The Standard - 2015 August 13 - Thursday

VOL. XXIX NO. 183 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 THURSday : aUgUST 13, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

UNA: We need Erap to ensure Binay win

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BEhEAdiNg iN jolo Abducted barangay chief is latest Abu Sayyaf victim A VILLAGE chief held hostage by Islamic militants has been found beheaded on a highway on the island of Jolo, police officials said Wednesday.

Rodolfo Boligao was captured in May by the Abu

Sayyaf, an Al-Qaeda-linked group that has gained inter-

national notoriety for bombings and kidnapping sprees.

Boligao’s handcuffed remains were found on Tuesday evening, with his severed head placed by his side, said Chief Inspector Walter Anayo, police chief of Maimbung town where

the body was recovered.

A piece of paper with the victim’s name written on it was placed on top of the body, Anayo said.

“It appears he was beheaded right there on the road,” the island province’s police chief, Senior Supt.

Mario Buyuccan said.

“The body was intentionally left in the middle of the road so that people could find it,” he said.

Abu Sayyaf bandits seized Boligao along with two members of the Coast Guard from the port city of Dapitan, some

250 kilometers from Jolo in May and demanded a ransom from their families for their release.

Boligao was beheaded after the families failed to meet the Abu Sayyaf ransom demand, reportedly Next page P1 million.

Scouts’ girl. Senator Grace Poe is greeted warmly by a group of Girl Scouts after she spoke at an International Youth Day event at SM North Edsa mall in Quezon City.

groups launch campaign to urge Robredo to be Mar’s VP

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Poe, Chiz make no promises to NPC “The two senators were asking the members about their SENATORS Grace Poe and respective concerns in their Francis Escudero met with districts and how to address key members of the country’s these,” said Batangas Rep. second biggest political party Mark Llandro Mendoza, who Tuesday night, but made no was among some 30 politicommitments to run for presi- cians from the Nationalist dent and vice president, respec- People’s Coalition (NPC) who tively, in 2016. met with Poe and Escudero

By Maricel V. Cruz

during their “fellowship night” at the NPC clubhouse in New Manila.

Poe and Escudero, who lead the latest opinion polls for president and vice president, respectively, also talked to the NPC members about their platform of government, Mendoza said.

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‘P303b in savings from 2014 may be used to fund LP win’

By Vito Barcelo, Macon RamosAraneta, Maricel V. Cruz and Sandy Araneta

THE camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay on Wednesday warned that the P303 billion in government savings from the 2014 national budget might be used by the Liberal Party as a campaign war chest to boost the presidential bid of administration candidate Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II. In a statement, the Vice President’s spokesman for political affairs, Rico Quicho, said the

people’s hard earned money could be used in the 2016 elections after the Aquino administration asked Congress for P2.4 trillion in 2014 but did not release 13 percent of it or P303 billion.

“Secretary Butch Abad has said in an interview this will be released in the second half of this year. Why? We can not help but think that the ‘savings’ will be used to fund the campaign of LP presidential candidate Mar Roxas,” Quicho said.

The administration came up with the unconstitutional Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) supposedly to accelertate the implementation of programs and to speed development, yet it failed to release substantial amounts for important projets, Quicho said.

“Why didn’t they ‘accelerate’ the release of funds last year? And why release the funds in the second half of this year? They are not only utterly incompetent. What they are doing is also highly suspicious,” he said.

“The failure to release funds to the Department of Education (P2.2 billion); Department of Public Works and Highways (P26.3 billion); Department of Agriculture (P2.6 billion); Department of Agrarian Reform (P5.8 billion); and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (P1.9 billion) affected services for millions of Filipinos,” Quicho said.

Abad and other economic managers admit-

Poe

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He added that the NPC, which earlier in the day met with the Liberal Party candidate for president, Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, was still in a “consultative stage” to determine which ticket they would support.

NPC president Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao, who had earlier said most members would support a PoeEscudero tandem, said there was no talk of a presidential run in Tuesday night’s meeting.

“There was no talk of politics although Senator Grace did discuss with governors the problems besetting their provinces,” Aggabao said.

“It was purely socials, a gathering for the party members to meet in person Senators Grace and Chiz,” Aggabao added, using Escudero’s nickname.

The NPC, the second

ted that the backlog in the release of funds or “underspending” in general have been affecting the country’s economic growth during the joint congressional oversight committee on public expenditures last June.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) also revealed recently that the economy grew by a mere 5.2 percent during the first quarter of 2015, its slowest since 2012.

“This administration keeps harping on its alleged economic achievements but the real numbers show that the economy has slowed down. More importantly, it failed to improve the lives of the poor, only the rich,” he said.

“Ironically, it failed to use resources for major projects for which it asked funding for. The funds were there. The projects have been identified. Why delay the release in the last part of 2015 and add the P303 billion savings to the P2.56-trillion budget for this year?” Quicho said.

Quicho dismissed Abad’s excuses for the unreleased funds, saying they have so many problems that they failed to solve.

“The words underspending and savings are a misnomer. They did not underspend or save at all. What happened was they did not release the funds to the government agencies and thus, they hindered growth,” he said.

In a briefing for the Senate, Abad characterized spending as “slow.”

He said there was no underspending because the funds eventually get spent as they are carried over through the years.

Senate President Franklin Drilon, however, said the slow spending has hurt the growth of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Abad said now that te economy is growing, it is taking government agencies “a little bit of time” to adjust to a new regime of higher spending.

He also cited as an achievement the doubling of the education budget from P225 billion to P450 billion; the tripling of the public health budget, from P31 billion to P93.5 billion; the six-fold increase in the budget for the administration’s dole program from P10 billion to P62 billion; and the rise in the infrastructure budget from P165 billion to P576 billion this year.

“So what has been happening, despite the fact that there had been problems with absorption, we have been able to focus the spending in such a way that they are focused on key expenditure priorities and we would rather look

largest political party in the country, has two senators, 47 members in the House of Representatives, 14 governors, and 22 city mayors.

The NPC stalwarts who attended the fellowship included Aggabao, Mendoza, Sen. Vicente Sotto III, Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga, Isabela Rep. Napoleon Dy, Sorsogon Rep. Evelina Escudero, as well as former Rizal Rep. Jack Duavit, Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian, Alliance of Volunteer Educators (AVE) party-list Rep. Amang Magsaysay, and Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Stephen Paduano.

On Wednesday, Liberal Party secretary general and Western Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento, said the LP would only use a “positive campaign” to secure public support for Roxas and called on other presidential aspirants to refrain from black propaganda, dirty tricks and mudslinging.

He call came after Poe told reporters she believed the Liberal Party was behind the attacks against her in the press.

But Sarmiento said the LP has nothing to do with the filing of disqualification case against Poe on the basis of her citizenship.

He said the filing of the disqualification case filed against Poe by Rizalito David was obviously a “false flag” tactic to provoke hostility between the LP and the camp of Poe. “It was obvious that the real culprits are trying to pin the blame on LP political affairs chair and Caloocan City Congressman Edgar Erice because after the filing, a text blast quickly followed naming him as the one who gave the filing fee to David.

That’s a classic false flag tactic which was used by the Germans to justify their invasion of Poland,” Sarmiento said.

Sarmiento said that Rox-

at how we can strengthen the ability of the agencies to adopt to this new regime rather than scale down the spending because eventually they’re really able to step up. For example in the case of public works, in the first quarter we were down negative 25 but in the second quarter we were up 37 percent,” Abad said.

At the start of the briefing, Drilon told Abad that the government should be expanding rather than underspending.

He said the Palace was asking for P3.002 trillion or 15.2 percent more than the current budget.

In the House, opposition lawmakers accused the administration of using the 2016 national budget to consolidate its forces for next year’s elections.

Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said that of the P3.002 trillion proposed national budget for 2016, about P648.2 billion or 22 percent can be considered “pork” funds of the Aquino government.

“At the start of the congressional budget deliberations last Monday, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad vehemently denied that there is pork in the 2016 national budget. He even dared critics to identify the questionable items. Well, Secretary Abad, we beg to differ, and here’s what we found: pork barrel totaling P648.2 billion,” Ridon said.

“When we say pork barrel, it’s not just about post-enactment identification of projects. We can classify as pork every item that is vulnerable to corruption and political maneuvering, and funds of which the manner of allocation and disbursement are left to the sole discretion of the President and the Executive Department he leads, thereby leading to the funding of programs and projects that favor his select allies,” added.

Ridon said “our team exhaustively analyzed 5.8 million cells of data in the 2016 National Expenditure Program, and we have come to the conclusion that – at the bare minimum – about P648.2 billion falls under our definition of pork.”

This means about P2 out of every P10 in our national budget next year is highly vulnerable to corruption and patronage politics, Ridon said.

House deputy minority leader and Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares agreed that the huge lump-sum funds in the next year’s national budget would be used by the administration Liberal Party as a come-on for lawmak-

as’ campaign would focus on the things that he had accomplished both as a public servant and as President Aquino’s most trusted “wingman” in running the government.

Another Liberal Party leader, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, said Poe was still the best running mate for Roxas.

Poe has been cool to running for vice president alongside Roxas, who has trailed most opinion polls, and has often said she would be more comfortable running with her friend, Escudero.

Although Roxas issued an informal invitation to Poe during a TV interview, Abad said they needed to formalize the offer.

“There has to be an invitation to formally settle this thing once and for all,” he said.

Asked if the Liberals and the NPC would remain a co-

ers to increase supporters of the administration party and strengthen its political force for 2016.

“We do not belong to the majority, but of course if you are part of the administration coalition, you have all the perks. The administration party has all the resources, lump-sum or pork funds to buy support and increase its allies,” Colmenares said.

Colmenares added that the administration party could even gain support from the local government units (LGUs) and control them using its resources.

“Everything is possible with the administration party,” Colmenares said.

House deputy minority leader and 1-BAP party-list Rep. Silvestre Bello III also said that being part or member of the administration party could mean immunity from being prosecuted for the misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel.

Administration lawmakers, however, denied the opposition claims.

“No truth to that. The Aquino administration will not do that. That is totally far from happening. President Aquino will not tolerate it,” Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone said.

House majority leader and Quezon City Rep. Jorge Banal said the accusation from the minority was expected.

Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga said the accusations from the leftist lawmakers were “illogical” and “a tiresome refrain” from previous budget deliberations.

The Palace also reiterated assurances that no public funds would be used for the Roxas political campaign.

“President Aquino has already mentioned we didn’t use the 2013 budget for the midterm elections. So I can tell you categorically that we’re not going to use the 2016 budget for the 2016 elections,” said Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.

Earlier, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate called on Roxas to explain where he was getting his funds for early campaigning.

Zarate claimed Roxas has been guesting on morning television shows while his advertisements have also been aired.

“Fifteen seconds on a primetime commercial spot can go upward from P250,000, while 30 seconds on TV can go upward from half a million. His TV placements early in the game make questioning his fund sources a valid point,” Zarate said.

alition, Abad said the alliance was “subsisting.”

“We’ll know in October when all the horses are in their respective places so then all the parties will have to make a choice,” Abad said.

“In fact, we don’t even know if Senator Poe has made up her mind to run for a higher position.”

The Palace on Wednesday said they could not wait forever for Poe to decide.

“Just for the record—and I will say this with all the love—sa totoo naman, wala namang forever eh (In reality, there is no forever),” said Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda.

“At the moment, we are still hoping that Senator Grace Poe would consider being the co-pilot of Secretary Mar Roxas. But there are other people who feel that there are other candidates for that particular position,” Lacierda said. – With Macon Ramos-Araneta and Sandy Araneta

Beheading From A1...

The fate of the Coast Guard members is unknown.

Jolo island on the country’s southwestern tip is a known hideout of the Abu Sayyaf, a loose band of several hundred armed men that was founded in the 1990s with seed money from the Al-Qaeda.

The group often resorts to kidnappings for ransom, targeting foreigners when possible. It has beheaded several of its captives including American Guillermo Sobero in 2001.

It is currently holding at least seven hostages, according to the military.

The group has also been blamed for the worst terror attacks in the country, including the firebombing of a ferry off Manila bay in 2004 that killed over 100 people.

– AFP, Francisco Tuyay

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Governor: Most Cebuanos backing Poe for President

UNA needs Erap’s help to ensure Binay win

CEBU CITY—A Liberal Party leader in vote-rich Cebu province said Wednesday most Cebuanos wanted Senator Grace Poe as President, but he vowed to make Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II win the presidency in the province in the 2016 elections

UNITED Nationalist Alliance Secretary General JV Bautista said Wednesday it would be hard for the newly-formed political party to gain traction if Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada would not support the presidential bid of Vice President Jejomar Binay.

“Of course we should try to make up for it, but it’s hard if Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada isn’t there,” Bautista told a forum in San Juan City.

“It would be really hard if Erap isn’t there. He’s really one of the pillars.

“Let’s face it: Erap is a big voice in the opposition at any time. [Erap] never joined the administration coalition. In the past, Mayor Erap said he would support the number 1 [candidate] who would serve the masses.”

Bautista said they were in talks to form alliances with other political parties to back Binay for the 2016 elections.

“We’re looking at the PMP [Partido ng Masang Pilipino] of Mayor Erap, the NPC [Nationalist People’s Coalition] of Ambassador Danding Cojuangco, the Lakas of Congressman Martin Romualdez and Danny Suarez, and of course the NUP [National Unity Party] also,” Bautista said.

“We’re going to reach out to these political parties to form alliances one by one nd formalize the alliance. So far, we have formalized with the Magdalo Party in Cavite. We’re looking at the local parties and these four parties.

“In the national level, there’s nothing formalized yet but talks are on-going.”

Bautista chided Poe saying her uncategorical statements made it hard for all political parties to decide.

“If Senator Grace won’t be with the opposition or she won’t declare herself as opposition, I’m very confident that Mayor Erap will support the candidacy of Binay,” Bautista said. john paolo bencito

“Actually, it’s Senator Grace Poe at the moment that is in the minds of most Cebuanos, but we also have the staunch support for Interior Secretary Mar Roxas here in Cebu,” Governor Hilario Davide III said in a chance interview during Roxas’ visit at the Cebu IT Park.

He made the statement even as Roxas defended Poe over

the repeated attacks by the United Nationalist Coalition questioning her citizenship and residency status.

Roxas said Poe’s citizenship would not be a liability for him should they be a tandem in 2016.

“Well, obviously I do believe that Senator Grace Poe is a Filipina. That’s why I’ve invit-

ed her as my running mate,” Roxas said at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino, where he had been invited as guest of honor during the 62nd Philsutech General Assembly and Annual National Convention.

“If the United Nationalist Coalition has a problem with Senator Grace, it’s up to them what they will do.”

Davide, one of President Aquino’s trusted LP leaders in the Visayas, said they were hoping Poe would make up her mind and work in tandem with Roxas for the 2016 elections The province of Cebu, which includes Cebu City and Lapu-Lapu City, has about 2.6

million voters, making it the top vote-rich province of the country based on the 2013 midterm elections.

Then gubernatorial candidate Davide won overwhelmingly, overthrowing the Osmeña and Garcia clans in the last midterm elections.

In many occasions, Roxas has courted the support of the Cebuanos in continuing what he calls the straight path started by Aquino.

Davide said they will back Roxas to ensure his win in the province.

“We will work hard to ensure his victory next year,” Davide said. john paolo bencito

Wooing Cebuanos. Liberal Party presidential hopeful and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas poses with workers of the Cebu provincial government during a visit he made to the southern province on Wednesday. john paul benCito

Pro-Palace groups want Leni Robredo for VP CIVIL society groups and several politicians on Wednesday launched the Leni Robredo for Vice President Movement at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City.

A national sign-up activity in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao has been set on Aug. 31 to gather supporters and volunteers who could help “popularize” Robredo as a potential vice presidential bet in the 2016 national elections, said Liberal Party member and former Quezon representative and Erin Tañada.

“We see her [Robredo] as

a good alternative to Senator Grace Poe in case she [Poe] does not accept the offer of Mar [Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II to be his running mate],” Tañada said.

“Leni hopes Grace accepts it.”

If Poe ran under the Liberal Party as Roxas’ running mate got Robredo out of the picture, their newly formed movement would be preparing a contingency plan to push Robredo’s senatorial bid, Tañada said.

He said the Leni Robredo for Vice President Movement was an independent effort of various

non-government organizations and that the Liberal Party leadership had nothing to do with it.

“First and foremost, Leni supports the Mar and Poe tandem.

In case Poe does not accept…

We hope Secretary Mar would consider Leni,” Tañada said.

He said they respected the process Poe was going through, but “we also cannot just wait and wait.| He praised Robredo, the wife of the late Interior secretary Jesse Robredo and Camarines Sur representative, as a “model public servant

and simple woman who does not believe in entitlement and quietly does her job.”

“She is a believer in people empowerment, people participation as being reflected in the bills she has proposed in Congress,” Tañada said.

Other supporters who joined the former lawmaker were former Pampanga governor Ed Panlilio of Kaya Natin, composer-singer activist Jim Paredes, Bukidnon Rep. Malou Acosta, Amin Partylist Rep Sitti Hataman and representatives of the Urban Poor Associates. Rio n. araja

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 ranking officers in the Armed Forces of the Philippines: Ricardo R. Visaya – Lieutenant General; Nicolas C. Parilla, Frederick Evans L. Ramos, Librado B. Moog and Jon N. Aying - Brigadier General; Edgar C. Torres, PAF, Michael C. Dela Cruz, PAF (Reserve), Edgar S. Salvadora, MAC (Reserve), Rey M. Bes, PAF, and Nolasco B. Cawaling, PAF (Reserve) – Colonel; Lemuel E. Espartinez, PN and Floro C. Canaleja, Jr., PN (Reserve) – Captain 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.

12 August 2015.

ARTURO L. TIU Secretary (TS-AUG. 13, 2015)

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Arroyo seeks longer furlough KBL urges junking of automated poll scheme

By Rio N. Araja and Sandy Araneta

By Rey E. Requejo and Sara D. Fabunan

Arroyo’s lawyer, Laurence Hector Arroyo, filed a supplemental motion before the anti-graft court’s First Division yesterday.

The Sandiganbayan earlier gave the greenlight for a threeday furlough to allow the former president to attend the wake of her 72-year old brother at Heritage Park in Taguig City on Aug. 11, 12 and 14.

THE Supreme Court has been asked to compel the Commission on Elections to scrap the automated election system in favor of reverting to manual voting in the 2016 elections to avoid a repeat of the irregularities linked to the use of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines in the past two elections.

In a 21-page petition, the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan - a dominant political party during the Marcos administration - and the Movement for national Salvation said Comelec should opt for a manual voting instead of using the PCOS machines provided by Smartmatic-Total Information Management Corp.

“Despite the sordid record and background of respondent Smartmatic, respondents Comelec and Smartmatic are pursuing the same conduct of elections for the May 2016 elections, using the same unreliable PCOS machine of Smartmatic that will once more deprive the people of their constitutional and sovereign rights to elect their officials, freely and personally, in a free, honest and clean elections,” the petitioners said.

They also expressed apprehension that the integrity of the 2016 polls will be compromised if the Comelec is allowed to tap the services of Smartmatic anew.

“Unless the Honorable Supreme Court issue a writ of prohibition against the use of PCOS machine by the respondents, and a writ of mandamus to compel the respondent Comelec to go back to manual voting, the elections in 2016 will surely be a repetition of the anomalous 2010 and 2013 elections, and for the next six years from 2016, this nation will be governed by unelected representatives, who are not voted by the people, in a free, honest and clean elections.”

Former president and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has asked the Sandiganbayan to grant her another three-day furlough, allowing her to attend the wake, burial and ninth day novena of her half-brother, the late Olympian Arturo Macapagal.

“If it is not too much to ask the Honorable Court, she is hoping to attend the wake on August 13 as well,” Arroyo’s motion read.

She also appealed to the Sandiganbayan to allow her to leave the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City on Aug. 15 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the burial of Macapagal, also at Heritage Park.

“She lost the opportunity to see

him alive on last time when he passed away in the morning of August 11. She was a few hours too late. She could not be there for him in the last few days of his life. She is hoping to be there for him for four additional hours in his death,” read the supplemental motion.

Arroyo also asked the anti-graft court to allow her to attend the ninth day novena on Aug. 19 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Valle Verde I in Pasig City.

The former president is under hospital arrest for the alleged misuse of P366 million in confidential and intelligence funds of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

For its part, Malacañang said President Benigno Aquino III

will not likely visit the wake of Macapagal.

“I think our statement expressing sympathy to the Macapagal family is sufficient,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said.

Macapagal is the second child and eldest son of former president Diosdado Macapagal with first wife, Purita de la Rosa.

Macapagal previously served as chairman of the Habitat for Humanity and Scholarship Foundation for the Filipino Youth.

He also represented the Philippines in the 1972 Munich and 1976 Montreal Olympic Games, and held the national record in Olympic free pistol shooting for more than 21 years.

Deep in thought. Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad strikes a contemplative pose during Wednesday’s briefing of the Development Budget Coordinating Committee on the 2016 National Expenditure Program at the Senate in Pasay City. EY ACASio

Malacañang keeps hands off the ‘grass’

By Sandy Araneta

APEC duty. Members of the Philippine National Police stand guard on the

corner of Quirino Avenue and Roxas Boulevard on Wednesday as part of the preparations for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Manila which starts on Aug. 22. DANNY PATA

MALACAñAnG took a handsoff position on the proposed medical marijuana bill, saying it is not in the list of priority bills of the Palace.

“We have no position on that.

It is not included in our priority bills,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said.

The committee on health of the House of Representatives earlier said they are considering the legalization of cannabis or marijuana for medical purposes.

Committee chairman La Union Rep. Eufranio Eriguel said a technical working group

would be created to draft the panel’s version of House Bill 4477, entitled “The Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act.” “The TWG will consider and consolidate all inputs from the authors, resource persons from the medical profession and government agencies and concerned non-government organizations,” Eriguel said.

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III, principal author of the measure, welcomed the committee’s decision.

He said it would give hope to persons “with debilitating disease, severe pain, intense seizures and persistent muscle spasms.”

“I know most of you are desperate for alternative treatment.

I know you have gotten tired of using only pharmaceutical drugs, yet your conditions continue to deteriorate,” Albano said.

Chuck Manansala of advocacy group Philippine Cannabis Compassion Society said the creation of the technical working group is a significant step forward.

However, representatives from the Department of Health and the Dangerous Drugs Board expressed apprehensions over the bill.

“The DDB does not recommend or support the passage of the House bill,” DDB Undersecretary Jose Marlowe Pedregosa told the panel.

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Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his sponsorship speech on the new draft of the Bangsamoro Basic Law .

EY ACASIO

‘China to stop reclamation’

By Vito Barcelo

China will stop reclamation activities in the disputed South China sea, but said it will build facilities to provide services for search and rescue , Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua said at a gathering on Wednesday.

The Chinese envoy’s announcement came even as British foreign Secretary Philip Hammond in Beijing warned of “tension and the risk of escalation” in the contested sea.

In an interview, Zhao dispelled speculations that reclamation and construction is meant for military purposes, adding that the construction of buildings is meant for search and rescue and for freedom of navigation.

“When we say we will stop reclamation, we mean it.” Zhao said

during Singapore’s 50th national day reception in Makati.

Philippine Foreign Affairs spokesperson Charles Jose said that Manila will not accept the massive reclamation being undertaken even for research use.

“We are calling for a cessation of all aggressive activities that heightened tensions, including the construction of facilities,” Jose said.

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario has criticized China’s massive island-building in sever-

New BBL draft in honor of SAF 44 - Marcos

“That we have not responded with violent revenge is a blessing we owe THE widows of the slain SAF 44 and to the widows and the families of our their families’ choice of the path of fallen SAF 44, who displayed courpeace despite the widespread rage age and a burning desire for peace,” and anguish over the Mamasapano he added.

This is the reason, Marcos said, tragedy drove lawmakers to exert efwhy he exerted great effort and forts to remedy the constitutional infirmities of the Malacanang-backed sought the help of as many people draft of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, as possible to correct flaws of the Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. draft BBL in crafting the substitute bill meant to achieve lasting peace in Marcos Jr. said on Wednesday.

Marcos, chairman of the Com- Mindanao.

“Our heroes are best honored with mittee on Local Government spondeeds, not words, and there can be sored his substitute bill to the BBL no greater honor than to finish the and dedicated it in honor of the sacrifices of the Special Action Force task for which they gave their lives, 44 and their families for peace in because in honoring our heroes, we Mindanao. Marcos’ submission of honor the Philippines, and all its dithe draft law was welcomed by the verse people,” said Marcos.

He stressed that peace cannot be Presidential peace advisers, with Secretary Teresita Quintos Deles achieved if it is not an inclusive and saying that the move would al- all-embracing peace.

Unfortunately, Marcos said the lowed plenary deliberations for the passage of the law to proceed with government’s peace agreement all due diligence and without fur- where the proposed autonomy for Bangsamoro people is based generther delay.

In his sponsorship speech of Sen- ated fears and suspicion when govate No. 2894 entitled “An Act Pro- ernment negotiators dealt solely with viding for the Basic Law for the the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Bangsamoro Autonomous Region”, (MILF) to the exclusion of other Marcos noted that the SAF44 wid- stakeholders.

What made matters worse, acows chose the path of peace.

“And so shall we. Our heroes died cording to Marcos, is the participafor peace, and we honor them be- tion of Malaysia in the peace talks as cause a country without heroes is a facilitator and moderator since “it is not a disinterested party”. country without a soul,” he said.

By Macon Araneta

al disputed features in the South China, saying the issue is a “major security concern” for the region.

Several nations, led by the US and Japan, have expressed alarm at the rate and scale of the reclamations, which turned formerly submerged reefs into artificial islands. China admitted the manmade islands may be used for military purposes, search and rescue and other activities.

Zhao dismissed reports that China would soon start reclamation on other parts of the South China Sea and on the Philippineclaimed Scarborough Shoal that fell under Chinese control after a standoff with Filipino authorities in 2012.

The Chinese official admitted that there will be “some necessary defense facilities” in the reclamation sites, saying these structures would be minimal.

Valisno bus crashes; four dead, 16 injured

By Rio Araja THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board on Wednesday issued a 30-day preventive suspension order against the entire fleet of Valisno Express after one of its bus units figured in a road mishap that killed at least four people and injured 16 other passengers in Quezon City.

Chairman Winston Ginez said the order will cover the bus firm’s 62 units.

He directed the confiscation

of the yellow plates of the company’s buses, and their road worthiness inspection under the supervision of the Land Transportation Office.

All drivers of Valisno Express ( formerly Gasat Express) have been directed to go through a road safety seminar and drug test, and secure Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation clearances.

A Valisno bus (TXV-715) was cruising along Quirino Highway in Quezon City yes-

terday at 7:20 a.m. heading toward San Jose del Monte, Bulacan when it crashed into the boundary marker of Quezon City and Caloocan City in Barangay Lagro.

Two of the passengers died instantly, while two others died while undergoing treatment at Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Tala, Caloocan.

The bus driver – George Pacis -- fled but surrendered to the operator of Valisno Express four hours later.

Express coffin. A unit of Valisno Express (TXV 715) crashes into a boundary marker along Quirino Highway in Quezon City, resulting in the death of four people and injuries to 16 others. LINO SANTOS

t h u r s d ay : a u G u s t 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

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news

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

PCSO allots HIGH COURT RULES P9 billion in charity fund

By Maricel V. Cruz THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office has proposed a total of P9 billion funding for individual and institutional assistance along with other medical and social programs as it “hopes to extend charity services to more individuals” next year.

At the presentation of the agency’s plans and directions for 2016 before the House Committee on Appropriations, chaired by Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, PCSO General Manager Ferdinand Rojas II said the charity fund of the PCSO usually represents 20 percent of the agency’s operating budget for the whole year.

For this year, Rojas told the appropriations committee that their operating budget for 2015 is expected to hit P36 billion, of which about P9 billion or 20 percent will be for charity programs and projects.

Ungab inquired how much is the total PCSO funding for medical assistance which includes medicines, medical equipment, hospital assistance, among others. The lawmaker proposed that all medical assistance to needy patients and other individuals be consolidated into one program to eliminate leakages.

Ungab said aside from charity funds from the PCSO, there are also medical assistance funds coming from the proceeds of the Sin Tax Law, allotment to the Department of Health (DOH) for assistance to specialty hospitals and state universities and colleges (SUCs) with hospitals, among others.

There are also assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), lawmakers, and local government officials, Ungab said.

“It would be a very good program to consolidate all these medical assistance into one to eliminate leakages. We should make a study on this,” Ungab said.

The PCSO is the principal government agency mandated to raise and provide funds for health programs, medical assistance and services, and charities of national character.

The five charity services of PCSO are: individual assistance in the form of Individual Medical Assistance Program (IMAP) and Endowment Fund Program; institutional assistance in the form of financial assistance to institutional partners who are the regular beneficiaries, facilities upgrading, medicine donation and medical equipment donation; special projects; community outreach programs; and mandated contributions.

LGUs can’t tax oil firms

By Rey E. Requejo

The local government units have no power to impose business taxes on persons and entities engaged in the manufacturing and distribution of petroleum products, according to the Supreme Court.

In a 14-page decision, the SC’s Third Division Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta denied the petition filed by the Batangas City government seeking to collect P405 million in business taxes from Pilipinas Shell Petroleum, which operates an oil refinery and depot in Tabagao, Batangas City.

The high court sustained the January 22, 2009 decision and April 13, 2009 resolution of the Court of Tax Appeals, which reversed and set aside the ruling issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Batangas City on October 29, 2004 that upheld the imposition of business taxes against Pilipinas Shell.

The Batangas City government sought the reversal of the CTA decision, saying any activity that involves the production or manufacture and the distribution or selling of any kind or nature as a means of livelihood or with a view to profit can be taxed by LGUs. The petitioner asserted that such authority emanates from Section 143 (h) of the Local Government Code (LGC), stating that, “The municipality may impose taxes on any business... which the sanggunian concerned may deem proper to tax: Provided that on any business subject to the excise, value-added or percentage tax under the National

Internal Revenue Code, as amended, the rate of tax shall not exceed two percent of gross sales or receipts of the preceding calendar year.”

It said the CTA committed error in ruling that the word “taxes” in Section 133 (h) of the LGC does not include business taxes.

However, the SC denied the appeal of the Batangas city government, noting that although the power to tax is inherent in the State, the same cannot be said for LGUs whose mandate to impose taxes is not encompassing as it is subject to limitations as stated in Section 5, Article X of the 1987 Constitution.

Section 5, Article X states: “Each local government unit shall have the power to create its own sources of revenues and to levy taxes, fees, and charges subject to such guidelines and limitations as the Congress may provide, consistent with the basic policy of local autonomy.”

The SC pointed out that under Section 133 (h) of the LGC, LGUs cannot

impose excise taxes on articles enumerated under the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) and taxes, fees or charges on petroleum products.

The high court also explained that while the LGUs power to impose business taxes derives from Section 143 of the LGC, the same is subject to the restrictions provided for under Section 133 (h).

“Thus, the omnibus grant of power to LGUs under Section 143(h) of the LGC cannot overcome the specific exception or exemption in Section 133(h) of the same Code,” the SC ruled.

“When there is in the same statute a particular enactment and also a general one which in its most comprehensive sense would include what is embraced in the former, the particular enactment must be operative, and the general enactment must be taken to affect only such cases within its general language as are not within the provisions of the particular enactment,” it said.

Cyber crimebusters. Justice Sec-

retary Leila De Lima (center), Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Edwin Enrile (2nd from left) and Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo (2nd from right) sign the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the “Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012” on August 12, 2015 at the New World Manila Bay Hotel. Justice Assistant Secretary/ Head, of the Office of Cybercrime Geronimo L. Sy and DoST Undersecretary Louis Napoleon Casambre witness the historical event. De Liima also has announced the creation of a special team to go after cyber criminals, taking note of the fact that cybercrime-related cases are on the rise.

Makati dads at it again over piece of cake

By Joel E. Zurbano

Repair brigade. SM Supermalls employees took time off their mall duties to participate in Brigada Eskwela activities and help two public schools in Paranaque City in line with the nationwide campaign initiated by the Department of Education’s Brigada, also called the National Schools Maintenance Week.

Employees from the Mall Admin offices of SM City Bicutan, SM City Sucat and SM City BF Parañaque assisted in repairing damaged chairs at Sampaloc Site II Elementary School.

MAkATI City government leaders are again divided, this time over “a piece of cake. “ The camp of Acting Mayor Romulo Pena Jr. on Wednesday denounced the claims of Councilor Mayeth Casal-Uy that the public bidding for the free cakes program last Monday was anomalous.

“Members of the media who were present at the bidding can attest that everything was above board,” said Gilbert delos Reyes, Pena’s chief information officer.

But Uy said it is precisely the presence of the media was the reason why the bidding process is deceptive.

“Why all of a sudden there was a media coverage? Why only now?

Is it because the cake is controversial?” she asked.

The lone bidder—Goldilocks Bakeshop submitted its bid amounting P266 to P285, depend-

ing on the flavor of the cake.

Uy said the price was lower only because the size of the cakes was smaller compared to the ones the city government, during the administration of Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr., used to distribute.

“The size of the P308 cake then is 9x4. But now it’s only 9x2 inches that’s why it is much cheaper.

They’re trying to say that the price of the cake was lowered,” she said.

Uy also accused Pena of conniving with Goldilocks before the opening of bids.

“Before the bidding, he (Pena) already is giving (away) Goldilocks cake and he is saying this came from his friends,” she said.

Uy also said before the Office of the Ombudsman ordered the suspension of Mayor Binay, the city government already bidded out the cake project to Bakerite but the awarding was stopped due to the change of leadership in the city.

Delos Reyes said the former cake supplier, Bakerite, along with other companies, was invited to participate in the bidding, but it did not submit any proposal.

“Councilor Uy seems to have entirely missed the point of this exercise. Our foremost consideration is the satisfaction of our senior citizens with their birthday cakes, which means it is the quality of the product, not the size, that matters,” he said.

“If you were to choose between a free cake from Goldilocks and another from a virtually unknown bakeshop, would you not go for Goldilocks? It is no different from a child readily choosing a cupcake over plain monay for his baon,” he explained.

Delos Reyes said a number of city elders who recently celebrated their birthdays confirmed that the cakes previously distributed to them were indeed larger, but dry and bland.

T H U R S D AY : A U G U S T 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

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NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Audit agency calls out Abra on liquidation

By Dexter A. See

Billiards. A boy from Barangay Ermita, Cebu City wants to learn to play. MICHELLE ALVAREZ

Social Welfare improves its cash transfer target scheme

By A. Perez Rimando

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Zamboanga Sibugay—The Department of Social Welfare and Development, through its National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction—now called “Listahan”—has intensified its effort to assess all beneficiaries of the government’s Conditional Cash Transfer Program.

DSWD Region 9 Director Zenaida Arevalo said the agency has secured parent leaders’ assistance throughout Western Mindanao to list down names of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries not included in the last household assessment.

Arevalo announced through

agency field coordinator Ma. Antoniette Lucero that in the earlier Listahan, Zamboanga del Sur recorded the country’s second highest number of 4Ps beneficiaries with 140,804 families.

“Except for those already interviewed during the Grievance Redress

System validation, all 4Ps

beneficiaries should be reassessed in the next round of household assessment,” Lucero said, noting that some beneficiaries might not have been assessed due, among other things, to: 1) the beneficiaries/respondents lived in area outside the pre-determined Pockets of Poverty, 2) they were not at home when visited by field enumerators, and 3) they were missed out field enumerators.

Lucero said the Listahan has currently assessed a total of 559,747 4Ps beneficiaries out of targeted 688,495 entire Region 9 which is composed of Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibu gay, Zamboanga del Norte and the cities of Zamboanga, Dapi-

tan, Pagadian, and Dipolog.

She appealed to household beneficiaries to tell enumerators whether or not their group had already been assessed “to avoid duplication which could create data inconsistencies, thus adversely affecting the assessment’s result.”

Lucero claimed a “genuinely poor household may be tagged as non-poor if there is inconsistencies in the Family Assessment Forms,” even as she describes “Listahan as an information management system that identifies who and where the poor are in the country which serves as database of poor families as reference in identifying potential beneficiaries of social protection program.”

BANGUED, Abra—The Commission on Audit said the municipal government of Bangued did not submit any document to liquidate almost 45 percent of the total P5.2 million downloaded by the Cordillera office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development to the local government.

The money was intended for the supplemental feeding program, casting doubt on whether intended recipients actually benefitted from the program.

In its annual audit report of the funds of the municipality, the COA said liquidation reports submitted by the local government were not actually supported with complete documents.

“Under/over allocation was noted in violation of the implementing procedure under the Omnibus Guidelines of the supplementary feeding program for the day care children,” the COA report stated.

At the same time, the COA recommended to the municipal accountant to match the recording in the books with the occurrence of transactions to clearly present the balances of accounts and the financial statements relative thereto.

After the conduct of an exit conference with concerned local officials, the COA disclosed the Bangued municipal government submitted the necessary liquidation reports amounting to P4.253 million subject for verification.

Earlier, Bangued municipal government received funds amounting to P750,000 and P5.255 million (50 percent first tranche) from DSWD to finance various proposed bottom –up budgeting (BuB) projects and implementation of expanded assistance to individuals in crisis situation, respectively.

The COA uncovered the funds use to finance various proposed bottom-up budgeting (BuB) projects remained intact as of year-end and due to alleged late release, the local government was not able to implement the desired projects before the end of the calendar year.

US soldiers share techniques with La Union town rescuers

By Christine Junio

Eskrima. Not all children are hooked on computer games. These boys in Baguio City play a forgotten martial arts form using sticks and discarded PVC pipes. DAVID CHAN

SAN JUAN, La Union— Soldiers from the US Army Medics have started training rescuers from different towns in La Union as part of the Pacific Partnership between US and Philippines here since Monday.

Sergeant Charles Warner of the US Army Medic said: “We are here to conduct trainings with the Philippine Government and local agencies, search and rescue, Red Cross Volunteers and some of the police Forces from the local community and were here to share and trade information.”

Bobby Valdriz of the La

Union Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council said “This definitely enhance the skills and knowledge of our first responders because they gave us a fiveday training on this first basic responders course.”

The training was held on a hill at Barangay Lubing in the town of San Juan, La Union, simulating a landslide scenario where a wounded victim hit by falling trees needed to be lowered from the slopes.

“The particular training today is a mass-casualties training so we are here to conduct some high rope training and basically were simulating a bus roll over so that way they

get to experience natural disaster that you experience in this country,” Warner added.

Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Councils in San Juan town participated to increase further their knowledge on rescuing since they are the first to respond when there was a disaster in their area.

Bobby Valdriz of PDRRMC also added “actually itong mga Barangay Tanod ng tatlong barangay ditto: Ludika, Lubing at Casilagan ay sumali upang ma-enhance din yung skills nila sa pag-responde.”

“It is like a mixture of our knowledge here in La Union with their own knowledge,” Valdriz added.

T H U R S D AY : A U G U S T 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

VIEW FROM MALCOM ATTY. HARRY ROQUE JR.

STATE UNIVERSITIES

[ EDI TORI A L ]

SMALL MERCIES METRO Manila commuters seem to have found a way to alleviate their daily travel woes. With a few taps on their smartphones, they could get themselves a ride through application-based transport networks such as Uber, Grab and others.

Using these services saves the customers the trouble of falling in line or squeezing themselves into packed trains or buses, or dealing with taxi drivers who choose their passengers, complain about the distance or the traffic, display rude behavior, or impose exorbitant add-ons in exchange for agreeing to ferry them in the first place.

The ordinary hardworking employee, businessman, professional or student may find the option to use these services so long as he or she has the money to spare.

But the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board announced this week that it would start apprehending vehicles operating under Uber and similar networks on August 20 if they still do not register with the government.

According to the LTFRB, accredited vehicles have to install global positioning system devices screen, issue e-receipts and secure passenger insurance. The agency claims it is just securing the safety of the passengers, protecting them from untoward incidents, even crimes.

We understand and laud the intention, but doubt whether the agency would be able to translate this into a workable scheme.

How can the LTFRB actually protect the riding public, not only from the dangers it cited, but also from the existing abusive and sinister cab drivers, and the inconvenient and unsafe trains that commuters seek an alternative to?

It appears strange that just when something seems to be going well for commuters who choose to shell out hard-earned money for a comfortable ride, the government steps in and takes this small comfort away from them.

If it were serious about protecting the people, the LTFRB should ensure that the accreditation process would not be a disincentive to potential players who only seek to do business and serve the riding public the way they deserve.

Unfortunately, the government seems bent on making living in the metropolis a truly harrowing experience.

NO MEANS NO LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES “NO means no,” was a popular slogan years back, when the phenomenon of date rape first hit the headlines. In the current political situation, the people who want Senator Grace Poe to become the Liberal Party’s vice presidential candidate should be reminded that when a woman turns down their overtures, continuing to pursue her could qualify as rape.

Or at least “harassment,” as Senator Francis “Chiz” Escude-

ro, Poe’s apparent betrothed, has described the pursuit. (As Poe’s partner in an all-but-declared Grace-Chiz tandem for next year, I can understand the Sorsogon senator’s exasperation; it’s as if Mar Roxas and Butch Abad still insist on seeking the hand of Heart Evangelista, long after the actress has married Escudero.)

Of course, we’re talking about the LP here, a political group that has no shortage of self-righteousness even in the depths of its pathetic mendicancy. While Roxas and Abad make no secret of wanting to continue their courtship of Poe, the partisans of the daang matuwid have been howling long and

loud about the senator’s apparent lack of commitment to “preserving the gains” of the Aquino administration, simply because she will not say yes to a RoxasPoe ticket.

Why, after all, is Poe good enough to be Roxas’ running mate but not yet ripe (to use the fruit-based analogy an LP leader used recently) to run on her own? If Grace still needs ripening, how did someone who had even less executive experience and a more unremarkable legislative track record than she, Noynoy Aquino, become good enough to be the father of daang matuwid?

Poe has long ago answered the accusations of her own up-

A9

Roxas still feels he needs Poe almost as much as he needs to be President.

rightness, of course, pointing out correctly that no party or administration—especially not this one—has a monopoly of virtue. But that hasn’t stopped Roxas, Abad and other LP bigwigs from still dreaming of convincing Poe to be their anointed running mate, never mind if she isn’t even a member of the party and has no apparent plans of being sworn into it in the foreseeable future.

It does seem, though, that some of the Yellow diehards have already accepted as fact Poe’s rejection of Roxas. These Yellowists are now seeking to draft Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo as their new, improved version of the “faithless” Poe. That was the point of the launching of a movement yesterday over at Quezon City’s

Bantayog ng Mga Bayani urging the widow of the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo to join Roxas and the LP as they continue to traverse the straight path. It did not bode well for this new group of old Yellows that Robredo herself couldn’t be bothered to attend the event; even the very heavens seemed to protest, as they literally rained on this particularly sorry parade.

Robredo, I’m told, has as much interest in joining Roxas as Poe had.

Meaning none at all.

That will leave Roxas and the LP with little choice but to move on to

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-

yet another possible running mate for Aquino’s chosen one. Whether that means the Liberals’ number two spot will be filled by Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos or even, as some have proposed, Aquino’s sister Kris, nobody really knows.

After all, Roxas and Abad still publicly profess that they would like no one else but Poe to be the LP’s vice presidential candidate. But you’ve got to admire the persistence of these LP suitors – they never take no for an answer, no matter how miserable, needy and desperate they start to appear.

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

Make no mistake: Roxas feels he needs Poe almost as much as he needs to be President. And if you ask any woman, that’s not only pathetic; it could also lead to extreme measures, like rape. *** How difficult was it for the Aquino administration to acknowledge a death in the family of its self-declared nemesis, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo? Very difficult, judging from its official statement on the death of Arroyo’s brother, businessman Arturo “Art” Macapagal.

Continued on A11

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

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

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

TWO issues have hounded two state universities lately. The first was why, according to Malacanang, the Cavite State University required its students to watch Vice President Jejomar Binay’s True State of the Nation Address.

The other is the lack of dormitories in my university, UP Diliman.

I have previously written that the VicePresident’s TSONA was simply terrific since it outlined the not- so-good state of the nation. Predictably, Malacanang dismissed it as “charot”, or gay lingo for nonsense (I think).

Strangely though, while the palace belittled the message of the Vice-President, it engaged in witch-hunt against the officials of the state university where the address was made. This was reminiscent of Malacanang’s attempts to infringe on freedom of speech and academic freedom in UP Diliman.

I remember that at one point during the Ramos administration, then President Ramos attempted to scuttle the talk of freedom fighter and Nobel prize awardee Jose Ramos-Horta of East Timor. This was to placate Indonesia’s protest since it was then in military occupation of East Timor. But pursuant to the tradition of UP Diliman, the University resisted the Malacanang intervention and even went to court to question the palace intervention. While the University won the litigation, the ruling came a bit late since meanwhile, the Horta talk had been cancelled. Years later, Horta would make a heroes welcome to the University as the founder of the newly independent state of East Timor. UP, on the other hand, also celebrated the return of Horta as its way of asserting both freedoms of speech and academic freedom.

One thing that despots in Malacanang seem to have forgotten is that freedom of though is the bedrock of universities. Ergo, not only is freedom of thought cherished in universities, it the freedom that enables freedom of thought and freedom to engage in the search for the truth. Infringe on these rights and you make a mockery of the concept of a university as a community engaged in the search for both truth and excellence.

Cleary, Malacanang’s witch-hunt of the university officials who allowed the VP to speak at the Cavite State University is because they were adverse to the truth. Fearing that the people would believe that economic development has so far benefitted only the rich, they now seek to sow fear in the hearts of academicians with the message that the truth must not be allowed to be articulated in hallowed university grounds. But did they succeed? Well, I would say no if only because the studentry has taken the cudgels for the universityhighlighting the right of the studentry to information and the truth.

The other controversy that hounded another state university was a television news report that showed freshman students of UP Diliman sleeping on the sunken garden of the university. I’m happy at the condemnation that arose form the news report. It only shows that despite Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

T H U R S D AY : A U G U S T 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

VIEW FROM MALCOM ATTY. HARRY ROQUE JR.

STATE UNIVERSITIES

[ EDI TORI A L ]

SMALL MERCIES METRO Manila commuters seem to have found a way to alleviate their daily travel woes. With a few taps on their smartphones, they could get themselves a ride through application-based transport networks such as Uber, Grab and others.

Using these services saves the customers the trouble of falling in line or squeezing themselves into packed trains or buses, or dealing with taxi drivers who choose their passengers, complain about the distance or the traffic, display rude behavior, or impose exorbitant add-ons in exchange for agreeing to ferry them in the first place.

The ordinary hardworking employee, businessman, professional or student may find the option to use these services so long as he or she has the money to spare.

But the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board announced this week that it would start apprehending vehicles operating under Uber and similar networks on August 20 if they still do not register with the government.

According to the LTFRB, accredited vehicles have to install global positioning system devices screen, issue e-receipts and secure passenger insurance. The agency claims it is just securing the safety of the passengers, protecting them from untoward incidents, even crimes.

We understand and laud the intention, but doubt whether the agency would be able to translate this into a workable scheme.

How can the LTFRB actually protect the riding public, not only from the dangers it cited, but also from the existing abusive and sinister cab drivers, and the inconvenient and unsafe trains that commuters seek an alternative to?

It appears strange that just when something seems to be going well for commuters who choose to shell out hard-earned money for a comfortable ride, the government steps in and takes this small comfort away from them.

If it were serious about protecting the people, the LTFRB should ensure that the accreditation process would not be a disincentive to potential players who only seek to do business and serve the riding public the way they deserve.

Unfortunately, the government seems bent on making living in the metropolis a truly harrowing experience.

NO MEANS NO LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES “NO means no,” was a popular slogan years back, when the phenomenon of date rape first hit the headlines. In the current political situation, the people who want Senator Grace Poe to become the Liberal Party’s vice presidential candidate should be reminded that when a woman turns down their overtures, continuing to pursue her could qualify as rape.

Or at least “harassment,” as Senator Francis “Chiz” Escude-

ro, Poe’s apparent betrothed, has described the pursuit. (As Poe’s partner in an all-but-declared Grace-Chiz tandem for next year, I can understand the Sorsogon senator’s exasperation; it’s as if Mar Roxas and Butch Abad still insist on seeking the hand of Heart Evangelista, long after the actress has married Escudero.)

Of course, we’re talking about the LP here, a political group that has no shortage of self-righteousness even in the depths of its pathetic mendicancy. While Roxas and Abad make no secret of wanting to continue their courtship of Poe, the partisans of the daang matuwid have been howling long and

loud about the senator’s apparent lack of commitment to “preserving the gains” of the Aquino administration, simply because she will not say yes to a RoxasPoe ticket.

Why, after all, is Poe good enough to be Roxas’ running mate but not yet ripe (to use the fruit-based analogy an LP leader used recently) to run on her own? If Grace still needs ripening, how did someone who had even less executive experience and a more unremarkable legislative track record than she, Noynoy Aquino, become good enough to be the father of daang matuwid?

Poe has long ago answered the accusations of her own up-

A9

Roxas still feels he needs Poe almost as much as he needs to be President.

rightness, of course, pointing out correctly that no party or administration—especially not this one—has a monopoly of virtue. But that hasn’t stopped Roxas, Abad and other LP bigwigs from still dreaming of convincing Poe to be their anointed running mate, never mind if she isn’t even a member of the party and has no apparent plans of being sworn into it in the foreseeable future.

It does seem, though, that some of the Yellow diehards have already accepted as fact Poe’s rejection of Roxas. These Yellowists are now seeking to draft Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo as their new, improved version of the “faithless” Poe. That was the point of the launching of a movement yesterday over at Quezon City’s

Bantayog ng Mga Bayani urging the widow of the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo to join Roxas and the LP as they continue to traverse the straight path. It did not bode well for this new group of old Yellows that Robredo herself couldn’t be bothered to attend the event; even the very heavens seemed to protest, as they literally rained on this particularly sorry parade.

Robredo, I’m told, has as much interest in joining Roxas as Poe had.

Meaning none at all.

That will leave Roxas and the LP with little choice but to move on to

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-

yet another possible running mate for Aquino’s chosen one. Whether that means the Liberals’ number two spot will be filled by Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos or even, as some have proposed, Aquino’s sister Kris, nobody really knows.

After all, Roxas and Abad still publicly profess that they would like no one else but Poe to be the LP’s vice presidential candidate. But you’ve got to admire the persistence of these LP suitors – they never take no for an answer, no matter how miserable, needy and desperate they start to appear.

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

Make no mistake: Roxas feels he needs Poe almost as much as he needs to be President. And if you ask any woman, that’s not only pathetic; it could also lead to extreme measures, like rape. *** How difficult was it for the Aquino administration to acknowledge a death in the family of its self-declared nemesis, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo? Very difficult, judging from its official statement on the death of Arroyo’s brother, businessman Arturo “Art” Macapagal.

Continued on A11

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

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

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TWO issues have hounded two state universities lately. The first was why, according to Malacanang, the Cavite State University required its students to watch Vice President Jejomar Binay’s True State of the Nation Address.

The other is the lack of dormitories in my university, UP Diliman.

I have previously written that the VicePresident’s TSONA was simply terrific since it outlined the not- so-good state of the nation. Predictably, Malacanang dismissed it as “charot”, or gay lingo for nonsense (I think).

Strangely though, while the palace belittled the message of the Vice-President, it engaged in witch-hunt against the officials of the state university where the address was made. This was reminiscent of Malacanang’s attempts to infringe on freedom of speech and academic freedom in UP Diliman.

I remember that at one point during the Ramos administration, then President Ramos attempted to scuttle the talk of freedom fighter and Nobel prize awardee Jose Ramos-Horta of East Timor. This was to placate Indonesia’s protest since it was then in military occupation of East Timor. But pursuant to the tradition of UP Diliman, the University resisted the Malacanang intervention and even went to court to question the palace intervention. While the University won the litigation, the ruling came a bit late since meanwhile, the Horta talk had been cancelled. Years later, Horta would make a heroes welcome to the University as the founder of the newly independent state of East Timor. UP, on the other hand, also celebrated the return of Horta as its way of asserting both freedoms of speech and academic freedom.

One thing that despots in Malacanang seem to have forgotten is that freedom of though is the bedrock of universities. Ergo, not only is freedom of thought cherished in universities, it the freedom that enables freedom of thought and freedom to engage in the search for the truth. Infringe on these rights and you make a mockery of the concept of a university as a community engaged in the search for both truth and excellence.

Cleary, Malacanang’s witch-hunt of the university officials who allowed the VP to speak at the Cavite State University is because they were adverse to the truth. Fearing that the people would believe that economic development has so far benefitted only the rich, they now seek to sow fear in the hearts of academicians with the message that the truth must not be allowed to be articulated in hallowed university grounds. But did they succeed? Well, I would say no if only because the studentry has taken the cudgels for the universityhighlighting the right of the studentry to information and the truth.

The other controversy that hounded another state university was a television news report that showed freshman students of UP Diliman sleeping on the sunken garden of the university. I’m happy at the condemnation that arose form the news report. It only shows that despite 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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OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

BLACKMAILING THE GOVERNMENT TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

IF Senator Grace Poe is as bright as I think she is, she should know by now that popularity is not all there is to it in winning elections.

I say this because Grace has the mistaken notion that since she was No. 1 during the 2010 senatorial race, and that she is on top of pulse survey ratings, to the point of displacing Vice President Jejomar Binay, the former top pick of survey respondents, she now thinks she can be President.

Poe’s popularity is just one factor in her bid for the presidency. What matters most is grassroots political machinery. And this machinery must be well-oiled – meaning, money.

It becomes worse when Grace thinks she can win the presidenc y as an independent without a political party. Santa Banana, Grace must be dreaming!

We only have to take a look at history when popular presidential c an d i d ate s lost, like Senator Miriam Santiago to less-popular Fidel V. Ramos in 1992, and Fernando Poe Jr. who lost to then-incumbent President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2004.

Grace should be reminded of the adage that they who don’t learn from history are bound to repeat it. *** I’m glad that the Supreme Court finally granted a petition by detained Senator Juan Ponce Enrile to be given a Bill of Particulars or details of the case filed against him before the Sandiganbayan. This would enable the opposition senator and former Senate President to properly plead and prepare for his graft and plunder trial which has been going on for almost two years now.

The law mandates that an accused must be given the right to seek a Bill of Particulars or details of the case filed against him as part of due process. To deny Enrile that right can only result in the miscar-

riage of justice.

But, what is regrettable, to my mind, was the lack of time of the justices to rule on Enrile’s petition for bail. Supreme Court insiders tell me that some justices said to be close to Malacanang have intentionally delayed Enrile’s petition for bail, arguing that the justices had other priority cases pending in court. I am also told that some justices were absent during further hearings JPE’s petition. Isn’t Enrile’s petition to be given bail important enough?

The senator is already 91 going 92 years old and ailing. That’s why he is detained at the Camp Crame Hospital. Due process and the rule of law demand that JPE’s petition for bail must be prioritized. *** Immediately after Senator Bongbong Marcos came out with his substitute bill on the Bangsamoro aut on omy, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front appealed for Congress to restore no less than 28 provisions of the Bangsamoro Basic Law as contained in the draft bill submitted to Congress.

T h e MILF also said that it cannot accept a watered- down version of the BBL. Otherwise, what? This to me is a veiled threat by the Moro rebels, that unless they cannot get what they want, they go back to war.

Santa Banana, this is plain blackmail!

What to me is rather surprising is that government peace negotiator Miriam Coronel Ferrer and Aquino Peace Adviser Teresita Deles are on the side of the Moro rebels.

My gulay, aren’t we taxpayers the ones paying them, not the MILF? Congress has the mandate to pass a law that conforms to the Constitution, not what the President wants, much less his subalterns like Ferrer and Deles. That’s precisely why Senator Bongbong Marcos went on a consultation tour with all the stakeholders involved in the final peace and development of Mindanao to make the BBL inclusive. The original draft of the BBL involves only the MILF.

The Moro rebels said they would not accept a watereddown version of the BBL.

MAMASAPANO LINGERS DUTY CALLS FLORENCIO FIANZA SEVEN months on, the Mamasapano controversy refuses to die. It lingers and is still very much in the news.

This was helped by the fact that the President felt no need to mention the heroism of the SAF 44 in his last State-of-the-Nation Address last month even as he found time to thank everyone, including his house help.

It was also aggravated by allegations that medals that were supposed to be awarded to two deserving SAF participants in the Mamasapano encounter during the August 8 celebrations in Camp Crame were cancelled reportedly due to the intervention of the Palace. Although this was denied by the Palace, interviews with certain high ranking police officials indicate that all the steps required for the awarding of certain medals were already completed until the ceremony was abruptly cancelled at the last moment for reasons that were not satisfactorily explained. The accounts of the encounter are now known by the public and it is clear that some of the men who fell during the fighting deserve medals.

Why the Palace do not seem to think so is certainly inexplicable and is impacting negatively on the President.

Clearly, the President wants to put the Mamasapano incident behind him If Bongbong’s substitute bill did away with the unconstitutional provisions of the BBL, that’s the way it should be. Otherwise, the BBL could be thumbed down by the Supreme Court as violative of the fundamental law of the land. The Senate could be blamed for it.

Final peace and development in Mindanao should not be attained at all costs to favor only one stakeholder. If the House of Representatives with all the President’s lapdogs and lackeys want to be dictated on by the MILF and the Aquino subalterns, let them. The Senate however should not allow this. *** Last week, Trade Undersecretary Victor Dimagiba was on television as regular co-host of a consumeroriented public affairs TV program when somebody from Laguna called to complain about the proliferation of substandard plywood and nails.

Dimagiba said that he would look into the matter,

and does not want to be reminded of it. It is not, after all, one of his best moments as a leader.

If at all, his presidency will always be defined by the way he mishandled the Mamasapano operation.

As president, Mr. Aquino has shown inconsistency in the way he has handled deaths, wakes and funerals. There was one time when he remarked when asked why he did not go to the wake of someone by saying that he felt uncomfortable going to the wakes of people that he did not know. This is understandable enough but in other cases, he would go the extra mile when others died.

Remember the passing of Jessie Robredo? President Aquino as they say did everything to honor the late Secretary Robredo. It was not as if the late Jessie Robredo did not deserve the honors because he clearly did. But it was such that the widow and now Rep. Leni Robredo had to say enough is enough. Critics interpreted this unprecedented show of attention to Jessie Robredo’s passing as a sign of guilt by the President because he was the one invited to go to Cebu but sent Jessie instead.

There was also the time when a journalist friend of his who died was also given all the accolades such as a Legion of Honor Award and military burial honors complete with taps, the last bugle call exclusively reserved for fallen soldiers.

Yet, he did not find the SAF 44 important enough to meet the remains at Villamor Air Base. Instead, this being a concern of the Bureau of Philippine Standards and the Consumer Protection Group, which he heads.

Well, I have news for Usec Dimagiba. According to industry sources, the problem of substandard products has worsened after the BPS and the CPG, reportedly on his initiative, removed the five construction items from the DTI list of Products Under Mandatory Certification.

This certification is a requirement for the issuance of Import Commodity Clearance before such products could be sold to the public. Aside from nails and plywood, the other delisted items are GI sheets, ceramic titles and flat glass. These were removed from the list purportedly because they are not “life threatening.”

Not life threatening, Santa Banana! If the beams of a house collapse because the nails used are substandard, that is not life threatening? Or, if the GI sheets are easily blown away or

he was filmed frolicking in the opening of the new Mitsubishi car plant. This is perhaps what the President would rather forget, including why he authorized a suspended officer to take charge of the operation. We also continue to hear from some quarters, most notably from the families of the fallen SAF 44, the cry for justice. To them, the ultimate sacrifice made by the fallen SAF 44 were in vain because there is still no justice.

To be fair, what should be considered as justice in this case? The filing of cases against the MILF insurgents who mutilated the remains of the SAF elements even when they were already dead? Was the filing of cases against both Alan Purisima and former SAF Chief Getulio Napeñas not enough? As far as assistance is concerned, the families have been provided with more financial aid than others who have also given their lives in the service of their country.

On August 8 alone, PNP Chief Ric Marquez distributed financial assistance to the tune of about P61,000 each to every family. What would satisfy those crying for justice?

Perhaps the inclusion of the President in the charge sheet. Unfortunately, the Office of the Ombudsman already excluded him from any culpability in the conduct of the operation. The effect of the Ombudsman investigating a purely military operation, however, is a signal that henceforth, the leadership of the PNP will have to think a hundred times before embark-

ing on similar types of operation for fear of being subjected to investigation by the Ombudsman.

The entry of the Ombudsman into the Mamasapano operation was a first of its kind. It has never happened before and was an unnecessary intrusion. Those who did the investigation were not competent to make judgments on why commanders in the field make split decisions in combat. It is not the proper body to investigate the operation.

The fact-finding board headed by Benjie Magalong, was the right body.

And it came out with what many believed was a fair conclusion. But since the board found the President breaking the chain of command and therefore had something to explain, it is safe to say that the Palace did not agree with the board’s finding because it had to be consistent in saying that the President did nothing wrong.

The Senate Committee also found that the President was ultimately responsible. Maybe there is a need for the Palace to have an investigative agency pronouncing the President completely blameless because the Palace appears unsatisfied with the pronouncements of DOJ Secretary De Lima that the President was not responsible for what happened during the operation. But no matter what the President believe or what the Palace say, the Mamasapano issue is not over.

This will continue to haunt President Aquino well into the future.

easily get crumpled during a typhoon because of poor quality, does this not constitute a threat to the safety and lives of the occupants?

Even flat glass can be dangerous when they easily break and the fragments hurt or even kill people.

As for substandard tiles, how many people have suffered injuries or even died due to slippery, and probably low-quality tiles in their bathrooms? This is what happened recently to a long-time friend and fellow columnist from another newspaper. These products were exempted from mandatory certification, supposedly to speed up the processing of Import Commodity Clearances and make it easier for manufacturers, traders, importers and brokers to do business with the DTI. Those in the know claim that these GI sheets, plywood and tiles constitute the biggest volume of imports of construction items. In fact, manufacturers, traders and dealers of construction materi-

als have been crying out against the unfair competition posed by these substandard products that are sold in the market at much cheaper prices.

I am told that a Memorandum Order issued earlier this year, also by Dimagiba, allows the transfer or withdrawal of shipments from the warehouse even without prior notice to the Bureau of Philippine Standards, and even before these are tested and inspected by this agency.

This is a clear violation of pertinent laws.

Now is it true that some P4 billion worth of shipments have been transferred or withdrawn and distributed to various outlets nationwide? It seems that the DTI policies liberalizing the issuance of ICCs, the kid-glove treatment applied to those who withdraw shipments without prior notice to the BPS and the farcical issuance of show-cause orders have given the smugglers a wide avenue to continue their nefarious trade.

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OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

MINORITY REPORT DANILO SUAREZ AS we approach the last bend before the 2016 national elections, voting preferences are being shaped and framed according to the issues that are favorable to the contending political parties. One of the issues being raised, presumably against Senator Grace Poe, a strong contender in the upcoming presidential elections, is that of citizenship.

Under our 1987 Constitution, no person may be elected to the presidency unless he or she is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines. According to one broadsheet, immigration records showed that the senator last used her US passport on December 27, 2009 and accordingly, she renounced her American citizenship when she ran for the Senate. The Senator’s current Philippine passport (issued in Manila on May 16, 2014) shows Iloilo City as her place of birth.

As I am not a lawyer, my opinion on the matter is drawn from common sense and expe-

CITIZENSHIP AND PUBLIC OFFICE rience. I would like to believe that this would not be far from legal reasoning because law is based on experience or precedence, and just not mere logic.

Nations vary in their attitudes toward dual citizenship.

Some reject the concept outright; others allow their citizens to take out a second citizenship only in selected countries, and some have drawn a distinction between citizenship and nationality. I do not intend to argue for or against dual citizenship. I do subscribe to the position however, that citizenship is one of the greatest attributes of the people in a state.

It shows that a person is a full member of that state, and by being its citizen an individual is given the right to decide on how the country is governed.

Citizenship similarly offers many other benefits and equally important responsibilities.

To be worthy of citizenship, therefore, an individual must perform the duties attached to it, as well as enjoy the privileges

which it brings.

I would imagine that the issue of changing citizenship and domicile would be one of the most challenging decisions that a family would have to make. One of the bigger factors a family would consider is if their new target country would give his/ her family better opportunities in lifestyle, education, and medical help among others.

Before becoming a U.S. citizen, immigrants must take an oath that says, in part, “I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen.” I suppose the same principles are contained in official declarations in other countries under the same circumstances.

The decision to apply for another citizenship is therefore a significant one. By applying for citizenship in another country,

you are demonstrating your commitment to that country and to its form of government.

Consequently, leaving one’s nationality for another is a big statement on one’s loyalty to your original country. It is not a decision that one can casually change. Definitely, one cannot be considered patriotic to a country that one is not a legal citizen of. And patriotism for me involves loving your particular country of citizenship exclusively, which is manifested through unconditional loyalty, care and sacrifice, and should be based upon expected comforts and privileges, much less foreseen economic and political opportunities. Hence, the dilly dallying on one’s citizenship should be a big factor in the voting for the leader of this country.

At the end of the day, citizenship in this country should be an expression of allegiance to it, enforced not by a pledge but rather by a desire to be part of this country.

LOOKING FORWARD TO LITERARY MONTH ists may be viewed at the NBDB website. **** Among this year’s Carlos JENNY Palanca Memorial Awards for ORTUOSTE Literature winners are Hammed SEPTEMBER is literary month Bolotaolo (for short story in in the Philippines, when most lit- English) and Brylle Tabora (secerary contests hold their award- ond prize in the Dulang Paming ceremonies, but it’s in August pelikula category for “Sekyu”). when we get the latest news in Hammed is a previous Palanca letters. Here’s a roundup: winner for essay. ***** **** The National Book DevelopSusan Lara is this year’s rement Board and the Manila Crit- cipient of the Gawad Pambanics Circle recently announced sang Alagad ni Balagtas from the finalists for this year’s Na- the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa tional Book Awards.

Pilipinas for her body of work in According to the NBDB, the English (katha sa Ingles).

NBA “recognizes the best books The award is given to writers written, designed, and published who have infused “life and enin the Philippines.” ergy” (nag-ukol ng buong buhay Among the finalists of the 34th at lakas) into their efforts toward National Book Awards this year the promotion and upliftment of are University of Santo Tomas Philippine letters. professor Joselito de los Reyes for “This is a very special honor,” Essays in Filipino for “Istatus Na- said Lara, “and I am truly gratetion” and Poetry for “Paubaya,” ful. An early birthday gift too, and University of the Philippines and one of the best ever.”

College of Mass Communication Lara is a Palanca Award winner professor and former dean Ro- for short story and a National Book lando Tolentino for Anthology in Award winner for a collection of Filipino for “Transfiksyon: Mga short stories. She devotes much Kathang In-Transit.” of her time to advancing literature Also among the finalists in by serving as a panelist at writing the various categories are Jun workshops and as a judge in literCruz Reyes, Beverly Siy, J. Neil ary contests around the country.

C. Garcia, Romulo P. Baquiran, **** Marne Kilates, Gemino Abad, Joel Pablo Salud, editor-inManix Abrera, and fellow 50th chief of Philippines Graphic UP National Writers Workshop magazine, has a new book of esparticipants Genevieve Asenjo says out – “The Chief is in The and John Iremil Teodoro.

House”, under UST Publishing The full list of NBA final- House and now available at their

POP GOES THE WORLD

bookstore, and soon in the nationwide chains.

The tome is Salud’s third and his second collection of 50 non-fiction pieces. The range of subjects is vast, the issues are diverse, but, knowing the razor sharpness of Salud’s wit and insight, I’m sure he’s cut them down to size to present them from a fresh perspective. **** Manhattan-based Soho Press released internationally last month an expanded version of F. H. Batacan’s award-winning novel “Smaller and Smaller Circles” under its Soho Crime imprint.

In its original form, the book, published locally by UP Press, won the Palanca Award (Grand Prize for Novel), National Book Award, and Madrigal-Gonzalez First Book Award. It is considered the Philippines’ first crime novel and is required reading in college literature classes in at least one major university.

The international version of “Circles” is available in paperback from Fully Booked and also online from Amazon and other booksellers. ***** On the biography front, books were recently released on the lives of the late Senator Raul Roco and Manila Mayor Arsenio Lacson.

“Arsenio H. Lacson of Manila” by Amador F. Brioso Jr. is a narrative crammed with interesting tidbits about Negros, collegiate football, the Julio Nalundasan murder, life during

the Japanese occupation in 1941 to 1945, the story of a beauty queen from Leyte named Imelda Marcos, and more about sports, politics, and showbiz of the era.

“Honorary Woman: The Life of Raul S. Roco,” was launched at the Club Filipino last Aug. 5, Roco’s 10th death anniversary.

The book was finished by columnist Conrado de Quiros in 2003. After Roco died in 2005, the manuscript, commissioned by writer Marily Orosa, was set aside, until she found it in her files in November last year.

This reminds me of another manuscript that’s moldering in a drawer or vault somewhere – a biography of the late Manila Mayor Ramon D. Bagatsing written by no less than National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin.

According to his son, former Manila congressman and now Philippine Racing Commission member Ramon S. Bagatsing Jr., he commissioned Joaquin to write the book years ago.

Joaquin was able to gather firsthand information by interviewing the mayor himself.

I hope that Commissioner Bagatsing will consider dusting off the manuscript and sharing it with the public soon. It’s be interesting, not only as a story of the late mayor’s life and times, but also as the work of a national artist.

Facebook: Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @jennyortuoste, Instagram: @jensdecember, Blog: http://jennyo.net

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State.. From A9 government’s policy of “bahala kayo sa mga buhay nyo at buhay naman kayo.” Many citizens are still of the conviction that education is a right particularly at the premier state university. While University officials were quick to dismiss the story as featuring radical students out to make a story, the truth though is there are nonetheless real students currently sleeping at the UP Union office for lack of dormitory space.

I did hear Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan admitting in a radio interview that it was lack of foresight that led to the current dormitory crisis at the state university.

While the student population has grown tremendously in the past years, the University has built only two semi-private dormitories and a new dormitory for law students where monthly fees cost 3 thousand per month. Contrast this with the 400 pesos that the regular dormitories charge the lucky students who have qualified to stay at the existing dormitories.

The bigger problem is the P oy’s administration’s apparent propensity to cut the budget requests made by state universities such as UP. My personal suspicion is this is because many in this administration are not from UP, either because they were not smart enough to pass the entrance test or because they were born with silver spoons that studying in a school like UP would be extended “slumming”. The data would speak for themselves. In 2015, UP’s budget request was slashed by P2 billion.

UP has since been given a budget of P13 billion, almost P2 billion of which is earmarked for the Philippine General Hospital, the biggest teaching hospital in the country that caters to indigent patients.

Of the remaining P11 billion, P6 billion went to salaries, P3 billion went to programs, and P4 billion went to capital outlays such as new academic buildings. There was no money allotted for new dormitories. The end result of course is while the University continues to attract the brightest amongst the poor students, lack of affordable housing would mean they couldn’t afford the cost living in Diliman.

Fortunately, the end is near for this administration. I could only hope that the people would elect a new President who had the experience of being a true iskolar ng bayan: meaning bright but poor. A cacique or a princess would mean more of the bad thing: bad news for the iskolar ng bayan.

No.. From A9 The short statement on Macapagal’s death issued by Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma was notable for its research, citing the deceased’s two stints as an athlete in two Olympic Games, in “1972 (Munich) and 1976 (Montreal)” and his possession of “the national record in Olympic free pistol shooting for more than 21 years.” Coloma also described Macapagal as “a recognized leader in the automotive industry and a staunch supporter of various socio-civic organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and Scholarship Foundation for the Filipino Youth, where he served as Chairman.”

But it never did mention that Macapagal was the brother of Mrs. Arroyo or the son of former President Diosdado Macapagal, whose name this administration erased from the international airport in his hometown of Pampanga. As they would ask on the street, “Bitter much?”

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Zach wants another major title KOHLER—Zach Johnson waited eight years for a second helping of major championship success, and his British Open triumph last month only whetted his appetite for more.

“You get a taste of one, you want another one,” Johnson said of golf ’s biggest prizes.

“You get a taste of two, I can tell you, you still want another one.”

Johnson, who captured his first major title at the Masters in 2007, emerged victorious from a gripping four-hole playoff against South African Louis Oosthuizen and Australian Marc Leishman at St. Andrews to double his tally of major titles.

While the 39-year-old American

was flying under the radar in both those tournaments, he’ll be squarely in the spotlight as the 97th PGA Championship tees off on Thursday at Whistling Straits -- paired in the first and second rounds with world number one and defending champion Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, winner of the Masters and US Open this year.

Johnson said he was looking forward to being part of that “supergroup” and wasn’t worried about the distraction of what is sure to be

a huge gallery.

“I feel like I’ve experienced it all,” said Johnson, citing the first two rounds he played at the 2012 Barclays with Tiger Woods and McIlroy.

“The Tiger crowds are basically second to none as far as numbers and I would say audio,” Johnson said. “To me, the more the merrier.”

With a smaller gallery, movement can be more noticeable, Johnson said. “But if it’s just lined with people, it’s almost like tunnel vision. It’s almost easier.”

Johnson finished tied for third with McIlroy the last time the PGA Championship was played at Whistling Straits, one shot out of the playoff won by Martin Kaymer over Bubba Watson in 2010.

“I feel like I’m a better player than I was five years ago,” Johnson said.

“I feel like my technique and fundamentals are probably a bit more polished.

“But that doesn’t mean it will transfer on the golf course,” added Johnson, who said the memory of posting four sub-par rounds here five years ago wouldn’t necessarily help him this week.

“I’ve had weeks and tournaments on golf courses, played really, really well and come back with extreme confidence and tanked it,” he said.

“Knowing there’s a little bit of confidence is great, but the execution now comes on my shoulders and hopefully it happens this week.” AFP

Djokovic wins. Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns the ball during day two of the Rogers Cup against Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil at Uniprix Stadium in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Djokovic defeated Thomaz Bellucci 6-3, 7-6. AFP

Brand retires

NEW YORK—Elton Brand, the top pick of the 1999 NBA Draft, announced his retirement Tuesday after 16 seasons, which included two AllStar nods.

The 36-year-old center and power forward was taken first by the Chicago Bulls and earned NBA Rookie of the Year honors for the squad, but was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers after two seasons in the league.

Brand become a tough inside player in seven seasons with the Clippers, twice being named to NBA All-Star Games, but he missed most of the 2007-08 season with a ruptured left Achilles tendon and was sent to Philadelphia, where he spent four seasons.

He went on to play one season with Dallas and two more in Atlanta, but saw only limited action for the Hawks, who had the best record in the Eastern Conference but lost to Cleveland in the Eastern Conference playoff finals.

Brand averaged 16.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.7 blocked shots a game over 1,041 NBA appearances. In the playoffs, Brand averaged 12.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocked shots and assists over 40 playoff games, 30 of them as a starter. AFP

Ali, Lewis, Barrera make Nevada Hall of Fame

By Ronnie Nathanielsz HEAVYWEIGHT champion Muhammad Ali and a roster of great fighters, who were described by the World Boxing Council website as among “extraordinary and beloved boxing icons,” joined Lennox Lewis, Marvin Hagler, Roger Mayweather, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, the late Johny Tapia, Marco Antonio Barrera and Felix Trinidad at the Nevada Boxing

Hall of Fame after being presented as new members.

Barrera became the second Mexican fighter who got in, while Trinidad, only after seven years of retirement, became the first Puerto Rican fighter in the Hall of Fame.

Barrera ended his impressive career with a record of 67-7 with 44 knockouts and conquered world titles at super bantamweight, featherweight and super featherweight.

The WBC said he will “forever

be remembered for the fabulous trilogy with Erik ‘El Terrible’ Morales,” even though eight-division Filipino world champion Manny Pacquiao beat Barrera twice.

“This is something I can’t believe. I used to only be proud of having the same birthday as Muhammad Ali, but now I will be able to say that we are inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame on the very same day,” the WBC quoted Barrera.

Nietes offered as Brian’s sparmate

By Ronnie Nathanielsz RENOWNED boxing patron Tony Aldeguer has expressed his delight over the fact that former two-division world champion Brian Viloria will fight undefeated pound-for-pound No. 2 World Boxing Council flyweight champion Roman Gonzalez of Nicaragua at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 17 and has offered World Boxing Organization light flyweight champion Donnie Nietes as a sparring partner.

Aldeguer told The S t a n d a r d / b o x i n g m i rror.com that Nietes will be training in the US in preparation for his November title defense in Bacolod City and the two Filipino boxers can help each other.

He said Nietes will train in Los Angeles because well-known strength and conditioning coach Nick Curson will also be working with the Pagara brothers, Prince Albert and Jason, as well as Mark Magsayo, who will all be featured in ALA Promotions initial US promotional venture at the StubHub Center on Oct. 17.

Aldeguer said he would be happy to have Nietes spar with Viloria which would be mutually beneficial for both fighters.

There was talk some time ago that Nietes would move up in weight and go after the WBC flyweight title of the Nicaraguan, but since he has no problem making the light flyweight limit, he decided to remain at 108 pounds, where he is the longest-reigning Filipino world champion.

Cage clinics. The Foton

Tornadoes’ basketball team started recently a corporate social responsibility basketball outreach program that brings the team to different barangays and schools in Pampanga for a series of minibasketball clinics and games with local teams and kids. The objective of the project, which continues until the end of this year, is to help develop the kids’ basketball skills and proper attitude towards the game. Foton placed second in the inaugural Filsports Basketball Association. Photo shows the Tornadoes interacting with kids in Barangay San Jose, San Fernando, Pampanga.

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sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Tesda Sec. Joel Villanueva with basketball legends Alvin Patrimonio, Rodney Santos, Bal David, Kenneth Duremdes, Bobby Jose ang Marlou Aquino among others

Jaguars vent ire on Wildcats

By Mikey Izumi

CEBU CITY—Following back-to-back defeats, including a lastminute forfeiture, the University of San Jose Recoletos Jaguars vented their frustrations on a hapless Cebu Institute of Technology Wildcats, 102-71, in the Cebu Schools Athletic Association Inc. basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum yesterday.

The Jaguars faced a resilient Wildcats’ side in the first half as they led by only five, 18-13 at the end of the first quarter before going into the locker room with a 42-34 halftime spread.

But in the second half, the Jaguars’ offensive rhythm fell into place as they put on a clinic to race to a 75-51 lead at the end of the third quarter en route to the huge win.

Lanky Kevin Villafranca and Ralph Dinolan joined forces in

sparking the Jaguars’ secondhalf blitz with Villafranca’s 24 points and 14 rebounds to go along with five steals and two blocks, earning him the “Best Player of the Game” honors from TV panelists Rico Navarro and Sandi Grumo in the game telecast at 7 p.m. over at IBC 13.

Dinolan finished with 20 points and five rebounds.

Mark Labares had 13 points and Jaybie Mantilla added 10

for the Jaguars.

CIT Wildcats Joshua Dela Cerna led all scorers with 25 points and grabbed 10 boards, while Jose Allan Dimco chipped in 11 points.

In the juniors’ division, the CIT Wildkittens survived a huge scare by the Cebu Eastern College Dragons before escaping with a 87-62 victory, with Jasper Berezo leading the Wildkittens with 26 points, four rebounds and five steals.

Vera asks fans to support PH Azkals MIXED martial arts superstar Brandon Vera has called on followers and football fans to support the upcoming match between the Philippine Azkals and Uzbekistan on Sept. 8 at the Philippine Sports Stadium in Bocaue, Bulacan.

Vera, who has more than 221,000 followers on Facebook alone, posted: “Azkals vs Uzbekistan on Sept. 8 at the Philippine Arena (referring to Philippine Sports Stadium). Watch it live!!! Ousss!!!!!”

He accompanied it with the hashtags #WorldCupQualifier #pinoypride.

Vera has made a successful ONE Championship debut last December when he stopped Ukrainian Igor Subora at the Mall of Asia Arena. He used to fight under the Ultimate Fighting Championship roster.

The Sept. 8 match is crucial as it could determine Azkals’ standing in Group H and its chances in the ongoing qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The Philippines, with two wins, is currently in second place in Group H with six points behind North Korea, which is leading on account of having scored one more goal (5-4) than the Azkals in two matches.

Tickets for the Azkals vs.

Uzbekistan game to be held at the Philippine Sports Stadium on Sept. 8 are now available at www.ticketworld.com.ph.

Tickets are at P531.80 for Price Zone 1, P331.14 for Price Zone 2 and P125.40 for Price Zone 3.

Team Trabaho a hit among Filipino youth

By Randy Caluag WHEN Secretary Joel Villanueva took over the reins of Tesda (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority), one of the challenges he faced was how to convince the Filipino youth to pursue vocational and technical training as alternative courses towards a lifetime career.

He didn’t have to look farther, though, the former University of Santo Tomas Tiger only had to look back at his athletic years to come up with a program that will effectively promote Tesda in the provinces nationwide.

Eventually, Villanueva hatched his pet project which he dubbed as “Shoot for your Dream Program” with a team of Philippine Basketball Association legends making the bulk of the squad aptly named Team Trabaho.

The program was an instant hit. Wherever Team Trabaho goes, the venues are packed, full of young people cheering for the basketball legends.

“It’s very effective. Our basketball stars continue to inspire our youth to aspire for better lives as well ats live healthier and happier,” said Villanueva.

Villanueva said the Shoot for your Dream project aims “to motivate and help the Filipino youth especially outof-school-youths (OSYs) to turn their dreams into a reality.”

“There are misconceptions about tech-voc (as low-salaried courses), I would like to correct that through this Team Trabaho program using no less than our basketball legends,” he said.

Villanueva shared that an automotive technican graduate from Tesda is now earning P200,000 a month in Australia and a welding tech graduate draws a monthly salary in Canada for P115,000.

“Tech-voc jobs are well paid abroad, that’s why we would like to change the mindset of a lot of Filipino youth and show them the opportunity at Tesda training through our Team Trabaho.”

Villanueva’s Team Trabaho has visited several cities and towns from

Luzon to Mindanao. Among the basketball legends who have suited up for the team are Alvin Patrimonio, Kenneth Duremdez, Jerry Codinera, Rodney Santos, Marlou Aquino, Zaldy Realubit, Bobby Jose and his best buddy Bal David.

Unknown to many, Villanueva played elite basketball in the collegiate level. He was part of the UST Tigers, who won back-to-back titles in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines in 1994 and 1995.

He also played for the Philippine team in 1994 in the Southeast Asian Basketball Association and the PH Youth Team in the Asian Basketball Championship.

Villanueva’s athletic stint came early as he represented the National Capital Region that topped the Palarong Pambansa basketball event in 1992.

“It’s good to reminisce those days when you thought you were young and mighty. At that time, I was fast and I could even dunk the ball,” said Villanueva, who stands only at 5’7”. “But sometimes, when you try to overdo things, the body just couldn’t take it.”

While his teammates went on to seek professional careers in the PBA, Villanueva decided to pursue a higher education after completing his Economics degree.

He went to an Ivy League school at Harvard University in the US, and completed his Masters in Business Administration.

Villanueva, though, credits his professional success to his athletic training.

“I’ve learned to value hard work (in training), discipline and teamwork.

Now as head of Tesda. I don’t have to shoot the ball all by myself. As a point guard in basketball, I also didn’t have to shoot the ball all by myself and had to distribute the ball effectively and make my teammates look good and produce better.”

Leading an agency like Tesda, Villanuva has been effectively practicing the art of delegation, making sure that players in the team are doing their roles effectively.

“That way, we score more points and we achieve more,” he said.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Lions play Stags, shoot for lead THE defending champion San Beda Red Lions will make the most out of an opportunity they gained following their 88-69 thumping of the Jose Rizal University last week.

Cheerleading meet. Employees of the Baguio Country Club are shown pitting their skills against each other in the BCC Inter-Office Cheerleading and Sports Competition on Wednesday. DAVID CHAN Republic of the Philippines PROVINCE OF MARINDUQUE Marinduque Provincial Government Capitol Compound, Boac, ,Marinduque Invitation to Bid Public Bidding Furnishing design and build, labor, materials & equipment for the Center for Health Development and Social Services Multi-Purpose Building, Capitol Compound, Santol, Boac, Marinduque. The Marinduque Provincial Government, through the 20% CDF – CY 2015 - Const./Completion/Improvement/Repair of Multi-Purpose Building intends to apply the sum of Six Million Four Hundred Ninety Eight Thousand Nine Hundred Fifty Five Pesos & 13/100 Only (Php 6,498,955.13) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Furnishing design and build, labor, materials & equipment for the Center for Health Development and Social Services Multi-Purpose Building, Capitol Compound, Santol, Boac, Marinduque as shown in the table below. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

Province

Marinduque

Source of Fund

20% CDF – CY 2015 - Const./Completion/ Improvement/Repair of Multi-Purpose Building

ABC

Description

Php 6,498,955.13

Furnishing design and build, labor, materials & equipment for the Center for Health Development and Social Services MultiPurpose Building, Capitol Compound, Santol, Boac, Marinduque

Contract Duration

210 Calendar Days

1.

The Marinduque Provincial Government now invites bids for Furnishing design and build, labor, materials & equipment for the Center for Health Development and Social Services Multi-Purpose Building, Capitol Compound, Santol, Boac, Marinduque in the province of Marinduque. Bidders should comply with the applicable provisions of Rule VIII Section 23-24 of the Revised IRR of R.A. 9184. A modified set of requirements integrating eligibility documents and criteria for infrastructure projects and consulting services should be adopted in accordance with Annex G. The project requirements include preliminary information/studies for design and construction. The project components include pre-detailed design, detailed design and construction.

2.

The Design and Build Contractor must have completed similar projects in the amount of at least 50% of the proposed project in the last ten (10) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids and must have the network and resources in place to mobilize the contemplated Design and Build Services. For the Pre-Detailed Design and Detailed Design portion of the contract, the bidder is required to hire the minimum number of people (Project Coordinator, Architect, Civil/Structural Engineer, Professional/Registered Electrical Engineer, Professional/Registered Mechanical Engineer, and Sanitary Engineer and CADD Operators). The bidder is recommended to prioritize the hiring of locally-based architects, engineers, and CADD Operators (draftsmen) especially if such have had experience and training in projects and design.

Completion of the Works required are shown in the table above. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instruction to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

3.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

If the bidder has no experience in design and build projects on its own it may enter into partnerships or joint venture with design or engineering firms for the design portion of the contract.

4.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from Bids and Awards Committee and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from August 13 to September 01, 2015 during office hours until before deadline of submission of bids as stated in item 7 hereof, from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee of Php10,000.00.

6.

The Marinduque Provincial Government will hold a Pre – Bid Conference on August 20, 2015 10:00 a.m. at the BAC Office, Capitol Compound, Boac, Marinduque which shall be open to all interested parties.

7.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before September 01, 2015 , 10:00am at the BAC Office, Capitol Compound, Boac, Marinduque. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the following acceptable forms and in the amount stated in Rule VIII Sec. 27.2 of IRR RA 9184.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8.

Interested Bidders shall submit a Certified True Copy of Valid PCAB License for this project having the Category applicable for the contract specified.

Interested Bidders shall submit an Original / Certified True Copy of valid licenses issued by the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) for design professionals, IAPOA No. for Architect/s, and Updated Professional Tax Receipts (PTR) of each professional.

9.

The Marinduque Provincial Government 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.

10.

For further information, please refer to: EUFROCINA N. RAMENTO (BAC Secretariat Head) Tel. # (042) 332-1498, Provincial General Services Office, Capitol Compound, Boac, Marinduque.

(TS-AUG. 13, 2015)

(SGD) ALMA C. TIMTIMAN BAC Vice Chairman

La Salle tossers whip Maroons, gain no. 2 LA Salle rode on a big fourth set fightback and outlasted University of the Philippines in a tight finish to carve out a 25-22, 24-26, 15-25, 25-13, 15-13 decision and assure itself of at least a second place finish in Group B of the Spikers’ Turf Season 1-Collegaite Conference at The Arena in San Juan City yesterday.

Arjay Onia unloaded a matchbest 25 hits, including 20 on kills, three on blocks and two aces as the Archers wound up with a 4-1 (winloss) record after the single round elims of the event presented by PLDT Home Ultera.

Ateneo leads the pack with a 4-0 card and is eyeing a sweep against St. Benilde at presstime.

“We just showed composure in the end,” said La Salle coach Ronald Dulay.

La Salle skipper Raymark Woo fired 17 hits while Mike Anthony Frey

tossed in 12 markers to help La Salle move into the quarterfinal round on a winning note with its elims record a big plus in the carryover quarters.

Team captain Alfred Gerard Valbuena uncorked a team-high 21 for the Maroons, who closed out their elims campaign with a 3-2 slate.

Aside from Ateneo, La Salle and UP, College of St. Benilde also advanced with a 2-3 mark.

Group B teams will play all four of the Group A qualifiers, headed

by National U (5-0), Emilio Aguinaldo College (4-1), Far Eastern U (2-3) and National College of Business and Arts (2-2).

The Archers actually overwhelmed the Maroons in spikes, 60-38, pouring in the bulk in their one-sided fourth set romp. But they needed to toughen up in the fifth and frustrate the Diliman-based netters with clutch hits.

They will meet the San Sebastian Stags at 4 p.m. today at the Arena in San Juan and they have a chance to catch up with the Letran Knights for the lead of the 91st National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament.

Coach Jamike Jarin said lessons have been learned with their win over JRU, 84-69, last week, and a close 83-81 triumph over the University of Perpetual Help Altas the other week.

“They’re still kids.

They’re still learning. But one good thing about this is that we were able to get a win,” said Jarin.

Beating the Stags will give the Red Lions their fifth straight win and seventh overall.

This will put them them in a share of the lead with the Knights, who fell to 7-1 following a stinging 69-83 defeat to the Emilio Aguinaldo Generals last Friday.

In the other match, EAC (2-6) and Lyceum (1-7) will meet at 2 p.m. hoping to breathe life to their flickering Final Four hopes. Peter Atencio Team Standings Letran 71 San Beda 61 Perpetual 62 Jose Rizal 53 Arellano U 43 Mapua 44 EAC 26 St. Benilde 26 San Sebastian 2 6 Lyceum 17 Games today (The Arena in San Juan) 10 a.m. • EAC vs Lyceum (jrs) 12 noon • San Beda vs San Sebastian (jrs) 2 p.m. • EAC vs Lyceum (srs) 4 p.m. • San Beda vs San Sebastian (srs)

Crosby Sports Festival on Aug. 29 THE Gemmalyn Crosby Sports Festival showcases Filipino martial arts at its finest on Aug. 29 at the SMX Convention Center.

International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness Pro Athlete Candyce Graham is one of the international guest judges.

She is an Olympia and Arnold Athlete.

Martial artists and fitness enthusiasts from all over the country, as well as guests from

Australia, India, the United States, Saipan, Guam, and Malaysia, will gather and compete in 13 Filipino martial arts and body-building categories during the two-day event.

An expo of food products and merchandise will be held simultaneously with the competitions.

“It’s actually a collaboration of fitness and bodybuilding,” said Crosby, the only IFBB professional represent-

Crosby

ing the country in global tilts via the Philippine

League of Bodybuilding and Fitness.

Crosby gained her IFBB Pro Card by winning in the prestigious Arnold Classic Amateur in the USA. She is a Labradasponsored athlete (Master Trainer) representing eight times Mr. Olympia Lee Haney’s International Association of Fitness Sciences certification course. Crosby is also an instructor of Filipino Combat Systems.

T H U R S D AY : A U G U S T 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

LOTTO RESULTS

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

North steals foursomes, leads by 5 TEAM North rallied strong and swept the last three matches, turning a 1-2 deficit into a resounding 4-2 victory as it pulled away from Team South, 8 1/2-3 1/2, after yesterday’s foursomes in The Duel —North vs South 4 at Wack Wack’s East Course.

Miguel Tabuena bounced back from a loss in fourball with Benjie Magada Tuesday as he teamed up with Joenard Rates to score a big 6&4 rout of the Jhonnel AbabaCharles Hong tandem then Miguel Ochoa and James Ryan Lam humbled the fancied pair of Cassius Casas and Clyde Mondilla, 2&1, and Magada and new partner Randy Garalde also upended Elmer Salvador and Arnold Villacencio, 2&1, to highlight the Northerners’ fiery comeback that put the team way ahead heading to today’s (Thursday) deciding singles of the event sponsored by ICTSI. Counting Angelo Que and Mars Pucay’s 3&1 romp over Ferdie Aunzo and Marvin Dumandan in the first group, Team North pooled four wins to stretch its overnight three-point lead to five and move four wins away in the singles to avenge their 8-20 blowout loss last year in Cebu.

After a two-hour rain delay, Team South actually moved within two points as brothers Jay and Rufino Bayron routed Jun Bernis and Michael Bibat. 5&4, and Tony Lascuña and Orlan Sumcad held off Gerald Rosales and Keanu Jahns, 3&2, to negate Que and Pucay’s win in the alternate shot format.

But the diminutive pair of Tabuena and Rates stood tall against Hong and Ababa in the fourth group, sustaining a strong start to post the day’s most lopsided win.

Lam and Ochoa then withstood Casas and Mondilla’s backside rally with clutch pars, and Magada and Garalde also fended off Salvador and Villacencio to cap North’s superb two-day solid display of teamwork in the event backed by Nike Golf, Srixon, Callaway, Empire Golf, Footjoy, Titleist, Custom Clubmakers and Sharp.

Pro league eyes sports academy, 2 more teams TOKYO—The creation of a retired players’ trust fund and sports academy, an expanded Development League and possibly, two more expansion franchises.

These are among the plans being prepared by the Philippine Basketball Association, which hopes to realize the undertakings within a three- to five-year time frame in order to benefit the players, the league and sports in general.

League President and Chief Executive Officer Chito Salud presented the proposals to the PBA Board under chairman Robert Non during its annual planning session here at the Tokyo Hilton.

Salud made it clear though the plans are not for immediate implementation, but hopes to re-

alize it within the next three to five years.

The retired welfare trust fund, according to the former commissioner, is more on the health care needs of the players, and should not be confused with the existing players’ trust fund, which pertains strictly, solely, and exclusively to educational needs. “‘Yung retired players’ welfare fund, the proposal is to help them subsidize their health care needs. So we have to find sources for the seed money,” said Salud.

The league executive also

added the need to find an ideal location where the sports academy will rise and serve as training and rehab facilities for various sports.

“It will also house a training facility, along with residential accommodations and commercial premises,” he added.

The D-League is likewise one aspect which Salud believes need to be developed, disclosing plans of expanding it by staging tournaments in Cebu, Davao, and Luzon, particularly in the Ilocos region.

He also said the possible creation of a D-League featuring women’s players.

“We will embark on that.

Give us a year and we’ll introduce a women’s D-League,” bared Salud.

As for the league itself, he mentioned about the possibil-

ity of accepting at least two expansion franchises after welcoming Blackwater and Mahindra (formerly KIA Motors) to the fold last season, bringing to a record 12 the total number of member teams.

Everything else though still depends on the way the latest expansion teams will perform in the coming seasons.

“We will accommodate expansion teams, maybe two within the next three to five years depending on the performance of the last two that we accepted,” said Salud.

Again, he said the league is looking at fulfilling the projects within a five-year window.

“Hindi immediate implementation ‘yan, but at least we have a direction for that,” said Salud.

Joenard Rates (left) checks the line of their putt as North teammate Miguel Tabuena looks on during their foursomes clash with Charles Hong and Jhonnel Ababa in The Duel 4 at Wack Wack.

Mendoza, Iglupas reach quarterfinals UNRANKED urence Mendoza sustained his top form and stunned third seed Elberto Anasta, 6-3, 6-2, to join the fancied bets in the men’s Open singles quarterfinals of the sixth Olivarez Cup Tennis Championship at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque yesterday.

Top seed Khim Iglupas also dished out a superb game to dominate Rafa Villanueva, 6-2, 6-1, and lead the Last 8 cast in women’s singles of the top-ranking event presented by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala through COO Bobby Castro and sanctioned by Philta.

Mendoza seized control early and swept the first four games then foiled Anasta’s fightback to within 3-4 by holding serve in the eighth game then breaking his

veteran rival in the next. It was more of the same in the second frame with Mendoza racking up the first three games then winning three of the next five to wrap up the one-hour, 45-minute victory in the tournament backed by Dunlop AllClay Court as the official ball, Stronghold Insurance and Aseana City.

“I was able to maintain my stamina and power throughout the match because of my superb conditioning. I just hope to keep my form and gain a crack at the crown,” said Mendoza from Olongapo, who set up a quarters duel with No. 10 Arvin Ruel, who repulsed Fritz Verdad, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.

“Mendoza could provide the big surprise in the event teeming with talents while Iglupas

faces a slew of challengers out to foil her back-to-back title bid, guaranteeing an action-packed quarters,” said Philta president and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez.

The defending champion Iglupas also imposed her power and used her experience to dispose of Villanueva and arrange a duel with Christine Patrimonio for a berth in the Final Four of the event also held in honor of former Paranaque City Mayor Pablo Olivarez.

“I’ve prepared and trained hard for this tournament with the help of my coaches in the Philippine Tennis Academy,” said Iglupas, who braces for a tough outing against Christine, who eased out Shaira Rivera, 6-4, 6-2.

Jurence Mendoza sets up a backhand return against Elberto Anasta

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T H U R S D AY : A U G U S T 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

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

sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS

Injured Gilas five gets boost

By Jeric Lopez

SMART Gilas coach Tab Baldwin said yesterday that the return of Marc Pingris and the addition of the highly touted Fil-Tongan Moala Tautuaa are welcome developments for the national team, which had been hit by the absence of key players due to various reasons, including injuries.

The team recently suffered another blow after naturalized player Andray Blatche went down with a groin injury and was diagnosed with prostatitis.

“Blatche “will be unavailable at the moment,” but emphasized that the arrival of Pingris and Tautuaa will at least address the lack of big men in the front-court.

Pingris, a vital cog in both Smart Gilas’ run in the FIBA Asia Championship in 2013 and the FIBA World Cup last year, is back in town after a leave of absence and will suit up for tonight’s practice for the nationals.

“We’ll have Ping (Pingris) back and we’re hoping that he can give us another body inside. We’ll be inserting him

Olympic mini-camp. Stephen Curry of the 2015 USA Basketball Men’s National Team attends a practice session at the Mendenhall Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Curry was one of 34 NBA players named Thursday by USA Basketball as participants in this weekend’s Olympic mini-camp in Las Vegas.

USA Basketball national team managing director Jerry Colangelo said that players who wanted consideration for the Rio squad needed to attend the workouts next Tuesday through Thursday, when a public scrimmage will be staged. AFP

there,” said Baldwin.

Baldwin said all spots for the team are still up for grabs as he continues to evaluate the players to determine who will be included in the Final 12 for the FIBA Asia Championship slated late next month.

“Right now, it’s still too early to determine the core of our final line-up. We’ve just started training and guys are getting injured left and right so we still have to see how things go before we can have a definite outlook on our approach,” Baldwin said.

After expressing doubts a week ago whether Pingris can rejoin the team in time for the nationals’ training, Baldwin now relies on Pingris to boost a frontline that badly needs more big men after June Mar Fajardo had ruled himself from playing for the nationals.

“He’ll (Pingris) be there now. He’s back. That’s one more guy for us upfront so hopefully we can get a lot from him” he said.

Tautuaa, the highly touted slotman, recently named as the PBA D-League’s Most Valuable Player and who is projected to be the top pick in Philippine Basketball Association Draft to be held this month, will likely play the role of back-up center as he too is expected to join the training pool of the national team.

Tautuaa’s presence in the team will add more dimension to Smart Gilas as his size and strength down low are something that Baldwin can use.

Tautuaa, however, may be barred from joining the Fiba Asia tournament because of restrictions in eligibility rules, will be tapped in other future competitions like the Jones Cup, the Asian Games and the SEA Games.

Aside from Pingris and Tautuaa, the other big men manning the team’s frontline are Asi Taulava, Sonny Thoss, Pingris and amateur standout Troy Rosario.

Romeo must control his penchant to shoot

By Dennis Principe LOOKS like GlobalPort pure shooter Terrence Romeo would need to control his penchant for taking shots in bunches if he wants to make the cut of the soon-to-be formed Gilas Pilipinas 3.0.

Named as last season’s Most Improved Player in the Philippine Basketball Association, Romeo finished third in most Field Goal Attempts that season behind MVP winner JuneMar Fajardo of San Miguel and star guard Jayson Castro of Talk ‘N Text.

American-Kiwi head coach Tab Baldwin said he is expecting Romeo to deliver not only on offense, but on the opposite side of the floor as well.

“Terrence is a highlyskilled player offensively and he’s a willing hardworker defensively. He’s got some deficiencies in terms of his size. But we can integrate his skills into the offense and volume shooting

is not what we would be asking of him,” said Baldwin.

In his sophomore year, Romeo took 598 total field goals in 35 games, which nearly doubled his 344 attempts during his rookie year where he played in 30 contests.

Still, Baldwin sees Romeo adjusting well to what his system would need from the former Far Eastern University standout.

“We would be asking him to be a shooter when the opportunities are created for him or he creates his own opportunities because that is a tremendous skill that the kid has,” admitted Baldwin “He’ll adjust very easily because he is an intelligent kid. And he’s committed to Gilas. That’s what I expect of him and all the players and I have no doubt that they can give that.”

Romeo, meanwhile, said he is submitting himself to whatever concept Baldwin wants them to embrace which will be for the good of the team.

THURSDAY: AUGUST 13, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

B1

Peso sinks to 46.26 a dollar PSe comPoSite index Closing August 12, 2015

8500 8000 7500 7000 6500 6000

7,495.43 75.02

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing AUGUST 12, 2015 42

P46.260

43

CLOSE

44 45 46

HIGH P46.000 LOW P46.330 AVERAGE P46.214 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

By Julito G. Rada

THE peso lost P0.33, or 0.7 percent, Wednesday to breach the 46-a-dollar mark for the first time in five years, after China further reduced the yuan’s value against the greenback.

The peso settled at 46.26 against the dollar, down from the previous day’s closing of 45.93, on a volume turnover of $1.1 billion.

It was the local currency’s weakest value since closing at 46.47 on May 27, 2010.

Stocks also tumbled Wednesday, on concerns over the economic health of China, the world’s second largest economy and the Philippines’ largest trading partner.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, fell 75 points, or 1 percent, to 7,495.43 on a value turnover of P7.8 billion. Losers routed gain-

ers, 114 to 44, with 55 issues unchanged.

“Currencies in the region continued to be weak, still in reaction to CNY [Chinese yuan] moves overnight…The price action of the peso was also affected by some choppy corporate demand for real FX [foreign exchange] obligations,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said in a text message.

“Going forward, we anticipate market moves in the spot market will be driven by domestic supply/demand forces, as well as market views on data that will be

coming out of the US this week,” Tetangco said.

Nicholas Antonio Mapa, research officer at the financial markets and treasury of the Bank of the Philippine Islands, said the peso depreciation in the past few days was tied to China’s devaluation of its currency.

“Last Tuesday, the PBoC [People’s Bank of China] set the fixing rate higher, effectively devaluing their currency by roughly 2 percent. Today, they did the same, devaluing the currency again, and dragging the rest of the region with it,” Mapa said in an e-mailed reply to The Standard.

Reports on Wednesday said PBoC had cut the value of the Chinese yuan against the US dollar, by trimming the reference rate by 1.62 percent.

Mapa said Asian currencies were weakening, as Asian economies were trying to maintain competitiveness with Chinese ex-

ports. He said with yuan’s devaluation, Chinese products became cheaper in dollar prices compared to the rest of the region, thus Asian currencies tended to track the weakness.

“Another reason why the currencies are weakening is that the dollar is strengthening as investors seek safe assets now that market is distressed and global growth is in question,” Mapa said.

He said the next few days would be dominated by Chinese headlines and dictated by PBoC’s move on fixing rate.

“We can expect more weakness in the peso but it will merely be tracking the rest of the region,” Mapa said, adding the local currency might be trading between 46 and 46.40 range this week.

Tetangco said Tuesday the peso’s decline was brought about by initial market reaction on the announcement of the yuan devaluation.

today

P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene P23.70-P24.40 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Wednesday, August 12, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

45.8600

Japan

Yen

0.007989

0.3664

UK

Pound

1.557900

71.4453

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128831

5.9082

Switzerland

Franc

1.011941

46.4076

Canada

Dollar

0.762777

34.9810

Singapore

Dollar

0.713929

32.7408

Australia

Dollar

0.729395

33.4501

Bahrain

Dinar

2.651324

121.5897

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266645

12.2283

Brunei

Dollar

0.711389

32.6243

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000074

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.028354

1.3003

UAE

Dirham

0.272257

12.4857

Euro

Euro

1.104300

50.6432

Korea

Won

0.000847

0.0388

China

Yuan

0.158150

7.2528

India

Rupee

0.015539

0.7126

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.252525

11.5808

New Zealand

Dollar

0.653509

29.9699

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031099

1.4262 Source: PDS Bridge

A teller counts yuan banknotes in a bank in Lianyungang, east China’s Jiangsu province on August 11, 2015. China’s central bank cut the yuan’s value against the dollar for the second consecutive day Wednesday, roiling global financial markets and driving expectations the currency could be set for further falls. AFP

Second yuan devaluation rattles global financial markets SHANGHAI, China—China cut the yuan’s value against the dollar for the second consecutive day Wednesday, roiling global financial markets and driving expectations the currency could be set for further falls.

The daily reference rate that sets the value of the Chinese currency against the greenback was cut by 1.62 percent to 6.3306 yuan, from 6.2298 on Tuesday, the People’s Bank of China said in a statement on its Web site.

The move took the reductions

to 3.5 percent this week-the largest in more than two decades—after a surprise devaluation on Tuesday, but the central bank played down expectations it would continue to depreciate the currency.

The combined drop is the biggest since China set up its modern foreign exchange system in 1994, when it devalued the yuan by 33 percent at a stroke.

It is also a bigger change than the 2.1 percent rise when China unpegged the yuan, also known as

the renminbi, from the dollar in 2005.

The move has been widely viewed as a way to boost China’s exports by making them more competitive as growth slows.

Compounding concerns, three key indicators released on Wednesday all came in below market expectations, the latest data to show weakness in the world’s second-largest economy.

China says it is making its exchange rate system more marketoriented, but some analysts suspect

this could be the start of a longer slide in the yuan and SG Global Economics predicted it could depreciate by five percent over 12 months.

The cuts have already jolted global share and commodity markets and Asia-Pacific currencies have suffered as investors fret over the impact on economies closely tied to the Asian giant.

Analysts said the move could also delay expected moves by the United States to raise interest rates and even threaten a currency war

as other countries come under pressure to devalue as well.

Washington has long criticized China’s rigid currency regime, with officials describing the yuan as undervalued, but the US offered a mild response, saying it was too early to judge the changes.

“China has indicated that the changes announced today are another step in its move to a more market-determined exchange rate,” the US Treasury said, adding: “Any reversal in reforms would be a troubling development.” AFP

THURSDAY: AUGUST 13, 2015

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Wednesday, august 12, 2015

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 4.2 17 30.45 10.4 2.6 100 1.46 30.5 75 91.5 137 361.2 57 180 1700 124 3.26

2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.97 1.68 12.02 19.6 6.12 1.02 78 0.9 17.8 58 62 88.35 276 41 118.2 1200 59 2.65

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

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

3.5 70.65 104.00 92.40 43.3 2.45 1.46 15.9 20.85 7.71 1.80 87 0.98 18.90 26.00 62.95 95 306.6 38.7 141.6 1510.00 58.90 3.26

47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 20.6 125 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 2.89 17 31.8 109 20.75 15.3 9.4 241 12.5 3.95 4 33.9 90 13.26 293 5.25 12.98 15 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 238 3.28 0.315 2.65 234 5.28 1.3 26 2.17

35.9 1.11 1.01 1.86 7.92 15.32 62.5 10.08 29.15 1.5 1.5 10.72 9.55 9.04 6.02 8.86 1.06 8.61 20.2 71.5 13.86 13.24 5.34 173 8.65 2.3 1.63 23.35 17.3 5.88 250.2 3.87 8.45 10.04 3.03 1.95 1 4.02 161 1.55 0.138 2.09 152 4.28 0.640 10.02 1.2

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

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

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

Lafarge Rep LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phinma Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

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

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

43.05 1.39 1.02 1.88 10.92 18.38 187 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 13.30 13.40 5.78 191.20 10.14 2 1.8 24.75 26.85 6.44 306.40 4.57 8.99 11.88 3.42 2.22 3.53 4.30 162 1.85 0.143 2.10 199.9 4.23 0.69 22.50 1.16

0.59 59.2 30.05 3.4 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 3.68 4.92 0.66 1455 7.5 76 6.5 5.29 9.25 0.85 17.3 0.71 5.53 6.55 0.0670 1.61 2.99 84.9 3.5 974 1.66 156 0.710 0.435

0.44 48.1 20.85 0.23 634.5 7.390 12.8 2.6 1.15 2.26 0.152 837 5.3 49.55 3.43 3 4.84 0.59 12 0.580 4.2 4.5 0.030 0.550 2.26 59.3 1.5 751 1.13 80 0.211 0.179

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

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Keppel Holdings `A’ Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

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

Minerales Industrias Corp.

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

0.440 57.7000 22.55 0.250 776 7.35 12.50 3.1 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 2.350 2.8 55.80 2.25 902.50 1.26 77.800 0.3100 0.1880

10.5 1.99 0.375 41.4 5.6 5.59

6.74 0.65 0.192 30.05 3.36 4.96

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Arthaland Corp.

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

7.100 0.70 0.221 39.00 3.52 5.1

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

SHARES 8,790,576 54,876,899 113,635,138 135,936,120 119,212,381 2,313,642,982 2,747,038,376

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 3.7 3.21 71.95 69.15 103.90 101.10 92.75 91.65 43.45 43 2.47 2.47 1.46 1.46 16 15.72 20.95 20.5 7.99 7.23 1.80 1.65 88 87 0.98 0.98 18.86 18.80 25.85 25.85 62.95 62.75 95 90 306.6 305 38.8 38.5 143 138.2 1514.00 1510.00 59.00 58.80 3.28 3.26 INDUSTRIAL 43.6 42.5 1.45 1.39 1.02 0.95 1.88 1.85 11.1 9.95 18.36 18 183 135 27.6 26.3 54 52.5 3.2 3.05 1.55 1.48 12.6 12.1 22.650 21.7 9.66 9.45 7.08 6.93 9.70 9.45 1.8 1.78 14.8 13.74 26 25.75 79.4 75 13.30 13.30 13.30 13.30 6.06 5.81 192.50 187.60 10.12 10.06 2 2 1.8 1.73 24.95 24.45 26.5 25.5 6.47 6.08 306.00 300.00 4.57 4.55 8.88 8.47 11.70 11.42 3.41 3.25 2.30 2.15 3.61 3.3 4.30 4.20 161.8 160 1.87 1.82 0.145 0.143 2.11 2.08 197.9 194.5 4.22 4.22 0.68 0.68 22.95 22.95 1.15 1.12 HOLDING FIRMS 0.445 0.440 57.6000 57.4500 22.45 22.10 0.255 0.250 771 761 7.36 7.33 13.10 12.34 3.2 3.2 2.85 2.85 4.18 4.18 0.200 0.199 1360 1346 6.73 6.40 72.40 71.10 3.65 3.65 5.8 5.5 7.14 6.99 0.64 0.63 15.08 14.74 0.57 0.57 5.03 4.98 8 7.95 0.0290 0.0280 2.450 2.320 2.8 2.8 56.00 55.50 2.25 2.25 902.00 895.00 1.32 1.26 78.500 77.800 0.3150 0.3050 0.1850 0.1850 PROPERTY 7.100 7.020 0.70 0.68 0.221 0.221 39.00 38.30 3.54 3.32 5.06 5.06

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

3.33 71.95 102.00 91.65 43.15 2.47 1.46 15.9 20.65 7.23 1.79 87.6 0.98 18.80 25.85 62.75 95 306.6 38.75 140.1 1514.00 58.90 3.28

-4.86 1.84 -1.92 -0.81 -0.35 0.82 0.00 0.00 -0.96 -6.23 -0.56 0.69 0.00 -0.53 -0.58 -0.32 0.00 0.00 0.13 -1.06 0.26 0.00 0.61

192,000 9,940 4,063,860 852,150 33,300 1,000 116,000 3,500 268,500 24,100 405,000 1,792,720 7,000 144,400 1,000 79,720 150 690 128,600 418,290 185 4,990 21,000

43.15 1.45 0.95 1.88 11.1 18.16 183 27.6 53 3.11 1.48 12.56 21.800 9.50 6.96 9.45 1.8 14.8 25.75 77.1 13.30 13.30 5.97 192.20 10.08 2 1.8 24.45 25.65 6.1 300.00 4.56 8.51 11.70 3.32 2.26 3.53 4.25 160 1.85 0.143 2.09 195.5 4.22 0.68 22.95 1.15

0.23 4.32 -6.86 0.00 1.65 -1.20 -2.14 1.10 -2.57 1.30 -2.63 1.45 -3.33 -4.04 -1.97 -2.07 6.51 6.47 -0.96 -2.77 0.00 -0.75 3.29 0.52 -0.59 0.00 0.00 -1.21 -4.47 -5.28 -2.09 -0.22 -5.34 -1.52 -2.92 1.80 0.00 -1.16 -1.23 0.00 0.00 -0.48 -2.20 -0.24 -1.45 2.00 -0.86

1,863,800 40,000 538,000 1,045,000 408,100 477,900 360 323,400 337,200 2,203,000 899,000 14,900 3,922,100 2,214,300 13,190,400 398,800 4,000 82,000 2,991,500 318,520 1,400 3,100 865,400 628,160 4,173,400 6,000 167,000 949,700 427,700 111,300 1,344,400 1,557,000 2,655,700 2,000 1,236,000 1,181,000 3,018,000 1,328,000 10,720 128,000 620,000 1,168,000 1,776,370 20,000 11,000 300 75,000

0.440 57.4500 22.30 0.250 763.5 7.33 12.78 3.2 2.85 4.18 0.199 1352 6.40 71.65 3.65 5.6 6.99 0.63 15 0.57 5 8 0.0280 2.320 2.8 56.00 2.25 901.00 1.26 77.800 0.3100 0.1850

0.00 -0.43 -1.11 0.00 -1.61 -0.27 2.24 3.23 -8.06 0.48 1.53 -1.31 -0.78 -1.04 -3.95 4.67 -2.10 0.00 0.00 -5.00 -0.79 0.76 0.00 -1.28 0.00 0.36 0.00 -0.17 0.00 0.00 0.00 -1.60

50,000 1,283,400 11,763,100 170,000 272,420 4,598,100 28,292,900 91,000 120,000 17,000 40,000 177,060 28,900 1,636,380 2,000 14,900 2,287,900 20,000 2,906,300 20,000 27,225,800 1,605,600 6,000,000 22,251,000 57,000 278,770 1,000 362,100 33,000 9,140 1,870,000 40,000

7.030 0.70 0.221 38.30 3.38 5.06

-0.99 0.00 0.00 -1.79 -3.98 -0.78

1,259,700 259,000 120,000 8,534,800 1,443,000 4,800

-94,250.00 92,607.00 -48,131,942.00 -54,711,870.00 60,340.00 -2,470.00 -47,814.00 1,276,905.00 -4,524,308.00

-4,524,308.00 -3,381,105.00 -27,357,670.00 -196,300.00 -34,162.00 -55,086,630.00 5,600.00 10,180.00 280,400.00 507,890.00 -4,269,174.00 77,600.00 -669,330.00 -11,548,890.00 -7,759,281.00 -52,596,344.00 -898,465.00 -40,911,050.00 -7,122,472.00 1,061,371.00 -69,965,113.00 -13,777,372.00 -9,971,245.00 -2,432,085.00 -231,371,348.00 780,950.00 1,167,366.00 -2,344,180.00 4,360.00 24,500.00 1,460,390.00 -1,349,056.00 -9,200.00 -324,200.00 -107,181,957.00 6,885.00

-44,723,190.00 58,760,065.00 -89,792,090.00 19,529,665.00 25,880,338.00

-98,291,625.00 -10,464,770.00 -4,515,436.00 -26,680,900.00 56,306,143.00 -1,995,000.00 552,950.00 -11,144,963.50 -46,981,285.00 -678,360.00 12,400.00 -8,286,283.00 -24,207,160.00 -496,040.00

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

Close

1.44 1.48 0.201 0.69 10.96 0.97 0.305 2.22 2.1 1.8 8.4 4.88 0.180 0.72 8.54 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 1.62 8.59

0.79 0.97 0.083 0.415 2.4 0.83 0.188 1.15 1.42 1.27 3.1 2.75 0.090 0.39 2.69 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 0.83 5.73

Century Property Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

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

MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Realty `A’ Primex Corp.

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

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 0.8200 2.2800 5.93 12.28 3.32 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 0.041 1.200 2.34 6.5 1.91 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

11.6 0.85 2.95 10 1.9

7.59 0.63 1.71 5 1.14

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

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

Discovery World DFNN Inc. FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom 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.

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Yehey

0.0098 5.45 17.24 25 0.330 12.7 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 1.030 3.06 0.020 0.021 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9

0.0043 1.72 6.47 9.43 0.236 6.5 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.013 0.014 3.240 18.96 2.11 0.365 1.54 0.012 0.013 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67

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

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

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

TA Petroleum

70 553 525 111

33 490 500 101

1047 76.9 84.8

1011 74.2 75

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 SMC Preferred A SMC Preferred C

6.98

0.8900 LR Warrant

15 12.88

3.5 5.95

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

Makati Fin. Corp.

Xurpas

High

VALUE 754,948,013.892 1,475,693,486.859 1,912,573,179.224 1,059,664,949.07 1,899,455,580.96 728,148,873.84 7,842,158,788.842

FINANCIAL 1,634.71 (down) 11.34 INDUSTRIAL 11,438.81 (down) 188.15 HOLDING FIRMS 6,791.13 (down) 45.08 PROPERTY 3,136.95 (down) 51.88 SERVICES 2,056.27 (down) 20.56 MINING & OIL 11,928.45 (down) 90.90 PSEI 7,495.43 (down) 75.02 All Shares Index 4,298.55 (down) 42.30 Gainers: 44 Losers: 114; Unchanged: 55; Total: 213

Close

0.81 1.03 0.127 0.470 13.14 0.840 0.172 1.20 1.95 1.31 5.01 4.68 0.099 0.3700 7.31 28.95 1.65 3.34 22.00 0.74 0.800 7.210

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

0.82 0.8 0.81 1.04 1.00 1.04 0.126 0.123 0.125 0.490 0.470 0.485 13.4 12.86 13 0.860 0.850 0.850 0.171 0.170 0.170 1.23 1.20 1.21 1.96 1.90 1.92 1.32 1.31 1.31 5.01 5.01 5.01 4.68 4.5 4.52 0.099 0.099 0.099 0.4000 0.3750 0.4000 7.5 7.3 7.5 29.05 28.50 28.80 1.65 1.64 1.65 3.33 3.25 3.25 21.90 21.40 21.75 0.74 0.72 0.74 0.800 0.800 0.800 7.020 7.100 7.280 SERVICES 9.7 9.99 9.3 9.99 64.65 64.75 63.6 64.35 1.14 1.2 1.15 1.15 0.630 0.630 0.610 0.610 12.2 12.22 12.22 12.22 9.28 9.21 8.94 8.95 0.0770 0.0780 0.0770 0.0770 4.15 4.1 3.97 4.07 97.15 97.3 93.5 93.5 9.81 10 10 10 1.66 1.64 1.62 1.62 5.40 5.42 5.30 5.30 920.5 921 920.5 920.5 2640 2680 2536 2600 6.50 6.55 6.44 6.46 1.31 1.30 1.30 1.30 108 107.4 104.5 105.9 0.200 0.199 0.194 0.199 1.3300 1.3100 1.3000 1.3000 2.25 2.33 2.23 2.33 9.40 9.43 9.35 9.40 2.17 2.16 2.17 2.16 2.23 2.18 2.05 2.18 0.670 0.670 0.640 0.670 2 2 2 2 7.2 7.16 6.71 6.75 0.300 0.300 0.300 0.300 0.470 0.435 0.435 0.435 21 21 20.95 20.95 5.00 5.14 5.00 5.12 3 3 3 3 100.00 102.00 99.00 99.00 18.90 18.90 18.60 18.90 2700.00 2710.00 2680.00 2700.00 0.650 0.650 0.640 0.640 1.500 1.480 1.430 1.480 37.85 38.10 37.05 37.75 79.05 79.35 78.25 78.50 5.60 6.04 5.30 5.36 8.32 8.32 7.86 7.99 0.64 0.65 0.63 0.63 1.7 1.7 1.62 1.7 5.36 5.38 5.28 5.28 2.460 2.550 2.430 2.580 MINING & OIL 0.0056 0.0060 0.0056 0.0060 2.40 2.40 2.30 2.40 5.11 5.10 4.94 4.97 11.86 11.80 11.80 11.80 0.228 0.220 0.210 0.220 6.6500 6.5600 6.5000 6.5000 0.65 0.66 0.64 0.65 0.73 0.74 0.71 0.72 6.57 6.58 6.51 6.52 1.33 1.33 1.28 1.31 0.295 0.300 0.295 0.300 0.206 0.206 0.202 0.202 0.013 0.013 0.012 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.013 2.71 2.79 2.67 2.72 10 9.94 9.45 9.45 3.9 3.94 3.68 3.73 0.5900 0.5900 0.5900 0.5900 1.9100 1.9100 1.8800 1.8800 0.0093 0.0092 0.0092 0.0092 0.0110 0.0110 0.0110 0.0110 4.12 4.11 4.10 4.11 5.40 5.440 5.350 5.35 1.60 1.640 1.590 1.60 0.010 0.010 0.010 0.010 127.50 132.60 123.00 130.00 8.02 8.6 7.8 8.37 PREFERRED 67.3 66.9 63 64.05 527 527 527 527 535 535 534 534 110 111 111 111 1080 1080 1080 1080 1020 1020 1020 1020 75.5 75.5 75.4 75.5 82 81.1 80 80 WARRANTS & BONDS 3.760 3.760 3.700 3.730 SME 6.2 6.6 6.2 6.2 12.26 12.28 11.86 12.1 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 123.3 123.3 122 122.2

T op g ainerS STOCKS

Low

0.00 0.97 -1.57 3.19 -1.07 1.19 -1.16 0.83 -1.54 0.00 0.00 -3.42 0.00 8.11 2.60 -0.52 0.00 -2.69 -1.14 0.00 0.00 -1.53

573,000 29,000 1,040,000 9,090,000 930,200 50,000 2,130,000 3,596,000 28,199,000 72,000 900 53,145,000 2,650,000 150,000 19,100 2,107,000 273,000 18,000 13,431,500 382,000 114,000 6,292,400

-29,160.00 520.00

2.99 -0.46 0.88 -3.17 0.16 -3.56 0.00 -1.93 -3.76 1.94 -2.41 -1.85 0.00 -1.52 -0.62 -0.76 -1.94 -0.50 -2.26 3.56 0.00 0.46 -2.24 0.00 0.00 -6.25 0.00 -7.45 -0.24 2.40 0.00 -1.00 0.00 0.00 -1.54 -1.33 -0.26 -0.70 -4.29 -3.97 -1.56 0.00 -1.49 -4.65

1,222,900 26,900 42,000 344,000 200 3,665,500 3,530,000 1,537,000 1,436,430 2,600 15,000 150,000 140 123,165 55,400 82,000 1,869,160 10,060,000 249,000 7,000 324,400 835,000 1,206,000 36,000 3,000 12,205,800 30,000 10,000 200 81,700 5,000 3,360 121,800 127,240 1,298,000 10,731,000 4,005,000 2,823,190 46,155,000 9,935,100 2,359,000 56,000 1,691,500 242,000

7.14 0.00 -2.74 -0.51 -3.51 -2.26 0.00 -1.37 -0.76 -1.50 1.69 -1.94 0.00 0.00 0.37 -5.50 -4.36 0.00 -1.57 -1.08 0.00 -0.24 -0.93 0.00 0.00 1.96 4.36

1,575,000,000 0.00 9,620,000 652,000 -531,696.00 100 220,000 35,100 855,000 183,210.00 840,000 1,690.00 4,300 6,854,000 -3,846,980.00 600,000 3,050,000 800,000 100,000 1,094,000 -740,400.00 10,822,200 3,177,950.00 2,826,000 37,300.00 85,000 98,000 1,000,000 100,000 27,000 429,100 -1,104,924.00 1,035,000 -9,940.00 692,100,000 10,000.00 4,196,650 99,275,023.00 1,099,600 1,507,082.00

-4.83 0.00 -0.19 0.91 0.00 0.00 0.00 -2.44

59,750 10 1,050 680 5 750 31,000 66,000

-0.80

284,000

0.00 -1.31

800 940,100

-0.89

3,380

11,050.00 -2,643,618.00 51,000.00 -2,645,690.00 -18,151,400.00 19,169,290.00 -188,100.00 -15,781,255.00 -430,650.00 -60,801,560.00 -18,136,125.00 2,765,318.00

9,697,841.00 -80,400.00 -23,464,628.50

46,497,990.00 12,163,039.00 3,920.00 -15,300.00 114,699.00

25,312,189.00

-135,845.00 -633,998.00 -131,450,800.00 -1,473,420.00 -19,269,550.00 63,317,581.50 2,422,695.00 -37,843,268.00 -819,650.00 543,478.00

-506,469.00

2,285,460.00

3,708,382.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Phil. Realty `A'

0.4000

8.11

F&J Prince 'B'

2.85

Abra Mining

0.0060

7.14

NOW Corp.

0.435

-8.06 -7.45

Euro-Med Lab

1.8

6.51

Alliance Tuna Intl Inc.

0.95

-6.86

Federal Res. Inv. Group

14.8

6.47

Melco Crown

6.75

-6.25

Keppel Holdings `A'

5.6

4.67

Filipino Fund Inc.

7.23

-6.23

TA Petroleum

8.37

4.36

Nickelasia

9.45

-5.50

Agrinurture Inc.

1.45

4.32

Petron Corporation

8.51

-5.34

Jackstones

2.33

3.56

Megawide

6.1

-5.28

Integ. Micro-Electronics

5.97

3.29

Mabuhay Holdings `A'

0.57

-5.00

F&J Prince 'A'

3.2

3.23

AG Finance

3.33

-4.86

THURSDAY: AUGUST 13, 2015

B3

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

Govt lifts Semirara suspension

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE Environmental Management Bureau of the Environment and Natural Resources Department lifted the suspension order on the environmental compliance certificate of Semirara Mining and Power Corp..

Semirara disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange it received on August 10 the order from the DENR lifting the suspension of the ECC “on the basis of its findings that there is no adverse effect or damage to the environment in relation to the landslide... at the northern edge of the Panian Mine...”

The landslide on July 17 killed nine miners in Semirara’s East Panian expansion project in Caluya, Antique province.

Semirara, the biggest coal miner, rallied 2 percent to P130 at the

stock market following the news, while parent DMCI Holdings Inc. advanced 2.2 percent to P12.78.

The order said Semirara agreed to implement a comprehensive monitoring program on slope movements and ground water conditions to ensure stability.

Semirara also agreed to submit a detailed assessment on the cause of the slope failure and the results of the monitoring.

The Department ordered the conduct of a hazard and operability study within 60 days and

an installation of an automatic weather station.

The DENR earlier issued a cease-and-desist order on July 21, 2015 suspending until further notice the company’s ECC for its East Panian expansion project.

A separate investigation of the Energy Department is still ongoing.

The department earlier ordered the immediate suspension of the operations of Semirara’s coal operating contract no. 5 due to the incident.

Semirara earlier announced it stopped its coal export shipments to prioritize local consumers in the wake of the suspension of its mining operations in Antique.

The company notified foreign customers Semirara could not schedule further shipments until the department reached a decision on the suspension of the mining operations.

“The concerned government authorities have our full coopera-

tion, and we will do everything we can to manage our limited coal inventory to avert possible supply disruptions to our local power plant and cement customers,” Semirara said.

Semirara has forecast consolidated net income to reach P10 billion this year on additional generating capacity from new power projects and increased utilization of current plants.

Semirara chairman and chief executive Isidro Consunji earlier told reporters it expected an estimated income of P1 billion from the commercial operations of the 300-megawatt coal power plant expansion in Calaca, Batangas this year.

“We are optimistic about our prospects for 2015 and onwards with the 2x300 MW in full operation and the coming on-stream of our 2x150 MW CFB power plants starting second quarter of 2015,” Consunji said.

Asian Eye award. Asian Eye Institute marketing head (from left) Audrey Trinidad, vice president and general manager Alwin Sta. Rosa

and president Benjamin Liboro receive the eye clinic’s third Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands Award since 2011. Asian Eye Institute won the award for being the most trusted eye center. Asian Eye also received the awards in 2011 and 2012. The Reader’s Digest, through the leading global market research Ipsos, surveyed 1,000 respondents from the Philippines, requiring each to complete the survey on their most trusted brands in 42 categories of products and services.

PSBank booked P1.13-b income in 1st 6 months

By Julito G. Rada PHILIPPINE Savings Bank, the thrift bank unit of the Metrobank Group, posted a first-half net income of P1.13 billion, slightly higher than P1.128 billion yearon-year, driven by the strength of its core businesses.

The bank said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Wednesday the income translated into a return on equity of 12.5 percent.

“Owing to aggressive sales and marketing initiatives supported by improved operational and process efficiencies, the bank steadily grew earnings from its core business,” PSBank said.

Net margins and fee-based income rose 8 percent year-on-year

to P4.7 billion, while interest income from loans and receivables grew 11.3 percent, largely due to the growth in consumer loans.

Loan portfolio registered a double-digit growth of 15.9 percent to P107.2 billion by the end of June 2015. Consumer loan bookings significantly increased 28.4 percent.

PSBank kept non-performing loans ratio to 1.2 percent even with the growth in its loan portfolio. Total deposits increased 5.3 percent year-on-year to P119.1 billion, with low-cost deposits increasing 17.8 percent, providing a stable low-cost fund base.

PSBank’s total resources rose 5.7 percent at the end of June to P149.1 billion year-on-year. Tier

1 ratio and total capital adequacy ratio slightly improved to 13 percent and 19.1 percent, respectively, well above the 8.5 percent and 10 percent minimum required level by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

The bank’s deposit-taking initiatives revolved around acquiring new customers; stimulating increase in account balances; and aggressive cross-selling to include offbook product lines. PSBank’s money market fund (unit investment trust fund) expanded its solicited accounts six times over in the first half of 2015.

PSBank in June this year received an issuer rating of PRS Aaa, the highest corporate credit rating

on the PRS scale, from Philippine Rating Services Corp.

PSBank recently introduced the newest version of PSBank Mobile—now packed with more features, and boasts of a customer interface that is friendly and easy to use--in line with its strategy to leverage on available technology to enable the seamless delivery of relevant products and services to its customers.

In collaboration with Metrobank Card Corp., the bank also recently launched its own PSBank Credit MasterCard which has no annual fee for life.

PSBank’s distribution network now includes 247 branches and 603 onsite and offsite automated teller machines all over the country.

Market tumbles; Semirara, DMCI up THE stock market tumbled Wednesday after China cut the yuan’s value against the dollar for a second day, fueling concern about the world’s number two economy and driving expectations the currency could fall further.

The sank 46.26 against the US dollar after the surprise devaluation of the yuan by the Chinese government.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index fell 75.02 points, or 1 percent, to 7,495.43 on a value turnover of P7.8 billion.

Losers routed gainers, 114 to 44, with 55 issues unchanged.

Megaworld Corp., the biggest lessor of office spaces, dropped 3.4 percent to P4.52, while BDO Unibank Inc., the largest lender in terms of assets, lost 1.9 percent to P102.

Manila Electric Co., the biggest retailer of electricity, slipped 2.1 percent to P300, while Universal Robina Corp., the largest snack food maker, fell 2.2 percent to P195.50.

Semirara Mining and Power Corp., the biggest coal miner, rallied 2 percent to P130, while parent DMCI Holdings Inc.advanced 2.2 percent to P12.78.

The Environment Department lifted the suspension order on Semirara after finding no adverse damage to the environment following a landslide on July 17. The landslide resulted in the death of nine miners.

The rest of Asian shares fell on Wednesday, while the dollar declined slightly in Tokyo trade, after rising on news the People’s Bank of China had again reduced the value of the yuan against the greenback, trimming the reference rate by 1.62 percent.

Beijing’s surprise devaluation of the yuan by 1.86 percent on Tuesday sent ripples through global financial markets, prompting a wave of selling in equities and commodities and hitting Asia-Pacific currencies.

Hong Kong was down by 1.99 percent Wednesday while Shanghai clawed back most early losses to trade down 0.14 in mid-afternoon trade.

Other regional markets also lost ground, with Tokyo closing down 1.58 percent, or 327.98 points, at 20,392.77, while Sydney ended 1.66 percent lower at 5,382.10. Seoul closed down 0.56 percent, or 11.8 points, at 1,975.47.

After Tuesday’s devaluation Chinese authorities said they were seeking to push market reforms in a one-time move.

With AFP

B4

El Niño to lower rice harvest

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

RICE harvest is expected to drop this year, because of the impact of the El Niño dry spell that delayed planting and reduced the farm area, the Philippine Statistics Authority said in a report.

PSA said in its rice and corn outlook palay (unmilled rice) production in 2015 could decline 0.6 percent to 18.86 million metric tons from 18.97 million MT in 2014.

PSA said the prolonged dry spell would likely reduce the harvest area to 4.68 million hectares this year from last year’s 4.74 million hectares.

Rice production in the first half fell 0.7 percent to 8.32 million MT from the 8.38 million MT in 2014

because of reduced harvest area.

Yield slightly improved from 4 MT per hectare in 2014 to 4.04 MT per hectare this year.

Production in the second quarter alone went down by 2.9 percent.

“Significant reductions in output were noted in Soccsksargen, Mimaropa, Caraga, Western Visayas and Northern Mindanao,” PSA said.

PSA said palay production in the third quarter, based on stand-

ing crop, would likely decrease 14.5 percent from 3.03 million MT last year to 2.59 million MT this year.

Harvest area may contract from 773,830 hectares to 658,090 hectares while yield may improve from 3.91 MT per hectare to 3.93 MT, the agency said.

“Except Bicol region, all regions expect decreases in production and harvest areas. These could be attributed to unrealized planting intentions as a result of delayed and inadequate release of irrigation water, late onset of the rainy season and some areas left in-fallow,” PSA said.

PSA said based on farmers’ planting intentions for the fourth quarter, both production and harvest area may grow 5.1 percent.

Meanwhile, corn production is

seen decreasing 1.6 percent this year to 7.64 million MT from 7.77 MT last year.

Harvest area may contract to 2.58 million hectares from 2.61 million hectares last year while yield may decline to 2.97 MT per hectare from 2.98 MT. PSA said corn production in the first half went down by 2.8 percent to 3.38 million MT from 3.48 million MT output last year.

“Significant reductions in harvest area and yield were noted in Davao Region, Cagayan Valley, Northern Mindanao and Bicol Region. These were attributed to delayed cropping due to insufficient water supply, damages due to dry spell and particularly, movement of cropping to the first quarter in Isabela,” PSA said.

Home décor books. The Trade Department supported the launching of the books entitled Capiz and Abaca at Home in this year’s Celebrate!

Decorate! Philippines on July 31 at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City. These books showcase holiday decors using raw materials like abaca and capiz. Shown during the launching are (from left) author and former ABC-5 corporate affairs head Terra Daffon, Christmas Décor Producers and Exporters Association of the Philippines (CDPEAP) President Romeo P. Balderrama Jr., Trade Undersecretary for industry promotion group Ponciano Manalo Jr., Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo’s wife Rowena Domingo, Design Center of the Philippines executive director Myrna Sunico and CDPEAP board members Lilit Almendral and Lorna Martinez-Chua.

UCPB’s income rises 7% to P1.3b

By Julito G. Rada UNITED Coconut Planters Bank said Wednesday net income grew 7 percent in the first half to P1.3 billion from a year ago, led by by the sustained growth in consumer lending business, fee-based income and trading gains.

UCPB said in a statement consumer loans rose 28 percent, on the strength of sustained economic growth and increased consumer income levels. Corporate and commercial loans dropped 13 percent, “with the backdrop of continued liquidity in the domestic market.”

Total deposits rose more than 6 percent, marked by a 14-percent increase in low-cost CASA (current and savings accounts) levels

by P19 billion to P157 billion.

The bank said it allowed the payoff of higher costing time deposits which declined 11 percent to P50 billion and reduced deposit interest expense by more than 7 percent.

“Thus, despite the drop in net loans receivable by 3 percent, net interest income still improved by more than 2 percent with loan interest income increasing by 5 percent due to the higher yields earned from its consumer loan portfolio,” UCPB said.

Total non-interest income grew 3.2 percent to P1.2 billion, led by a 7-percent increases in both service fees and trading incomes.

Operating expenses rose 2 percent, on the back of a 10-percent increase in manpower cost with improvements in employee compensation and benefits, and an increase in consumer business-related head count.

Ford bares plan to boost SUV lineup, hike dealers

By Othel V. Campos FORD Philippines said it will reinforce its lineup of sports utility vehicles and increase dealerships to sustain sales growth.

Ford president for Asean Mark Kaufman said the Philippine market had a growing a consumer base with preference for SUVs. “Our strength is that we have a formidable lineup of SUVs from mini or compact SUV to full size SUV. We noticed that company sales in July 2015 were mostly driven by increased sales of Ford SUVs. We’d like to see more of that as we move forward this year,” Kaufman told reporters Tuesday night during the re-opening of Ford Showroom along Edsa in Mandaluyong City.

Kaufman said Ford would continue to create dealerships to bring

the best out of Ford products and services.

The company expects to close the year with 40 dealership agreements and continue the momentum beyond 2015.

“A lot of investments of dealers go into making Ford a choice brand in the Philippines. There a huge demand for Ford vehicles in the Philippines. The challenge for us now is how to keep up with the demand,” said Kaufman.

Ford Philippines president Kay Hart said he was optimistic about maintaining the growth and even surpassing expectations for the year.

“We are confident that sales will continue to be strong as we move forward. Our sales in July hit record numbers and that urges our dealers to continue to reinvest,” she said.

Bukidnon solar plant. Asian Greenenergy Corp. recently broke ground for the 10-megawatt solar power plant in Kibawe, Bukidnon. One of the largest solar farms in Northern Mindanao, the plant is set to power 10,000 homes once it is completed by December this year. Shown during the groundbreaking ceremony are (from left) First Bukidnon Electric Cooperative Inc. board member Felix Vergara, Fibeco president Regin Mordeno, Bukidnon provincial board member Clive Quino, Soleq chief technology officer Michael Vukelic, Equis Funds Group director Craig Marsh, AGEC president Juan Miguel Zubiri and Kibawe Mayor Bing Bing Casinabe.

T H U R S D AY : A U G U S T 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

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

B5 ING awards.

Dutch financial institution ING Bank N.V., Manila Branch was named the Best Fixed Income House for the 12th consecutive year and Best Foreign Markets Coverage for the second time by the Fund Managers Association of the Philippines, an organization of equity and fixed-income managers. Shown during the awarding ceremony are (from left) Government Service Insurance System president and general manager Roberto Vergara, ING Manilafinancial markets head Johnson Sia, sales team members Jessica Chico and Darlene Cu and Fund Managers Association of the Philippines president Joy Tuplano.

Megaworld’s profit falls 68% to P5.25b

By Jenniffer B. Austria

PROPERTY developer Megaworld Corp. said Wednesday net income fell 68 percent in the first half from the same period last year when it booked a one-time gain from the sale and acquisition of a subsidiary.

Megaworld said in a statement net income attributable to parent equity holders reached P5.25 billion in the January-June period, down from P16.32 billion recorded a year ago.

It said excluding the P11.62billion one-time gain last year, first-half net income, on a recurring basis, increased 12.5 percent from P4.82 billion in 2014.

Megaworld said the aggressive expansion of its pioneering concept of integrated urban town-

ships and mixed‐use communities across the country remained the key driver of growth for the company.

“The backdrop of the Philippines’ vibrant economy continues to benefit the local property market as evident in our first-half results. We look forward to another bright year for Megaworld as we focus our efforts on aggressively expanding our townships across the country, and providing new and innovative offerings in

residential, office and commercial businesses,” said Megaworld chief finance officer Francis Canuto.

Canuto said this year, Megaworld would launch five new townships that would cover around 400 hectares of land for development.

Rental income grew 22.3 percent to P4.21 billion in the first half from P3.44 billion a year earlier.

The company earlier revised its 2015 rental income target from P8 billion to P9 billion as it continues to expand its rental portfolio across townships.

“We remain steadfast in strengthening our recurring income businesses. This year, we are opening new malls and office towers that will allow us more opportunities for leasing growth.

Megaworld is on‐track in achieving its P10‐billion target in rental income next year,” Canuto said.

Megaworld’s real estate sales went up by 12 percent to P13.43 billion from P12 billion in the same period last year.

Consolidated core revenues of the Megaworld Group, which includes Global‐Estate Resorts, Inc., Empire East Land Holdings Inc. and Suntrust Properties Inc. also increased 13.6 percent to P20.93 billion in the first half from P18.43 billion last year.

‘Megaworld currently has a land bank of 4,000 hectares.

Megaworld announced last month it would cement its leadership as the largest office space developer and landlord in Fort Bonifacio by spending P20 billion for 12 office towers in the next three years.

Govt defers bidding of Leyte, Mindanao power deals

By Alena Mae S. Flores POWER Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp., the agency in charge of privatizing the government’s power assets, deferred the bidding of two power contracts for the management of Leyte and Mindanao geothermal plants.

PSALM said it would now bid out the Unified Leyte bulk energy contract on Sept. 2 and the 200-megawatt Mindanao coal contracts on Nov. 25.

The agency originally set the Unified Leyte bulk energy bidding on Aug. 12 and the Mindanao coal contracts on Sept. 23.

“Bidding for the UL bulk will be on Sept. 2 and Nov. 25 for the

Mindanao coal,” newly-appointed PSALM president Lourdes Alzona said.

Alzona said the bidding schedule was reset, because the final bid structures had just been recently approved.

Among the investors eyeing the Unified Leyte bulk independent power producer administrator contracts are SPC Power Corp., Therma Central Visayas Inc., Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corp. and Unified Leyte Geothermal Energy Inc. Alzona earlier lauded the private sector for supporting the government’s privatization program in the power industry.

“Despite the setback due to su-

per typhoon Yolanda almost two years ago, you have shown the importance and high prospects of this particular bid. You may seem small in number, but you are among those who have been seriously and actively pursuing our privatization program, with some of you already prevailing as winners of government’s power assets,” Alzona said to the investor groups during the pre-bid conference.

The Unified Leyte geothermal power plant complex is composed of the 125-MW Upper Mahiao, 232.5-MW Malitbog and 180-MW Mahanagdong power plants and the 51-MW optimization plants.

The power plant is covered by

power purchase agreements between state-owned National Power Corp. and Lopez-led Energy Development Corp.

Unified Leyte Geothermal owned by the Lopez Group submitted a bid of P215 million for the bulk energy and emerged as the highest bidder but decided to withdraw the offer, because of the damage sustained by the plants from typhoon Yolanda in November 2013.

PSALM, meanwhile, earlier said there were 12 prospective bidders for the Mindanao coal administrator contracts.

The Mindanao coal plant in Misamis Oriental was constructed in 2006.

Phoenix, IMI post increased earnings ELECTRONIC companies Integrated Microelectronics Inc. and Phoenix Semiconductor Philippines Corp. posted higher profits in the first half of the year, despite sluggish global demand.

IMI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it posted a 35-percent growth in first-half net income to $15.2 million from $11.3 million in the same period last year, despite the lower revenues this year.

First-half revenues declined 3 percent to $416.3 million, because of the impact of a weak Euro coupled with slowdown in demand for mature products in the computing sector.

The company said excluding the impact of foreign exchange fluctuation, revenues would have been 2.4 percent higher.

“Despite foreign exchange headwinds, we managed to post an increase in our profit in the first half of the year. We kept our focus on higher margin segments as we persistently improved manufacturing line productivity,’ IMI president and chief executive Arthur Tan said.

“Moving forward, we are confident that the company will benefit from the positive outlook for the advanced economies for this year and 2016. Our healthy pipeline will soon translate to new businesses, especially in the automotive and industrial segments,” Tan said.

PSPC also posted a net income after of $10.15 million in the sixmonth period, up by nearly 11 percent from $9.17 million posted in the same period last year.

Gross revenues increased 8 percent to $118.25 million from $109.85 million in 2014.

Sales from dynamic random access memory modules utilized principally for servers and personal computers went up by seven percent while revenues of memory chips which are used in mobile smart phones, tablets, laptops and other devices went up by 13 percent.

Jenniffer B. Austria

THURSDAY: AUGUST 13, 2015

B6

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

Asean role. A forum sponsored by the Stratbase ADR Institute discussed the role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations over the ongoing territorial dispute in the West

Philippine Sea and the need for decisive and strong policy to protect national security and economic interests. Shown at the forum are (from left) former defense secretary Orlando Mercado, De La Salle University professor and Stratbase trustee Renato De Castro, Philippine Star columnist Eldrin Cruz, US Embassy acting political counsellor Mathew Cenzer, Philippine Star columnist Jose Manuel Romualdez, Ateneo De Manila University assistant professor of the political science department Alma Salvador, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario, Philippine Daily Inquirer publisher Raul Pangalangan and Stratbase president Dindo Manhit.

ABS-CBN bares P1.2-b profit

By Darwin G. Amojelar

ABS-CBN Corp., the biggest broadcasting company, said Wednesday net income grew 20 percent in the first half of the year, mostly because of higher advertising sales.

ABS-CBN’s chief financial officer Aldrin Cerrado said in a briefing net income amounted to P1.2 billion in the January-to-June period from P995 million in the same period last year.

Revenues rose 8 percent to P17.7 billion in the first semester from P16.38 billion year-on-year.

Cerrado attributed the strong revenues during the period to higher advertising sales and the sale of digital terrestrial TV setop boxes.

“Our performance during the first half was well within our expectations,” Cerrado said.

“We disclosed a guidance of P2.4 billion for 2015 and we are about half way there,” he added.

Group chief financial officer

Ron Valdueza said the company expects the second-half performance to be “just as strong and we should continue to see marked improvements in the performance of our new initiatives.”

Cerrado said the company booked about P300 million in election-related spending revenues and expects an additional P500 million to P700 million by the end of 2015.

The company reported production costs were lower by 2.3 percent on year, while total assets rose to P68.9 billion as of the end of June 2015 from P67.2 billion at the end of 2014.

Cerrado also said Sky’s broadband subscriber growth had been

very strong, increasing by 30 percent to over 115,000, while its global business reached around 3 million.

ABS-CBN TV Plus digital boxes are now in over 500,000 households and the company expects to breach the 1 million mark by year-end.

“This should have a positive impact on ratings and will open up potential advertising opportunities in our four additional channels, especially the movie channel, ’Cinemo,’ and ‘Yey,’ our cartoon channel,” Valdueza said.

ABS-CBN said Channel 2 extended its dominance in terms of national audience shares and ratings with a 52 percent national audience share as of end-June 2015.

Kantar Media said the top 10 programs in the first half in 2015 for free-to-air television were all produced by ABS-CBN. The company plans to further boost its audience share once it improves the reception of Channel 2 in the Mega Manila area and Central Luzon.

Cirtek’s six-month income rose to $3m

By Jenniffer B. Austria CIRTEK Holdings Philippines Corp., a Laguna-based semiconductor manufacturing company, said net income in the first six months of 2015, surged 45 percent to P$3 million from $2.1 million year-on-year year on higher sales.

Cirtek said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Cirtek firsthalf revenues grew 24 percent to $28.3 million from $22.8 million on year, as sales to top 10 customers rose also by 24 percent.

The company said at least half of its production during the period went to communication, 20 percent to consumer electronics, 10 percent to computing, 10 percent to industrial and another 10 percent to automotive.

Gross margin stood at 19 percent in the first six months of the year, two percentage points from 17 percent in the same period last year.

Cirtek attributed the improved performance mainly to the increased percentage of high-margin products sold for the period, and to the company’s cost reduction programs.

“Manufacturing continues to focus on improving assembly and packaging capabilities, operational efficiency and reduction of unit manufacturing cost,” Cirtek said.

The company expanded its sales and marketing team and re-structured it for greater geographic reach and more effective coverage of current and prospective customers.

Co-ops should receive higher priority IF THE average Filipino were asked which government agency bore the initials CDA, chances are that he or she would not have the right answer. That is because the Cooperative Development Authority is neither the best-known nor the most exciting of government agencies.

This is a great pity because CDA’s function and operations offer enormous promise for promoting stable economic development and enhancing social cohesion. The pooling of financial resources by the members of a cooperative gives rise to feelings of partnership and fortune-sharing. Understandably, the cooperative concept is loved by economists, who see pooling of small amounts of capital as the most sensible way of financing the operations of small and medium-sized enterprises.

In keeping with the apparently low priority accorded to it by its mother institution, the Department of Trade and Industry, CDA operates out of a modest office in Quezon City. Were it considered a high-priority agency, it would be housed in the three-building DTI complex in Makati City.

The cooperative appears to be an essentially Western concept, for the oldest and most successful cooperatives are found in the US and Western Europe, particularly Scandinavia. By contrast,

cooperatives historically are not associated with Asia and are not prominent features of the Asian socio-economic landscape. In this country, the cooperative ethos does not appear to have become deeply rooted. The Philippine cooperative movement cannot be called a success story.

Yet, at one time it appeared that cooperatives were on their way to becoming a part of the Filipino socio-economic way of life. That time was the 1950s and 1960s, when cooperatives numbered in the hundreds. Regrettably, most of the cooperatives were industrial, with the employees of industrial establishments comprising their memberships. Given the Philippine economy’s essentially agricultural character, the cooperative movement should have been more successful in the Philippine countryside.

But that was not to be and the Facomas (farmers’ agricultural marketing associations) fell by the wayside one by one, and by the 1980s they were almost totally gone.

Numerous studies have been undertaken on why the cooperative movement has largely been a failure in this country. Lack of financial resources has not been pointed to as a principal factor for failure, because the government-through the Agricultural Credit Administration and its successor--have been there to provide augmentary funds as needed. The three principal failure factors have been incompe-

tence, mismanagement and dishonesty.

Any business enterprise, whether a cooperative or not, must be completely run if it is to be successful. Realizing this, the government from the outset has sought to instruct officers and managers of cooperatives in the ways of good institutional governance, putting them through courses in basic management. Private institutions such as the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement have done their share in this regard. But without a good monitoring and supervision system, people cannot be relied upon to stay along the path of competence. The officers and managers of Philippine cooperatives have not been exceptions to this rule.

There is a continuing debate as to whether or not good managers are born. However, there is no debate about the management aspect of the Philippine cooperative movement’s record.

In too many instances mismanagement--bad hiring policies, nepotism, bad work habits, habitual negligence, etc.--was the culprit behind a cooperative’s demise.

Last but by no means least, there is that old scoundrel, dishonesty. With members of most cooperatives--especially the agricultural cooperatives-- mostly innocent in the ways of business and uninterested in closely following the activities of their cooperatives, the possibilities for dishonesty in the handling of the coopera-

tives’ finances are enormous. Regular auditing of the books of cooperatives would have been the answer to the misuse and abuse of such resources is obviously the only answer. The question is: which institution or institutions should perform this function?

Cooperatives have been shown in other countries to be a valuable component of a country’s socio-economic infrastructure. This experience is entirely applicable to the Philippines. Cooperatives should be treated with by the government with greater respect than they have received. The first step in this direction is to accord CDA a higher place in the DTI scheme of things.

But there should be a difference in what might be called the second wave of Philippine cooperatives development. There should be closer monitoring and supervision of cooperatives this time around. The experience to date has shown that supervision by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Labor and Employment has not been sufficient to prevent failure. My suggestion is that this time around a weighty government financial institution--the Department of Finance or the Development Bank of the Philippines-should be involved in the monitoring and supervision of this country’s cooperatives.

E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

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WORLD

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Rivals trade blame on Iraq WASHINGTON—A decade of anger over the Iraq war resurfaced in the 2016 US election race Tuesday, with Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton’s campaigns trading blame about that country’s continued instability.

Twelve years after president George W. Bush led the United States into an unpopular and troubled conflict, his brother, now a Republican presidential hopeful, accused the Democrats of abandoning Iraq before the job was done.

Jeb Bush blamed his Democratic White House rival, former Secretary of State Clinton, for allowing the brutal emergence of the Islamic State group by withdrawing troops from Iraq too fast.

“It was a case of blind haste to get out,” Bush told an audience in California, “and to call the tragic consequences somebody else’s problem.”

“That premature withdrawal was the fatal error, creating the void that [the Islamic State] moved in to fill.”

“Rushing away from danger can be every bit as unwise as rushing into danger, and the costs have been grievous,” he said.

Taking a political risk, Bush even suggested it might be necessary to send more troops back to Iraq.

“Right now, we have around 3,500 soldiers and marines in Iraq, and more may well be needed.”

“We do not need, and our friends do not ask for, a major commitment of American combat forces.

But we do need to convey that we are serious, that we are determined to help local forces take back their country.”

He advocated embedding US personnel with Iraq forces.

Bush also noted Clinton only visited the country once during her four years as America’s top diplomat.

His remarks dredged up a bitter debate that has long bubbled in Washington and that has tarnished his brother’s legacy.

A wildly successful invasion of Baghdad was followed by a hamfisted occupation that fueled brutal sectarian violence and left the central government debilitated. AFP

B7

Hundreds remember jet crash that killed 520 TOKYO—Hundreds of people attended ceremonies Wednesday marking the 30th anniversary of a Japan Airlines jumbo jet crash that killed 520 people on board, the deadliest single-aircraft disaster in history.

The doomed Boeing 747 had begun the hour-long flight from Japan’s capital to Osaka when it crashed into a mountain about 120 kilometers northwest of Tokyo on August 12, 1985.

In all, 509 passengers, including a dozen infants, and 15 crew were killed

in the accident. Just four passengers survived.

The bereaved relatives of the victims make an annual pilgrimage to Osutaka Ridge, along with JAL president Yoshiharu Ueki who will walk the trail to a memorial service near the crash site.

Ahead of Wednesday’s events, Ueki told local media that “we would like to learn a lesson from this accident without forgetting the memory” of the lives lost.

Television footage showed some victims’ relatives starting their climb up the steep mountain trail before dawn.

Some blew soap bubbles to pay tribute to the children who died in the accident, their names included on a

stone memorial listing the victims.

“When I come here I feel like I can see her directly—it’s like she’s in front of me,” an 81-year-old man who lost his daughter told local media.

“Thirty years is a long time, but honestly I feel as if it happened yesterday, and the memories were stirred again this particular year.”

Japan Airlines Flight 123 took off from Tokyo’s Haneda airport at 6:12 pm local time and quickly ran into trouble with a loud noise heard about 10 minutes into the trip.

The crew quickly declared an emergency and fought to regain power over the aircraft that had become “uncontrollable”. It crashed into the mountain at 6:56 pm local time, about 45 minutes into the flight.

It was later determined that the bulkhead burst, rupturing hydraulic systems and leaving the plane uncontrollable.

A government-appointed investigation panel blamed the accident on improper repairs on the rear bulkhead seven years earlier.

In 1988, local police served papers on 20 people from JAL, the transport ministry and Boeing on suspicion of professional negligence resulting in death and injury.

But prosecutors decided not to indict anyone.

“It can never be forgotten,” Satoshi Iizuka, a former police officer who identified bodies at the site three decades ago, told broadcaster TV Asahi as he choked back tears. AFP

3/F, Citibank Center, 8741 Paseo de Roxas, Makati City, Phillippines 1226

I N V I TAT I O N T O B I D The Governance Commission for GOCCs (GCG) invites all interested PhiIGEPS registered members to submit bids for the project below: Approved Bid Budget for Document Purchase Project the Request No. Fees Contract (Php) (Php) Land at last. Migrants get out of an inflatable boat on a beach on the

Greek island of Kos, after crossing a part of the Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece, on August 12. The number of migrants and refugees arriving on Greece’s shores has exploded this year, but the Mediterranean country provides virtually no reception facilities and leaves them wallowing in “totally shameful” conditions, a UN official said on August 7. The UN refugee agency’s division for Europe said 124,000 refugees and migrants have landed in Greece since the beginning of the year. AFP Republic of the Philippines Department of Finance Securities and Exchange Commission SEC Building, EDSA, Greenhills, Mandaluyong City

MARKETS AND SECURITIES REGULATION DEPARTMENT IN THE MATTER OF THE D.M. WENCESLAO & ASSOCIATES, INCORPORATED (Registrant) x ------------------------------------------------- x

: REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES : : In relation to an Initial Public Offering : :

NOTICE Notice is hereby given that on August 3, 2015, a sworn Registration Statement (“RS”) has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on behalf of D.M. WENCESLAO & ASSOCIATES, INCORPORATED for the registration of 2,145,861,200 common shares with a par value of P1.00 per share.

These shares will be offered and issued to the public by way of an initial public offering at a price of up to P44.00.

According to the documents presented on August 3, 2015, the following persons are the key officers/directors of the corporation: NAME Delfin J. Wenceslao Jr. Delfin Angelo C. Wenceslao Carlos Delfin C. Wenceslao Edwin Michael C. Wenceslao Paolo Vincent C. Wenceslao Oscar S. Reyes Aurelio R. Montinola III Sylvia C. Wenceslao Paul Mar M. Quinto Heherson M. Asiddao

POSITION Chairman, President and Director Chief Executive Officer and Director Director Treasurer and Director Chief Operating Officer and Director Independent Director Independent Director Vice President for Corporate Social Responsibility Corporate Secretary and Chief Legal Officer and Compliance Officer Chief Finance Officer

15-07-0114

(SGD) VICENTE GRACIANO P. FELIZMENIO. JR. Director

P 5,000

The Pre-Bid Conference for the above projects will be held on 21 August 2015 at the GCG Conference Room,3rd Floor, Citibank Center, 8741 Paseo de Roxas, Makati City. All prospective bidders are encouraged to attend.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the GCG Office at the address given upon payment of the non-refundable Bid Document Fees.

Opening of Bids and Deadline for the submission of the Bid/Tender Documents/Forms are on 07 September 2015 at the GCG Conference Room, 3rd Floor, Citibank Center, 8741 Paseo de Roxas, Makati City.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding, using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No.9184, the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. Bids received in excess of the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) shall be automatically rejected at the 0pening of Bids.

Bidders will be subjected to eligibility criteria to determine completeness of bid and post qualification.

The Registration Statement, its attachments and any amendments therein (“RS”) are open for inspection by interested parties during business hours. Copies thereof, photostatic or otherwise, shall be furnished to every party upon request at such reasonable fees as the Commission may prescribe. Said RS may be downloaded from the company’s website: www.dmwai.com.

(TS-AUG. 13 & 20, 2015)

Procurement of P3,094,000 Repairs, Resizing, Reconfiguration and Replacements of Materials of Training Room

DIR. NOEL P. LUNA BAC Chairman

(TS-AUG. 13, 2015)

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ceSAR bARRioqUinTo EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

China’s decision on yuan praised WA S H I N G T O N — The International Monetary Fund welcomed Beijing’s newly announced system to value the country’s currency, saying it will allow market forces to play a greater role in the nation.

China cut the yuan’s value against the dollar for a second day Wednesday, sending ripples through financial markets and raising fears that the currency could fall further.

After Tuesday’s devaluation Chinese authorities said they were seeking to push market reforms in a one-time move.

Officials say they will now use the previous day’s close, foreign exchange demand and supply and the rates of other major currencies to decide the daily rate around which the Chinese currency can trade.

The IMF said the step

could be a boon in the long run.

“The new mechanism for determining the central parity of the renminbi (yuan) announced by the PBC (People’s Bank of China) appears a welcome step as it should allow market forces to have a greater role in determining the exchange rate,” an IMF spokesman said in a statement.

“Greater exchange rate flexibility is important for China as it strives to give market forces a decisive role in the economy and is rapidly integrating into global financial markets,” the statement said, adding that China “can, and should” achieve a floating exchange rate within two to three years.

“The exact impact will depend on how the new mechanism is implemented in practice,” the spokesman said. AFP

world

At risk. This photo taken on August 11 shows 39-year-old vegetable farmer Aung Myo Tun lifting his youngest daughter from a boat to his house surrounded by floodwaters in the village of Kyouk Ye, some seven miles from Hinthada in Myanmar’s Irrawaddy region. Particularly heavy rains this year have caused deadly landslides and flash floods across huge areas of Myanmar, swelling rivers with debris-filled torrents that churned into the low-lying Irrawaddy delta. AFP PHOTO / Ye Aung THU

Sleepless in Myanmar’s floods H I N T H A D A , Myanmar—Every night Aung Myo Tun climbs onto the raised platform where he sleeps with his wife, six children and mother-inlaw, listening in growing panic to the sound of water lapping around his house in Myanmar’s Irrawaddy delta.

“We are in trouble,” said the farmer, his face etched with tiredness from two weeks of guarding his family from the swirling river that has swallowed his village, as the country battles its worst flood-

ing in years.

“We are watching the kids day and night. They are not old enough to swim,” the 39-year-old told AFP, explaining the family now survives on donated food.

They are among the thousands of beneficiaries of the mass mobilization of ordinary people delivering aid—an example of the self-reliance that is partly the legacy of decades of neglect under military rule.

In Aung Myo Tun’s village, near Hinthada in central Myanmar, residents are used to around two feet of seasonal flooding from the mighty Irrawaddy river nearby.

They build their houses on stilts and plant special rice crops to grow above the waterline.

But the water has risen to six feet after heavier-than-usual rain this

year caused landslides and flash floods across swathes of Myanmar, swelling rivers with debris-filled torrents that churned into the lowlying delta.

More than 100 people have been killed and a million affected since July, with four states declared disaster zones by authorities who have struggled to respond to the vast scale of the crisis.

As the waters rose up the bamboo stilts of his hut, Aung Myo Tun packed all nine family members— from his seven-month-old daughter to his 72-year-old mother-inlaw—into his boat and sought refuge in a nearby village.

But when that area was also hit by floods the family moved back home, building a raised platform for shelter above ankle-deep waters

that have inundated the house.

“We are such a big family, it would be too difficult for us at the (official) shelter camps,” he said.

The farmer has started ferrying his children to school, now reopened, by boat, which he also uses to pick up donated rations cooked using rainwater collected during the day.

Like many across the country, he has not sought the government’s help in Myanmar’s worst natural disaster since Cyclone Nargis, which left at least 138,000 dead or missing in May 2008.

That crisis cemented the then ruling junta’s reputation for callous indifference—its leaders denied foreign aid for weeks and even suggested in state media that the victims did not need help because they could forage for frogs and fish.

This time the country’s quasicivilian government, which took power in 2011, has swiftly welcomed international help, deploying the military to deliver aid by truck and helicopter and setting up shelters in public buildings.

But many local residents told AFP they were reluctant to leave their homes and livestock.

Some huddled together with their animals inside stilted bamboo shacks, while others said there was little room at the local monasteries already crammed with victims.

Despite reporting scant government aid, most did not fear hunger with regular deliveries of rice, noodles and bottled water couriered across the water by well-wishers, part of a vast supply chain reaching out across the country. AFP

India seeks $100m from Nestle

Exercises. Ukrainian servicemen take part in military exercises on the

shooting range of the Ukrainian forces near Ghytomyr, some 150 km west of Kiev, on August 11. British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon announced further enhancements of the UK training program for the Ukrainian armed forces while visiting the country. AFP

NEW DELHI—India’s government is seeking damages of nearly $100 million from Nestle for “unfair trade practices” after the food safety watchdog banned its hugely popular Maggi noodles brand.

The government said Wednesday it had filed a suit with the country’s top consumer court for 6,400 million rupees ($98.6 million) in damages from the Indian arm of the Swiss food giant.

India’s food safety watchdog in June banned Nestle from making or selling noodles in the country after tests by some states supposedly found lead levels exceeded statutory limits.

Nestle has withdrawn the product in India but continues to sell it elsewhere, and has always denied the charge.

“We filed the complaint with the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission yesterday and have sought around 6,400 million rupees in damages,” G, Gurcharan, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, told AFP. “Our complaint is over their unfair trade practices and the court will now issue them notices to hear their response,” Gurcharan added.

A Nestle India spokesman said the company had not yet

received official notice about the complaint with the NCDRC, a semi-judicial body that has the power to fine companies.

“We shall be able to provide substantive response after we receive the official papers,” said Himanshu Manglik.

Nestle India is challenging the ban on Maggi noodles in the Mumbai high court.

It had been selling the brand for over three decades in India, and had 80 percent of the country’s instant noodle market before the ban.

Several celebrities have endorsed Maggi over the years, including Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan. AFP

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TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR

BING PAREL

A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

BERNADETTE LUNAS WRITER

life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

W EL L BEING

LIFE

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Participants of the Yoga for Peace in Mindanao

The Art of Living Foundation teaches breathing techniques

Yoga and meditation practitioners report experiencing physical, mental and emotional benefits

HOW FOCUSING ON ONE THING SOLVES EVERYTHING

W

hen was the last you sat down, breathed in and out, and did absolutely nothing other than being “in the moment” for 10 minutes or so? A while ago? Yesterday? Last month? Or has it been so long you can barely remember?

In this frantic paced, hyper-connected day and age, who – with a job and responsibilities, for an instance – has the time to sit down and do nothing? The modern life is hectic and demanding: everyday is a race against time and deadlines, and technology, while a great tool to help us get things done and keep us on top of our goals and schedules, often causes distractions with all the text messages, emails, calls, tweets, and status updates that fight for our attention.

Being able to do several things at the same time has become an indispensable skill, so much so that it is often worn like a badge of honor. But with recent studies – such that of Stanford University’s Communication Between Humans and Interactive Media Lab, that suggest multitasking is a bad thing as it reduces your efficiency and performance (and lowers your IQ, too!) – more are becoming aware of the little perks and greater perils of this supposed “special skill.”

And because our brain can only focus on one thing, dividing our attention on several tasks and distractions leaves us drained, stressed and with more work left unfinished to boot. Hence, the Mindfulness Movement is slowly gaining traction among stressed individuals who want to break off from their exhausting daily routine.

More people are recognizing the value of mindfulness, which simply means “increasing one’s awareness at the present moment” or

BY BERNADETTE LUNAS

Army Members of 4th ID of Camp Evangelista learning breathing techniques in the Yoga for Peace event in Cagayan De Oro City

Philippine Marines being led into a guided meditation at the Yoga for Peace event in Makati City

narrowing one’s focus to the current activity without being distracted.

Basically, mindfulness is being “in the moment” and doing one thing at a time. Seems counter-productive in this deadline-filled world of ours, but if the result is better and the person doesn’t feel too stretched out, it would appear a more efficient way to spend our waking hours.

According to Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, Industrial Design lecturer and mindfulness trainer Hans d’Achard, mindfulness training can help (people) stop hurrying through life.

Mindfulness, while new to some, is actually been around since the 1st century when philosopher Philo of Alexandria proposed “spiritual exercises” which involved attention and concentration. Today’s mindfulness techniques, on the other hand, are mostly connected to Buddhism, in fact the pioneer of modern mindfulness movement, Jon Kabat-Zinn, was then a student of Buddhist meditation in 1979 when he became motivated to introduce the practice to more people.

The basic tenets of Kabat-Zinn’s program include mindfulness meditation, and being

conscious of our body sensations, body senses, emotions and cravings.

Here in the country, one of the proponents of mindfulness meditation is The Art of Living Foundation. Founded in 1982, The Art of Living is one of the largest international, non-profit, educational charitable and humanitarian organizations dedicated to enhancing the lives of people. This November, its Philippine chapter will be celebrating its 10th anniversary.

The foundation’s programs enhance the lives of people through teaching breathing techniques, meditation, relaxation, yoga and ancient wisdom which manage the mind, stress, negative emotions, and develop one’s personality.

“In the Philippines, the foundation has touched the lives of thousands of people in many cities from Makati to Cagayan De Oro, Baguio, Boracay and Tacloban and Davao,” shares The Art of Living Foundation country coordinator Nameeta Dargani.

The techniques the foundation teaches aim to “create a state of heightened awareness in the present moment where we can be more mindful, intuitive, joyful and creative.”

A simple 10 minutes of sitting quietly and focusing on our breathing can greatly affect our physical, mental and emotional states.

In an interview with The Art of Living’s officials, executive director and teacher Amar Daswani and Dargani state: “Meditation has numerous benefits on many levels. The physical benefits range from gaining better sleep to relief from disease and chronic pain.

Many diseases are psychosomatic (connected with the mind) and since meditation helps reduce stress and tension in the mind, it can therefore improve (or even remove) these diseases.

“Meditation also allows the mind to be present at the moment rather than jumping from the past to the future and, as a result, one experiences clarity of mind, sharpness of intellect and increase in productivity.

“It also helps us become more emotionally stable and not as affected by situations and events in life. It is in fact known to help depression. Regular meditators report more joyfulness and tend to have high levels of enthusiasm and interest in life.”

For people who are not yet ready to abruptly jump into an entire mindfulness program and sit still for a certain period of time can begin with simple things like focusing on one task.

Say, if you’re eating your breakfast, focus on the food and the activity and not on other things like checking your emails, texting, or browsing through your Facebook newsfeed.

For those who are interested in The Art of Living programs, visit www.artofliving.org or contact Kate at 0917-8400049 or (02) 6222566/63. The Art of Living Philippines is located at Unit 2601 Antel 2000 Bldg., 121 Valero St., Salcedo Village, Makati.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

THE VEGETARIAN DIETS THE GIST

BY ED BIADO

There are a lot of terms to describe plant-based diets, mainly because they have different restrictions. They are grouped under the umbrella term “vegetarianism,” which is the dietary practice consisting of fruits and vegetables and which generally excludes meat. But if you really want to be precise about the kind of meat, animal product or plant you allow yourself to consume and to what extent, that’s where the confusion starts. So let’s break it all down, shall we?

“STRICT” VEGETARIAN DIETS OVO VEGETARIAN

LACTO VEGETARIAN

LACTO-OVO VEGETARIAN

→ Abstinence from meat and dairy products → Eggs are allowed → May also exclude fertilized eggs; an extreme example being balut

→ Abstinence from meat and eggs → Dairy products are allowed

VEGAN

RAW VEGAN

FRUITARIAN

→ Abstinence from meat, animal by-products and animal-derived substances → May also exclude products processed, refined and/or manufactured through animal-derived materials; an example being sugar bleached and filtered through bone char

→ Abstinence from meat, animal byproducts and animal-derived substances → Vegetables are consumed raw or cooked at a temperature no higher than 48 degrees Celsius

→ Allows only fruit, nuts, seeds and plant matter gathered without causing harm to the plant

→ Abstinence from meat → Eggs and dairy products are allowed

SATTVIC

MACROBIOTIC

JAIN VEGETARIAN

→ Based on Yoga and Ayurveda traditions → Emphasis on lacto vegetarian ingredients that are fresh and naturally sourced → Unripe vegetables are mostly excluded → Also excludes onions, leeks, red lentils, durian, mushrooms, blue cheeses, fermented foods and sauces and alcoholic drinks → May exclude coffee, black and green tea, chocolate, nutmeg and other stimulants and sharp spices as well → Oils and spices, if sourced naturally and used in moderation, are allowed

→ Abstinence from most animal products and highly processed or refined foods → Emphasis on grains as a staple, with the addition of beans and legumes → Vegetables are preferably local → Foods processed naturally and/or traditionally are allowed

→ Based on India’s Jain culture and philosophy → Abstinence from meat, eggs and honey → Dairy products are allowed → Also excludes root crops (onions, potatoes, eggplants and garlic)

SEMI-VEGETARIAN DIETS PESCETARIAN

POLLOTARIAN

POLLO-PESCETARIAN

→ Abstinence from meat except fish and seafood → Eggs and dairy products are allowed

→ Abstinence from meat except poultry → Eggs and dairy products are allowed

→ Allows white meat, eggs and dairy products

FLEXITARIAN

KANGATARIAN

→ Allows occasional consumption of meat → Usually practiced by those transitioning to a “strict” vegetarian diet

→ Abstinence from meat except kangaroo meat → Eggs and dairy products are allowed Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @EdBiado

Music, treats and partying mark the launch of #BlastOfThrees

T

he Palace Pool Club was #OnFullBlast last July 23 as Vitamin B-complex + Ascorbic Acid + Calcium + Magnesium + Zinc (Berocca Performance) launched its three flavors in an exhilarating pool party. The party, aptly named #BlastOfThrees signaled the celebration of Berocca’s classic flavor and two much-anticipated new flavors, bringing everyone the delicious, refreshing taste of the multivitamin with each invigorating glass. Excitement was felt all over the Pool Club premises, as media, VIP and the country’s hottest influencers gathered for the grand launch.

As the clock hit 8, the #BlastOfThrees launch went in full swing. Berocca’s three exciting flavors were highlighted, namely: ORANGE: The taste everyone enjoys, providing a tangy, electrifying kick with each gulp;

CITRUS: A lemony sensation that invigorates, and awakens an active mood; MIXED BERRIES: A refreshing combo of sweet and tart flavors that is sure to activate the senses.

As each gulp of Berocca brought superior performance, so did the musical acts that personified each Berocca flavor.

Three of the country’s most soughtafter DJs filled the venue with the hottest beats as they spun the night away: DJ Nina for Berocca Orange, DJ Nix Damn P for Berocca Citrus, and DJ Mars Miranda for Berocca Mixed Berries.

The three DJs collaborated in a special mash-up mix for Berocca, which took the party to a total high as models circled the venue to hand out Berocca samples in its three flavors. Prizes were handed out to guests who jumped into and

snatched Berocca tubes from the venue’s sprawling pool, and to lucky guests who guessed the number of Berocca tubes in a huge cylindrical container.

The activities were only part of the event’s excitement—celebrities and influencers made their appearance at the event, such as social faces Tim Yap, JM Rodriguez, Marc Abaya, Paolo Paraiso, Sanya Smith and Liz Uy, beauties Bianca Manalo, Daiana Menezes, Ara Arida and Wyn Marquez, models Richard Juan, Steven Silva, Sam Ajdani, Ian Batherson, John James Uy, Mark McMahon, Orion Tamayo, Terence Lloyd and Callum David, radio DJs Joyce Pring and Boom Gonzales, and young stars Myrtle Sarosa, Louise delos Reyes, Bret Jackson, Teejay Marquez, Fourth and Fifth Solomon, Ella Cruz,

Chienna Filomeno, Jon Lucas, Khalil Ramos and Alex Diaz. Berocca’s endorser, John Spainhour, was of course present to celebrate the event.

Berocca Performance is a multivitamin which contains vitamin B complex, ascorbic acid, calcium, magnesium and zinc to keep you on full blast throughout the day. It comes in an effervescent tablet that dissolves in a fizz when dropped in a glass of water. Berocca orange and the two new flavors --- Citrus and Mixed Berries are now available in all drugstores and selected supermarkets nationwide.

For more information, find Berocca on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ BeroccaPh) and on Instagram and Twitter (@BeroccaPh). Check out and share the Berocca experience with the hashtags #OnFullBlast and #BlastOfThrees.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

BEAUTY THAT CAN CHANGE LIVES L’Oréal Philippines sparks hope among Leyte school children

T

wo years since super typhoon Yolanda wreaked havoc on the province of Leyte, the people are slowly getting back on their feet, thanks in large part to bayanihan spirit of helping and giving displayed by many – among them L’Oreal Philippines that helped in the restoration of a school building in Tanauan, Leyte.

L’Oreal recently turned over four disasterresilient classrooms at Tugop Elementary School – signaling yet another significant milestone of restoration and hope for the typhoon victims most especially the school children.

“We at L’Oréal Philippines believe in beauty for all – be they individuals, groups, or communities – because beauty has the power to change lives. This effort in Tugop is just one of the many endeavors our company has taken to ensure that we live by this promise – this time, a promise of a beautiful education for the school children of Tugop Elementary School,” shared managing director Rowel Vijandre.

Seeing the destruction Yolanda wrought moved L’Oréal Philippines to build new disaster-resilient school facilities with four classrooms, fully equipped with separate washrooms for boys and girls, ramps to assist children with disabilities, with new school

desks, chairs, and shelves. The school year opened with 240 students from grades 1 to 6.

“Through these newly-built facilities, we see renewed excitement among the children towards their studies. Our teachers, and even the parents, are ecstatic that now we are able to accommodate more students this school year,” said Jason Gaduena, Principal of Tugop Elementary School. “We are grateful that L’Oréal Philippines saw our needs and was very generous to support them. We are one with them in seeing a brighter future for our children, and one great step towards that is having the right facilities.”

Tugop Elementary School was among the many schools in the Visayan region that had been heavily damaged. Aside from the newly built classrooms, L’Oréal also provided complete sets of school supplies for all 240 students through the collective effort of its employees as part of the annual Citizen Day of the company.

Project Bangon Tugop: L’Oréal Classroom Reconstruction Project in Haiyan Affected Areas is a citizenship initiative under the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Rebuilding Schools in Haiyan-affected Areas Program and in partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).

Tugop Elementary School in Tanauan, Leyte before the rehabilitation (top) and during the formal turnover of the rehabilitated school building with L’Oreal Philippines, school officials and students (below).

Fighting fatigue with vitamins

D

ue to the frenetic pace of life today, people hardly find time to eat, or if they do, it would mostly be burgers or other “fast” food they can scarf down quickly without having to leave their workstations. Add lack of sleep to the equation and you end up feeling weak and fatigued, and may easily succumb to illness. Rest, enough sleep, a healthy diet is recommended, but vitamins also help one get into better shape.

“Vitamins play vital roles in bodily functions such as metabolism, immunity and digestion. Without sufficient vitamin intake, a person may feel lethargic, be vulnerable to infection and develop other serious complications that can endanger his/her health and life,” MediCard president Dr. Nicky Montoya states.

Here are a few essential vitamins that your body needs to help you function properly: Vitamin A. This plays a crucial role in bone growth, reproduction, and immune system health. Vitamin A also improves vision, reduces the risk of heart disease, and may slow skin aging. Lack of vitamin A can cause night blindness and compromises the immune system. Vitamin A can be

found in organ meats, some types of fish teeth and bones. Ten to 15 minutes of (salmon), carrots, and sweet potato. sunshine three times a week can provide the body’s vitamin D requirement. Eggs, B Vitamins. The B vitamin family is made fortified milk, fish such as tuna, and up of eight B vitamins: Thiamin, Riboflavin, mushrooms are also good sources.

Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B6, Biotin, Folic Acid and Vitamin B12. These Calcium. Almost all calcium is stored in vitamins help maintain metabolism, muscle bones and teeth, where it supports their tone, and a sharp mind. They also help structure and hardness. Lack of calcium form red blood cells. Poor absorption of increases the risk of diseases such as B vitamins can result in fatigue, confusion osteoporosis and calcium deficiency and anemia. Skin rashes can also occur. disease or hypocalcemia. Aside from milk, Chia and flax, asparagus and oats are full calcium can also be acquired in yogurt, of vitamin B. cheese, sardines, and soybeans.

Vitamin C. Also called ascorbic acid, Vitamin C is good for strengthening blood vessels, aids in iron absorption, and is an antioxidant that promotes healthy teeth and gums. People who don’t get enough Vitamin C often experience bleeding gums, bone and joint pains and feel lethargic.

Good sources of Vitamin C include citrus fruits, bell pepper, and cucumber.

Vitamin D. Known as the ‘sunshine vitamin,’ vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, which is needed for the normal development and maintenance of healthy

Vitamin K. This vitamin plays a key role in helping the blood clot, thus preventing excessive bleeding. Vitamin K is also important in developing essential proteins for the blood and bones.

Insufficient dietary intake, inadequate absorption and decreased storage of the vitamin due to liver disease can

cause Vitamin K deficiency. Eating foods such as leafy greens (kale, spinach, and broccoli) is recommended.

MediCard has 12 free-standing clinics nationwide that offer consultations, diagnostic tests and specialty medical services for young and adult patients. For more information, visit a MediCard clinic located near you or check out their website at www.medicardphils.com.

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T H U R S D AY : A U G U S T 1 3 : 2 0 1 5

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

Learning how to block when someone tries to stab you

@LIFEatStandard

Learning self defense with Guro Jeric; what to do when someone points a knife at your neck

FILIPINO KALI:

More than a national sport The first time I heard about Filipino Kali was many moons ago, when Matt D a m o n starred in a FINE FETTLE flick called

BY BUBBLES PARAISO B o u r n e Identity and the fight choreographer mentioned that one of Jason Bourne’s styles of fighting was called that. I’ve been meaning to try it but could never find the right gym or schedule to do so, until recently.

Filipino Martial Arts or Kali (also known as arnis or escrima) is the national sport of our country. It is an ancient, weapon-based, Filipino martial art that originated in Cebu (it is believed that this is how Lapu-Lapu fought Magellan). “Kali” comes from the Visayan words “kamot” and “lihok” that mean “hand motion” when combined.

Like Kung Fu of the Chinese Martial Arts, Kali also has a lot of styles that fall under it, some of which are modern arnis, created by the late grandmaster Remy Presas; ilustrisimo, which uses swords and knives; inosanto, which was used in the Bourne movie and the one that I was able to learn, the Balintawak style, created by grand master Anciong Bacon. This style of fighting was especially created for efficiency in closed quarters using a single stick or bare hands.

In practicing Kali, all you really need is a

Step-by-step instructions on how to rescue a person being held at knifepoint

Some of the weapons used in Kali

stick or two, but for more practical use, you can actually utilize anything around you as a weapon – be it an umbrella, your bag or even chopsticks.

I found Guro Jeric Pantaleon, who happened to by my brother’s schoolmate, while I was searching for a place to learn this amazing fight technique. Coach/Guro Jeric was trained and certified under master Guro James Batoampo and Grandmaster Virgil Cavada, who is the founder of Applied Eskrima Global (Balintawak style). There are only a few of them who teach this style.

I feel like a lucky duck to have found him.

Upon entering the gym, I met his clients and noticed how most of them were foreigners, law enforcers, FMA enthusiasts and girls. If you are intimidated by its name and nature, you would be quite surprised to know that Kali does not require too much strength or flexibility from its practitioners.

You will build your shoulder, arm, leg and core strength in the process, and even senior citizens still practice this fighting workout technique. The practice is not high intensity, but it is quite a workout. With the number of squats I had to do to block the stick or knife from hitting me, I felt the burn just minutes into it.

According to Jeric, Balintawak Kali is great for self defense. This is a kind of martial art that does not have tournaments – you take it to the streets. This is why a lot of law enforcers take this up – be they barangay tanods, military or police members.

Of the two hours that I was there in class, one the best things I learned were how to “defang” your opponent properly. That means having your opponent drop his weapon. I also learned how to rescue someone who is at knife point, or how to escape from it if I were the one having a knife at my throat.

I think it is very important for us ladies to know these skills – what with all the news of missing persons or getting held up even in the safest of places. It’s always better to have the proper knowledge in defending yourself.

My other favorite part of training was playing with the sticks. It seemed like some sort of dance – block, hit, block, hit, low, high, high, low, squat, stand, left, right. It was a tiring “dance.” Before you know it, that little

The most commonly used weapon in Kali are the sticks.

That’s why “Arnis” is associated with stick fighting.

“dance” has taught you how to move fast and disarm your dancing partner aka opponent.

At the end of class, there was playtime called “war games” – the class was divided into two and each team had to put a “fighter” in the middle to attack and defend himself (in a non-harmful and fun way), just to apply what has been learned for the day. I didn’t join this one (I was scared), but watching all the students have fun was awesome.

Learning Kali made me appreciate and feel proud of my Filipino warrior roots. It is such a beautiful martial art that I hope would grow bigger in the country. I felt quite sad when I found out that this sport is mostly practiced in countries other than our own. If you want to learn FMA, feel free to contact Guro Jeric (combatkalimanila@gmail.com) and try out his classes. You may also message him on Facebook – that was what I did to book a class with him. In Kali, all you need to bring are yourself, an open mind and sticks.

If you don’t have the last one, don’t worry – Guro Jeric can lend you one. It’s that easy.

It’s worth a try.

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @bubblesparaiso

T HUR S DAY : AUGUST 13 : 2015

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

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Sublian FeStival in batangaS City

b

atangas City celebrated its 46th Foundation Day recently highlighted by various activities including the Sublian Festival. The said festival was started by city Mayor Eduardo Dimacuha on July 23, 1988 on the annual observation of the city hood of Batangas City. The objective was to renew the practice of the subli.

The City Government of Batangas is one of the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ (CCP) regional art centers in Luzon under the Kaisa Sa Sining program of the CCP Cultural Exchange Department.

A subli is presented during a feast, as ceremonial worship dance in honor of the Holy Cross.

The image of the Holy Cross was found during the Spanish rule in the town of Alitagtag. It is the patron of the ancient town of Bauan. Indigenous to the province of Batangas, the subli is made up of lengthy prayers, songs and dances in predetermined arrangement.

The dancers are made up of one, two or eight couples, where the males shuffle in intense fashion and hit the ground using a bamboo stick, while the females dance

with a sophisticated wrist and finger movement.

Themed as Yamang Batangenyo!

Palakat na ih! Tara na sa Sublian Festival!, other events included the Parada at Sublian sa Kalye, (Sublian Street Parade) wherein participants marched and danced the subli on the streets. The Sublian Float Parade started in the morning after the floral offering, participated by the city government employees, non-government organization, schools and socio-civic organizations clad in native attire with adorned subli hats to symbolize Batangueño attributes and customs.

The celebration also featured the Lupakan (making of a snack called nilupak) at Awitan (singing) held at the patio of the Basilica of the Immaculate Concepcion, as well as the Patimpalak Sublian sa Batangas (Subli Dance Competition) held at the Batangas City Sports Coliseum, ending with the Paghahatid sa mga Mahal na Poong Sto. Niño at Sta. Cruz (Bringing the images of the Holy Child and Holy Cross back to the Church). –Photos by Kiko Cabuena

The Sublian Float Parade

Colourful street dancing during the Batangas City Sublian Festival

Elders also participate in the Sublian fest street dancing activities

Streetdancing the Subli in Batangas City

Power MaC Center’s new training Center in Cebu The most reliable Apple partner in the Philippines recently opened a new facility that delivers comprehensive training solutions for its growing roster of clients in the Visayas. The Apple Authorized Training Center in Cebu (AATC Cebu) reflects Power Mac Center’s commitment to the region, building on its strong heritage of Apple expertise to serve customers in the Queen City of the South and nearby areas.

Located at Cebu Business Park, AATC Cebu is Power Mac Center’s second training hub in the country, with the first one headquartered in Makati City. The new training center was launched in an official dinner event held at the Sampaguita Ballroom 3 of Cebu City Marriott Hotel.

Speaking on the AATC Cebu launch, Power Mac Center Training Head Maleng Raysag said, “As the training arm of Power Mac Center, the AATC is deeply committed to providing quality instructional services and technical support tailored to meet the needs of Apple enthusiasts in the country.

The unveiling of AATC Cebu en-

The new Power Mac training center in Cebu

sures that valued clientele in the Visayas will have the ideal place to go and expand their Apple knowledge.”

AATC Cebu is fully equipped to offer an array of Apple Certification and Non-certification

or Regular courses that provide hands-on learning experience to enhance the capabilities of participants. Conducting the training programs are Power Mac Center Apple Certified Trainers who

uphold the highest standards of instructional preparedness established by Apple experts.

During the AATC Cebu opening celebration, guests were introduced to the first app devel-

oped by Power Mac Center. The Get Certified App gives mobile users instant access to the array of available training courses and schedules as well as certification exams. Available for free at the App Store, Get Certified App can be downloaded in iOS devices with iOS 8 operating system.

Customers who sign up for Apple Certification and Regular Courses using the Get Certified App will enjoy an exclusive 10 percent discount on registration fees. Additionally, they will find out at once the latest on AATC course and service offerings.

“With the new Get Certified App and AATC Cebu, we hope that more people will be encouraged to avail of Power Mac Center’s offerings,” added Ms. Raysag.

Power Mac Center AATC Cebu is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, at Unit G-2, Mercedez-Benz Towers, Mindanao Avenue, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City.

For more information, call (032) 266-7264 or email aatc@ powermaccenter.com or training_ request@powermaccenter.com.

T HUR S DAY : AUGUST 13 : 2015

C6

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

UPGRaDE yOUR PUb IQ WIth ‘EPIC baR bUILDS’ On DMaX

G

rabbing some beer this weekend? DMAX gives you a new way to appreciate your trusted bartender’s workspace.

In Epic Bar Builds, watering holes are brought to new heights. Watch Aaron Heineman, founder of the Heineman Bar Company, and his team build the most awesome and unique bars. Grab a pint and get cozy as you watch them rise to meet

the challenges and the demands of their clients, no matter how tight the deadlines are. The job might be tough, but nothing can stop these guys from getting it done.

Catch the team take on all kinds of custom projects: a home bar with gator-skinned counter-tops and an outdoor bar at a hunting lodge that can withstand the most extreme weather conditions among others. They can build

Brother Ph says thank you

Epic Bar Builds

them from the ground up, or take the existing bar to the next level.

From turning your son’s bedroom into your neighborhood party place to providing a signature drink through an interac-

tive monstrous contraption, the Heineman Bar Company will fulfill all your bar’s needs and wishes.

Get tipsy with awe in Epic Bar Builds, airing every 9:50 p.m. Sunday on DMAX.

timely movie for youtuBe generation Sophia Aguiar, YouTube phenomenal star dancer and pop icons’ top pick for back up dancer such as Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Ne-Yo, Usher, Katy Perry, Justin Timberlake, and Britney Spears, stars in her own dance movie Breaking Through.

Breaking Through is a comingof-age film directed and written

by John Swetnam. Aguiar is Casey, a young dancer who is discovered on YouTube by an up-andcoming talent scout. When Casey gets thrust into the modern world of Internet celebrity and culture, she must find a way to balance her true identity with her online persona, or risk losing herself and everything she cares about.

The movie will also feature original music from Grammy Award winner John Legend. Check out the film’s trailer here: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=rk02YbC1H1Y&feature=youtu.be Breaking Through opens in October from Axinite Digicinema.

YouTube sensation Sophia Aguiar is now in a movie called Breaking Through

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2015

12 Deficit Be a ham 14 Springlike Red Sea peninsula 22 Diver’s need “Thrilla in Manila” 24 Tower over boxer 25 More frosty 45 Glimmer 26 Sponge feature 47 Trilobite, e.g.

27 Hammerhead kin 50 Tempo 28 Tel — 51 Filet — 29 Jade 52 Drop-kick 32 Thickness 53 Amigo of Fidel 33 Lorelei’s river 56 1960s hairdo 34 Shoat quote 57 Inaugurate 35 Apply caulking 59 Fictional Frome 61 Anatomical passage 36 McClurg or Brickell 38 Obama’s and Lin62 Ms. Dinesen coln’s home 63 Drizzling 39 Claw or talon 64 Big Board 42 “El —” (Marty 65 Letter starter Robbins tune) 66 Dramatic intro ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE 43 Tot minder (hyph.)

45 Boxer’s attire 46 Sickly pale ACROSS 23 Champagne glasses DOWN 47 Large bill 1 Twist 1 Did the crawl 25 Rolling — — (rich) 48 Grimm heavies 2 Ploy 5 Parker or Duncan 26 More hard up 49 Night racket 3 Graceful steed 9 Touch 27 Eye makeup 51 Leading 4 Quip 13 Bolshoi rival 30 Conquistador’s 52 Fall fruit 5 Greek city-state 15 Alpaca habitat quest 53 “Wool” on clay 6 Townshend or 16 Cookie Bumstead’s 31 Be of benefit sheep Seeger neighbor 32 Pale yellow 54 Cards dealt 7 Suffix for forfeit 17 Buoy up 37 High flier 55 “Orinoco Flow” 8 Bug out! (3 wds.)

18 Nefertiti’s god 38 Shoreline singer 9 Longest bone 19 Playing marbles indentation 58 Air-pump meas.

10 High society 20 Dew glistener 40 Scurried along 60 Trim a doily 11 Bonfire residue 21 Steakhouse order 41 43 44

If you are social media-savvy and love to share your stories or witty one-liners, you now have more reasons to do so with Brother International Philippines Corporation (Brother Philippines)’s “short” story writing contest.

“Brother 6K 6 Word” online promo invites you and the rest of the netizenry to share your colorful short stories on Twitter and Instagram to have a chance to win the new revolutionary Brother Refill Tank System multi-function printer (DCP-T500W).The new printer has an ultra-high yield of 6,000 (6K) pages— meaning it could print up 6,000 pages in one bottle of black ink. Suggested retail price (SRP) of the DCPT500W P9,450. Three units of P-Touch Label Makers (SRP P2,550) will also be given away as consolation prizes.

To join, simply regram the promo poster that can be found at Brother Philippines’ Instagram and Twitter accounts, @BrotherPhils, with your very own original colorful six-word story.

Tag @BrotherPhils on your post and don’t forget the qualifying hash tag #BrotherRefillTankSystem6K. You have until Aug. 15 to come up with your best short narratives. The promo poster can also be found at Brother Facebook Page fb.com/ BrotherAtYourSide.

T HUR S DAY : AUGUST 13 : 2015

C7

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

Grace Poe goes sent when hearing Dad's favorite song

grAcE gETs sEnTiMEnTAl

A

Casper Blancaflor in acoustic mode

Jason Fernandez performing for the Enchanted Kingdom crowd

Mackei Cao, conteserang biriterang

From c8

n old song does what political attacks could never do to Senator Grace Poe and that is to make her cry.

In a rare show of emotion, the senator waxed sentimental when the song “Kumusta Ka” played on the radio program of Atty. Romulo Macalintal. Poe was preparing to read another poem on the show called Law of Love.

Senator Grace Poe’s father, Fernando Poe Jr., sang that song in the movie Kahit Konting Pagtingin, with megastar Sharon Cuneta.

“Kumusta Ka,” it turned out, was the same song FPJ would sing to Grace whenever he called to ask how she was doing, alone in a foreign land, during her college days in Boston.

“Alam ninyo po, ang kantang iyan mahalaga sa akin kasi noong bata pa ako, nag-aaral ako noon sa Amerika. Ang tatay ko, tatawag sa akin para kantahin yan,” she recounted.

She said she would cringe sometimes because her American roommates would tease her about it.

“Noong time na iyon, sasabihin ng mga roommates ko, ‘So Grace, is your dad singing to you again?’ Kasi alam nila na kapag ganoong oras, tatawag yung tatay ko,” Poe said.

“Pero alam mo ngayon, kapag naaalala ko iyan, yang particular song na iyan, tumatagos talaga sa akin,” she said, dabbing at her teary eyes.

Grace, a foundling abandoned at the Jaro Church in Iloilo, was adopted by showbiz’s original royal couple, FPJ and Susan Roces, when she was six.

In previous interviews, the Senator always said she

grew up rather awestruck at her mother’s beauty and elegance, but she was really a Daddy’s girl. She and FPJ did fun things together.

Sometimes, when FPJ was writing his own lines for a movie, he would read them aloud to her.

“Habang nagkaka-inspirasyon siya, isinusulat niya yung mga dialogue tapos binabasa niya sa akin, o inuulit niya, gaya nung mga ginagamit niya na, ‘Hindi ako kumakain ng bigas,’ yung mga ganoon?” she recalled.

Because she had been exposed to the music of FPJ’s time, Grace said she acquired a taste for old songs when she was growing up.

Her favorites are “Bato sa Buhnagin,” “Kahit Konting Pagtingin,” and “Tangi Kong Pag-ibig.” The last two were also the titles of FPJ movies.

“Kaya nga yung aking taste sa mga kanta, mga sinauna. Kasi nga yun yong pinapatugtog noong lumalaki ako,” she said.

Grace returned to the Philippines in 2005 after FPJ lost the 2004 presidential elections, in an exercise that was believed to have been plagued by massive cheating. FPJ died of a stroke in the same year.

Macalintal gave the Senator a CD of FPJ’s songs and thanked her for a lovely show filled with poetry reading.

“Nag-enjoy ako, na-senti.

Salamat po,” she said HHHHH

TEAM VoicE PhiliPPinEs sEAson 2 conquErs EnchAnTEd KingdoM The Voice Philippines Season 2 performers Jason, Casper, Rence and Mackie dominated Enchanted Kingdom’s Bandstand Sunday, Aug. 3.

Rivermaya’s front man and the Rockstar Daddy from Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Jason Fernandez serenaded the public with his soulful and heartwarming songs “Hinahanap Hanap Kita” and “Ang Huling El Bimbo”.

Casper Blancaflor, the sweet rebel child from team FamiLea, sang an amazing rendition of “Chandelier” and “Rude “that created a louder cheer from the crowd.

The OPM folk singer farmer Rence Rapanot rendered top Filipino hits “Ang Pag-ibig Kong Ito” and “Malayo Pa Ang Umaga” together with his bandmates.

Mackie Cao, the conteserang biritera of Team Apl, delivered a very strong and powerful performance with Ariana Grande’s Bang Bang and Gloc-9’s Sirena.

There were also fun games prepared by EK for their loyal fans to spice up the show.

These four talented artists had a blast entertaining the park guests and at the same time also enjoyed the extreme rides and world-class attractions that EK offers.

As EK approaches its 20 magical years, be part of the biggest and most spectacular celebration in October. Watch out for the 3rd International Skywizardry Fireworks Competition. Elimination kicks off on Sept. 19, 20, 26, 27, Oct. 3, 4 & 10. Grand Finals is on Oct. 17 in EK’s 20th Anniversary Celebration.

For more information, call (632)830-3535 or (632)584-3535/ (632)5844326-29.You may log on to www.enchantedkingdom. ph or like us at https://www. faceb o ok.com/enchantedkingdom.ph. Follow or tweet us @EK_Philippines.

WatCh shoWs anytime With Cignal PlaybaCk The dream of Cignal subscribers has finally arrived in the country! The leading Pay-TV provider launched their latest set-top box, the Cignal Playback; a Personal Video Recorder (PVR) that allows viewers to control when and how they watch their shows. Now, TV fanatics don’t need to rush home from work to reach their favorite shows or feel irritated when their bosses call in the middle of a great episode. In plain words, they control their television sets.

Cignal Playback offers amazing trick modes such as Pause, Slow Motion, Fast Forward and Rewind. These features will surely create an experience like no other.

If you want to enjoy your favorite

The Cignal Personal Video Recorder (PVR) allows subscriber to record programs and watch them at their most convenient time

TV show with a tub of popcorn, simply press pause, go to the kitchen, cook the popcorn and go back to resume where you left off.

If you wish to go back to a specific scene, just press the rewind button to refresh your memory.

Consequently, you may also fast

track to where you last ended. It also has a slow motion feature to make sure you never miss a detail. Though amongst them all, the highlight of this new Cignal offering is its recording capability. If you’re going to miss a show, just set the date and time of the

program and the Cignal Playback box will automatically record the show for you. You may also watch and record simultaneously when the situation calls for it. This PVR box is your tool to make sure you’re always updated and never behind schedule.

Cignal Playback will definitely level-up the impact of your television experience. Now you can finally make your favorite TV shows adjust to your schedule and not the other way around.

The Cignal Playback is now available to new and existing Cignal Postpaid Lease Subscribers.

For current Cignal subscribers, they may avail of Cignal Playback for P3,000.00 initial lease cashout with a monthly P230.00 outlet fee. New subscribers, on the other hand, may avail of the PVR for P4,000.00 lease cashout with the same monthly outlet fee.

Television viewing will never be the same again. All thanks to Cignal.

T HUR S DAY : AUGUST 13 : 2015

C8

ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

More inTense draMa in ‘The half sisTers’ ISAH V. RED Expect a more intense dramatic The Half Sisters with Cherie Gil now in the cast. The seasoned actress is the latest addition to the cast of the Kapuso Network’s phenomenal hit Afternoon Prime series.

Gil plays Magnolia Mcbride, the prodigal daughter of Elizabeth (Gloria Romero) who returns to claim what’s rightfully hers.

She is happy that GMA offered her this project and is excited to bond with the entire cast – Barbie Forteza, Thea Tolentino, Jean Garcia, Jomari Yllana, Ryan Eigenmann, Eula Valdes, Andre Paras, Vaness del Moral, Mel Martinez, Pancho Magno, Juancho Triviño, Jak Roberto, and Winwyn Marquez and Director Mark Reyes.

“I was delighted of course, to return to GMA and reunite with familiar colleagues. Moreover, I look forward to working with Ryan Eigenmann for the very first time and it always is an honor to play opposite THE Ms. Gloria Romero as her daughter. Happy to be part of The Half Sisters,” shares Cherie.

Cherie started appearing as Magnolia Mcbride in The Half Sisters yesterday. The show airs Monday to Friday after Eat Bulaga on GMA Afternoon Prime.

HHHHH

Joanna and Mig in The Bridges of Madison CounTy West End musical theatre star Joanna Ampil and Broadway and West End rock star Mig Ayesa lead the cast of the first internation-

al production of the Tony Award winning musical The Bridges Of Madison County, produced by Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group (ATEG) in November.

The Bridges Of Madison County, one of the most romantic stories ever written, now a two-time Tony Award®-winning Broadway musical, based on the best-selling novel by Robert James Waller.

It tells the story of Iowa housewife Francesca Johnson and her life-changing, four-day whirlwind romance with traveling photographer Robert Kincaid. It’s an unforgettable story of two people caught between decision and desire, as a chance encounter becomes a second chance at so much more.

This brand new production features gorgeous, soulful music by Tony Award®-winning composer Jason Robert Brown (Parade, The Last Five Years) that draws upon the rich textures of Americana and folk and the sweeping, expressive balladry of classic Broadway. The Daily News hails it as “one of Broadway’s best scores in the last decade.”

Joanna Ampil, who rose to stardom in London’s West End as Kim in Miss Saigon and Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar, says of her latest role, “It will be my first musical in Manila after a long hiatus. The last one was The Sound of Music in 2012. I’m hungry for a new challenge and this role of Francesca will certainly give me that challenge, stretch and creativity that I’m always craving for as an artist. Jason Robert Brown and I performed in London sometime ago way before he wrote Bridges and to be able to play a lead in one of his works will be a wonderful experience; because I know that he

writes some amazing stuff. I look forward to sharing the stage with Mig Ayesa, also. But, the thing that appealed to me the most was the idea of working for ATLANTIS for the first time and being directed by Bobby Garcia.”

MiG Ayesa, who performed the role of Stacee Jaxx in Rock Of Ages on Broadway and in Manila, says, “I am so thrilled to be returning to the Manila stage with this production of The Bridges Of Madison County. The score written by Jason Robert Brown is so breathtakingly beautiful it has to be considered a modern classic, and well deserved of the Tony Awards it received. I cannot wait to show such a different side to me, as the last time Manila audiences saw me was as the crazed rocker ‘Stacee Jaxx’ in Rock Of Ages. The chance to be working opposite such a worldclass performer such as Jo Ampil, as well as under the direction of Bobby Garcia, promises to be an experience I will never forget. This will be my second stage production with ATEG, and it has always been a labor of love in that camp. Any excuse to visit the Philippines is worth the work! I cannot think of a better way than to return with such a production as beautiful as this.”

Directed by Bobby Garcia, who recently directed the critically acclaimed Asian Tour of Saturday Night Fever, The Bridges Of Madison County opens on Nov. 20 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati.

Select shows are now available for Show Buying and fundraising opportunities. Corporate Packages are also available. Contact Jorelle at 0917-8381534 or info@ategasia. com for more information. ➜ Continued on C7

Cheri Gil is the new addition to the long-running afternoon soap opera on GMA7 The Half Sisters

Joanna Ampil is Francesca Johnson, a role popularized in a movie by Meryl Streep

Mig Ayesa is back in Manila to play Robert Kincaid in The Bridges of Madison County