The Standard - 2015 September 05 - Saturday

VOL. XXIX  NO. 205  3 Sections 32 Pages P18  SATURDAY : SEPTEMBER 5, 2015  www.thestandard.com.ph  editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Almendras won’t be traffic czar, says palace

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LP TOLD: FORGET POE Party chairman Drilon predicts senator will run for President

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SENATE President Franklin Drilon said Friday he has given up on getting Senator Grace Poe to be the running mate of Liberal Party standard-bearer and Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II in the presidential elections next year.

“In my view, Senator Grace Poe is a candidate for president. The writing is on the wall; she will run,” Drilon said.

Drilon, national chairman of the LP, said he would call

on the party’s national executive council to convene soon to nominate and approve a vice presidential candidate to run with Roxas.

While Poe has repeatedly said she is uncertain if she

will run for president, she has been going around the country making speeches, accompanied by Senator Francis Escudero, whom she said she wants as a running mate.

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Protest. Members of the League of Filipino Students and the group Anakbayan troop to Camp Aguinaldo to denounce the alleged assassination of the Lumad people by the military. LINO SANTOS

Binay promises to make PPPs happen IF Vice President Jejomar Binay becomes president, he will continue to harness the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program but rid it of the delays that have plagued projects in the Aquino administration, his spokesman Joey Salgado said Friday.

“PPPs have long been in place in Makati.

The programs of University of Makati are anchored on public-private partnerships that

helped grow the local economy and provide jobs for Makati residents,” Salgado said.

He said the vice president will make certain that should he win the 2016 elections, the PPP projects will be done right.

Salgado said the Binay’s PPPs will be different from the Aquino administration, saying there will be “no paralysis by analysis.”

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Gilas edges N. Zealand in overtime, 92-88

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Board meeting. President Benigno Aquino III leads his Cabinet in prayer in Malacañang before the start of the NEDA board meeting on Friday to review the government’s PPP projects.

Malacañang Photo Bureau

Prove claims vs CoA, Mendoza tells lawyer

By Rio N. Araja

COMMISSION on Audit officer-in-charge Heidi Mendoza on Friday dared lawyer Levito Baligod to identify who among her agency’s officials—including a commissioner—were involved in the new P500-million malversation case he filed with the Office of the Ombudsman against 20 incumbent and former lawmakers.

Earlier, Baligod urged the Ombudsman to investigate several state audit officials whom he did not name over reports that they had received bribes and new cars in exchange for clearing persons implicated in the pork barrel scam. One of these was a commissioner, he said.

But Mendoza demanded that Baligod produce proof.

“If he is that ready to accuse someone, he must have the evidence,” she said.

If left unchallenged, Baligod’s accusation could taint the integrity of the commission, she added.

She also said Baligod had an obligation to identify those liable and present evidence against them, and clear the names of those not involved in any wrongdoing.

She added that she was confident that none of the incumbent commissioners were involved in the case.

Baligod is a former lawyer of whistle-blowers Benhur Luy and Merlina Suñas in the P10 billion pork barrel scam allegedly engineered

by Janet Lim Napoles.

“CoA will give its full cooperation to the

LP

From A1...

“She would not do that if she will not run,” Drilon said.

Drilon mentioned Batangas

Office of the Ombudsman to be able to sanction those culpable in the scam,” Mendoza said.

The commission is also doing its own investigation into the alleged involvement of some auditors in the Napoles- linked pork barrel scam.

On Sept. 2, Baligod filed charges of malversation of public funds against Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Ramon Revilla Jr.; former senator Edgardo Angara; former party-list lawmaker Joel Villanueva of Cibac who now heads the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority; Prospero Nograles (Davao), Joseph Santiago (Catanduanes), Roberto Cajes (Bohol), Alan Miraflores (Aklan), Neil Tupas (Iloilo) and Carol Lopez (You Against Corruption and Poverty or Yacap party-list).

Also included in the complaint were Alfonso Umali (Oriental Mindoro), Edgar San Luis (Laguna), Arturo Robes (San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan), Rodolfo Antonino (Nueva Ecija), Reno Lim (Albay), Evita Arago (Laguna), Rachel Arenas (Pangasinan), Marina Clarete (Mis-

Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto and Camarines Norte Rep. Leni Robredo as possible vice presidential candidates, but both have already said they are not interested.

If Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Antonio Trillanes IV,

amis Occidental), Al Francis Bichara (Albay) and Julio Ledesma IV (Negros Occidental).

Baligod’s complaint was anchored on the sworn statements of four persons, including former National Agribusiness Corp. employees Victor Roman Cacal and Rhodora Mendoza, who were among those charged in pork barrel scam cases filed by the Office of the Ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan against Enrile, Revilla and Senator Jinggoy Estrada.

Enrile and Angara allegedly gave P15 million and P20 million respectively to Kagandahan ng Kapaligiran Foundation Inc., while Revilla gave P10 million to St. James the Apostle Multi-Purpose Cooperative Inc. Baligod said those involved in the scam were St. James the Apostle Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Kagandahan ng Kapaligiran Foundation Inc., Aaron Foundation, Kapuso’t Kapamilya Foundation, Kabuhayan at Kalusugang Alay sa Masa Foundation, Ikaw at Ako Foundation, Buhay Mo Mahal Ko Foundation, Kasangga sa Magandang Bukas Foundation, Gabay sa Magandang Bukas Foundation, Kabuhayan at Kalusugang Alay sa Masa, Center for Mindoro Integrated Development Foundation, Uswag Guimaras Foundation, Kaisa’t Kaagapay Foundation, Kaagapay Magpakailanman, Infinite Community Integrated Development Support, Gabaymasa Development Foundation, Pangkabuhayan Foundation using a scheme to that used by the fake Napoles foundations.

both with the Nacionalista Party, wish to run for vice president under the LP banner, a coalition would have to be formed.

But Cayetano has said he is more inclined to run for president, while Trillanes said he will

Binay From A1...

“The present PPPs has been plagued by delays. What the Vice President will do is address causes of these delays,’ Salgado told The Standard.

“VP Binay will make project implementation faster to achieve economic expansion and generate jobs and livelihood for Filipinos,” he added.

Salgado said the Cavite Laguna Expressway was a good example of a project bogged down by delays.

Under a Binay administration, he said, an agency will be tasked to review and monitor PPP projects.

Salgado added that Binay was not grabbing credit for Makati’s growth during his time as mayor, but noted that City Hall under Binay reached out constantly to the private sector and provided the right environment for business.

“When he was first appointed acting mayor in 1986 by the late President Corazon Aquino, the city’s revenues stood at P240 million. It was at P11 billion when he left,” Salgado said. Vito Barcelo

run for vice president, even as an independent candidate.

At the same time, Drilon dismissed speculation that Justice Secretary Leila de Lima was being considered as Roxas’ running mate.

He said she will run for senator.

While he had said the party should give Roxas a free hand in choosing his running mate, Drilon said they need to help him look, since the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy is fast approaching.

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Abas to inhibit on BBL COMELEC Commissioner Sheriff Abas on Friday admitted that MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal is his uncle, so he will inhibit himself when the Commission on elections tackles the plebiscite on the Bangsamoro Basic Law once it is enacted.

He said that on the day he was appointed by President Benigno Aquino III, he declared that he would inhibit himself from the deliberation of the BBL plebiscite.

“Actually, I already voiced out my opinion about that. I already told the chairman [Andres Bautista] that I will really inhibit if the Bangsamoro is the topic,” Abas told the reporters.

Meanwhile, a tripartite conference to be presided by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation will be held in Makati City on Tuesday to thresh out the complex issues relating to the two peace accords that the government forged with the Muslim rebel factions in Mindanao. Sara Susanne D. Fabunan and Francisco Tuyay

Govt urged to use P30b for research A LAWMAKER on Friday called for the scrapping of the P30-billion fund for the so-called Risk Management Program from the proposed P3trillion 2016 budget and instead give it to the Department of Science and Technology to be used in its research and development program.

“The Risk Management Program should be scrapped because it is only being used by the government to pander to the big private contractors and concessionaires through the so-called sovereign guarantee pledges,” Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said.

These billions should be used instead to pave the way

for our country to develop our science and technological sector.

At a budget hearing in the House on Thursday, Zarate questioned the DoST on its research and innovations to improve food production in the country.

DoST Secretary Mario Montejo said his research

and development budget needed an additional P5 Billion for 2016 but it was not approved by the Budget Department. The DoST had proposed a P17.9-billion budget for 2016.

Zarate lamented the lack of basic research to improve food production, which he said should be the focus of the

department.

“For example, biotechnology was the among the core programs of the DoST in the past,” Zarate said.

“Rightly so, because food security and agricultural productivity to help farmers must be among the government’s top concerns. However, we are lagging behind Asian countries in food production, and continue to import our prime staple, rice,” Zarate said.

“We are manufacturing parts such as electronic integrated circuits and semicon-

ductor devices, and not end products such as machines and computers.

“In other words, it is our cheap labor that is our capital in the industry and not our capability to produce hi-tech machinery. This is a deep-seated problem that the agency must address.”-Zarate said the country’s lack of a national industrialization plan was at the base of its backwardness in science and technology. Maricel V. Cruz

House not giving up on BBL, says Belmonte THE House leadership is not giving up on the Freedom of Information bill and will do its best to pass it, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., said Friday.

He said the House will tackle that bill even if it was not included in the short list of priority measures for

the next five weeks and is now pending for plenary consideration.

“We are not giving up on the FOI. It’s still in our agenda,” Belmonte said.

He said the House and the Senate had agreed to cut the list of priority measures to be approved during the

remaining session days of Congress before it adjourns on Oct. 9 to make way for the filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2016 elections.

But that did not mean the House would no longer attend to the “other priorities” like the FOI bill.

“During our meeting with our Senate counterparts, we identified a short list of priorities that we intend to focus on in the next few weeks,” Belmonte said.

The FOI bill, “An act to strengthen the right of citizens to information held by government,” says “the

State recognizes the right of the people to information on matters of public concern and adopts and implements a policy of full public disclosure of all its transactions involving public interest, subject to the procedures and limitations as provided by this Act.” Maricel V. Cruz

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Palace names 41 new officials

Useless road. A mother and daughter tries to traverse a road that is under repair in Manila. No workers could be seen at the site while the backhoe loader was partially obstructing the already heavy traffic even before rush hour on Friday. JANSEN ROMERO

Palace rejects appeals to appoint traffic czar

By Sandy Araneta and Darwin G. Amojelar MALACAÑANG once again rejected on Friday the call of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) to appoint a traffic czar in order to resolve worsening traffic problems, not only in Metro Manila but all over the country.

“As Cabinet Secretary, Secretary [Jose Rene] Almendras is tasked with coordinating inter-agency concerns. As he did with respect to the port congestion issue, he is now coordinating Cabinet action on

easing the Metro Manila traffic situation,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., said.

But the Management Association of the Philippines said the problem is not limited to Metro Manila, but in other key cities as well.

“We are seeing traffic congestion in just about everywhere, even in Cebu, Tarlac, Pangasinan, Baguio, Davao, and Zamboanga,” said Eduardo H. Yap, chairman of the MAP’s traffic, transportation and infrastructure committee.

“Traffic is not just a problem of residents in Metro Manila, but is beginning to affect even those cities in the provinces. Let’s nip this in the bud as early as now,” Yap added.

Yap said MAP believes that although Almendras has been assigned to take charge, an important component of such a plan is the appointment of a single point of authority, such as a traffic czar, duly

empowered by the President.

“We need a traffic czar not just to serve as a coordinator of different agencies working together to ease traffic flow, but one who is empowered to exercise executive powers to mobilize resources of the different national government agencies in order to expeditiously and effectively implement measures to provide the earliest relief from traffic congestion gripping the capital city. Title is everything to many. A mere coordinator is an invitation to be ignored,” Yap said.

In addition, the MAP recommends that concrete lane delineators be quickly installed at all bus stops along the entire stretch of Edsa to ensure efficient traffic flow without need for much human intervention. This will spare HPG troopers to supervise other critical hotspots, such as the problematic Edsa-Taft Avenue and Gil Puyat Ave-Taft junctions.

MALACAÑANG announced on Friday the appointment of some 41 officials in various agencies.

Last Aug. 27, President Benigno Aquino III signed the appointments of Monina Arevalo-Zenarosa and Rachel Duran Ruelo, both representing corrections with a sixyear term.

In the Bureau of Internal Revenue, President Aquino signed last Aug. 20 the appointments of Celia Capuchino King as deputy commissioner, BIR Director III Ma. Rosario Charo Enriquez Curiba and Director II Anian Reyes Salazar.

The other appointees include: Roland Calde as acting regional director of the National Commission on Indigenous People in the Cordillera Administrative Region; Department of Health Director IV Ferdinand Sangalang Salcedo; Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board Director II Arnel Tancinco; Department of Social Welfare and Development Director IV Marites Mortel Maristela; and Employees’ Compensation Commission acting Deputy Executive Director Jonathan Targa Villasoto.

Under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the President approved the promotion of Ma. Victoria Venturanza-Abrera, Cesar Siador Jr., Roberto Damatan Sheen, Letecia Rodrigo Maceda, Jacquiline Abing Caancan, Ma. Socorro Colina Lanto, Wilson Lim Trajeco, Maria Dorica Nazhipe, and Vizminda Amoy Osorio as acting Directors II of the Environmental Management Bureau.

In the Department of Education, Malacañang released the appointments of Roberto Moya Agustin as Director IV; and Aida Nicor Carpentero, Ronilda Rosario Co, Josephine Galea Maribojoc and Aida Custodio Yuvienco as acting Director IV. Also appointed are Aminola Pagariongan Abaton (LTO Director II); Francisco Pineda Ranches Jr. (LTO Director I); Beata Humilda Olaguera Obsioma as acting deputy executive director of National Meat Inspection Service of DA; and Nino Raymond Bersabe Alvina as acting Director II of the Bureau of Local Finance Government of DOF. PNA

Neda takes up 8 projects

By Sandy Araneta PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III convened the National Economic and Development Authority board on Friday to discuss and possibly approve eight projects, six of which are publicprivate partnerships.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said of the eight projects for discussion, five are new and two have been on the list even in the previous meetings.

The new projects include the Clark International Airport New Terminal Building Project, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Authority Development Project, and the Light Rail Transit Line 6 and Line 4 Projects, all of the Department of Transportation and Communications; Inclusive Partnerships for Agricultural

Competitiveness of the Department of Agrarian Reform; and the Chico River Pump Irrigation Project of the National Irrigation Administration.

The two other projects, which need continuing discussions, include Naga Airport Development Project and Manila-Quezon Avenue Bus Rapid Transit Project.

According to Public-Private Partnership Center executive director Cosette Canilao, the first six projects are worth of P210 billion.

The board was also set to approve the confirmation of some amendments to existing projects including the P122.8billion Laguna Lakeshore Expressway Dike project.

The P74.56 billion NAIA Development project is expected to transform the country’s main gateway into a world-class modern airport facility.

Deferred appointment. Elections commissioner Sheriff Abas speaks to journalists about the deferment of his appointment to the Commission on Elections on Thursday. SARA FABUNAN

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‘Lina apology not enough’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta WHILE Senator Bongbong Marcos was glad Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina apologized for his controversial balikbayan box inspection policy, the senator warned the commissioner from arbitrarily implementing policies based on unsubstantiated claims.

Called to serve. Ninth-grade teacher Arlyn T. Austria may be equipped with a headphone and a projector at the Araullo High School

in Manila on Friday, but she still has to go through the same hardships teachers undergo in their calling to educate the young, a sacrifice acknowledged through the ongoing National Teachers Month. JANSEN ROMERO

Changes to adultery law eyed

By Maricel V. Cruz SAYING the country law against adultery and concubinage discriminate against women, Magdalo Reps. Francisco Ashley Acedillo and Gary Alejano have sought to amending provisions of the Revised Penal Code and criminalize any and all acts of sexual infidelity.

House Bill 6010, authored by Magdalo party-list Reps. Francisco Ashley Acedillo and Gary Alejano, aims to do away with the discrimination perpetuated by the existence of Articles 333 and 334 of the Revised Penal Code.

“The proposed amendment also abrogates the traditional essence of adultery, that is, the danger of introducing spurious heirs into the family,” Acedillo said.

Acedillo said under Article 333 of the

Revised Penal Code, adultery is committed by a married woman who shall have sexual intercourse with a man not her husband and by the man who has carnal knowledge of her, knowing her to be married, even if the marriage be subsequently declared void.

On the other hand, he added, under the same law, Article 334, concubinage may be committed by a husband who shall keep a mistress in the conjugal dwelling, or shall have sexual intercourse, under scandalous circumstances, with a woman who is not his wife, or shall cohabit with her in any other place, shall be punished by prision correccional in its minimum and medium periods.

“Filipino women continue to suffer from various forms of inequalities and discrimination. Our laws on adultery and

concubinage under the Revised Penal Code are examples. Both seek to punish marital infidelity of spouses but provides higher burden on wives than on husbands,” Acedillo said.

Alejano said under their bill, Article 333 is now read as follows: “Who are guilty of [adultery] Marital Infidelity.— Marital Infidelity is committed by any married person who shall have sexual intercourse with another person not his or her spouse, and by the person who has carnal knowledge of him or her knowing him or her to be married, even if the marriage be subsequently declared void.”

The present law provides a penalty of prision correccional in its medium and maximum periods for adultery and concubinage.

“I am glad that he showed sufficient humility in accepting the significant lapses of the BoC by apologizing to our [overseas Filipino workers],” Marcos said a day after Lina apologized during a Senate hearing.

“However, it must still be made of public record that in so far as the Intelligence Unit of the BoC is concerned, smuggling of drugs and firearms through balikbayan boxes is virtually non-existent,” Marcos noted, adding that that was the reason Lina initially used to justify the random inspections.

Aside from OFWs, sugar planters and millers also demanded the removal of Lina from the BoC because of what they claimed to be the increased smuggling of sugar in the four months Lina has been in office.

But instead of answering the claim of the Sugar Alliance of the Philippines, headed by Manuel Lamata, Lina simply said “I serve at the pleasure of the President.”

Marcos noted Customs Deputy Commissioner Jessie Dellosa for Intelligence admitted there was no case on record and proof that firearms and drugs smuggling were done through balikbayan boxes last year.

“Now we found out that your intelligence department has no record of any balikbayan box ever containing drugs or arms. I am happy that you have retracted this policy,” said Marcos.

He had earlier castigated Customs officials for making unfounded statements about OFWs regarding misuse of and smuggling via balikbayan boxes.

Marcos also drew an admission from Lina that no consultations were made with the OFW sector nor with government agencies such as the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Labor and Employment and the Commission on Filipinos Overseas that traditionally deal with Filipinos overseas.

“Everything was done arbitrarily, abruptly and aggressively without public consultations leading to all kinds of insinuations landing at the innocent OFW’s doorstep,” the senator said.

NFA rice imports slammed THE announced importation of 2.1-million metric tons of rice by the National Food Authority may pose serious repercussions to local farmers, a non-government organization said on Friday. “[This over importation of rice] is caused by the incoherent direction in addressing the rice problem with two different agencies running the rice commodity,” said Au Regalado, lead convenor of Rice Watch and Action Network (R1).

According to R1, the Department of Agriculture is focused more on raising productivity and incomes of farmers, whereas the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agriculture Modernization currently linked to NFA is just looking at the

market side of the equation.

“We raised in the Food Staples Committee in the Department of Agriculture our concern for the very high target for importation set by the NFA,” Regalado said.

R1 noted that such rice importation is alarming, considering the increase in rice output in the last season as reported by Philippine Statistics Authority.

Their alarm is doubled by the fact that the NFA’s target importation does not even include the target for Minimum Access Volume for the year.

“This over importation of rice would set major drawbacks to local farmers,” Regalado said.

“We all know that oversupply of imported rice will spell the death of

livelihood for our local rice farmers. The traders will exploit this situation to drive the farm gate prices of palay (unmilled rice) at its lowest possible rate,” he said.

Regalado further justified R1’s claims by citing reports that “traders cornered the procurement of palay in the last season because NFA focused on rice importation.”

Aside from farmers, the consuming public would also suffer from possible price hikes of rice and other related commodities.

Despite the overstock, prices of rice in the market remain at P37 to P45 a kilo. Hence, R1 poses a challenge to the NFA to flood the market to press the prices down so that the consumers will benefit from the oversupply during the lean season.

Proper employment. Workers stage a protest at the Department of Social Welfare and Development, which they charged of being one of the biggest employer of contractual employees in the government. LINO SANTOS

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Middle of the road. Two boys rest along an excavated street in Metro Manila, where no vehicles could pass. Reports say the Philippines has the third worst traffic in Asia and fifth worst in the world. JANSEN ROMERO

Return honoraria, Audit tells Manila policemen

By Rio N. Araja

THE Commission on Audit has ordered the refund of P384,000 in honoraria granted to some Manila policemen assigned to the Intramuros police community precinct in 2014, saying the cash incentives did not have legal basis.

According to a report, the source of the money— the revolving fund of the Intramuros Administration (IA)—was questionable and had been disallowed.

The IA is an agency

tasked by law to be responsible for the restoration and development of Intramuros as a monument to the Hispanic period of the Philippine history and ensure that the general

appearance of Intramuros shall conform to the Philippine-Spanish architecture of the 16th to the 19th century.

Financial records showed that in 2014, police personnel assigned in Intramuros, Manila received a monthly honorarium of P2,000 each, while the precinct commander received P4,000 monthly.

“This is, however, a violation of Presidential Decree No. 1616 since such expenditure is not commercial operations-related as stated in

the law,” the Commission’s report read.

Under the law, the revolving funds of a government agency could be used to cover expenses incurred in its commercial operations.

The state auditors said the policemen-recipients were not among those entitled or authorized to receive honoraria per existing budget circulars issued by the Department of Budget and Management.

“The detail of Philippine National Police-PCP

personnel in Intramuros does not entail additional duties on their part nor can be considered special project to be entitled to honorarium since the maintenance of peace and order is part of their regular functions,” the Commission said.

The Commission stopped further payment and said the concerned policemen must return the money.

It also directed the IA to ensure that its revolving funds would be used strictly for operation.

Caloocan disaster office to dispatch water tankers

By Jun David THE Caloocan City Government is tapping the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to help its residents cope with Maynilad’s water service interruption due to the low water level in Angat Dam. Mayor Oscar Malapitan said the city will dispatch two 15-cubic meter water tankers to distribute potable water to areas that will experience water service interruption by as long as 12 hours beginning Sept. 8, especially if no rain is experienced in the next few days.

The barangays in Caloocan City that would be affected are: 1-20, 22, 23, 28, 32, 34,35,

49, 52-66, 68-76, 78-80, 86-99, 101,103, 106-116, 122-124, 143, 166-171, 173, 175-180, 182, 183, 185, 187 and 188.

Mayor Malapitan said that “barangays in need of water will just have to coordinate with the Caloocan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to have their own tankers refilled.”

“Water is a vital need . The city government will do all necessary measures to deliver potable water to affected communities. I also call all residents to implement water conservation measures,” the mayor added.

City disaster management chief Alex Nadurata said barangay officials may coordinate with them at 310-6972.

Ready for boarding. Senior citizens and persons with disability are always the first passengers to board planes at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. RUDY C. SANTOS

Customs discovers shabu in airport package

By Vito Barcelo CUSTOMS authorities at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport foiled an attempt to smuggle shabu which was concealed in package bound for Iceland.

Eight grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride was found after the package went through x-ray machine examination, Deputy Commissioner for Enforcement Ariel Nepomuceno said.

The package was addressed to a certain Hanarf Jurdor in Iceland.

He said Customs personnel manning the x-ray machine noticed suspicious outlines inside the package which was about to be exported.

The package yielded four plastic sachets of white crystalline substance wrapped in carbon paper secured with scotch tape inside a plastic toy.

“The PDEA agent brought a sample of this substance to the PDEA Laboratory in Quezon City; it was confirmed to be shabu,” Nepomuceno said.

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Ilocos Norte to mark late Marcos’ birthday THE Province of Ilocos Norte will mark the 98th birth anniversary of former President Ferdinand Marcos, known among Ilocanos as Apo Lakay, beginning Sept. 9 with group-engaging activities to honor its favorite son.

Da Real Makoy Literary and Musical Competition will open the weeklong celebration, a fitting tribute to President Marcos who was an accomplished orator, debater and writer. Contested activities include Retro Quartet, Imelda and Makoy Singing Competition, Quiz Bee, Digital Poster Making, Pinoy Ballroom and Kalesa Art. “In the past years, Da Real

ENROL’, a story of love and portrayal of the strength and perseverance of Ilocanos.

The RAKENROL musical is free admission and will premiere during FEM’s birthday on September 11, 7:00 PM at Mariano Marcos State University’s Teatro Ilocandia.

Meanwhile, a statue in Makoy Concert has drawn thousands of Ilocanos. honor of Apo Lakay will be This time, the musical play unveiled in Sarrat, his birthwill give a new life to the place, on Sept. 12.

“With the recent typhoon province-wide celebration of Marcos Fiesta,” said Ms. Ineng that hit Ilocos Norte, Elaine Lubguban, Media In- a relief caravan will be an incentives Desk Officer of the tegral part of the celebration.

Provincial Government of The Marcos’ family will go around the different towns Ilocos Norte (PGIN).

This year’s celebration will struck by the typhoon to be highlighted by a musi- conduct a relief operation on cal play dubbed as ‘RAK- Sept. 12,” said Mr. Aian Rac-

quel, head of the Provincial Tourism Office.

Now on its fourth year, the Marcos Fiesta has been regarded as one of the biggest festivities in the province.

The event has gathered more than 15,000 Ilocanos and Marcos loyalists all over the country last year.

The most anticipated Ferdinand Edralin Marcos (FEM) Debate Cup comes back on Sept. 14 showcasing the speech and debate talents of the Ilocano youth.

The debate cup aims to empower young Ilocanos to share their ideas on relevant issues in the province.

“As we honor the legacy of President Marcos—national-

ism, genuine commitment to duties and of course to rigorous planning and development—we prove that Ilocanos are indeed patriotic, religious and compassionate,” said Governor Imee R. Marcos during last year’s celebration.

Through the active participation of the Sirib Youth Office, the celebration is also expected to draw the largest crowd of young Ilocanos since most of the event’s activities are centered on them.

In line with the celebration, a Marcos Fiesta Job Fair is also organized by the Public Employment Service Office on Sept. 9, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena.

Ordained. Catholic faithful gather at the Palo Metropolitan Cathedral in Leyte for the episcopal ordination of Bishop Oscar Jaime Florencio. ANTON BECHER

Abra launches coffee program

By Dexter A. See BANGUED, Abra—The provincial government, in tandem with Nestlé Philippines, has launched the Abra Coffee Industry Development Program to improve economic activities of coffee farmers and make the growth of the coffee industry sustainable.

The Office of the Governor has identified program beneficiaries and committed to provide coffee seedlings and agricultural equipment such as Depulper, Dehuller and Moisture meter to start-up the business.

Governor Eustaquio Bersamin has been eyeing the coffee industry to uplift the economic condition of the marginalized.

From the 31 qualified applicants, 15 have received their respective equipment after the recent launching of the coffee industry development program that was attended by stakeholders and representatives from concerned government agencies and local governments.

These are; Brgy. Ud-udiao, Sallapadan; Brgy Ableg and Cabaruyan, Daguioman; Lamao, Bucloc; Lingey, Bucloc, Subagan-Mapisla Baay, Licuan; Brgy. Bulbulala, Baay, Licuan; Nagpawayan, Baay, Licuan; Malibcong Poblacion, Pacqued, Mataragan, Umnap, Lat-ey, Gacab, Bayabas, Dulao, Bunao, all in the Municipality of Malibcong, Abra. The remaining sixteen (16) applicants will obtain clonal materials come the month of October.

Part of the activities from identification and determination of quality coffee, skills research on clonal gardening was signed by virtue of a Memorandum of Agreement with the Local Trade and Industry Provincial Director Arell Banez, Department of Science and Technology Provincial Director Menandro Buenafe and Abra State Institute of Science and Technology President Dr. Aurelio Labanen.

Nestlé Philippines has committed to provide technical assistance to the memberbeneficiaries by buying the produced or served as market outlet of coffee growers.

Yolanda-hit Leyte ordains new bishop

By Ronald O. Reyes

PALO, Leyte—Thousands of Catholic faithful and hundreds of priests and church officials on Friday flocked to Palo Metropolitan Cathedral in Palo, Leyte for the episcopal ordination of His Most Reverend Father Oscar Jaime Florencio as the newly appointed Titular Bishop of Lestrona and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cebu.

Before being elected as new bishop, Florencio, who grew up in Burauen, Leyte which bore the brunt of super Typhoon Yolanda in November 2013, was a rector of the St. John the Evangelist

School of Theology in Palo.

“It’s indeed a long time since the last episcopal ordination, the last being in 1987 during the episcopal ordination of Bishop Leonardo Medroso at the Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Ormoc,” said Msgr.

Ramon Aguilos of Palo Archdiocese and board chairman of non-governmental organization Leyte-Samar Heritage Society Inc. “The last ordination in the cathedral was in 1981 during that of Bishop Filomeno Bactol,” Aguilos added, congratulating Florencio who also happened to be his former student.

The 49-year-old bishop was

first ordained priest in 1990.

According to Aguilos, the episcopal ordination of Florencio is considered as “a gift to the local church.”

“The Archdiocese of Palo was a recipient of donations and aids from many national and international organizations, the Apostolic See included. To them we owe our deep gratitude.

“But what I consider as the best palpable gift is that one of us, a brother priest, has been elevated to the episcopacy.

For me, it is a recognition of the servant leadership these priests showed during the dark days of the post-Yolanda.

It is God’s hand,” he said.

Stuck. A motorcycle of an OMI missionary priest on his way to a chapel in South Upi, Maguindanao is being pulled out of the mud by locals. AMIEL MARK CAGAYAN

S AT U R D AY : S E P T E M B E R 5 , 2 0 1 5

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO

‘CANDIDATE’ DUTERTE

[ EDI TORI A L ]

BOOSTING HIS OWN STOCK WHAT is it they say about mothers praising their own children, or people lifting their own chair—in Tagalog, nagbubuhat ng sariling bangko?

These came to mind this week with the release of the Liberal Partycommissioned survey that said Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II would be the sure winner in the 2016 presidential elections.

Specifically, Roxas would be the candidate of choice of 53 percent of the 1,200 respondents while his closest rival, Vice President Jejomar Binay, would garner 27 percent of the votes.

Senator Grace Poe and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who have yet to make official their intention to run, were not included among the choices in the survey.

Which polling agency delivered these results? They’re not telling. Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice only says the polling survey was “very credible” and that future surveys by the other agencies, namely Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia, would eventually bolster the results of the “very credible” outfit.

The beneficiary of the mysterious survey, Roxas himself, elation upon learning of his impending victory as predicted by the survey his own party had commissioned.

“I’m expressing my sincerest gratitude to the support our countrymen is giving.”

We don’t know which is worse: that the man the President wants to succeed him is genuinely happy, or that he is feigning elation because he knows he can’t top anything any other way.

Why, he can’t even convince any halfway-decent vice presidential hopeful to cast her lot with him!

This tells us much about the party that is bent on doing everything— anything—to condition people’s minds that their candidate stands a chance.

This also says a lot about the candidate who still wears the hat of a Cabinet member going around the country performing his official functions, and incidentally promoting himself as the next chief executive of the land.

Surveys are meant to be independent, or in the impossibility of such, transparent.

Candidates are meant to promote themselves on their own, not through pretexts. In the absence of such, the public has to be discerning.

A SHOW OF STRENGTH BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO CHINA’S Sept. 3 military parade, unprecedented in its scale and magnitude, was clearly a show of strength. The occasion, to mark the 70th anniversary of World War II and the defeat of Japan, more than anything else was to make the world know China is a strong military force to reckon with.

This, against a backdrop of

a rising and resurgent China locked in territorial disputes with Japan in the East China Sea and its Asean neighbors in the South China Sea. Modern fighter jets streaked across the sky over Beijing and the People’s Liberation Army marched in cadence in front of President Xi Jinping and foreign guests. Although only 12,000 soldiers marched in the power parade, the PLA with 1.6-million ground force is the biggest army in the world. Other Chinese arsenal like tanks, rocket launchers with long range multiple warheads also rolled by to

project power of a modern military force.

China took measures so that there would be no rain on its parade. Beijing was locked down; factories shut down to clear pollution. Snipers were posted on top of buildings along the parade route to guard against any trouble maker. China after all, has its share of dissidents particularly in the restive Xinjiang province.

The military parade also carried a domestic message that Xi Jinping and his politburo cabal are in control and cannot be toppled by any internal struggle

Xi spoke at length of a China committed to world peace even as the parade’s display of military muscle was in stark contrast to his message.

A9

despite allegations of corruption within the ruling clique.

Officials of PLA are also officials of the ruling politburo and the two pillars of power are inextricably linked.

Xi spoke at length of a China committed to world peace even as the parade’s display of military muscle was in stark contrast to his message.

Notably absent from the dignitaries guest list were highranking representatives from the United States,Great Britain and other Western leaders.

President Barack Obama spent his time in Alaska espousing the environment’s concerns against climate change.

Secretary of State John Kerry was kept busy defending and mustering

support for the US-Iran nuclear deal and Washington was probably represented by its ambassador to China.

President Vladimir Putin was in attendance to affirm Russia’s long-standing alliance with China.

The South Korean President Park Geun-hye was present but there was no indication from Malacañang that President Benigno S. Aquino III was extended an invitation. Informed sources told us some of our Tsinoy taipans were invited to the event but we don’t know who attended. Three Manila newsmen

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-

were invited by the Chinese embassy in Manila but went a week before the big parade.

World outcry for refugees After camping out for days around Budapest’s main railway station, hundreds of migrants were allowed by Hungarian police to board trains only to stop them outside the capital. It was apparently a ruse to clear the migrant from the capital and away from media glare. The migrants, however, resisted getting off the trains and be herded to a detention center for processing.

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

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

The migrants said they don’t trust the Hungarians. Heart-wrenching images flashed by CNN and BBC by a TV crew who managed to board showed migrants and their families, including small children being forcibly removed from the trains while those who were offloaded tried clinging to the rails as Hungarian police dragged them.

Under pressure from the migrant crisis is the Schengen Treaty of free movement of people acceded to by the 26-member European Union.

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

IT LOOKS to me that Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte can give leading presidential aspirants a run for their money should he decide to go after Malacañang. I am not being scientific about this.

Rather, this reading is based on people’s reactions and opinions juxtaposed against the country’s present state of affairs.

Let me clearly state: This is not an endorsement of the mayor but simply an attempt to analyze people’s fascination with, and in not a few, support for a possible Duterte candidacy.

I have written about who I thought would be the top contenders—Senator Grace Poe, Vice President Jejomar Binay, and Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas. Admittedly, I did not consider Digong Duterte as a major “candidate” until I took a closer look at people’s take on him.

“Candidate” Duterte has a few things going for him.

One, he is seen as a strong leader, someone with real political will who will go after crooks who break the law. No one would want to mess with him.

This was again demonstrated by recent reports about how he handled a tourist in Davao City who, after being told that smoking is prohibited, refused to stop.

The mayor arrived, sat down, pointed a gun at the man’s crotch, and told him to choose among his balls being shot at, going to prison, or swallowing his cigarette butt. The tourist was reported to have chosen the last “option”.

Duterte is said to have no qualms about killing criminals OR suspected criminals.

A friend once said that he particularly hated rapists and drug dealers.

Stories about Duterte’s “unconventional” ways of implementing the law are many making it hard to determine true ones from tall tales. These stories turn him into some sort of a “legend”, or a character from a wild, wild, west movie. But yes, Duterte is quite tough, scary, even.

Not everyone is happy, of course. Human rights groups question the mayor’s manner of doing things as these may be considered as human right violations. After all, criminals have rights as well.

So why would people want someone like Duterte to be president? Why even consider a potential human rights violator for the highest office?

The answer is simple. This is a direct reaction to the weak, almost absent leadership we presently have. After government’s failure to address the devastation brought by super Typhoon Yolanda, the death of SAF44 in Mamasapano, and most recently, the Iglesia ni Cristo protests that paralyzed traffic in Edsa, the people are simply fed up.

Filipinos’ frustration has peaked and they want the situation to radically change. People want a leader who will be at the top of the situation when problems arise. People want to see a leader who will be in control.

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

S AT U R D AY : S E P T E M B E R 5 , 2 0 1 5

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO

‘CANDIDATE’ DUTERTE

[ EDI TORI A L ]

BOOSTING HIS OWN STOCK WHAT is it they say about mothers praising their own children, or people lifting their own chair—in Tagalog, nagbubuhat ng sariling bangko?

These came to mind this week with the release of the Liberal Partycommissioned survey that said Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II would be the sure winner in the 2016 presidential elections.

Specifically, Roxas would be the candidate of choice of 53 percent of the 1,200 respondents while his closest rival, Vice President Jejomar Binay, would garner 27 percent of the votes.

Senator Grace Poe and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who have yet to make official their intention to run, were not included among the choices in the survey.

Which polling agency delivered these results? They’re not telling. Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice only says the polling survey was “very credible” and that future surveys by the other agencies, namely Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia, would eventually bolster the results of the “very credible” outfit.

The beneficiary of the mysterious survey, Roxas himself, elation upon learning of his impending victory as predicted by the survey his own party had commissioned.

“I’m expressing my sincerest gratitude to the support our countrymen is giving.”

We don’t know which is worse: that the man the President wants to succeed him is genuinely happy, or that he is feigning elation because he knows he can’t top anything any other way.

Why, he can’t even convince any halfway-decent vice presidential hopeful to cast her lot with him!

This tells us much about the party that is bent on doing everything— anything—to condition people’s minds that their candidate stands a chance.

This also says a lot about the candidate who still wears the hat of a Cabinet member going around the country performing his official functions, and incidentally promoting himself as the next chief executive of the land.

Surveys are meant to be independent, or in the impossibility of such, transparent.

Candidates are meant to promote themselves on their own, not through pretexts. In the absence of such, the public has to be discerning.

A SHOW OF STRENGTH BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO CHINA’S Sept. 3 military parade, unprecedented in its scale and magnitude, was clearly a show of strength. The occasion, to mark the 70th anniversary of World War II and the defeat of Japan, more than anything else was to make the world know China is a strong military force to reckon with.

This, against a backdrop of

a rising and resurgent China locked in territorial disputes with Japan in the East China Sea and its Asean neighbors in the South China Sea. Modern fighter jets streaked across the sky over Beijing and the People’s Liberation Army marched in cadence in front of President Xi Jinping and foreign guests. Although only 12,000 soldiers marched in the power parade, the PLA with 1.6-million ground force is the biggest army in the world. Other Chinese arsenal like tanks, rocket launchers with long range multiple warheads also rolled by to

project power of a modern military force.

China took measures so that there would be no rain on its parade. Beijing was locked down; factories shut down to clear pollution. Snipers were posted on top of buildings along the parade route to guard against any trouble maker. China after all, has its share of dissidents particularly in the restive Xinjiang province.

The military parade also carried a domestic message that Xi Jinping and his politburo cabal are in control and cannot be toppled by any internal struggle

Xi spoke at length of a China committed to world peace even as the parade’s display of military muscle was in stark contrast to his message.

A9

despite allegations of corruption within the ruling clique.

Officials of PLA are also officials of the ruling politburo and the two pillars of power are inextricably linked.

Xi spoke at length of a China committed to world peace even as the parade’s display of military muscle was in stark contrast to his message.

Notably absent from the dignitaries guest list were highranking representatives from the United States,Great Britain and other Western leaders.

President Barack Obama spent his time in Alaska espousing the environment’s concerns against climate change.

Secretary of State John Kerry was kept busy defending and mustering

support for the US-Iran nuclear deal and Washington was probably represented by its ambassador to China.

President Vladimir Putin was in attendance to affirm Russia’s long-standing alliance with China.

The South Korean President Park Geun-hye was present but there was no indication from Malacañang that President Benigno S. Aquino III was extended an invitation. Informed sources told us some of our Tsinoy taipans were invited to the event but we don’t know who attended. Three Manila newsmen

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-

were invited by the Chinese embassy in Manila but went a week before the big parade.

World outcry for refugees After camping out for days around Budapest’s main railway station, hundreds of migrants were allowed by Hungarian police to board trains only to stop them outside the capital. It was apparently a ruse to clear the migrant from the capital and away from media glare. The migrants, however, resisted getting off the trains and be herded to a detention center for processing.

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

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

The migrants said they don’t trust the Hungarians. Heart-wrenching images flashed by CNN and BBC by a TV crew who managed to board showed migrants and their families, including small children being forcibly removed from the trains while those who were offloaded tried clinging to the rails as Hungarian police dragged them.

Under pressure from the migrant crisis is the Schengen Treaty of free movement of people acceded to by the 26-member European Union.

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

IT LOOKS to me that Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte can give leading presidential aspirants a run for their money should he decide to go after Malacañang. I am not being scientific about this.

Rather, this reading is based on people’s reactions and opinions juxtaposed against the country’s present state of affairs.

Let me clearly state: This is not an endorsement of the mayor but simply an attempt to analyze people’s fascination with, and in not a few, support for a possible Duterte candidacy.

I have written about who I thought would be the top contenders—Senator Grace Poe, Vice President Jejomar Binay, and Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas. Admittedly, I did not consider Digong Duterte as a major “candidate” until I took a closer look at people’s take on him.

“Candidate” Duterte has a few things going for him.

One, he is seen as a strong leader, someone with real political will who will go after crooks who break the law. No one would want to mess with him.

This was again demonstrated by recent reports about how he handled a tourist in Davao City who, after being told that smoking is prohibited, refused to stop.

The mayor arrived, sat down, pointed a gun at the man’s crotch, and told him to choose among his balls being shot at, going to prison, or swallowing his cigarette butt. The tourist was reported to have chosen the last “option”.

Duterte is said to have no qualms about killing criminals OR suspected criminals.

A friend once said that he particularly hated rapists and drug dealers.

Stories about Duterte’s “unconventional” ways of implementing the law are many making it hard to determine true ones from tall tales. These stories turn him into some sort of a “legend”, or a character from a wild, wild, west movie. But yes, Duterte is quite tough, scary, even.

Not everyone is happy, of course. Human rights groups question the mayor’s manner of doing things as these may be considered as human right violations. After all, criminals have rights as well.

So why would people want someone like Duterte to be president? Why even consider a potential human rights violator for the highest office?

The answer is simple. This is a direct reaction to the weak, almost absent leadership we presently have. After government’s failure to address the devastation brought by super Typhoon Yolanda, the death of SAF44 in Mamasapano, and most recently, the Iglesia ni Cristo protests that paralyzed traffic in Edsa, the people are simply fed up.

Filipinos’ frustration has peaked and they want the situation to radically change. People want a leader who will be at the top of the situation when problems arise. People want to see a leader who will be in control.

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

S AT U R D AY : S E P T E M B E R 5 , 2 0 1 5

A10

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

CHINA’S 70TH VICTORY DAY CELEBRATION BACK­ BENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN CHINA’S 70th victory day celebration commemorating the end of World War II has elicited much interpretation about the future thrust in China’s rise to power. While its leaders insist it was more of a commemoration to recollect the great sacrifices of their people against Japanese militarism, in truth, the grand military parade— where 84 percent of China’s military hardware was shown for the first time— was meant to convey two important historical facts purposely overlooked by Western historians. First, it was the first Asian nation to liberate itself from the yoke of imperialist domination. Second, their victory over Japanese militarism was a victory they owe it to themselves, and now looked upon as a model for countries still suffering from economic domination.

China, like the thenSoviet Union, was one of the few countries that liberated itself against their invaders. Their victory and their sacrifices are parallel; Russia suffered close to 24 million casualties, while China suffered more than 14 million. Thus, the victory day celebration from a historical perspective was a celebration to commemorate China’s victory against Japanese militarism. That is a historical fact that can never be distorted. Nonetheless, the celebration is not all about that heroic sequel for which the Chinese people fought, but on China’s continuing to rise as a modern and prosperous state.

This now conveys a different but ominous message that no imperialist power can ever again invade and inflict humiliation upon the Chinese people.

The problem however with history is it is linked to politics. As the saying goes, “it is politics that gives historians something to write.” Thus, when modern historians interpret what China has achieved, they could not help but connect the historical past to what it has achieved today. One must not forget that China was an ally of the West in the fight

against fascism and militarism, and the signing on Sept. 3, 1945 of Japan’s unconditional surrender did not end the war in China.

The US and its allies continued to impose economic sanction against China that only ended when President Nixon visited that country in 1973.

The mindset of the West has always been focused in subjugating China. The rise of an economically prosperous China is the reason why other countries tremble at seeing China’s modern military hardware.

It is some kind of colonial hangover that continues to linger in their minds. Most Western political analysts refuse to concede that China’s economic miracle would inevitably give rise to secure those economic interests. It is this principle of wanting to protect its legitimate economic in-

The grand parade was meant to convey two important historical facts overlooked

by Western historians.

terest that the West wants to exploit by equating its growing military strength to sow fear of Chinese expansionism.

There is much duplicity in this propaganda, for it seems only the West, particularly the US, has a vested right to maintain their military strength in Asia-Pacific region. For Asian countries, to question that could just as easily cause a pivot to deter them from pursuing their own independent policies consistent with their national and economic interests. It is the same propaganda line why our leaders are being made to believe that the growth of China’s military power, which is concomitant to the growth of its economic interest, is from their point of view that China is bound to commit aggression against its neighbors.

EAGLE EYES DEAN TONY LA VIÑA

A GOOD STEWARD OF NATIONAL PATRIMONY

IN 1991, the Philippine Senate decided not to renew the US-Philippines Military Bases Agreement that ended American military presence in the country that began nearly a century ago. This and the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo on June 15, 1991 hastened the departure of the American military naval fleet, not only from the 262-square-miles Subic Naval Base but also the nearby 4.3-square mile (37 km²) Clark Air Base. What to do with these abandoned bases and the people directly and indirectly affected by the closure was a big dilemma for Philippine authorities.

The answer came with the enactment of Republic Act 7227 (Bases Conversion and Development Act of 1992), signed into law by former President Corazon C. Aquino on March 13, 1992. The law provided for the creation of the Bases Conversion Development Authority mandated to transform the former US military bases into alternative productive civilian use.

Some may rue the day the Americans were booted out of Subic and Clark in the light of the growing assertiveness of China in West Philippine Sea, but one thing is patently clear.

The Bases Conversion and Development Act of 1992, amended in 1995, and further amended by RA 9400 in 2007, has proven to be a wise decision by the government. Since its inception in 1992, the

BCDA has generated 1992 billions in disposition proceeds from the sale, lease and/or joint venture development of former Metro Manila camps, the biggest recipient of which is the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Aside from Bonifacio Global City and Newport City, home of Fort Bonifacio and Villamor Air Base, respectively, the BCDA also maintains other areas including Clark Freeport Zone in Tarlac, Clark Tourism and Business Complex, Pampanga, John Hay Special Economic Zone, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, among others.

Under the current leadership, the BCDA has revved up its development initiatives and programs.

An expert in, among others, public private partnership, urban planning infrastructure and real estate, lawyer Arnel Casanova, as president and CEO of BCDA, has steered the agency to new heights of excellence. Having taught Arnel at the University of the Philippines College of Law and, after his return from the Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University, having hired him to be a lead professor on social entrepreneurship in the Ateneo School of Government, I am proud of Arnel’s exemplary leadership of BCDA in the last five years.

One innovative initiative taken by BCDA is the launching of the 35,000-hectare Sacobia otherwise dubbed as Clark

Green City located at the Clark Special Economic Zone. The Clark Green City is a mix of industrial, institutional and commercial areas, which would apply green technologies in all facilities and buildings such as renewable energy from sustaining sources. The planned new metropolis is envisaged as a smart-intelligent city utilizing green building methods and state-of-theart IT infrastructure.

With an ambitious project on his hands, Casanova’s leadership skills will be sorely tested. But I am sure he is up to the task. A recipient of various awards, Casanova also held responsible positions in a number of local and international institutions.

That he is familiar with the ins and outs of the BCDA operations and programs is a given because he has been part of the agency at the onset.

Casanova has also proved that he is a man of integrity and great courage. He does not shirk from any challenge to uphold what he believes is right. For example, without fear, he ordered the eviction of the powerful Camp John Hay Development Corp., the long-time developer of the former American base. A decision which was upheld by the Baguio Regional Trial Court which ordered the Sobrepeña-led Camp John Hay Development Corp. to vacate Camp John Hay. CJHDevCo was also ordered to deliver the leased

property as well as all new constructions and permanent improvements in tenantable condition to the BCDA. The dispute emanated when it was discovered that CJHDevCo illegally sublet to the investors’ cabins, condo units and golf shares for 50 straight years when the BCDA actual sub-leases were good for only 25 years.

With this gargantuan responsibility, Casanova will face many more challenges ahead. But learning from life’s experiences, he can and will rise to the challenge. Not many know that Arnel comes from a poor family and worked his way up to become the top honcho of BCDA by dabbling in all sorts of odd jobs as an ice cream vendor and crew of a food chain. Poverty did not deter him to achieve his life’s goals. When he talks about his life journey, especially before the Overseas Filipino Workers’ leadership and social entrepreneurship classes teaches for us, Arnel never fails to move and inspire our students.

A humble and hardworking man, Arnel Casanova has shown us that true grit and determination can overcome all sorts of adversities. With his vision and character we can safely say that we have in him a good steward of the bases land, part of our national patrimony

It is noteworthy to point out that the victory of China against Japan is an achievement separate from its phenomenal economic growth. The military parade was intended to remind all countries that never again will they allow aggression and humiliation to be inflicted upon their people. There is in the West a continuing denial in China’s attempt to correlate that it is doing everything to prevent another war. Japan and the US refuse to accept the postulate that as China’s economic interest grows, it would necessitate the safeguarding of those legitimate interests. They refuse to accept that the same US Pivot Asia policy and the change in Japan’s pacifist constitution to allow its armed forces to participate in military operations outside its territory have engendered the same suspicion why China has

to build up its own armed forces, and the nexus that made China and Russia closer in their relations unprecedented since the Second World War. The speculative thought that China is about expand its sphere of influence by becoming another hegemon is exactly the opposite to the reassuring statement made by President Xi Jing Ping during the celebration saying that China “will continue to adhere to the same doctrine not to commit aggression, but will be firm to maintain the same strategic defense in securing it sovereignty.” China’s expanding economic role that now stretches from Latin America to Africa is the root of that xenophobic fear for which many developing countries gravitate towards it for the building of their infrastructure.

China’s offer to share its economic prosperity is not

fear for a possible war, but a US fear of political isolation that in simplest connotation means the decline of its influence in Asia.

This now has forced nations to redraw their attitude towards that China, not on the basis of ideological allegiance, but on the basis of the political realities of extending a modus vivendi to increase economic ties under the new system of partnership introduced by China. This became apparent when South Korean President Park Geun-hye and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki–moon attended the victory day parade. Japan has complained about the presence of the UN Secretary General, while the US tried to put diplomatic pressure for President Park not to attend. In any case, the US failed to analyze that China achieved a diplomatic coup applying the

tested approach of “winwin” diplomacy.

Maybe North Korean President Kim Jung-un has his reason not to attend.

Nonetheless, one cannot set aside the possibility that China provided the North Korean President the assurance that South Korea will not start another war in the peninsula.

South Korea, on the other hand, is just as eager to strengthen its economic ties with China which was rather accelerated because of its growing rift with Japan over those islands in the North China Sea and the unsettled issue of compensation for the Korean women who were forced into prostitution during the war, which Japan refuses to make an apology.

Moreover, South Korea has doubts that North Korea planted the land mine.

Rather, it has more reasons to suspect it was done to provoke another war which Continued on A11

Facebook Page: Dean Tony La Vina Twitter: tonylavs

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OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA THE worsening traffic problem in Metro Manila is not entirely hopeless. Banning more vehicles from Edsa on the basis of the numbers on their license plates is not the solution. Only the rich who have many vehicles will benefit from that arrangement.

The solution lies with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Philippine National Police.

Major roadways must be identified. That list must include EDSA, C-5, and South Super Highway, as well as Rizal, Quirino, Recto, Taft, and Lacson, avenues; España, Quezon, Roxas, Magsaysay, and Ayala boulevards; and Padre Burgos, Legarda, Pedro Gil, Victorino Mapa, and Nagtahan streets (in Manila); Santolan, Quezon, Pedro Tuason, Amoranto, Commonwealth, Katipunan, Araneta, Rodriguez, Roosevelt, Visayas, Congressional, Tomas Morato, Hemady, Gilmore, North, East, West, and Timog avenues; and Aurora Boulevard and Banawe Street (in Quezon City); Ayala, Puyat, and Makati avenues; Pasong Tamo, Pasay Road, and J.P. Rizal Street (in Makati); and Ortigas, Meralco, and Boni avenues; and Shaw and Pasig boulevards, and General Kalentong and Wilson streets (in Pasig and Mandaluyong) Traffic policemen and MMDA personnel must be visible at regu-

Candidate..From A9 Those supportive of Duterte think that unlike the indecisive and weak Mar Roxas, Duterte is the strong leader they are looking for.

Two, Duterte is from the South and this appeals to voters from outside of “imperial Manila”. I have heard not a few say that for a change, it is time to have a president from Visayas or Mindanao. They say that previous presidents from Luzon neglected our people from these two areas.

It will not hurt Duterte that he is from Mindanao, the “dangerous” land in the eyes of other countries even if Mindanao is composed of many provinces most of which are relatively peaceful. A Duterte presidency they say will bring better governance and development to the south.

Three, Duterte can boast of his track record as Davao City Mayor. While VP Binay claims Makati as his model for what he wants to do for the country, Digong can very well make

METRO TRAFFIC MESS CAN BE SOLVED lar intervals along these major roads to ensure that traffic moves smoothly at all times. The theory is that if traffic along these major roads moves continuously, even at a slow pace, traffic elsewhere in the metropolis will move continuously as well. Any movement, no matter how slow, as long as it is continuous, is better than being stationary. Basic traffic regulations must be strictly enforced along these roadways.

Parking along these major roads must be prohibited at all times. Vehicles stopping at any destination along these roads must be assisted in getting off the main road as fast as possible.

Public utility vehicles, including taxicabs, using major roads must load and unload passengers only at designated stops there. After staying there for a maximum of 100 seconds, the vehicles must move on and yield space for the next set of vehicles which need to use the stop. No person shall be allowed to alight from any moving vehicle.

The fast lane (the one nearest the center island) must be rid of slow-moving vehicles. Public utility buses and jeepneys as well as taxicabs with or without passengers must stay only on the outermost lane, except when they are overtaking. Tricycles, bicycles, pedicabs, pushcarts and similar means of movement must be prohibited from major

the prosperous, highly urbanized, peaceful, orderly, and clean Davao City his showcase. And his city is the biggest in the country, making it harder to govern than Makati. Anyone who goes there will instantly notice the absence of garbage on the streets, the prosperity of the place, and the orderliness of things.

The mayor from the South has an advantage over the VP here. He is seen as “clean.” He is not implicated in any graft and corruption-related controversy unlike Binay.

His achievements and long experience as mayor show his capability as an executive, something that is ideal for someone who wants to be president.

Thus, unlike Senator Grace Poe, nobody can say that he is incapable or unprepared for the post.

Four, people can identify with Mayor Digong. Unlike Roxas who is seen as too elitist, Duterte exudes a kind of personality that ordinary people seem to like. He is a different kind of Binay in this regard. The

China.. From A10 South Korea would have more to lose but noting to gain in having to wage war with its northern brothers.

South Korea perhaps drew their lesson to what happened to Japan.

roads at all times.

Motorcycles should be disallowed from major roads during the rush hours. Unlike conventional vehicles, motorcycles can still reach their destinations using minor streets during the rush hours. When on major roads, motorcycles must stay on the designated motorcycle lanes.

Vehicles involved in collisions must be photographed by MMDA personnel immediately.

After that, the vehicles must proceed to the nearest police station or MMDA office for any unfinished matters. Stalled vehicles should be pushed to the nearest gasoline station by the driver concerned, with the assistance of traffic personnel. When no gasoline station is in sight, the vehicle must be pushed to the nearest sidewalk which can accommodate the vehicle. The owner of the stalled vehicle must pay a fine, and he must retrieve the vehicle within a specified period or face punitive consequences.

The number-coding rule on license plates must be strictly enforced. No vehicle shall be allowed to use special plates.

Non-police vehicles displaying any secondary plate, or sticker, or sign identifying it with police authorities, the military service, an organization with an extensive network (like the Freemasons), or any law enforcement agency (like the National Bureau of In-

latter obviously courts the “masa” votes by playing the “poor versus rich” card to the hilt. Duterte does not. Yet, he does not alienate ordinary folk.

Perhaps it is his “cowboy”, denim-clad look, and his easily understood, straightforward manner of speaking that give people that “he-is-one-of-us” impression. Think Robin Padilla, or even Erap Estrada minus the movie star looks.

Duterte has that goon-butgentle “charm” that people like and identify with.

Thus, it is no wonder why Digong Duterte’s support base is growing.

Having said these, however, I do not think that it will be an easy campaign for Duterte should he decide to run.

One, like Poe, he has yet to build his machinery and this takes time and a lot of resources. Here, Roxas and Binay have the advantage.

The first will surely rely on administration machinery while the second has been establishing his for years. Digong will need to fast-track his organizing if

Japan’s economy continues to suffer as trade with China continues to decline. The US policy has not been able to fill up that gap lest reciprocate to the vacuum for supporting its policy. This now spells out the correctness in China’s perseverance

vestigation), shall be prohibited from all roads at all times. Vehicles with red government plates, or those which are marked “for official use only” shall not be allowed on the major roadways during the morning and evening rush hours. Vehicles with lownumbered plates shall not be exempted from the rules.

All vehicles using any road in the metropolis must have the requisite license plates. The use of “for registration” labels and stickers shall be allowed for a limited period only. Government vehicles, including those of police, military, and law enforcement agencies shall not be exempted from this requirement.

Only ambulances on emergency trips and police vehicles on official calls may use their sirens along major roadways. Motorcycle policemen shall not be permitted to escort private vehicles and vehicles used by government officials. These cops should be monitoring traffic along major roads. The entourage of the President of the Philippines may be exempted from this rule.

Drivers of public utility vehicles must obtain professional driver’s licenses issued by the Land Transportation Office.

They must display it on the dashboard for easy visual recognition. This will discourage unauthorized persons from driving public utility vehicles and adding

he wants to run a national campaign and his votes guarded.

Because he comes from the South, does not come from a big known political family, Duterte will need to be introduced in a strong way to the electorate. Name recall needs to be established.

Finances is another matter. He is certainly not poor but it will be interesting if groups will invest in him given his “reputation”. It is no secret that running for national office here requires lots and lots of money.

Lastly, Duterte should be prepared for the attacks coming his way. Now that he is in the radar, he will surely be hit for his highhandedness and colorful human rights record.

If he finally decides to run, Duterte may be the dark horse in 2016. His journey would be interesting to follow. bethangsioco@gmail.com @bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on FaceBook

for a win-win formula as an alternative to the confrontational approach that is meant to satisfy the lust for chauvinism which in the end, nobody wins. rpkapunan@gmail.com

to the traffic mess.

Smoke-belching vehicles must be impounded immediately because they force motorists behind them to shift lanes indiscriminately. The rear of owner-type private jeeps must be painted to prevent them from reflecting the headlights of the vehicle behind them. Vehicles with no front or rear lights, and those without brake lights, must be impounded immediately.

Trucks, delivery panels, and heavy vehicles may use specific roads only during the late night and very early morning hours.

These vehicles must be confined to the truck lanes at all times.

Schools located along major roads must be required to plan for the compulsory use of school buses or public transportation for their students. Vehicles bringing children to and fetching them from school should not convert the roadway into a private parking lot or waiting station.

U-turns along major roads should be allowed only under flyovers and bridges.

Traffic cops and MMDA personnel must be visible along major roadways even at nighttime.

This way, trucks and heavy vehicles will be forced to comply with traffic rules, reckless and drunken driving will be discouraged, and road accidents (which will cause traffic jams in the morning rush hours) can be kept to a minimum.

A show.. From A9 Hungary, an EU member, is the entry point of the flood of refugees from the conflicts in Syria and Iraq. Having crossed the borders of nonEU members Macedonia and Serbia, the refugees should have been given asylum by Hungary but the migrants preferred to go to economic power Germany in search of a better life.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel who said Germany would take in 800,000 migrants called on other EU countries to share a quota of accepting migrants. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, insensitive to the world outcry over the human suffering, said the migrants are Germany’s problem. Orban disregarded that thousands of Hungarians persecuted by the Nazis during World War II were given sanctuary in Canada.

British Prime Minister David Cameron, on the other hand, maintains his hard line stand against migration and suggests solving the problem at the source— sending in troops to staunch the ISIS scourge in Syria and Iraq. That makes sense, but the British PM stopped short of saying Britain is ready to join a United Nations coalition force to do the job.

UAE got its way No matter how you look at it, the granting of additional flights by the Civil Aeronautics Board to both national flag carrier Philippine Airlines and Gulf carriers Emirates and Etihad was a victory for the foreign airlines. The 28 flights a week were increased to 35, “in line with the country’s open skies policy to develop alternate gateways to Manila by including a provision the ME carriers also fly to Clark and Cebu,” explained CAB Executive Director Carmelo Arcilla.

The bright side to the air accord is that PAL and Cebu Pacific obtained additional fifth freedom traffic rights to fly onward from the United Arab Emirates to any country like the US, the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia which improves their connectivity and viability.

While PAL and Cebu Pacific, which earlier opposed the additional flights, signed the air service memorandum of understanding with UAE, the local carriers still have the option not to avail of the additional flights which might be more than the market can bear. The Gulf carriers, stateowned and heavily subsidized by their governments, would have the undue advantage to offer cheaper fares attractive to overseas Filipinos workers in the Middle East.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Rory, Jordan, Jason battling for no. 1 N O R T O N — Rory McIlroy is confident he can hold on to his world number one ranking at the Deutsche Bank Championship that tees off Friday, even with Jordan Spieth and Jason Day breathing down his neck.

Lady Eagles seek sweep, eye no. 1 Games today 12:45 p.m. – Ateneo vs NU 3 p.m. – UST vs FEU

ATENEO and National University finally come face-toface in what could be a preview of the championship with the Lady Eagles seeking to formalize their claim on No. 1 via sweep and the Lady Bulldogs trying to steal the top spot heading to the semifinal round of the Shakey’s VLeague Season 12-Collegiate Conference at The Arena in San Juan City.

The league’s top two teams are coming into the keenly awaited 12:45 p.m. duel brimming with confidence following three emphatic victories in the quarters with the Lady Eagles dropping just one set in disposing of University of the Philippines, Arellano U and Far Eastern U and preserving their unbeaten run and a 6-0 slate.

But the Lady Bulldogs turned in a more impressive record, scoring expected sweeps over La Salle-Dasmariñas and St. Benilde and shutting down title contender UST in three last week to improve to 5-1.

That makes today’s (Saturday) duel doubly interesting with the Bulldogs hoping to use their height advantage to the hilt and neutralize and stop the Alyssa Valdez-powered Lady Eagles for a crack at the coveted spot.

The match will be shown live on GMA News TV Channel 11 and can also be viewed live via streaming on www.v-league.ph, according to the organizing Sports Vision.

A victory by NU in three or four sets will net the Lady Bulldogs the No. 1 spot in the Final Four and a clash with the No. 4 squad.

F1 practice. Williams Martini Racing’s Brazilian driver Felipe Massa is pictured ahead of the first practice session at the Autodromo Nazionale circuit in Monza ahead of the Italian Formula One Grand Prix. AFP

Gatorade, UEFA ink partnership GATORADE expanded on its recent three-year partnership with football’s most-watched annual sporting event, UEFA Champions League, as part of a PepsiCo multibrand partnership that includes as flagship global brands Pepsi Max, Lay’s and Gatorade.

Formally designated as the tournament’s “Official Sports Drink,” Gatorade will receive access to field boards, product at pre-post game press conferences as well as access and usage of UEFA Champions League video footage, static imagery and the tournament logo on pack and in-store.

“As the global leader in sports fuel, Gatorade is a prestigious brand that is associated with many of the world’s premier athletes, teams and leagues, so this new partnership is a natural fit,” said Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA Champions League’s SA Marketing Director. “Gatorade has been researching and developing its products for the past 50 years, and we are looking forward to using the

products and services, as well as the scientific knowledge they can offer our medical experts and players.”

Most importantly, this partnership allows Gatorade to highlight its current player and team partnerships with four-time UEFA Champions League winner Lionel Messi, rising star James Rodriguez as well as partner clubs Arsenal FC, FC Barcelona (reigning Champions League winner) and Juventus FC (reigning Champions League runner-up).

By aligning with the sport’s most prolific athletes, Gatorade continues to expand its growing reach in global football. It is currently the official sports fuel partner for more than 50 football clubs across 12 countries worldwide, including the Brazilian men’s national team, prominent clubs Arsenal F.C., Liverpool F.C., FC Barcelona and Juventus F.C. “The UEFA Champions League features the most elite players and clubs in global football. Through our new partnership, we hope to help

improve the performance of these premier footballers while expanding awareness of our commitment toward fueling football players and aspiring athletes around the world,” said Brett O’Brien, Gatorade’s general manager and senior vice president.

“We look forward to bringing our research-backed sports fuel solutions and services, as well as our sports science knowledge to the participating teams and players.”

The UEFA Champions League Final is the world’s most watched annual sporting event. The final on Saturday (June 6, 2015) was aired in more than 200 countries, reaching an estimated 400 million viewers, with an anticipated average live match viewership of 180 million. The season from the Play-Offs to Final runs over 17 match weeks with a total of 145 games. The league provides more than 110,000 hours of TV content over a season and audiences are significant regionally and globally, with 1.1 billion unique viewers of live match coverage worldwide.

All he has to do is play good golf.

“I’m sort of holding this ranking, I feel, based on how I played last year,” admitted McIlroy, whose 2015 campaign was disrupted by a left ankle injury that forced him out of the British Open.

“But I’ve got a good run of events coming up to put another couple of wins on the board before the end of the year, and I feel I’m playing well enough to do that.”

McIlroy regained the world number one ranking last week without lifting a club when Spieth missed the cut at the Barclays to bring his twoweek reign at the top to an end.

Day, who reached a career-high third in the world with his PGA Championship triumph last month, won the Barclays to give himself a shot at the summit this week as well.

His 10.99 average world ranking points put him just 1.36 points behind the 12.35 of McIlroy, with Spieth in the middle on 12.22.

Before teeing off, at least, each man was willing to defer to another when asked who’s the best right now.

“You’d have to say Jordan,” said McIlroy, pointing to the 22-year-old Spieth’s two major titles among four wins in 2015.

AFP

PH team bags medals in memory tilt

The members of the Avesco Philippine team that competed in the 1st Asia International Memory Championships are shown here, namely (from left) Coach Anne Bernadette Bonita, GMM Erwin Balines, Jan Jelo Juanir, Maynard Lim and Rochelle Adajar.

GRANDMASTER of Memory Erwin Balines placed third overall and 10-yearold Jan Jelo Juanir bagged a gold medal in the Kids’ division as the AvescoPhilippine team held its ground against powerhouse teams in the region at the 1st Asia International Memory Championships held last week in Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong.

Balines collected two golds, one silver and five bronze medals and finished with 5,608 points overall behind two Mongolians.

Topping the championship was GMM Sengesamdan Ulziikhutag, with 7,141 points followed by Purevjav Erdenesaikhan with 5,986 points.

Balines, however, earned the title of Asian Master of Memory after fulfilling the following memory requirements: 700

digits in 30 minutes; 7 decks of cards in 30 minutes, one deck of cards in 70 seconds and scoring at least 4,000 points in the tournament.

Juanir, on the other hand, won the gold in Abstract Images and a bronze in Historic and Future Dates in his first mind sport tournament abroad.

The student of St. Joseph School of Lawang Bato in Valenzuela City is slated to compete in the 1st Taiwan Memory Championship in October and the 2015 China World Memory Championship in December.

The other members of the AvescoPhilippine team sent here by the Philippine Mind Sports Association Inc. are Maynard Alberto Lim and Rochelle Adajar. The head of delegation is coach Anne Bernadette Bonita.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Crashed drone sparks US Open security scare NEW YORK—A drone crashed at the US Open Thursday, causing a match to be interrupted after it flew over the Flushing Meadows complex.

The drone crashed in the corner of the Louis Armstrong Stadium in the latter stages of a women’s singles clash between Italy’s Flavia Pennetta and Monica Niculescu of Romania.

“I feared the drone was a bomb,” Pennetta told www. tennisworlditalia.com.

“With all the news out there, I thought it was over. My team was so scared.”

US Open organizers said the incident was under investigation.

“At approximately 8:27pm on Thursday, a drone flying from the east flew into the southwest corner of Louis Armstrong Stadium during the Flavia Pennetta vs.

Monica Niculescu match,” said a tournament spokesman.

“No spectators were in the immediate area of the crash and there were no injuries.

“The New York Police Department (NYPD) responded and is conducting an ongoing investigation.”

There was a similar incident at Wimbledon in July as some of the world’s top players warmed up for the Grand Slam in south-west London.

Police were alerted to a man flying a drone over the All England Club from a nearby golf course in contravention of British law, which states that it is an offence to fly a drone within 50 metres of a structure. AFP

Andy Murray of the UK takes a break in play against Adrian Mannarino of France during the 2015 US Open men’s singles round two match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. AFP

Federer cruises past foe, Murray dodges upset ax NEW YORK—Five-time champion Roger Federer strolled into the US Open third round on Thursday as fellow old-timer Lleyton Hewitt bid farewell in trademark fighting style.

On a dramatic day which saw a record created for the longest women’s match, and a new Grand Slam high for retirements from the men’s tournament, Andy Murray escaped his earliest exit in 10 years when he came back from two sets down to make the last 32.

There was also a late security scare when a drone crashed into the corner of Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Then, after midnight, 2009 and 2014 runner-up Caroline

Wozniacki, the fourth seed, was knocked out by Czech world number 149 Petra Cetkovska who saved four match points to win 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (7/1).

Cetkovska, who recently missed seven months of action with a hip injury, committed 60 unforced errors but unleashed 60 winners.

World number two Federer, the 17-time Grand Slam champion, needed just 80 minutes to rout Belgium’s Steve Darcis 6-1, 6-2, 6-1.

The 34-year-old Swiss star,

who was champion from 2004-2008 and runner-up in 2009, goes on to face German 29th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber.

Federer has lost just nine games in the first two rounds, his fewest in 16 appearances.

“Very often I started this tournament quite strong.

It’s always gone quite well for me,” said Federer.

“I’ve always enjoyed conditions here, the balls, the speed of the court, the atmosphere in the arena. It’s always worked very well for me.”

Darcis later tweeted that playing Federer was like facing “a Martian.”

Third seed and 2012 champion Murray came

back from two sets down to defeat tiring Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 5-7, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Murray goes on to face Brazilian 30th seed Thomaz Bellucci for a place in the last 16.

Murray, 28, who had needed four sets to beat Nick Kyrgios in the opening round, fired 21 aces while Mannarino was undone by 61 unforced errors.

- Record 12 men quit Former world number one Hewitt, the champion in 2001, made a dramatic farewell battling from two sets down and having two match points before losing to fellow Australian Bernard Tomic on a rocking

Grandstand court.

In his final match in New York, the 34-year-old fell 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 5-7, 7-5 after three hours and 27 minutes after his 57th career five-set match.

Hewitt will retire after January’s Australian Open.

“I would have liked to have been able to enjoy it a bit more,” said Hewitt who was described as a “legend” by Tomic.

“But obviously when it’s so tight, especially in the fifth set, you’re just trying to find a way to obviously get across the line.”

America’s Jack Sock and Denis Istomin retired from their matches as they wilted in the 33-degree Celsius (91.4 F) heat. AFP

Marcial reaches welter finals Fillies’ showdown in Philracom of Asian boxing tournament GENTLE Strength topbills this year’s P720,000, second placer P270,000, BANGKOK—Eumir Felix Marcial relied heavily on his vaunted left to beat Japan’s Suzuki Yasuhiro, 2-1, and reach the welterweight finals of the ASBC Asian Boxing Championships at the Thammasat University Gymnasium.

The 19-year-old Marcial has now won four fights in this event that drew close to 200 of the finest boxers from 33 Asian nations.

In Saturday’s finals, the native of Zamboanga, who joined the Philippine team only four years ago will meet Kazakhstan’s Daniyar Yeleussinov, the top seed.

Regardless of what happens in the finals, Marcial is already assured of a slot to the AIBA World Championships from

Oct. 5 to 15 in Doha, Qatar, a qualifying event for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

“Patay na kung patay,” said Marcial after his hard-heard win over the taller Japanese, a 28-year-old veteran of the 2012 London Olympics.

Yasuhiro, also a southpaw, connected with his quick jabs early on as Marcial started slow.

But once the Filipino got going, his left straights started to connect.

In the second round, Marcial hurt the Japanese with solid blows to the head, also going to the body, and it seemed to slow Yasuhiro’s down.

Marcial won on the scorecards of the judges from Morocco and Finland, and lost in the eyes of the judge from Russia.

Philippine Racing Commission Lakambini Stakes mile on Sunday, at the Philippine Racing Club’s Santa Ana Park.

The winner of last Sunday’s Mayor Ramon Bagatsing Sr. Cup (Div. I) at San Lazaro Leisure Park, Gentle Strength will compete against five other fillies in the Lakambini – Joseph Dyhengco’s coupled entries Burbank and Stargazer, Honorato Neri’s Court of Honor, Lolita Tañala’s Leona Lolita, and SC Stockfarm’s Princess Ella.

“The Lakambini,” said Philracom Chairman Andrew A. Sanchez, “like all our agency-sponsored stakes races, provides incentives for the development of the sport and of Philippine Thoroughbreds.”

Philracom allotted P1.2 million in total prizes. The winner will receive

third P150,000, and fourth P60,000.

There is also a purse of P50,000 to the breeder of the winning horse (if it is local-bred).

Gentle Strength, owned by Mandaluyong City Mayor Benhur Abalos, bested seven others over 1,750-meters to win via photo finish in the Bagatsing Cup. Like Gentle Strength, Court of Honor is also a stayer, the longshot winner of the 1,800-meter Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office Silver Cup last June 14, also at Santa Ana Park. Princess Ella is a multiple-stakes winner, while the others could pull off an upset under favorable conditions.

“Racing fans are sure to enjoy this year’s edition of the Lakambini,” said Sanchez, “and appreciate the talents of these fillies competing at the elite level.”

Marikina Watershed fun run set THE most awaited advocacy run in Marikina will be held this Sept. 20. Dubbed “Takbo para sa Marikina Watershed,” the event will start at 6 a.m. at the Marikina River Park and expected to be supported by at least 5,000 runners.

This event, held in the city every year since 2012, aims to gather funds for the continuous tree-planting project and rehabilitation of the 220 hectares of the 27,000-hectare Marikina Watershed.

Twenty-eight million trees must be planted and grown at the Marikina Watershed for it to effectively retain rain water and prevent swelling of the rivers, which eventually causes flooding like what happened on Sept. 26, 2009 when Typhoon Ondoy inundated Marikina, Metro Manila, and nearby provinces.

Marikina Mayor Del De Guzman urged everyone to support the Takbo para sa Marikina Watershed advocacy.

“We have to plant more trees because according to the Marikina Watershed Initiative, the watershed’s forest cover is only at 2030%. In 2009, it was at 10%,” De Guzman said.

Interested individuals who want to run may sign up at registration sites located at the Marikina City Hall (Community Relations Office and Office of the Mayor). They can also register at Takbo para sa Marikina Watershed booths at SM Marikina, SM San Mateo, SM Masinag, CMP Mall, and Riverbanks Mall.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Korean lass humbles local aces for title

LIPA City, Batangas—Amateur Hwang Min Jeong steeled herself up in the stretch and drilled in a seven-foot birdie putt on No. 16 to beat Princess Superal and Cyna Rodriguez by two and snare the ICTSI Mt. Malarayat Ladies Classic crown with a closing 68 at Mt. Malarayat’s composite courses here yesterday.

With the pressure mounting in the closing holes, Hwang showed poise rarely seen in a 14-year-old lass, knocking down that clutch birdie then watching Superal crack with a bogey after the missing the par-4 16th green.

The two-shot swing all but settled the fierce chase for the crown that included Rodriguez as Hwang stretched her shaky one-stroke lead to a big three-shot margin before parring the last two holes to clinch the win at six-under 210.

“There was so much pressure in the last three holes and I thought I would lose my lead and the title,” said Hwang, who erased Superal’s overnight one-shot lead with a 35 at the front, moved up by one with a birdie on No. 10 then matched her fancied rival’s pars and a birdie in the next five holes before pulling away on the 16th.

“I actually didn’t watch Superal hit her shots and just concentrated on my game,” said Hwang, a mainstay of Riviera and Grade 9 student at Holy Infant School in Muntinlupa.

With her father Korean pro Hwang Yun Suk as her lone supporter, Hwang also bucked the pressure from the local gallery rooting for a Filipina victory in the event backed by Nike Golf, Pacsports, Custom Clubmakers and Sharp.

It was a sorry setback for Superal, who came into the final round upbeat of her chances for a second pro win after seizing control with a 70 in the second round. The top ICTSI-The Country Club bet fumbled with a bogey on No. 4 but went 2-up with a birdie on the par-5 No. 5 which Hwang bogeyed.

Cobras use 9-man rotation to turn back Webmasters

By Mikey Izumi

Hwang Min Jeong shows her champion and low amateur trophies after ruling the ICTSI Mt. Malarayat Ladies Classic at Mt. Malarayat’s composite courses in Batangas.

Mayweather may quit boxing, end up in movies

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

UNDEFEATED pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. may quit boxing like he insisted he would, after his Sept.

12 showdown with Andre Berto and instead wind up in the movies.

Mayweather, in a conference call last Wednesday, revealed he had received three major movie offers the past week.

“I’ve been approached on numerous occasions (to act), but I’d rather be behind the scenes. I’ve had my time to shine,” said Mayweather, adding that he was having no second

thoughts about giving up boxing.

Although both Mayweather Jr. and Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe have both insisted his fight against Berto will be his last when a victory would help him equal the undefeated 49-0 record of heavyweight champion Rocky Mar-

ciano, few people believe them and figure he will go after win No. 50 so he could break the record.

Both the media and fight fans have criticized Mayweather for choosing Berto as his next opponent, pointing out that the challenger has lost three of his last six fights and is a huge 16-1 underdog.

Berto, however, insisted he has the speed and the power to beat Mayweather.

Reacting to the criticism over his choice of Berto, Mayweather said: “When you are in my shoes, they are always going to criticize. That comes with the territory.”

Taking an adversarial stance against critics, Mayweather indicated he couldn’t care less what people think or say.

“Nobody is forced to watch. Watch if you want to watch; don’t watch if you don’t want to watch. Write about it if you want to write about it, if you don’t want to write about it, don’t.”

While most boxing pundits have written off the 31-year-old Berto, Mayweather insisted he is taking his opponent seriously and says he is training harder than he did for fight against eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao in a showdown billed as the

“Fight of the Century” last May 2, which Mayweather won by a 12-round unanimous decision.

Berto’s best chance against the defensive skills of Mayweather is believed to be an aggressive stance and Mayweather himself noted that his foe “ has nothing to lose and when you have a guy that has nothing to lose, that makes him work that much harder. He’s got a chance to be the top guy in the sport when I’m through... anything can happen, so I’m prepared and in top shape, as I’m sure he is. But I’m not going to overlook this guy.”

Arum expects Pacquiao to retire in 2016 LOS ANGELES—Manny Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum says the Filipino boxer is ready to hang up his gloves after one more fight in 2016 and then make the switch to being a full-time politician.

Arum told the Los Angeles Times on Thursday night that the 36-year-old Pacquiao wants to get on with his political career and run for the Senate in

the Philippines.

“I believe he’ll take one more fight, then run for the Senate in the Philippines,” Arum told the newspaper in a telephone interview from China.

“He could fight twice more, I guess, but it sets up better for him to fight, then run.”

Pacquiao lost a unanimous decision to Floyd Mayweather in Las

Vegas four months ago in a fight that Pacquiao fought with a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder.

Pacquiao then underwent surgery after the Mayweather fight which generated a record 4.4 million pay-per-view buys.

Arum told the Times it is unlikely Pacquiao and Mayweather could fight again.

“From what I’ve heard, May-

weather is retiring,” Arum said.

“I guess they could fight again, but many things would have to happen.”

Mayweather has said his next fight against Andre Berto on September 12 in Las Vegas would be his last, but few are taking him seriously after he made the same claim about several of his most recent title fights. AFP

CEBU City—The defending champion Southwestern University Cobras used their 9-man rotation to the hilt in fashioning out a convincing 74-60 victory over University of Cebu in the 15th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum on Thursday.

The win tied the Cobras with the University of Visayas Gren Lancers at second place on similar 5-2 cards, behind solo leader University of San Carlos Warriors at 6-1.

Both teams shot miserably from the three-point area with SWU making only six of 20 tries and UC shooting a dismal 7-of-56. The Cobras also had a difficult time offensively and led by only two points, 15-13, at the end of the first period.

SWU, however, finally wrested control in the second period, as they started using their size advantage to take a 35-28 halftime lead and never looked back from there as they imposed their size and depth with a big 59-39 rebounding edge.

Jesse Bautista led the Cobras with a doubledouble of 20 points and 13 rebounds, while Jovanie Luz had 14 points and four assists. But it was former UC Webmaster and now SWU Cobra Jan Michael Auditor, who stole the show as he was named Best Player of the Game by Viva Sports TV panelists Rico Navarro and Sandi Grumo with his season-high 14 points and four rebounds.

Justine Dacalos was the only Webmaster, who scored in double figures with 11 points, along with eight rebounds and 3 assists.

SWU improved to 5-2 and tied the UV Green Lancers for second place in the team standings, while UC fell to 3-4, tied with the Cebu Institute of Technology-University Wildcats for the fourth spot.

In the juniors’ division, the University of San Carlos Baby Warriors bounced back from a from 29-37 secondquarter deficit to beat the University of San JoseRecoletos Baby Jaguars, 73-58.

USC improved to 5-2, while USJ-R dropped to 4-3.

S AT U R D AY : S E P T E M B E R 5 , 2 0 1 5

A15

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

LOTTO RESULTS 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 4 DIGITS 00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

Inside story of Daquel’s IBO win on Main Event

By Ronnie Nathanielsz GET a riveting inside look at what young Rene Dacquel went through in his International Boxing Organization International super flyweight title victory in East London, South Africa on “The Main Event” over Pinoy Box Office on Sky Cable this Saturday at 8:30 p.m. with a replay at

A deeply emotional calling THE continuing campaign on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, RONNIE castigating Philippine BasNATHANIELSZ ketball Association teams over their failure to release key players to the national pool preparing for the FIBA Asia Championships in China on Sept. 23 , has brought into sharp focus the reality that the PBA or at least some of its team owners, don’t share the vision of the eminent businessman-sportsman Manny Pangilinan and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and the millions of Filipinos, who love the sport with a passion and have sustained their support for our national team.

The cheering Filipino overseas workers at the games of Gilas Pilipinas in the Jones Cup in Chinese Taipei, win or lose, demonstrates a togetherness that is commendable.

The graphic illustrations posted by average Filipino basketball fans and men and women who love our country and support our Gilas team and its individual members, as well as coach Tab Baldwin, no matter what the odds, send a telling message to those who simply refuse to set aside their rivalries in business and in sports for the sake of the country and its rightful place in the international arena.

Let’s be honest. When the defunct and decrepit Basketball Association of the Philippines or BAP, led by a motley group of individuals with no sense of integrity fell from grace of the international governing body —FIBA—as the Manny Pangilinan-led SBP put substance to its vision and redeemed our country’s stature in the basketball arenas of the world, there were those whose traits of jealousy surfaced with their actions, giving us an idea of how individual selfishness could set aside any over-riding commitment to a just cause of the Philippines.

Regrettably, we see this in Philippine sports and in national society where some individuals and factions are showing an increasingly distressing tendency to divide rather than to unite and to try to tear down rather than to build.

Making do with what he has in terms of players, coach Baldwin has done an amazing job, most important of which has been to build team chemistry and a deep sense of playing for each other and our country and savoring a sense of pride in so doing.

Unfortunately, the unbridled pride shown by the players in the Jones Cup squad and the inherent pride and joy demonstrated by the fans in Taipei, who carry placards, cheer themselves hoarse and dance to the delight of the TV 5 panelists and the millions following the action on television, contrast dramatically with the senseless attitude of some PBA teams, whose personal peeves have engulfed them in an inexplicable reflection of utter pettiness that has drawn the ire of the public.

A telling point in this entire episode has been the sterling qualities demonstrated by Los Angeles Lakers outstanding rookie Jordan Clarkson, who has committed himself totally to the national team and immersed himself in the vision of the SBP. Proud to be Pinoy and showing us by his actions on the sidelines of the Gilas bench that he has the inherent traits of a good and decent Filipino as he cheers his teammates on with rare enthusiasm and even serves as a water boy at times, makes those players, who failed to show the guts to tell their team owners what they want and to be ready to face the consequences, look like small-time mercenaries, who haven’t the courage to put the country’s calling over and above the demands of their teams and their management.

Yet these same so-called PBA stars, whose very lives are protected by our men in uniform, who brave the dangers inherent in their job for which they earn a comparative pittance and at times die in the line of duty, simply haven’t the decency and good-sense to stand up and be counted in the service of our country.

“Para sa Bayan,” a deeply emotional calling apparently means nothing to these men and their managers, who continue to ignore the calls to re-think their position.

They indeed are men with no sense of national pride!

INSIDE SPORTS

10:30 a.m. on Sunday.

Hardly ever has a Filipino boxer taken the long and grueling flight to South Africa and returned home a winner.

But the 24-year-old Dacquel still emerged triumphant, after he was befriended by a Filipino, who has lived in South Africa for over 30 years in South Africa and looked after him, and well-

known matchmaker Art Monis accompanied the former Philippine super flyweight champion during their stay.

Dacquel will reveal a fascinating story of how, after he lost his title to Jonas Sultan because he had hardly trained, he was determined to go to South Africa and beat the odds against the bigger South African champion Thembelani Nxoshe.

He said he trained himself for the challenge, running up the hills of Antipolo until his legs ached and he ran out of breath.

Four weeks of hard training was, along with his faith in God, the key to his victory, where he dropped the South African champion three times, although the referee ruled the third clear knockdown a slip, en route to a split-decision victory.

UP tries to reverse fortunes th as UAAP’s 78 season starts

By Peter Atencio

WITH only a win to show last season, host University of the Philippines will try to reverse its fortunes starting with today’s opener against University of the East kicking off the 78th University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Maroons and the Warriors clash at 2 p.m., right after an hour-long glitzy opening ceremony, with the State University looking to start fresh under brand-new coach Rensy Bajar.

“We are excited to face UE. Hindi basta-bastang team ito.

Iba ang disiplina ng team na ito,” said Bajar.

The Maroons lost key players Mikee Reyes, Kyles Lao and Moriah Gingerich to graduation, leaving top gunners JR Gallarza and Mark Juruena to lead the team which had undergone serious rebuilding the

last six months.

Bong Galanza have left the Diego Dario, Henry Asilum team to join the pro ranks, and Dave Moralde are the oth- while big men Charles Mamers players expected to step up mie, Moustapha Arafat and for the Diliman-based squad, veteran guard Dan Alberto who will be up against a well- are also out of the roster. coached UE side.

Sumang decided to skip his But Warriors’ coach Der- final playing year, while Alberto rick Pumaren was declared ineligidownplayed his ble to play after using Games today team’s chances up his playing years.

(Araneta Coliseum) 2 p.m. • UE vs UP against the MaBut the Warriors roons, noting that 4 p.m. • UST vs Adamson remain a capable the State U squad team with veterare now a different team. ans Chris Javier, Paul Varilla, “We are the underdogs and RR de Leon. They also achere. We just have to be quired exciting guard Fran Yu, ready. The UP Maroons have a 5’10” rookie out of Chiang recruited, and have many Kai Shek College, along with good players,” said Pumaren. Jordan Sta. Ana and Philip Two UE scoring aces in Roi Manalang from the National Sumang and former skipper University High School.

Maldives’ midfielder Ashadh Ali (left) and the Philippines’ Stephan Markus Schrock fight for ball control in a friendly won by the Azkals, 2-0. BROSI GONZALES

PH Azkals, Maldives treat encounter like a workout THE Philippine Azkals and Maldives Red Snappers are getting ready to meet tough rivals in their World Cup qualifier campaign in five days’ time.

Both treated their friendly encounter on Thursday evening like a workout, with the Azkals coming away with a 2-0 victory over the Red Snappers at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

The Azkals got their first point in the second half from an own-goal by the Maldivians, when Mohammed Samdhooh tried to deflect the ball to the opposite direction.

Instead, Samdooh slotted the ball in the Red Snappers’ net in the 49th minute.

Then, the Azkals got another in the 55th

minute when Jerry Lucedo much to probe the Game Tuesday na scored a header from a (at the Philippine strength of the Azkals’ Sports Stadium) Kevin Ingreso assist.

8 p.m. • Philippines vs Uzbekistan 3-man backline.

Everything fell into They played without place after Stephan Schrock made a cross one of their best in Ali Ashfaq, who is top pass to the box. scorer of a Malaysian second-division team.

“We feel that if we play well, we can The Maldivians chose to rest Ashfaq, get good results,” said team skipper Phil who will be around when they meet Younghusband, who was referring to China for Tuesday’s game. their preparation for their coming showMaldives successfully kept the Philipdown with Uzbekistan. pines scoreless in the first half before the The Maldivians, on the other hand, Azkals managed to score in the second. have their own qualifying stint. They “The first half didn’t go the way we are headed to Shenyang to meet the wanted. I’m happy that Schrock and In84th-ranked China. greso played a great game. I’m pleased In the game, Maldives played with a that there were no injuries,” said Azkals very compact formation and did not coach Thomas Dooley.

A16

S AT U R D AY : S E P T E M B E R 5 , 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

Selfie with Steph.

National Basketball Association Golden State Warriors’ 2014-2015 season MVP Stephen Curry takes a selfie with Japan’s Under-18 players during a basketball clinic in Tokyo. Curry started his three-nation (Japan, China and Philippines) Under Armour Asia tour to promote the company’s limited basketball shoes, “UA Curry II”. AFP

Knights storm past Pirates

By Peter Atencio M A R K Cruz exploded with a seasonhigh eight triples as the Letran Knights stormed past the Lyceum Pirates, 74-57, yesterday in the 91st National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament at the San Juan Arena.

Cruz, who tallied 26 points and five rebounds, strung up five treys in the last seven minutes to send the Knights comfortably ahead. The Knights posted their 10th win in 12 matches to once again tie the San Beda Red Cubs for the lead.

Despite the win, Letran coach Aldin Ayo said they did not underestimate the Pirates, who he described as a “great team.”

“We are not surprised because we know Lyceum is a great team. Natutulog lang iyan,” said remarked Ayo. Jean Ngudjol fired 20 points and had 15 rebounds for the Pirates, who dropped to a 3-9 record. The Pirates played minus Joseph Gabayni, who is still serving a three-game suspension for playing in another tournament, while the season is going on.

The Pirates actually were able to overtake the Knights for t h e third and last time, 50-49, in the final 7:31 after Wilson Baltazar hit two freebies.

Games Tuesday (San Juan Arena) 10 a.m. • JRU vs Mapua (jrs) 12 nn • LPU vs Arellano (jrs) 2 p.m. • JRU vs Mapua (srs) 4 p.m. • LPU vs Arellano (srs)

Hontiveros turns back clock as Gilas nips NZ

By Jeric Lopez

LIKE wine, Dondon Hontiveros gets better with age.

Hontiveros, the second-oldest member in the line-up of Gilas Pilipinas at 38 years old after Asi Taulava (42), showed he still has what it takes to be a big-time go-to guy, scoring 11 of his 21 points in the extra period to lead the nationals to a come-from-behind 92-88 overtime victory against the New Zealand’s Wellington Saints in the 37th William Jones Cup Friday at the Xinchuang Gymnasium, Taipei.

Hontiveros stepped up big to fill the void left by leading scorer Terrence Romeo, who was sidelined

Murray struggles past foe TURN TO A13

by an ankle injury, knocking down three big triples in the extension that spelled the difference for the nationals.

With the win, the Philippines climbed into a tie for second place with Spartak of Russia and South Korea on identical 4-2 cards, while the Saints slid to 2-4 for sixth place.

Hontiveros’ third triple in overtime shattered an 84-84 deadlock and gave Gilas a slim 87-84 cushion with 1:17 remaining.

New Zealand responded with a two-pointer at the other end

to make it 88-86 in the final 20 seconds, but Asi Taulava, who finished with 12 points and six rebounds, hit a close jumper on a perfect feed from Marc Pingris to put the game on ice for the Filipinos, 90-86, with only seconds to go. The Kiwis scored again but time ran out of them.

While Hontiveros took over in the overtime, it was Jayson Castro, who sent the game into an extra period, sinking a tough, left-handed lay-up against heavy traffic to tie the game, 78-all, in regulation.

Castro led the nationals with a team-high 22 points and six rebounds.

The Philippines struggled in the first three periods as it trailed for

Pacman may retire in 2016 TURN TO A14

most part and even fell behind by 16 points twice late in the third quarter, before slicing the gap to a manageable 59-52 heading into the fourth.

From there, the nationals, led by Castro, battled back in the fourth with the prolific guard’s floater with 43 seconds remaining, finally tying the game at 76-apiece, which capped off a 24-7 fightback from the Filipinos.

New Zealand took the half, 42-32.

Romeo, who sprained his right ankle in the nationals’ losing match against the Iranians, is listed as “day-to-day” but may play for the nationals in their game against a US selection at 5 p.m. today.

B1

SATURDAY: SEPTEMBER 5, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

Inflation at all-time low of 0.6%

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

INFLATION rate in the Philippines fell to an all-time low of 0.6 percent in August, on tame food, energy and fuel prices, the National Economic and Development Authority said Friday.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed inflation in August decelerated from 0.8 percent in July and 4.9 percent a year ago. The rate pulled down the average inflation in the first eight months to 1.7 percent, below the government’s target range of 2 percent to 4 percent for 2015.

“The current low inflation environment exhibited in the first eight months of 2015 has supported domestic demand, particularly household consumption, and we expect this to persist throughout the rest of the year,” said Economic Planning Secretary and Neda director-general

Arsenio Balisacan.

“August inflation figure is well within our forecast range and helps to keep us on track to the path of within target inflation for 2016 and 2017,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said in a text message.

“Annual decreases in utilities and transport fares, which are traceable to lower oil prices, were said to have led to the 0.6 percent turnout,” Tetangco said.

Tetangco said monetary authorities would continue to monitor developments in global oil prices, track El Niño dry spell, as well as coordinate with relevant government agencies on miti-

gants to El Niño’s adverse impact.

Core inflation, which excludes selected volatile food and energy prices, also slowed to 1.6 percent in August from 1.9 percent in the previous month and 3.4 percent in the same period a year ago. Core inflation in the first eight months of 2015 averaged 2.2 percent.

“Tamed food prices, especially bread and cereals and vegetables, contributed to lower overall inflation rate. The economy also continues to benefit from lower international oil prices and electricity rates,” Finance Undersecretary and chief economist Gil Beltran said.

Inflation in the food subgroup

continued to ease in August following slower price adjustments in breads and cereals, fish and fruits. The stable bread prices benefitted from the steady decrease in the price of hard flour.

Lower electricity rates and oil prices significantly affected price movement of non-food commodities.

“Food inflation and international oil prices are expected to remain low and will constrain any upward price movements in in the near term,” said Balisacan.

Balisacan said there was still an upside risk to inflation from the expected strengthening of the El Niño dry spell in the coming months until early 2016. With Julito G. Rada

PSe comPoSite index Closing September 4, 2015

8000 7700 7400 7100 6800 6500

7,051.78 46.98

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing SEPTEMBER 4, 2015 43.50 44.60 45.40

P46.730

46.20

CLOSE

47.00

HIGH P46.705 LOW P46.780 AVERAGE P46.737 VOLUME 393.400M

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

oPriceS il P today

P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene

Robinsons in Antique. Robinsons Land Corp. opens its 40th mall, Robinsons Antique, at San Jose de Buenavista, Antique province.

The two-story shopping mall is anchored by tenants Robinsons Supermarket, Robinsons Appliance, Handyman, Daiso and Quantum Amusement.

Shown at the ribbon-cutting ceremony are (from left) San Jose vice mayor Elmer Untaran, Robinsons Malls general manager Arlene Magtibay, Antique governor Rhodora Cadiao, Robinsons Land president Frederick Go, San Jose Mayor Rony Molina, Robinsons Retail Group president Robina Gokongwei Pe and former Antique governor Exequiel Javier.

BPI fund manager bearish on stocks, takes profits

P23.70-P24.40 Auto LPG

By Ian Sayson

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, September 4, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

46.7660

Japan

Yen

0.008342

0.3901

UK

Pound

1.525700

71.3509

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129029

6.0342

Switzerland

Franc

1.027855

48.0687

Canada

Dollar

0.757920

35.4449

Singapore

Dollar

0.705866

33.0105

Australia

Dollar

0.702099

32.8344

Bahrain

Dinar

2.651113

123.9820

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266652

12.4702

Brunei

Dollar

0.703383

32.8944

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000071

0.0033

Thailand

Baht

0.027878

1.3037

UAE

Dirham

0.272301

12.7344

Euro

Euro

1.113500

52.0739

Korea

Won

0.000842

0.0394

China

Yuan

0.157122

7.3480

India

Rupee

0.015133

0.7077

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.236128

11.0428

New Zealand

Dollar

0.638407

Taiwan

Dollar

0.030779

29.8557 1.4394 Source: PDS Bridge

THE top-performing fund manager in the Philippines has almost doubled cash holdings, betting that the nation’s stocks will extend their longest monthly losing streak since 2002 as China’s economic slowdown roils emerging markets and the US gets closer to raising borrowing costs.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange Index could retest a 14-month low as a twoweek rebound loses steam, said Smith Chua, who manages the four best-performing Philippine equity funds over the past year as chief investment officer at Bank of the Philippine Islands.

“Markets are persistently in

risk-off mode so we will spend our bullets wisely,” said Chua, who’s “nibbling selectively” at consumer, property and energy companies while increasing cash levels since the start of the year.

“It doesn’t pay to play too smart with the market when there are external factors that are too unpredictable.”

The Philippine stock index has declined every month since April, the longest string of losses in 13 years, as overseas investors pulled a record $1.24 billion amid concern that China’s economy is heading for a hard landing and the US will soon raise interest rates.

The measure has climbed 3.8 percent since falling to a 14- month

low of 6,791.01 on Aug. 24. The index dropped 0.7 percent to 7,051.78 on Friday, capping a sixth straight weekly loss, the longest losing streak since November 2007. The market needs a “trickle” of foreign funds to hold above 7,000 for the rest of the year, Chua said.

Overseas funds have been net buyers for only one of the past 19 days, selling a net $5.7 million of shares on Friday to cap a ninth straight weekly outflow.

“Foreign investors have basically left the Philippines for this year,” Chua said. “For the index to really recover to a higher level, we’d need a little bit of that flow coming back again to us.”

Volatility, which rose to a twoyear high this week, also needs

to ease before the exodus of foreign capital from equities ends, he said. While the nation’s economy is more sheltered from China’s slowdown than others in Asia, Philippine stocks can’t escape the regional contagion, Chua said.

The Philippine economy accelerated last quarter as government spending increased. Gross domestic product increased 5.6 percent in the three months through June from a year earlier, according to official data on Thursday, compared with 5 percent in the first quarter. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index has tumbled 20 percent from its April high, with benchmark gauges in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Indonesia entering bear markets. Bloomberg

SATURDAY: SEPTEMBER 5, 2015

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Friday, September 4, 2015

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 17 30.45 10.4 0.92 890 100 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 12.02 19.6 6.12 0.74 625 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. COL Financial Eastwest Bank Filipino Fund Inc. First Abacus Manulife Fin. Corp.

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

2.87 68.15 97.00 85.00 42.15 2.35 15.6 20.2 7.82 0.65 725.00 83.4 0.93 18.52 24.50 59.30 93.5 300 35.05 139 1435.00 53.60 2.93

47 2.36 15.3 89 20.6 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 17 31.8 109 15.3 9.4 0.98 241 12.5 3.95 74 33.9 90 13.26 293 5 5.25 12.98 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.86 7.34 238 5.5 3.28 2.18 2.65 234 5.28 1.3 26 2.17

35.9 1.86 7.92 40.3 15.32 10.08 29.15 1.5 1.5 10.72 9.55 9.04 6.02 8.86 8.61 20.2 71.5 13.24 5.34 0.395 173 8.65 2.3 33 23.35 17.3 5.88 250.2 3.37 3.87 8.45 3.03 1.95 1 4.02 1.65 5.9 161 4.1 1.55 1.02 2.09 152 4.28 0.640 10.02 1.2

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Alsons Cons.

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

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

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

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

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

Splash Corporation TKC Steel Corp.

Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

43.5 1.6 9.75 50.1 17 27 42.95 2.75 1.29 10.9 11.080 8.58 6.00 7.89 13.8 24 70 13.48 5.75 0.485 191.00 10.26 2 50.90 22.1 21.95 5.79 281.60 3.70 4.05 7.59 3.25 2.01 2.4 4.10 1.8 3.8 150 4 1.85 1.00 1.83 192 4.8 0.63 23.50 1.09

0.59 59.2 30.05 2.16 7.39 3.4 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 4.92 0.66 1455 7.5 76 6.5 9.25 0.85 17.3 0.71 5.53 6.55 0.0670 1.61 84.9 3.5 974 1.66 1.39 156 0.710 0.435 0.510

0.44 48.1 20.85 1.6 6.62 0.23 634.5 7.390 12.8 2.6 2.26 0.152 837 5.3 49.55 3.43 4.84 0.59 12 0.580 4.2 4.5 0.030 0.550 59.3 1.5 751 1.13 0.93 80 0.211 0.179 0.310

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

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

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

Minerales Industrias Corp.

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

0.430 57.5500 20.30 1.18 6.70 0.230 760 6.88 11.30 3.15 4.11 0.194 1260 5.95 70.55 3.61 6.8 0.57 12.96 0.58 5.02 7.29 0.0430 1.780 50.25 2.48 885.00 1.16 0.65 69.800 0.2800 0.1900 0.216

10.5 1.99 1.75 0.375 41.4

6.74 0.65 1.2 0.192 30.05

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

Ayala Land `B’

6.900 0.67 1.150 0.220 36.00

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

SHARES 9,256,762 46,544,972 226,005,382 106,598,762 95,928,732 1,698,749,840 2,184,809,470

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 2.94 2.67 68.25 67.8 97.10 94.15 86.00 85.50 42.4 42 2.49 2.15 15.8 15.6 20.2 20 7.33 7.32 0.67 0.67 700.00 695.00 83.6 83.2 0.99 0.93 18.60 18.40 24.50 24.00 59.30 59.00 93.35 85 302 298.2 35 34.55 138.8 137.5 1495.00 1470.00 53.65 52.00 2.95 2.93 INDUSTRIAL 43.8 43.45 1.6 1.57 9.75 9.55 52 52 17.2 16.9 27.1 26 46.75 42.3 2.88 2.6 1.33 1.28 11 10.6 11.340 10.86 8.58 8.49 6.02 5.86 8.03 7.80 14.9 14 23.95 23.35 70.1 69.2 13.42 13.42 5.74 5.63 0.670 0.540 192.00 188.00 10.2 10.04 1.98 1.9 51.15 51.05 22.2 21.65 22 21.05 5.71 5.5 289.00 278.80 3.94 3.94 4.09 4.05 7.62 7.48 3.30 3.25 2.04 2.02 2.44 2.38 4.10 4.05 1.95 1.95 5.6 4.2 150 150 4.24 4.24 1.87 1.8 1.00 0.99 1.83 1.81 192 188.2 4.85 4.7 0.65 0.6 22.50 22.50 1.10 1.04 HOLDING FIRMS 0.430 0.430 57.9000 55.3000 20.25 20.10 1.11 1.02 6.80 6.63 0.230 0.230 756 745.5 6.81 6.68 11.90 11.22 3.2 3 4.30 4.12 0.191 0.191 1260 1255 5.96 5.95 71.00 69.20 3.7 3.6 6.76 6.42 0.57 0.55 12.9 12.64 0.57 0.57 5.04 4.97 6.91 7.31 0.0430 0.0400 1.800 1.750 50.50 48.70 2.48 2.48 885.00 861.00 1.20 1.14 0.88 0.72 69.800 69.250 0.2800 0.2700 0.1880 0.1880 0.249 0.249 PROPERTY 6.880 6.750 0.65 0.62 1.160 1.150 0.220 0.220 36.10 35.00

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

2.92 68.2 94.40 85.85 42 2.49 15.7 20.2 7.32 0.67 700.00 83.35 0.93 18.50 24.00 59.00 93.35 298.2 34.55 137.5 1475.00 52.00 2.95

1.74 0.07 -2.68 1.00 -0.36 5.96 0.64 0.00 -6.39 2.45 -3.45 -0.06 0.00 -0.11 -2.04 -0.51 -0.16 -0.60 -1.43 -1.08 2.79 -2.99 0.68

80,000 9,950 2,592,690 927,100 3,900 213,000 60,900 97,300 700 38,000 110 3,044,600 72,000 509,500 10,000 44,160 6,530 2,240 110,800 825,830 100 92,530 514,000

43.5 1.57 9.6 52 16.9 27 42.5 2.62 1.29 10.64 10.860 8.49 5.89 7.85 14.1 23.4 69.4 13.42 5.65 0.550 191.30 10.04 1.98 51.10 22.2 21.8 5.5 279.00 3.94 4.05 7.50 3.25 2.02 2.4 4.05 1.95 5 150 4.24 1.87 1.00 1.82 189.5 4.75 0.65 22.50 1.10

0.00 -1.88 -1.54 3.79 -0.59 0.00 -1.05 -4.73 0.00 -2.39 -1.99 -1.05 -1.83 -0.51 2.17 -2.50 -0.86 -0.45 -1.74 13.40 0.16 -2.14 -1.00 0.39 0.45 -0.68 -5.01 -0.92 6.49 0.00 -1.19 0.00 0.50 0.00 -1.22 8.33 31.58 0.00 6.00 1.08 0.00 -0.55 -1.30 -1.04 3.17 -4.26 0.92

2,344,100 405,000 1,300 100 874,200 428,300 297,100 4,966,000 53,000 286,400 5,513,300 104,000 10,050,600 336,000 35,100 1,558,900 134,880 9,000 126,800 3,790,000 343,210 113,200 63,000 31,770 904,200 152,000 281,000 311,190 1,000 256,000 1,912,700 392,000 269,000 211,000 42,000 3,000 110,000 50 3,000 23,000 15,000 535,000 5,214,840 1,793,000 2,210,000 3,000 22,000

0.430 57.9000 20.25 1.11 6.64 0.230 748.5 6.71 11.72 3.2 4.30 0.191 1258 5.95 70.70 3.7 6.69 0.57 12.72 0.57 4.99 6.91 0.0410 1.750 48.70 2.48 873.00 1.20 0.80 69.300 0.2700 0.1880 0.249

0.00 0.61 -0.25 -5.93 -0.90 0.00 -1.51 -2.47 3.72 1.59 4.62 -1.55 -0.16 0.00 0.21 2.49 -1.62 0.00 -1.85 -1.72 -0.60 -5.21 -4.65 -1.69 -3.08 0.00 -1.36 3.45 23.08 -0.72 -3.57 -1.05 15.28

40,000 995,670 8,684,942.00 6,563,800 -8,437,690.00 6,523,000 11,400 0 2,300.00 184,290 -28,852,405.00 2,856,500 1,800,423.00 5,594,600 -15,319,782.00 174,000 11,000 10,000 152,860 -49,474,115.00 113,000 595,050.00 1,491,770 45,911,137.50 13,000 1,849,200 -4,495,927.00 2,000 4,032,900 -2,443,572.00 100,000 18,385,700 36,431,619.00 502,400 172,100,000 41,000.00 1,642,000 749,800 -31,516,916.50 2,000 215,420 -36,089,390.00 17,000 180,000 13,890 -888,921.00 1,160,000 120,000 10,000

6.830 0.65 1.150 0.220 35.80

-1.01 -2.99 0.00 0.00 -0.56

58,700 287,000 135,000 70,000 11,307,600

187,645.00 -109,995,263 35,184,871.00 -161,238.00 1,149,820.00

16,375,288.50 -7,220,890.00 120,000.00 924,090.00 86,000.00 -1,632,695 -26,095,810.00 -132,500.00 -3,489,549.50 68,319,480.00

-594,360.00 2,177,230 1,076,358.00 12,808,788.00 16,980.00 -2,622,823.00 -972,278.00 -10,353,120.00 -3,108,865.50 93,940.00 44,000.00 27,905,201.00

-4,643,880.00 -345,313.00 12,416,604.00 398,920.00 -1,172,018.00 -198,000.00 93,380.00 121,850.00 -68,980.00

-14,920.00 -7,240.00 -96,523,385.00 4,040,000.00 67,500.00

13,500.00 -650.00 116,000.00

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

Close

5.6 5.59 1.44 1.97 1.48 0.201 0.69 10.96 0.97 0.305 2.22 2.1 1.8 5.94 0.180 0.470 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 1.62 8.59

3.36 4.96 0.79 1.1 0.97 0.083 0.415 2.4 0.83 0.188 1.15 1.42 1.27 4.13 0.090 0.290 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 0.83 5.73

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

Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Global-Estate Filinvest Land,Inc. Interport `A’ Megaworld MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates 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 2.6 7.67 2720 8.41 1.97 119.5 0.017 0.8200 2.2800 12.28 3.32 2.53 3.2 1 2.46 15.2 1.040 22.8 6.41 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 1.6 4.8 1600 5.95 1.23 102.6 0.011 0.041 1.200 6.5 1.91 1.01 1.95 0.650 1.8 6 0.37 14.54 3 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55

11.6 0.85 10 1.9

7.59 0.63 5 1.14

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

Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Discovery World DFNN Inc. Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Island Info ISM Communications Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

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

SSI Group STI Holdings Travellers Yehey

0.0098 5.45 17.24 0.330 12.7 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.440 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 1.030 3.06 0.020 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9

0.0043 1.72 6.47 0.236 6.5 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.2160 0.013 0.014 3.240 18.96 2.11 0.365 1.54 0.012 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67

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

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

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

TA Petroleum

70 553 525 120

33 490 500 101.5

8.21 111 1060 1047 76.9 78.95 84.8

5.88 101 997 1011 74.2 74.5 75

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

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

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

3.14 5.05 0.68 1.03 1.05 0.102 0.400 14.7 0.750 0.161 1.07 1.76 1.51 4.34 0.089 0.2450 28.80 1.61 3.20 19.50 0.71 0.680 5.940

3.15 3.07 3.07 4.85 4.77 4.85 0.67 65 0.66 1.02 0.94 1.02 1.03 1.03 1.03 0.104 0.102 0.102 0.410 0.410 0.410 15.44 14.7 14.8 0.750 0.750 0.750 0.168 0.168 0.168 1.07 1.05 1.05 1.78 1.75 1.76 1.51 1.42 1.42 4.37 4.18 4.18 0.089 0.083 0.085 0.2500 0.2500 0.2500 28.80 28.65 28.75 1.63 1.59 1.59 3.27 3.27 3.27 19.60 19.00 19.06 0.72 0.7 0.72 0.670 0.670 0.700 5.940 5.810 5.820 SERVICES 8.93 8.93 8.6 8.6 60.8 61.4 60.8 61.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 0.510 0.510 0.510 0.510 11.24 11.7 11.22 11.7 6.78 7.00 6.75 6.90 0.0600 0.0630 0.0600 0.0620 3.86 4 3.86 4 88.3 88.8 86.1 86.1 1.81 1.81 1.6 1.81 5.00 6.00 4.85 5.40 2576 2568 2540 2560 6.20 6.40 6.15 6.15 1.16 1.22 1.16 1.20 92 92 90.8 90.85 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.165 0.168 0.161 0.166 1.3600 1.4200 1.3400 1.3400 8.00 8.20 8.01 8.01 2.74 2.79 2.60 2.65 1.16 1.25 1.18 1.18 2.10 2.10 2.00 2.10 0.590 0.590 0.590 0.590 2 2 2 2 5.66 5.84 5.51 5.51 0.410 0.410 0.410 0.410 19.28 19.3 19 19 4.61 4.34 4.34 4.34 18.58 18.58 18.34 18.58 2440.00 2454.00 2438.00 2444.00 0.610 0.620 0.610 0.610 1.170 1.190 1.110 1.120 32.50 32.90 32.30 32.40 67.90 67.90 66.80 67.45 5.20 5.55 5.18 5.18 6.77 6.99 6.49 6.50 0.55 0.56 0.54 0.55 4 4.05 3.9 3.91 2.360 2.470 2.400 2.410 MINING & OIL 0.0048 0.0050 0.0048 0.0048 2.40 2.30 2.30 2.30 4.30 4.30 4.25 4.25 0.184 0.185 0.180 0.185 5.7000 6.2000 6.2000 6.2000 0.73 0.72 0.7 0.71 0.65 0.66 0.65 0.66 5.95 5.98 5.94 5.94 1.12 1.14 1.11 1.12 0.295 0.305 0.295 0.300 0.184 0.187 0.185 0.187 0.202 0.202 0.198 0.202 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.012 2.14 2.28 2.12 2.18 8.2 8.26 8.03 8.07 3.27 3.3 3.13 3.14 0.5100 0.5000 0.5000 0.5000 1.3200 1.3300 1.2600 1.2600 0.0089 0.0085 0.0081 0.0085 3.76 3.90 3.90 3.90 5.28 5.310 4.990 4.99 1.65 1.640 1.570 1.57 0.0110 0.0110 0.0110 0.0110 130.60 137.90 130.50 135.00 2.72 2.72 2.61 2.62 PREFERRED 61.5 62 61.2 62 525 528 510 528 526 526 526 526 115.5 115.5 115.5 115.5 500 500 500 500 6.01 6.05 5.99 5.99 108.5 108.5 108.5 108.5 1045 1045 1045 1045 1018 1018 1018 1018 75.55 75.65 75.6 75.65 78.05 81.5 80.5 81.45 82.9 83.1 83 83 WARRANTS & BONDS 3.300 3.450 3.280 3.430 SME 5.49 5 4.5 4.6 11.62 11.68 11.3 11.5 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 116.5 116.5 115.9 116

-2.23 -3.96 -2.94 -0.97 -1.90 0.00 2.50 0.68 0.00 4.35 -1.87 0.00 -5.96 -3.69 -4.49 2.04 -0.17 -1.24 2.19 -2.26 1.41 -1.47 -2.02

693,000 89,000 5,927,000 4,000 1,000 730,000 100,000 11,176,300 27,000 10,000 7,642,000 8,167,000 557,000 19,475,000 7,760,000 40,000 1,849,300 129,000 1,000 23,725,600 960,000 21,000 4,519,900

-903,240.00 -259,075.00 -3,471,960.00

-3.70 0.49 0.00 0.00 4.09 1.77 3.33 3.63 -2.49 0.00 8.00 -0.62 -0.81 3.45 -1.25 0.00 0.61 -1.47 0.12 -3.28 1.72 0.00 0.00 0.00 -2.65 0.00 -1.45 -5.86 0.00 0.16 0.00 -4.27 -0.31 -0.66 -0.38 -3.99 0.00 -2.25 2.12

259,200 30,960 10,000 40,000 4,000 10,439,100 11,440,000 205,000 1,059,470 104,000 243,000 67,870 92,200 22,000 390,000 400,000 670,000 197,000 142,800 486,000 6,000 5,000 134,000 65,000 1,116,000 50,000 3,000 1,000 18,700 100,905 156,000 35,343,000 2,605,400 268,460 18,495,500 4,718,800 4,668,000 1,188,000 241,000

0.00 -4.17 -1.16 0.54 8.77 -2.74 1.54 -0.17 0.00 1.69 1.63 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.87 -1.59 -3.98 -1.96 -4.55 -4.49 3.72 -5.49 -4.85 0.00 3.37 -3.68

889,000,000 10,000 368,000 -68,290.00 460,000 100 5,345,000 408,000 14,100 2,197,000 371,100.00 1,320,000 3,230,000 80,000 23,400,000 800,000 574,000 -340,110.00 3,210,700 -503,578.00 596,000 75,000 493,000 665,000,000 3,000 2,429,600 -393,623.00 1,026,000 -232,910.00 95,500,000 1,383,440 -2,350,402.00 602,000

0.81 0.57 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.33 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.13 4.36 0.12

225,130 9,670 2,000 2,000 2,000 72,200 100 25 10 97,740 36,810 23,380

3.94

136,000

-16.21 -1.03

9,700 1,687,700

11,203,216.00

-0.43

27,620

34,875.00

41,000.00 38,893,138.00 -375,840.00 119,150.00 16,258,600.00 0.00 28,456,725.00 -161,260.00 -79,296,270.00 -17,493,640.00

5,705,232.00 -44,622,542.00 10,277,340.00 1,980,562.50

-146,676.00 -61,990.00

-245,957.00

-13,006.00 -48,474,640.00 -8,552,530.00 12,188,590.00 -987,694.50 -115,512.00 -9,615,927.00 -1,856,700.00 -650,460.00

-564,195.00

-314,792.00

-2,122,739.00

1,377,475.00

T op g ainerS VALUE 724,018,224.65 1,531,509,496.70 1,132,918,121.19 1,243,188,666.57 933,300,286.89 252,469,229.9395 5,840,035,296.94

Low

T op L oSerS

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,541.26 (down) 10.69 INDUSTRIAL 10,817.71 (down) 104.36 HOLDING FIRMS 6,537.91 (down) 38.55 PROPERTY 2,870.76 (down) 39.45 SERVICES 1,833.92 (down) 6.70 MINING & OIL 11,313.67 (up) 64.43 PSEI 7,051.78 (down) 46.98 All Shares Index 4,023.60 (down) 30.53 Gainers: 63 Losers: 106; Unchanged: 43; Total: 212

Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Roxas Holdings

5

31.58

Makati Fin. Corp.

4.6

-16.21

South China Res. Inc.

0.80

23.08

Filipino Fund Inc.

7.32

-6.39

Zeus Holdings

0.249

15.28

Interport `A'

1.42

-5.96

Ionics Inc

0.550

13.40

Anglo Holdings A

1.11

-5.93

Benguet Corp `A'

6.2000

8.77

PAL Holdings Inc.

4.34

-5.86

Roxas and Co.

1.95

8.33

Philex `A'

4.99

-5.49

DFNN Inc.

5.40

8.00

Minerales Industrias Corp.

6.91

-5.21

Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

3.94

6.49

Megawide

5.5

-5.01

SPC Power Corp.

4.24

6.00

PhilexPetroleum

1.57

-4.85

BDO Leasing & Fin. INc.

2.49

5.96

Crown Asia

2.62

-4.73

SATURDAY: SEPTEMBER 5, 2015

B3

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

Largest solar plant.

Market declines; Semirara, DD climb STOCKS fell Tuesday, as investors weighed the possibility the US would soon raise borrowing costs and the slower growth in China would affect the rest of emerging markets.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, shed 46 points, or 0.5 percent, to close at 7,051.78 Friday. The gauge is now down 2.5 percent since the start of the year.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also tumbled 30 points, or 0.8 percent, to settle at 4,023.60, on a value turnover of P5.8 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 106 to 63, while 43 issues were unchanged.

Only four of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green Friday, led by Semirara Mining and Power Corp. which rose 3.4 percent to P135.

DoubleDragon Properties Corp. rose 0.7 percent to P14.80, while conglomerate JG Summit Holdings Inc. picked up 0.2 percent to P70.70. Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. also added 0.2 percent to close at P2,444.

Meanwhile, Japanese stocks led a broad Asian stock slide Friday as the yen advanced ahead of a key US jobs report later in the day and after the European Central Bank indicated it could expand its stimulus.

With mainland Chinese markets closed for a second day, traders focused on macro issues, chiefly the US Federal Reserve’s plans for raising interest rates.

While expectations are for a hike before the end of the year -with US growth picking up -- the recent turmoil in global markets caused by China’s ongoing economic crisis has muddied the waters for the Fed’s policy committee.

And Friday’s non-farm payrolls data is seen as crucial in helping the central bank make its decision, with some experts suggesting policymakers could put off a decision until the end of the year. With AFP

Sweep expansion.

The Sweep Card, the contactless reloadable cash card from San Miguel Corp. subsidiary Autosweep Post Corp., adds the Sta. Lucia Mall in Cainta to its expanding network of over 100 partner merchants.

Shown during the launch are (from left) Sta. Lucia Mall assistant vice president and controller Delia Leon, Sta. Lucia Mall vice president and general manager Andrea RoblesAndres, Sta. Lucia Mall vice president for marketing and mall operations Zaldy Santos and Autosweep Post Corp. overall project manager Cecile Ang.

Enfinity Philippines breaks ground to prepare the largest solar farm in the country in Sta. Rosa, Concepcion, Tarlac.

Enfinity’s Concepcion solar power project is the biggest and most advanced state-of-theart solar farm in Luzon costing P3.6 billion. It has a rated capacity of 50.55 MW over an area of about 55 hectares. Shown during the groundbreaking rites are (from left) Enfinity Philippines chief operating officer Santiago Navarro, Concepcion Tarlac Mayor Andres Lacson, Enfinity business development director William Rucius, Enfinity president Dennis Ibarra and Tarlac Rep. Noel Villanueva.

San Miguel increases Liberty stake to 87%

By Jenniffer B. Austria

DIVERSIFIED conglomerate San Miguel Corp. has increased its stake in telecommunication unit Liberty Telecoms Holdings Inc. to 87.18 percent from 35.7 percent, after buying out its Qatari partner and conducting a tender offer.

Liberty Telecoms said in a regulatory filing San Miguelled Vega Telecom Inc. now held an 87.18-percent stake in the company after it acquired 426.8 million common shares and 1.53 billion preferred shares held by Qtel West Bay Holdings S.P.C., 175.11 million preferred shares from Wi-Tribe Asia Ltd. and 1.21 billion preferred shares from White Dawn Solution Holdings, Inc. Vega Telecom also acquired 57.271 million shares owned by minority shareholders, equivalent to 4.43 percent of Liberty

Telecom’s outstanding common shares during the tender offer period that ended on Aug. 20.

Some 484.07 million Liberty Telecom shares worth P1.06 billion crossed through a block sale at the Philippine Stock Exchange on Sept. 2.

San Miguel is now reportedly in talks with Australian telecommunications company Telstra Corp. for impossible wireless joint partnership.

Liberty Telecom offers 4G Internet to the consumer and corporate markets through Witribe.

The company reported a total comprehensive loss of P210.16 million in the first quarter of 2015, down 32 percent from a P307.59-million net loss recorded a year ago.

Revenues declined to P42.17 million in the January-to-March period from P78.38 million yearon-year.

Liberty Telecoms also plans to launch mobile phone services as early as January next year.

Liberty Telecoms recently exited corporate rehabilitation, a year ahead of schedule. It expects to break even after exiting rehabilitation.

San Miguel earlier announced Vega Telecoms bought Express Telecommunications Inc. and Vega’s investment in High Frequency Telecommunications Inc. Extelcom, owned by the Ongpin Group and UK-based Ashmore Investment Management Ltd., is the country’s first mobile telephone operator San Miguel will now have four telecommunications companies under its portfolio, including Eastern Telecommunications Philippines Inc., Bell Telecommunications Philippines Inc. and Liberty Telecoms.

Max’s discloses plan to expand in Vietnam RESTAURANT chain operator Max’s Group Inc. said Friday it will bring homegrown restaurant brand Sizzlin’ Steak to Vietnam.

Max’s Group said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it recently signed a development agreement with L Concepts Limited to build at least 10 Sizzlin’ Steak stores in Vietnam within the next five years.

“We are thrilled in this partnership with L Concepts given their strong credentials and long history of success. We are excited to introduce our sizzling offerings to the Vietnamese market,” said Max’s Group president and chief executive Robert Trota.

“Our overseas expansion continues to gain more ground.

We envision to roll out our key brands outside the Philippines with strategic franchise operators. As new markets are established and momentum builds in

the next few years, we expect the international portion of our business to be a significant contributor to system- wide sales and to our bottomline,” Trota said.

L Concepts is an emerging food and beverage player that focuses on the development of unique gastronomic experiences in Southeast Asia.

It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Longfort Group, which owns and operates a broad range of businesses across the value chain of the food and beverage industry in Asia, including food packaging, canned beverage production and dairy.

“We are honored to partner with MGI and look forward to bringing the Sizzlin’ Steak experience to Vietnam to bring the best possible customer experience to Vietnamese consumers,” The Longfort Group chief executive TW Pang said.

Jenniffer B. Austria

SATURDAY: SEPTEMBER 5, 2015

B4

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

IN BRIEF

LBC Express purchase

SHAREHOLDERS of Federal Resources Investment Group Inc. approved the acquisition of LBC Express Inc., paving the way for the backdoor listing of the Araneta-owned courier and freight forwarding services company.

Shareholders also approved a change in the corporate name to LBC Express Holdings Inc. during the annual stockholders’ meeting Friday.

Federal Resources shareholders approved an increase in the company’s authorized capital stock to P3 billion to finance the acquisition of LBC Express and other fund-raising activities. The higher capital base is divided into 3 billion common shares with a par value of P1 apiece from the current P100 million.

Parent LBC Development Corp. will subscribe to up to 25 percent of the new common shares.

“The company needs to raise additional capital in preparation for the purchase of up to 1,041,180,493 issued and outstanding shares of stock of LBC Express Inc,” Federal Resources said.

The company’s board of directors also approved the issuance of shares out of the unissued capital stock following the increase in the capital base.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Bigger Subic coal plant REDONDO Peninsula Energy Inc. may keep the proposed 600-megawatt capacity of its planned coal-fired power plant at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, instead of reducing it to 300 MW. “I think they’re trying to push it to 600 MW,” said Meralco Power Gen Corp. chairman Manuel Pangilinan told reporters.

Meralco PowerGen, the power generation unit of Manila Electric Co., owns a majority stake in RP Energy.

Pangilinan earlier said Meralco PowerGen might reduce the capacity of the plant to 300 MW due to right-of-way issues and transmission line constraints.

Meralco PowerGen had planned to start construction of the long-delayed power project this year following a favorable ruling from the Supreme Court.

The company has already invested around P1 billion for the civil works of the project.

The Supreme Court dismissed the Writ of Kalikasan case filed by pro-environmentalist groups against the Subic coal plant and upheld the project’s environmental compliance certificate and its lease and development agreement with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

Other shareholders of RP Energy are Aboitiz Power Corp. and Taiwan Cogeneration International Corp.

Alena Mae S. Flores

SteelAsia plans new plant in Calabarzon

By Othel V. Campos

STEELASIA Manufacturing Corp., the county’s largest steel manufacturer, is investing another P3 billion to P5 billion for a new steel rebar plant in the Calabarzon area to close a wide supply gap and serve the growing demand of an expanding economy.

“The reason we expand is because of market needs. Demand is growing faster than our growth. Because of this, we need to play catch up,” chief operations officer Rafael Hidalgo said Friday at the sidelines of an investment roadshow by the Board of Investments at the Heritage Hotel in Pasay City.

Demand for steel rebar in 2015 increase by over 20 percent from 40 percent in 2013 and 20 percent in 2014.

The new plant is estimated

add another 500,000 metric tons and increase the company’s combined projected capacity of 4.6 million metric tons by 2019.

With three other projects rising in Bulacan, Cebu and Batangas, the company’s Calabarzon plant will be the 10th in the country.

SteelAsia spent about P19 billion on three ongoing projects using both equity and loans to finance them.

The new steel rebar plant is at the planning stage and may take

at least three to four years to get on stream, or 2019 at the earliest.

“By then we will supply 50 to 60 percent of the market,” Hidalgo said.

He said the company must expand capacity “otherwise there will be a shortage.”

“For now we’re good, but we need these plants to supply future demand,” he said. “The problem with shortage is not pricing but the need to import. China is the number one supplier but we cannot hold it accountable for quality.”

Total Philippine demand for steel is at 7 million, while rebar alone is expected to reach 4 million MT in 2015.

Almost 100 percent of the remaining 3 million MT is made up of imports, mostly flat steel.

SteelAsia is the country’s biggest manufacturer of steel rebar in the Philippines. It will become the biggest rebar manufacturer in

Southeast Asia after the completion of the expansion project.

Around 75 percent of SteelAsia’s operation is dispersed across the archipelago.

SteelAsia Manufacturing Corp. in December last year completed a P3-billion plant in Davao City that will support construction activities and economic growth in Mindanao.

The Davao steel mill, considered the largest and most modern steel plant in the country so far, was expected to generate 2,000 direct and indirect jobs, according to the company.

Steel Asia has three plants in Luzon, one in the Visayas and two in Mindanao, including the new Davao plant.

The Davao plant will reduce the cost of construction in Mindanao, as steel products such as rebars will no longer be shipped from Manila, rendering Manila and Davao rebar prices at par.

LRT 1 turnover set THE Transportation Department said Friday it is set to turnover the operation and maintenance of the existing LRT Line 1 to Light Rail Manila Consortium this month.

“We are still working out a date with LRMC, both parties want it early, maybe this month or next month at the latest.

There is mutual interest that they assume earlier this month. We want to make sure that everything is smooth on the turnover,” Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya told reporters Friday.

LRMC, led by Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Ayala Corp., won the auction for the P64-billion LRT Line 1 extension to Dasmariñas from Bacoor, Cavite.

LRMC under the concession agreement is expected to take over the operation and maintenance of the existing LRT Line 1 before October. The extension to Bacoor, meanwhile, should be operational within 54 months, or by May 2019. Darwin G. Amojelar

Digital literacy. Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. signs an agreement with partners launching its 12th infoteach outreach program

at the PLDT Innovation Laboratory and Telecommunications Education Center in Mandaluyong City.PLDT inks new MOA with partners for its twelfth Infoteach Outreach Program. Shown signing the agreement are (from left) Marta Hernandez, executive director of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority; Melinda Lumanta, vice chancellor of University of the Philippines Open University; Grace Javier Alfonso, chancellor of UPOU; Ramon Isberto, head of PLDT public affairs department; Evelyn del Rosario, head of PLDT community relations; and Liza Carascal, treasurer of UPOU Foundation Inc. The program aims to make Filipinos more globally competitive by arming them with the proper know-how in basic computer skills.

Sucat plant auction up

Escudero urges SSS, GSIS to lead drive vs. scams

POWER Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. is still keen on auctioning the decommissioned 850-megawatt Sucat thermal power plant this year or early next year.

PSALM president Lourdes Alzona said the Sucat facility, which was planned for conversion into a natural gas facility before government decided to bid it out as a decommissioned asset, will definitely be auctioned.

“We are waiting for board approval.

It has already been included in the board agenda,” Alzona told reporters.

PSALM plans to rebid the Sucat thermal power plant after an earlier auction failed due to allegations of “fake” documents submitted by the highest bidder.

The oil-fired power plant, located in Sucat, Muntinlupa City, was previously owned by Manila Electric Co. and later acquired by National Power Corp. in November 1978. Alena Mae S. Flores

SEN. Francis Escudero asked the country’s pension institutions and the state corporate regulator to spearhead information and education campaigns on questionable investment schemes as a service to its millions of members nationwide.

“Prevention is better than cure; forewarned is forearmed. It is alarming that even professionals and well-educated people are lured into these schemes. I don’t think the ‘flyer approach’ to information dissemination is adequate, especially since billions of pesos and thousands of lives are at stake,” Escudero said.

The senator said it was logical for the Securities and Exchange Commission to be at the forefront of such a campaign because of its mandate to protect the public from investment fraud and scams.

But he said it was not enough for the SEC to merely post advisories on erring entities on its Web site after the fact, when damage had already been done.

The Social Security System and the Government Service Insurance System, meanwhile, must take the lead in educating potential investors since they catered directly to millions of Filipinos,

especially those who fit the typical profile of scam victims, Escudero said.

He noted that among the usual victims were the pensioners and retirees who poured in their life savings, separation pays and retirement fees to these schemes.

“SSS has 32.5 million members, while GSIS has close to two million members and pensioners.

Both institutions conduct informative talks with their members and produce materials or collaterals on their programs and services. I don’t think it will require a lot of effort and resources

to integrate a brief module for the purpose. Besides, they have plenty of opportunities to interact with their clients,” Escudero added.

The senator said educating their members on investment scams was actually a mandated service that the two pension funds are supposed to provide.

“A state pension is supposed to provide financial security and protection to its members. The SSS mission, for instance, is to promote social justice and provide meaningful protection to members and their families,” he said.

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cESAR BARRioqUinTo EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Pakistan’s aging Parsi community emigrating KARACHI—For more than 1,000 years, Parsis have thrived in South Asia but an aging population and emigration to the West driven by instability in Pakistan means the tiny community of “fire worshipers” could could soon be consigned to the country’s history books.

The ancestors of today’s Parsis in Pakistan―followers of Zoroastrianism, one of the world’s oldest religions―fled Persia over a millennium ago for the safety of the western Indian subcontinent.

Legend has it Parsi leader Jadi Rana made a pledge to the then emperor of India that Zoroastrians, known in the region as Parsis, would not be a burden but would blend in like sugar into milk.

But today they are a fading people across the subcontinent, with many affluent families from India and Pakistan leaving for the West.

The community, which has long been active in business and charity, has been unnerved by the upsurge in Islamist extremist violence. One expert said the loss of the Parsis would be a “huge blow” to Pakistan’s diversity.

Only around 1,500 are left in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, where they have “fire temples”, community centers and final resting places where the remains of their dead are left in the open to be consumed by vultures according to their tradition.

Parsis are often called “fire worshipers” because their religion considers fire together with water as agents of purity and fires are lit as part of religious ceremonies.

They have long been discreet in observing their faith, but some, like 23-year-old art student Veera Rustomji, think they need to do more to preserve their heritage.

“It’s been successful (in) that we have been an unattacked and unharmed community because of our low profile,” she said at her studio at the Indus Valley College.

“But at the same time it backfires because a lot of people focus on how the community is becoming small numerically.” AFP

world

Islamists going after Bangladesh bloggers DHAKA—Nervous, pale and sleep deprived, Bangladesh blogger Shammi Haque describes living in constant fear after four of her colleagues were hacked to death this year by suspected Islamists.

Piano player on the roof. German musician Stefan Aaron plays his orange piano next to

Japanese singer/songwriter Masahiro, who is playing a guitar on the rooftop of the 296-meter, 70-story Landmark Tower, Japan’s second tallest building, in Yokohama, in suburban Tokyo, on Sept. 4, 2015. The appearance is part of his “Orange Piano Tour” that will take him and his orange piano around the world. AFP

7 col x 10 cm

How do you want your news served today? www.thestandard.com.ph

A social activist, feminist and atheist writer, Haque rarely ventures outside her home in the capital and receives 24-hour police protection, fearful of being next on the list of machete-wielding attackers.

“I cannot close my eyes without having sleeping pills. Even the noise of the window shutters scares me,” the 22-year-old university student told AFP recently in Dhaka.

Bangladesh’s bloggers and secular activists have been in hiding or fled the country since the murders including that of Niloy Chakrabarti, a vocal critic of Islamic fundamentalism, in his home in August.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s secular government has vowed to hunt down the killers, following international outrage and accusations it failed to stop the attacks, wary of a political backlash from Islamists.

Police have stepped up security for those being threatened and thought to be on the hit-list drawn up by a hard-line Islamist group.

A string of arrests have been made, and police this week charged five militants of banned Islamist militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team over the murder of Washiqur Rahman, the first blogger killed in January.

But bloggers including Shammi are unconvinced by the belated efforts and question the government’s sincerity.

“At least 12 atheist bloggers have fled the country this year. And 70 bloggers have asked for assistance for migration as their lives are at stake,” said Berlin-based atheist blogger Asif Mohiuddin.

Mohiuddin left Bangladesh after surviving a machete attack in 2013. Police have accused several of Mohiuddin’s attackers, who were released on bail, of later murdering Chakrabarti.

“I am not sure whether the government is sincere in protecting the bloggers. If that was the case, these murderers could have never got bail and continued their killing spree,” said Mohiuddin. AFP

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WORLD

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Another scandal hits McDonald’s TOKYO—McDonald’s in Japan said Friday it was investigating an incident involving a customer who was injured by plastic shards found inside a drink, the latest in a string of food contamination scandals.

The company said it temporarily closed the outlet in Osaka this week, and sent a notice to 95 other restaurants that offer the kind of green tea latte frappe sold to the woman, who said she sustained injuries to her mouth.

Dozens of pieces of plastic were found inside the beverage, a company spokesman told AFP, adding that a plastic instrument used to make the drink may have been the source.

“At this point it is just a hypothesis but we think this plastic tool slipped into a blender to make the frappe,” he added.

McDonald’s Japan unit has been battered by a series of scandals including a human tooth found in some fries. AFP

N OTICE Notice is hereby given that AGRI EXIM GLOBAL PHILIPPINES INC. is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as New Export Producer of Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) and Coco Flour and other Coconut Derived Products on a Non-Pioneer Status with project site located in Purok 6 Brgy. Liptong, Valencia, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental with the following annual capacities: V i r g i n C o c o n u t O i l V C O)

950,000 liters 780 MT

Coco Flour Coco Peat

2,309 MT

Coco Fiber

1, 5 3 9 M T

Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD.) NESTOR P. ARCANSALIN Director Resource-Based Industries Service

(TS-SEPT. 5, 2015)

NOTICE The state of Hawaii to Lawrence Antonio Lago, you are hereby notified that a petition for adoption of the child born to Marie Venensi Widmann has been filed in the Family Court, First Circuit, state of Hawaii.

The petition alleges that your consent of the abovenamed child by the petitioner above-named is not required and may be dispensed with pursuant to Hawaii revised statutes section 578-2(c) as amended.

A hearing on the petition will be held on Sep 22 2015 at 1:30 PM at the Family Court located at Kapolei Court Complex, 4675 Kapolei Parkway, Kapolei HI 96707-3272.

If you fail to appear at the hearing on the date and time at the place noted above or if you fail to file a written response to the allegations reflected in the Petition for Adoption, further action may be taken including granting of the adoption without further notice to you. Your written response should be addressed to the Presiding Judge, Family Court, first circuit, 777 Punchbowl street, second floor, Honolulu, Hawaii 96812.

Failure to obey this notice may result in an entry of a default and default judgement against you.

You are further notified that the child, the adoptive parents and the natural parents have rights under H.R.S. 578-15 regarding confidentiality of adoption records after the child reaches age 18.

TS-(SEPT. 5,1,19,26, 2015)

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION Branch 192 MARIKINA CITY IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION FOR ADOPTION OF MINOR, KINNO VITTORIO MIGUEL GONZALES VIRATA JDRC CASE NO. 2015-2482 MK SPOUSES BRANDO ALLEN M. CRISTI AND KAREN ANGELA VIANNI V. CRISTI, Petitioners x-------------------------------------------------x

ORDER

Before this Court is a Petition for Adoption of Minor, Kinno Vittorio Miguel Gonzalez Virata, filed by Spouses Brando Allen M. Cristi and Karen Angela Vianni V. Cristi, on July 8, 2015.

The petition substantially states that petitioners are married, and a resident of Marikina City.

Petitioner-wife is the biological mother of Kinno Vittorio Miguel Gonzalez Virata; minor has always been under the care and custody of the petitioner wife; minor has not known any other father aside from petitioner husband, he never saw his biological father. Petitioners contend that they are in full possession of their civil capacity and legal rights, and possess all the qualifications and none of the disqualification to adopt Kinno Vittorio Miguel Gonzalez Virata.

Petitioners further contend that the adoptee has given his consent to the adoption.

WHEREFORE, the petition, being sufficient in form and substance, is hereby set for hearing on September 24, 2015 at 8:30 o`clock in the morning, at the Regional Trial Court, Branch 192, located at the 4th Floor, New Justice Hall, Sta. Elena, Marikina City.

Let a copy of this Order be published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks prior to the scheduled date of hearing, in a newspaper of general circulation to be chosen by raffle during the regular raffle of cases in this Station. Likewise, let a copy of this Order together with the petition and its annexes be furnished the Office of the Solicitor General, at 134 Amorsolo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City, the Office of the City Prosecutor, the Local Civil Registrar of Quezon City, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

The Court Social Welfare Officer, Ms. Melissa Briguera-Allayban, is hereby ORDERED to conduct a Child Case Study as well as Home Study in this case, and to submit the corresponding Report, within thirty (30) days from receipt of this Order.

SO ORDERED City of Marikina, July 15, 2015 (SGD) GERALDINE C. FIEL-MACARAIG Presiding Judge (TS AUG. 29, SEPT. 5 & 12, 2015)

Haze in Kampar. Motorists ride down a road as haze from a forest and land fires shrouds the area in Kampar, Riau province,

on Indonesia’s Sumatra island on Sept. 4, 2015. Haze across much of Southeast Asia mostly comes from forest fires on Indonesia’s western island of Sumatra, many of which are deliberately lit to clear land for plantations. AFP

Abbott says boats must be stopped SYDNEY The heart-breaking images of a Syrian toddler washed up on a Turkish beach were a reminder of the need to stop people-smuggling boats, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Friday, as he stood firm on Canberra’s hard-line immigration policies.

Photographs of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi lying dead on the sand as Europe grapples with its worst refugee crisis since World War II showed the “evil” nature of people-smuggling, Abbott said.

Australia’s conservative government introduced a military-led operation to turn back boats carrying asylum-seekers attempting to arrive on the mainland after it came to power in September 2013.

“It was an absolutely heart-rending photograph and I don’t think any parent could see that photograph without being devastated,” the Australian leader told reporters in Wodonga south of Canberra.

“I know that there has been quite a bit of interest in the policies that Australia has put in place, because if you do stop the people-smuggling trade... obviously you end the deaths at sea.

“The most compassionate thing you can do in the medium and long-term is to close down this evil trade.”

Under Australia’s immigration policy, asylum-seekers that arrive are sent to the Pacific islands of Nauru and Papua New Guinea to be processed and denied resettlement in Australia even if they are found to be refugees.

Canberra has declared the policy a success, despite criticism from rights groups, and in August marked a year since the last successful boat arrival, adding that 20 vessels carrying 633 asylum-seekers have been turned back since 2013.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton hit back at a Thursday editorial in The New York Times newspaper criticizing Australia’s boat policies, saying at least 1,200 people died trying to reach his nation by boats between 2008 and 2013 un-

der the previous Labor government.

He said Australians had been horrified by the deaths of some 50 asylum-seekers in December 2010 when their rickety boat shattered in huge seas by Christmas Island off Australia’s northern coast.

“No responsible government could stand idly by in the face of these repeated tragedies,” Dutton said in a statement.

“Our policies are lawful. They are safe.

And they work. They save lives.”

Abbott added that a call by Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce to boost the number of Syrian refugees his nation takes in was already in place after Australia last year said it would resettle 2,200 Iraqis and 2,200 Syrians fleeing violence.

“It’s precisely because we have got much better border controls in place, we’ve established much better border security that we are in a position to increase our refugee and humanitarian intake,” the prime minister said.

According to Australia’s parliamentary library, 1,007 Syrians were granted offshore refugee and humanitarian visas last year out of a total of 11,016 visas granted. AFP

Two Koreas back to wrangling after accord SEOUL—Less than two weeks after securing a rare deal to improve relations, North and South Korea are already back on more familiar territory, trading accusations of insult and insincerity.

Previous agreements have been scuppered by similar verbal disputes, which can easily escalate into something more serious.

The North’s annoyance over the comments made by South Korean President Park GeunHye in Beijing this week drew a sharp response from Seoul on Friday.

“It is regrettable that North Korea is lambasting remarks made by our president... and threatening to scuttle the inter-Korean agreement,” the South’s Unification Ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-Hee told journalists.

Jeong urged the North to cooperate and “sincerely implement” the Aug. 25 agreement that allowed both sides to step back from the brink of an armed conflict.

As well as addressing the issues that led to a tense military standoff, the agreement committed both sides to beginning

official talks and organizing a reunion for families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. But the North took exception to Park’s remarks in Beijing where she thanked China for its “constructive role” in resolving the crisis a third-party credit Pyongyang took as a “serious insult”.

“The South Korean authorities are repeatedly uttering wild remarks,” said a spokesman for the North’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea.

“If the South Korean authorities persist in... peddling

the internal issues of the nation abroad, North-South relations will slip back into the evil cycle of confrontation,” the spokesman said.

He also bristled at Park’s suggesting that North Korean “provocation” was behind the recent standoff.

Under the terms of the August agreement, Seoul switched off loudspeakers blasting propaganda messages across the border after the North expressed regret over recent mine blasts that maimed two South Korean soldiers. AFP

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PROPERTY

JOEL D. L ACSAMANA EDITOR

jdlacsamana@gmail.com

B7

a desire named hennan Panglao’s newest jewel

i

t is a place which, after the first visit, persuades you to come back for more.

On the weekend when The Standard was there, one could take a pick of things to do, or simply not do anything, at the sprawling Hennan Alona Beach Resort in Panglao Island. The place has 400 rooms with balconies, 12 pool villas, a gym and spa, three swimming pools, seven restaurants, a convention center and club house, and a chapel.

The windswept Saturday morning found The Standard inspecting the 125-meter stretch fronting Hennan, part of the pristine 1.5-kilometer Alona Beach, marked by sun beds in the company’s trademark green, and shaded by white umbrellas. To round off the holiday ambience, a spirited dragon boat festival was underway, drawing locals and tourists alike, to enjoy what is now described as the foremost “tourist destination” in Bohol’s famous island – a tough goal considering the increasingly competitive tourism scene in this Visayas gem.

With a little help from our friends Businessman Alfonso Chusuey wants Bohol to be known for its tarsier population, white beaches, historical landmarks, and heritage sites. The island is one of the country’s top draws for tourists, despite being devastated by an earthquake just two years ago.

The island is recuperating, with help from investors like the Chusuey family, which is developing what will become one of the largest beach resorts in the area.

By Joel lacsamana

“We consider Henann Resort Alona Beach a milestone in our company’s 17-year history as this is our first property outside Boracay,” said Chusuey, chairman of the Henann Group of Resorts.

The 6.5 hectare Hennan complex has a wide beachfront, overlooking rocky cliffs. It has room types ranging from deluxe, premier and suites to family, premier with direct pool access, presidential and pool villas. Its cavernous convention center can accommodate up to 1,000 participants.

“The architecture and design of our resorts in Boracay served as inspiration for Henann Resort Alona Beach’s over-all look and feel,” said Chusuey. “We also used local materials like laminated shells and coconuts.”

Henann has three massive, pools with sunken bars. Other amenities include open air venue for weddings, fitness and business centers, and a mini shop. Opening soon is a VIP lounge. Famous Henann brands that will be operational by 3rd quarter of the year are Kai Spa, all day buffet Sea Breeze Beach Club, and Western fine dining restaurant Christina’s.

“We build resorts with our clients first in our minds,” said Chusuey. “We make it worth their stay whether they are with us for short or long-term.” easy to get to Bohol is centrally located in the Visayas region and is only an hour away by plane from Manila. Land transfer from provincial capital Tagbilaran City to Henann takes about 30 minutes.

green campus. De La Salle Philippines recently launched the DLSU-Rufino campus at Bonifacio Global City. The development is set to be registered with the Philippine Green Building Council’s BERDE Program for eventual certification as an educational institution that promotes environmentally-sound construction practices. At the project ground-breaking were (first row, from left to right): Joey Sanchez, project manager, Net Pacific; Manny Tating, structural engineer, Meinhardt; Caesar Marasigan, project-in-charge, Shinryo Phils.; Doroteo Jose, project manager, JCL International; Ray Suplido, DLSU, President; Charlie Rufino, DLSU board of trustee; Anna Maria Sy, managing director, CS Design; Ronaldo Gallardo, project manager, DLSU; Humpty Bucalan, manager, IEEI; Fernando Juan, Sr, structural engineer; Meinhardt; ( At back, from left to right): Jay Anthony Javelana, sales manager, Pag-asa Steel; Calum Swinnerton, President, JCL International; Jun Casipit, project manager, Shinryo Phils.; James Oliver Bagang, project manager, DATEM,Inc.; Emerito Alcala, BGC area manager, DATEM, Inc.; Melody Doliente, project coordinator, DLSU; Luther Maynard Sim, associate architect, CS Design; Mick Espiritu, architect, CS Design; and Robby Raymundo, President, Net Pacific.

To attract more travellers both here and abroad, the Bohol Tourism Board launched “Visit Bohol 2015” where they highlight the province’s heritage and culture and eco-adventure activities.

The Hennan pool villas, featuring their own dipping pools, were still closed when The Standard was there. The Presidential Suite is expected to be finished by the end of the year. But the place was almost fully packed due to a promo offering a 40% discount on rooms, and guests could already access many of of its facilities.

For now, guests can enjoy the resort’s intricately designed swimming pools, the Coral Café, poolside bars, and the whole stretch of Alona Beach. The resort is ostensibly undergoing birthing pains, with local staff being trained by employees brought in from Boracay, where the Hennan Group also has resorts. tourist draW The white-sand Alona Beach is Panglao’s biggest draw. Regulars of Boracay will notice that the beach, with its few resorts and small bar strip, resembles the popular destination a decade ago. While the beach’s sand is less fine than that of Boracay, it is comparable to a mix of that of Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte, and the famous white beach.

Henann Alona Beach is the company’s first resort outside of Boracay, and is the largest in Panglao. While the resort offers tours through partnerships with local companies, the resort hopes to give guests a complete experience. “We don’t want just to be a take-off point,” Chusuey told The Standard last weekend.

sporty design. Victoria Sports Tower, the latest project of New San Jose Builders (NSJB) , will be designed

by Studio HBA, an interior design group under the Hirsh Bedner Associates or HBA company, one of the world’s largest hospitality design firms based in the US. Victoria Sports Tower will have its soft opening later this year making it the country’s biggest all indoor sports and social club in a residential setting.

It will have the biggest fitness gym in the country, several badminton and tennis courts, virtual golf rooms, basketball court, swimming pools and bowling alleys. At the signing ceremony were: NSJB chairman Jose Acuzar (3rd from left) sealing the Victoria Sports Tower deal with HBA’s director Norman Agleron. With them were, from left, Pearl Fetiza, Ivy Sheena Ong, Gina Agleron, and Jules Lacsamana, all from the Studio HBA team..

sun, sea, sand.

The Hennan resort beachfront beckons with its long stretch of paradise.

The Hennan Group manages three resort hotels in Boracay, and has newly acquired properties in Station 1. Those familiar with the hotels there will recognize the Kai Spa, Sea Breeze Café, and Christina’s, once construction finishes and all facilities are complete.

A dip before breakfast?

Value for money The group is not thinking of veering away from its formula as a luxury resort targeting the midto high-end market either, said Karl Chusuey, the company’s vice president for marketing.

Pointing out that their prices are lower than their same-tier competitors, the younger Chusuey said Henann “offers value for money.” Rooms at the hotel range from P8,400 for a Superior room to as much as P32,480 for the Presidential Suite.

Aside from the restaurant, those who are not staying at the hotel can also access some of Henann’s amenities. Sun beds by the beach can be rented for P500, with P300 consumable for drinks and food.

However, there may come a time that Henann Alona Beach will be turned into a beach club, said the younger Chusuey. This is under consideration, including the possible addition of amenities for children, such as a playhouse.

safety first Henann Alona Beach was still under construction when an earthquake hit Bohol in 2013, knocking down buildings and demolishing cultural treasures such as the Dauis Church and the Baclayon Church, among others.

But the younger Chusuey said that while safety is always a concern, he believes that the hotel structures can stand up to future tremors. “The hotel was still under construction [when the quake hit]. Nothing happened [to the structures]. They’re solid,” he said.

He added that they are also in the process of putting up more signs around the resort to guide guests to exits and advising them what to do in case of emergencies.

Henann Alona Beach joins the soon-to-be-renamed Boracay Regency Beach Resort and Spa (Henann Regency Beach Resort and Spa), Henann Garden Resort, and Henann Lagoon Resort in Boracay.

Bacolod on the rise. Megaworld recently announced that it is building an upscale residential village, Forbes Hill, in Northill Gateway, Bacolod City. The community will have 197 lots ranging from 449 sq. meters to 916 sq. meters, or approximately 13 lots per hectare. Future lot owners will have a free hand to design their own homes, which overlook the Negros mountain ranges, and surrounding sugarcane plantation vistas. Residents will also have a big breathing space as Megaworld alloted 5-hectares of open and green spaces for parks Forbes Hill is nestled within the 53-hectare Northill Gateway, a joint development of Megaworld and Suntrust Properties, Inc., in partnership with the Lacson Family.

The development will house residential villages, mixed-use office and retail developments, leisure and recreational amenities as well as institutional facilities.

smooth as silk. DataLand Inc. (DLI) recently launched the second tower of its flagship project, The Silk Residences, in Sta. Mesa, Manila. The Silk Residences’ first tower, called the Velvet Tower, is almost sold out, with only a a few units up for grabs.

The project is on track with the current construction of the first tower now past 20 floors, and the entry of the second tower completes the two-tower residential condominium of the development. DLI will start to turn over units for Tower 1 on March 2016, while Tower 2 units are slated on the last quarter of 2016. The development is along the main road of Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard, at the corner of Santol Street. The Silk Residences is built with silk-inspired interiors and walls, as well as a bridgeway connecting the two towers.

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JOEL D. L ACSAMANA EDITOR jdlacsamana@gmail.com

PROPERTY

Keeping history alive.

The Post Office

InnovATIvE TEchnologY lIghTS UP MAnIlA PARkS “T

he Plazas of Manila”, an exhibit curated by architect and urban planner Paulo Alcazaren, opened recently at Yuchengco Museum in Makati City.

The exhibit and mobile app, which aims to bring Manila’s historic but disappearing plazas to the attention of more Filipinos, is a collaboration between Samsung and the Philippine Science High School Foundation.

Visitors will be able to use Culture Explorer, a mobile application that uses augmented reality technology to learn about Manila’s plazas and other cultural and heritage landmarks. The app is a virtual tour guide in one’s pocket, with fresh content and plenty of interesting trivia. It allows users to navigate around key landmarks and travel back in time to see how the landmark has looked and evolved over the years. The app is compatible with

Android smartphones and tablets, and can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store and Galaxy Apps.

“Technology makes the arts, culture and history more accessible and more appealing to people,” said Alcazaren. “It allows them to appreciate everything in a more dynamic manner, injecting a new dimension and giving it a meaning beyond what they get to read in books.”

CenTer of filipino life Once the center of Filipino life, plazas in Manila are either disappearing or falling into a state of disrepair.

Few people recognize the historical and cultural significance of these landmarks, and they are often overlooked by heritage conservationists, as well as students of history.

“Through this exhibit, we are able to cast the spotlight on one of the most important elements of Filipino culture and history, the

Bridging technology and art. Plaza Roma

plaza,” said Linda Cordova, executive director of the Philippine Science High School Foundation, Inc. “This exhibit allows us to bridge technology and art to-

souThern exposure. Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) is investing P70 billion for its newest estate, Vermosa, a 700-hectare integrated, mixed-use development 15 minutes south of Alabang. Over 120 hectares have been allocated for a Central Business District that will house business and commercial establishments, hotels, shopping, entertainment, dining as well as medium to high density residential developments. A total of 165-hectares, or 24% of the entire development, will be devoted to parks.

The future city will be accessible via the Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway (MCX). Vermosa bears the mark of a sustainable community, and is shaping up to be the next big real estate project South of Alabang, inspired by Makati, Bonifacio Global City, and Nuvali.

gether, giving the Filipino youth a chance to learn about their roots.”

Alcazaren, a founding member of the Heritage Conservation Society, believes that the marriage of

technology and art will not only benefit artists, but also students of culture and history.

The exhibit will run until September 18.

Japanese geTaway. Tagaytay Highlands is launching Katsura, a Japanese-themed community stretched across 14 hectares of rolling terrain with Yume, a secluded residential enclave, overlooking Taal Lake. Japanese culture enthusiasts will experience the simplicity of traditional homes amid well-kept gardens. An added treat are “KOENs”, small parks symbolic of tradition and inner peace, set within the community. Each park has unique elements that exhibit harmony and balance, representing the Japanese culture. Aside from the community’s amenities, homeowners can enjoy the different club facilities such as a cable car and funicular train, ATV rides, horseback riding ring, swimming pools with jacuzzis, and Tagaytay Highlands’ very own zoo, the Animal Farm.

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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

P OP CU LT U RE

LIFE

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The emotions are in for a shock

Fear, Sadness, Joy, Disgust and Anger

How Inside Out is digging up Millennial #feels Warning: This article contains spoilers.

Joy and Sadness share a treasured memory

Riley having a tough time at her new school

Anger takes over

Riley's family goofing around

The emotions playing back a core memory

When I watched the Disney Pixar computeranimated movie Inside Out, there was a kid THE GIST a couple of

BY ED BIADO rows behind me inside the theater who was crying for a good 50 percent of the 94-minute feature. He couldn’t take it.

The heavy scenes were too heavy. If I were a child, I would be scared, too, especially of Bing Bong. For adults, the visualization of a childhood imaginary friend made up of different animal parts is fine. Cool, even.

But I have no idea how the mind of a child would process that monstrosity. And to see him disintegrate, that’s just terrifying.

The people who were sighing and aww-ing at every emotional turn were all grown men and women. And that’s expected because the film really does take us back to our childhood and our “core memories.” Imagine how interesting an exercise it is to figure out what your “personality islands” are, which ones you had but lost, and which ones you still retain. Kids are not going to talk about that. Adults are.

So I’ve come to the conclusion that while Inside Out is a film about a child, it is not made for children. The subject matter may be quite basic – five basic emotions driving the actions of Riley, an 11-year-old girl – but it’s certainly deeper and more complex than that. I find that the film most touches young adults – those people who are experiencing manifestations of the five emotions and combinations thereof without being able to always identify which specific emotion is on the driver’s seat. (Which emotion is in charge of your headquarters now, I’ve been asked a couple of times in the last week and a half.)

Inside Out digs out Millennial #feels

Like Joy, one of the emotions, we all just want to be happy. We don’t like Sadness. In fact, we have no idea why there is Sadness in the first place. But the film breaks it down for us and really makes us understand the purpose of that previously unwanted emotion. Sadness, as it turns out, was the one with the most advice-worthy lines. They’re actually quite poignant. One magazine article even goes into detail about this and discusses how the movie (and acknowledging your emotions) can help in saving relationships.

On social media, Inside Out references abound, sandwiched between posts about the MTV Video Music Awards, the recent rally on EDSA and AlDub. Laugh-outloud memes, including one showing the physical similarities between Sadness and Justice Secretary Leila De Lima and another replacing Bing Bong with Dingdong Dantes, are shared incessantly. Some people are using Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust and Fear to describe exactly what they’re feeling while others are lamenting the fact that there wasn’t a movie like this back when they were young. If there was, their parents would’ve understood them better, they say.

There’s also plenty of humorous tidbits within Inside Out that target the adult audience. Ever wondered why cats be cray?

The answer’s there. It’s by no means scientific,

but it actually makes perfect sense. A snarky joke about the abomination that is Hawaiian pizza? The movie has that, too! We also get to explore the dynamics inside mom and dad’s mind headquarters and that storyline can very well be spun off into a sitcom about married life. Who can relate to that? Married people. Tell me I’m right, married friends.

Preceded by the animated musical short Lava, which tells the story of a lonely volcano hoping to find a lifelong companion, the emotional aspect of the viewing experience is amplified. A friend said on Facebook, “This Lava short film in front of Inside Out destroyed me.” In the words of the typical millennial, there’s just so much #feels packed in seven short minutes.

Together, the two films make for a lot of #hugot. Not the romantic kind as Millennials are wont to have, but more about coming to terms with our own set of feelings and emotional responses to the things going on around us that we have no control over. The film gets us and we, in turn, get it. Admit it; you know sh—t just got real when Sadness said, “Crying helps me slow down and obsess over the weight of life’s problems.” Can you even?

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @EdBiado

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

FACE THE MUSIC: THE ARMCHAIR PILOSOPA

BY IZZY WARREN GONZALEZ

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The Quintessential Break Up Playlist

reaking up is sad business. There’s the matter of divvying up your accumulated belongings, deciding who the best grey hoodie goes to live with, sacrificing CDs for the speakers, and, on the sly, maybe filching one of the leather-bound photo albums that chronicled some of your times together. You were never for that senti scene, but hey, you could use the leather album for other things if the pictures were crap anyway. You tell yourself this, even as you flip through the well-worn sheets of card to find that one picture of the both of you where you not only look the most like yourselves, but you look happier than you’ve ever been. You can discard the leather album or keep it, your choice.

Now, its time for the coping mechanisms to commence! Remember your last break up? We all have different ways of facing a breakup, but invariably, and all the nonbitter people I’ve spoken to about this have agreed: we all go through some variation of the five stages of grief when we deal with a break up properly; denial, bargaining, anger, depression, and acceptance all have

a part to play in getting our groove back.

Some people engage in self-destructive behavior until they’re so numb to painful stimuli that they can walk over a pit of flaming hot Legos – but I find that the best way to hold a mirror up to one’s life and really pointedly feel whatever the hell it is we need to be feeling at that moment in time is by listening to music. It almost sounds cheesy next to mindless sex, alcoholism, and addiction – as if we weren’t grieving with enough gravitas. However, and this is with the Solveggio Healing Frequencies aside, I truly believe that music is the salve, from which our souls, burned from the harsh light of reality, seek the easement of pain and soothing comfort.

No matter what you listen to, I am pretty sure that you have a song that relaxes you no matter what kind of day you’ve been having. That makes you feel sexy, that gives you determination (it’s the Final Countdoooooooown!), and so on. Hell, if you were born in the era when “making a mix” meant pressing the record button with laser-precision timing and praying

the DJ didn’t talk over the intro, you’ve probably made a break-up mix. Let’s not demean ourselves by sobbing alone to Peter Andre any longer, however. Lets make a break-up playlist that employs the five stages of grief!

Now, a playlist is different from a mix because you can pick and choose the tracks which go into the mix; it’s full of potential solutions and lessons to be learned. You don’t even have to be in a relationship, much less breaking up with anyone to make a playlist to sort your head out. So, if in doubt, make a playlist and figure it out.

Or, if you’re as lazy as I am banking on you being, download these playlists instead – oh, and really listen to the songs. Music, like any art form, best employs negative emotions like pain and anger and hurt to create wonderful results. So, express your feelings, even if it means blasting The Animals into your formerly-significant other’s room at four o’clock in the morning for a week and a half until they call the cops on you. Oh Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood.

THE PLAYLISTS 1. Burn – Tina Arena 2. You Gotta Love Me (Original) – David August 3. I’ll Be Watching You – The Police

4. Thank U – Dido 5. Your House – 6.

7.

Alanis Morrissette Closer – Nine Inch Nails Stay – Lisa Loeb

8. Daydream – I, Monster 9. Sunglasses at Night – Tiga 10. All My Loving 11. White Rabbit – Jefferson Airplane

1. Me and my Arrow – Harry Nilsson

2. I can’t stand the rain – Missy Elliot

3. Love is a Losing Game – Amy Winehouse

4. Gloomy Sunday – Billie Holiday 5. The Thrill is Gone – B.B. King 6. End of the World – Peggy Lee 7. Raining Again – Betoko 8. Strange – Adana Twins 9. Mi Mujer – Nicolas Jaar 10. Soul to Squeeze – Red Hot Chili Peppers

11. The Sky is Crying – Stevie Ray Vaughn 12. Smile – Natalie Cole

13. The Sky was Pink – Nathan Fame (James Holden Remix)

14. Right Here Right Now – Fatboy Slim

15. Wicked and Lazy – Original 16. What I Might Do – Ben Sears 17. Berlin Calling – Paul Kalkbrenner 18. Touching Me – Finnebassen 19. Que Sera – Wax Tailor 20. Bang Bang – Nancy Sinatra Spotify link: open.spotify.com/user/12145304082/ playlist/44MrtV8seGIRGMNeAkw5Eb

12.One More for the Road – Tony Bennett

13. Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd

Spotify link: open.spotify.com/user/12145304082/playlist/6PMW9jUnfA8i4DpcUrDm0R

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Use Me – Bill Withers Praise You – Fatboy Slim Glorybox – Portishead Getting Away With It (all messed up) – James 5. Let’s Get it On – Marvin Gaye 6. Smooth Criminal – Michael Jackson

7. Somebody to Love – Jefferson Airplane

8. Piece of My Heart –

9. Afterglow – Wilkinson 10. Jolene – Dolly Parton 11. Evil Ways – Santana 12. No Regular Play – Nicolas Jaar

13. Criminal – Fiona Apple 14. Erase/Rewind – The Cardigans

15. Grace Kelly – Mika 16. Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy – Queen

Janis Joplin Spotify link:open.spotify.com/user/12145304082/playlist/3rIqGLKYLX4JsxoylOcd69

1. Hurt – Johnny Cash 2. Who Did That To You? – John Legend N.I.B – Black Sabbath Blue Monday – New Order Push – Matchbox20

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6. Drop the Game – 7.

Chet Faker & Flume Sundown – Gordon Lightfoot

8. La Camisa Negra – Juanes 9. Du Hast – Rammstein 10. Anything by motorhed 11. Frogstomp – Silverchair 12. Tainted Love – Marilyn Manson 13. 5 Years – Sugar Hiccup 14. Kids with Guns – Gorillaz

Spotify link: open.spotify.com/user/12145304082/playlist/5C36qe1hZMlW1vm8Yp05sS

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F.Y.B – P.O.T. Tiny Dancer – Elton Jon Weak – Skunk Anansie Evolution/Revolution – Tricky Non je’n regrette rien – Edith Piaf

6. Cum on Feel the Noize – Slade 7. Maintain – Compuphonic 8. Finally Moving – Pretty Lights 9. Whole Lotta Love – Tina Turner 10. Gone Too Long – Him Self Her 11. Okay – Shiba San 12. All Night Long – Kill Frenzy 13.Liquid Spirit – Gregory Parker (Claptone Remix)

Spotify link: open.spotify.com/user/12145304082/ playlist/5W3bsqruGWuJTnfBK4lWV5 Download from Spotify via these links!

Tweet me your take on my playlists, or even your own breakup mixes @ArmchrPilosopa, IG: TheArmchairPilosopa; Tumblr: thearmchairpilosopa.tumblr.com, or email me at thearmchairpilosopa@gmail.com.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

STREET STYLE

STAND OUT WITH BUM’S BLACK ARMY WHO SAYS BLACK IS OUT?

BUM’s #BLACKARMY campaign proves otherwise, with the fun and excitement continuing with the latest collection that can make you stand out and look fab day in and day out. Option outfits are anything but boring, with a fashionable variation of black, gray and white. Attitude with a capital “A” is evident with some tops that carry a pop of color in the form of unique prints – injecting a youthful vibe to an otherwise seriously gothic design.

While comfort is top of mind, the style factor shouldn’t be far behind when

dressing up. Adding character to the go-to, easy-to-wear jeans-and-shirt ensemble are tees and long-sleeved tops in eye-catching prints, patterns and statements (think ribcages, skulls and bones) and jeans that are distressed and in different washes.

BUM makes cool street-style fashion easily achievable for guys and gals guys with an ultra-stylish and comfy selection of casual tops such as tees, pullovers and hoodies. Amp them up with a pair of jogger or denim pants. The pants selection of BUM this season is definitely worth checking out as it is made exciting with details like rips,

patches and stitching, which are among the favorite trends among young people today.

Showcasing how a simple getup can ooze with so much appeal and character are BUM’s roster of young ambassadors: Jane Oineza, Ella Cruz, Nash Aguas, Miguel Tanfelix and Bianca Umali. Joining the cool squad that is this #BLACKARMY is 15-year-old Alexa Ilacad, who has learned to embrace her edgy side.

BUM is also releasing a coffee table book/ planner called the “BlackBook.” Featuring all of BUM’s celebrity brand ambassadors in garbs from the “Black2School” collection, this

novelty item is an absolute must-have for teens who are active, on-the-go and in constant need of style inspiration anytime, anywhere.

Express individuality in your choice of clothes and try to go for an edgy-quirky style. Stand out with fun and striking clothes from BUM, and take a cue from this latest campaign to look both cool and hot.

BUM’s latest collection is now available at BUM boutiques and leading department stores nationwide. For more information about BUM’s #BLACKARMY, visit www.bumequipment. com.ph or follow us “@officialbumph” on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.

THE 175: Filipino Dictionary Shirts “Ang di marunong magmahal ng sariling wika ay masahol pa sa aso at malansang isda.”

– Dr. Jose Rizal

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The 175 Essentials

or a country that has over 175 languages and dialects, Filipinos are more interested in learning English, French, Spanish, Chinese and other languages. This becomes the inspiration for the birth of The 175. “It’s a Filipino dictionary on T-shirts!” says Anthony Villa, CEO of The 175. This venture is a concept of four advertising agency guys: Anthony Villa who is a digital strategic planner; Jogs Danao, a copywriter; Kim Galindo, art director; and Them Sevilla, a social media director.

Together, The 175 team aims to interest Filipinos, especially the youth, in learning a thing or two about our language through their shirt collection. It may not be a curriculumbased education but statement t-shirts are always conversation starters. There will always be someone interested in reading what’s on a printed shirt.

Their shirts are designed with words in Tagalog like Paraluman, Indak, Tadhana, Bayang Magiliw, Lupang Hinirang, and below it are definitions transcribed in English. In this day and age, it cannot be denied that we are more adept at using English than our own language. Give someone a Tagalog dictionary and you end up having to memorize words

Lupang Hinirang Collection

than understanding them, so these young creative opted to use the English language in defining the words.

Since its conception, The 175 has launched the Indie collection, Hiligaynon not Ilonggo collection, and Lupang Hinirang collection.

The 175 shirts are available online via www. shirt.ly/The175. For more information, you may visit them on Facebook via The 175 and @The175Apparel on Instagram. For direct buying, you may contact them via 0908-8103-813.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

IG SPY

THE CHARM OF CRAFTS In a sea of mass produced commodities manufactured by giant faceless corporations, handmade products from small, independent businesses – often run by one or a few people – offer a breath of fresh air. There is a certain charm to a product made by hand and only comes in small or limited quantities. Artisanal as they call it – it may be because quality is the priority and not meeting quota, or it possesses a particular warmth from its craftsman, or because it offers exclusivity. And when you're surrounded by these kinds of crafts, it's not difficult to feel inspired or creative as well. So whether you're thinking of starting your own artisanal product label or you just fancy looking at charming and artistic pieces, these five Instagram accounts of homegrown brands will give you a daily dose of Pinoy Pride and inspiration.

@bluecarreonhome For classic pieces made of exquisite materials, journalist and designer Blue Carreon's eponymous home products brand got that in spades, and they're all in this Instagram account which has 4,120 fans to date.

The account features photographs of the label's merchandise made by “artisans in the Philippines” available in their store. Hit that “follow” icon for a daily dose of elegance and Filipino craftsmanship – from fine china to brass trinkets, so you'll have an idea of the brand's latest items that you can purchase.

@craftsmithliving Rustic elegant appeal? Check. Inspiring flat lays and set-ups? Check.

Well curated artisanal goods? Check. Craftsmith Store creates and sells simple, honest and down-to-earth products made by hand. And its Instagram account, which has over 18,100 followers as of this writing, is home to all the wonderful photos of the goods they sell. According to Craftsmith, all objects, furniture and art they create “promote slow living,” and by browsing through their feed – filled with everyday items and home decors – you would most likely feel compelled to snuggle in bed with a warm cup of cocoa in one hand and the other hitting that IG “heart.”

@craftswithsoul Interested in decoupage and all things personalized and inspirational?

This small craft business that handles an Instagram account with currently over 2,100 followers sells handcrafted and functional wood items with designs that can range from personal photos to random quotes. Each item tells a story, maybe of the buyer but surely of the crafter, Pia Suiza. Aside from the brand's products for sale, its IG account also features videos of her doing decoupage.

@bagsbyrubbertree Leather love abounds in the Instagram account of Rubbertree Design Studio. This label offers leather goods – from pen and cable organizers to roll top weekenders – hand-cut and hand-stitched by owners Ruben and Trina Flores. The leather goods are the star in this account with over 8,300 fans. Apart from lovely images of their equally lovely products, the account also features styling inspiration for your Rubbertree bags, photos of the manufacturing processes, and pictures of the places where the bags had been, which was everywhere – perhaps to inspire you to get on your feet and explore the world, too.

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SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

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ShorT+SweeT 2015 aT SM aura PreMier

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allgoers will have the rare opportunity to view the exciting theater concept that has been sweeping the world when The Samsung Hall at SM Aura Premier hosts the second Short+Sweet Festival this month. The month-long theater festival will include Master Classes, as well as 33 10-minute plays for the Main Show, 18 short plays for the Wild Cards and the Grand Gala Finale.

Short+Sweet is an Australian theatrical initiative that has grown into an international creative brand-presenting Theatre, Dance and Music Festivals, all in 10 minutes long and is also hosted in different cities in the world like Mumbai, Singapore, Melbourne, Canberra, Kuala Lumpur, Newcastle, Chennai, New Delhi, Dubai, Bengaluru, Penang, Brisbane, and Philippines. Hollywood will be in addition next year and will feature the best plays from around the world.

Since Short+Sweet aims to Develop, Showcase and create Excellence, they are introducing a range of Master Classes conducted by local and international Theatre experts.

On Sept. 5, Jeremy Domingo’s Voice for the Theatre focused on voice projection, placement and dynamics for the proper use of the actor’s voice on stage. The following day, the master class on Compact Scriptwriting, how to optimize a 10-minute limit by Joem Antonio guided participants on how to write a story meant for a

t10- minute live performance that theatre performers and audiences would line up for. While predominantly a lecture, the master class also provided quick writing exercises to put the idea to script and the script to the stage.

The following weekend, Ami Ramolete’s master class on Discovering the Art of Puppetry through Acting will tackle the actor as puppeteer and the puppeteer of the actor on Sept. 12. Jac Vidgen, meanwhile, will talk about Optimal Breathing Techniques to Empower Performance and Health –On and Off the Stage on Sept. 13.

This will give a basic understanding of the physiology behind the Buteyko’s method references and how the method enhances people’s acting and performance. Participants can take home a few tips for breathing better, sleeping right and a few simple breathing exercises.

On the last weekend, master classes on Irreverent Reference by Nicanor Campos and Christine Cojuanco are the featured on Sept.

19; and Movement on Drama by Aruna Viswadoss on Sept. 20.

Irreverent Reference will discuss the unfortunate reality that more than any other playwright, the execution of Shakespeare on stage or screen is least likely to result in any kind of agreement. Actors and artists find Shakespeare not only intimidating, but also frightening and even at times frustrating.

Movement on Drama, on the other hand, will focus on a series of principles, activities and exercises

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that explore, physicality through movement; enhance character with appropriate movement; and align speech/sound with movement and with each other in an ensemble’cultural context as a shaping ground for movement choice. All master classes will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, with a P500 participation fee.

Short+Sweet’s highlight, however, will be the Main show which includes 33 10-minute plays. These include Something to Tell You by Ashleigh Stathakis and directed by Alvin Joseph Veneracion; Fear by Ian Burgess and directed by Manu Respall; Takpsilim by Christian Vallez and directed by Blanche Louise Buhia; Divine by Carlo Pacolor Garcia and directed by James Harvey Estrada, and Lunes

by Bernalyn Sastrillo and directed

by Andrew Cruz.

Other short and sweet plays include “Kwentong Beerhouse” written by U. Eliserio and directed by Basty Bastitis, The Turn Around by David Vazdauskas and directed by Norberto Portales; You Are Driving Me Crazy

by Todd Wallinger and directed

by Julius Tabios; and The Perfect Independent Film by Trace Crawford and directed by Bryan James Ocampo. All plays will be shown 6 to 8:30 p.m., Friday to Sunday of September. Ticket prices are VIP – P1060, PATRON – P795 and PREMIUM-P530.

Short+Sweet is one of the many events of Samsung Hall at SM Aura Premier.

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KIX’s ‘R U ToUgh EnoUgh?’ 10 fInalIsTs

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he ultimate TV destination for action entertainment, announced the 10 finalists of R U Tough Enough? (RUTE), the nationwide search for the toughest Pinoy. These tough men and women will battle it out at the final showdown 2 p.m. today at the ground floor of Mega Fashion Hall in SM Megamall for the grand prize of P250,000.

The response to RUTE has been overwhelming. Coupled with reality star and actor Daniel Matsunaga as the ambassador, RUTE has generated over 300 applicants across the nation.

Shortlisted applicants were invited for a closed-door audition on Aug. 16.

It was then narrowed down to 10 finalists who demonstrated that they had the physical, mental and emotional strengths to take on the challenges.

Those contestants are: “The Courageous Chinito” Markus Lim, “The Charitable Champion” Rhimbo Severino; “The Determined Dabawenyo” Nathaniel Sanchez; “The Independent Idealist” Lei Villanueva; “The Daring Dreamer” Reyn Talosig; “The Mighty Model” Cheann Kubota; “The Ferocious Firefighter” Neil Boclongan; “The Dauntless Daddy” Jaime Completo; “The Fearless Foreignoy” Ribhi Saleh and “The Extraordinary Ex-Rebel” Rocky Ramos.

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1 Erica Esteban, last year’s best actress in the play, “Eternity” 2 Last year’s Best Play “Death in 10 Minutes” with Eshei Mesina and Russel Legaspi 3 Award winning actress Angeli Bayani starred in last year’s Audience Best Play “Blabber mouth” 4 Issa Litton starred in the play, “The Loop.” 5 Short + Sweet Festival Producer Vaishali Ray and Festival director Divya Rajan-Sriram 6 Short + Sweet’s Vaishali Ray and Divya Rajan-Sriram with this year’s participants 7 Some of the Scenes in the play “Unveiled” 8 “Spaceman and Executioner’s” performers, Cindy Lopez and Jan Leyson

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

DOn MOEn baCk nExt MOnth

S

inger-songwriter Don Moen who attained international recognition and success with his praiseand-worship music is scheduled to return to Manila for a four-city concert tour that will open with a performance on Oct. 1 at the CCF Center in Frontera Verde, Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City.

Presented by 700 Club and Ovation Productions in cooperation with Philippine Christian Book Store and OMF Literature, Inc., the four-date concert series also includes Waterfront Hotel Cebu City on Oct. 2, St. La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod City on Oct. 3 and Limketkai Mall in Cagayan de Oro City on Oct. 4.

To be featured as guest is singer Lenny LeBlanc.

The musical event will reunite the gospel singer and leader with his millions of Filipino fans one year after his last local appearance, also at the CCF Center. Prior to

that, Don had successful tours in 2013 and 2012 and previous years that took him to key cities in Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao.

Dubbed Don Moen Live!, the tour will showcase the exceptional talent and skill of the 65-yearold artist who has conquered millions in the last three decades with his marvelous voice and style that gave the world songs like “God Will Make A Way,” “Thank You, Lord,” “God Is Good All The Time” and “Give Thanks.”

Other Christian songs Don has popularized include “Lord, I Offer My Life To You,” “Crown Him,” “I Want To Be Where You Are,” “Blessed Be The Name Of The Lord,” “Celebrate, Jesus, Celebrate,” “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” “All We Like Sheep,” “Your Steadfast Love,” and many more.

A frequent visitor to the Philippines in the past years, Don has established a solid base of Filipino fans of different classes and ages

Don Moen will be back for his Christian fans

and who are expected to turn out in impressive numbers during his coming tour.

Considered by many music enthusiasts as the “Barry Manilow of Christian music,” Don developed his musical talent while attending the Oral Roberts University in Oklahoma until he became a Living Sound musician for Terry Law Ministries before joining Integrity, Incorporated, authors of the “Hosanna! Music” praise-andworship series.

For tickets and other inquiries, contact the following: CCF Center concert on Oct. 1 – (02) 635-3410, all outlets of SM Tickets or online at www.smtickets. com (02-470-2222); Waterfront Hotel Cebu City concert on Oct. 2 – (032) 232-6888; 0917-622-8705; St. La Salle Coliseum Bacolod City concert on Oct. 3 – (034) 435-0553; and Limketkai Mall concert, Cagayan de Oro City on Oct. 4 – ( 088) 856-8881.)

ViCtory Liner goes ‘north Bound’

Victory Liner usherette

V Bill Velasco

Natalia Moon

ictory Liner, Inc. (VLI), one of the country’s biggest provincial bus transit liners, is extending its advocacy on promoting domestic tourism as it joins the North Philippines Visitors Bureau (NPVB) in a special travel program on television that showcases never-before-seen places up north.

On Aug. 22, ANC viewers (channel 27 on Sky Cable and Destiny Cable) watched the special TV program entitled North Bound hosted by Australian singer-songwriter, actress and model Natalia Moon who took the audience to various places of interest in northern and central Luzon. The show now airs every Saturday 8:30 to 9 p.m., with replays at 11:30 a.m., Sundays.

Together with Edsel Ochoa, executive director of the NPVB, and key executives from Victory Liner, the show explores scenic places up north, like the Capones Island in Zambales, the Lighthouse Marina Re-

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ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Kitty’s affectionate gesture 5 Wyoming range 10 Job-safety org.

14 Crow’s-nest cry 15 Hindu statesman 16 Year-end tune 17 Cesspool 18 Clink glasses 19 Harbor town 20 Valentino role 22 Small marsupials

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Billionth, in combos Not e’en once Model’s asset (2 wds.)

Feel one’s way Paris affirmative Titles like Tarzan’s Actress Close Big-ticket — Springs Latin I verb Wallpaper, etc.

Popcorn, e.g.

Rookie reporter Gum More slovenly Cotton swab (hyph.)

Idyllic spot Informs on Went in the water Pineapple island More winsome Intertwined Give off Monaco neighbor Adams or Brickell Start over Vikings Blockhead

DOWN 1 Lake fish 2 Nope (hyph.)

3 Alaskan seaport 4 Keying 5 NBA network 6 Want-ad letters 7 January phenomenon 8 Welles or Bean 9 Eggnog topper 10 No longer in the pen (2 wds.)

11 Chimney deposit 12 Not his 13 Elev.

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Leafy green Freighter hazard Patricia of “Hud” People eaters Burglar’s “key” External Bro’s daughter Street lingo “My Cousin Vinny” actor Result from Be merciful Wyo. neighbor Patio pest Low-drifting clouds Formal observance Was cognizant of One of the B vitamins Chewed at Dwarf planet Alike — pro quo Any of the Pleiades Extinct bird Worse than bad Bug repellent French sea Subway opposites Deli bread

sort in Subic and The Cellar Door in Sagada, Mountain Province. There will also be a special feature on the paragliders of Bontoc, whose daredevil stunts can be seen regularly in a scenic town beside the Chico River, now considered as the paraglide capital of the Philippines.

Conceptualized, written and directed by international documentary filmmaker Bill Velasco, North Bound takes Natalia and the audience racing around Kart City Tarlac, through the halls of history at Aquino Center in Luisita, surfing off the coast of San Fernando, and lounging along the sun-soaked, Santorini-inspired Thunderbird Resort in La Union.

Those on the lookout for a little bit of history will love the episode taken at the Aquino Center in Luisita, and the one filmed at Fort Magsaysay, one of the significant training areas of the Philippine Army in Nueva Ecija which is also the site of the serene Pahingahan Dam, a man-

made lake inside the fort, where Natalia goes stand-up paddleboarding. She also takes her first zipline ride in Talavera, introduces us to the plush new Harvest Hotel in Cabanatuan, and milks a carabao.

The NPVB is a non-stock, non-profit organization founded by the Manila North Tollways Corporation that was created for the sole purpose of promoting tourism in North and Central Luzon, primarily through meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) and by enhancing the visitor experience in the region. Victory Liner, on the other hand, is a bus company that has played a major role in the Philippine transport industry since it became the product of Japanese occupation in the country after World War II. The bus company will soon be celebrating its 70th anniversary in October this year. To know more about Victory Liner, its bus schedules and the routes it serves, check out www.victoryliner.com.

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

C7

Heart wants only 2 kids From C8

Chiz and Heart

Rev. Fr. Paulo B. Barandon, CEO of the Diocesan Multi-Media Services, Inc._ Rev. Fr. Francis Lucas, CEO of the Catholic Media Network_ and Atty. Toto Villareal, MTRCB Chairperson

s

enator Chiz Escudero can’t do anything but respect the wish of Heart Evangelista to have only two kids.

He said even if he wanted to have five, he is constrained by the wish of her actress-wife. This, Heart says, is for both of them to have enough time for the kids so that they won’t be wanting in attention. “Siguro, next year pa. We have plans, perhaps next year.

That’s what she wants,” Chiz said in an interview about Heart. “As a way of respectin her decision and upholding women’s rights, they should decide how many children they want to have, and it’s not us, men, who should impose on them.

As a matter of fact, we will not be burdened by pregnancy.”

Already, the Senator has twins by his first marriage.

The couple is planning to have a baby next year, whether or not the Senator will seek a higher position in 2016.

Earlier, Chiz told everyone about their plans for a simple “renewal of vows” coinciding with

thier first wedding anniversary on Feb. 15 next year, this time, with Heart’s parents, of course.

It will also be a way of celebrating the good relationship between his and her families. Chiz and Heart were sort of estranged from the Ongpauco’s until after the wedding, and their differences have been since resolved.

HHHHH MtrCB Finds an ally in CatHoliC Media network The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has found another ally in the Philippine Federation of Catholic Broadcasters-Catholic Media Network (PFCB-CMN) for its nationwide “Matalinong Panonood para sa Pamilya at Lipunan nina Juan at Juana” campaign.

Speaking before the delegates during PFCB-CMN’s 85th Bi-Annual General Assembly at the Concourse Convention Center in Legazpi on Aug. 27, MTRCB Chairman Atty. Eugenio “Toto” Villlareal stressed the importance of promoting the dignity of the human person

in television and film viewership.

“The MTRCB believes that it is important to be engaged—to have the look and smell, as it were, of its stakeholders: both audience and industry players. That is why we visit as many places as we can and I am encouraging more and more of our people to work hand in hand with us in this meaningful endeavour,” Villareal said in his speech.

Noting the audience as the most important element of the film and TV industries and family as the most vital component of the audience, he said, “We strongly believe that we should all help in its development and empowerment, towards audience-sensitive and, if you will, Filipino-sensitive content.”

In the last few years, the MTRCB has been collaborating with faithbased entities and associations like PFCB-CMN for the promotion of its initiatives and advocacies.

To know more about the Matalinong Panonood advocacy and how it helps empower every Juan and Juana to be able to wield the system in evaluating content, fol-

low MTRCB’s official Twitter account via @MTRCBgov.

HHHHH alduB, Most sougHt-aFter Content on gMa’s online news portal GMA News Online (www. gmanetwork.com/news), the Network’s online news portal, launched a sleeker, more mobile-friendly design, making it easier for users to consume information on the go.

With 69 percent of its readers accessing the site from mobile phones, the new design allows for greater accessibility for its community of users.

Visitors can now enjoy a continuous stream of articles with the infinite scrolling feature, while the site’s social media-sharing functionality allows readers to easily share content and open a discussion on the latest entertainment stories, news or current events.

With the new and improved design, GMA News Online recorded over 40 million page views

from Aug.16-23, higher than any of its competitors according to data from Effective Measure.

Among the main drivers of the growth in page views are videos, sports, current news, and entertainment-related content.

The site’s Showbiz section alone amassed a total of 16 million page views for the week driven by the high demand for content on the phenomenal love team of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza a.k.a. Yaya Dub. For weeks now, netizens have been agog over Eat Bulaga’s much-anticipated “Kalye-serye.”

Cementing its position as the online news authority, GMA News also continues to strengthen its presence on social media.

With more than 3.2 million followers, GMA News remains the most-followed news organization in the Philippines on Twitter. The same is true for Viber’s Public Chat, with GMA News attracting more than 138 thousand followers. Its Facebook page, meanwhile, has more than 5.3 million likes, ranking it among the top pages in the country.

Jayson Fernandez

Tawi-Tawi folks swoon over Jay Manalo, Jayson fernandez

“n

abigla nga ako,” said actor Jay Manalo.

“I didn’t know what to do. I was nervous when it was my turn to sing.”

Manalo was invited to sing on stage after Jayson Fernandez, former lead singer of Rivermaya, at the 56th Kamahardikaan Panglima Sugala festival in Ta-

wi-Tawi. It was a festival of Culture, Food and Entertainment Manalo and Fernandez rendered some of their favorites songs such as “ Ang Huling El Bimbo” and “Ulan.”

The mammoth audience headed by former Tawi-Tawi governor Sadikul A. Sahali, Tourism Head Donya Juana M. Sahali , Princess Dayang Sahali, PNP Maritime

Jay Manalo and Jayson Fernandez

Officer Jomz Leonardo Ermino, screamed with delight as the stars were performing on stage.

Congresswoman Ruby Sahali and her sister Mayor Rejie M. Generale have been promoting Panglima Sugala municipality as the food capital of Tawi-Tawi.

After the performances, everyone enjoyed the grand parade where every barangay donned

their stunning cultural attire.

Other relevant activities included Ms. Panglima Sugala, Fun-Run, Agri-fishing Trade Fair.

“On Sept. 20 is the 46th Kamahardikaan Tawi-Tawi festival. We will showcase different activities that are presented by the 11 municipalities like AgalAgal festival (seaweeds), fluvial parade, search for Ms. Tawi-Ta-

wi, agriculture and trade fair, our traditional and authentic cultural songs and dances” said Donya Juana M. Sahali. This is the only time that we are united to celebrate this kamardikaan to be held in Bonggao, Kamahardikaan also is the time that we are separated from Sulu in 1973”, Congresswoman Ruby Sahali added proudly s.

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

Dennis and Jennylyn sing After All

Jennylyn MerCado, dennis Trillo insist no brewing romance between them ISAH V. RED After lunch at Kagay-anon restaurant at the Limketkai Center in Cagayan de Oro, we sat down with My Faithful Husband’s stars Jennylyn Mercado and Dennis Trillo for a short chat.

The two were also on the plane we boarded from Manila to Cagayan de Oro. They arrived at the airport together.

Yet, in our conversation with them, the stars who portray husband and wife in the new GMA series remained evasive about their relationship. Trillo and Mercado seemed to have agreed to synchronize their answers to questions like, “Have you reconciled and are now on the stage of getting back as a couple?” with mere answers, like “Whatever we have now, we are happy with it. We don’t want to label it yet, because we don’t want to diminish the new friendship that we are building.”

Despite the stonewalling, I have concluded that there is really something beyond friendship between the two. Their non-verbal communication between them showed signs of intimacy, of closeness that is never present among friends, unless they are of the intimate kind.

Trillo and Mercado were in Cagayan de Oro for Higalaay Festival, which the City of Golden Friendship celebrates on the last week of August every year.

After lunch, the two proceeded to Seda, the hotel adjacent to Centtrio, the mall operated by the Ayala

group in Manila, where they rested for a couple of hours before proceeding to the Kapuso Mall Show at the activity center of the mall.

At about 4 p.m. the crowd at the activity center was all fired up waiting for the Kapuso stars.

Every time the host of the event, a local talent, would mention the names of Jennylyn Mercado and Dennis Trillo, the crowd would burst into loud, eardrum-breaking screams. They even had banners with them proclaiming their adoration for the screen couple, even riding on the AlDub fever.

After a series of games all sponsored by consumer products, the host called on stage, first Trillo who sang for the crowd, and then Mercado, who did the same. Both went down the stage to be with their fans.

The two later sang “After All” that sent mostly females in the crowd rushing on towards the stage.

I didn’t know that fans in CdeO (as it is called for short) would go gaga over Mercado and Trillo as a couple. Well, they did, and apparently, both liked the flock’s frisson while they were together on stage.

HHHHH alDub boosts eat bulaga’s ratings GMA Network remained the undisputed ratings leader in the key areas of Urban Luzon and Mega Manila in August, according to the industry’s widely trusted ratings service provider Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

For the period Aug. 1 to 31 (with the dates of Aug. 23 to 31 based on overnight data), GMA strengthened its total day advantage over rival networks among Urban Luzon households with 39.8 percent,

leading ABS-CBN’s 32.2 percent by 7.6 points and TV5’s 7.5 percent by 32.3 points.

GMA ended the month with an even bigger margin in Mega Manila, where it led across all areas, with 42 percent in household shares, higher than ABS-CBN’s 28.4 percent by 13.6 points and TV5’s 7.9 percent by 34.1 points.

Urban Luzon and Mega Manila account for 77 and 59 percent, respectively, of all urban TV households in the country.

The Network likewise continued to rule the afternoon daypart in National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM) ratings with 42.9 percent, 11.3 points ahead of ABS-CBN’s 31.6 percent and 35.4 points ahead of TV5’s 7.5 percent.

GMA also significantly reduced the lead of its closest competitor in total day ratings in NUTAM as it registered 35.2 percent.

Relative to competition, majority of the top regular programs that entered the list in NUTAM, Urban Luzon and Mega Manila came from GMA. The country’s longest running noontime show Eat Bulaga, driven by the phenomenal success of its AlDub/Kalye-serye segment, led the roster of Kapuso shows across all areas.

Alongside Eat Bulaga, Kapuso Movie Night, Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, Ismol Family, Marimar, Magpakailanman, Sunday PinaSaya, Pari ‘Koy, Pepito Manaloto, and 24 Oras also ranked among the highest-rating programs for the month.

Newly launched Kapuso programs Juan Tamad and Beautiful Strangers also entered the list of top programs for August. ➜ continued on c7

Dennis and Jennylyn take a selfie with the Kagay-anon crowd during their Higalaay Festival Kapuso Mall Show

Heart Evangelista - Beautiful Strangers

Marimar

Lovi Poe Beautiful Strangers

Alden Richards - Sunday PinaSaya