sometime next year.

That’s the word from Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, who charts Pacquiao’s career.

A report in the Daily Telegraph newspaper said Arum is due to open talks with Khan’s camp in London this weekend, after pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. once again denied Khan a title shot despite the World Boxing Council welterweight silver champion’s constant pleas.

While Khan was disappointed at Mayweather’s decision to face Andre Berto in what could be his final fight on Sept. 12, Sky Sports

Fil-Am scores KO in 1st fight turn to A14

quoted Arum, who called the bout “a farce.”

Pacquiao has been out of the ring since losing to Mayweather last May 2 and underwent surgery five days later for a tear in his right shoulder rotator cuff, which he blamed for his points’ defeat in Las Vegas.

“This kid Amir Khan keeps shooting his mouth off about Manny Pacquiao. I can arrange for Khan to fight Pacquiao. Amir Khan has been begging Mayweather for a fight and now he can get a major fight. I’m not a hard guy to deal with. I’m not go-

ing to mess them around,” Arum told the Daily Telegraph, Arum said Khan should have been Mayweather’s next opponent when the unbeaten superstar bids for his 49th successive victory in September, aiming to equal the legendary Rocky Marciano’s mark.

“That’s a farce. Mayweather should have fought Khan next. It would have been an interesting fight,” said Arum.

The astute promoter made it clear, “One thing’s for sure, Pacquiao is not ducking Khan. Pacquiao will fight him. I don’t know if Khan will fight Pacquiao, but it’s available.”

But any possible Khan-Pacquiao fight will not take place this year as Pacquiao will take the rest of the year off to ensure complete recovery from his shoulder injury.

Taulava wants payback vs China turn to A14

“Manny’s not going to fight this year. He’ll fight early next year and probably in the Middle East. Vegas is a possibility, but more likely in the Middle East. It won’t be in Dubai, but it will be in the Middle East. If not, we’ll do it in Vegas,” said the promoter.

Arum added: “There’s two different groups in the Middle East (wanting to host the fight). I’d like to do Pacquiao against Amir Khan, but they’ll take Manny against any decent guy.”

Pacquiao and Khan met earlier this year in a London Gym, where they discussed a possible fight this year, but which was set aside after the Filipino agreed on terms for a Mayweather showdown.

Pacquiao was in London for a private dinner with Britain’s Prince Harry.

Bibat’s birdie punctuates North win MICHAEL Bibat drilled in a bending 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th to lift his team-up with Miguel Ochoa to a thrilling 1-up victory over Elmer Salvador and Arnold Villacencio and punctuate Team North’s huge 4 1/2-1 1/2 victory over South in the opening fourball of The Duel—North vs South 4 yesterday at Wack Wack Golf and Country’s Club’s East Course in Mandaluyong.

The last pairing was headed to an all-square ending after Salvador and Villacencio birdied No. 15 to draw level and after both teams traded pars in the next two holes. But Bibat, after checking the line of his putt on top of the hole twice, canned in that long downhiller.

“It was close all the way. They were up by two after 8 holes but we took the next two. Miguel birdied Nos. 13 and 14 but they also birdied Nos. 14 and 15,” said Bibat, a former Asian Games bronze medalist with one pro victory in 2013.

The win capped North’s solid first day performance that saw Angelo Que and James Ryan Lam nip Tony Lascuña and Orlan Sumcad, 1-up; Mars Pucay and Keanu Jahns overwhelm Cassius Casas and Ferdie Aunzo, 3&2; and Gerald Rosales and Jun Bernis clobber Jhonnel Ababa and Marvin Dumandan, 4&3, in the best-ball format of the event sponsored by ICTSI.

B1

WEDNESDAY: AUGUST 12, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

Aspect executives. Aspect Software, a US-based solutions provider, on Tuesday introduced in the Philippines multi-channel customer contact applications called Aspect Customer Experience Platform 14.1, which promotes self-service in customer interaction. Shown during a news briefing at Makati Shangri La Hotel are (from left) Aspect senior director for marketing and alliances in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East Edwin Ong, Aspect senior vice president and chief marketing officer Jim Freeze, managing director for South Asia and the Middle East Sanjay Gupta and country sales manager for the Philippines Alfred Lallana Jr. RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ

Ayala Land tops 2nd south station auction

By Darwin G. Amojelar

AYALA Land Inc. topped the auction Tuesday for the second integrated terminal system in Metro Manila under the government’s publicprivate partnership program.

Transportation Undersecretary Perpetuo Lotilla, chairman of the bids and awards committee of the Department of Transportation and Communications, said Ayala Land offered a lower annual grantor payment of P277.88 million for the P4-billion South Integrated Terminal System.

The annual grantor payment is a fee to be paid by the government to the concessionaire.

Filinvest Land Inc. offered P1 billion.

“The government welcomes the lowest bidder, because that is the amount that will be paid by the government. I think we have

a good deal with the amount that they are charging,” Lotilla said.

Lotilla expects to issue the notice of award before the end of the month.

“Since this is a facility that will enhance property values, of course people around the area will have greater interest in getting the project. A lot of things could come together with the project like this,” he added.

Ayala Land transportation and power business head Alfonso Javier Reyes told reporters the company was pleased with the result of the bidding.

“I guess this is an important

June exports fell; peso at 45.93:$1

By Gabrielle H. Binaday EXPORTS fell for the third straight month in June, on lower shipments of farm and mining products amid a sluggish global demand, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Tuesday.

Data showed exports dropped 3.3 percent in June to $5.28 billion from $5.46 billion a year ago.

This followed a 17.4-percent decline in May and a 4.1-percent contraction in April.

“Weak external demand continues to affect the country’s external trade performance, particularly for the merchandise exports sector.

Year-to-date outcome, in terms of both value and volume, suggests fragility in the demand, particularly in major trading partners,” said Economic Planning Secretary

Arsenio Balisacan.

Exports in the first six months tumbled 4.7 percent to $28.80 billion from $30.23 billion a year ago.

“This decline reflects a still fragile global economy that is felt across the region. Most of the major economies in East and Southeast Asia also registered negative export performance in June 2015, with only Vietnam and PR [People’s Republic of] China in the positive territory,” said Balisacan.

Reports that exports and manufacturing both contracted in June weighed down on the peso, which tumbled to a fiveyear low of 45.93 against the US dollar on Tuesday. Data from PSA showed the volume of production index also slid by 3.6 percent in June, following a

2-percent drop in May. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said the depreciation of the peso was expected, as initial market reaction on the announcement of the yuan devaluation was weakness.

“Should the adjustment in the yuan, however, become effective in supporting Chinese exports in the near-term, that could help sustain regional trade and in turn help support global growth,” Tetangco said.

Electronic exports, accounting for 46 percent of total shipments, increased 9.5 percent to $2.48 billion from $2.22 billion in June 2014, led by the 16.9-percent increase in semi-conductors. This reversed the 7.5-percent slump in electronics shipments in May.

project for us because we’re developing Arca South, so we feel this a very strategic project and it’s a good project for the country to help de-clogged Metro Manila,” Reyes said.

Ayala Land said the site of the ITS South Project was right next to Arca South, where ALI is developing an integrated mixed-use estate.

Up to 4,000 buses and 160,000 passengers are expected to feed into the ITS South from the South Luzon Expressway every day.

Construction will begin by May 2016 and is expected to be completed and ready for operation by October 2017.

The winning bidder will take care of the design, construction and operations and maintenance of the terminal for a concession period of 35 years.

The project covers the construction of a terminal within a 4.7-hectare lot along the FTI Compound in Taguig City. It will connect passengers coming from the south, specifically Batangas and Laguna provinces, to other public utility vehicles that are serving inner Metro Manila.

The project also covers the construction of arrival and departure bays, public information systems, ticketing and baggage facilities and park-ride facilities.

Earlier, the Transport Department awarded the P3.27-billion contract to build and operate a public transport terminal in southwest of Metro Manila to MWM Terminals, the consortium of Megawide Construction Corp. and WM Property Management Inc.

PSe comPoSite index Closing August 11, 2015

8500 8000 7500 7000 6500 6000

7,570.45 36.10

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing AUGUST 11, 2015 42

P45.930

43

CLOSE

44 45 46

HIGH P45.670 LOW P45.970 AVERAGE P45.860 VOLUME 1,106.800M

P475.00-P675.00 LPG/11-kg tank P39.10-P45.35 Unleaded Gasoline P25.30-P28.55 Diesel

oPriceS il P today

P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene P23.70-P24.40 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Tuesday, August 11, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

45.7300

Japan

Yen

0.008027

0.3671

UK

Pound

1.558800

71.2839

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128992

5.8988

Switzerland

Franc

1.016467

46.4830

Canada

Dollar

0.769053

35.1688

Singapore

Dollar

0.724218

33.1185

Australia

Dollar

0.739590

33.8215

Bahrain

Dinar

2.651606

121.2579

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266660

12.1944

Brunei

Dollar

0.721605

32.9990

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000074

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.028433

1.3002

UAE

Dirham

0.272257

12.4503

Euro

Euro

1.101700

50.3807

Korea

Won

0.000861

0.0394

China

Yuan

0.161038

7.3643

India

Rupee

0.015678

0.7170

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.254647

11.6450

New Zealand

Dollar

0.659196

30.1450

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031601

1.4451 Source: PDS Bridge

WEDNESDAY: AUGUST 12, 2015

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Tuesday, augusT 11, 2015

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low 7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 4.2 4 17 30.45 10.4 2.6 890 1.01 100 30.5 75 91.5 361.2 57 180 1700 124 3.26 47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 89 20.6 85 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 2.89 17 31.8 109 15.3 9.4 0.98 241 12.5 3.95 4 74 33.9 90 13.26 293 5.25 12.98 6.75 15 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.86 238 3.28 0.315 2.18 2.65 234 5.28 1.3 2.17 0.59 59.2 30.05 2.16 7.39 3.4 3.35 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 4.92 0.66 1455 7.5 76 6.5 6.66 9.25 0.85 17.3 0.71 5.53 6.55 0.0670 2.31 1.61 2.99 84.9 3.5 974 1.66 156 0.710 0.435 0.510 10.5 1.99

STOCKS

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 3.75 3.5 71.25 69 104.00 102.00 93.00 91.90 43.5 43.3 2.52 2.45 1.46 1.46 9.22 9.22 16.18 15.8 21.25 20.7 7.72 7.70 1.80 1.03 800.00 790.00 0.425 0.400 87.7 87 19.10 18.88 26.00 26.00 64.00 62.95 307 304.8 40.35 38.55 142.6 141.2 1510.00 1505.00 59.00 58.80 3.26 3.26 INDUSTRIAL 35.9 Aboitiz Power Corp.

42.95 43.6 42.6 1.11 Agrinurture Inc. 1.45 1.44 1.39 1.01 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 0.97 1.03 0.96 1.86 Alsons Cons.

1.86 1.93 1.87 7.92 Asiabest Group 11.02 11.22 10.9 40.3 Bogo Medelin 50.2 53 51.95 15.32 Century Food 18.62 18.7 17.5 20.2 Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ 68 48 48 10.08 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 27.3 27.3 27.05 29.15 Concepcion 54.75 54.45 52 1.5 Crown Asia 3.2 3.33 3 1.5 Da Vinci Capital 1.55 1.54 1.5 10.72 Del Monte 12.5 12.4 12.2 9.55 DNL Industries Inc. 22.400 22.650 22.3 9.04 Emperador 9.50 9.90 9.36 6.02 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 7.13 7.19 7.07 8.86 EEI 9.60 9.82 9.57 1.06 Euro-Med Lab 1.68 1.69 1.69 8.61 Federal Res. Inv. Group 13.02 14.5 12.82 20.2 First Gen Corp.

25.8 26.25 26 71.5 First Holdings ‘A’ 79.8 80 79.3 13.24 Holcim Philippines Inc. 13.40 13.40 13.38 5.34 Integ. Micro-Electronics 5.95 5.95 5.78 0.395 Ionics Inc 0.500 0.580 0.480 173 Jollibee Foods Corp.

192.00 191.90 188.80 8.65 Lafarge Rep 10.08 10.14 10.08 2.3 LMG Chemicals 2 2 2 1.63 Mabuhay Vinyl 1.9 1.9 1.72 33 Macay Holdings 55.90 53.95 50.05 23.35 Manila Water Co. Inc. 24.75 24.95 24.75 17.3 Maxs Group 26.9 27.15 25.4 5.88 Megawide 6.47 6.5 6.05 250.2 Mla. Elect. Co `A’ 306.00 309.60 304.80 3.87 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 4.59 4.59 4.57 8.45 Petron Corporation 8.10 9.00 8.30 3 Phil H2O 4 4 4 10.04 Phinma Corporation 11.80 11.88 11.50 3.03 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 3.45 3.48 3.32 1.95 Phoenix Semiconductor 2.32 2.32 2.20 1 Pryce Corp. `A’ 3.7 3.7 3.45 4.02 RFM Corporation 4.38 4.39 4.30 1.65 Roxas and Co. 1.85 1.85 1.8 161 San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ 162 162 162 1.55 Splash Corporation 1.8 1.85 1.81 0.138 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.146 146.000 0.143 1.02 TKC Steel Corp.

1.17 1.17 1.17 2.09 Trans-Asia Oil 2.12 2.15 2.10 152 Universal Robina 196.5 202 195.3 4.28 Victorias Milling 4.26 4.5 4.23 0.640 Vitarich Corp.

0.7 0.69 0.68 1.2 Vulcan Ind’l.

1.18 1.16 1.15 HOLDING FIRMS 0.44 Abacus Cons. `A’ 0.455 0.450 0.440 48.1 Aboitiz Equity 58.0500 57.9500 57.5000 20.85 Alliance Global Inc. 22.20 22.55 22.20 1.6 Anglo Holdings A 1.22 1.20 1.20 6.62 Anscor `A’ 6.99 6.83 6.83 0.23 ATN Holdings A 0.249 0.270 0.249 0.23 ATN Holdings B 0.25 0.27 0.26 634.5 Ayala Corp `A’ 770 784 769 7.390 Cosco Capital 7.34 7.4 7.33 12.8 DMCI Holdings 11.84 12.64 11.84 2.6 F&J Prince ‘A’ 3.21 3.1 2.76 2.26 Filinvest Dev. Corp.

4.30 4.30 4.16 0.152 Forum Pacific 0.217 0.217 0.196 837 GT Capital 1387 1379 1360 5.3 House of Inv. 6.54 6.71 6.42 49.55 JG Summit Holdings 73.00 73.30 72.00 3.43 Jolliville Holdings 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.52 Keppel Holdings `B’ 4.24 5.35 5.35 4.84 Lopez Holdings Corp.

7.15 7.34 7.06 0.59 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 0.64 0.66 0.63 12 LT Group 14.88 15.2 14.76 0.580 Mabuhay Holdings `A’ 0.56 0.6 0.56 4.2 Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. 5.03 5.1 4.99 4.5 Minerales Industrias Corp. 7.79 7.94 7.35 0.030 Pacifica `A’ 0.0280 0.0280 0.0280 1.23 Prime Media Hldg 1.100 1.100 1.090 0.550 Prime Orion 2.060 2.350 2.070 2.26 Republic Glass ‘A’ 2.8 2.8 2.61 59.3 San Miguel Corp `A’ 55.65 56.80 55.70 1.5 Seafront `A’ 2.40 2.25 2.20 751 SM Investments Inc. 900.50 902.50 900.50 1.13 Solid Group Inc. 1.28 1.30 1.26 80 Top Frontier 77.750 77.800 77.600 0.211 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.3450 0.3450 0.3000 0.179 Wellex Industries 0.1900 0.1880 0.1820 0.310 Zeus Holdings 0.255 0.255 0.255 PROPERTY 6.74 8990 HLDG 7.140 7.280 7.090 0.65 A. Brown Co., Inc. 0.72 0.70 0.69

2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.97 1.68 8.7 12.02 19.6 6.12 1.02 625 0.225 78 17.8 58 62 276 41 118.2 1200 59 2.65

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

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

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

SHARES 12,475,219 82,567,952 128,237,257 142,154,536 261,428,863 1,312,628,121 1,939,994,628

3.75 73 103.60 92.80 43.5 2.52 1.46 10.1 16.2 20.95 7.85 1.70 770.00 0.415 87.1 18.96 26.00 63.50 306.6 38.8 142.8 1480.00 59.00 3.27

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

3.5 70.65 104.00 92.40 43.3 2.45 1.46 9.22 15.9 20.85 7.71 1.80 790.00 0.415 87 18.90 26.00 62.95 306.6 38.7 141.6 1510.00 58.90 3.26

-6.67 -3.22 0.39 -0.43 -0.46 -2.78 0.00 -8.71 -1.85 -0.48 -1.78 5.88 2.60 0.00 -0.11 -0.32 0.00 -0.87 0.00 -0.26 -0.84 2.03 -0.17 -0.31

446,000 23,720 3,676,000 1,128,210 86,600 15,000 22,000 700 25,500 319,500 14,300 81,000 290 860,000 1,701,770 1,101,400 1,200 198,070 10,660 2,147,600 88,340 195 13,320 6,000

43.05 1.39 1.02 1.88 10.92 51.95 18.38 48 27.3 54.4 3.07 1.52 12.38 22.550 9.90 7.10 9.65 1.69 13.9 26 79.3 13.40 5.78 0.480 191.20 10.14 2 1.8 52.95 24.75 26.85 6.44 306.40 4.57 8.99 4 11.88 3.42 2.22 3.53 4.30 1.82 162 1.85 0.143 1.17 2.10 199.9 4.23 0.69 1.16

0.23 -4.14 5.15 1.08 -0.91 3.49 -1.29 -29.41 0.00 -0.64 -4.06 -1.94 -0.96 0.67 4.21 -0.42 0.52 0.60 6.76 0.78 -0.63 0.00 -2.86 -4.00 -0.42 0.60 0.00 -5.26 -5.28 0.00 -0.19 -0.46 0.13 -0.44 10.99 0.00 0.68 -0.87 -4.31 -4.59 -1.83 -1.62 0.00 2.78 -2.05 0.00 -0.94 1.73 -0.70 -1.43 -1.69

4,224,600 50,000 15,000 894,000 21,100 260 441,500 100 275,600 283,470 7,936,000 1,231,000 31,900 3,559,800 508,500 16,447,300 138,300 1,000 53,300 1,770,900 153,660 26,800 688,500 106,000 307,640 1,043,400 5,000 185,000 23,930 686,100 638,000 216,500 128,160 1,672,000 13,550,200 5,000 17,000 1,271,000 2,388,000 3,293,000 2,793,000 19,000 2,610 229,000 8,010,000 25,000 1,517,000 2,890,720 1,526,000 1,018,000 241,000

0.440 57.7000 22.55 1.20 6.83 0.250 0.26 776 7.35 12.50 3.1 4.16 0.196 1370 6.45 72.40 3.8 5.35 7.14 0.63 15 0.6 5.04 7.94 0.0280 1.090 2.350 2.8 55.80 2.25 902.50 1.26 77.800 0.3100 0.1880 0.255

-3.30 -0.60 1.58 -1.64 -2.29 0.40 4.84 0.78 0.14 5.57 -3.43 -3.26 -9.68 -1.23 -1.38 -0.82 0.00 26.18 -0.14 -1.56 0.81 7.14 0.20 1.93 0.00 -0.91 14.08 0.00 0.27 -6.25 0.22 -1.56 0.06 -10.14 -1.05 0.00

1,230,000 1,261,900 5,416,500 1,000 4,000 2,480,000 1,000,000 110,520 3,098,800 9,562,200 211,000 163,000 400,000 391,175 69,200 1,790,690 1,000 2,392,400 393,000 3,864,400 69,000 28,524,700 1,198,200 1,500,000 8,000 33,799,000 336,000 277,870 87,000 308,840 185,000 510 25,360,000 560,000 100,000

7.100 0.70

-0.56 -2.78

500,500 931,000

94,663.00 36,767,236.00 -67,398,404.00 1,950,750.00

-197,046.00 3,169,250.00 -10,033 29,000.00 -763,169.00 -13,411,980.00 -4,794,066.00 21,290.00 -2,264,990.00 -6,126,047.00 90,500.00 -519,200.00 -89,795,140.00 28,300.00 188,000.00 1,542,518.00 -4,237,843.00 -131,870.00 66,440.00 239,694.00 -1,587,915.00 645,184.00 -36,821,094.00 -599,157.00 3,463,160.00 -1,630,448.50 -267,600.00 -986,768.00 -25,094,236.00 2,326,436.00

-6,524,065.00 783,435.00 -8,250,966.00 737,850.00 -746,662.00 -126,500.00 -2,095,120.00 -86,120.00 306,050.00 1,620.00

-464,200.00 193,119,101.00

-33,866,384.50 -14,903,735.00

-29,527,100.00 12,337,580.00 -60,990,484.00

-241,618,555.00 -53,530,080.50 -2,148,170.00 -20,279,580.00 25,364,223.00

-1,796,820.00 -7,513,398.00 41,072,770.00 -19,350.00 -7,775.00 8,100.00

-1,701,323.00

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low 0.375 41.4 5.6 5.59 1.44 1.97 0.201 0.69 10.96 0.97 2.22 2.1 1.8 8.4 4.88 0.180 8.54 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 1.62 8.59

0.192 30.05 3.36 4.96 0.79 1.1 0.083 0.415 2.4 0.83 1.15 1.42 1.27 3.1 2.75 0.090 2.69 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 0.83 5.73

10.5 66 1.44 1.09 14.88 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 12.3 2.6 7.67 1700 2720 8.41 1.97 119.5 12.5 0.017 0.8200 2.2800 12.28 3.32 2.53 3.2 1 2.46 15.2 0.62 1.040 22.8 6.41 4 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1

1.97 35.2 1 0.63 10.5 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 10.14 1.6 4.8 830 1600 5.95 1.23 102.6 8.72 0.011 0.041 1.200 6.5 1.91 1.01 1.95 0.650 1.8 6 0.335 0.37 14.54 3 2.28 79 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55

STOCKS

Close

Arthaland Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ Cebu Holdings Century Property City & Land Dev. Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

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

MRC Allied Ind. Primex Corp.

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

11.6 0.85 10 0.490 1.9

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

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

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

Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown MG Holdings NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

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

Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp.

7.59 SSI Group 0.63 STI Holdings 5 Travellers 0.315 Waterfront Phils.

1.14 Yehey

0.0098 5.45 17.24 25 12.7 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.022 8.2 49.2 4.27 1.030 3.06 0.020 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9 0.016

0.0043 1.72 6.47 9.43 6.5 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.013 3.240 18.96 2.11 0.365 1.54 0.012 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67 0.0100

Abra Mining Apex `A’ Atlas Cons. `A’ Atok-Big Wedge `A’ Benguet Corp `A’ Century Peak Metals Hldgs Coal Asia Dizon Ferronickel Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Lepanto `A’ Manila Mining `A’ 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 United Paragon

70 553 525 120 8.21 111 1060

33 490 500 101.5 5.88 101 997

1047 76.9 78.95 84.8

1011 74.2 74.5 75

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ First Gen G GMA Holdings Inc. MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 SMC Preferred A SMC Preferred B 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

VALUE 835,430,068.86 1,406,599,925.43 1,829,228,750.79 1,053,114,800.095 2,281,120,141.92 825,798,419.96 8,243,746,608.06

FINANCIAL 1,646.05 (DOWN) 3.75 INDUSTRIAL 11,626.96 (UP) 100.74 HOLDING FIRMS 6,836.21 (UP) 17.22 PROPERTY 3,188.83 (UP) 20.53 SERVICES 2,076.83 (DOWN) 6.74 MINING & OIL 12,019.35 (UP) 303.07 PSEI 7,570.45 (UP) 36.10 All Shares Index 4,340.85 (UP) 8.58 Gainers: 68 Losers: 120; Unchanged: 36; Total: 224

Close

0.235 38.15 3.8 5.06 0.82 1.06 0.125 0.440 13.1 0.860 1.24 1.94 1.30 5.14 4.75 0.100 7.35 29.20 1.65 3.30 21.95 0.74 0.830 7.230

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

0.221 0.221 0.221 39.30 38.20 39.00 3.74 3.51 3.52 5.1 5.1 5.1 0.82 0.8 0.81 1.13 1.06 1.13 0.127 0.124 0.127 0.475 0.435 0.470 13.64 13.1 13.14 0.860 0.830 0.840 1.24 1.20 1.20 2.00 1.93 1.95 1.32 1.26 1.31 5.14 5.00 5.01 4.75 4.66 4.68 0.101 0.098 0.099 7.35 7.3 7.31 29.20 28.85 28.95 1.66 1.64 1.65 3.34 3.34 3.34 22.00 21.80 22.00 0.74 0.72 0.74 0.820 0.800 0.800 7.280 7.120 7.210 SERVICES 9.99 10.42 9.6 9.7 64.55 64.65 63.5 64.65 1.15 1.2 1.12 1.14 0.650 0.640 0.620 0.630 13 12.22 12.2 12.2 9.40 9.40 9.21 9.28 0.0780 0.0790 0.0770 0.0770 3.94 4.24 3.6 4.15 98 99 96.8 97.15 10.4 9.81 9.81 9.81 1.7 1.66 1.66 1.66 5.42 5.40 5.35 5.40 925 920.5 920.5 920.5 2652 2682 2630 2640 6.52 6.58 6.40 6.50 1.40 1.37 1.30 1.31 108.5 108.1 107.5 108 12.2 12.38 11.5 12.38 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.201 0.201 0.199 0.200 1.3000 1.3400 1.3000 1.3300 9.59 9.59 9.40 9.40 2.18 2.18 2.16 2.16 1.20 1.30 1.29 1.29 2.10 2.24 2.03 2.23 0.630 0.670 0.670 0.670 2 2 1.99 2 7.6 7.55 7.19 7.2 0.300 0.320 0.280 0.300 0.440 0.470 0.435 0.470 20.9 21 21 21 5.28 5.38 4.90 5.00 3 3 3 3 100.20 102.00 100.00 100.00 19.00 19.00 18.54 18.90 2702.00 2742.00 2700.00 2700.00 0.650 0.660 0.650 0.650 1.510 1.520 1.450 1.500 37.75 37.90 37.20 37.85 78.05 80.00 78.15 79.05 4.12 6.18 4.55 5.60 8.16 8.32 8.14 8.32 0.64 0.65 0.64 0.64 5.52 5.58 5.36 5.36 0.330 0.320 0.320 0.320 2.380 2.600 2.220 2.580 MINING & OIL 0.0057 0.0057 0.0056 0.0056 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 5.33 5.35 5.11 5.11 11.84 11.86 10.62 11.86 6.6500 6.6500 6.6500 6.6500 0.64 0.67 0.64 0.65 0.74 0.74 0.73 0.73 6.65 6.80 6.55 6.57 1.35 1.38 1.30 1.33 0.300 0.300 0.295 0.295 0.205 0.208 0.204 0.206 0.013 0.013 0.012 0.013 2.75 2.79 2.66 2.71 10.08 10.28 10 10 3.88 3.93 3.87 3.9 0.6000 0.5900 0.5900 0.5900 1.9100 1.9200 1.9100 1.9100 0.0095 0.0096 0.0092 0.0093 4.10 4.12 4.07 4.12 5.45 5.560 5.360 5.40 1.65 1.660 1.600 1.60 0.011 0.011 0.010 0.010 118.00 127.50 117.90 127.50 8.18 8.27 7.99 8.02 0.0100 0.0100 0.0092 0.0100 PREFERRED 67.3 67.5 64.5 67.3 527 527 527 527 535 535 535 535 118 116 116 116 6.4 6.4 6.4 6.6 110 110 110 110 1052 1051 1051 1051 1081 1080 1080 1080 1020 1020 1019 1020 75.5 75.6 75.4 75.5 80 79.25 79 79 81.8 80 80 82 WARRANTS & BONDS 3.960 3.850 3.760 3.760 SME 69.5 69.5 69.5 69.5 12.2 12.3 12.06 12.26 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 122.9 124 122.7 123.3

T op g ainerS STOCKS

Low

-5.96 2.23 -7.37 0.79 -1.22 6.60 1.60 6.82 0.31 -2.33 -3.23 0.52 0.77 -2.53 -1.47 -1.00 -0.54 -0.86 0.00 1.21 0.23 0.00 -3.61 -0.28

90,000 12,440,000 3,056,000 1,900 2,133,000 11,000 3,910,000 8,520,000 717,200 7,574,000 7,278,000 43,877,000 523,000 14,100 17,854,000 7,750,000 124,800 1,114,200 2,967,000 1,000 10,792,200 1,255,000 367,000 7,341,300

-2.90 0.15 -0.87 -3.08 -6.15 -1.28 -1.28 5.33 -0.87 -5.67 -2.35 -0.37 -0.49 -0.45 -0.31 -6.43 -0.46 1.48 0.00 -0.50 2.31 -1.98 -0.92 7.50 6.19 6.35 0.00 -5.26 0.00 6.82 0.48 -5.30 0.00 -0.20 -0.53 -0.07 0.00 -0.66 0.26 1.28 35.92 1.96 0.00 -2.90 -3.03 8.40

2,403,500 47,100 370,000 505,000 200 17,273,500 10,720,000 3,270,000 496,190 200 85,000 38,400 50 41,675 126,400 409,000 603,710 83,500 5,500,000 8,650,000 430,000 537,300 619,000 8,000 59,000 36,000 56,000 3,530,700 4,060,000 70,000 108,800 348,500 1,000 271,450 249,000 226,175 198,000 16,176,000 1,340,200 976,100 172,746,000 3,446,000 812,000 1,799,000 20,000 1,627,000

-1.75 0.00 -4.13 0.17 0.00 1.56 -1.35 -1.20 -1.48 -1.67 0.49 0.00 -1.45 -0.79 0.52 -1.67 0.00 -2.11 0.49 -0.92 -3.03 -9.09 8.05 -1.96 0.00

939,000,000 114,000.00 41,000 834,200 -726,919.00 600 6,000 2,455,000 -178,070.00 1,717,000 -364,080.00 2,600 312,197,000 397,941,580.00 610,000 3,210,000 1,200,000 922,000 -641,420.00 4,090,700 -8,224,396.00 3,689,000 -42,790.00 63,000 42,000 -9,520.00 7,000,000 14,000 4,220.00 2,513,700 6,001,228.00 1,199,000 61,190.00 27,300,000 22,000.00 2,589,990 10,124,897.00 586,400 4,413.00 1,200,000

0.00 0.00 0.00 -1.69 3.12 0.00 -0.10 -0.09 0.00 0.00 -1.25 0.24

436,940 90 1,030 30 173,200 100 50 90 3,050 110,160 17,810 127,440

-5.05

414,000

0.00 0.49

140 445,500

440,660.00

0.33

57,040

18,600.00

142,203,510.00 -628,490.00 -945,180.00 6,710.00 -79,298.00 -314,600.00 -6,459,800.00 -15,527,090.00 -2,500.00 -22,038,050.00 -254,220.00 -19,723,770.00 -4,834,850.00 -25,395,390.00 -43,881,706.00 5,465,643.00

1,220.00 4,295,165.00 -15,600.00 80,420.00 -3,616,057.00

-33,245,580.00 3,661,946.00 291,118.00 12,100.00 20,000.00 4,400.00 9,590.00

-1,318,600.00 -369,950.00 -17,050.00 2,100,000.00 316,940.00 -2,803,662.00 -391,720,100.00 -1,922,430.00 -19,901,685.00 54,761,196.50 4,226,530.00 -8,181,196.00 -169,020.00 711,239.00 -2,680.00

-3,366,306.50

-253,710.00

30,600.00 1,199,475.50

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

SBS Phil. Corp.

5.60

35.92

Unioil Res. & Hldgs

0.3100

-10.14

Keppel Holdings `B'

5.35

26.18

Forum Pacific

0.196

-9.68

Prime Orion

2.350

14.08

Philodrill Corp. `A'

0.010

-9.09

Petron Corporation

8.99

10.99

Citystate Savings

9.22

-8.71

Yehey

2.580

8.40

Belle Corp. `A'

3.52

-7.37

Semirara Corp.

127.50

8.05

AG Finance

3.5

-6.67

Lorenzo Shipping

1.29

7.50

Harbor Star

1.31

-6.43

Mabuhay Holdings `A'

0.6

7.14

Seafront `A'

2.25

-6.25

NOW Corp.

0.470

6.82

Asian Terminals Inc.

12.2

-6.15

Cyber Bay Corp.

0.470

6.82

Arthaland Corp.

0.221

-5.96

WEDNESDAY: AUGUST 12, 2015

B3

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

BPI’s profit rises 16% to P9.3b Market climbs; Petron, SBS up STOCKS climbed Tuesday, after more companies reported higher profits in the first half and the government said it would keep its ‘ambitious’ growth target for the year.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, gained 36 points, or 0.5 percent, to close at 7,570.45.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also advanced 8 points, or 0.2 percent, to settle at 4,340.85, on a value turnover of P8.2 billion.

Losers outnumbered gainers, 120 to 68, while 36 issues were unchanged.

SBS Philippines Corp., the newly listed chemical producer, surged 36 percent to P5.60 to emerge as the biggest gainer among the 20 most active stocks.

Oil refiner Petron Corp. jumped 11 percent to P8.99 while Semirara Mining and Power Corp. added 8.1 percent to close at P127.50.

DMCI Holdings Inc. rose 5.6 percent to P12.50 while property developer Ayala Land Inc. went up 2.2 percent to P39.

Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said Tuesday the government would keep the 2015 gross domestic product growth target of 7 percent to 8 percent, despite the sluggish 5.2-percent expansion in the first quarter. The Philippine Statistics Authority will release the second-quarter growth data later this month.

Meanwhile, Asian shares were mixed Tuesday, with Shanghai and Hong Kong boosted by news China’s central bank is devaluing its currency while other regional markets fell.

Tokyo closed down 0.42 percent, or 87.94 points, at 20,720.75 while Sydney fell 0.65 percent, or 35.96 points, to close at 5,473.2.

South Korean shares fell 0.82 percent after disappointing earnings, with the benchmark KOSPI index ending down 16.52 points at 1,986.65.

But Shanghai had added 0.83 percent in mid-afternoon trade while Hong Kong was up 0.71 percent.

China on Tuesday announced a sharply lower daily reference rate for the yuan against the US dollar, saying it was part of moves to make its exchange rate regime more market-oriented.

The 1.86 percent cut—the largest since the yuan was unpegged from the greenback in 2005—comes as speculation mounts China is preparing to widen its currency trading band for the first time since March 2014. With AFP

By Julito G. Rada

Bank of the Philippine Islands, the country’s third-largest lender, said Tuesday net income climbed 16 percent in the first half to P9.3 billion from P8 billion a year ago, supported by a double-digit increase in loans and deposits.

BPI said in a statement the first-half profit translated into an annualized return on equity and return on assets of 13 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively.

Deposits increased 12 percent year-on-year to a record P1.2 trillion, pushing total assets to P1.4 trillion as of end-June 2015.

Loans grew 9 percent over the same period last year.

“We remain focused on providing our shareholders with superior risk-adjusted returns through the cycle,” BPI president and chief executive Cezar Consing said.

“At the same time, we continue to build the bank around our clients. This is a journey, and we believe we do well when our clients do well,” Consing said.

Asset quality remained strong,

with a gross 90-day non-performing loan ratio of 1.77 percent, down from last year’s 1.85 percent.

Loan loss cover was maintained at 108 percent while capital stood at P149.7 billion as of end-June.

Comprehensive income in the January-June period, which includes mark-to-market adjustments on available-for-sale securities, jumped 34 percent to P9.1 billion from a year ago.

Total revenues reached P29 billion as both net interest income and non-interest income increased, the bank said. Net interest income rose 12 percent to P19 billion, on the back of a 15-percent expansion in average assets.

Non-interest income also in-

creased 11.5 percent to P10 billion, on higher income from securities trading, fees and commissions and the insurance business.

Operating expenses rose 7.6 percent year-on-year. This put the bank’s cost-to-income ratio at 51.9 percent. The bank’s total assets stood at P1.4 trillion at the end of the period, a 9.7-percent increase year-on-year.

BPI said the first-semester cash dividend of P0.90 per share was recently approved by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and would be payable to shareholders on Sept.

2, 2015.

BPI said consolidated CET 1 capital adequacy ratio stood at 14.3 percent, while total CAR was 15.2 percent.

Best funds.

The First Metro Save & Learn Mutual Funds of First Metro Asset Management Inc., the fund management subsidiary of First Metro Investment Corp., were recognized by the Philippine Investment Funds Association during the annual awards night. The Save & Learn Balanced Fund was awarded first place in the 5-year return category, while the Save & Learn Fixed-Income Fund was also first in both 3- and 5-year categories. Save & Learn Equity Fund landed second place in the 5-year category. Shown during the awarding ceremony are (from left) PIFA president Phillip Frederick Hagedorn, Fami president Augusto Cosio Jr. and PIFA corporate secretary Edwin Valeroso.

Banks told to separate deposits from securities THE policy-setting Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas issued new guidelines to segregate clients’ investments in securities from deposits in a bid to protect the welfare of investors.

Bangko Sentral said in a statement the board approved the guidelines for segregating the funds of customers received by banks under a securities-brokering arrangement from the deposittaking activities of these banks.

“The segregation is undertaken by introducing a new account in the books of the banks which are called broker customer account,” Bangko Sentral said.

Bangko Sentral said under the previous practice, banks would book as deposits the money they received from clients who wish to purchase securities. The bank is acting as a securities broker for the client under this transaction, it said.

Securities brokering is performed when a bank, specifically licensed as a broker, facilitates the buying and selling of financial securities between a buyer and a seller. In this capacity, the bank is acting as an agent of the customer rather than a receiver of funds for the purpose of deposit taking.

“The ‘broker customer account’ makes clear that funds recorded under this item are not to be classified as ‘deposits.’ They are transactional in nature because there is an instruction to use them to purchase securities,” it said.

Bangko Sentral said the “broker customer account” would not be subject to bank reserve requirements and would not be covered by the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp.

Under the guidelines, broker banks are also required to submit a monthly report of their weekly balances of securities and cash that they received from their customers

starting October 2015.

“The guidelines are consistent with the thrust of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to align the reporting system with international standards and to protect the welfare of financial consumers,” the regulator said.

Bangko Sentral said as a step towards the segregation of banking activities from other business activities, the current financial reporting package was also amended to make room for the reporting of the extent of securities brokering transactions of its supervised financial institutions.

Julito G. Rada

WEDNESDAY: AUGUST 12, 2015

B4

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

IN BRIEF Lina wins Naia auction

AIRFREIGHT 2100 of the Lina Group of Companies has won a contract from the government to operate premium bus airport services from the Makati central business district to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board said only Airfreight 21 qualified and met the financial requirements to open airport bus services in the airport.

The two other bidders, Jam Liner Inc. and Froelich Tours Inc., failed to meet the qualifications to operate the premium airport bus services.

“We strictly followed an open and transparent pre-qualification process to select the most qualified bidder to provide an alternate and convenient transport mode for airline and airport passengers and employees in our three key terminals,” LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez said in a statement.

The board required Airfreight 2100 to submit an application for a certificate of public convenience to formalize its qualification.

Darwin G. Amojelar

boxes. Bureau of Customs Commissioner Bert Lina (right) leads a spot check of balikbayan boxes at a warehouse in Makati City July output down—PSA Balikbayan this week, resulting in the discovery of undervalued and under-declared shipments from New Jersey, USA. The bureau will call on freight forwarders

MANUFACTURING output in June fell 3.6 percent year-on-year on weak global demand and business interruptions during the rainy season, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Tuesday.

Data released by the PSA showed the volume of production in the manufacturing system decreased from a 2-percent drop in May. Despite the further contraction in volume of production, the National Economic and Development Authority said business expectations across sectors remained optimistic.

“Household consumption is also expected to be strong driven by sustained inflow of remittances and election-related spending.

These will then boost domestic demand and support growth in the manufacturing sector,” said Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan.

The Value of Production Index, which measures both volume and prices, declined 7.3 percent yearon-year.

“Despite these figures, there is a sustained positive outlook for the construction-related sectors backed by brisk construction activities. This is fueled by the growth of tourism, continued implementation of infrastructure-related government projects, and robust information technology and business process outsourcing,” Balisacan said. Gabrielle H. Binaday

Metrobank nets P9.3b

METROPOLITAN Bank & Trust Co., the country’s second-largest bank, posted a slight increase in first-half net income to P9.3 billion from P9.1 billion a year ago.

Metrobank said in a statement Tuesday it delivered double-digit growth in both loans and deposits, realized stronger contributions from fee based-income and improved efficiencies with better cost management.

“After successfully completing our capital-raising program, we are poised for further expansion in our core business. Metrobank will have the flexibility to grow strategically and manage sustainable returns despite the challenges in the domestic and global markets,” Metrobank president Fabian Dee said in a statement.

Metrobank ended the first half with an equity base of P189 billion, the highest in the industry, and reported total assets of P1.6 trillion. The bank reported a 20.3-percent capital adequacy ratio and a 16.3-percent common equity Tier 1 Ratio as of June 30, 2015, comfortably above the regulatory minimum. Julito G. Rada

to be compliant in properly declaring shipments to limit packages for personal use and not for commercial purposes. Balikbayan boxes arose in the 1980’s, providing duty- and tax-free privileges to migrant Filipino workers for personal effects sent to their families in the Philippines. The value of the boxes must not exceed $500.

Auto sales climbed 20% in 1st 7 months

By Othel V. Campos

Philippine automotive sales sustained their robust stride in July on the increased purchasing power of consumers and improving economy.

Vehicle sales in July rose 18 percent to 24,569 units from 20,730 units year-on-year, bringing the total turnover in the the first seven months of 2015 to 156,034 units, up 20 from a year ago.

The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and Trucks Manufacturers Association said the July sales were by far the biggest volume sold in a month.

“This is a very good start for the second semester which normally accounts for a bigger share of the whole year’s target,” said Campi president Rommel Gutierrez.

He said both groups are confident the market would remain strong and the industry “will respond by bringing in new stocks in preparation for the demand peak towards the end of the year.”

Vehicle sales rose 1.6 percent month-on-month from 24,185 units in June. Campi and TMA noted that all vehicle categories performed well.

The passenger car category sold 10,221 units in July, up 23 percen from 8,339 units on year 4 percent higher than 9,840 units in June.

Seven-month sales jumped 29 percent to 62,999 units from 48,948 units a year a year ago.

The two automotive groups attributed the increased sales to the availability of sub-compact cars

and attractive marketing efforts.

Sales of commercial vehicles climbed 16 percent to 14,348 units from 12,391 units a year ago and 3.9 percent from 14,345 units in June. Year-to-date sales increased 15 percent to 93,035 units from 80,739 units on year.

Sales of Asia Utility Vehicles and SUVs rose 7.3 percent and 18 percent to 4,709 and 8,798 units, respectively, from 26,034 and 51,238 units in 2014.

The segments sold 27,932 units and 60,457 units in the first seven months of 2015, up 7 and 18 percent, respectively, from 26,034 and 51,238 units in 2014.

Meanwhile, sales of light trucks grew 51 percent to 491 units in July from 326 units on year and 5.1 percent from the June sales of 467 units.

Sales of light trucks from the January-to-July period amounted to 2,762 units, up 25 percent from 2,210 units on year.

Toyota Motors Philippines Corp. led the industry sales with a 44-percent market share, while Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. was in second with 19 percent.

Isuzu Philippines Corp. and Ford Motor Company Philippines Inc. ranked fourth and fifth in sales with a market share of 7.9 percent and 7.8 percent, respectively.

San Miguel’s profit down 8% to P16.9b

By Jenniffer B. Austria CONGLOMERATE San Miguel Corp. said Tuesday first-half net income declined eight percent to P16.9 billion from P18.4 billion year-on-year, on lower sales from the power generation and fuel businesses, and foreign exchange losses.

San Miguel said net income in the first six months of the year, excluding foreign exchange losses, would have increased 15 percent to P18 billion from P15.7 billion.

The company incurred about P1.1 billion in foreign exchange losses as of June 30 from gains in the same period last year.

First-half net sales declined 16 percent to P338.8 billion from P404.9 billion on year.

Operating income in the six-month period jumped 23 percent to P40.7 billion from P33.2 billion on year.

San Miguel said SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. registered an eight-percent decline in net sales from January to June 2015 to P40.45 billion from P43.76 billion in 2014, as off take volume dropped by seven percent.

Petron Corp. booked a 28-percent decline in first half revenues to P186.05 billion from P258.23 billion in 2014. First-half net income, however, rose 13 percent to P3.4 billion.

San Miguel Brewery Inc. reported a 10-percent increase in firsthalf net income to P6.9 billion from P6.26 billion. Net sales increasedfive percent to P39.8 billion despite a one-percent decline in volume.

Ginebra San Miguel recorded an eight-percent increase in net sales for the first half of the year to P7.4 billion from P6.8 billion in 2014, as volume rose four percent to 10.2 million cases.

San Miguel’s food manufacturing unit San Miguel Pure Foods Co. Inc. booked a five-percent increase in first half net income to P1.8 billion, while net sales rose three percent to P50.5 billion.

The conglomerate’s packaging arm, San Miguel Yamamura Packaging Group, registered a four percent hike in first half net sales to P12 billion, while income from operations rose seven percent to P1.1 billion.

San Miguel’s infrastructure unit San Miguel Holdings Corp. booked an 18-percent increase in first half net sales to P7.32 billion from P6.22 billion a year ago on higher traffic volume from four tollroad projects.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

B5

W E D N E S D AY : A U G U S T 1 2 , 2 0 1 5

Building A Home That Is Right For You PH property players stay ahead of curve See ‘fine weather’ ahead as 2016 elections loom

By Joel Lacsamana Property Editor

T

HE Philippine real estate sector is expecting another robust year, with gains seen across the traditionally strong office and retail segments apart from emerging areas like casino gaming and hotels, real estate consultants said recently.

The outlook suggests robust growth in the property sector during the last full year of President Aquino’s term, before businesses take a more strategic approach ahead of the election season in 2016 as “sunny days start to give way to wetter days.”

In a report released recently, Pinnacle likened the coming elections to the traditional Philippine monsoon season which normally barnstorms across the country Turn to B6

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK W E D N E S D AY : A U G U S T 1 2 , 2 0 1 5

B6

Building A Home That Is Right For You

Shopping for a home?

WHETHER you’re buying your first-ever piece of property or upgrading one’s starter unit, there’s nothing like seeing the result of all that hard work. Sure, it may seem stressful and, if you’re a first-timer, definitely overwhelming. But the pride and accomplishment that comes with it makes it all worth it.

With developments emerging in various areas all across the country, there are many opportunities and options for buying that dream house. But before you take the plunge, there are a few decision points you’re going to have to make: Condo or House?

What kind of home do you want? How will you use it? What’s your price range? Shop around. You don’t want to commit to the first house you see just because it looks like you can afford it, the broker is your tita, or someone just told you: “Hey, you haven’t used your PAG-IBIG loan yet, and this development can fix it for you!” Are you a single professional, a yuppie couple with no children yet, someone with a growing family who needs space for rambunctious children and a couple of big dogs?

Or are you just buying to invest, for a second (vacation) home, or an empty-nester looking to liquidate that big house and settle in a smaller place where everything is more convenient?

Gearing up for growth. Major developers are expanding projects outside Metro Manila into other cities.

From B5

by third quarter’s end. By then, political candidates “will start sprinkling the tri-media, utilise school graduations for political sorties, surveys begin coming out, with radio and talk shows conducting surveys of their own on potential candidates.”

“The political cycle impacts on the economic cycle,” explained the Pinnacle report. “In turn, the economic cycle weighs heavily on the property cycle.

Real estate business activities have been contributing to the sustained economic growth in recent years, but it is good to be aware of the political and economic forces at play.”

tion of tariffs on goods and services by a single ASEAN economy would drive consumer spending higher.

“The demand for residential spaces adjacent to malls, retail complexes and other recreational spaces would go up, and will likely increase the already healthy real estate market,” Santos said.

The influx of investment and elimination of trade barriers will allow each country in ASEAN to enjoy unimpeded and free flow of goods, services, labor and capital.

ASEAN economic integration

How are the top real estate developers bracing for the coming election season? Ayala Land, which announced a target capital expenditure of Php 100 billion this year, is building township projects in 25 additional Philippine cities over three to five years.

ALI is building Alviera, in Porac, Pampanga, which is envisioned to be another premier township. Alviera is a 1,100-hectare large-scale masterplanned development that is being positioned as the premier business and leisure hub in Central Luzon.

The group is likewise increasing its residential developments catering to all segments of the market, including socialized housing; and boosting its office, shopping center and hotel portfolio.

The SM Group will build “micro cities” around its shopping malls by developing apartments, offices and hotels. Fifteen of the over 50 shopping malls are on land large enough for high-density and mixedused developments. The biggest bet is on the planned Manila Bay reclamation of 600 hectares. The group is pouring Php 100 billion into the master-planned, integrated and mixed-use project Megaworld will launch five new

Meanwhile, the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian ) economic integration in 2015 would require more commercial and residential infrastructure for highly urbanized cities within the region including key cities of the Philippines, according to property developers.

Rick Santos, chairman of CBRE Philippines, said he expects the Philippine real estate industry to grow further this year because of the ASEAN integration. and the region’s increasing role in global economy.

At a forum held in Makati City recently, Santos said the ASEAN integration will change the economic landscape of the whole region, particularly the real estate market.

“Residential, commercial and retail developers, which will be exposed to the international market, will expand their operations and acquire properties inside and outside the country,” he said. “Foreign investors and corporate executives with local operations in the country will look for residential spaces for a place to stay.”

Santos also explained that the elimina-

Mixed-use townships make good sense

townships: two in Luzon, two in the Visayas and one in Mindanao, with a total land area of around 400 hectares.

This will bring Megaworld Groups’s total township land area to 3,100 hectares by year-end.

Building mixed use developments and townships has proven to be profitable for developers. Based on the April release of the Bloomberg Asia Pacific Real Estate Index, SM Prime gained 37% over the last year, Megaworld grew by 30%, and Ayala Land increased by 29 percent.

The other top developers have been busy as well. Robinsons Land Group acquired the 18.5- hectare property along Ortigas Avenue extension, where it would build a major township. In addition, it is expanding its residential, office, hotel and mall portfolios nationwide.

The Greenfield/Unilab Group announced that it will develop the 12.8 hectare EDSA Central complex into a mixed use community as well. Vista Land and Puregold have been expanding their commercial retail investments. Some major players have expanded into other sectors such as transportation and toll ways. DMCI, Filinvest, Metrobank/Federal Land Groups have been investing in the power sector.

The drive for recurring income is ostensibly strong. After years of raking from brisk sales, all of these players have been building up their office, retail, hotel and even industrial portfolios to generate rental income. Even the Eton Group reported a shift in strategy : from the residential bandwagon, it is now accelerating its in gear in offering more office spaces.

For these top developers, the weather is fine even with the upcoming elections. They will always try to be ahead of the curve and fill the gaps in the real estate market.

Megaworld to build new residential tower in Makati

PROPERTY giant Megaworld is further expanding its presence in the Makati Central Business District (CBD) as it launches its 20th residential tower in the country’s premier financial district.

To be named San Antonio Residence, the 40-storey residential tower will rise along Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue (formerly Buendia Avenue) and in close proximity to Ayala Avenue in Makati City.

San Antonio Residence will have 848 units ranging from studio (25

sqm) to three-bedroom (93 sqm).

Its family-oriented lifestyle amenities include Parent-Kid B.O.N.D. (Begin, Open, Nurture and Discover) open area, swimming pool, children’s pool, pool deck, dance studio, fitness center, street fitness park, outdoor seating area and function rooms.

This residential tower is scheduled for completion in 2020 with projected sales of around P2.1-billion.

Three new high-rise residential projects in Makati CBD that were launched in the last two years, the

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30-storey Paseo Heights, the 31-storey Salcedo SkySuites and the 31-storey Greenbelt Hamilton Tower 1, have been sold out in less than six months. The 32-storey Greenbelt Hamilton Tower 2 and Three Central, on the other hand, are already almost sold out.

Last year, Megaworld announced its plan to increase its portfolio of property developments, specifically residential and office towers, in the Makati CBD to more than 30 buildings by 2016.

Location Property is priced according to area. A small home in Fairview, Cavite or Valenzuela, for instance, can end up much less expensive compared to a condominium unit one-fourth (1/4th) the size in the CBD area.

If you are looking for the convenience of spending less time commuting to and from work, you will have to pay for the premium. Being located near the big business districts and commercial centers make condominiums units a popular choice for newlywed couples and young professionals because of the convenience they offer. If you’re looking for property that you mean to rent out, they might be the better option.

But judging locations can be tricky. Not all property in the CBD (or even in that upand-coming suburban location) are created alike. The property brochure you’re given may show you the site, plus all the conveniences in the area, but what they don’t show is the traffic on the streets, and whether the area can get congested due to high volume of vehicles, especially during rush hour. This is why you need to actually see the unit, preferably during rush hour, to give you an idea how much time you’ll spend traveling. Saturday may also be a good day to drop by – traffic is much worse on Saturdays everywhere.

Other things to check: that flooding is not an issue in the area, its position on the faultline map and how much the utilities such as phone, internet and cellphone signals, water and electricity, have been set up.

Restrictions Many subdivisions have homeowner associations that restrict things you can do. These include heights of buildings, as well as small business use (check first if you’re planning to put up a sari-sari store, renting portions out or taking care of animals), as well as where to park, and more.

Condominiums are governed by a deed of even more restrictions.

Most developers may prohibit the use of LPG, pets, areas the house-help can go and pass, among others. Also, if you plan to rent out the place, you need to know whether the deed of restriction requires you to course the leasing through an appointed exclusive lessor. Its best to ask your broker to provide a copy of the master deed and restrictions of the projects you are interested in.

Cash or home loan? And from whom?

For those who want to pay in cash, make sure you can negotiate the best discounts. For people who prefer to pay in installments, there are various types of payment schemes available.

The first consideration when choosing a payment plan is your cash position, and income. You can visit your bank, and they can give you the details you’ll need before you purchase a house or condo unit.

They will also work with you on setting a reasonable budget for your income.

Other top of mind stuff Downpayment.

You’ve probably seen those ads and poster for really low-downpayment schemes and no-downpayment schemes. Sounds good, right?

Not quite. The lower the downpayment, the higher the monthly amortization that you will need to pay. Lower down payments also mean having lower equity in your home. If something comes up and you have to sell, having too little equity can mean you’ll still owe money after taxes and other closing costs. Amortization Those low monthly amortizations offered by some developers also need thinking through. Ask your broker to break down your installment scheme, and to give you a list of the amounts that you should pay every month and every year.

Other Costs Your responsibilities as a property owner does not end after putting down the initial payments, and moving in. There are other payments you will need to make– insurance and related taxes every year, association dues (homeowners and condo), plus of course, upkeep. Your broker should be able to provide you with rough estimates.

A house is your castle, especially when built on solid ground.

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Building A Home That Is Right For You

444th ARAW NG MAYNILA distinct characteristics of an Ayala Land

A green metropolis. Native trees, like the Dita tree, which enhance landscape and increase site resilience, are planted in Ayala Land developments such as Serendra in BGC.

Walking towards

sustainable communities

A

sustainable community for Ayala Land is not only characterized by the presence of various property components such as residential spaces, commercial centers, offices, hotels and resorts, convenience stores, and health care facilities. It is the proper integration of these components that makes a community sustainable.

Ayala Land recognizes the importance of building pedestrian connections within its communities in

the form of underpasses, elevated walkways, covered sidewalks, and public transport terminals. These facilities benefit people and the environment by encouraging a walking culture that has positive effects on health and wellness. These also enable convenient access to public transportation systems and help in minimizing traffic congestion, which results in less air pollution.

“We make sure our developments are connected to public transport and

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encourage walking. We also recognize that respecting the natural terrain and native vegetation increases site resilience. Lastly, the business districts we are known for become platforms for local economies to grow and flourish. For us, these elements result in sustainable communities,” explained Anna Maria Gonzales, Ayala Land Sustainability Manager.

Pedestrian and transit connectivity, along with site resilience, eco-efficiency, and generation of local employment are

development. These four focus areas have made Makati, the country’s premier business district and Ayala Land’s first masterplanned estate, a sustainable community, where walking has become a lifestyle, where business and leisure meet, and where development has generated opportunities for enterprise and employment for more people.

While it all began in Makati, Ayala Land has brought the same expertise in masterplanning to its other developments like Nuvali in Laguna and Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig, among others.

At Nuvali, the country’s first and largest eco-city development, Ayala Land’s four focus areas are nurtured, as evidenced by the project’s site development approach that has undergone thorough research and planning to preserve the area’s natural terrain. The presence of walkways, running trails, and biking lanes, and a four-hectare lake area provides residents and visitors alike with opportunities for enjoying the outdoors in well-designed urban space. Other eco-efficient features of Nuvali that make it a sustainable community include the South Evozone, a constructed wetland designed for stormwater management that filters and removes potential pollutants and sediment from stormwater before it is absorbed into the ground or released to the lake; use of solar energy posts and panels; and reusing and recycling of water for landscaping and toilet flushing. For local economic

B7 development, Nuvali’s nascent business district creates jobs and livelihood opportunities for its partner communities.

Likewise, BGC exhibits the same features especially with the Bonifacio High Street (BHS), a 1.2-kilometer strip, with retail, offices, and residential components, which is exclusive to pedestrians. BGC is also known for its greenways and biking lanes.

Ayala Land’s commitment to sustainability deepens with its principles integrated in the way it operates the business. “We consider this our ‘CSR’ and our way of contributing significantly and positively to society,” said Ayala Land Chief Finance Officer Jaime Ysmael in receiving a recent recognition on Corporate Social Responsibility.

“We recognize the importance of building with minimum impact to the environment and maximum benefit to people. This is why all the property components in our integrated developments are designed to promote interaction and increase economic opportunities,” Ysmael added.

Ayala Land does not only integrate its four focus areas in its developments to make these sustainable. It also uses the said framework in fulfilling its mission and vision of continuously enhancing land and enriching lives for more people.

Ayala Land is the Philippines’ leading and most diversified property developer with a proven track record in developing large-scale, integrated, mixed-use communities. It is now present in 45 growth centers across the country.

000

AVIDA

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MAKE IT MAKATI

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A s t en 3 - A - 1 3 4 M ALUG AY ST . , BRG Y . SAN AN T ON IO , M AK AT I C IT Y

AVIDA TOWERS ASTEN is a high-rise residential condominium located in West Makati.

Here, everyday living resonates with a distinct life, color and inspiration, affecting its residents with a unique lifestyle vibe that captures their interests and aspirations.

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H OME & L I V ING

LIFE

Cacti and Succulents

Holy Basil

Rainbow Bush (Portulacaria Afra Variegata) in Wooden Mallet geometric planter. Zebra (Haworthia Attenuata) in geometric planter.

HERBS AND THORNS

I

’m sure by now you’ve seen more than a dozen posts of #succulents, #cacti, and #herbs on your social media feed. People love to take photos and creatively use these potted greens – from inclusion on their flat lay breakfast Instagram posts, pins on more than a hundred Pinterest boards, to designs on bridal bouquets, and even as event giveaways or birthday loot.

The trend of potted greens has become more popular in recent years, and it looks like it’s not stopping anytime soon. It is so hard to resist giving these small potted herbs and thorns a second look when spotted in a nearby village market or bazaar. They are just simply adorable! If you start to buy one, it is just so hard to not get another variety and then before you know it your window sill or balcony is just filled with potted greens and most often it extends to your office table.

The trend of owning potted plants gave rise to so many hobbyists, making it a good source of business for some. In fact, some hobbyists love taking care of and propagating these plants, so much that they end up turning it into their own businesses. Pots easily sell for P80 up to P1,000 apiece depending on design and variety; the price tends to get more expensive depending on the rarity of the plant or when it gets branded and arranged in expensive pots. Good business, right? And for something that they love to do.

“I tried to sell accessories online before, but it didn’t work out. I got lazy in the process. I just wanted to earn a little money so there was no heart in it. With gardening, I was genuinely happy while puttering around,” shares Avee Lazaro, a 21-year-old Fine Arts major in Sculpture graduate from UP Diliman who started her venture with Herbs and Thorns.

BY TATUM ANCHETA PHOTOS BY SONNY ESPIRITU

Bunny Ears (Opuntia Microdasys)

“Working under the sun and getting my hands dirty was so much better than spending the day indoors in front of my phone or laptop.

It felt like I was doing something good, and I wanted to share it with everyone,” she adds.

Her potted gems caught our attention because of the simple but elegant designs and the recent tie-up with the bespoke leather and wood crafter called Wooden Mallet (@wooden_mallet). The craft store provided her with geometric planters that easily stand out among the thousands of photo feeds when searching for succulents on Instagram.

Herbs and Thorns started when she was just in her 4th year in college with a friend as her partner. “My partner and I both got interested in succulents, so I hunted for some

in Los Baños, Laguna. Beside the shop where I got the succulents, herbs were also sold. It was then that I got the idea to start the business since I knew where to get the supplies. But when our school year started, my partner backed out because she focused on school. So, I continued Herbs and Thorns alone.” Today, Avee's family helps with her business, from simply driving her around when she buys her supplies to helping her design the pots.

Herbs and Thorns may just be starting but with the rate the business is booming, it looks like this fine arts graduate is on to a a bigger journey for her little enterprise, which has gone on from simple posting on social media to participating in bazaars. “When the business was just starting and I was asking my friends if they wanted to buy plants, some

would ask me, 'What would I do with those?'

But now, since there’s a fad, some think they’re cute and pretty, some think of them as pets, some are serious collectors, and some simply use them as decor to brighten up their homes.”

I asked her about the different kinds of succulents and she gave me a rundown of names I can’t even begin to pronounce, but among her bestsellers are Haworthias (also known as Zebra because of the stripes going up the tip of a green aloe vera-like cactus) and Opuntia Microdasys (also called Bunny Ears).

“I think plants help people relax. That’s why most of my customers want a green plant in their office. In my case, taking care of plants helped me get through my thesis year in college, and some other personal and health problems.

Just staring at them, appreciating their beauty, and tending them, made me feel calm and helped me keep my composure. I know other plant enthusiasts feel the same.” I now have half a dozen potted greens in my office window sill and I couldn’t agree more with Avee.

Aside from her succulents, the young entrepreneur also sells potted herbs, mostly basils, tarragon, rosemary, and mints. “All the herbs we carry can be placed indoors, near windows,” she explains. “At home, we enjoy having an herb garden. We can be sure that they are not sprayed with chemicals, because we keep our garden organic, we compost our kitchen scraps and use that as fertilizer for our herbs.”

As for the life cycle of these potted greens, “Death is part of the life cycle. Some succulents would die after flowering, but they would produce seeds or offsprings. Some succulents will outlive us. Those really big ones in the desert are hundreds of years old.

So if a certain succulent is given proper care, it can be an heirloom!” says Avee.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

HERBS AND THORNS From C1

For those who are now ready to cultivate a green thumb, Herbs and Thorns showed us a step-by-step guide on how to repot succulents after getting it from a supplier. See if you’re ready to get your hands dirty:

1

Prepare the mixing soil composed of lava rocks, soil, compost, pumice, sand, and stone toppings.

(The right mix of potting soil plays a huge part in keeping your greens healthy.)

Riverbend at Eton City

2

To create a well-draining soil, mix up parts of soil, compost, pumice, and sand in a container.

VERTICAL VS. HORIZONTAL LIVING: Which one is for you?

3

Mix soil thoroughly.

4

Put lava rocks at the bottom of the vase/ container, then add the mixed cactus soil.

5

Place the plant and fill up spaces with the soil mix.

Make sure the roots are covered.

6

Add stone toppings. (You may use different colors of stone topping, depending on your preference; it’s really up to you, now get creative!)

For more information about Herbs and Thorns contact them via mobile at +63917 539 6647 or email at herbsandthorns@gmail. com. Visit them on Facebook and look for Herbs And Thorns, or follow their Instagram at @herbsandthorns.

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ondos are hot. There's a new families, tend to favor condominiums one in every corner of the and high-rise apartments. The main metropolis and people keep reasons are security, comfort and buying them. Most of us were convenience. Condos are also said to raised in single- or double-story be compatible with the modern on-thehouses and all these high rises are go lifestyle. still somewhat new to us, which can On the other hand, those who desire a probably explain why condos are hot. retirement abode close to the metro but And there's also the fact that the city is located at areas where there is fresher air THE GIST getting so congested that we really have and more space usually go for the classic

BY ED BIADO to build upwards to accommodate the house-and-lot package. These are people growing population. who want to feel a sense of community.

While Metro Manila's business and commercial Interestingly, these markets are not limited to older folk. districts are increasingly going vertical, the urban According to Eton Properties, many startup couples sprawl is marked by horizontal developments. The prefer to raise their young families in villages where outskirts of the region – the suburbs of Bulacan, they can get the ideal sense of community.

Laguna, Cavite and Rizal – are home to countless And developers are bringing a lot of the convenience gated communities. They're all wildly popular, too. of vertical living to their horizontal projects so that Real estate experts have this rule-of-thumb that residents don't miss out. Most new developments are if you're in the market for a new home but have no fully-integrated and mixed-use townships that offer idea what kind of property to get, you should look residents a holistic lifestyle. at two vertical developments and two horizontal Aside from the immediate impact of choosing one developments for you to really get a feel of things over the other, experts also say that a long-term plan and help you decide. should be in place – as in, a five- to 10-year horizon on And to help you get started on your search for future housing needs that should anticipate children the perfect abode, The Gist got in touch with Eton growing up (either needing individual or additional Properties, developer of both kinds of residential rooms, or moving out eventually); how different properties, for a crash course on the main differences features of the home, like staircases, would affect you between the two. and your health in the long run; and generally, how Based on insight gathered, they find that those already compatible your home will still be with your lifestyle living in the city, particularly young executives working down the line. at CBDs, startup couples and students from well-off Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @EdBiado

68 Roces townhouse

Eton Tower Makati

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CALEIDOSCOPE WORLD

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HUNGRY GHOST MONTH SURVIVAL KIT

BY CAL TAVERA

Rock salt will help scare away hungry ghosts.

A

month ago, my client decided to postpone her condominium renovations to the end of September.

A few weeks after, another couple was rushing to finish their home so they could move in immediately. Both clients are neither Chinese nor traditional, but the urgency to avoid activity during this particular month is becoming a common request when August starts approaching.

So what exactly is the Hungry Ghost Month? Every year, for one full lunar month, they say hungry ghosts are unleashed, allowing them to enter the human realm to wander for food. This solemn occasion, which is taken quite seriously by Feng shui practitioners, happens during the 7th lunar month of the year, usually in July or August.

For 2015, this will commence on August 14 and retire on September 12.

These hungry ghosts are defined as spirits who may not have reincarnated due to the sins they have committed on earth. They also include those who experienced sudden or violent endings and have unfinished business. These ghosts are labeled hungry because of their inability to satiate their hunger or thirst through the usual intake of nourishment and water. They get their satisfaction instead through the smell of burning incense and aroma of food.

During this time, offerings and rituals are presented to feed these spirits, respect their deceased loved ones and to keep misfortunes at bay because some believe that these ghosts may also return to seek revenge on their enemies or simply cause mischief. The month escalates the chances for tragedies, accidents and other troubles, causing entrepreneurs to reconsider opening new businesses on

Burning incense is said to appease ghosts.

If your business construction started before the ghost month, you may continue with no bad luck.

those dates and homeowners in delaying construction dates.

To avoid yin from penetrating your own space, whether it is your home or office, these are a few guidelines I came across: 1. To appease these ghosts, people give money.

To do this, they burn faux paper money outside their homes, stores or offices.

2. Leave offerings such as plates of food outside the home for passing ghosts. Menu may include chicken, pork, fruits, desserts, beer, and even cigarettes. If possible, place them outside your home to prevent ghosts from entering.

3. Create a bright and light environment at home to deflect negative energies. Lights outside your room can be switched on while you sleep as well.

4. According to Feng shui practitioners, the presence of rock salt will help scare away

Opening umbrellas indoors might be taken as an invitation by ghosts.

hungry ghosts. Spread these around at openings and entry points such as the doorstep or outside the windows.

5. Avoid opening umbrellas indoors. It serves as an invitation for ghosts to share it with you.

6. Abstain from opening a new business.

A store opening during this period may cause the venture to fail. Owners can maximize the month by strategizing and preparing instead.

7. Don’t kill those house insects… yet.

Unusual insects that drop by are supposed to be reincarnations of ancestors. Since cockroaches are not unusual, homeowners are free to get rid of them.

8. Plan construction schedules ahead of time to avoid delays. If the construction took off before the ghost month, it can continue during the ghost month with no bad luck.

9. During the period, avoid moving into a new home or office.

10. Display house amulets or guardians near the entrance. Research says to exhibit Chung Kwei (the protector against evil spirits) or Kwan Kong (Chinese God of War).

For years, I have personally tried to schedule construction projects to take place either before or after the Ghost month because like most Filipinos, I can be a little superstitious.

I usually switch off all the lights at night to get a lighter Meralco bill but I might make an exception for this month. Hmm… also, to be on the safe side, I might as well spread some rock salt by my main door and windows before Friday rolls around. Haha Better safe than sorry, I say. Stay safe, everyone.

Follow me on Instagram @cal_tavera

Sibling revelry in colorful shades

“Y Interior designer Hannah Faustino (right) with sibling Cookie Aplasca

Instead of putting too much bright color everywhere, just have one paint color but explore patterns or tonal values of the same color to avoid getting overwhelmed.

ou don’t choose your siblings. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.” That’s a paraphrase of the quote by former South African bishop Desmond Tutu, underscoring the special bond – love really – that siblings have for each other. For interior designer Hannah Faustino, colors play a great part in strengthening her ties with sibling Cookie Aplasca, as her expertise on interior design and colors has enabled her to create a relaxing, cozy home environment that Cookie can enjoy every day.

It all started when the sisters found themselves scouring the halls of a home improvement store for a room makeover. Hannah, who is an Assistant Professor at the University of the Philippines and principal designer of Ideal Interior Design Services, found the challenge of overhauling her sister’s living spaces made easier with help from Nippon Paint’s “Trend Beyond Colors.”

“I told her to try Nippon Paint because its coverage is thick, requiring less coats of paint which is actually economical,” says Hannah.

Established by some of Asia’s leading interior designers and architects, the current “Trend Beyond Colors” are Persian Blue, Dinosaur Gray, Esperina, Yellow Jasmine, Pretty Box, Carrothead, Blue Award, Painted Frame and Old Rose.

For her sister’s accent wall, Hannah chose Persian Blue or NP BGG 1588T (the code for Nippon Paint’s color tinting machine). Inspired by the best gifts of nature, Persian Blue fits Cookie’s personality well, which is a main consideration when it comes to designing interiors.

The interior design expert saw that the Persian Blue hue also complements the fabric her sister personally chose for the sofa. “I told her to use the Enhancer series so that the texture will be different. Instead of putting wallpaper, we chose that instead. For the rest of the walls, we made it neutral, to blend with the other existing elements found in her home.”

The makeover project actually became a bonding activity for the sisters, since the Nippon Paint Color Creations App helped them visualize the color designs.

Being a professor, Hannah naturally knew that aside from achieving color harmony, following color trends and using helpful tools, one must also consider comfort in choosing the appropriate colors.

“If you’re in a tropical climate like the Philippines, avoid intense warm colors because it’s already hot,” she shares. Physical and psychological human factors are equally important considerations in interior design.

“It’s nice that Nippon Paint categorized colors based on Asian color preferences,” she comments.

The room makeover project was certainly a success, as the siblings now revel in an environment that allows them to enjoy relaxing and cozy moments.

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BUILDING HEALTHY PLACES

The High Line, NYC. Unique conversion of an old railway into a linear park.

G l o b a l l y, health is becoming a growing concern w i t h increasing incidences URBAN of illnesses MATTERS such as heart

BY KARIMA PALAFOX disease, diabetes, obesity, asthma and allergy. These chronic diseases are projected to result in 52 million deaths by 2030 1(Building Healthy Places Toolkit, Urban Land Institute 2015). In the US, one of three is obese, and annual medical costs associated with obesity amount to $147 billion. To address the worsening state of human health, the Urban Land Institute chose to focus on healthy communities as a theme for the organization. The ULI is the most trusted real estate think-tank in the world, with its main objective of leadership in the responsible use of land. The Building Healthy Places Initiative was launched as a global campaign among its 33,000 members that include developers, investors and advisers, urban planners, architects and designers, brokers, lawyers and public officials.

ULI Philippines, led by our chairman Charlie Rufino, recently held a wholeday Health and Resilience Workshop with 100 participants in Bonifacio Global City.

The morning sessions aimed to increase awareness and get recommendations from the people who live and work in BGC on how to make their community more healthy.

I spoke about urban planning initiatives targeted towards building healthy communities. Our built environments have a direct influence on people’s lifestyle choices as well as their health and wellbeing. With that, buildings and communities should be planned to encourage people to be active, be in touch with nature, and have access to fresh food.

“SITTING IS THE NEW SMOKING”¹: PROMOTING ACTIVE MOBILITY

Each hour we spend sitting through traffic in a car is associated with a six percent increase in the likelihood of obesity, while each kilometer traveled by walking reduces this probability by 4.8 percent 2(Frank, L. et al. “Obesity Relationships with Community Design, Physical Activity, and Time Physical Activity, and Time Spent in Cars,” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2004).

How about eating our street landscaping? I took this photo in England. All the plants in the photo are edible.

We need to shift the mindset in terms of mobility, from counting how many people we move down the street, instead of how many cars. To do this, we need to provide facilities – such as walkways and protected bike lanes – to encourage moving through our streets.

This also helps ease traffic congestion.

Communities that enable people to live, work, learn and play within the same vicinity reduce the reliance on cars and open up opportunities for walking and cycling. A rich mix of activities entices people to go to the streets since it has been found that people walk more if they can cluster trips and have interesting things (and people) to look at.

BREATHING SPACES

Public open spaces enable people to have access to nature even in highly urbanized areas. The presence of parks and greenery compensate for oxygen loss, thus improving overall air quality. Parks also serve as venues for recreational and physical activities. They should be easily accessible and available every 400 meters, taking into consideration the walking threshold of Filipinos.

Eduardo Yap, president of the Rotary Club of Makati, discussed the importance of monitoring air quality. Metro Manila is one of the few capital cities in the world that does not measure air quality. How can

we then manage what we cannot measure?

He suggests the installation of monitoring stations in key locations around Manila, and communicating the air quality health index through broadcast and social media.

PROVIDING FRESH FOOD

Each food item travels about 1,500 miles from the farm to the plate. We need to be able to provide food within close proximity, so we’re not dependent on exported, and often processed food. Urban agriculture cuts food miles, and can be done through edible landscaping in parks and roof gardens.

Healthy food has almost become a luxury in city centers. There are far more fastfood restaurants than stores that sell fresh produce.

As a result not everyone, especially those coming from lower income levels, has the option to eat healthy.

Local governments may provide zoning incentives for businesses in areas identified to be underserved of fresh food. In fact, the City Planning Office of New York gives incentives such as reduction of real estate taxes and parking requirements, as well as additional development area rights to buildings that provide food stores on the ground floor.

These stores are required to allot at least 500 square feet to selling fresh meat, fruits and vegetables. Access to affordable, fresh and healthy food should be made available to

everyone across all areas of the community and across all income groups.

PRODUCTIVITY IN OFFICES

Raymond Rufino, chairman of the Philippine Green Building Council, shared the findings of the Better Places for People study by the World Green Building Council. Raymond noted that for most businesses, 90 percent of their operating costs is spent on staff salaries and benefits. Buildings need to be built with more than “green” in mind because benefits are not just savings in energy or rental costs but more so, in improving employee productivity. For example, better indoor air quality is proven to increase productivity by 8-11 percent, and employees that work near windows sleep an average of 46 minutes more per night.

PEOPLE AS THE MAIN PART OF THE EQUATION

Building healthy communities can be achieved through the partnership of different stakeholders. In community building, development should be centered on creating better places for people with their health and wellbeing at the forefront. There has been a shift in the development approach such that people, instead of profit, is becoming the main objective of the triple bottom line.

Follow me on Instagram @karmipalafox

W EDNES DAY : AUGUST 1 2: 2015

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DARK PLACES - NEW

Twenty-five years after testifying against her brother as the person responsible for massacring their family, a haunted woman named Libby Day (Charlize Theron) decides to reinvestigate the case when she is approached by a secret society of amateur criminologists.

R-16

AbSoLutELY AnYtHing - NEW

The comedy follows a disillusioned school teacher, Neil Clarke (Simon Pegg) who suddenly finds he has the ability to do anything he wishes, a challenge bestowed upon him by a group of power-crazed aliens, watching him from space.

As he struggles to deal with these new found powers and the events that subsequently arise, he calls upon his loyal canine companion to help him along the way.

PG

FAntAStiC FouR

Fantastic Four

The contemporary re-imagining of Marvel’s original superhero team, centers on four young outsiders who teleport to an alternate and dangerous universe, which alters their physical form in shocking ways. Now, the team must learn to harness their daunting new abilities and work together to save the world from an uprising tyrant.

PG

tHE LoVE AFFAiR - NEW

The Richard Gomez and Dawn Zulueta tandem is back in a highly anticipated movie. In the story, Richard plays a loving husband who is trying to come to terms with the realization that his wife played by Dawn cheated on him. This drama asks the question: Does getting hurt gives a person the right to hurt others back?

PG

MiSSion: iMPoSSibLE – RoguE nAtion

The IMF agency comes under threat from the Syndicate, a near-mythical organization of assassins and rogue operatives who kill to order. Faced with the IMF’s disbandment, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) assembles his team for their final and most difficult mission to prove the Syndicate’s existence and bring the organization down by any means necessary.

PG

tHE MAn FRoM u.n.C.L.E. - NEW

Set against the backdrop of the early 1960s, at the height of the Cold War, the action adventure film centers on a duo who are forced to put aside longstanding hostilities.

The duo known as CIA agent Solo and KGB agent Kuryakin are up on a joint mission to stop a mysterious international criminal organization, which is bent on destabilizing the fragile balance of power through the proliferation of nuclear weapons and technology.

PG

Point Break

Point bREAK

A young FBI agent (Luke Bracey) infiltrates an extraordinary team of extreme sports athletes he suspects of masterminding a string of unprecedented, sophisticated corporate heists. Point Break 2015 is inspired by the classic 1991 hit of the same title.

PG

CoMPiLED bY niCKiE wAng

iPHoto

Matteo GuidiCelli runs the extra Mile

A

fter finishing a total of 1.9km swim, 90k bike, and 21km run, Matteo Guidicelli pushed himself further to run one more mile even under intense heat during the recently concluded Cobra Ironman 70.3 Philippines in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.

Cobra Energy Drink’s Extra Mile Challenge encouraged Ironman participants to run an extra mile after the tough 70.3 race, each participant is equivalent to a P1,000 donation to Manipis Elementary School in Talisay, Cebu. The Cobra Extra Mile Challenge successfully raised a total of P300,000.

Matteo Guidicelli leads the Cobra Extra Mile Challenge for the benefit of Manipis Elementary School in Cebu

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

hOME Of ThE bEST anD ThE bRighTEST niCkiE Wang General entertainment channel RTL CBS Entertainment is relatively new on the cable television scene but it already boasts a roster of multi-awarded programs that feature some of the brightest stars in Tinsel town.

“That’s how we would like our channel to be known for,” Jennifer Batty, the channel’s executive vice president for Programming, told The Standard.

The Singapore-based TV executive was in town to meet select members of the press to talk about the channel’s upcoming programs and how they would appeal to the local market.

“We bring you the biggest stars and the most interesting series. Filipinos, in particular, are very updated on what’s happening around the world so we make sure that our programs keep them informed about the latest happening in Hollywood, not to mention our programs and series are telecast on the same day they are shown in the United States,” Batty said.

She added that CBS RTL focuses on general entertainment and their programs are suited for general audiences.

“For this month we are pitching The Late Late Night

Show with James Corden.

This funny guy is immensely popular on social media.

Since Filipinos are very much active on social networking sites, I believe they must have seen his videos, so it’s time for them to see this guy tickle funny bones on TV,” Batty related.

The Late Late Night Show with James Corden official YouTube channel has racked up more than 185 million views due to the popularity of the show’s creative segments, which have featured actors like Tom Hanks and Arnold Schwarzenegger acting out their careers in a few minutes with Corden. The Carpool Karaoke segments with Mariah Carey, Iggy Azalea and Justin Bieber have also become very popular on social media.

“James is even surprised on the massive support he gets from social media. But of course we have to give it to the guy, he really has an interesting personality,” Batty furthered.

James Corden took the reigns as host of The Late Late Night Show in March just this year. Since its first week on-air in the U.S., the show has consistently attracted Hollywood’s biggest stars helping make it one of this year’s most buzzed about new shows.

The Late Late Night Show with James Corden, which premiered on Aug. 3 and The X Factor premiering on Aug. 29 are the channel’s program highlights this month.

Clueless girl’s guide to first Cosmo Carnival

Sponge Cola joins four other music artists in a Google Philippines song project

a SOng fOR MODERn-Day hEROES Google Philippines collaborates with five wellknown local bands and musicians to help create the song meant to recognize and celebrate close to 12 million Overseas Filipino Workers. It aims to reconnect them with the things they miss back home through music.

The tech giant is working with Sponge Cola, ItchyWorms and Kjwan, band vocalist Ebe Dancel and YouTube star Mikey Bustos, who will be putting melody to the lyrics and will be recording the song together.

The song will be released on Sept. 1 exclusively on YouTube, just in time for the National Heroes’ Day. “In our effort to make the lives of Filipinos easier, we strive to provide Filipino families ways to stay connected wherever in the world they may be,” said Ryan Morales, Google Philippines country marketing manager. “This is why we thought of creating this song to deliver the fond memories of our overseas Filipinos across the miles through music and technology. We are inviting every Filipino to join in the fun by contributing lyrics to the song.”

Morales furthered that anyone can submit their contribution by simply using the hash tag #GoogleMissKoNa on their

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 40 41 42 43 44 46 48 49 50 53

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Diner’s request 6 On a rampage 10 Lacking in brightness 14 Long-necked wading bird 15 Fizzy beverage 16 Overhang 17 Prince Arn’s bride 18 “Fargo” director Joel — 19 Noted groundhog

20 22 23 24 26 30 34 35 36 37 38

Burrow pro (2 wds.)

Helper (abbr.)

Short rests Windhoek’s cont.

Unyielding Albion, in poetry Slander’s kin Designer label Spiral molecule “Terrible” tsar Zodiac sign

59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67

Magellan discovery Type of lettuce Unctuous Piglet’s creator Rubbing alcohol Perfumed Util. bill Silvery fish River sediment Sheet candy (2 wds.)

Inkling Nailed at a slant Forum speech He played Obi-Wan

By Jove!

Wed on the run Netting “Finding Nemo” fish Like pea-soup fog

DOWN 1 Work part-time 2 Culture dish goo 3 La — Tar Pits 4 Strauss of blue jeans 5 Without end 6 Sign for 7 Frames of mind 8 Ersatz butter 9 Wallaby or joey 10 Leave

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2015

11 12 13 21 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 35 38 39 40 42 43 45 46 47 49 50 51 52 54 55 56 57 58

Fan noise Hertz rival Powerful blow Holm or Fleming Balsam — Mrs. Kramden Fairway clump Fluster Some newlyweds Mammoth Teen bane Harebrained Put the finger on Boring Broke the law Feeling lousy Martini base 1300 hours Snooped Staple, perhaps Jerry-built Paint container Apply liberally Where Anna taught Like some fears Dregs Emblem Hay unit Like — — of bricks Jags Type of socks

English actor and comedian James Corden hosts The Late Late Show

posts on Google+, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram posts. And for every submission, Php1 donation will be made on behalf of the collaborators to the Blas Ople Policy Center & Training Institute. These donations will be used to build halfway houses for victims of human trafficking.

“This is going to be an exciting initiative. On our part as artists, this project is going to be a big challenge.

We’re going to work on a crowd-sourced material so we’re going to have a lot of different ideas. I think in doing this project, mutual respect will play a big role.

Everybody is a good songwriter and musician,” said one of the artists during the press launch held last week.

This initiative is part of Google Philippines’ “Balikbayan” campaign, which aims to reconnect overseas Filipinos with their families and friends and help them sustain and enrich their relationships despite physical barriers.

T

he Cosmo Bachelor Bash is back!

This time, things are getting a whimsical spin for the first ever Cosmo Carnival. The fun, flirty festival on Sept.5 at MOA Concert Grounds is a chance for Cosmo girls to spend the day treating themselves to all sorts of wonderful delights, courtesy of Cosmopolitan Philippines and co-presenters, Guess, major sponsor Smart, and minor sponsors Lactacyd, Skin White, and Vitress.

Get ready to experience what Cosmo has in store this year’s festivities, but since this is the first time they’re doing this, here’s a list of things to prepare and expect to ensure they make the most of this year’s hottest event...

aWESOME bOOThS anD aCTiviTiES CGs will have the opportunity to participate in both fun and flirty activities provided by the event’s sponsors. Aside from a wet and wild foam party that will end the festivities, you can play games such as Dunk the Cosmo Hunk, try to escape (or intentionally get caught) by the cute cops of the jail booth, or have a photo op with some Cosmo Bachelors at the marriage and kissing booths.

MakE SURE ThE OUTfiT iS On POinT Be sure to dress in Cosmo Carnival Chic: Think rompers, shorts, and flirty dresses in bright colors and wild prints that’ll catch the attention of the hunk in the popcorn booth (Wink!). Don’t forget to wear comfy shoes for a lot of walking. Although they’re crossing their fingers that the weather will be cooperative, it might be best to have a jacket or raincoat ready should things decide to get a little wet.

hOT hUnkS Now is the chance to meet the most-awaited centerfolds! Scheduled meetand-greets, a shirtless hunk walk-off, and a celebrity dance showdown will ensure that you get your fill of eye-candy for the day.

Tickets are available at SM Tickets until Sept. 5 for only P300; call 47022-22 or log on towww. smtickets.com. Limited VIP tickets can be claimed upon purchase or renewal of one-year subscription to Cosmo Magazine.

Official media partners include ETC and Magic 89.9.

SWEET SOUnDS PROviDED by ThE bEST DJS Limber up before heading to the event because there’s sure to be a lot of dancing provided by some of the Metro’s coolest spin-doctors.

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

Arnel Pineda's Asian Music Camp has been swarmed with applications worldwide he changed it to be The World Music Camp

ARnel pinedA’S ASiAn MuSic cAMp now The woRld MuSic cAMp

S

anre Entertainment and Arnel Pineda announced that due to a huge upswing in interest by corporate sponsors, international distribution companies, and the public, “Asian Music Camp” will now become “The World Music Camp to encompass talent from around the world.

Originally Asian Music Camp, a televised/Internet music contest, was restricted to contestants residing in Asia or of Asian descent. But greater involvement from corporate sponsors and a massive increase in Internet response motivated the producers to expand the contest world-wide.

Most rules for entry will still apply and all entry submissions for Asian Music Camp on their website will still be accepted. Reg-

istration is extended and the new cut-off date will be announced.

“We’re very excited about expanding the chances for all musical talent around the world to participate,” a spokesman for Sanre remarked.

“The Internet has made the world a smaller place, and gives everyone now the chance to become the next great world-music talent,” said Rene Walter, president of Sanre.

Arnel Pineda, a partner with Sanre and the lead singer of the legendary rock-band Journey, along with many famous international musical talents will judge, encourage, and ultimately help select a winner. Initial voting will be over the Internet, and the final winner will receive approximately a million dollars in prizes, including recording and manage-

ment contracts, and professional mentorship.

For more information go to www.TheWorldMusicCamp.com or www.AsianMusicCamp.com.

HHHHH

Reply 1997 on GMA GMA Network takes viewers out on a trip down memory lane with its new program Reply 1997.

In this feel-good story, a group of high school friends meets up again for the first time after years of not seeing each other due to their busy adult lives.

Join Sandy, Gio, Henry, Jasmine, Joey and Adrian as they look back and indulge in nostalgia by remembering their complicated yet colourful teenage years.

Meet Sandy (Jung Eun Ji), a diehard fan of the boy band H.O.T. who spends all her time swoon-

ing over her idols and putting her studies as her least priority.

Sandy’s childhood friend Gio (Seo In Guk) is always willing to help her with her studies. Gio is a boy-next-door type of guy and the class valedictorian. Although they spend almost all their lives together, Gio still can’t admit his feelings for Sandy. Little did he know that the class salutatorian Henry (Hoya), is secretly in love with him too. Sandy is the only person who knows about Henry’s sexuality and spends a lot of time with her, causing Gio to get extremely jealous.

Meanwhile, Jasmine (Shin So Yul) was also vulnerable to Gio’s charms until she finds out about his feelings for Sandy—her best friend.

She and Sandy spend a lot of time together, fantasizing about their favourite boy band. As Adrian the

transferee comes in to her life and their barkada, he will capture Jasmine’s attention and she will eventually fall in love with him.

Of course, a barkada wouldn’t be complete without the funny one. Joey (Lee Si Eon) is the one to play the part, where all he brings the group is laughter and sometimes, controversial rumors.

Also a significant part of their high school life is Gio’s brother TJ (Song Jong Ho), who is also harbouring feelings for Sandy.

How is their reunion going to reveal secrets from the past? Who will end up together? This exciting program that will show both the past and the present will surely make the viewers’ hearts flutter with kilig and nostalgia.

Follow their story Monday to Friday before 24 Oras on GMA 7.

3 Pinoys out to win first-ever MasterChef asia title

T

he world’s most successful cooking competition finally lands in Asia with the inaugural edition of MasterChef Asia premiering 9 p.m.

Sept. 3 on Lifetime. With 15 of the region’s finest home cooks out to battle their way to culinary glory, MasterChef Asia is simmering as one of MasterChef’s most exciting editions yet with the contest’s enormous talent, interesting drama, and mouthwatering dishes.

China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam have fielded their own home cooks and the Philippines is joining the kitchen battle with three contestants – Jake Aycardo, Lica Ibarra, and Rico Amancio – all apron-armored and ready with their secret tricks and recipes to snag the title of the very first MasterChef Asia.

Jake Aycardo, 24, used to work at a bank where he prepared lunch for his colleagues and realized his

true calling lies in cooking. After quitting and pursuing a career in the culinary industry, Aycardo was in the process of applying in a professional kitchen when he heard about the casting call for MasterChef Asia. Hoping to improve his skills through the competition, Aycardo is getting closer to his dream of achieving a stellar career as a culinary professional.

When 29-year-old Lica Ibarra is not busy with her work as a finance sales officer, she will most likely be found in the kitchen, indulging her passion for the culinary arts, and whipping up dishes especially for her 7-year-old son.

A multi-faceted woman, her interests extend to sports such as Ultimate Frisbee and football.

She was so good that she even represented the Philippines in the Women’s National Football Team.

Rico Amancio’s journey with food began with him helping his aunt in the kitchen at the school

canteen. Now, the 31-year-old paralegal is into cooking more than ever and even wants to take it to the next level by giving back to the community through free culinary workshops for underprivileged children and out of school youths. He also enjoys traveling and mingling with tourists apart from spending time honing his craft in the kitchen.

The three Filipino kitchen stars are entering the competition with the hopes of bringing home the crown, but it won’t be an easy feat especially with the wealth of talent and potential pooled by the show for its debut run. A+E Networks Asia Pacific Deputy Managing Director Prem Kamath says, “MasterChef Asia is the platform for each contestant to not only display their technical knowledge and skills but also to showcase the culinary legacies of their nation.

They will be motivated by a strong sense of national pride, in addition

Jake Aycardo, Lica Ibarra, and Rico Amancio are the Filipinos who will try to win the MasterChef Asia title

to their commitment and passion for cuisine. We can certainly look forward to an exciting season with so much at stake.”

A+E Networks Asia Senior Vice President for Programming & Production Michele Schofield adds, “MasterChef Asia is coming together really well. There is a wonderful range of culinary creations made by the home cooks and many moments that will move audiences to the edge of their seats. With the passion for food we have in Asia, we believe audiences will love the show and root for their favorite contestants.”

The first MasterChef Asia winner will receive their own cookbook, a $50,000 cash prize,

$10,000 worth of unique leisure experiences in Singapore, $15,000 worth of Panasonic home appliances, paid internship at one of Carlton Hotel Singapore’s restaurants, and a one week stay at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.

Catch the premiere of MasterChef Asia and take pride in the culinary talent of Filipino contestants Aycardo, Ibarra, and Amancio and root for them as they cook their way to the crown.

LIFETIME™ is available on Cable Link Ch 223, Destiny Cable Ch 44 (Analogue) Ch 65 (Digital), Dream Satellite TV Ch 10, SKYCable SD Ch 65 and HD Ch 199, and other select provincial channels.

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

Tom and Megan are the newest stars to reincarnate the characters in the Mexican telenovela Marimar

Megan and ToM sizzle on screen This MonTh ISAH V. RED The Kapuso network is all set to set the screen aflame with its new pairing – hunk Tom Rodriguez and Miss World 2013 Megan Young. The two play the central characters in the 2015 reimagining of the worldwide Mexican telenovela Marimar.

In the photo shoot for promotional photos of the series, it was evident that Rodriguez and Young will sizzle on screen. It seems their pairing is meant to be. I must say that GMA Network has cast the right actor to play opposite its new Marimar, already a celebrated international beauty.

In an interview, Megan Young revealed her excitement with her portraying an iconic and well-loved character and how much she could relate to the story of a girl from the barrio. “This is definitely a great project to do. Dito sa Marimar talagang maipapakita ang character nating mga Filipina na handang humarap sa kahit anong pagsubok.”

“Marimar is like any other Pinay who strives for the best. She’s a hard worker, gagawin niya ang lahat para makuha ang mga pangarap niya.

Ganoon din ako, kahit sinabi ng iba dati na baka matalo ako sa pag-

GMA Network surprises Tom when he was cast as Sergio; Tom Rodriguez immediately went to prepare his physique for the many shirtless scenes he will do in the series

Megan Young is excited to play Marimar

takes pride in bringing together some of the entertainment industry’s respected actors and actresses including Jaclyn Jose, Zoren Legaspi, Lauren Young, and Alice Dixson in her comeback project on the Kapuso network.

Joining the stellar cast are Nova Villa, Tommy Abuel, Carmi Martin, Ina Raymundo, Ricardo Cepeda, Jaya, Cris Villanueva, Dion Ignacio, Frank Magalona, Ashley Cabrera plus Boobay as the voice of Fulgoso.

From the original format of Ines Rodena and license granted

by Televisa, S.A. de C.V., GMA Network, Inc. is the producer of Marimar. It premieres on Aug. 24. ➜ continued on c7

eant…I put that aside kasi ito ang gusto ko. Manalo, matalo at least nagawa ko. Si Marimar ganoon din na kahit mag-fail siya, in the end she’ll make sure na ‘yung failure na ‘yun ay magiging encouragement sa kanya to strive for the better,” added the beauty queen-actress.

Equally excited is Megan’s leading man, Tom, who is very vocal about his preparations for the series. “I knew right away when I first heard about it that it was going to be a big project kaya wala talaga akong pinapalampas na oras for training. Right now, I started boxing and doing circuit training.”

Despite being nervous, Tom is

very much excited to take on the challenge of portraying the role of Sergio. “Nakaka-pressure pero at the same time I’m very excited because I know I’m going to learn a lot on this project. Plus, Megan and I have a great working relationship kaya mas nakakabawas ng kaba. It would be a great and fun challenge to breathe new life to the character.”

Was he surprised when he was cast to play Sergio?

Tom said, almost apologetically, “Actually, I was on a break, from almost everything, including physical training, when I got a call from my manager informing me about me being cast as Sergio in Marimar. I

was having ice cream then and when I heard the news from my manager I could no longer eat the ice cream because I thought I needed to do something about my body already.”

Did Megan have anything to do with Tom’s casting? “No, I wasn’t asked whom I wanted to be with in the series. I was cast and so were the rest of the actors, including Tom. When I learned Tom would play Sergio, I felt relieved because I thought I didn’t have to make a lot of adjustments. Tom and I knew each other since way back. Remember we came from the same network.”

Marimar is definitely the primetime series to watch out for as it

A new screen pair – Tom Rodriguez and Megan Young – is expected to heat up the screens this month when the reimagining of Marimar explodes on prime time television