The Standard - 2015 September 14 - Monday

VOL. XXIX NO. 214 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 MONday : SEPTEMBER 14, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Abad brod to be sworn in as unA member

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un AcceptS cAll FoR luMAd pRobe By christine F. Herrera and Florante s. solmerin

UNITED Nations officials have received a request to investigate the killing of Lumad leaders in Surigao del Sur amid reports that a paramilitary group under the control of the military was responsible for the summary executions, a human rights group said Sunday.

“The UN envoys and special rapporteurs have all acknowledged receipt of our submissions,” said Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan.

The human rights group asked the UN to investigate the killings of Dionel Campos and Datu Juvello Sinzo, and school director Emerito Samarca on Sept. 1 in Surigao del Sur. Karapatan also asked the UN to investigate the evacuation of almost

3,000 Lumad in the same province.

Letters were sent to Chaloka Beyani, UN special rapporteur on the promotion of the human rights of internally displaced persons; Christof Heyns, special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Michel Forst, special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; and Victoria Lucia Tauli-Corpuz, special rapporteur on the rights of the

indigenous peoples.

“We are asking the UN Human Rights Council to investigate and recommend action to the Philippine government on these issues,” Palabay said.

“We want international bodies to know what is happening in Mindanao—that the Lumad, in defense of their land, are being killed and forced to leave their communities,” Palabay said.

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Rain coming. Rain clouds form above the eastern side of Metro Manila on Sunday just an hour after a thunderstorm hit parts of Metro Manila. Ey AcAsio

Recto wants proof that SAF didn’t kill Marwan

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‘Domingo quitting won’t affect meet’ THE resignation of Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo will not affect the country’s hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings, Malacañang said Sunday.

In a text message, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Finance Secretary Cesar Puri-

sima, Socio-economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Domingo and other members of the Cabinet’s economic cluster were working with Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. to make the hosting of the APEC meetings a success.

Coloma on Saturday confirmed that Domingo had submitted his

resignation to President Benigno Aquino III, and that it was “under consideration.”

Deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte said Domingo had a capable team at the Department of Trade and Industry that handles trade-related matters in APEC. Next page

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Domingo From A1...

Aquino appointed Domingo Trade and Industry secretary on June 30, 2010.

As DTI secretary, Domingo served as vice chairman of the Board of Investments and was a board member of several government-owned and controlled corporations.

Before becoming DTI secretary, Domingo was the managing director and treasurer of Chase Manhattan Bank, Manila.

Domingo had also served as managing director of Chemical Bank in New York.

He was also head of portfolio manager for Chase Manhattan Bank’s $14-billion proprietary investment portfolio of fixed income securities and derivatives. Sandy Araneta

Concert. Singer/songwriter Carly Rey Jepsen arrives at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport for her one-night concert at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight. EriC Apolonio

Recto: Prove new Marwan tale “If what they are alleging will be later proven false, the damage to their reputation will be irreparable. The people will find them guilty of character assassination of the dead,” Recto said, reacting to allegations that the international terrorist Zulkifli Bin Hir alias Marwan was killed by one of his aides and not by the Special Action Force commandos.

Recto said a video of the operations should be declassified and made available to the public now.

“If there is a GoPro footage that shows the SAF killed Marwan, then it should be revealed,” Recto said.

He said the other things that should be disclosed are all communication logs including audio recordings of communi-

cation between SAF and forward bases, footage and any recording if the operation was monitored in real time by a satellite or drone circling above, terminal ballistics reports to determine the type of weapons used as well as the military reports on the death of Marwan and the Filipino bomb expert Abdul Basit Usman.

“For those making accusations, they cannot just make accusations and then just say sorry if [the story is not] true.

The people may not be forgiving of those who vilify the valor of those who gave up their lives for the country,” Recto said.

President Benigno Aquino III earlier disclosed there is an “alternative version of events that happened there, which is undergoing intense scrutiny.”

“We are looking for witnesses who will prove or disprove certain observations,” he added.

UN

from the crowd and beat his arms and legs with wooden sticks before shooting him.

Samarca was found dead inside the classroom of the Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV), with his throat slit from ear to ear and gunshot wounds in the chest.

“The 36th Infantry Battalion (IB), th 74 IB and the Special Forces were at the periphery,” Palabay said, quoting the accounts of witnesses.

“While the AFP can lie through their teeth about their involvement on the killings and all other atrocities of its paramilitary groups, the motives are crystal clear: eliminate those who are perceived as enemies of the state, including those who fight for their land and their rights. There is no way the government can deny this as long as it implements counter-insurgency programs like Oplan Bayanihan. The paramilitary groups are one way of tackling this dirty war against the Filipino people. It is no wonder why the AFP has not disbanded these groups—because they work together,” Palabay said.

The killing of Fr. Fausto Tentorio, the massacre of the Capion family, the murder of Datu Jimmy Liguyon and the Tabugol brothers were carried out by paramilitary forces that go by many names—the Civilian Auxiliary Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU), the Special Civilian Armed Auxiliary, the Investment Defense Force, Bagani Forc-

es, Magahat Bagani, the Alde Salusad group and the De la Mance group, Karapatan told the UN envoys.

As early as 2012, Heyns and then UN special rapporteur on human rights defender Margaret Sekaggya sounded the alarm on the role of the paramilitary groups in killings, Palabay said.

In the same year, the UN envoys recommended that the government disband paramilitary groups that perpetuate serious human rights abuses.

“The Aquino government has rejected this and even… allowed the proliferation of these groups as force multipliers. We reiterate our position that the political killings happening right now are part of the government’s policy and not simply an internal conflict among indigenous people’s as the government wants the public to believe,” Palabay said.

The leftist group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, meanwhile, said the Lumad leaders ended up dead and their communities were terrorized after they failed to support an anti-communist event organized by the government called the WNI Serbisyo Caravan.

“These are no coincidences. These deaths and displacements were direct results of Oplan Bayanihan and WNI Serbisyo Caravan,” said Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes.

Citing official government documents, Reyes said the Lumads and indigenous people were targeted by the government because it believes that 90

By Macon ramos-Araneta

SENATE President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Sunday challenged those who are peddling a “revisionist” version of what happened during the Mamasapano massacre to come out with solid proof of their claims, since this could devalue the heroism of the 44 police commandos who were killed in the covert operation.

From A1...

A spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines denied any involvement in the killings and said attempts by leftists to “internationalize” the problem was expected.

“The attempt to internationalize the issue and demonize government… in regard to the matter is an expected move on their part. It is obviously part of their agenda to… besmirch the AFP’s reputation,” Armed Forces spokesman Col. Restituto Padilla said.

Major Gen. Oscar Lacto, commander of the 4th Infantry Division, blamed the killings on a tribal war—even though the Lumad tribesmen in Mindanao have no history of tribal war.

An Army spokesman, Col. Benjie Hao, also said that three rogue soldiers involved in the rape of a 14-year-old Lumad girl, would be subjected to court martial proceedings after a board of inquiry found prima facie evidence that they violated the Articles of War. Hao refused to identify the soldiers, however.

As recounted to the UN envoys, Palabay said members of the Magahat Bagani forces, a paramilitary group under the 36th and 75th Infantry Battalion of the Army, gunned down Campos in front of the whole community in the town of Lianga in Surigao del Sur in the morning of Sept. 1.

The armed men then took Sinzo

Executive Paquito Ochoa declined to answer queries from Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares about the supposed new leads mentioned by the President.

Senator Francis Escudero also sought evidence that would support this so-called alternate version.

He said it would be reckless to give the nation, especially the families of the victims of the Mamasapano incident, false hopes when nothing concrete to support the claim has been presented.

He added that details of the supposed alternate version must be revealed to dispel any speculations.

Senator Grace Poe earlier said she is considering reopening the Senate inquiry into the Mamasapano massacre in light of the President’s remarks.

Poe, chairman of the Senate committee on public order and illegal

drugs, has already submitted her committee report on the incident to the Office of the Ombudsman.

The Palace on Sunday said President Aquino wants “the complete truth” about the Jan. 25 Mamasapano masscre to be revealed.

“It is the President himself who clearly said it during a forum,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. in an interview over state-run dzRB. Malacañang had earlier confirmed that Filipino bomb-maker Basit Usman, the target of a massive government dragnet since the Jan. 25 Mamasapano mission, is dead.

Police Director Benjamin Magalong said two Moro leaders, including a member of MILF’s side in the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities, confirmed Usman’s death.

With Sandy Araneta

percent of guerrilla bases are located in IP communities.

“In the guise of peace and public service, the government launched the WNI Serbisyo Caravan to support its militarization campaign to eliminate insurgency,” Reyes said.

A week before the WNI Serbisyo Caravan spearheaded by the Departments of Social Welfare and Development, Agriculture, Public Works, Health and other agencies arrived in the targeted IP communities, the government agencies and the military would invite the IPs to support the program, he said.

A week after each WNI Serbisyo Caravan, a massive militarization would occur in the targeted areas, he added.

“The stated priority areas of the counter-insurgency campaign are the same areas experiencing heavy militarization and displacement of communities,” Reyes said.

Reyes added that Bayan has obtained a Powerpoint presentation from a government agency that belies President Benigno Aquino III’s claim that there is no government policy targeting the Lumad of Mindanao.

One week after the “peace caravans” were held in Surigao, on Sept. 1, three Lumad leaders were killed, Reyes said.

“The deaths of Samarca, Campos and Sinzo, the displacement of the Lumad from Talaingod and Paquibato, and the fact that they are all from the so-called priority areas for the govern-

ment counter-insurgency program Oplan Bayanihan and WNI are no coincidence,” Reyes said.

The Palace said Sunday it supports calls for an inter-agency probe into the killings.

In response to a call by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines that the government investigate the killings, a Palace spokesman said the Justice Department supports calls for an inter-agency probe.

“The CBCP asks the government for an honest, thorough, impartial, and speedy investigation so that the guilty may be held to account for their wrong-doing,” CBCP president Archbishop Socrates Villegas said in a statement Friday.

The bishops said they were disturbed by how the government “has been quick to exonerate the militia group of wrongdoing.”

“This alarming eagerness to deny culpability does not augur well for truth and justice,” Villegas said.

“If made before any such investigation, they disturbingly suggest a refusal to hold accountable those to whom the administration so eagerly extends its mantle of protection,” he added.

On Sunday, Senator Nancy Binay became the third senator to call for a congressional investigation into the Lumad killings, following similar calls

by Senators Loren Legarda and Grace Poe. With Sandy Araneta and Macon ramos-Araneta

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Six municipalities adopt Poe

By Macon Ramos-araneta

SENATOR Grace Poe, who faces disqualification charges over her allegedly questionable Filipino citizenship, on Sunday joked that perhaps nobody would bring charges against her after she was declared an “adopted daughter” in Zamboanga del Sur and Bataan.

“Being adopted by our countrymen from Zamboanga del Sur and Bataan makes me happy,” Poe said.

“Maybe nobody will file a case against me after this.”

Six municipalities in Zamboanga City and Bataan has adopted the neophyte senator, who is perceived to be running for President in 2016, in recognition of her efforts to fight malnutrition among Filipino children.

The municipalities of Dumingag, Tigbao, Bayog, Mahayag and Tukuran, all in Zamboanga del Sur, issued resolutions “declaring Senator Mary Grace Sonora Poe Llamanzares as an adopted daughter for her invaluable contribution to Senate Bill No. 79 concerning the fight against hunger and malnutrition among children.”

Under SB 79, or the Sustansiya sa Batang Pilipino Act, children enrolled in public kindergarten and elementary schools across the country will be given nutritious meals five days a week for 120 days a year for the next five years.

The program, which received a P3.2-billion funding this year, is expected to benefit two million malnourished children. It is the first time a feeding initiative will be

carried out extensively.

In July, the municipality of Bagac in Bataan issued a similar resolution recognizing Poe’s efforts to “uplift the health of the people” in the country’s poorest regions.

Malnutrition remains a big challenge in the Philippines. A Unicef report says 3.6 million Filipino children aged 0 to 59 months are underweight while four million are stunted.

Meanwhile, Senator Francis Escudero said Poe’s facing the Senate Electoral Tribunal hearing last Friday to face the questions over her citizenship was a mark of a true leader.

He said Poe’s charges with the SET were baseless and politically motivated.

“If there were doubts about Senator Grace’s qualifications, then they should have been raised when she ran in 2013,” Escudero said.

“That they’re being raised now only reinforces views that she is the strongest candidate in 2016, and the only way to beat her is to get her out of the way.”

Escudero said Poe deserved credit for answering her accusers and the allegations against her instead of being evasive or non-responsive to the issues raised against her.

Gridlock. Motorists crawl on Roxas Boulevard on the way to the airport on Sunday as a result of the gridlock. Danny Pata

Cayetano optimistic LP will choose him LEGAZPI CITY—Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said Sunday he was optimistic the Liberal Party would choose him as former Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II’s running mate in the 2016 presidential elections.

He said there were ongoing negotiations with the Liberal Party for him to be its vice presidential candidate to partner with Roxas, the admin-

istration’s presidential standard bearer.

He said a group of close friends and private citizens and members of the Liberal Party had been asking the administration party to consider a Roxas-Cayetano tandem.

The group, which Cayetano refused to identify, has claimed that the tandem will be perfect as Roxas and Cayetano are both be-

lievers in the “Tuwid na Daan” or straight path.

Cayetano said the Nacionalista Party, his party, and the Liberal Party had been “natural” allies for five years.

But he said he would respect the LP’s selection process, and that he would never force himself on it. He would wait until Roxas and President Benigno Aquino III were ready to pick the vice presidential candi-

date of their choice.

“I have learned that President Aquino would like to have more time to see and convince Senator Grace [Poe] to agree to be the administration’s VP candidate,” Cayetano said.

Cayetano and his wife, Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano, arrived here on Thursday and attended the wake for Lani’s grandmother in Tiwi, Albay. Pna

Binay slams Aquino over 1.5-m new unemployed

new ID. Elsie Batara gets her photograph taken at the Comelec office in Makati City for her new voter’s ID. DIana B. noche

THE camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay on Sunday taunted the Aquino administration after the pollster Social Weather Stations on Friday said 1.5 million more Filipinos joined the ranks of the unemployed.

Binay spokesman Rico Quicho said the vice president, unlike President Benigno Aquino III, had been more successful in combating unemployment and underemployment when he was mayor of Makati.

He said Binay planned to use the Makati model—the Dual Training System in the University of Makati—on the national level to help employ more people and create a stronger economy.

“Students are equipped with a set of skills that companies need.

Over 90 percent of the graduates

are hired within three months of graduation,” Quicho said.

“This contributes to the workforce, and a strengthened workforce in turn contributes to creating a strong economy.”

Quicho said it was alarming to know there were now 10.5 million jobless Filipinos, a 1.5-million increase in the number of unemployed three months ago based on the recent SWS figures.

The Philippine Statistics Authority, in its July Labor Force Survey, said 8.32 million Filipinos were underemployed and 2.72 million were unemployed.

Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the rise in underemployment for the period was driven by full-time workers who still wanted additional hours of work. Macon Ramos-araneta

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Explain LRT-1 fine, govt told

By Rio N. Araja THE Aquino administration should explain why the government must pay P7.5 billion to the private consortium that was awarded the contract for the Light Rail Transit Line 1’s Cavite Extension project, even if the company has not yet started any work and while the train service continues to deteriorate.

Privatized zoo. Families flock to the city-run Manila Zoo, which is currently undergoing rehabilitation but which many fear will soon be privatized. DANNY PATA

Belmonte recalls order on sessions

By Christine F. Herrera HOUSE Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. has recalled his order to hold five days of sessions every week to tackle the controversial draft Bangsamoro Basic Law after the House repeatedly failed to muster a quorum.

The “marathon” sessions were called to prioritize the plenary debates and the passage of the BBL, the P3.002-trillion national budget and eight bills listed as priority bills of both Houses during the last five weeks before Congress goes on a month-long recess starting Oct. 10.

The sessions are back to original threedays-a-week schedule, from Mondays to Wednesdays, starting Monday.

“The five-day sessions didn’t work. We still failed to muster a quorum,” Belmonte admitted.

But Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, principal sponsor of the BBL, remains confident the draft could be passed on second reading on Sept. 15, despite the fact that around 30 lawmakers have asked to be given the chance to question its provisions on the floor.

Last Sept. 3, upon instruction by the Speaker, Romblon Rep. Eleandro Menandro Madrona, chairman of the House committee on accounts, directed the 4,000 House employees to forego their four-day workweek and report for work Mondays to Fridays for eight hours, instead of from Mondays to Thursdays for 10 hours.

House independent bloc leader and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez questioned the reported penalty to compensate the consortium for unfulfilled obligations as part of its concession agreement.

“The officials of the Aquino administration owe us a reasonable explanation. Where is the concern for the public? The mass transport system is deteriorating. The project is yet to begin. And now the government is telling us that billions of pesos in people’s money would be spent for unfulfilled obligations?” he asked.

On the other hand, Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares, House senior deputy minority leader, said they would ask Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya Jr. to explain the penalty during the deliberations of the Department of Transportation and Communications’ proposed P43.5-billion budget for next year.

Colmenares said Abaya must disclose the truth now that President Benigno Aquino III has con-

firmed the P7.5-billion penalty.

“Abaya will be answerable. We will grill him during the budget hearing,” Colmenares said.

Buhay party-list Rep. Joselito Atienza and Abakada party-list Rep. Jonathan de la Cruz earlier asked Abaya to reply to the disclosure of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan of Abaya’s Aug. 7 letter to Budget Secretary Florencio Abad that the department would fail to meet certain obligations under the concession agreement.

Abaya reportedly asked the government to pay the consortium close to P7.52 billion from the P30-billion risk management program fund under the 2015 national budget to cover the unfulfilled commitments.

The agreement obligated the government to compensate the consortium of Ayala Land Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. for unfulfilled obligations.

Abaya said the letter obtained by Bayan secretarygeneral Renato Reyes Jr. was not signed by him.

‘Loan sharks, DSWD bilking Yolanda victims’ A LAWMAKER on Sunday said officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development were conspiring with loan sharks preying on victims of Super-Typhoon “Yolanda” to deprive the latter of the billions set aside for them through the DSWD’s Emergency Shelter Assistance program.

Anakpawis Rep. Fernando Hicap sought a House inquiry into reports received by his office that loan sharks and their financiers were working with unscrupulous DSWD officials on the local level

to victimize ESA applicants.

Hicap said usurers would advance each ESA applicant the P30,000 that the DSWD is supposed to grant each beneficiary after deducting a 16-percent interest payment.

“The DSWD would then release the shelter assistance not to the beneficiary but directly to the loan shark or financier,” Hicap said.

In House Resolution 2322, Hicap said there are unreasonable restrictive guidelines, cases of political abuse and other anomalies

in the implementation of the shelter program.

Hicap said delays in the release of shelter assistance funds were being caused by the DSWD’s restrictive guidelines, its incompetence and negligence, and reported cases of abuse and irregularity.

Hicap asked the House committee on good government and public accountability, chaired by Pampanga Rep. Oscar Rodriguez, to invite the officials of the DSWD and non-governmental organizations working in the calamity areas

to shed light on the matter.

Meanwhile, the national government has yet to receive about 75 percent of total Yolanda rehabilitation pledges, the Department of Budget and Management said over the weekend.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said of the total P73.30billion foreign aid pledged for the rehabilitation of Yolanda-stricken provinces in Central Visayas, only 23.50 percent has been received by the national government. Christine F. Herrera, PNA

Privatized markets.

Vendors and market stall owners hold a noise barrage at Trabajo Market in Sampaloc, Manila as they prepare to hold a ‘market holiday’ against plans to have private companies run all public markets in the city. DANNY PATA

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BuCor loses bid to reverse Go ruling

By Rey E. Requejo The Court of Appeals has dismissed a petition filed by the Bureau of Corrections seeking the reversal of the ruling issued by the Regional Trial Court of Muntinlupa City, which granted the petition for habeas corpus filed by murder convict Rolito Go and his wife elsa Go last year.

In a 12-page decision, the CA’s eleventh Division through Associate Justice Pedro Corales ruled that the petition filed by former Bucor director Franklin Bucayu should be dismissed outright for lack of jurisdiction.

According to the appellate court, BuCor’s petition raises questions of law which only the Supreme Court has the authority to hear and resolve.

The CA noted that in its appeal, the BuCor was only assailing the correctness of the Muntinlupa RTC’s intepretation of Section 7, Chapter 3 of the BuCor’ Operating Manual, the conclusions drawn therefrom, and its application to the established facts surrounding Rolito’s case.

Palace renews plea as traffic woes linger

By Sandy Araneta

As efforts to ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila enter its second week and still no relief in sight, Malacañang on sunday renewed its appeal to the public to support the traffic enforcers at edsa so that the worsening situation would soon be resolved.

Abad’s brod joins UNA

The BROTheR of Liberal Party stalwart and Budget Secretary Florencio Abad will be sworn in today by Vice President Jejomar Binay as member of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance.

In an advisory sent to the media, Binay’s camp said Nicanor Abad will be among the politicians and individuals from Batangas and Batanes who will be sworn in as UNA members at the Coconut Palace.

Nicanor is a civil engineer by profession who used to be based in California.

Avoiding the rush. Voters flock to the Comelec office in Makati on Sunday to avoid missing the deadline for new registrants and transferees as well as to confirm their biometrics. DIANA NOCHE

‘Tax cuts to boost workers’ take-home pay’

By Macon Araneta DeSPITe the clock ticking and political season fast approaching, Senator Sonny Angara on Sunday said he was still pushing for an income tax reform to put more money in the pockets of Filipino people.

With the enactment of bills calling for tax reforms especially the lowering of income tax rates and the adjustment of brackets, its immediate impact would be higher takehome pay for Filipino workers in the public and private sectors.

“Government has money it cannot even spend because of absorptive capacity issues of departments.

We could’ve done it already so why

not a win-win reform where the working class taxpayers are at the center?” he said.

But time is running out on the tax reform measures as the Senate and house of Representatives would adjourn sessions next month. house Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said the measure seeking to lower income tax rates in the country would not likely get passed before Congress adjourns in October because of the lack of time to present an alternative to recoup the projected P30-billion loss in revenue.

Still, Angara was not about to give up his pitch for tax reforms.

At 32 percent, Angara said, the Philippines has the second-highest

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individual income tax rate in Southeast Asia, next to Thailand and Vietnam’s 35 percent.

Currently, the income tax is the highest deduction in the salary of an average Filipino worker.

Moreover, the country’s current individual income tax bracket has remained unchanged since 1997 amid rising inflation.

“We are talking about as little as P800 a month for a new public school teacher. Are we going to deprive them of this amount?” asked Angara. he said the government will also benefit because the workers will definitely spend the money, while government seems to be having un-

derspending problems, having hundreds of billions of unused balance last year. he noted that the taxpayer spending will boost GDP, which at 5 percent is below government target (7-8 percent), and will also boost government revenue because of the VAT on spending.

“Because we haven’t indexed our tax brackets/tax rates since 1997, a new public school teacher’s takehome pay (in real peso terms, meaning adjusted for inflation) is even less today than in 1997 as a result of being in a higher tax bracket due to inflation—this is despite an increase in their salary through the salary standardization law,” he added.

Communications Secretary herminio Coloma Jr. made a public appeal on state-run radio, saying the enforcers deserve support for their efforts to solve a problem. “We are entering the second week of implementation of different kinds of traffic rules and regulations in order to ease traffic congestion and speed up the flow of traffic. “ Traffic schemes include truck ban effective Sept. 15 and truck deliveries would be prohibited from 6-10 a.m. to 6-10 p.m. Carpooling was also being considered to go hand in hand with the lifting of the numbercoding scheme for both private and public utility vehicles.

Coloma said these efforts would require close coordination among agencies. “I hope we can be united with the traffic enforcers of the hPG [highway Patrol Group], MMDA [Metropolitan Manila Development Authority], LTO [Land Transportation Office], and LTFRB [Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board] in their implementation of the traffic laws,” Coloma also said.

Coloma said the government will also fix Macapagal Boulevard, where the road leading to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, was destroyed during a construction of a flyover.

“The roads will be fixed. Immediate attention and actions will be taken,” said Coloma.

Vehicles passing through Macapagal Boulevard now takes about two hours before they can go through the road now riddled with large pot holes, causing tremendous traffic in Baclaran, Coastal Road, the NAIA complex, Mall of Asia, City of Dreams, Sucat Road, Airport Road, the Senate, the Government Service and Insurance System, as well as other areas connecting to it.

On Sept. 9, the morning after a heavy downpour and floods snarled traffic for more than five hours, the Palace said that the police takeover of traffic management on edsa was effective.

“The past two days are proof that the initial steps being taken to ease the traffic situation were effective, and government will continue to strive to improve our interaction and interoperability among concerned government agencies,” said Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras in a statement.

But the following day, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said people should not expect traffic congestion in Metro Manila to be solved overnight because the solutions needed are long-term.

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‘BCDA to blame for John Hay mess’

By Rey E. Requejo The Bases Conversion and Development Authority has been pursuing policies that have been detrimental to the government and have resulted not only in financial losses, but have also eroded the economic gains of the Aquino administration, according to an official of the Camp John hay Development Corp.

“More than the P5 billion in foregone revenues and other losses that the government has been incurring, BCDA stands to lose much more than cash with the arbitral and appellate rulings that made the state agency liable for its primary role in the Camp John Hay mess,” CJHDevCo executive vice president Alfredo Yñiguez III said in an interview.

“More costly than money is the government’s loss of face because of BCDA’s decisions, the disappearance of its legitimacy and credibility as an extended Public-Private Partnership Program money-maker and apparent immunity from congressional oversight,” he added.

Yñiguez stressed that it is BCDA president Arnel Casanova who should be solely to blame for mishandling the Camp John Hay issue, echoing the statement made by CJHDevCo chairman Robert John L. Sobrepeña that BCDA’s rejection of (3) unanswered letters in 2011 for a settlement agreement in 2011 shortchanged not only the government, but also the public as well as the private sector. He said BCDA’s rejection of the settlement agreement also deprived Baguio City of its 25-percent share in the rentals.

Sobrepeña said that had BCDA accepted the offer, CJHDevCo would have paid P500 million upfront, P3.3 billion over a 10-year period, and P150 million

in rentals yearly until 2046.

Instead, Sobrepeña lamented, the BCDA, under Casanova, stubbornly refused the offers of Camp John Hay’s private developer, resulting in an arbitral decision by the Philippine Dispute Resolution Center Inc. ordering the state agency to refund CJHDevCo P1.42 billion in rent paid since 1996 and also declared that CJHDevCo is not liable for any alleged unpaid back rentals.

BCDA also lost before the Court of Appeals after the latter ruled against the forced eviction of more than 1,600 third party investors and the private developer from the 247-hectare former American recreational facility, a move, which the government agency said “jeopardized the public interest.”

Yñiguez also slammed Casanova for questioning a recent ruling of the Court of Appeals preventing the forced eviction of more than 1,600 third party investors and the private developer from the 247-hectare former American recreational facility.

“There is nothing irregular about the 30 July 2015decision of the Court of Appeals which ordered BCDA to respect and not to disturb the contracts of third parties occupying the leased premises. In fact, the CA decision merely affirms the arbitration award, which the BCDA has continuously been trying to illegally modify,” Yñiguez said.

Sunday shoppers. Umbrellas and vehicles crowd the service road near the Baclaran Church in Parañaque as Sunday shoppers flock to one of Metro Manila’s bargain centers. DANNY PATA

Grace facing poll tribunal true mark of a leader—Chiz SenAToR Francis Joseph “Chiz” escudero on Sunday praised presidential front-runner Senator Grace Poe for personally appearing at the Senate electoral Tribunal to answer charges that she had not met residency and citizenship requirements when she ran for a Senate seat in 2013.

“We all know the charges are baseless and politically motivated.

If there were doubts about Senator Grace’s qualifications, then they should have been raised when she ran in 2013,” said escudero.

“That they’re being raised now only reinforce views that she is the strongest candidate in 2016, and the only way to beat her is to get her out of the way,” escudero explained.

According to the Sorsogon na-

tive, Poe deserved credit for answering her accusers and the allegations against her instead of being evasive or non-responsive to the issues raised against her.

“Instead of hiding behind the default defense of ‘pulitika lang ’yan’ [it’s just politics], Senator Grace Poe has chosen to meet her accusers and the allegations head on, confident that the truth, the law, and the people are on her side.”

“Pinapatunayan lang nya na pag wala kang tinatago, wala kang dapat kinakatakutan [If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear]. In any case, the evidence her legal team has provided the tribunal will speak for itself,” the Bicolano senator added.

Poe won the first round of the legal battle instigated by los-

ing senatorial candidate Rizalito David.

In brief proceedings the SeT on Friday dropped the question of residency against Poe, removing a major hurdle in a possible presidential run. The only issue now remaining is whether Poe is a natural-born Filipino, a requirement for candidates vying for the highest office of the land.

While Poe’s lawyers have repeatedly stressed the case was filed as part of efforts to derail Poe’s plans to run for higher office, Poe stressed to reporters on Friday that she went to the SeT “not because I am running; I came here to defend my person.”

“I am defending myself because what they are doing is wrong,” said Poe.

Marcos holds relief caravan for Ilocos

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

Early birds. Pasay City residents brave the murky and polluted waters of Manila Bay near the former Manila Film Center to be among the first to take an early Sunday morning dip. EY AcASio

InSTeAD of celebrating his 58th birthday with a lavish party, Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., opted to conduct a relief caravan with his family for their “kailians” provincemates in Ilocos norte hardest hit by Typhoon ‘‘Ineng.’’

“I told my family and my staff that we don’t hold a party because it’s not nice to be engaged in merry making while many are suffering due to the typhoon. It’s much better to help,” he said.

The entire Marcos family, including Ilocos norte 2nd District Rep. Imelda Romualdez Marcos, Ilocos norte Gov. Imee Marcos Manotoc and her sons as well as the senator’s sons took part in the relief caravan.

A total of 46,446 families in 383 barangays of Ilocos norte suffered the brunt Typhoon ‘‘Ineng,’’ which slammed into Ilocos norte last

month while causing floods and landslides and damaging homes and infrastructure. The agriculture sector suffered extensive damage estimated at over P92 million.

Marcos’ relief caravan covered barangays San Marcelino in Dingras town, Catangraran in Solsona, and Metro Lapaz in Laoag City which had the most number of affected families in the province.

The relief caravan distributed food items and construction materials such as cement and corrugated iron sheets, and water pumps Marcos said they would also distribute rice seeds and other essential items to enable affected residents to start their lives anew.

Marcos,chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Works, vowed that his family would work to restore vital infrastructure such as roads, bridges, irrigation canals and flood control systems damaged

by Typhoon ‘‘Ineng.’’

m o n D AY : s e p t e m b e r 14 , 2 0 1 5

A7

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Cagayan de Oro passes anti-tree cutting law CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY— The city council here has approved an ordinance regulating the cutting of trees, flowers, orchards and aesthetic plants.

Ordinance No. 12984-2015 or the “Anti-Tree Cutting Ordinance” was approved in regular session in consonance with the mandate of the Local Government Code, which empowers the local government unit to enact measures to protect the environment.

The Ordinance makes it illegal to destroy or damage trees or plants in public places in Cagayan De Oro City and to regulate the cutting, destruction, damaging, or injuring of all naturally grown or planted trees of any kind.

It is also illegal to cut, damage, or injure ornamental plants and shrubs, or plants of scenic, aesthetic and ecological values, located along public roads, plazas or parks, school premises or on any public ground or place.

City Councilors Alden Bacal, Adrian Barba, and Ramon Tabor, all co-authors of the ordinance, said that the existing forest cover of the city has been below the normal level to make for a balanced ecology.

They said that the environmental imbalance is compounded by the indiscriminate cutting of trees—not in forested areas— but in river banks, along roads or inside the city’s commercial and real estate districts.

Under the “Anti-Tree Cutting Ordinance,” the cutting of trees may only be allowed under some conditions and provided that a permit from the city mayor or his authorized representative shall be secured.

Section 5 of the ordinance also imposes a fine of P500 and/ or imprisonment of not more than 15 days for the first offense; P1,000 and fine and/or imprisonment of 15 to 30 days for the second offense and imprisonment of 31 to 60 days for the third and subsequent offenses.

If the offender is a corporation, partnership or association, the penalty shall be imposed upon the officers responsible for the offense. PNA

Big harvest. A man shows off two papayas he has harvested at Lomboy’s Farm in Bauang, La Union. CHRISTINE JUNIO

Mindoro island braces for El Niño onslaught

By Robert A. Evora CALAPAN CITY—Mindoro Island, the premier agricultural center of the Southern Tagalog region, is bracing for the onslaught of the severe drought brought about by El Niño which the weather bureau said is expected to hit the country starting next month.

The seven-month severe drought, which scientists believe the is the strongest to hit the country, will affect the country’s 32 provinces, including Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro, the rice granary of Region IV-B or the Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) region.

“The El Niño weather phenomenon that began this year could be among the strongest in 65 years,” the Pagasa said.

The two Mindoro provinces supply rice to the neighboring island provinces of Romblon, Marinduque, Coron (Palawan), Antique, Aklan; and Batangas, Laguna, and Quezon in Region IV-A or the Calabarzon region. Some parts of Metro Manila, in mainland Luzon, have also rice allocation from Mindoro’s rice supply and production.

But the National Food Authority allayed fears of rice shortage in the region because of El Niño.

“The NFA has enough rice stocks to cushion the impact of the drought,” says NFA Assistant Administrator Tomas R. Escarez, who made field inspections of government warehouses in the Southern Tagalog region.

“Most of the rice stocks for distribution are already in place in the rice-starved areas where the staple grains are badly needed,” Escarez, the former NFA regional director for Southern Luzon, said.

The Pagasa said the present severe weather condition, which will be experienced starting this coming October 2015 to May 2016, is “not just a dry spell but severe drought that will affect sources of potable water such as water aqui-

fers, rivers, lakes and springs.”

“People must use water wisely and conserve water as the water shortage will severely affect not only agriculture but also the health and wellbeing of the people,” the government’s weather agency said in a press statement.

The Calapan Water and Development Corp., through its chairman, Jolly L. Ting, has assured its city consumers that “an ample supply of fresh and potable water will be available to households during the present crisis months of El Niño although we strongly urge our consumers to strongly practice water conservation.”

The Calapan Water has already developed and improved its existing water systems in Calapan City from the P150 million it allocated for the improvement of its water system.

Aside from the two Mindoro (Oriental and Occidental) provinces, Pagasa identified the 30 affected provinces as Isabela, Aurora, Batangas, Cavite, Rizal, Quezon, Romblon, Albay, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Southern Leyte, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Southern Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan, Maguindanao and Sulu.

Cotabato police arrest 4 drug traders

Good omen? A lightning strikes as fishermen from Iba, Zambales clean their nets in preparation for another day at sea. REVOLI CORTEZ

COTABATO CITY—Police authorities in Midsayap, North Cotabato announced Sunday the arrest of four persons engaged in illegal drug trade, with the intensification of its campaign against prohibited drugs.

After two weeks of police covert operations, the Midsayap Police Office and agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency arrested Datuan Dulwa, Datukon Utto, Tonting Mambayaon and Wato Dres, all residents of Barangay Poblacion, Midsayap, North Cotabato, according to Police Supt. Reynante delos Santos.

Delos Santos, Midsayap police chief, said joint elements of his unit, the PDEA and PNP Regional Public Safety Battalion, arrested the four after the law enforcers served the search warrant issued

by RTC Branch 24 judge Nelly Lydia

Laguindanum.

Taken from the suspects were 84 sachets of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride also known as “shabu,” undetermined amount of money, an unlicensed 12 gauge shot gun and ammunition for .45 cal. pistol and 9mm pistol.

Delos Santos said the four have long been wanted for supplying illegal drugs in the towns of Midsayap, Libungan, Alamada, Aleosan, Pigcawayan and Pikit.

The suspects did not resist arrest although they denied involvement in illegal drug trade.

Delos Santos has appealed to parents to closely monitor the activities of their children as the illegal drug pushers focus their illegal drug trade on minors.

PNA

M O N D AY : S E P T E M B E R 14 , 2 0 1 5

A8

opinion

ADELLE chuA editOr

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

ferTilizers plumbline pastOr apOllO quibOlOy

[ EDI TORI A L ]

Cramming at the end

BY All accounts, President Benigno Aquino III was an unremarkable student. he graduated with no particular distinction from the Ateneo de Manila university, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.

We have no empirical evidence, but his actions many years later as President suggest that as a privileged young student, he might have also wasted his time on non-academic pursuits, then crammed when exams drew near.

This has certainly been the pattern of his presidency, now on its sixth and final year.

With elections drawing near, President Aquino had an epiphany that the worsening traffic congestion in Metro Manila was not a sign of progress, as he liked to say, but a crisis that sapped the nation’s productivity and that fueled public anger and resentment at his government, which did little to ease the suffering of the people.

This last-minute realization has triggered a flurry of action. traffic management on the main highway of Edsa was transferred from the ineffectual Metro Manila development Authority to the police highway Patrol Group.

More than a year after an MRt train derailed, crashed through barriers and fell onto a major thoroughfare and numerous other minor mishaps, transportation secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya—possibly the most useless public official in history—suddenly declared the need for the “emergency procurement” of P4.25 billion in rehabilitation services from an undisclosed service provider that did not have to go through the required public bidding.

Also this month, the National Economic and development Authority approved P131.4 billion in new projects in transportation and energy, including long overdue investments in expanding the city train system. But the late approval and scale of these projects suggests that they will be years away from completion, and do little to ease the suffering of motorists and commuters today, or even in the near future.

The same pattern of waiting until the last minute can be seen in the recent decision by the Commission on Elections to approve a negotiated contract for the automation of the 2016 elections with a service provider that is already the target of several lawsuits.

All this begs the question: What did President Aquino spend his energy and political capital on during the first five years of his term?

The answer, sadly, was an all-out campaign to destroy his political rivals under the guise of his “straight path” policy that somehow managed to veer away from his allies and friends.

The President also spent much time and political capital on a peace agreement with Muslim rebels that most of Congress considered unconstitutional and unacceptable.

If the President had focused his efforts instead on improving the infrastructure and public services in those first years, he would not be in the predicament he is today— scrambling to have something to show after six years in office—and being questioned about dubious contracts concluded in haste.

The migraTion of naTions pensées fr. ranhiliO Callangan aquinO It should haunt us for a long, long time to come: the picture of the toddler, lying face down, lifeless on the beach as he and his family tried to make it to freedom.

I felt even so much all the worse when, a few days later, newspapers and cable tV networks posted pictures of the bubbly, cherubic little boy

that he was in life—so excited about life that he was all too soon to tragically lose!

“Migration of the nations” is the chapter that many books of Church history give to the waves of migrations that swept across Europe after the fall of Rome. It was that massive movement of peoples and tribes that largely gave the continent its present configuration. It might be an exaggeration to refer to the flood of refugees from syria as a present-day “migration of nations,” but the toll it takes,

both on the refugees as well as on the host countries (some of them, unwilling) is no less defining.

Clearly, this is no conquering horde. If anything at all, it is a wave of frightened humanity.

But as frightening is the inhumanity that drove them from the shores of their homecountry and the ill treatment they receive in some of their destinations where they had hoped to find succor. In some cases, crowded boats were towed back to sea or even torched. Already dazed by the

these dreadful shadows notwithstanding, there has been light as well, and indeed, flashes of brilliance.

sheer terror of making the seacrossing in flimsy dinghies, many were subjected to beating and unconscionable brutality, before being herded into cattle cars so eerily reminiscent of the ghastly conveyances of the holocaust.

A9

these dreadful shadows notwithstanding, there has been light as well, and indeed, flashes of brilliance. the way youngsters volunteered to usher arriving refugees to their next trains, the enthusiasm with which even hungarians,

ashamed of their government’s hardheartedness, came to the aid of the bedraggled train of refugees, some even giving up their babies’ prams for the wounded and the disabled to ride on, and the stirring speech of Europe’s president—it makes the human spirit soar to see how, when faced with the suffering of thousands, we can be noble.

I cannot end this piece on this major chord, indeed played fortissimo, of human kindness.

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-

there is one terrible shadow that the scourge called IsIs has cast: what has been called “cultural cleansing.” only a barbarian will remain unmoved by pictures of the ruins of Palmyra and the remnants of empires and metropolises long gone blown to bits by the fanaticism that finds a threat in every manifestation of otherness. Emmanuel levinas, one of the iconic thinkers of the 20 th century, dedicated his second oeuvre—otherwise than Being—to

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

“all who have been victims of the allergy of the other”. there is more than terminological coincidence between “ethnic cleansing” and “cultural cleansing”, for both are, in their dreadfulness, a rejection of the other, a radical intolerance of the other, a complete bankruptcy of the ethical! rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@yahoo.com

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

thE price of gasoline nudges up a little bit by 50 centavos and newsreaders hyperventilate in breaking the story.

If the cumulative increase in a given period reaches P3, transport leaders outshout themselves in clamoring for a fare hike, creating a racket louder than a dozen buses honking their horns to call passengers.

Now that diesel is P25 per liter and gasoline is less than P35 per liter, car owners are heaving a sigh of relief, not knowing that money saved from low fuel prices is eaten up by longer time on gridlocked roads.

But there is one oil-benchmarked commodity whose price is not heading south—fertilizers. surprisingly for a country where three in 10 workers are in farms and whose output accounts for 12 percent of the economy, there is no clamor, not even a muted hoot, for lower fertilizer prices.

A dancing cat may draw a million likes in Facebook, or a cute quip of a presidential hopeful could trend, or the rendezvous of two tV lovers will unleash six million sugary tweets. Not fertilizer prices. In social media metric, fertilizers are not only bland but boring.

But it shouldn’t be. The unli rice we eat while we fidget with our smartphones are produced with the aid of fertilizers.

Most of us may be clueless about it, but the truth is food prices and farmers income are influenced by fertilizer cost, and the latter, in turn, by oil prices.

This is so because fertilizer prices shadow oil price movements, in theory and in other countries at least. But it seems that the Philippines is firewalled from this trend. take for example India’s case. There, a bag of “complete” or 14-14-14 fertilizer fetches the equivalent of P596 there. here, it’s P1,116. A bag of urea in Bollywood-land costs half than the August local price tag of P1,006.

For the latte-sipping coffeehouse crowd, P500 won’t amount much, but for rice farmers it spells the difference between a good season or a bad one. twenty percent of rice production cost goes to fertilizer. It’s the second biggest expense after hired labor, which corners 40 percent. Ideally, six bags of fertilizers are recommended for one hectare.

But if there’s no money on hand or the roving 5-6 cash machine can’t be found, chances are the farmer would scrimp on fertilizer, broadcasting four bags instead of six.

The result is lower yield for the farm, smaller income for the farmer, 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

M O N D AY : S E P T E M B E R 14 , 2 0 1 5

A8

opinion

ADELLE chuA editOr

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

ferTilizers plumbline pastOr apOllO quibOlOy

[ EDI TORI A L ]

Cramming at the end

BY All accounts, President Benigno Aquino III was an unremarkable student. he graduated with no particular distinction from the Ateneo de Manila university, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.

We have no empirical evidence, but his actions many years later as President suggest that as a privileged young student, he might have also wasted his time on non-academic pursuits, then crammed when exams drew near.

This has certainly been the pattern of his presidency, now on its sixth and final year.

With elections drawing near, President Aquino had an epiphany that the worsening traffic congestion in Metro Manila was not a sign of progress, as he liked to say, but a crisis that sapped the nation’s productivity and that fueled public anger and resentment at his government, which did little to ease the suffering of the people.

This last-minute realization has triggered a flurry of action. traffic management on the main highway of Edsa was transferred from the ineffectual Metro Manila development Authority to the police highway Patrol Group.

More than a year after an MRt train derailed, crashed through barriers and fell onto a major thoroughfare and numerous other minor mishaps, transportation secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya—possibly the most useless public official in history—suddenly declared the need for the “emergency procurement” of P4.25 billion in rehabilitation services from an undisclosed service provider that did not have to go through the required public bidding.

Also this month, the National Economic and development Authority approved P131.4 billion in new projects in transportation and energy, including long overdue investments in expanding the city train system. But the late approval and scale of these projects suggests that they will be years away from completion, and do little to ease the suffering of motorists and commuters today, or even in the near future.

The same pattern of waiting until the last minute can be seen in the recent decision by the Commission on Elections to approve a negotiated contract for the automation of the 2016 elections with a service provider that is already the target of several lawsuits.

All this begs the question: What did President Aquino spend his energy and political capital on during the first five years of his term?

The answer, sadly, was an all-out campaign to destroy his political rivals under the guise of his “straight path” policy that somehow managed to veer away from his allies and friends.

The President also spent much time and political capital on a peace agreement with Muslim rebels that most of Congress considered unconstitutional and unacceptable.

If the President had focused his efforts instead on improving the infrastructure and public services in those first years, he would not be in the predicament he is today— scrambling to have something to show after six years in office—and being questioned about dubious contracts concluded in haste.

The migraTion of naTions pensées fr. ranhiliO Callangan aquinO It should haunt us for a long, long time to come: the picture of the toddler, lying face down, lifeless on the beach as he and his family tried to make it to freedom.

I felt even so much all the worse when, a few days later, newspapers and cable tV networks posted pictures of the bubbly, cherubic little boy

that he was in life—so excited about life that he was all too soon to tragically lose!

“Migration of the nations” is the chapter that many books of Church history give to the waves of migrations that swept across Europe after the fall of Rome. It was that massive movement of peoples and tribes that largely gave the continent its present configuration. It might be an exaggeration to refer to the flood of refugees from syria as a present-day “migration of nations,” but the toll it takes,

both on the refugees as well as on the host countries (some of them, unwilling) is no less defining.

Clearly, this is no conquering horde. If anything at all, it is a wave of frightened humanity.

But as frightening is the inhumanity that drove them from the shores of their homecountry and the ill treatment they receive in some of their destinations where they had hoped to find succor. In some cases, crowded boats were towed back to sea or even torched. Already dazed by the

these dreadful shadows notwithstanding, there has been light as well, and indeed, flashes of brilliance.

sheer terror of making the seacrossing in flimsy dinghies, many were subjected to beating and unconscionable brutality, before being herded into cattle cars so eerily reminiscent of the ghastly conveyances of the holocaust.

A9

these dreadful shadows notwithstanding, there has been light as well, and indeed, flashes of brilliance. the way youngsters volunteered to usher arriving refugees to their next trains, the enthusiasm with which even hungarians,

ashamed of their government’s hardheartedness, came to the aid of the bedraggled train of refugees, some even giving up their babies’ prams for the wounded and the disabled to ride on, and the stirring speech of Europe’s president—it makes the human spirit soar to see how, when faced with the suffering of thousands, we can be noble.

I cannot end this piece on this major chord, indeed played fortissimo, of human kindness.

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-

there is one terrible shadow that the scourge called IsIs has cast: what has been called “cultural cleansing.” only a barbarian will remain unmoved by pictures of the ruins of Palmyra and the remnants of empires and metropolises long gone blown to bits by the fanaticism that finds a threat in every manifestation of otherness. Emmanuel levinas, one of the iconic thinkers of the 20 th century, dedicated his second oeuvre—otherwise than Being—to

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

“all who have been victims of the allergy of the other”. there is more than terminological coincidence between “ethnic cleansing” and “cultural cleansing”, for both are, in their dreadfulness, a rejection of the other, a radical intolerance of the other, a complete bankruptcy of the ethical! rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@yahoo.com

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

thE price of gasoline nudges up a little bit by 50 centavos and newsreaders hyperventilate in breaking the story.

If the cumulative increase in a given period reaches P3, transport leaders outshout themselves in clamoring for a fare hike, creating a racket louder than a dozen buses honking their horns to call passengers.

Now that diesel is P25 per liter and gasoline is less than P35 per liter, car owners are heaving a sigh of relief, not knowing that money saved from low fuel prices is eaten up by longer time on gridlocked roads.

But there is one oil-benchmarked commodity whose price is not heading south—fertilizers. surprisingly for a country where three in 10 workers are in farms and whose output accounts for 12 percent of the economy, there is no clamor, not even a muted hoot, for lower fertilizer prices.

A dancing cat may draw a million likes in Facebook, or a cute quip of a presidential hopeful could trend, or the rendezvous of two tV lovers will unleash six million sugary tweets. Not fertilizer prices. In social media metric, fertilizers are not only bland but boring.

But it shouldn’t be. The unli rice we eat while we fidget with our smartphones are produced with the aid of fertilizers.

Most of us may be clueless about it, but the truth is food prices and farmers income are influenced by fertilizer cost, and the latter, in turn, by oil prices.

This is so because fertilizer prices shadow oil price movements, in theory and in other countries at least. But it seems that the Philippines is firewalled from this trend. take for example India’s case. There, a bag of “complete” or 14-14-14 fertilizer fetches the equivalent of P596 there. here, it’s P1,116. A bag of urea in Bollywood-land costs half than the August local price tag of P1,006.

For the latte-sipping coffeehouse crowd, P500 won’t amount much, but for rice farmers it spells the difference between a good season or a bad one. twenty percent of rice production cost goes to fertilizer. It’s the second biggest expense after hired labor, which corners 40 percent. Ideally, six bags of fertilizers are recommended for one hectare.

But if there’s no money on hand or the roving 5-6 cash machine can’t be found, chances are the farmer would scrimp on fertilizer, broadcasting four bags instead of six.

The result is lower yield for the farm, smaller income for the farmer, 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

A10 Too much, Too liTTle waTer THE Metro Manila Development Authority chairman rIta lInda claimed that he too v. jImeno was a victim of the monstrous traffic that paralyzed Metro Manila in the evening of Sept. 8 up to dawn of Sept. 9 as he was stuck in traffic for four hours on his way to a television interview.

If that statement was meant to console the thousands of tired and stressed-out commuters who were stranded in vehicles—containing their bladders and grumbling stomachs—the MMDA chair could have fared better by saying nothing at all. He should have been part of the solution to the traffic mess but failed. And now he expected sympathy. Nothing beats, of course, the insensitivity of Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya who said that traffic may be ruining the day of thousands but at least, “it’s not fatal”—as if to say we have no business complaining about it.

I was stuck too for five hours on my way from the Global city in Taguig to Parañaque on that same night. Trying a mind-over-matter Yet, the traffic trick to keep me problem is not merely calm, I suddenly remembered that about enforcing rules. back in March It is connected to the 1989 or 26 years issue of flooding. ago, the Rainwater Catchment Law (RA 6716) was crafted precisely as an answer to the problem of flooding. That law, mandated the Department of Public Works and Highways to construct rainwater collectors in all low lying areas in the entire country.

Not only will rainwater catchments solve the problem of flooding as excess rainwater will cascade to receptacles, the water collected will also provide a solution to the problem of water scarcity in times of dry spells. Thank God for technology, while sitting it out in traffic, I was able to do research on what the government has done to implement this vital law that could save precious manhours and oil resource as well as spare us from air pollution.

My search revealed that in April 2010, a citizens’ group filed a petition with the Supreme Court asking that the Department of Public Works and the local government units be ordered to implement the Rainwater Catchment Law. Although that case appears to be still pending in the Supreme Court on account of technical issues, an offshoot was that a Memorandum of Agreement was drawn up between the Departments of Public Works and the Interior and Local Governments to implement the Rainwater Catchment Law. The DPWH was reported to have started building rainwater catchments in public schools in 2011 with the aim of constructing about 547 units in the entire country to address the need for water of many schools. Unfortunately, since 2012, there has been no report about the extent of the actual number of rainwater catchments completed by DPWH in public schools.

Then, too, the Rainwater Catchment Law mandates that rainwater collectors be installed in every barangay or clusters of barangays, not just public schools, to address the problem of flooding. Because there has been complete silence from DPWH about its work on this project, one can only surmise that, as in many cases, when the private sector takes the initiative of calling for government action through the courts, government does a knee-jerk reaction but abandons

out of the box

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OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

iT ain’T over Till iT’s over AS WE wrote in last Wednesday’s column, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte caught everyone by surprise with his Monday afternoon announcement that he was apologizing to all his supporters because he is not running for the presidency. Some of his ardent supporters were in a conference room of a Makati building planning his campaign operations and budgetary requirements. Crestfallen, they had to adjourn after news of the Davao press conference was confirmed.

In the twin cities of Navotas and Malabon the day after, no less than the mayor of Navotas, Johnrey Tiangco, moved his scheduled flight to Singapore from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. that day just to meet his fellow mayor whose helicopter landed at the rooftop of the Navotas City Hall.

Navotas councilors were in full force, and employees of City Hall shrieked at the presence of Duterte, who landed at a quarter past two.

One well-known broadcast journalist who waited for two hours at the foot of the helipad exclaimed, “Ano ba ito? Akala mo rock star ang dumating!”

They were to see more of that “rock star” phenomenon when Duterte went to the openair quadrangle of the City of Malabon University, where, facing a blazing afternoon sun, he spoke for some 45 minutes on federalism and crime-fighting.

Punctuated by expletives and selfdeprecating humor, the mayor wowed teachers, students and barangay officials throughout.

Towards the end of his extemporaneous speech, he saw a pretty teacher seated in the audience, and dedicated a few lines of a song, a capella, “Ikaw.” It took Duterte some 20 more minutes to traverse a 30-meter walk to his car, obliging teachers and students who wanted selfies with him.

A university official told this writer about another presidential candidate who visited Malabon

So I See lIto banaYo in recent months. “Kami na po ang nange-enganyo sa mga tao na makipag-selfie na, pero kakaunti ang nagsilapit”, said he.

The short motorcade from university to the chopper takeoff site had to be cut and the route diverted because people were poring out of their houses and shops just to greet their first-time visitor. Duterte was embarrassed at the traffic his presence was causing.

And to think that Malabon officialdom is LP-dominated.

Its opposition is headed by a congresswoman whose husband is in the campaign hierarchy of Grace Poe. And Navotas for its part is UNA-dominated. Both the UNA and LP political leadership graciously accommodated the independent mayor of Davao.

All the preparations were made by a Malabon businessman whom I shall not name together with some barangay officials, and they did it in just a week’s time.

Barangay leaders thronged at the chopper takeoff site, with placards saying “Please reconsider your decision!”, “Ikaw ang Dapat!”, “Ikaw na lang ang Pag-asa”.

Ironically, Duterte posed with them for photos, unwittingly holding a placard that asked him to reconsider his decision.

On the night of the historic “carmaggedon,” after a twohour wait, Muslim business associations from mega-Manila with their almost a thousandstrong delegation listened to him in San Juan, as he perorated over the merits of federalism being the “last card for peace in Mindanao”.

As shouts rang throughout the hall calling for him to run for the presidency, Duterte finally said, “Pumili na muna kayo sa ibang mga kandidato. Si Binay, si Mar, si Poe, good sila.” Then added his punch line: “Pero ang tagaMindanao, very good!”

action when the heat is out.

We have been asked by the Palace to be more patient while the problem of traffic is being sorted out by the Highway Patrol Group of the Police. Yet, the traffic problem is not merely about enforcing rules. It is inextricably connected with the problem of flooding. Legislators have seen 26 years ago that the solution is the construction of rainwater catchments but the executive branch has let it “lie in the sickbed of inaction,” as the petitioners in the case filed at the Supreme Court said.

Patience is not all we need, unfortunately. What we need is a supranormal discernment to be able to understand, why after so much water was dumped by rains in Metro Manila last week, the Maynilad

The crowd roared. To which a visibly touched Duterte responded, “Basta tandaan ninyo—hindi ko kayo iiwanan.”

On Wednesday, before Makati Rotarians at the SM Aura, where another traffic pandemic caused him to be late by two hours, Duterte again told them at the open forum that his family was really against his running. A female Rotarian stood up and after saying how so many people see him as the only chance for real change, asked: “Are we not your family too?” Duterte was speechless.

And then he was shown a video of a woman OFW who cried when she learned that he had decided not to run. TV5 showed it during their Friday newscast.

“Kayo na lang ang pag-asa namin para maka-uwi na sa Pilipinas,” she pleaded.

Last Thursday, in a live interview over ABC-5, pressed by a throng of journalists not only from the station but from sistermedia such as Business World, Bloomberg and Inter-Aksyon, about whether his rejection of calls to run for the presidency next year was “truly” final, Digong answered, “Masama naman magsalita ng tapos sa mundong ito”. And the journalists chorused in glee—“iyon na!”

Leaving the studios to catch his flight back to Davao, Duterte whispered to a lawyer who accompanied him to the media forum, “It ain’t over till it’s over!”

That is Rodrigo Roa Duterte, intuitively playful, mischievous even, unpredictable, and as Rappler described him, “unorthodox”.

Philippine politics has not seen someone like him. “A male Miriam Santiago”, a noted public relations man once described him. And Filipinos, especially the millennials, are getting to see him as “different,” “taong-tao,” “hindi trapo,” a messenger and doer of genuine change.

But is he running? How many times have I written in this space that he will?

Water Co. announced last week too that it will implement rotating water interruptions this month due to diminishing water supply brought about by El Niño.

Why we refuse to learn from others confounds me. Singapore, for instance, an island city-state with a land area of only 700 square kilometers—slightly bigger than Metro Manila—has devoted two-thirds of its land area to rainwater catchments, including ponds and lakes. Singapore does not have rotating water interruptions even if it has less rainfall than the Philippines.

Email: ritalindaj@gmail.com Visit: www.jimenolaw.com.ph

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OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

JAPAN’S IPO OF THE CENTURY

By William Pesek PRIME Minister Shinzo Abe likes to say Japan is back in business. His case got a big boost Thursday with news that the country’s biggest initial public offering this century —the $11.6-billion listing of behemoth Japan Post—will go ahead this November. The share sale isn’t just a sign that change is afoot in the Japanese economy: It should help propel that process.

Japan Post’s long journey to the private sector began in 2001 when Junichiro Koizumi, Abe’s mentor, was prime minister. In his drive to end the cronyism and complacency that plagued the Japanese economy, Koizumi went right to the source: the savings institution within a postal system that then employed over 400,000 people. Japan Post was the piggy bank wayward politicians used to fund pet projects, many of them white elephants, which helped feed an explosion in public debt.

The privatization couldn’t

FERTILIZERS...From A9 and higher market prices, because, if we remember our high school economics lesson, price movements are inversely proportional to supply.

Luckily for us, prices of fertilizer have also been known to move due to government pressure.

It was reported that in 2008, the Department of Agriculture skilfully but sans fanfare negotiated a 43-percent rollback in the prices of fertilizers.

The DA’s argument then was that fertilizer rates should mimic oil prices which by then had gone down.

have come at a more opportune moment. Even Nobel laureate Paul Krugman, an early Abenomics cheerleader, said this week that he’s “really, really worried” about Tokyo’s chances of ending a twodecade slump. The hope is that the listing, which will be targeted at individual Japanese, will encourage households to invest more of their savings. Perhaps more important, it could enliven the country’s stagnant banking sector.

Japan is among the developed world’s most overbanked nations, with more than 100 sleepy regional players (84 of which are publicly traded) servicing 126 million people. Thanks to the Bank of Japan’s zero-interestrate policies, profit margins are shrinking even faster than the population.

The solution, of course, is consolidation. Stronger, bigger and more profitable regional banks would increase Japan’s risk profile and encourage lending. It also would spread the benefits of

Japan’s 0.8-percent growth beyond Tokyo and Osaka.

Regulators have employed a similar strategy with Japan’s three “megabanks,” encouraging them to take greater risk with their balance sheets.

Getting Japan’s proud bank—some dating back a century—to join forces has been a slow, tortuous process.

All CEOs want to be the acquirer, not the one bought.

And all want their name on the door. Ever wonder how executives arrived at the wildly convoluted name Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ? That’s what happens when you bundle a handful of decadesold institutions that refuse to see their brand disappear. Odd as it sounds, this is among the key reasons today’s CEOs are reluctant to merge. They see their job as protecting a bank’s legacy, not scrubbing the name from the letterhead.

Enter Japan Post. Its IPO will unfold in phases and the $11.6-billion total includes the holding company, the bank and the insurance

unit. After the listing, the government will still own almost 90 percent of the Japan Post Bank. Still, as a for-profit institution, it’ll have to start focusing more on lending rather than simply taking deposits and paying interest. That will present stiff competition to regional banks in particular: Their CEOs will have no choice but to seek partners—or lifeboats.

Sure, the banks’ first response will be more costcutting, as well as attempts to improve efficiency and make better use of technology. That won’t be enough, says Moody’s analyst Shunsaku Sato. “Costcutting efforts have only offset around one-quarter of the decline in the banks’ net interest income, and around one-third of the slowdown in net fees,” Sato says.

The shrinkage of margins has accelerated since BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda launched his quantitativeeasing experiment in 2013.

That’s proved to be an unexpected headwind. Fewer profits are making bankers

even more timid about extending loans, starving Japan of the multiplier effect that makes monetary policy so potent. The sudden surge in competition that accompanies Japan Post’s lending efforts should strengthen the BOJ’s transmission mechanism.

Yes, banks are comparatively healthy again. Around the time Tokyo began privatizing Japan Post, it was pouring some $100 billion into 54 shaky financial institutions and disposing of bad loans. Only this year did the last of them— Resona Holdings—repay its public funds in full. But banks remain semi-paralyzed by the “deflationary mindset” Kuroda is trying to change.

Japan Post’s arrival poses problems, too, including how to deal with the implicit government guarantee of deposits it enjoys. Admittedly, that gives Japan Post an unfair advantage. But if it catalyzes regional banks to become more nimble and resilient, then Abe’s odds of putting Japan back in business increase exponentially. Bloomberg

The same pitch can be used today. The conditions obtaining then are present now.

You don’t have to Google global prices of crude to be educated of its freefall.

You only have to drive up any gas station to remind yourself that a liter of local mineral water is now more expense than a liter of imported diesel.

The DA at that time may have been reeling from the liquid fertilizer scam, with its infamous tubong-lugaw formulation, yet it was able to muster will to bring down the prices of real fertilizers farmers need.

The present government

has enough political capital to wangle good fertilizer prices for farmers. And if it is in search of a miracle fertilizer that will make the ratings of its candidate for 2016 shoot up fast, then it knows what it is—the one 20 million rural voters use.

But this is all about good economics and not about political tactics. There is a case for lower fertilizer prices.

By the way, the agency responsible for fertilizers is the Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority, which has been placed under the Office of the President.

Despite the “authority” written on its shingle, FPA

cannot mandate fertilizer prices. It can only monitor them. What it can surely provide is historical data to support that local fertilizer prices have been resistant to cheap oil.

Well, it can also be argued that the cut in fertilizer prices is not as hefty as some groups are proposing. This is possible.

But what can’t also be ruled out is the need to start a national conversation on fertilizer prices. ‘‘Presidentiables” should heed the cue and take the lead.

So must the rest of the political species who would rant and rave and call for a probe at the drop of a hat.

In this season of premature campaigning ruled by style and spin, this is one issue that can cure the deficit in substance. If your agricultural platform is weak and thin, and suffering from an El Niño of ideas, then sprinkling it with a dose of fertilizer could be the nutrition it needs.

#FAILOCRACY

CHASING HAPPY ADELLE CHUA Ms. Chua’s column will resume soon.

CHONG ARDIVILLA

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Pennetta’s life is now perfect NEW YORK—Knowing every match could be her Grand Slam farewell, Flavia Pennetta relaxed and played some of her greatest tennis to win the US Open and capture her first major title.

The 33-year-old Italian retired Saturday only minutes after defeating compatriot and friend-sincechildhood Roberta Vinci 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 to become the oldest first-time women’s Grand Slam champion.

“With this winning today, my life is perfect,” Pennetta said.

“To play like this and finish like this, it’s amazing. I’m so happy and so proud of myself. I couldn’t finish in a better way.

“If I have to dream about how I want to stop playing, this is the perfect way.”

With the decision made last month at Toronto, Pennetta was

more relaxed as she played her final Grand Slam event.

“Maybe that’s why I’m here today (as champion),” she said. “It takes a lot of pressure out. I was trying to play every match like it was my last one.”

Pennetta detailed her retirement plans after the match, saying she will play to the end of the year, including events at Wuhan and Beijing and the WTA Finals in Singapore if she qualifies.

But Pennetta has no plans to defend her crown or consider the 2016 Olympics because she says the time to leave is now.

“Sometimes it’s getting hard for me to compete,” Pennetta said. “If you don’t fight every week in the same way I did today, it’s going to be like bad. And I don’t feel I have this power anymore. So this is the perfect moment.

“Was a really hard decision to make, but I’m really happy that I did it.”

Pennetta only told her teen roommate and surrogate sister Vinci she would retire just before the awards ceremony.

“It’s so magical because you have one of your best friends with you at this moment,” Pennetta said. “She was unbelievable.”

Pennetta’s journey to a title on the New York hardcourts included having a drone crash into an empty part of Louis Armstrong Stadium during a second-round match against Ro-

mania’s Monica Niculescu, making her fear some sort of attack.

It also included three triumphs over higher-rated foes, ousting 22nd-ranked Australian Samantha Stosur, Czech fifth seed Petra Kvitova and Romanian second seed Simona Halep.

Pennetta’s decision to retire came at a tuneup event last month in Canada.

“I have to say, Toronto was the moment where I really say, ‘It’s the time,’” she said. “For me, sometimes, it’s getting hard to compete.”

Even if she lost on Saturday, Pennetta had decided she was done at season’s end.

“Winning or lose today, nothing was going to change. The decision was already there,” she said.

Retirement did not nag at Pennetta’s mind as she went through her matches. AFP

Flavia Pennetta of Italy celebrates with the winner’s trophy after defeating Roberta Vinci of Italy during their Women’s Singles Final match on Day Thirteen of the 2015 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Pennetta defeated Vinci, 7-6, 6-2. AFP

Gabutan fails in bid for title

By Randy Caluag FILIPINO challenger Dayer Gabutan gave champion Qiu Xiao Jun a big scare before succumbing in a sixth-round knockout in their 10-round World Boxing Council silver super bantamweight title fight at the Yuhang Gymnasium in Huangzhou, China.

The southpaw Gabutan, who hails from Benguet, gave XiaJun some problems with his 1-2 combinations in the early rounds and even put the Chinese star down on his knees in the third round, with what looked like a clear right hook to the head.

The Japanese referee saw it a slip, however, and called on the two fighters without the benefit of a standing-eight count.

“Malakas ‘yung pinatama ni Dayer (Gabutan), kaya lang nasabay sa pasugod ni Xiao Jun kaya pasubsob bagsak niya, akala ng referee nadapa lang,” said Gabutan’s coach Joven Jorda.

Father-son Prima duo wins Asean bikefest THE father-and-son tandem of Frederick and Jerich Farr of Team Prima Pasta Philippines conquered the 2015 ASEAN Mountain Bike Cup Leg 3 by winning their respective divisions against their foreign counterparts recently in Poring, Ranau, Malaysia.

The elder Farr captured the Men’s Master B downhill title in the final run with a time of 03:48.39.

Malaysians Kan Yin Gan (04:16.33) and Gregory Dominic Hendroff-Yong (04:24.41) finished first and second runner-up, respectively.

Frederick, known as Coach Eboy, bettered his qualifying round time of 3:48.72.

With the win, Frederick Farr is on track in defending the overall title he won last year.

He took the gold in the first leg held in Danao, Cebu last January, and the bronze in the second leg

THE father-and-son tandem of Frederick and Jerich Farr of Team Prima Pasta Philippines display their trophies at the podium.

held last April in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Meanwhile, the 19-year-old national team member, Jerich Farr, captured the gold in the Men’s Elite Downhill event, by posting

a leading time of 03.44.64.

He beat second placer Agung Fambudi (03:50.72) of Indonesia and third placer Muhamad Aim Muhamad Fauzi (03:51.53) of Malaysia.

Santiago is fastest in Aboitiz TRI2015 MERVIN Rencel Santiago added another feather to his cap as he took line honors in Saturday’s Aboitiz TRI2015 held at the scenic Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club, Hamilo Coast, Nasugbu, Batangas.

Representing Sante Barley, Santiago timed two hours, 21 minutes and 18 seconds in the standard distance 1.5k swim-40k bike10k run event for the gold medal in the men’s 18-24 age category of this race organized by BikeKing headed by Raul Cuevas and presented

by Aboitiz.

Santiago made up for his fifth-place showing in the swim with solid performances in the bike and the run for a scintillating finish in this race also supported by Aboitiz, AboitizPower, Union Bank and WeatherPhilippines.

A total of 295 triathletes took part in this race that also drew the support of Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club, Orbea, Nuun, Sante Barley, TIMEX, Philippine Star, SPIN.ph, Multisport and RaceDay, with former national triathlon coach Peter Gonzalez owning the second best time at 2:31:28, and John Omar Paredes settling at 2:35:14 for the event’s third-fastest clocking.

Gonzalez from PLDT-Bike King and Paredes representing Herbalife also emerged champions in the men’s 45-49 and 35-39 age groups, respectively.

In the female category, veteran Amale Jopson of AboitizLand emerged fastest among her peers as she was the lone female participant, whoclocked below the threehour barrier at 2:56:00, to also claim the gold in the 4044 age category.

Aside from the individual category, the event also featured the Relay competition, with Edward James Roque, Kristian Reyes and Jose De Jeses from Aboitiz Cycling Team winning with a combined total time of 2:44:15.

New father Messi wins it for Barce

MADRID—Lionel Messi celebrated the birth of his second son by coming off the bench to score the winner as Barcelona came from behind to claim a vital 2-1 win away at Atletico Madrid on Saturday.

Real Madrid remain two points behind Barca at the top of the table after Cristiano Ronaldo became the club’s all-time leading scorer in La Liga with five goals in a 6-0 rout of Espanyol.

Messi started on the sidelines having missed training on Friday to attend the birth, a day after returning from Argentina international duty.

However, he was still to make the decisive contribution as he nonchalantly flicked home the winner 11 minutes from time after Neymar had cancelled out Fernando Torres’s opener. AFP

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sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Jeremy Lin still unknown in Charlotte

Inductee John Calipari speaks during the 2015 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. AFP

Lyceum golfers pull away early JELBERT Gamolo and Rupert Zaragosa combined for 113 points as Lyceum of the Philippine UniversityCavite roared ahead by 22 points in the opening rounds recently of the International Container Terminal Services Inc.-JGFP Inter School golf championships at the Ayala Southlinks course in Las Pinas.

Gamolo and Zaragosa had 57 and 56 points, respectively, joining hands with Luigi Guerrero (49) for 162 that pushed the powerhouse Lyceum squad far ahead of La Salle right on opening day.

Miggy Yee had 54 points, but couldn’t get enough support for his La Salle team, which managed just 140.

Ateneo started in third spot at 137 in the multidivision tourney bankrolled by the ICTSI Foundation and conducted by the Junior Golf Founda-

tion of the Philippines.

La Salle Zobel and Xavier seized control in Juniors and Aspirants 2 play, respectively, of the tourney also backed by Philippine Airlines, Philippine Golf Foundation, Cleantech, HIGDI, Cleanpak and Inquirer Golf.

In juniors’ action at Eastridge, Kristoffer Arevalo scored 52, Aniceto Mandanas had 48 and Nikolo Gatmaytan made 46 for La Salle Zobel which posted 146 for an early 16-point lead over the Aidric Chan-led Ateneo (130).

Xavier was third at 122 and La Salle Zobel 2 fourth at 115.

It was Xavier showing the way in Aspirants 2, with its 64 coming from the 36 of Sean Young, 27 of Jet Ang and 19 of Emilio Carpio.

Ateneo 1’s Simon Cruz, Kirk dela Torre and Dominic Villamor pooled 57 for third while Ateneo 2 was fourth at 42.

Action resumes today with the Aspirants 1 at Valley and Aspirants 2 field at Ayala Greenfield.

3 teams vie to last semis seat in Cesafi

By Mikey Izumi CEBU CITY—The chase for the last semifinal spot enters a crucial stage as three teams -- the University of San Jose-Recoletos Jaguars, the University of Cebu Webmasters and the Cebu Institute of Technology University Wildcats – try to improve their chances of grabbing the elusive fourth and final semifinal spot of the 15th season of Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. Basketball Tournament at the Cebu Coliseum In the first game, the University of the Visayas Baby Lancers will try to repeat over the USJR Baby Jaguars once again in a quarterfinal rubber-match as they try to punch the last semifinal ticket in the Juniors’ Division.

In the second game, the UV Green Lancers will take on the lowly USPF Panthers, who are at the bottom of the standings, with veterans Franz Arong, Alfred Codilla and Cameroonian Import Steve Cedrick Akomo expected to lead the Lancers’ charge, along with Jun Kent Manzo, Alwin Aguirre, Josue Segumpan and rookies Rey Suerte and Jason Balabag.

The Panthers are likely to lean on Brantford Borces and Kimo Bajamunde, along with Jawein Ceniza, Mhike Patalinghug, Winston Bolivar and Gilbert Sastrillas in an effort to earn their elusive first win of the season.

In the third game, the CIT-U Wildcats will try to keep their Final Four hopes alive as they de-

pend on the high-scoring Joshua Dela Cerna and Allan Dimco as well as Jose Marlo Pono, Jeffrey Taghoy, Mark Christian Kong and Wilkin Sanchez when they try to neutralize the UC Webmasters, anchored by Justine Dacalos, Clint Suelto, Melvin Butohan and Garciano Puerto, as well as Earl Montilla, Peter Paul Codilla, Filvenson Culango and rookie Joseph Mayol.

In the main game, defending champions SWU Cobras will strive to keep the second spot with their nine-man lineup, led by reigning MVP Mark Jayven “Mac-mac” Tallo, Jan Michael Auditor, Jovanie Luz and rookie Fil-Samoan Jesse “Juju” Bautista, Anton Pardo and Mark Racho doing wonders so far.

LOS ANGELES—Apparently “Linsanity” hasn’t hit Charlotte just yet.

Jeremy Lin, the NBA’s first Chinese-American player, tweeted Saturday that he had trouble convincing a security guard at the arena of his new team that he was indeed a Hornets player.

“Went to the Hornets arena for 1st time and tried convincing security im a player. She said, ‘what team?!?’”

Lin, 27, inspired “Linsanity” in 2012 when he came off the bench to spark a win streak by the injury-riddled New York Knicks.

The player, whose ancestry is from Taiwan and China, spent two NBA seasons with Houston after leaving the Knicks and last season with the Los Angeles Lakers before signing with the Hornets in July. AFP

Mutombo ‘honored’ to be in Basketball Hall of Fame SPRINGFIELD—Former NBA allstar Dikembe Mutombo, women’s basketball great Lisa Leslie and Lindsay Gaze of Australia were enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday night.

The enigmatic shot blocker headed the class of 2015 which was enshrined during a lavish ceremony at the Naismith museum in Springfield, Massachusetts.

“I am so honored to be in the basketball hall of fame. I only want to be remembered as one of the best defensive players to ever to play this game. I think I accomplished that,” said Mutombo, 49.

Mutombo, from what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been active outside of basketball in humanitarian work that includes building hospitals in Africa.

He and his wife Rose have six children, four of whom are adopted.

The four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year led the NBA in blocked shots five seasons in a row from 1994-1998 and over 18 NBA seasons from 1991 to 2009.

He produced 11,729 points, 12,359 rebounds and 3,289 blocked shots. He famously wagged his finger to celebrate along the way.

In 2004, he participated in the

Basketball Without Borders NBA programme, where NBA stars like Shawn Bradley, Malik Rose, and DeSagana Diop toured Africa to spread the word about basketball and to improve the infrastructure.

“I have worn many uniforms. I want to thank all of my teammates who have helped me along the way,” he said.

“I am proud I was only the third African player to play in the NBA. I came to the USA with nothing and now I am part of NBA history.”

Mutombo was enshrined along with former NBA players Spencer Haywood and Jo Jo White. Candidates needed at least 18 of 24 votes from the honours committee to be inducted.

Seven-time Olympian Gaze was among five direct-elect inductees.

Gaze, whose son Andrew became an Aussie star and played in the NBA, was joined on the sport shrine’s honour list by former American Basketball Association star Louis Dampier, former NBA coach Tom Heinsohn, 1940s star John Issacs and former college coach George Raveling.

Gaze, of Adelaide, played for Australia at the 1960, 1964 and 1968 Olympics and coached the Aussies at the 1972, 1976, 1980 and 1984 Olympics.

Honoring injured quarterback. Brigham Young Cougar fans hold up signs with the number 4 on them in honor of the injured Cougar quarterback Taysom Hill, during their game against the Boise State Broncos at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah. AFP

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Lady Bulldogs advance to finals NATIONAL UNIVERSITY came charging back from an opening set setback with a dominant performance in the next three to fashion out a 20-25, 25-13, 25-21, 25-16 repeat victory over Far Eastern University and clinch the first finals slot in the Shakeys V-League Season 12-Collegiate Conference at The Arena in San Juan City yesterday.

UST skipper Pam Lastimosa (6) foils Ateneo’s Alyssa Valdez’s attack during Game Two of their Shakey’s V-League Collegiate Conference Final Four duel at The Arena. At left is Tigress Jessey de Leon.

Elorde ain’t just about boxing ONE season ago, pundits frowned at the idea of Manny Pacquiao playing in the Philippine Basketball Association via the rookie draft.

For some, it was more like an accommodation for a superstar athlete, who supposedly had a childhood dream of playing in the country’s premier basketball league.

Pacquiao, because of his massive success as a pound-for-pound boxing champion that translated into enormous adulation, was believed to be an added attraction to the league that, in the first place, was in no need of any help when it comes to its own status.

There were calls for Pacquiao not to pursue a playing career in the PBA as he may end up being a laughingstock of the league.

I was one of those, who felt Manny Pacquiao playing in the PBA would serve as a blot not only to his legacy, but even for the PBA, too.

But Manny Pacquiao coaching in the PBA is something that I am amenable to.

This upcoming season, another basketball personality whose name is revered as a boxing icon just like Pacquiao has entered the PBA draft.

The 23-year-old Nico Elorde, a 5’10” former Ateneo point guard was picked 36th overall by the Alaska Aces in last month’s annual rookie.

Unlike Pacquiao, the young Elorde earned his spurs as the grandson of boxing legend Flash Elorde played competitive basketball in his entire student life.

Elorde was part of champion teams in the UAAP junior and senior divisions and the PBA D-League.

Character-wise, Elorde has

survived challenges that would have made players of lesser stuff easily capitulate.

A student-player for De La Salle since elementary to high school, Elorde made the seniors’ team but was cut in a seemingly painful way after only one season.

Three days before De La Salle was to leave for the United States and undergo training, Elorde was informed that he will no longer be part of the school’s varsity team.

“Nu’ng nawala ako du’n, akala ko tapos na career ko, pero in the end, hindi ako nag give-up. Until I got a call from Ateneo, where we won a championship sa first year ko,” said Elorde.

Elorde can be considered as a work in progress at least based on his numbers in the UAAP. After averaging 2.7 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.8 assists in his first season with Ateneo, Elorde ended his college career by submitting average numbers of eight points,

Petron spikers try to rebound against Iran in Asian tourney PHU LY, Vietnam—After absorbing a bitter straight-set loss in the opener, Petron troops back to the warpath, eager to bounce back against Islamic Azad University of Iran in the 2015 AVC Asian Women’s Club Championship Monday at the Ha Nam Competition Hall here.

The Blaze Spikers clash with dangerous Iranians at 9 p.m. (Manila time) looking to keep their campaign in this prestigious nine-country tourney on the right track to have a fighting chance for the lone ticket in the FIVB World Women’s Club Championship next year.

But the reigning Philippine Superliga Grand Prix champion had a sluggish start as it opened its campaign with a sorry 13-25, 18-25, 11-25 setback to 4.25 Sports Club of North Korea late Friday.

In that game, Brazilian import Rupia Inck Furtado struggled on both ends,

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

while local spikers Aby Marano, Dindin Manabat and Rachel Anne Daquis had no answer to the brutal North Korean defense during the entire one hour and 14 minutes of battle.

Furtado, the former Brazilian juniors’ national team stalwart, huffed and puffed to a total of seven points with five kills and an ace.

Manabat also had seven points, while Daquis and Marano chipped in four points apiece.

“It was Rupia’s first game with us so this flat performance is pretty understandable,” said Petron coach George Pascua, who drew an impressive 53set performance from reinforcement Erica Adachi.

“We are planning to convert her to the open position to maximize her strength and make her more comfortable offensively. This is just one game. I hope she bounces back in our next game against Iran.”

three rebounds and three assists.

Elorde’s own dream to play in the PBA got a boost when he got drafted by Alaska.

“I really like his heart and how hard he plays. He’s there if you want to give a guy like that a look and so we gave him a look. But we’re really crowded. He would fit in with the work ethic for sure though,” said Aces coach Alex Compton.

At the moment, Elorde is trying out with the Mahindra Enforcers where Pacquiao is listed as the team’s playing coach.

It is no secret that Pacquiao and the Elorde family have a strong bond, but this will not make the young Elorde implore from the boxing icon a slot in his team and play in the PBA. “Challenge sa akin ‘yun to prove my worth. Maraming magsasabi na pang boxing lang kami at ‘yun and challenge ko, to prove to all na Elorde is not just about boxing,” said Elorde.

Stung by the Lady Tams’ strong start, the Lady Bulldogs regrouped and re-imposed their strength – off set, combination and quick plays and blocking while coming through with a number of pick-ups that help slow down the Tams’ attacks, some they converted into hits.

“We hardly communicated in the first set. But we settled down in time and got the win,” said Myla Pablo in Filipino, who led the Lady Bulldogs’ attack with 23 hits highlighted by four blocks. She also accounted for seven of the team’s 43 digs and emerged the game’s top player.

Jaja Santiago, using her height advantage to score on quick sets, added 17 markers while Aiko Urdas chipped in 11 points for the Lady Bulldogs, who also pulled off a four-setter, 25-15, 25-22, 25-27, 25-23, over the Lady Tams in the opener of their best-of-three semis series last Saturday in the league sponsored by Shakey’s and presented

by PLDT Home Ultera.

The sweep sent the second seeded NU to the championship of the mid-season offering of the league backed by Mikasa and Accel where top hitter and guest player Dindin Santiago-Manabat is expected to suit up after a stint with the national team in an Asian club tournament in Vietnam.

It was a sorry setback for the Lady Tams, who had appeared to have gained momentum coming off a four-set loss the previous day with that big first set victory. But after trading hits and blocks with the Lady Bulldogs in the early going of the second frame, the Lady Tams fell behind with mishits and poor receptions, enabling their rivals’ to storm to 9-6, 14-8 leads and level the match.

Regaining their bearing, the Lady Bulldogs sustained their form in the next two sets with veteran playmaker Rubie de Leon setting up Pablo, Santiago and Urdas for the kills. NU also pounced on FEU’s poor service reception and came away with 10 aces.

Guest player Jovelyn Gonzaga and skipper Remy Palma scored 11 hits apiece for FEU which also drew 10 markers from Toni Basas and six hits from Royce Tubino.

Unbeaten Ateneo was gunning for the other finals seat against UST at presstime. The Lady Eagles took the opener, , 27-25, 25-16, 25-17, also last Saturday.

Austria chosen as Coach the Year FOR winning two of the three conference titles at stake last season, San Miguel Beer’s Leo Austria will be honored as the 2015 SCBC-8 Entertainment Corporation-Coach of the Year when the Philippine Basketball Association Press Corps holds its Annual Awards Night this Wednesday at the Century Park Hotel.

Austria’s return to the league as coach was a memorable one as he capped the stint by bagging not just one, but two championships with the Beermen.

He first steered the Beermen to the Philippine Cup title, with a thrilling Game 7 victory over Alaska, and after missing the playoffs of the mid-season Commissioner’s Cup, the team bounced back and won the Governors’ Cup crown by sweeping the seven-game series opposite the same Aces squad.

The feat had the former Rookie of the Year (1985) voted unanimously as the Virgilio ‘Baby’ Dalupan Coach of the Year, named in honor of the legendary Crispa Redmanizers’ mentor.

Austria’s coaching career in Asia’s first ever playfor-pay league began when he took over the post from John Moran at Shell, and later was named head coach of then newcomer Welcoat Paints (now

Rain or Shine) in 2006.

The 57-year-old Austria left the pro league after two seasons to coach the Adamson University Falcons in the UAAP, and then the San Miguel Beermen in the ASEAN Basketball League. where he won a title in 2013.

Austria was appointed as coach of SMB prior to the 2014-15 season, taking over a powerhouse, but underachieving franchise that has reigning MVP June Mar Fajardo, former MVP Arwind Santos, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Lutz, and Ronald Tubid.

Austria is just the third SMB coach to win the coveted award and first in 15 years, joining American Ron Jacobs (1997) and Jong Uichico (2000).

He joins Talk ’N Text’s Patrick “Pato” Gregorio, who will be feted with the Danny Floro Executive of the Year award, as among the top achievers in the Sept. 16 festivities at the Century Park hotel.

Other awardees include Fajardo, named Gerry’s Grill-Defensive Player of the Year, Calvin Abueva (Mr. Quality Minutes), Alex Cabagnot (Comeback Player), Paul Lee (Order of Merit), along with the All-Rookie Team made up of Stanley Pringle, Chris Banchero, Jericho Cruz, Matt Ganuelas-Rosser and Jake Pascual.

M O N DAY : S E P T E M B E R 1 9 , 2 0 1 5

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Gilas PH shows fans what to expect in China

By Jeric Lopez

IN ITS final tune-up game before the 2015 FIBA-Asia Championship, Gilas Pilipinas showed its countrymen that they will have plenty to cheer for.

The Philippine National team ended its series of tune-up games on a very emphatic note, convincingly turning back Chinese Taipei, 90-77, to take the 2015 Master Game Face MVP Cup title yesterday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Gilas Pilipinas ended the threeday pocket tournament with a clean 3-0 sweep to take the crown and continue its growth in the homestretch of its preparations for the FIBA-Asia tournament, which starts in nine days.

Calvin Abueva helped Gilas’ cause with 11 points, on fiveof-nine shooting, to go with six rebounds.

Entering this final game of the tournament against Chinese Taipei, Gilas Pilipinas knew coming in that it already clinched the title after winning

its first two games against Talk ‘N Text and New Zealand.

However, there was still that urgency to perform well, knowing that this is the team’s final on-court display before flying to China next week for the big Asian tournament, which will be held from Sept. 23 to Oct. 3, wherein the champion will earn Asia’s only ticket to the Rio Olympics next year.

The Nationals did not disappoint as they showed their fellow Filipinos that they are on their way to be in a better fighting form ahead of the FIBA-Asia tilt.

Right from the get-go, the nationals showcased their smooth execution on both ends, racing to sizeable double-digit lead, 27-12, right away just after the first nine minutes of action after a blazing start before eventually carrying a bigger 27-15 spread

at the end of one.

From there, it was about maintaining its high level of play for Smart Gilas, stretching its already large lead further to 18 points, 3517, after Gary David’s triple at the 7:33 mark of the second quarter.

At the half, Smart Gilas still had a healthy 46-34 advantage.

In the second half, it was basically the same story as the Philippines prolonged its control of the Taiwanese squad on its way to an overall impressive victory.

The largest lead for Smart Gilas grew by as much as 20 points, 8161, after Abueva putback with 7:31 remaining in the game.

Following that, Chinese Taipei wasn’t about to go down without a fight as it made a last-ditch effort with a 14-2 run that gave it a bit of life as the gap was down to eight, 83-75, with 3:32 left.

Tabuena snares ICTSI Open crown, OOM lead. Miguel Tabuena hoists his trophy after ruling the ICTSI Open Championship at Wack Wack’s East. Tabuena pulled through in a wild finish at Wack Wack’s dreaded East layout that took the sting out of Tony Lascuña, completing an incredible comeback from four shots down to a four-shot romp on a closing 71 to claim the ICTSI Open Championship.

Great North Run. British wheelchair athlete David Weir celebrates victory in the Great North Run half-marathon in South Shields, north east England on September 13, 2015. The Great North Run is Britain’s largest running event with more than 50,000 participants set to cover the 13.1 miles from Newcastle to South Shields. AFP

Maroons fall to Tigers, 67-59; Tamaraw prevail

By Peter Atencio Games Wednesday (Araneta Coliseum) 2 p.m. UE vs Adamson 4 p.m. NU vs Ateneo ED Daquioag, who wants to make up for a forgettable season last year, led the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers to a 6759 beating of the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons yesterday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

The 6-foot shooting guard, who was out commission for most of the season because of an ankle injury, shot 27 points in leading the Growling Tigers into something they’re unfamiliar with in the 78th University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament.

His heroics in the fourth period, which saw Daquioag taking charge with 17 points, helped send the Growling Tigers to their third straight win, and into the solo lead.

This is a new experience for the Growling Tigers, who have never won three straight games since 1999, the season when UST marched to a 10-game winning streak.

UP, on the other hand, dropped to second at 2-1.

Daquioag began putting UST of range in the last 6:12 with the only triple he scored all afternoon.

This gave a UST a 51-44 lead, just enough room to keep the Fighting Maroons at bay in the

Taconing retains title in Fight of the Year candidate

By Ronnie Nathanielsz ORIENTAL Pacific Boxing Federation light flyweight champion and World Boxing Council No. 1-ranked Jonathan Taconing retained his title in a terrific “Fight of the Year” candidate, winning a 10-round unanimous technical decision over a battling challenger Jomar Fajardo before a full house at the Flash Elorde Grand Ballroom in Sucat, Paranaque late Saturday.

The 28-year-old Taconing, a southpaw

whose nickname “Lighting” justifiably reflected his hand-speed, was cut over both eyes because of a clash of heads in the fifth round, while Fajardo also sustained a cut in the same round midway of a furious exchange.

At 2:58 of the 10th round, the ringside physician ruled that Taconing, who was bleeding badly from both cuts, was in no position to continue, forcing referee Virgilio Garcia to call a halt and to go to the scorecards of the three judges.

Gil Co, Carlo Baluyut and Fernando Batistil all scored the fight for the champion.

Co had Taconing ahead, 98-90, Baluyut had 97-91, and Batistil scored it, 96-91.

Garcia did a terrible job as referee, inexplicably failing to call several obvious low blows thrown by Fajardo, before he made amends by penalizing the rugged Fajardo from the Aljoe Jaro stable with a two-point deduction at the end of Round 6, which negated the advantage of a big uppercut landed by the challenger.

remaining time.

The Maroons, who fell to second at 2-1, struggled to catch up, and managed to threaten, 52-55, behind a trey from Jose Manuel.

But after Daquiaog drove past Andres Desiderio in the last 1:48, the UST Growling Tigers kept their composure in the remaining time, forcing UP to four big turnovers in the ensuing plays.

Daquioag then handed UST a 7-point cushion, 61-54, in the final 38 seconds.

“It was a hard game, prepared din ang UP. Na-execute lang namin ang offense and defense namin,” said coach Bong de la Cruz.

De la Cruz said that Daquioag expressed his desire to lead the team with Kevin Ferrer, who tallied 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Diego Dario had 15 points for the Maroonsm while Desiderio made 12.

“Iyung puso namin down the stretch, malaking bagay. The offense was there. Pero, iyung defense, ‘di puwede, off towards the end,” said UP coach Rensy Bajar after the team suffered its first defeat in three matches.

Meanwhile, the Far Eastern Univerity Tamaraws turned to their outside shooting,] and a big 20-0 blast in the third period to demolish the La Salle Green Archers, 93-75.

Roger Pogoy, who was in foul trouble with Axel Inigo early in the game, tallied a game-high 20 points for the Tamaraws, who went on to post their second straight triumph.

LOTTO RESULTS

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3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK m o n D AY : s e p t e m b e r 14 , 2 0 1 5

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rIerA U. mALL ArI EDITOR

reUeL vIDAL A S S I S TA N T E D I T O R

sports@thestandard.com.ph

sports

Floyd retires at 49-0 How do you x 10 cm

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

No. 1 Floyd Mayweather Jr. ant POUND-FOR-POUND your news equaled the 49-0 record of heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano, with a lopsided 12-round erved today? unanimous decision victory over former champion

Andre Berto, who had lost three of his last six fights.

The judges’ scorecards of 120ww.thestandard.com.ph 108, 118-110 and 117-111 came under criticism, as even the BBC Sport reported that Berto did enough to win the sixth round and certainly won the seventh, while Sky Sports in London said Mayweather’s foe won the 10th round.

Although Mayweather continued to insist the fight against Berto was his last, there are many who believe the chance of beating Marciano’s record and making more money may be too tempting to resist, especially if the controversy generated by Mayweather taking illegal IV injections the night before the Manny Pacquiao fight, drives Floyd to settle the score and prove he is indeed the best fighter in this era.

For all the critics, who claimed Berto, a 30-1 underdog didn’t deserve a shot at Mayweather’s World Boxing Council welterweight title, he proved to be game, but the slick moves of Mayweather, whose forte is hitting but not getting hit, sometimes frustrated the challenger.

Boos rang out in the final round as Mayweather’showboating didn’t sit well with the fans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Mayweather complained to his father/trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. that he hurt his hand during the fight, but in the end, it didn’t matter as he proved too good both defensively and offensively for Berto, who tried hard but met with little success.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. falls to his knees after defeating Andre Berto during the fight for the WBO Welterweight World Title at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Floyd Mayweather earned a unanimous decision over Andre Berto on Saturday to claim his 49th and he says final victim in a glittering unbeaten ring career spanning two decades. AFP

5 col x 14 cm

In a post-fight interview, Mayweather said: “You gotta know when to go. I’ve had a great career. I’m leaving with all

my faculties. I feel like I’m smart and sharp. I’ve accomplished everything. I’ve done everything in my sport.”

For his part, Berto said: “I was in great shape but it was difficult to fight him. He was really, really slippery.”

Pacman: I’m bored

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www.thestandard.com.ph

FILIPINO boxing champion Manny Pacquiao lazily fiddled with his phone saying he was “bored” while his unbeaten rival, American Floyd Mayweather made boxing history on Sunday.

As Mayweather tied heavyweight Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 record by beating Andre Berto in Las Vegas, Pacquiao tapped an off-key tune on his iPhone while lounged in bed.

“What I do when I’m bored. Hehe,” Pacquiao captioned the Instagram post, which got 36,000 likes in the first two hours after it was posted.

The eight-division world champion and member of the Philippine parliament then snickered, smiled and rolled over.

He did not mention Mayweather in the post but the hundreds who commented on the post saw it as Pacquiao’s dig at his brash rival, who has only won twice inside the distance since 2007.

Pacquiao on Friday called on Nevada sports officials to “impose the appropriate sanction” on Mayweather for allegedly violating anti-doping rules in the build-up to their mega-fight in May. He also asked for a rematch, saying he was treated unfairly when he was not allowed to take USDA-approved painkillers for his injured shoulder before the fight.

“That is why I want a rematch. One without any injury and with fair play. No favoritism. Not one where the Mayweather camp gets to dictate all the terms and conditions,” he said.

Mayweather allegedly received an injection of vitamins and minerals on the eve of his fight with Pacquiao, a violation of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules, according to a report on SB Nation sports website. AFP

MONDAY: SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

B1

PH losing banana market share

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

VIETNAM and other banana-producing countries in Asia are threatening to grab the Philippines’ dominant status as the largest exporter of fresh bananas in the region, an industry group said over the weekend.

The Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association Inc. said while banana remained the country’s top fresh fruit export, industry members were wary they would eventually lose the market share.

PBGEA executive director Ste-

PSe comPoSite index

phen Antig said the government should be aggressive in negotiating for reduced tariffs in countries where the Philippines exports its bananas.

“There is a need for a thorough review of our free trade agreements and assess our trading partners’ fulfillment of their commitments to ensure that we are at

an outstanding edge in the trading game; in our case, the elimination or reduction of tariffs,” Antig said.

“Production costs are increasing every year to maintain volume and quality, so much so that some multinationals are already thinking about relocating to other countries which have investor friendly policies,” Antig said.

Antig said some PBGEA members were even getting invitations to expand and develop banana plantations in Vietnam.

Currently, Philippine cavendish is still under the exclusion list of the country’s trading partners.

“That means our buyers have to pay import duties ranging from 40 to 10 percent of the value of the goods. This poses as a strin-

gent constraint and encourages our importers to get fresh bananas from our competitors at lower importation costs,” Antig said.

He said the Philippines remained as the dominant supplier of fresh bananas to Japan, South Korea, China and New Zealand but Vietnam, Indonesia, Mozambique and Costa Rica were slowly penetrating these markets.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed exports of fresh bananas plummeted 69 percent in July to $31.3 million from $101.8 million a year ago. Shipments of fresh bananas in the first seven months also tumbled 65.3 percent to $273 million from $786 million in the same period last year.

Banana exports in 2014

amounted to $1.14 billion, up by 18 percent from $963 million in 2013, data showed.

PBGEA earlier asked the government to review the concessions in the Philippine-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement and secure the country’s position in the Japanese market.

PBGEA said more Japanese importers had struck deals with suppliers in Mozambique, Vietnam, Costa Rica and Indonesia, reducing Japan’s dependence on the Philippines.

Meanwhile, PBGEA said the opening of Iran market, after the United Nations Security Council voted to lift the trade sanctions against Tehran, could help lift banana exports.

Closing September 11, 2015

8000 7700 7400 7100 6800 6500

6,911.38 17.84

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 43.50 44.60 45.40

P46.890

46.20

CLOSE

47.00

HIGH P46.770 LOW P46.900 AVERAGE P46.821 VOLUME 519.600M

P435.00-P640.00 LPG/11-kg tank P36.00-P43.95 Unleaded Gasoline P25.05-P28.40 Diesel

oPriceS il P today

P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene

Travel fair. The Philippine Travel Exchange holds its 14th conference at the newly-opened Marriott Grand Ballroom. Shown at the opening of the event are (from left) Resorts World Manila chief operating officer Stephen Reilly, Tourism Undersecretary Benito Bengzon Jr., Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. and RWM President and chief executive Kingson Sian. Jimenez commended the contribution of the integrated resort industry to the sector’s tourism goals.

P20.75-P21.75 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, September 11, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

46.9260

Japan

Yen

0.008286

0.3888

UK

Pound

1.545000

72.5007

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129032

6.0550

Switzerland

Franc

1.027432

48.2133

Canada

Dollar

0.756029

35.4774

Singapore

Dollar

0.707614

33.2055

Australia

Dollar

0.708316

33.2384

Bahrain

Dinar

2.657666

124.7136

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266716

12.5159

Brunei

Dollar

0.705119

33.0884

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0033

Thailand

Baht

0.027670

1.2984

UAE

Dirham

0.272279

12.7770

Euro

Euro

1.127400

52.9044

Korea

Won

0.000845

0.0397

China

Yuan

0.156809

7.3584

India

Rupee

0.015044

0.7060

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.230532

10.8179

New Zealand

Dollar

0.630398

29.5821

Taiwan

Dollar

0.030884

1.4493 Source: PDS Bridge

BCDA appeals ‘irregular’ John Hay decision

By Othel V. Campos STATE-RUN Bases Conversion and Development Authority urged the Supreme Court to protect the government interest after a “highly irregular” decision of the Court of Appeals reversing the order of the Arbitral Tribunal of the Philippine Dispute Resolution Center.

“The CA decision is highly irregular. We filed for certiorari in the Supreme Court,” BCDA president and chief executive Arnel Paciano Casanova said in

a statement.

The arbitration body earlier ordered CJH Development Corp. to vacate Camp John Hay. CA Associate Justice Noel Tijam reversed the order and to hold the awarding of the property to the BCDA unless the agency returns to CJHDevCo the unused tenancy fee of P1.4 billion for preterminating the lease contract.

The BCDA, which was supposed to recover all new construction and permanent improvements as stated in the final award, will get nothing.

In the reversal order, the Court of Appeals also ruled that sub-lessees should not be evicted, contrary to the admission of Camp John Hay that its contractual relationship with the so-called “third parties” was a sublease.

Casanova said the decision was “grossly disadvantageous to the government.”

The agency said it was confident that the Court of Appeals decision would not succeed in the Supreme Court.

Casanova said if the Court of

Appeal’s decision was enforced, the government would not benefit because the sub-lessees had already paid their lease to CJHDevCo until 2046.

The structures will be worthless by the time these are turned over to the BCDA in 2046 as the useable life of a building is only about 50 years, Cassanova said.

Earlier, the Baguio Regional Trial Court issued a decision on the final award to make the tribunal decision binding, executory and non-appealable, as well as a writ of execution.

MONDAY: SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS Weekly STockS revieW STOCKS

SEPTEMBER 7-11, 2015 Close Volume

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

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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

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Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

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

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

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

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Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

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Vulcan Ind’l.

42.9 1.41 0.94 1.64 9.3 80.85 17.04 25.9 41.6 2.61 1.21 10.1 10.760 8.05 5.20 7.63 1.6 13.98 21.9 67.2 13.00 13.78 5.67 0.740 183.10 9.2 1.92 1.75 47.00 20.7 21 5.55 285.40 3.94 4.05 7.15 11.40 3.20 2.03 2.3 4.01 2.3 5 145 3.8 1.99 0.134 0.90 1.71 190 4.6 0.63 23.00 1.09

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor `A’ ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B 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 Keppel Holdings `B’ Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Minerales Industrias Corp.

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

0.425 57.9500 19.90 1.18 6.60 0.225 0.230 728 6.7 12.16 3.35 4.13 0.193 1257 5.95 69.00 3.5 6.4 0.55 12.5 0.54 5.04 7.55 0.0340 1.170 1.720 2.6 48.05 2.15 842.00 1.15 0.75 160.00 67.550 0.2800 0.1850 0.210

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

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

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

6.800 0.55 1.140 0.200 34.30 3.04 4.85 0.63 1.03 0.100 0.410 16.6 0.760 0.170 1.03 1.69 1.40

Value

FINANCIAL 1,645,020.00 5,293,447.50 1,168,867,053 449,063,012.00 28,444,430.00 271,770.00 30,020.00 672,814.00 9,609,491.00 70,634 7,220 4,890.00 225,800.00 2,296,650.00 1,802,137,123.50 231,000.00 57,382,820.00 3,715,505.00 39,403,153.50 114,074.50 20,276,664.00 162,927,049 569,151,784.00 649,050.00 19,741,488.50 1,904,550.00 INDUSTRIAL 7,906,600 341,908,700.00 82,000 116,530.00 110,000 101,310.00 6,473,000 10,123,410.00 2,800 26,554.00 7,240 699,929.00 2,721,200 45,510,956 2,059,000 55,074,467.50 375,100 15,749,990 3,679,000 9,563,720.00 394,000 487,200.00 1,062,000 10,887,628.00 28,491,800 307,045,830.00 3,504,300 28,277,677.00 79,501,400 431,282,814.00 757,500 5,848,992.00 9,000 14,400.00 118,500 1,648,708.00 9,824,600 221,924,365.00 1,459,490 98,951,064.50 600 7,850.00 33,000 444,628.00 401,500 2,267,905.00 74,244,000 56,398,050.00 1,447,280 270,076,103.00 349,700 3,209,725.00 35,000 68,480.00 32,000 50,920.00 39,790 1,912,329.50 5,641,300 117,109,625.00 2,066,500 41,977,020.00 2,883,600 15,901,334.00 1,701,240 479,679,808.00 69,000 271,580.00 6,845,000 27,641,530.00 9,064,200 66,843,441.00 16,800 184,622.00 2,144,000 6,862,510.00 1,121,000 2,221,750.00 1,317,000 3,050,380.00 16,750,000 67,083,110.00 212,000 409,900.00 66,300 360,710.00 41,290 5,987,180.00 102,000 388,120.00 11,105,000 21,732,610.00 3,280,000 438,990.00 227,000 203,890.00 5,920,000 10,120,440.00 8,316,120 1,577,761,191.00 207,000 956,350.00 2,301,000 1,476,430.00 5,200 119,600.00 55,000 56,920.00 HOLDING FIRMS 280,000 119,700.00 6,268,690 359,898,367.00 21,549,200 429,596,373.00 415,000 456,350.00 37,500 247,570.00 620,000 142,500.00 21,000 48,300.00 215,350,105 920,630,045.00 8,850,300 120,784,659.00 20,242,400 235,967,174.00 577,000 1,732,550.00 592,000 2,444,960.00 230,000 41,230.00 1,073,675 1,341,575,310.00 1,152,200 6,863,110.00 7,141,440 483,843,209.00 12,000 38,870.00 14,114,100 90,373,078.00 478,000 267,450.00 54,391,100 682,074,926.00 715,000 385,150.00 154,886,900 764,456,464.00 4,001,900 29,513,649.00 373,000,000 14,205,400.00 25,000 28,830.00 7,560,000 12,972,540.00 7,000 18,200.00 534,100 25,540,355.00 4,000 9,300.00 1,234,000 1,047,354,015.00 508,000 593,110.00 757,000 522,170.00 150 23,750.00 44,400 3,058,092.50 5,530,000 1,549,650.00 2,590,000 481,490.00 460,000 97,780.00 PROPERTY 2,704,900 18,221,305.00 13,617,000 7,969,570.00 300,000 343,410.00 70,000 14,000.00 47,811,700 1,636,214,445.00 10,450,000 31,915,490.00 93,000 448,300.00 16,540,000 10,411,090.00 20,000 20,090.00 27,300,000 2,733,240.00 740,000 308,400.00 22,275,100 346,964,834.00 442,000 336,170.00 580,000 94,240.00 12,909,000 13,250,860.00 58,292,000 100,221,430.00 2,975,000 4,217,080.00 549,000 78,030 12,412,850 6,359,200 673,200 113,000 23,000 43,200 476,600 9,700 11,000 3,000 320 5,410,000 22,413,680 245,000 3,290,700 150,600 687,320 1,220 67,680 1,543,800 4,228,810 455 379,180 659,000

SEPTEMBER 1-4, 2015 Close Volume Value 2.92 68.2 94.40 85.85 42 2.49 1.30 15.7 20.2 7.32 0.67 1.63 700.00 0.390 83.35 0.93 18.50 24.00 59.00 93.35 298.2 34.55 137.5 1475.00 52.00 2.95

234,000 52,380 13,267,500 8,216,460 219,300 423,000 20,000 81,200 483,200 1,800 40,000 1,000 110 130,000 11,339,530 530,000 1,169,000 10,500 656,470 6,530 129,890 938,900 3,661,940 125 150,560 598,000

636,870.00 3,547,329.00 1,288,669,953 696,648,503.00 9,303,025.00 950,650.00 26,130.00 1,273,904.00 9,690,222.00 13,727 26,810 1,630.00 76,750.00 50,450.00 944,695,946.50 489,380.00 21,725,794.00 254,950.00 38,413,981.50 569,168.50 38,964,212.00 33,152,280 502,370,409.00 183,600.00 7,943,333.00 1,760,080.00

43.5 1.54 0.98 1.57 9.6 80.50 16.9 27 42.5 2.62 1.29 10.64 10.860 8.49 5.89 7.85 1.87 14.1 23.4 69.4 13.60 13.42 5.65 0.550 191.30 10.04 1.98 1.7 51.10 22.2 21.8 5.5 279.00 3.94 4.05 7.50 11.30 3.25 2.02 2.4 4.05 1.95 5 150 4.24 1.87 0.135 1.00 1.82 189.5 4.75 0.65 22.50 1.10

11,530,000 16,000 13,000 2,188,000 34,900 210 3,537,400 1,728,800 1,516,000 9,140,000 333,000 2,974,100 32,418,900 1,319,900 52,158,600 1,495,200 164,000 177,400 7,300,200 769,170 100 131,000 583,600 3,891,000 2,150,560 2,480,600 68,000 78,000 67,170 5,652,000 1,704,900 4,474,100 1,574,410 61,000 2,072,000 14,636,100 3,600 2,096,000 1,274,000 1,096,000 4,945,000 103,000 130,300 5,520 115,000 981,000 1,060,000 270,000 2,253,000 15,326,250 8,512,000 3,206,000 4,100 261,000

499,894,540.00 20,900.00 12,090.00 3,448,900.00 344,798.00 17,055.00 60,205,498 46,777,395.00 65,351,845 24,698,950.00 415,000.00 32,613,460.00 366,046,934.00 11,218,157.00 312,523,288.00 11,772,114.00 261,610.00 2,442,850.00 173,190,490.00 53,612,884.00 1,360.00 1,752,888.00 3,280,053.00 2,265,200.00 403,219,306.00 25,354,134.00 129,880.00 132,530.00 3,364,307.00 123,703,290.00 36,124,245.00 25,740,445.00 444,814,278.00 224,940.00 8,410,130.00 114,111,724.00 41,240.00 6,966,420.00 2,592,860.00 2,588,750.00 20,081,550.00 185,850.00 722,156.00 812,798.00 460,720.00 1,794,280.00 144,420.00 290,920.00 4,052,130.00 2,905,275,834.00 39,789,000.00 2,021,500.00 93,350.00 276,690.00

0.430 57.9000 20.25 1.11 6.64 0.230 0.220 748.5 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 1.080 1.750 2.61 48.70 2.48 873.00 1.20 0.80

230,000 5,533,480 28,928,200 6,582,000 15,300 690,000 100,000 1,664,520 6,636,300 22,611,500 713,000 178,000 300,000 1,639,855 1,115,500 9,697,920 13,000 8,881,000 111,000 15,185,700 2,094,000 123,771,100 1,268,100 1,028,200,000 19,000 7,233,000 287,000 1,650,440 6,000 1,332,240 63,000 180,000

97,950.00 307,379,385.00 581,755,366.00 6,718,900.00 101,669.00 162,950.00 22,000.00 1,250,120,875.00 45,027,735.00 255,190,718.00 2,103,080.00 733,340.00 54,630.00 2,068,179,975.00 6,639,610.00 683,238,204.50 47,100.00 59,131,763.00 65,160.00 194,450,456.00 1,206,300.00 624,246,345.00 9,221,834.00 46,438,700.00 20,520.00 12,994,290.00 765,490.00 82,246,762.50 14,880.00 1,173,025,575.00 73,070.00 151,010.00

69.300 0.2700 0.1880 0.249

47,520 3,560,000 1,240,000 320,000

3,319,088.00 989,700.00 235,400.00 69,820.00

6.830 0.65 1.150 0.220 35.80 3.07 4.85 0.66 1.02 0.102 0.410 14.8 0.750 0.168 1.05 1.76 1.42

992,500 417,000 391,000 200,000 49,416,800 8,389,000 284,000 24,862,000 7,000 31,750,000 1,160,000 32,810,400 28,000 620,000 14,708,000 67,588,000 8,851,000

6,712,866.00 260,910.00 452,550.00 43,200.00 1,792,781,380.00 25,837,740.00 1,375,195.00 16,621,870.00 7,090.00 3,254,880.00 468,000.00 475,966,502.00 21,000.00 99,890.00 15,525,520.00 120,284,250.00 12,909,370.00

STOCKS

SEPTEMBER 7-11, 2015 Close Volume

Keppel Properties Megaworld Prop.

MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp.

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

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

4.80 4.23 0.082 0.2500 0.4000 21.00 7.5 28.80 1.55 3.2 19.60 0.7 7.6 0.650 5.200

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

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

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

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

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

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

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

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Yehey

8.5 60.1 1.12 0.520 11.7 6.60 0.0610 3.72 87 10.28 5.10 920 2520 6.15 19.80 1.15 87.4 4.10 11.42 0.010 0.156 1.4300 2.21 8.23 2.56 1.23 2.13 36.50 0.600 2 5 0.300 0.440 19 4.50 8.66 106.90 18.48 2346.00 0.600 1.110 31.30 67.35 5.61 6.24 0.51 1.69 3.75 0.330 2.360

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

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

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

TA Petroleum United Paragon

0.0058 2.30 4.55 0.190 6.2000 5.7800 0.73 0.62 5.90 1.14 0.295 0.184 0.203 0.011 0.012 2.04 7.48 3.03 0.5100 1.3100 0.0088 3.76 5.09 1.46 0.0100 133.30 2.5 0.0072

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ First Gen F First Gen G GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. Leisure & Resort Pref.

MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 SMC Preferred A SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C Swift Pref

60 528 526.5 118.1 118.1 535 6 1.06 108 1045 1100 1016 74 80 80.5 2

Leisure & Resort Warr.

3.110

Makati Fin. Corp.

Ripple E-Business Intl Xurpas

3.6 58 11.06

First Metro ETF

113.4

SEPTEMBER 1-4, 2015 Close Volume Value

Value

7,000 33,600.00 123,340,000 527,111,450.00 5,480,000 437,470.00 590,000 150,650.00 130,000 52,000.00 400 8,400.00 576,800 4,290,816.00 12,252,600 351,601,280.00 242,000 378,600.00 29,000 92,250.00 75,021,500 1,448,315,058.00 2,228,000 1,557,910.00 623,600 4,569,317.00 295,000 194,410.00 36,386,800 196,533,883.00 SERVICES 1,455,300 12,311,645.00 103,360 6,250,962.50 379,000 426,760.00 636,000 331,570.00 13,400 151,448.00 24,912,200 163,844,574.00 189,210,000 12,033,060.00 1,745,000 6,581,130.00 1,349,280 116,851,073.50 2,800 28,962.00 538,900 2,717,607.00 3,260 3,055,430.00 311,735 788,089,270 361,600 2,227,939.00 200 3,960 127,000 147,770.00 5,088,770 451,142,044.50 2,800 12,364 7,200 82,836.00 58,500,000 619,100.00 16,930,000 2,740,420.00 3,300,000 4,641,870.00 4,000 8,840.00 1,913,600 15,657,578.00 941,000 2,359,650.00 29,000 35,270.00 67,000 136,360.00 100 3,650.00 1,336,000 753,600.00 174,000 345,980.00 5,779,300 29,958,449.00 960,000 274,350.00 960,000 412,100.00 4,700 87,994.00 90,000 408,480 200 1,732.00 20 2,119.00 354,600 6,422,604.00 751,755 1,782,193,680.00 1,185,000 704,350.00 94,523,000 103,544,150.00 15,119,800 482,698,325.00 2,300,470 153,426,612.50 46,669,600 250,173,820.00 10,183,100 63,627,837.00 22,237,000 11,407,210.00 2,000 3,380.00 11,493,000 43,566,160.00 940,000 302,000.00 1,811,000 4,176,710.00 MINING & OIL 7,134,000,000 37,583,800.00 9,000 20,700.00 3,235,000 14,707,580.00 260,000 48,300.00 24,700 142,468.00 2,000 11,562.00 1,961,000 1,412,520.00 3,594,000 2,294,280.00 600,200 3,548,008.00 141,037,000 157,763,040.00 1,110,000 322,150.00 29,010,000 5,271,260.00 8,320,000 1,579,860.00 21,200,000 234,300.00 197,700,000 2,327,300.00 2,019,000 4,192,890.00 23,037,600 177,010,594.00 3,250,000 10,069,680.00 135,000 77,640.00 2,908,000 3,696,850.00 133,000,000 1,121,700.00 114,000 434,540.00 2,560,800 13,084,340.00 2,050,000 3,086,690.00 160,700,000 1,610,790.00 2,725,300 359,175,828.00 1,369,000 3,466,180.00 1,000,000 7,200.00 PREFERRED 827,770 49,918,240.50 208,020 109,845,445.00 10,400 5,472,570 100 11,810.00 168,450 19,752,848.00 10,190 5,399,920.00 4,912,000 29,473,064.00 876,000 940,280 59,900 6,469,300.00 755 788,975.00 200 220,000.00 10,790 10,952,980.00 42,410 3,181,396.50 54,950 4,430,721.50 174,440 14,176,040.50 1,000 2,000.00 WARRANTS & BONDS 502,000 1,574,030.00 SME 481,000 1,578,720.00 2,530 143,862.50 3,603,000 40,099,162.00 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 361,520 41,055,034.00

4.18 0.085 0.2500

89,533,000 15,440,000 3,370,000

383,056,260.00 1,283,950.00 862,150.00

21.00 7.41 28.75 1.59 3.27 19.06 0.72 7.05 0.670 5.820

1,000 2,500 13,064,300 535,000 73,000 81,555,300 4,693,000 5,000 186,000 33,074,800

20,500.00 18,501.00 376,186,140.00 868,190.00 234,090.00 1,595,204,606.00 3,281,510.00 26,470.00 125,300.00 193,528,634.00

8.6 61.1 1.1 0.510 11.7 6.90 0.0620 4 86.1 9.58 5.40 920 2560 6.15 17.20 1.20 90.85 5.50 11.8 0.011 0.166 1.3400 2.21 8.01 2.65 1.18 2.10 36.50 0.590 2 5.51 0.305 0.410 19 4.34 8.65 101.50 18.58 2444.00 0.610 1.120 32.40 67.45 5.18 6.50 0.55

2,404,400 118,270 30,000 2,836,000 1,724,600 51,649,900 57,690,000 837,000 2,876,380 1,900 848,000 1,730 453,820 413,400 900 306,000 9,634,500 800 14,600 13,900,000 3,020,000 1,956,000 5,000 1,472,300 3,361,000 25,000 17,000 400 314,000 275,000 3,791,100 520,000 140,000 79,600 62,000 100 201,260 254,100 791,115 1,144,000 150,028,000 7,898,600 3,526,220 40,795,500 14,983,300 18,396,000

20,778,988.00 7,179,760.50 32,800.00 1,504,910.00 19,500,924.00 353,461,422.00 3,503,880.00 3,298,940.00 250,446,338.00 18,969.00 4,228,479.00 1,591,615.00 1,169,932,860 2,583,757.00 15,480 358,830.00 868,802,627.00 4,200 172,248.00 153,300.00 497,420.00 2,734,560.00 10,250.00 11,546,388.00 8,852,960.00 29,760.00 34,400.00 14,350.00 184,210.00 546,400.00 21,766,272.00 149,250.00 57,400.00 1,451,744.00 278,640 865.00 20,425,780.00 4,676,384.00 1,934,612,420.00 708,710.00 180,187,830.00 254,136,385.00 239,383,846.00 211,223,062.00 102,812,739.00 10,267,090.00

3.91 0.325 2.410

7,236,000 1,000,000 848,000

28,843,080.00 306,200.00 2,039,080.00

0.0048 2.30 4.25 0.185 6.2000 5.5000 0.71 0.66 5.94 1.12 0.300 0.187 0.202 0.011 0.012 2.18 8.07 3.14 0.5000 1.2600 0.0085 3.90 4.99 1.57 0.0110 135.00 2.62

2,585,000,000 48,000 6,485,000 730,000 912,600 245,700 13,358,000 1,245,000 41,900 17,174,000 2,240,000 52,040,000 2,630,000 147,700,000 50,800,000 1,404,000 33,516,100 4,922,000 98,000 6,218,000 688,000,000 7,451,000 4,359,900 8,669,000 698,400,000 4,075,650 2,897,000

12,444,100.00 111,550.00 27,562,950.00 134,230.00 4,895,251.00 1,351,801.00 9,549,780.00 830,810.00 259,815.00 19,145,590.00 667,700.00 9,592,720.00 513,260.00 1,676,100.00 605,900.00 3,047,410.00 268,312,857.00 16,100,650.00 49,330.00 7,948,350.00 5,661,400.00 28,026,310.00 22,428,044.00 14,488,450.00 7,367,300.00 532,830,032.00 7,718,500.00

62 528 526 118.1 115.5 520 5.99 1.08 108.5 1045

616,360 30,630 37,510 30 63,000 1,400 617,700 254,000 500 25

37,756,665.50 16,003,800.00 19,734,650 3,543.00 7,276,500.00 728,000.00 3,707,980.00 274,380 54,250.00 26,125.00

1018 75.65 81.45 83

11,335 164,810 44,010 106,850

11,515,295.00 12,461,074.50 3,557,067.00 8,720,107.50

3.430

438,000

1,452,440.00

4.6 62.95 11.5

22,700 150 12,248,100

105,830.00 8,920.00 137,869,828.00

116

93,320

10,729,789.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining Pacifica `A’ Ayala Corp `A’ Manila Mining `B’ Boulevard Holdings Philodrill Corp. `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Ferronickel Oriental Pet. `A’ Megaworld Prop.

VOLUME 7,134,000,000 373,000,000 215,350,105 197,700,000 189,210,000 160,700,000 154,886,900 141,037,000 133,000,000 123,340,000

STOCKS Metrobank PLDT Common Ayala Land `B’ Universal Robina SM Prime Holdings GT Capital Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. SM Investments Inc. Ayala Corp `A’ Globe Telecom

VALUE 1,802,137,123.50 1,782,193,680.00 1,636,214,445.00 1,577,761,191.00 1,448,315,058.00 1,341,575,310.00 1,168,867,053.00 1,047,354,015.00 920,630,045.00 788,089,270.00

MONDAY: SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

B3

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

PSE cool to higher public float

By Jenniffer B. Austria

Traffic gridlock also traps CEOs MOST motorists and commuters were trapped for three to five hours on the streets of Metro Manila on Sept. 8, when thunderstorms caused floods and heavy traffic along major thoroughfares, including the financial district of Makati City.

The traffic was so bad that even top executives of major companies shared to journalists what they experienced on that eventful night.

Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. president and chief executive Erramon Aboitiz said he had just arrived from Cebu that night and was hoping to have dinner at home by 8 or 9 p.m. Hours after leaving the airport, he was still along Edsa in front of Dusit Hotel at 11:30 pm. He arrived home the next day, or a little past 12 midnight.

Philippine Stock Exchange president and chief executive Hans Sicat also had the same experience, coming home later than usual.

The next day, Sicat was ordering coffee at Starbucks when a girl barista could not help express her frustration over the heavy traffic she experienced the night before, maybe without knowing she was ranting to the president of the PSE. If the chauffeur-driven executives also complain over road gridlock, who has gall to say traffic is not fatal to the economy?

Jenniffer B. Austria

THE Philippine Stock Exchange has bucked the proposal of the Securities and Exchange Commission to gradually increase the required minimum public ownership of listed companies to 25 percent, given the current market conditions.

The minimum public float requirement is currently at 10 percent.

PSE president and chief executive Hans Sicat said SEC’s proposal to increase the public float of companies listed in the local bourse would be difficult to implement because of current volatile market conditions.

“I think the issue might be difficult thing to do, partly because of the volatility,” Sicat said.

Sicat said it was also better to let the companies decide for themselves when they wanted to sell additional shares to the public to raise money or to increase their float.

PSE said the public float of listed companies as a group was now more than 30 percent.

Sicat said investors, particularly foreign fund managers, preferred to invest in companies with higher liquidity because they wanted to get in and out of companies with better ease.

SEC chairperson Teresita Herbosa earlier said the corporate regulator planned to start implementing the gradual increase in minimum public ownership of listed firms starting next year.

Under the plan, SEC will increase the minimum public float by five percent every year until it hit the target of 25 percent.

Herbosa said this would make the local capital markets at par with other Asean countries.

Herbosa said other stock exchanges in the region had already imposed the 25-percent minimum float requirement for listed firms.

She said the move would could also encourage small investors to invest in the stock market, instead of putting their hard earned money in investment scams.

Several illegal investment-taking activities have recently proliferated in the country and duped many Filipinos.

Herbosa said there were instances when institutional funds were crowding out local small investors. The SEC sees the need to provide opportunity for small retail investors to increase the participation in the stock market, she said.

The PSE started to implementing the 10-percent minimum public ownership for listed companies in 2011 to help improve liquidity and increase public participation in the local capital markets.

PLDT unfazed by SMC-Telstra venture

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. is unfazed by San Miguel Corp.’s move to team up with the largest telecommunication company in Australia.

PLDT chairman Manuel Pangilinan told reporters his company would not revise its business strategy despite the entry of Telstra Corp. in the Philippines through a partnership with San Miguel.

“We just have to deal with it when they come. It’s anticipated that San Miguel will do it wether with Telstra or another partner,” he said.

Pangilinan said PLDT’s strategy would depend on “how they [SMC and partner] behave to get market share.” At present, PLDT’s mobile phone market share in terms of subscribers stood at about 57 percent, while Globe Telecom has 43 percent.

Last month, Telstra confirmed it was in talks with San Miguel to invest in a wireless joint venture. Telstra chief executive Andy Penn earlier described Asia as a key part of his growth strategy.

The Australian firm spent $697 million last year to buy Pacnet Ltd. to gain access to its undersea cables connecting Asia and the Pacific. Darwin G. Amojelar

14 Filipino designers invited to New York

The Philippines has the chance to showcase not only its precolonial gold pieces, but also the contemporary designs of top Filipino artists for more than three months starting Sept. 11 this year.

Asia Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the world about Asia, said top Filipino designers will be featured in a New York designer showcase called Filipino Design Now on Sept. 11, 2015 to Jan. 3, 2016.

The organization founded by John Rockefeller III in 1956 said Filipino Design Now, which it co-conceptualized with Filipino jewelry designer and New York gallery owner Federico De Vera, provides an opportunity to experience the rich culture and heritage of the Philippines.

The designer showcase at the lobby of Asia Society New York along Park Ave. features exclusive collections by 14 renowned Filipino designers, coinciding with the museum exhibition Philippine Gold: Treasures of Forgotten Kingdoms. The gold exhibition features over 100 spectacular pre-colonial gold pieces dating from 10th to 13th century from the collections of Ayala Museum and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Participating designers are Maricis Brias, Lenora Cabili, Federico de Vera, Ian Giron, Jewelmer, Natalya Lagdameo, Josie Natori, Tina Ocampo, Wynn Wynn Ong, Anne Marie Saguil, Ditta Sandico, Rafe Totengco, Bea Valdes and Al Valenciano. They will showcase uniquely Filipino creations, including home textiles, jewelry, home accents, apparel, accessories, among others. Roderick T. dela Cruz

UCPB loan. UCPB and Archipelago Philippine Ferries Corp. sign a P560.3-million loan facility for the acquisition of new roll-on, roll-off marine vessels that will safely transport passengers and rolling cargoes.

Shown during the signing of the agreement are (front row, from left) Li Gou Xuan, Ramon Fernandez Jr., UCPB executive vice president and corporate and consumer banking group Head Higinio Macadaeg Jr., APFC board chairman Christopher Pastranawas, Dennise Trajano and Stuart Ballantyne.

Fed meeting seen to influence market STOCKS are expected to move sideways this week, as investors may stay on the sidelines ahead of the US Federal Reserve meeting.

“Investors may continue to stay defensive before the September FOMC meeting, likely leading to sideways trading with upward bias in terms of yields especially if economic data releases remain in line or outperform expectations,” BPI Asset Management said in its weekly stock market outlook.

The Fed policy meeting on Wednesday and Thursday will focus on whether the US central bank will raise its near zero interest rate for the first time in nearly a decade.

Expectations of a rate hike have caused the outflow of foreign funds from emerging markets back to developed economies over the past few months.

Some investors, however, ex-

pect that the Fed would again delay the move after the recent turmoil in financial markets.

Philippine Stock Exchange president and chief executive Hans Sicat said the current situation of the local financial markets did not reflect the real values of the underlying companies.

“Of course you cannot blame the investors but I think there is a bit of over reaction,” Sicat said.

“The general view is that the Philippine economy is expected to grow at least 5.5 percent to 6 percent. Is that too radical from 6.5 percent original expectation?

It could be a little bit lower but it is not fatal,” he said.

COL Financial research head April Lynn Tan said the market likely reached its low at 6,790 level and that it was now time for investors to accumulate stocks amid positive long-term outlook on the domestic economy.

Tan said the recent drop in the stock market was only a major correction. She said foreign funds were expected to return to the Philippines give the country’s good growth story.

Among Tan’s stock picks are Cebu Pacific, Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., BDO Unibank Inc., SM Prime Holdings Inc., Ayala Land, Ayala Corp. and Firs Gen Corp.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, dropped 2 percent last week to close at 6,911.38 on Friday, while the broader all-share index declined 1.5 percent to 3,963.65.

The PSEi was down 4.4 percent since the start of the year.

Trading was affected by negative sentiments on China’s performance and doubts over the strength of the global economy linger. Jenniffer B. Austria

B4

Internet exchange deal. Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. signs an agreement with the Department of Science and Technology to establish fiber optic facilities that will link PLDT to the government Internet exchange, the Philippine Open Internet Exchange, or PHOpenIX. PLDT will provide optical fiber connectivity from the PHOpenIX headquarters in Quezon City to the new node that will be set up inside PLDT’s Vitro Data Center in Pasig City. At the signing ceremony are (seated from left) PLDT regulatory affairs head Ray Espinosa, PLDT executive vice president and ePLDT President and chief executive Eric Alberto, Science Secretary Mario Montejo and Senator Bam Aquino.

Infra spending still below target

By Gabrielle H. Binaday GOVERNMENT’S infrastructure spending rose 93 percent in July but it is still below target, the Budget department said over the weekend.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad told reporters infrastructure and capital outlays surged to P38.3 billion in July from P19.9 billion year-on-year.

The figure, however, was still 17 percent short of the national government’s target of P45.98 billion for infrastructure spending in July.

Abad attributed the increase in infrastructure spending to the faster disbursement by the Public Works Department

spending under the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program.

Abad said health spending should also be accelerated.

Infrastructure spending in the first seven months of 2015 increased 22 percent to P245.65 billion from P202.87 billion on year.

“What this really means is that our leading agencies for infrastructure programs are making better use of their budgets. As a result, more goods

and services are being rolled out to the public, and in better time,” Abad said.

Meanwhile, spending on personal services rose 9 percent to P46.5 billion and while that of maintenance and other operating expenses surged 70 percent to P36.6 billion mainly due to the conditional cast transfer program of the Social Welfare Department.

Interest payments rose 10 percent to P53.1 billion July, which according to Abad, showed the ability of the government to pay debts.

Abad said “better figures” were expected for the rest of the year, driven by the start of the election ban period in February.

“I have a feeling that August is going to be another good month all the way to the end of the year,” he said.

He said interventions like improvement in the procurement process and the election period would boost public spending.

“People now realize that it will not be wise to carry over projects because election ban starts in February, [then] they [projects] should be obligated and on-going.

The government’s budget deficit widened to P32.2 billion in July, as tax and customs collections fell and public expenditures jumped the most in a year.

Data from the Finance Department showed the bud-

get deficit in July eclipsed the P1.76-billion shortfall recorded in the same month last year but was still 54 percent short of the government’s deficit target of P69.43 billion for the month.

The figure brought the budget deficit in the first seven months to P18.5 billion, or 67 percent lower than the P55.74billion gap recorded in the same period last year and 92 percent short of the P224.51-billion target for the seven-month period.

Revenues in July grew just 7 percent to P178.5 billion on lower collections by the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Customs, while expenditures jumped 25 percent to P210.7 billion.

Ecozone employment Volkswagen wants to join auto program up amid slow exports By Othel V. Campos EMPLOYMENT at the country’s government-owned economic zones remains up despite a downtrend in investments and exports, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority said over the weekend.

Peza director general Lilia de Lima said employment from January to September 11 rose 11 percent to 1.23 million employees from 1.1 million year-on-year.

“The increment in employment is high. Many of the industries are employment intensive,” she said.

The number of projects also increased 3.6 percent to 428 from 413 in 2014. Most of the projects are part of the expansion programs by existing locators.

Investments were down 2.7 percent to P138.8 billion from 142.6 billion a year ago.

Exports were flat at $25.16 billion in the January-toSeptember period from $25.17 billion on year.

Peza is optimistic investments would catch up before the end of the year as investor confidence is slowly recovering.

De Lima said the agency was confident the previous year’s traffic and congestion problem would not happen again this year and in the future.

The agency, she said, had been getting reports of improved operations from North and South harbors “although there is still the possibility of unserved demands as ports become more busy and more shipments are coming in for the holidays.”

VOLKSWAGEN Philippines Inc., the local partner of Volkswagen Group of Germany, has complained about the apparent discrimination against prospective car manufacturers in the Philippines as reflected by the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence program.

“I’ve been transparent with the Trade Department. I ask them if they can you allow us to come into the MVDP [Motor Vehicle Development Program] because the CARS can never be a viable option for a new entrant,” Volkswagen Philippines president John Philip Orbeta said over the weekend.

Orbeta said the production volume required under the CARS program was prohibitive for new entrants, unlike that of car assemblers that had been manufacturing vehicles for a long time.

“No new entrant can guaran-

tee 200,000 [units] in six years.

It’s very difficult to make new entrant to make a commitment on an entirely untested market. All I’m saying is that it’s favorable to incumbents but it’s not attractive to new entrants,” he said.

The MVDP, he added, would be soon decommissioned once the implementing rules and regulations of the CARS program was in place.

CARS offers P27 billion worth of performance-based fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to support new investments in fixed capital expenditures in new parts making capability and encourage large-scale production.

The CARS program will give three car manufacturers a set of incentives to help increase vehicle production in the country.

Each company will be required to produce at least 200,000 units within six years.

The incentives will be given once a car company reaches its 101,000th unit.

“I think the Trade Department wants to focus on the CARS program. That’s really their priority now and we respect that,” said Orbeta.

If allowed to put up a completely knocked-down plant, Volkwagen plans to make the Philippines an regional hub of at least one vehicle line.

Earlier, the company announced plans to invest as much as $200 million to set up an assembly plant in the Philippines, if given go signal by the Trade Department.

But talks soured prompting Volkswagen to seek better incentive packages in Indonesia and Thailand.

If given the chance by the Philippine government, Volkswagen plans to manufacture at least 60,000 units of an existing model, with 10,000 units to be shipped to Southeast Asian countries and 50,000 units to the rest to Asia and with the potential to expand to as high as 100,000 units.

M O N D AY : S E P T E M B E R 14 , 2 0 1 5

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

B5

Belgian firm plans Davao solar

By Alena Mae S. Flores ENFINITY S.A of Belgium, through local unit Enfinity Philippines, is putting up a 28.6-megawatt solar power plant in Digos, Davao del Sur. Enfinity said in a statement the project aimed to address power outages in Mindanao amid the El Niño weather phenomenon that could reduce the capacity of hydro power plants in the island.

The company said the 28.6MW Digos solar farm would significantly boost supply and help plug the generation deficiency in the Mindanao grid, especially during the critical dry months.

The company is investing P2 billion for the first phase of

the project. It invested about 20 percent of the investment to civil works, concrete and other materials and salaries.

Enfinity will develop the first phase of the planned solar facility on a 34.8-hectare site in Davao del Sur. Commercial commissioning of the initial phase is expected around February next year.

Enfinity Asia Pacific Holdings Ltd. business development director William Ruccius said “solar production matches

with the power demand as the generation is during the peak time of day and the maximum generation occurs in the hot summer months when the sun is directly overhead and seasonal demand is highest.”

He said solar power could address Mindanao’s power needs during peak hours, a cheaper option compared with the traditional source of diesel plants.

“Solar is a low-cost solution to peaking power today and as the cost continues to come down in the near future, it will take a bigger share of the generation load,” Ruccius said.

Enfinity said there was a need to diversify Mindanao’s sources of power because of

the seasonality of hydropower facilities, still the grid’s major source, following delays in the commercial operation of some baseload coal plants.

The utility-scale solar plant will be equipped with photovoltaic panels to be supplied by Hanwha of South Korea.

The Digos solar farm is now advancing to full construction phase following the issuance of ‘notice to proceed’ to Sterling and Wilson of India as the international engineering, procurement and construction contractor and Miescor as the local contractor.

Ruccius noted that “employment will peak [to] about 500 during construction

and there will be about 50 jobs during operation.”

Enfinity said it held job fairs in four barangays “to screen and process local applicants for these jobs.”

The second phase of the project involving 15 MW will be constructed on a 20-hectare site.

“We are in discussions with electric cooperatives in Mindanao to supply power through longterm power purchase agreements on the phase 2 and other projects,” Ruccius said.

Host communities and local government units are expected to gain from the project in the form of real property nd business taxes and a share of national wealth of one percent revenue.

ePLDT to put up more data centers

By Darwin G Amojelar PHILIPPINE Long Distance Telephone Co. said whollyowned unit ePLDT is looking at building data centers in Visayas and Mindanao to boost its capacity nationwide.

“We are looking at Davao, Iloilo and Bacolod for our new data centers,” PLDT executive vice president and ePLDT president and chief executive Eric Alberto told reporters.

Alberto said the construction of a P1.3-billion new data center in Clark Special Economic and Freeport Zone in Pampanga, its fifth facility under the Vitro Data Center line, was ongoing.

PLDT said along with the three data centers operated by ePLDT subsidiary IP Converge Data Services, the group would have eight data centers with rack capacity of over 8,000, making it the largest in the country.

PLDT said the continued expansion in data center facilities was part of its commitment in creating the nation’s digital infrastructure.

Located in the heart of the Clark ecozone, Vitro Clark, once fully operational, will cater to the region’s thriving business communities and planned IT hubs in Central Luzon that could also serve the disaster recovery requirements for other businesses elsewhere.

The construction of the Vitro Clark facility will boost the growth of ICTdemanding industries in the area like business process outsourcing, outsourcing and offshoring and retail.

SSS financial assistance. The Social Security System extends financial assistance of P5.5 million for the reconstruction of classrooms at

the town of Tanauan in Leyte province destroyed by super typhoon Yolanda in 2013. SSS president and chief executive Emilio de Quiros Jr. (second from right) and Social Security Commission Chairman Juan Santos (right) turn over the ceremonial check, representing the first tranche of the SSS grant amounting to P4.4 million, to Education Secretary Armin Luistro (second from left) and Education Undersecretary Mario Deriquito during ceremonies held at the DepEd complex in Pasig City on August 7.

P15-b Clark airport expansion a cinch, says Guiao PAMPANGA Rep. Yeng Guiao is confident the newly-approved P15-billion expansion project of the Clark International Airport will be completed within its 10year timetable from 2016.

Guiao’s optimism stems from the recent move of the Aquino administration authorizing the release of P1.2 billion for the project’s first phase. The expansion project involves the construction of a new passenger terminal, raising Clark’s capacity to 7 million from the current 4 million annually.

The airport expansion project recently received a boost after President Benigno Aquino III approve the execution of the multi-billion peso railway project leading to the Clark Freeport in Pampanga to be undertaken jointly by the Department of

Transportation and Communications and the Bases Conversion Development Authority.

The railway project is envisioned to provide the mass transit service to feed Clark Airport with passengers and cargo.

A public bidding for the Phase-I Clark airport project is set in the first quarter of 2016, another clear indication that “it is a go,” Guiao said in Friday’s Balitaan hosted by the Capampangan in Media Inc. and Clark Development Corp. at the Clark Freeport.

Guiao said the first phase would be completed by 2017, even as he called on his fellow stakeholders in Pampanga to remain vigilant and ensure the provisions in the President’s approval are implemented.

The lawmaker was among

those that campaigned for the Clark Airport’s expansion to complement the operation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Metro Manila, given the rising number of foreign visitors, including Filipino balikbayan.

Clark Airport’s expansion and upgrading will spur the growth of investment and business activities not only in Pampanga but in the rest of Central Luzon.

What some quarters viewed as a delay in the approval of this project was interpreted by Guiao as the seriousness of the Aquino administration to clear the way for its unhampered implementation up to 2022.

“I’m convinced the project was allowed to go through all the processes of project evaluation in the National Economic

and Development Authority to insulate it from any political developments in the future,” the solon said.

As approved, the annual funding for the various phases of the project until project 2022 will be incorporated in DoTC’s budget as in the P1.23-billion earmarked for the Phase-I CIA passenger terminal.

Guiao, meanwhile, said the planned transfer of the Manilabased Rizal Memorial Stadium to the Clark Freeport was still in the pipeline contrary to reports it had been scuttled.

Earlier reports said RMS would be built on a 50-hectare area within the Clark Airport area to serve as a modern sport facility for local and regional competitions, as well as a training area for Filipino athletes.

MONDAY: SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

B6

BUSINESS business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

Business tax changes pushed Let the accountable clean the bay NEXT Saturday, my high school daughDENNIS L. BERINO ter will join a week-end school activity where the student volunteers will do a clean up of Manila Bay along the Baywalk. That is the stretch between the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the US Embassy along Roxas Boulevard in Manila. Aside from Pasig River, these are two of the most favorite cleanup places of volunteer groups. These two bodies of water, which feed into each other, are also among the most polluted not only in Manila but also in the whole country.

An awesome and awful list Just how dirty is Manila Bay? A source identified the following types of garbage that one can find in the bay at any given time: plastic bags, plastic wrappers, polystyrenes (like styrofoam, print cartridges, coat hangers, DVD cases), plastic bottles, hard plastics, rubbers, metals and cans, glass, hazardous wastes, diapers and napkins, biodegradables and other discards.

That is an awesome and awful list of garbage. They are not only numerous but there are also tons of them. The sea creatures that inhabit the bay, whatever is left of them, certainly did not cause the accumulation of all these garbage. And so, where do they come from? From senseless and highly irresponsible citizens of the metropolis who live along the bay as well as those who live along Pasig River and the other tributaries in the metropolis. How do they contribute to this mess? All the garbage they throw day in and day out find their way into the Manila Bay where the rivers eventually empty.

In addition, there are a lot of businesses – big, medium and small in sizes, situated along the bay and the rivers that treat the waterways as their dumping ground. They do so to get away with the attendant activities and cost of properly managing their garbage and refuse. The solution is to just dump everything into the water system and let the environment take care of itself. All these business have learned to externalize the garbage cost through their wanton throwing of liquid and solid waste into the metropolis’ river system.

A heavily polluted bay The same source who identified the types of garbage being thrown into the bay also said that the “bay’s coliform levels (an indicator of water pollution) was still in the millions.” This means it is heavily polluted. And to think there are people who swim in the bay, especially during summer, to escape the heat and as a form of recreation. They are putting themselves in harm’s way.

In the overall scheme of things, the cleanup activity will not amount to anything significant because all the groups who do the cleanup are only able to clean so much with the garbage throwers more efficient and prodigious with the garbage they throw daily. If only for the fact that it develops a sense of volunteerism and community outreach as well as puts in their consciousness the level of pollution in the water system and hopefully develop a more nurturing mindset among them, the cleanup would have served its purpose.

A lasting solution But in order for us to have a lasting solution to this problem, we have to solve it at the source—the people and businesses who incessantly throw all forms of garbage in the waterways. We know who they are and where they are. Make them stop their illegal acts and as part of their restitution, make them be the one to be at the forefront of cleaning the bay and all the water system they sullied with their garbage throwing. Let those who are responsible be accountable for their actions.

Restitution and accountability, enforcement of laws, education of the public and development of a caring and responsible attitude – these are things we need to have to clean up the world-famous Manila Bay so we can be truly proud of it again.

GREEN LIGHT

Dr. Berino is an Associate Professional Lecturer with the Decision Sciences and Innovation Department of the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, De La Salle University (DLSU). He can be reached at dennis.berino@dlsu.edu.ph.

SENATOR Francis Escudero has asked the administration to support the proposed amendment to the situs rule on local business tax to raise revenues for local government units.

Escudero, speaking before local executives during a convention organized by the League of Municipalities of the Philippines Visayas Cluster in Iloilo recently, cited the need to amend Section 150 of Republic Act No. 7160, or the Local Government Code, a provision which he said deprived LGUs of much deserved revenues for a long time.

“We have a pending bill which seeks to amend the situs of taxation provision in the Local Government Code. Essentially, we want businesses to pay their local taxes in municipalities where the businesses operate, instead of where their main offices are located. LGUs in effect should have a bigger share in the revenue from these firms,” said Escudero, former chairman of the Senate committee on finance.

Escudero has been pushing for the amendment since 2012, when he filed Senate Bill No. 105 which seeks to give a 100-percent tax share to LGUs so long as such sales

or transactions occur in the LGU concerned.

He said the situs rule of taxation should be amended to that the towns and cities where businesses were located would benefit more from the tax contribution of those companies.

Escudero said the Budget Department and the Bureau of Internal Revenue had long opposed his proposal.

Most business owners, according to Escudero, preferred to pay their taxes where their businesses were located to “foster a relationship with the LGU where they operate.”

Escudero’s bill expunges the present 30-percent share of the LGU where the principal place of business is located.

“We have to make our LGUs autonomous and self-sustaining government bodies as mandated by the Constitution. More income for our LGUs will also help the administration’s drive for inclusive growth as it will spur economic development in

the countryside,” he said.

Section 150 of the Local Government Code of 1991 on situs rule or the taxing jurisdiction rule on local business tax provides that “all sales made in a locality where there is a branch or sales office or warehouse should be recorded in said branch or sales office or warehouse and the local business tax due should be paid to the city or municipality where the same is located.”

The rule has become a contentious issue because of the multiple jurisdictions spanned by most business operations with their branches, sales outlets, factories, project offices and plantations or plants.

Escudero’s proposed bill also seeks to apply the following sales allocation for manufacturers, assemblers, contractors, producers and exporters with factories, project offices, plants and plantations in the pursuit of their business: · 30 percent of all sales recorded in the principal office shall be taxable by the city or municipality where the principal office is located; and · 70 percent of all sales shall be taxable by the city or municipality where the factory, project office, plant or plantation is located.

Women empowerment.

The Trade Department remains committed and supportive of Filipino women’s economic empowerment through its various entrepreneurial and business programs, recognizing their important role in the country’s economic development and inclusive growth goals. Shown during a dialog hosted by the United Nation’s Entity for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowermen at Sofitel Philippine Plaza on Sept. 9 are (from left) ECHOsi Foundation president Jeannie Javelosa, Trade Undersecretary Nora Terrado, United Nations Undersecretary General and UN Women executive director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Labor assistant secretary Maria Gloria Tangco, University of the Philippines-Asian Center Prof. Marina Durano and Philippine Commission on Women executive director Emmeline Verzosa.

Court extends status quo on Ilijan plant

By Alena Mae S. Flores A LOCAL court has granted a unit of San Miguel Corp. another 17-day temporary restraining order against Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. for terminating their independent power producer agreement for the 1,200 megawatt llijan natural gas power plant in Batangas.

The Mandaluyong City regional trial court of Mandaluyong said after careful review of the arguments raised by South Premiere Power Corp. and PSALM, it found it proper “for the temporary restraining order to be extended for another 17 days if only to preserve the status quo.”

The order, signed by presiding Judge Esteban Tacla Jr. was dated Sept. 11. South Premiere was previously granted a three-day TRO starting Sept. 8.

The court said the extension would give it the opportunity to hear the merits of the controversy. It directed South Premiere to pay a P1-million bond and set the hearing for writ of preliminary injunction on Sept. 23.

“Stripped to the barest essentials, the crux of the controversy is the proper rates to be applied in the computation of the obligation to which the plaintiff is liable to the defendant, pursuant to the IPPA agreement,” the decision said.

The court said that under South

Premiere and PSALM’s agreement, there was a 30-day period for the plaintiff (South Premiere) to make remedial measures and in case of failure, the termination would be effective 30 days after.

It said South Premiere received the termination letter on Sept. 4, 2015, and was “believed to be premature” considering that the payment sought was under dispute.

The court said it had jurisdiction over the case “wherein the parties have dissimilar interpretation of its provisions with the end of implementing the provisions of the Epira Law.” The case stemmed from the billings sent by PSALM to South Premiere, which manages the output of the Batangas plant.

M O N D AY : S E P T E M B E R 14 , 2 0 1 5

WORLD

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

To make wine in Finland, use snow VAASA, Finland— Snow, preferably a thick layer of it, is the recipe for successful winegrowing in western Finland, at what is believed to be the world’s northernmost winery.

Thanks to an insulating layer of snow, winter temperatures as low as -36 degrees Celsius (-33 degrees Fahrenheit) have not managed to freeze the Riesling, Merlot and Chardonnay vines of Finnish wine pioneer Kaarlo Nelimarkka, 74.

On the contrary, Nelimarkka is more concerned about the sun’s rays than the winter frost piercing his Sundom winery in the town of Vaasa, just 400 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle.

“The winter is not a problem. The biggest problems are too short summers and the strong spring sun which can make the vine shoot out sprouts even when the soil is still frozen,” the retired Vaasa town administrator tells AFP. He can make up to 400 bottles of whites, reds and roses in a good year, combining the hardier grape varieties Madeleine Angevine, Gewurztraminer and Solaris to make his specialty, Sundom White.

He describes it as “luminous”, and Finnish wine enthusiast Hannu Hokka, a former expert at Finland’s state-owned alcohol monopoly Alko, said he was impressed by it.

“The taste was fine and well-balanced, to go with salads or crayfish.

Without knowing better, I could have never guessed it was from a minor Finnish producer,” Hokka told AFP. There are less than a handful of winegrowers in the country, none of whom earn a living from it. At one point, Nelimarkka had hoped to make a career of it but European Union bureaucracy reared its head.

No matter how meticulously Nelimarkka makes his wine he is not allowed to call it ‘wine’ as Finland is not listed

by Brussels as one of the official wine-producing regions of the EU. Because he can’t sell his product, Nelimarkka instead hosts groups who pay to visit his vineyard and who can enjoy wine tastings courtesy of the house. AFP

B7

China grapples with risk of hard economic landing SHANGHAI—When Chinese Premier Li Keqiang sought to reassure business leaders that the world’s second-largest economy can avoid a hard landing, he acknowledged mounting fears of exactly that, and analysts say the adjustment to slower growth will be painful.

Just six months ago Li set a 2015 economic growth target of “around seven percent”, confidently telling lawmakers that the economy was adjusting to a “new normal”.

But he scrambled to reassure a World Economic Forum meeting on Thursday that China was not heading for a disorderly slump which would shake the global economy.

“If there are signs the economy is sliding out of the proper range we have adequate capability to deal with the situation,” he said.

“The Chinese economy

will not head for a hard landing.”

Still, gloomy perceptions of China are growing and the signs are troubling: a surprise currency devaluation, persistently weak manufacturing, and rising debt defaults, with a share price collapse to boot.

Government meddling in the stock and currency markets, including police investigations, as well as falling back on pump-priming to support the flagging economy, have raised questions about the leadership’s management and commitment to reforms, analysts say.

China last Monday revised downward its 2014 economic growth figure to 7.3 percent, the weakest in 24 years.

In both the first and second quarter this year, growth remained stuck at 7.0 percent, slower than last year.

“Nothing is working for Chinese leaders these days. They can slow the rate of descent, but they can’t change the downward direction of their economy,” Gordon Chang, an author and independent commentator on China, told AFP. “At this moment, China’s technocrats look incompetent, clueless and oblivious.”

The authorities’ next steps will be crucial, analysts say.

“The risk for a hard landing has always been there. Whether or not China will avoid it will depend on the policy reserves the government uses,” Zhang Jun,

BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE INVITATION TO BID The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites bidders to apply for eligibility and to bid for the hereunder requirement: One (1) Lot Supply, Delivery and Installation of Auto Mode Escalator Sensor for the Eight (8) Units Escalators at the 5-Storey Building, BSP Main Complex, as per BSP Terms of Reference

Name of Requirement/ Brief Description Approved Budget Contract (ABC)

for

the

Completion period

Php2,500,000.00, VAT inclusive Within one hundred eighty (180) calendar days to commence on the date stipulated in the Notice to Proceed to be issued by the Facilities Management and Engineering Department

Bidders should have completed from Y2010 to present a contract similar to the requirement.

The Eligibility Check/Screening and Preliminary Examination of Bids shall use nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criteria.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country, the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens.

All particulars and activities relative to Eligibility of Bidder’s, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-bid Conference(s), Evaluation of Bids, Post-qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by Republic Act No. 9184 and its revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).

Activities

Schedule/Location

a. Issuance of Bid Documents

Starting 14 September 2015 (from 9:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. only) Procurement Office, Room 212, 2/F, 5-Storey Bldg., BSP Main Complex, Malate, Manila Tel. / Fax Nos. 306-2832; 708-7115

b. Site Inspection

Starting 15 September 2015 at the 5-Storey Bldg., BSP Main Complex, Malate, Manila Contact Person: Engr. Joseph Luke M. Raval Contact No.: 306-3199

c. Pre-bid Conference

25 September 2015; 2:00 P.M.; MR2A Conference Room, 2nd Floor, 5-Storey Bldg., BSP Main Complex, Malate, Manila

d. Opening of Bids

07 October 2015; 2:00 P.M.; MR2A Conference Room, 2nd Floor, 5-Storey Bldg., BSP Main Complex, Malate, Manila

The bidding documents are posted at the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the BSP Website (www.bsp.gov.ph). Prospective bidders may download the bidding documents from any of these websites; provided that bidders shall pay a non-refundable fee of Php5,000.00 at the address above prior to, or upon submission of their bids.

The pre-bid conference shall be open to interested parties. However, only those who have purchased the bidding documents shall be allowed to participate in the pre-bid conference and raise or submit written queries or clarifications. To ensure completeness and compliance of bids, bidders are advised to send not more than two (2) technical and/or administrative representatives who will prepare the bidding documents.

The BSP assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify any bidder for expenses incurred in the preparation of bid.

The BSP reserves the right to reject any bid, declare a failure of bidding, not award the contract, annul the bidding process and reject all bids at any time prior to award of contract, without thereby incurring any liability to affected bidders. Further, the BSP reserves the right to waive any minor defects or formality and to accept the proposal most advantageous to the agency.

( T S - S E P T, 14 , 2 015 )

(SGD) SILVINA Q. MAMARIL-ROXAS Chairperson

an economics professor at Shanghai’s Fudan University, told AFP, citing reducing local government and corporate debt as examples.

“There’s still space for

the government to turn the situation around,” he said.

Recent economic figures for August were a mixed bag but showed glimmers of hope.

ERRORS & OMISSIONS In Classified Ads section must be brought to our attention the very day the advertisement is published.

We will not be responsible for any incorrect ads not reported to us immediately.

Growth in industrial production and retail sales accelerated, though that for fixedasset investment during the first eight months slowed further. AFP EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late BUENAVENTURA B. MIGUEL was extrajudicially settled among his heirs as per Doc. No. 538; Page No. 83; Book No. LX, Series of 2015 before Notary Public ATTY. Bona Carmela R. Bien.

(TS-SEPT 14/21/28, 2015)

Republic of the Philippines Province of Bataan City of Balanga BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE OFFICE INVITATION TO BID No. INfra -070- 2015 The Provincial Government of Bataan, through the General Fund70 intends to apply the below listed project w/ corresponding Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

Name of Project

Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC)

1. Construction of Slope Protection (Phase II) Barangay Batangas II, Mariveles, Bataan

=P=8,499,996.14

The Provincial Government of Bataan now invites bids for the above listed Projects.

Completion of works is required on or before the maturity date stipulated on contract.

Bidders should have completed, at least one (1) contract that is similar to the contract to be bid. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

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

Bidding is open to all interested bidders, whether local or foreign, subject to the conditions for eligibility provided in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from Office of Bataan Bids & Awards Committee and inspect the Bidding Documents from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the same office.

Bid documents will be available only to eligible bidders upon payment of a nonrefundable amount of using standard rates approved by GPPB as stated on their Resolution No. 04-2012 listed below.

Approved Budget for the Contract 500,000 and below More than 500,000 up to 1 Million More than 1 Million up to 5 Million More than 5 Million up to 10 Million More than 10 Million up to 50 Million More than 50 Million up to 500 Million More than 500 Million

Maximum Cost of Bidding Documents (in Philippine Peso) 500.00 1,000.00 5,000.00 10,000.00 25,000.00 50,000.00 75,000.00

The Provincial Government of Bataan will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on September 18, 2015 at 10:00 A.M at Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

Bids must be delivered on or before October 01, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. at Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated on IRR of RA 9184 and Bid Securing Declaration in standard form.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend opening of Bids at Bataan BAC Office. Late bids shall not be accepted.

In case of the above dates is declared a special Non-Working Holidays, it will automatically reset on the next working days.

Other necessary information deemed relevant by the Provincial Government of Bataan Activities 1. Advertisement/Posting of Invitation to Bid 2. Eligibility Check 3. Issuance and availability of Bidding Documents 4. Request for Clarification 5. Opening of Bids

Schedule September 11 – September 17, 2015 Refer to date of Opening of Bids September 11 – October 01, 2015 September 21, 2015 October 01, 2015

The Provincial Government of Bataan reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: Engr. Josephine R. Valenzuela Provincial BAC / PEO Bataan Provincial BAC / PEO Office, Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan 047-237-9316 bac@bataan.gov.ph (SGD) ENRICO T. YUZON BAC Chairman (TS-SEPT. 14, 2015)

M O N D AY : S E P T E M B E R 14 , 2 0 1 5

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cESAR BARRiOquiNTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

world

The exodus continues. Migrants and refugees wait to cross the Greece-Macedonia border near the village of Idomeni in northern Greece on Sept. 13, 2015. Three people, including a child, drowned when a boat carrying some 100 migrants capsized off Greece early on Sept. 13, the Athens News Agency reported. It said the coastguard had rescued 68 people following the incident off the island of Farmakonisi in the Southern Aegean Sea. AFP

Migrants overwhelm Munich Russia draws Chinese with its ‘red tourism’ SAINT PETERSBURG—Drawn by its Communist past and a visafree regime, Chinese tourists are flocking to Russia in droves as it develops new routes touting “red tourism”.

Nearly 410,000 Chinese came to Russia last year putting them on top of the list of foreign tourists, according to the federal tourism agency.

Their number has swelled 10 percent since 2013, when Germans topped the list of overseas visitors.

“We had lots of work this summer,” said Viktoria Borgacheva, the head of the association of Chinese interpreters and guides in the city of Saint Petersburg, Russia’s main tourist destination.

“I would say our workload has

increased 30 percent since last year,” Borgacheva said.

In the first half of this year alone, more than 200,000 Chinese tourists visited Russia.

Russia’s second city of Saint Petersburg, the former imperial capital renowned for its worldclass museums and luxurious palaces, hosted nearly 26,000 Chinese tourists in 2014.

“Saint Petersburg is a beautiful city with a rich history,” said Yong Tang, a 57-year-old tourist from Beijing, as he purchased a bust of Lenin.

“I’m glad I came here.”

Experts estimate that between 40,000 and 50,000 Chinese tourists could visit Saint Petersburg this year, the Russian tourism industry union said. AFP

MUNICH—Authorities in Munich have said they are overwhelmed by the influx of migrants streaming into the Bavarian capital, as Europe-wide protests saw tens of thousands take to the streets in both support of and opposition to refugees.

More than 10,000 migrants arrived in Munich on Saturday, leading regional officials to sound the alarm and urge other areas in Germany—seen as the promised land by many of those seeking safe haven in Europe—to pull their weight.

Meanwhile, divisions in Europe were evident on the streets, with tens of thousands marching through London waving placards saying “Refugee lives matter”, while in Eastern European capitals protesters called for refugees to “go home”.

Germany has so far taken the lion’s share of migrants, admitting 450,000 people this year, with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to relax asylum rules for

Syrians drawing praise from the refugees, but also sharp criticism from domestic allies and counterparts abroad.

“We no longer know what to do with refugees,” Munich’s mayor Dieter Reiter said, amid fears many of the new arrivals would have to spend the night outdoors.

“Munich and Bavaria can’t overcome this great challenge alone,” a spokeswoman for the Bavarian authorities said, adding the city was struggling to find shelter for all the additional people.

As the newcomers arrived, some onlookers at Munich station held welcome signs to greet them. But there were far fewer than several days ago when cheering volunteers handed out groceries and chil-

dren’s toys.

As the continent scrambles to respond to the biggest movement of people since World War II, sharp divisions have emerged between the European Union’s 28 member states, at both government level and on the streets.

At the London rally, Britain’s newly elected Labor Party leader and veteran socialist Jeremy Corbyn drew huge cheers when he addressed the crowd from the back of a truck.

“Open your hearts and open your minds,” the opposition chief said, “towards supporting people who are desperate, who need somewhere safe to live, want to contribute to our society, and are human beings just like all of us.”

A boy dressed as Paddington Bear—the marmalade-loving migrant who arrived at London’s Paddington Station from “deepest, darkest Peru” in Michael Bond’s famous books—clutched a sign saying: “Paddington Bear Was A Refugee”. AFP

Film on US home foreclosures wins DEAUVILLE, France—A film about the 2008 US financial crisis, “99 Homes” by Ramin Bahrani, was awarded the Grand Prize at France’s Deauville American Film Festival in Normandy on Saturday.

Part social drama, part thriller, the film centers on a young father who is evicted from his home after it is foreclosed and then agrees to work for the very real estate broker responsible for his troubles.

It depicts an America where evicting people from their

homes is a “national sport”, Bahrani said at the 41st edition of the festival in the northwestern seaside town.

The film was chosen for “its intense dramatic force and absolutely exceptional interpretation”, the head of the jury, French director Benoit Jacquot, said, noting also the performances by lead actors Andrew Garfield and Michael Shannon.

The second prize at Deauville went to “Tangerine” by Sean Baker, which was filmed on a

smartphone and focuses on two transgender friends.

The audience award went to “Dope”, by Rick Famuyiwa. The comedy, produced by Forest Whitaker, tells the story of a nerdy black teenager living in a violent neighborhood of Los Angeles. The film’s soundtrack was produced by American musician Pharrell Williams.

“Krisha”, a debut film by 27-year-old Trey Edward Shults, received the critic’s award.

Fourteen films were in competition this year. AFP

Arrival. A Golfina sea turtle arrives to spawn at Morro Ayuta Beach in

the state of Oaxaca in Mexico on Sept. 10, 2015. The massive arrivals of sea turtles, known as “Arribadas”, happen in Morro Ayuta Beach, when thousands of turtles arrive to lay their eggs. AFP

M O N D AY : S E P T E M B E R 14 : 2 0 1 5

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TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR

BING PAREL A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

BERNADETTE LUNAS

life @ thestandard.com .ph

WRITER

@LIFEatStandard

E AT, DRINK , T R AV EL

LIFE Mamie Taylor

Smith's Big Eye Tuna Poke complementing The Monkey Shoulder cocktails

In the process of making a Rob Roy

I challenged Zach to make a smoky drink, and he obliged

THE MONKEY ON MY SHOULDER

BY TATUM ANCHETA

M

ixologist, bar chef, cocktailian, mixicologist, so many things to call someone who mixes fine drinks in a bar, but for 26-year-old, award winning William Grant & Sons Regional Portfolio Ambassador, Zachary Connor de Git, he still likes to call himself “a bartender.”

Mixologists are often dubbed as the chemists behind the drinks, while the bartender is your magician behind the bar who whips up more than a dozen drinks a night to keep the customers happy.

Though a lot of people will argue on the labels, neither is better than the other because there are a lot of skill sets involved in being any of the two. “For me it was never about cocktails,” explains Zach, while I choke on my drink thinking “Whuuut? Not the drinks?!” He continues, “I fell in love with the

Felle Lim Regional Brand Manager – Monkey Shoulder Grants and Master Mixologist Zachary Connor

service side of things, more so the drinks. It’s the whole package; when you walk into a bar, the bartender says hi to you and you engage with him and you have a personal – well not too personal that you tell them your romantic life and everything – but the best way to get a good drink is to connect with your bartender and tell him what you feel and what you like to drink, how shitty your day has been or how amazing your day has been.”

I guess when it comes to libation, it’s more the experience, the surroundings, and the people you meet that make every sip worth drinking. It makes sense now why Zach has been chosen as the ambassador for the funky and young brand Monkey Shoulder.

Monkey Shoulder is a combination of three Speyside Single Malts – Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Kininvie. They call the brand “approachable” with “a cheeky disregard for tradition.” Just read the name “Monkey Shoulder,” – even the bottle is designed to look more contemporary than the other whiskies in the market.

At a recent Master Class held in Smith Butcher and Grill Room, Zach faced a number of newbies and aficionados who want to learn the art of mixing cocktails and tasting the cool brand Monkey Shoulder. While some whisky tasting and mixology classes feel stiff and downright boring, Zach made everyone feel comfortable, laughing even, while learning the

Everyone who participated in the Master Class got to take home these babies!

Christmas came too early

And here's the smoky drink, he calls it Smoke 'em when you got 'em

stories and basics about whisky and mixing a cocktail. He says, “There shouldn’t be any rules in drinking whisky! It should just be fun!”

Monkey Shoulder tastes good on its own but best when mixed as cocktail especially with recipes that highlight its notes. The nose smells of sweet marmalade, creamy vanilla, and hints of spices. On your palate it tastes fruity, with a little honey and a hint of butterscotch and finishes with woody oak and wisps of peppermint. Interesting, right? The liquid even becomes more fascinating when mixed with the right ingredients for a cold glass of cocktail.

To start the Master Class, Zach taught us to make a Mamie Taylor, a quirky name for adding together 40 ml of Monkey Shoulder, 80 ml of ginger ale and lime wedge. It tastes like a refreshing drink for a hot day. Then he moved on to the fun Morning Glory Fizz, and anything with egg white on cocktail, I’m more than willing to try, so I went behind the bar to mix my first glass:

50 ml of Monkey Shoulder, 25 ml lemon juice, 20 ml simple syrup, 1 dash of Absinthe (in my case I think it spilled a little more than that, lol) and 15 ml of egg white. Now as Zach instructed, the key to mixing this drink is to dry shake first, as hard as you can to blend all the ingredients together, then add ice and shake it again until the shaker is chilled and cold to the touch. I loved how the Absinthe made the drink aromatic and refreshing to the nose, the texture is creamy and wakes up the palate. His last recipe is a warm yet strong cocktail called Rob Roy. It’s simple, just mix 50 ml of Monkey Shoulder with 25 ml Vermouth, and add two dashes of Angostura Bitters. Simple recipe, but the taste punches and makes you feel warm as it finishes down your throat.

The class was all smiles and giggles with all the cocktails circling around the bar. I couldn’t help but challenge Zach, “So can you make me a smoky cocktail? As in literally smoking while it’s served.” He laughed and

Yours truly, trying to perfect a Morning Glory Fizz

said, “Hmm... now I’m intimidated!” but he obliged nevertheless. Using Monkey Shoulder as the base, he put out the world’s most heavily peated single malt Octomore, then mixed it with Chartreuse liqueur, Mancino Vermouth, and smoked the glass with a smoking gun. I feel my mouth watering now just writing about it, it was so good, he called it “Smoke ‘em when you got ‘em.”

The Master Class ended with a good old game of Cards of Humanity. I felt like I was in a college party after a mixology class while Zach passed around shots of whisky for everyone to partake.

Fun, carefree, no rules indeed.

Smith Butcher and Grill Room often holds The Craft Takeover's Master Class or whisky tasting with International brands and the world's top bartenders. Visit their Facebook page Smith Butcher and Grill Room to get updates. The restaurant is located at ACI Building, 147 H.V. Dela Costa Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City.

Photos of Mamie Taylor, Rob Roy, the editor, and Felle Lim together with Zachary Connor is courtesy of Sarie Santiago

M ONDAY : SEPTEM B ER 14 : 2015

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SIP BY SIP

BY SHERWIN A. LAO

W

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

TASTING 2009 AND 2010 BORDEAUX

hen it comes to Bordeaux wines, no shop or store comes even remotely close to the depth chart of Wine Story here in the Philippines and perhaps the rest of Asia. Wine Story is the luxury wine specialty store chain of “niche-marketer par excellence” Romy Sia (of the Healthy Options fame). Now on its fifth year and with three branches to boot with Rockwell and Serendra branches added to the flagship store in Shangri-La Mall, Mandaluyong, Wine Story continues to flabbergast even the most discerning wine lovers with its evolving selection. So when it came to Bordeaux’s much publicized consecutive 2009 and 2010 vintages, it was moot and academic to see Wine Story carry an unparalleled portfolio to showcase these two amazing vintages. Bordeaux’s 2009 and 2010 vintages have been likened to the previous dynamic duo performance of the 1989 and 1990 vintages – these are some of the most expensive and prestigious aged Bordeaux money can buy at the moment.

Bordeaux is arguably the most renowned wine region in the world. With over 120,000 hectares dedicated to vines, it is easily one of the world’s largest wine regions, and certainly the biggest in all of France.

Bordeaux alone has 54 designated wine regions or what is called the Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOCs). These 54 AOCs are already equivalent to almost 80 percent of the entire wine regions or Denominación de Origen (DOs) of neighboring Spain. The very specific AOCs in Bordeaux make for interesting taste profiles as the big distinction of the Merlot dominated right bank wines and those of Cabernet Sauvignon dominated left bank wines (as separated by the Gironde River) is just one of many aspects contained in the French relentless view of “terroir.”

Terroir is a French term with no direct translation to English, but it means the unique microenvironment of the vineyard that covers soil, temperature, weather, altitude, grape varietal adaptability, and all encompassing elements that are tied to the wine region. Of the 54 AOCs, including the huge, more generic Bordeaux, Bordeaux Superieur and Côtes de Bordeaux, there are a dozen or so very sought after wine regions.

These regions include all the Medoc AOCs (from Saint Estephe to Haut-Medoc), PessacLeognan, Saint Emilion and Pomerol.

I was among the few lucky ones invited to try 16 handpicked wines from Bordeaux’s 2009 and 2010 vintages in a recent Wine Story’s Vintage Tasting series. The wines even come from some of my favorite Bordeaux AOCs. The retail prices of the Bordeaux offered for tasting are quite reasonable, ranging from P2,500.00/bottle to just a shade over P5,000.00/bottle. Below are my customary tasting notes.

FROM THE 2009 VINTAGE

1. Chateau Gloria, Saint Julien – this label is among the more fortunate non-1855 classified Medoc wines that does well commercially; “meaty, minty, a lot of animal flavors on the nose, quite complex, still young, leathery and dried berries in the mid palate, nice black truffles in the end.”

2. Chateau Cantemerle, Haut-Medoc – is a 5th growth in the amended 1855 Medoc classification (instated a year after in 1856); “licorice, black pepper, gun flint, tart cherry on the taste, but lighter in body, crusty pie on the finish” 3. Goulee, Medoc – is the 3rd wine from 2nd growth Chateau Cos d’Estournel; “forest-like nose, lamb, dry basil leaves, grassy, sour cherry on the mouth, lovely texture, good acid background, fresh, and long-lingering on the finish” 4. Chateau Fontenil, Fronsac – is from the most recognized oenologist consultant in the planet, Michel Rolland and his wife Dany; “black currant, anise seed, capsicum, very bright racy fruits, nice bitter-sweet tannins and a charcoaled-like finish” 5. Chateau Les Gravieres, Saint Emilion – is a Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classe label; “inky, grassy, leathery, soft on the palate but with fowl-like notes, flinty finish”

My two favorite 2010 Bordeaux from the batch: Chateau La Dominique and Clos Canon.

6. Segla, Margaux – the 2nd wine of 2nd growth Chateau Rauzan-Segla; “mocha, coffee- latte, black currant, charcoaled taste on mid-palate, long and complex on the finish” 7. Chateau Cambon La Pelouse, HautMedoc – is a “Cru Bourgeois” wine; “herbal, leathery, fresh cherries, but a bit tarty on the palate and finish” 8. Chateau Prieure Lichine, Margaux – is a 4th growth in the 1855 Medoc classification; “bramble, stony, flambé berries, intense flavors, luscious on the finish”

FROM THE 2010 VINTAGE

1. Clos Canon, Saint Emilion – this is the 2nd wine of Chateau Canon, a Saint Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classe B; “warm pie, crusty, bramble, lovely alluring nose, supple texture, mocha and black currant flavor at the end” 2. Chateau Fombrauge, Saint Emilion – this label has been owned by big Bordeaux house Bernard Magrez since 1999 and is a Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classe label; “very fresh and racy, cassis, earthy, black currant, a more elegant style with softer approachable tannins” 3. Chateau La Dominique, Saint Emilion – a wine that got assistance from the “garagiste” movement pioneer JeanLuc Thunevin of Chateau Valandraud; “very racy, full-flavored, violets, anise, peppercorn, very deep nose, supple texture, fresh coffee bean taste, with long lingering finish” 4. Chateau Nenin, Pomerol – this label is owned by Jean-Hubert Delon of 2nd growth Chateau Léoville Las Cases; “farm nose, lamb, hay, black pepper, gun flint, floral, supple entry, but tannins quite thin, smokey on the finish”’

My two favorite 2009 Bordeaux from the batch: Chateau Fontenil and Segla.

5. Fleur de Clinet, Pomerol – this is the 2nd wine of a Pomerol legend, Chateau Clinet; “charcoaled, coffee

latte, licorice, peppery, soft and delectable tannins, sumptuous on the finish” 6. Chateau Les Cruzelles, Lalande de Pomerol – owned by Denis Durantou, same owner of Chateau L’Eglise Clinet in Pomerol; “over-ripe berries, prunes, mushroomy, violets, dark burned taste, long cinnamon bark finish” 7. La Parde de Haut Bailly, PessacLeognan – the 2nd wine from Chateau Haut Bailly, a Premier Cru Pessac-Leognan; “minerally, inky, leathery, still quite young with more pronounced acids, spicy at the end” 8. Chateau d’Aiguilhe, Cotes de Castillon – is owned by Stephane von Neipperg of La Mondotte and Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere – both Saint Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classe B; “cinnamon bark, mushroomy, inky, acid a bit higher than usual, and peppery at the end” The wines tasted may probably not be indicative of the quality of these two vintages when pitted against each other, as no single label in the list was tasted vertically (for both vintages). And for the 2010 vintage, seven of the eight wines tasted were all from the right bank. This is rather a taste of the quality of the different labels, notably 2nd wines from some of the most powerful Chateaux names from two astounding vintages. With so many labels to choose from and so many AOCs for variations, how can anyone therefore say that Bordeaux wines are tiring? That is sacrilegious!

For more Bordeaux wines to choose from, please visit Wine Story at Shangri-La Mall Mandaluyong, Serendra Fort Bonifacio, and One-Rockwell, Rockwell Center Makati.

For comments, inquiries, wine event coverage and other wine related concerns, please e-mail me at protegeinc@yahoo.com. I am a proud member of the Federation Internationale des Journalists et Ecrivains du Vin et des Spiritueux or FIJEV since 2010. You can also follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/ sherwinlao.

M ONDAY : SEPTEM B ER 14 : 2015

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

BEER CAPITAL OF THE WORLD? I have always thought t hat t his recognition belongs to Munich, where that MERCURY RISING endless beerBY BOB ZOZOBRADO drinking frenzy called Inside the Miller Brewery Oktoberfest started, or to the southern part of Mexico where cerveza is downed like water cities of the world – wider exposure, bigger by those energetic and fun-loving muchachos revenues! But the main reasons for the y muchachas. Or even the Philippines, where industry’s success are the sound business every other Tom, Dick and a cousin revere sense and vision of the men who started San Mig or Red Horse like a demigod. these breweries.

However, just recently, I learned that One such person was Fredrick Miller Milwaukee (in Wisconsin, USA) is who emigrated from Germany to the US considered by many as “the beer capital of and is the father of the highly successful the world” because of its booming beer Miller Brewing Company. He not only industry, wearing such tagline proudly, had a deep understanding of brewing, like a laurel wreath on its head. The city he also had a strong work ethic and is home to America’s largest brewers an instinctive nose for quality. He – Miller, Blatz, Pabst and Schlitz – was able to pass on these desirable which represent one of Wisconsin’s top character traits to the later generations revenue and employment generating of Millers. The company continues industries. The remarkable strength to produce fine lager beer using the of its brewing industry is made more German brewing method, at its significant by the combination of original site that is still in use today, unique and unusual factors. making it the oldest functioning First, Milwaukee is very near brewery in the US. a beer-consuming mega city, The brewery’s premium brand, Chicago, with its year-round daily Miller Genuine Draft, is now most need of hundreds of dozens of the sought-after. Why, what goes into brew, and this sale posts big profits it? Water, barley, malt, yeast and as the supply is easily shipped hops (the seed cones which give over Lake Michigan, through beer the bitter, tangy flavor), all inexpensive freight charges. Also, go through the process of wort Milwaukee’s small population production (the mashing process forces the brewing companies to that produces liquid), followed by focus their sales efforts to the rest fermentation, maturation, cold The premium Miller of the country and to the major filtration and, finally, aseptic Genuine Draft

THERE’S A NEW BEER IN TOWN

T

he Filipino’s drinking palate has changed over the last few years. Everywhere you turn, there’s a new hip bar and even restaurants are upping their game by adding specialty cocktails, and boasting more than a dozen rare bottles of spirits.

Today, there’s also a fascination for craft and specialty beers, as visiting a bar or a restaurant now usually gives you an option to choose local or foreign bottles.

Lately, there’s been a new bottle

Brew Kettle 330mL Bottle with Crown

circulating in the hip side of the Metro.

Always mistaken for a foreign label, this bottle of beer is actually brewed and bottled locally with ingredients sourced internationally from the US and Europe.

The bottle is Brew Kettle – sweet and citrusy to the taste, and aromatic to the nose, very distinct and it doesn’t taste like the usual Filipino beer in the market. It uses hops and an interesting combination of spices to create a light-bodied and crisp beer.

Brew Kettle is a Belgian Witbier Style beer, inspired by expertly brewed Belgian beers. Witbier or white beer is a variety of wheat beer, whose roots can be traced back to the 14th century when brewing was done at home. The brewing proportions are usually more wheat than barley malt, as well as a little bit of oats, which contribute to its pale color and cloudy appearance.

To know more about the brand and where you can find it, visit Brew Kettle Beer PH on Facebook and follow it on Instagram @brewkettlebeerph.

The original Miller Brewery in Milwaukee that is still being used at present

A fun Miller event at Hyve

filling. The beer is never exposed to any form of heat treatment, so this locks in the many subtle flavors that make it smooth to drink and preserves its brewery-fresh taste.

Here in the Philippines, PhilPacific Beverage Imports Inc., headed by Luigi Nuñez brings in Miller Beer. Nuñez has observed that there is now an increasing local demand for premium beers and wants to be a major player here. The high-end Miller Genuine Draft is being imported from Miller’s brewery in Italy and has been making a big splash at premium, highenergy events in our social horizon.

The local brand ambassador, international DJ Mikhail Schemm, has declared that the beer’s commitment to pushing boundaries and exploring fun and exciting opportunities alongside Manila’s key music influences, is expected to yield new and impressive events and experiences. We’ll watch out for those!

Meantime, I have this nagging thought – is Milwaukee really the beer capital of the world?

I’m sure I will be faced with tons of dissenting opinions if I officially make such a declaration. So, lest I be

Miller Brand Ambassador DJ Mikhail Schemm

burdened by a controversy, I’ll just conduct an easy man-on-thestreet interview of renowned beer lovers in my vast circle of friends.

With the refreshingly cold brew in hand, they’ll probably be too lazy to think beyond the confines of their situational myopia and will be one in saying that, wherever there’s easy access to a cold six-pack, that’s “the beer capital” of THEIR world!

Nobody can contest that, right?

Luigi Nuñez, president of PhilPacific Beverage Imports

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com

YOUR MONDAY CHUCKLE: Through the pitch-black night, the captain sees a light dead ahead on a collision course with his ship. He sends a signal: “Change your course 10 degrees east.” The light signals back: “Change yours, 10 degrees west.”

Angry, the captain sends: “I’m a Navy captain! Change your course, sir!”

“I’m a seaman, second class, change your course, sir,” comes the reply.

Now the captain is furious. “I’m a battleship! I’m NOT changing course!”

Then came the last reply. “I’m a lighthouse. Your call.”

M O N D AY : S E P T E M B E R 14 : 2 0 1 5

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

A POUND OF CURE Last week, I discussed what to do to prepare yourself for a night of drinking to TIPPLE TALES avoid the dreaded

BY ICY MARIÑAS h a n g o v e r.

This week, I will tackle what to do if you forget (in a drunken haze) to follow the tips or if the tips failed to work for you.

So after a night of drinking, you wake up the next day feeling like you were run over by a bullet train, looking like a revived corpse and smelling like puke! We’ve all been there in varying degrees. When we wake up and the hangover isn’t so bad, we give thanks to the drinking gods (and for the late night/ early morning drunchies… when you were extremely drunk the night before and needed to gorge yourself with food, anything salty) for being spared just for that one time. But this article is not for those times. This article is for the times you feel like all the spirits you’ve taken the night before have come back to haunt you, Amityville style. You have probably been hugging the toilet bowl the night before, puking your brains out and swearing “I will never ever drink again!!!”

Retching most of the things you swallowed the night before, the parched throat that feels like you’ve been crawling through the hot desert, the queasiness that feels like it’s your first time on a ship and you’re just getting your sea legs, the sour stomach, the feeling so bad, the world is spinning, you make a deal with whichever god is real for him/her/it to please just make everything stop!

This article is by no means an attempt to glamourize getting drunk or binge drinking.

I am merely acknowledging that hangovers are part of the “enjoyment” of drinking and am giving tips as to how to address them.

Lord knows we all need help when we are in that state.

• Soup #5 – this local exotic delicacy, made traditionally of bulls’ balls, is said to cure

THE BLOODY HAIL MARY

45 ml Vodka 50 ml Tomato Juice (V8) 10 ml Port (or Red Wine) 15 ml Lemon Juice 5 ml Balsamic Vinegar 5 ml Chambord (or Sugar Syrup) 5 ml Olive Brine 4 dash Tabasco 4 dash Lee Perins 1 bar spoon Horse Radish A pinch of salt Garnish: Cucumber, Olive, Cilantro, Black Pepper Created by Head Bartender/Bar Manager of Hooch Bar (Makati), Mr. Jay Doy (UK)

even the worst of hangovers. I guess the thought of eating testicles is enough to pull anyone out of a hangover.

• Rehydrate – I can’t emphasize this enough.

Drinking water, coconut juice or even better, Gatorade, is one of the best gifts you can give yourself if you’re hungover. The worst hangovers are caused by dehydration, and rehydrating with water or sports drinks is the best way to recover.

• Eat “unhealthy” food – This is probably one of the only times when eating greasy food comes in handy. Eating salty oily food when you’re hung-over is one of the best ways to recover. The oil coats your stomach and absorbs the acidity caused by all that drinking the night before and helps you recover quicker.

• Bananas – You lose a lot of vitamins when you drink, and eating bananas the next day gets potassium into your system fast.

Plus bananas are gentle on the stomach.

What’s more, they provide necessary electrolytes lost during heavy drinking.

Sleep – Taking a nap after eating and drinking to replenish your lost nutrients allows you to sleep through the worst of the hangover and allows your body to rest.

When you wake up, you’ll feel closer to being human.

•

• Paracetamol – If all else fails, some mild pain meds could help. This works best with the other tips combined.

The Bloody Hail Mary

• Hangover Patches – Bytox Patches. I have not tried these personally, but reviews seem convincing. It’s definitely worth a try. Definitely buying a box of these.

• Hair of the Dog – This is one of the most common hangover cures. Just some more alcohol to make you feel better about that hangover. Drinking just a little bit more booze may boost your spirits and lessen the awful effects of a hangover. This drink has all the ingredients your body needs to recover (or so they say!). With that in mind, I will share one of the most popular “hair of the dog” cures out there: The Bloody Mary.

I was discussing with Jay hangover cures and as I was closing my article he shared to me a favorite quote of his, about life, drinking and hangovers… “I have always lived violently, drunk hugely, eaten too much or not at all, slept around the clock or missed two nights of drinking, worked too hard and too long in glory, or slobbed for a time in utter laziness.

I’ve lifted, pulled, chopped, climbed, made love with joy and taken my hangovers as a consequence, not as a punishment.” – John Steinbeck in Travels with Charley: In Search of America.

Follow me on Instagram @sanvicentegirl

FILIPINO FOOD FESTIVAL AT THE MANILA HOTEL

T

he Philippines’ 7,100 islands abound with seafood, tropical fruits, vegetables and a rich variety of herbs and spices that make for exciting culinary masterpieces. In fact, the Philippines has been named the second best destination with the best food according to an international news channel’s social media survey.

The Manila Hotel celebrates the best of our culinary heritage with a one-of-a-kind Filipino Food Festival that runs until September 27 featuring timeless Filipino classic dishes prepared by the hotel’s Executive Chef Konrad Walter with the special participation of Dedet “Lechon Diva” dela Fuente Santos.

At the recent launch of the food festival, guests were treated to reinvented favorites from Santos such as the truffle rice stuffed lechon de leche (entire pig

roasted until crisp and golden-brown stuffed with truffle), hiplog (shrimp dish with salted egg sauce), and balut salpicao (made of developing duck embryo).

Festive decorations such as kiping (a brightly-colored, lead-shaped wafer made of rice paste) that adorned the Café Ilang-Ilang provide a fiesta atmosphere that makes the dining experience unforgettably Filipino. Not to be missed

are the hotel’s special bibingka and puto bumbong set-up at the alfresco area of Café Ilang-Ilang.

People who have a passion for anything Filipino are also invited to display their respective crafts at the storied halls of the hotel. Guests will surely marvel at exquisitely romantic Maria Clara gowns and modern chic from fashion designer Jo Rubio’s exhibition dubbed “The Art. The Romance. The Filipiniana.”

Art pieces and paintings by Patsy Paterno, Peggy Pilapil-Lasa and Martie Datu also await art lovers.

To know more about the Filipino Food Festival, please contact The Manila Hotel’s Food and Beverage Team via 527 0011 local 1260 or 1261. For more information, call 527 0011 or visit www.manila-hotel.com.ph; or follow it on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ TheManilaHotel, Twitter @ManilaHotel and Instagram @manila_hotel.

M ONDAY : S EPT EMBER 14 : 2015

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

CCP honors nora aunor eT al

T

HE Gawad CCP Para sa Sining will honor 11 individuals and two organizations for their outstanding achievements and contributions to Philippine arts and culture. It is the highest award given by the CCP. This year’s awardees apart from Nora Aunor (née Nora Villamayor) who is being honored for Film and Broadcast Arts are Denisa Reyes for Dance; Fides Cuyugan Asensio for Music; Antonio Mabesa for Theater; Roberto Chabet for Visual Arts; Ricardo Lee for Literature; Paulo Alcazaren for Architecture; Ben Farrales for Design; Leoncio Deriada, Talaandig School of Living Traditions, Armida Siguion-Reyna, and Basilio Esteban Villaruz.

The Missionary Society of St. Columban will receive the Tanging Parangal.

Nora Aunor is a multi-awarded Filipina actress, singer, and producer. She has also top billed several stage plays, television shows, and concerts, and has received numerous national and international awards and nominations. She is regarded as the “Superstar in Philippine Entertainment Industry”.

Ricardo Lee championed the use of Filipino in fiction since the 1960s and screenplay writing since the 1980s. His numerous books are the embodiment of his creative and imaginative power enriching Philippine Literature and Cinema.

Fides Cuyugan Asensio is an icon in the development of opera and musical theater in the Philippines.

She has also realized her nurtured gifts to conceptualize and stage the art and craft of theater in the country. She continues to promote young classical singers through the Music Theater Foundation of the Philippines, the non-profit organization she has established.

Antonio Mabesa is a theater artist and mentor who has involved himself in nearly every field of theater arts. While he is known as one of the country’s premier directors, directing over 130 stage productions, he is also an actor who has worked with the top theater companies and film directors.

Denisa Reyes holds an impressive line of choreographic works that won critical recognition in the international dance scene.

Roberto Chabet, the first curator of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, is credited with having introduced conceptual art

into the Philippine art scene. He spearheaded the acquisition of notable works of Filipino masters and contemporary artists. He also founded the 13 Artists Exhibit.

Paulo Alcazaren has been contributing works to the field of architecture that are not only aesthetically pleasing but environmentally sensitive as well.

Ben Farrales took his imagination to the next level and brought indigenous designs and materials into dazzling creations we see today, worn by prominent personalities in elegant balls, society affairs, and fashion shows Leoncio Deriada has won all the prestigious literary awards including the Palanca Hall of Fame for his works in English, Filipino and Hiligaynon.

The Talaandig School of Living Tradition is a haven for pre-school children who learn reading, writing and arithmetic alongside traditional Talaandig values and mythologies, dance techniques, and music.

Armida Siguion-Reyna’s contribution to both the musical theater and the film industry is far reaching. Basilio Esteban Villaruz holds the distinction of establishing and sustaining the 34-year old program at the University of the Philippines College of Music and the UP Dance Company.

Since their arrival in the Philippines in 1929, the Missionary Society of St. Columbus has been housed in the Malate Church (also known as the Nuestra Señora de los Remedios), and has continued to cater to the Malate area’s ecclesiastical needs. They have gone beyond their spiritual service to the congregation by also taking care of the church that they have called home.

The Gawad CCP Para sa Sining, which is given every three years, is awarded to artists or groups of artists who have consistently produced outstanding works, enriched the development of their art form. The award is also given to cultural workers, who through their works in research, curatorship and administration, have helped to develop and enrich Philippine art. The Tanging Parangal is given to individuals or organizations to honor their outstanding contributions to the development of the arts in the country.

This year the Gawad CCP will be held at 3 p.m. on Sept. 17 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (Main Theater).

Nora Aunor

Paulo Alcazaren

Antonio Mabesa

Fides Cuyugan Asensio

Ricardo Lee

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

JC’S gOt a CRUSh On MaJa JOSEPh PEtER gOnZaLES JC de Vera admits that until now he’s got a crush on fellow Kapamilya talent Maja Salvador. They starred in The Legal Wife last year.

“Yes, it’s true,” he says. “My admiration for her will always be there. No matter what happens, she will remain as my crush!”

Given the situation, many ask if he tried to pursue her.

“Honestly, at present, I’m looking for a long-term relationship.

I’m not saying that she doesn’t fit the description. You know, Maja is a friend. We get along so well.

“At this point, if I’ll (sic) make any move towards getting romantic, things might change.

I hate to lose her because of that, if ever. Right now, I’m okay with what we have. Officially courting Maja hasn’t really crossed my mind. I just want to take things one step at a time.

“I’m not in a hurry to jump into a relationship anyway. I want nature to take its course. If it is bound to happen, then it will.

What’s important is we’re both happy at present. Let’s just leave it at that for the moment and let’s see in the coming days, right?”

It seems that the handsome lad is more careful now when it comes to his personal life. It is public knowledge that he’s had relationships with Rhian Ramos, Danita Paner and LJ Reyes. Some quarters say he’s not that lucky when the girl is also from show business.

“Actually, we have our own opinion when it comes to that.

As for me, it’s not that showbiz relationships won’t work, but

they pose more pressure, obstacles, tests and challenges as compared to having a non-showbiz partner,” explains JC. Isn’t he getting alarmed or impatient that until now, he has no girlfriend and all his relationships are short-lived?

“You know, I’m very good at waiting. Ha-ha-ha! I’m so patient when it comes to that. I know that the right time will come!”

The actor doesn’t deny though that some inspire him nowadays.

“That’s true! Actually, there’s nothing concrete, but yes, I’m inspired. That’s a good thing!”

Meanwhile, he was one of the most applauded in a popular male fashion show that was held recently.

“Oh, thank you! I was simply flattered with the audience’s warm reception of me. I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart. I really prepared my physique so as not to disappoint the viewers and I’m glad I was able to pull it off,” JC ends.

HHHHH Asked if he’s threatened by the immense popularity of AlDub (Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza of Eat Bulaga fame) at present, Elmo Magalona says, “On the contrary, I’m even happy for them. I can see that they’ve raised the bar, so to speak. It’s no easy task to sustain the interest of the viewers on a daily basis.

I’m hats-off (sic) to both of them because they’re very hard-working. I don’t know with other love teams but personally, I believe that AlDub is phenomenal and I appreciate what they’ve accomplished so far.”

So, what’s the latest between him and real life girlfriend Janine Gutierrez?

“Actually, we just want to keep it as an in-between serious and

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 45 47 48 50 52 56 58 59 64 65 67

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Elbow room 6 Apt. unit 10 Well-padded hassock 14 Snorkeler’s sight 15 Japanese aborigine 16 Middies’ sch.

17 Fujiyama neighbor 18 Many a rambler 19 Cord of firewood 20 Jazz enthusiast 22 Addison’s partner

24 25 26 30 32 33 35 40 42 44

Emmy-winning Thompson Ogled Emergencies Naturalist John — Lady Chaplin RBI or ERA Quick to learn Dugout VIP Kind of pencil Unmanned spacecraft

68 69 70 71 72 73

In that case (2 wds.)

Lectern Blade’s sharp side Hugs’ companions Edible lizard Cattail Whale or mouse See through till payday (2 wds.)

“Dancing Queen” band What the hen did Filmmaker — Kurosawa Departs Grease gun target Ringlet Does something incorrectly Tea-leaves reader It has a crust

DOWN 1 Injury result 2 Model’s position 3 United — Emirates 4 Hunter’s wear 5 Slip by, as time 6 Told all 7 3-D display 8 Hosp. workers 9 Granola kin

Maja Salvador

JC de Vera

Elmo Magalona

in-between fun relationship.

We’re good and I’m proud that our fans remain loyal and supportive to us all this time!”

Just in case their home studio decides to pair them with other stars in their future projects, is it just okay with him?

“Of course it’s just fine. I’m open to the idea. GMA knows what will be best for us. One thing more, it’s for our growth as actors as well, right?” states Elmo.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

10 11 12 13 21 23 26 27 28 29 31 34 36 37 38 39 41 43 46 49 51 52 53 54 55 57 60 61 62 63 66

Thick soup Basket-maker’s twig Claudius, to Hamlet Pulled a hoax No longer chic Curt Free pass Jungle warning — — time flat Swedish auto Sporty trucks Math subj.

CEO degrees Octopi have eight Judge’s garb Low cards — Davis of “The Fly” Joined together Like good soil J.R.’s town Form a thought Public persona Eva or Zsa Zsa Brown pigment Pile up, as wealth Diving duck Pod veggie Four in Frankfurt Prefix for while Foolhardy Stone Age tool

SuCCeSS in buSineSS revealed In one form or another, this question has been asked hundred times.

What is the secret to success? Is there really a so-called “formula”?

Conventional wisdom has it that success almost equates to being born rich, earning a diploma from a reputable university, being well connected and/or landing a high-paying job.

However, for top-notch entrepreneur, global business strategist, executive and public servant Dave Almarinez, he considers these as distractions,vwhich hold back people in their pursuit for financial independence.

In his book, The Blind Spot: Uncovering the Not-So-Hidden Truths of Business Success, Almarinez, a self-made man and dynamic young public servant details the steps he took to turn his life around.

“With this book, I wanted to inspire people”, Dave says.

Born to an underprivileged yet humble family and sold peanuts from his childhood years, Almarinez earned his success by age 30 and was able to get out of poverty.

His own story serves as a powerful backdrop for his principles of life and business success. “I never once gave up on my dream. I was determined to pursue what I wanted.”

Launched in 2013, the book has 10 chapters detailing the honest, hard-won lessons the author experienced in his journey to financial independence; stories about the business titans who inspired him; and exercises to challenge and help readers move past their blind spots.

“We all have our blind spot. If we are too focused on something, we tend to forget what is already in front of us. There are opportunities we resist because we perceive it won’t work. We either have fears or uncertainties. It’s all about perception.”

During its first run, the book sold 2,000 copies. Published by Equitrust Global and Bronze Age Media, Inc.,

Dave Almiranez

The Blind Spot book cover

the book is available through amazon. com and at all Fully Booked branches. Highly motivational, informative, compact and practical, The Blind Spot does not guarantee success but gives readers a better chance to succeed. It helps one to become entrepreneurial, with all the learning curves of business.

“In my opinion and with the journey I had and still going through, I think there are no actual secrets to success. The formula is right there.

We keep looking for it but it’s all right there. We are not just doing it.

Face your challenges. If you think you did what is right despite the odds, by the end of the journey, you will never go wrong. Be consistent.”

Fate favors the bold. This is what The Blind Spot is all about. “People who succeed don’t have fears”. For Dave Almarinez, he never gave up on his dreams, not even once.

Many will be able to relate to this book. Find out how Dave was able to overcome his humble beginnings and start successful businesses that provided for himself, his family, and generated jobs for many.

“Dare to dream. Don’t be scared.

Believe in yourself that you can make things happen, do it with boldness and conviction”.

M ONDAY : S EPT EMBER 14 : 2015

C7

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

SonG for Mar roxaS from C8

FOR the very first time, singers JayR, Kris Lawrence, and Billy Crawford recorded a new single titled “Fast Forward” – an R&B song dedicated to Mar Roxas. According to the three, they were “so inspired” after they personally met and spoke to the former DILG Secretary at a recent event. Mar was endorsed last August by President Noynoy Aquino to run for President in 2016.

“Fast Forward” is a feel good, upbeat R&B single that JayR, Kris, and Billy wrote. Veteran composer helped them translate the song from its original English version, and Marcus Davis Jr. did the arrangement.

It is an inspirational song that celebrates the power of every Filipino to make a positive change for the country. The song’s lyrics are centered on the importance of unity for a better and brighter future.

“Fast Forward” first hit the airwaves on Aug. 1, on the day Mar was endorsed after he declared his Presidential bid under the Liberal Party at Club Filipino.

“This is our way to express our trust and support to Mar as a worthy Presidential candidate,” says Crawford. “We know that he is capable of bringing change for the country. In producing this song, we hope to help the youth to understand the importance of their responsibilities as voters. We wish to make them realize that they have the power to decide and make change possible.”

Lawrence, meantime, says, “The song is our gift to Mar, and surprisingly, it came to us in a flash of inspiration and was done in 30 minutes. It is our calling as artists to channel that inspiration into something positive. We were lucky because Tito Vehnee Saturno

Kris Lawrence, Billy Crawford, and JayR recorded a single for Mar Roxas

supported us. He helped us translate the original English lyrics to a more moving Tagalog song.”

According to JayR, “I could feel Mar’s sincerity every time he talks about us Filipinos. I immediately got inspired to write the song with Kris and Billy. We came up with the song to support Mar’s vision for the country as we believe in the many causes he is advocating,” With its catchy tune and uplifting message, “Fast Forward” is currently enjoying massive airplay and is

rapidly climbing the charts of country’s hottest OPM radio stations.

Isn’t it ironic that three Filipino Americans are pitching for Roxas?

HHHHH Galvante out of tv5 So it’s true. The rumors have been lingering around in the last couple of months, but last week, TV5 officially confirmed the rumors.

In a joint statement sent to the media, TV5 President and CEO Noel Lorenzana and Wilma Galvante who was the network’s chief

From restaurateur to beauty entrepreneur

t

o say Ria Castrillo’s life was busy is an understatement. With her competence in the culinary arena, she worked as kitchen manager and part owner of Tequila Joe’s Alabang from 2000 to 2003; then she was part owner of the Good Earth Restaurant until 2008 and is now part owner of Prime 101 restaurant.

“I felt that the stresses of my job and life took their toll on my looks,” Castrillo said. “So, when I found Up&Up, I decided to build a business around it. Because everyone has their own stresses and I wanted to offer a safe, effective, affordable and non-invasive option to the cosmetic procedures available.”

Her newest endeavor, Riantique Global Inc. is a company she founded in January to provide quality skin care, health and beauty products. The firm is engaged in the business of importing and distributing cosmetic, skin care, medical, and pharmaceutical products including food supplements on a

wholesale or retail basis.

“We are committed to empowering you to become a self starter when it comes to your own personal improvement by providing you with safe, affordable, and innovative products that enhance and restore timeless beauty,” Castrillo said, words that are now part of her the Riatique mission and vision.

Her company’s flagship offering, Up&Up Skin Lifting Serum by Yuyu Healthcare Inc., is a non-surgical solution for enhancing beauty and restoring the skin’s youthful glow in an instant. Riantique is the exclusive distributor of Yuyu Healthcare products in the Philippines.

According to Castrillo, Up&Up is a “revolutionary new concept in skin rejuvenation from Korea” that provides a safe, affordable and non-surgical solution to skin problems associated with aging like sagging eyelids, eyebags, inelastic cheeks, crow’s feet, enlarged pores and hidden neckline. This product

was specifically formulated to revitalize damaged skin by regenerating elasticity and repairing wrinkled skin while whitening.

She added that Up&Up “quickly penetrates skin to improve elasticity; visibly lifts skin, smooths its surface, fills up wrinkles, reduces pore size and regenerates collagen and elastin.”

“I wanted to find a solution to my own beauty problems, but I am scared of surgery, botox and other invasive procedures,” Castrillo said. “It was like magic, my sagging, full eye bags lifted right before my eyes. I couldn’t believe it. I noticed immediately that my eye bags had lightened. This is it! I have found my magic potion. I can sell this and share my experience with others.”

Up&Up is easy to use, Castrillo said, quoting the instructions on the product: “Combine two ready-to-mix formulas into a gel-like mixture one can apply to the face and neck.”

The tightening effect, she said, signals the process of skin reju-

entertainment content officer for the last couple of years announced “that Galvante will be leaving the network to establish an independent content creation company.”

That seems to be the way to go for Galvante who had hoped her presence at the fledgling broadcast company could make a big impact on the industry. The big guns of TV5 apparently over estimated her capability as none of her projects really took off or broke the industry’s status quo.

Yet, TV5 is still diplomatic saying it “will continue to benefit from Galvante’s broadcast experience.”

She will still continue as the line producer of Happy Truck Ng Bayan and Wattpad Presents, the two shows that made remarkable ratings (in comparison to other shows on the network) thus far.

Galvante says she is looking forward to providing content not only to TV5 but to other platforms and channels as well.

Good luck, Wilma!

Former restaurateur Ria Castrillo is now a successful beauty entrepreneur

venation. “This product does not contain any parabens, mineral oil, triethanolamine or other harmful chemicals,” she said. “Even people with skin allergies will be able to use it.” Up&Up, she added, contains no artificial coloring.

“In fact, it has been proven

safe to use on all skin types by Sae Myung Herbal Biology Industrial Clinic,” Castrillo said, adding that “Riatique is also doing its due diligence in having our Food and Drug Authority test Up&Up to confirm that it is safe for human use.”

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ Fabio Ide plays the pen pal of Destiny Rose

Ken Chan plays a transsexual in Destiny Rose

Jeric Gonzales plays the childhood friend of Destiny Rose

JC Tiuseco is the man in between Destiny Rose and Katrina Halili

Tranny geTs a crack aT drama ISAH V. RED A couple of years back, the Kapuso network jolted soap opera fans with its gay-themed series, My Husband’s Lover, which made Tom Rodriguez a certified leading man. More recently, GMA Network fiddled with lesbian-themed series The Rich Man’s Daughter with less remarkable success.

But nobody can stop the network from delving into the more controversial topics these days.

Beginning today, GMA Entertainment TV offers a game-changing character-driven story in Destiny Rose.

The series demonstrates that in one’s ability to love also lies great power to become the person one dreams to be.

Lesser-known actor Ken Chan gets his biggest break so far in the series. His growing fans will be delighted to know that he is playing a transsexual woman who pursues her dreams into becoming an influential writer.

Ken participated in a series of auditions and delivered a string of thrilling and convincing performances all throughout, making him the perfect choice for the role to become Joey Flores Vergara.

Joey is the proverbial woman trapped in a man’s body. All his life, he only dreamt and hoped to be the best for his parents. Despite the fact that everyone around him was against his personal desires and wishes, he remained to be the loving and obedient child.

A passionate student and a loving son to his family, Joey will go through different setbacks in life but will continue to be patient and understanding.

All these positive qualities will outweigh life’s challenges and Joey will become a stronger person in her new life.

As time passed, Joey faced more challenges in his journey to becoming a renowned writer and a full-fledged woman. Joey be known later as Destiny Rose.

When Destiny Rose’s dream become a reality, all she wants is to be with the love of her life and for her family to be complete once again. But what if her family, especially her estranged father, refuses to accept her? And what if the love of her life finds out that she only had sex reassignment surgery to become a woman? Will Destiny Rose still find happiness?

With all the challenges and triumphs of Destiny Rose, viewers would definitely love her.

Playing opposite Ken is Fabio Ide as Gabriele Antonioni, Joey’s Filipino Italian pen pal. He will

make Joey/Destiny Rose’s life more colorful as he becomes her one true love.

Completing the cast are Manilyn Reynes as Daisy Flores Vergara, Joey’s loving mother; Michael de Mesa as Rosauro Armani Vitto, a rich philanthropist who will be instrumental in Joey’s transition in becoming a woman; Jackielou Blanco as Dahlia, Jasmine’s mother who will make Joey and Daisy’s life difficult; ; Katrina Halili as Jasmine Flores, Joey’s ambitious cousin; Sheena Halili as April Rose Vergara, Joey’s kind-hearted sister; Jeric Gonzales as Vince, Joey’s first love; Joko Diaz as Joselito Vergara Sr., Joey’s strict father; Irma Adlawan as Bethilda, Armani’s sister who will make Joey’s life a living hell; JC Tiuseco as Lance, Jasmine’s boyfriend and accomplice in deceiving Gabriele; Ken Alfonso as Aris, Bethilda’s son who will eventually fall in love with Destiny Rose.

The show, the producers say, does come with the controversy about the death of a tranny who was killed allegedly by a man after discovering the person had an organ of a man not that of a woman.

This show, the director insists, will demonstrate that love knows no gender. Really? In the case trannies, I think that’s a challenge for straight men to think, unless they’re macho gays. ➜ continued on c7

The new love triangle on daytime TV: Ken Chan, Fabio Ide, and Katrina Halili