The Standard - 2015 September 22 - Tuesday

VOL. XXIX NO. 222 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 TUESday : SEPTEMBER 22, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Poe not natural born, says sC justice

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us nixes aid Plea

Wary of graft, Obama rejects Aquino’s $300M request

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE United States has rebuffed President Benigno Aquino III’s request for $300 million in military aid this year because “it worries about corruption” and the country’s capacity to handle an influx of resources, the New York Times reported this week.

The same report, quoting a senior Philippine official who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the request was made in private talks in which the Philippines argued the need for a substantial buildup of planes and ships to deter Chinese expansionism.

The Sept. 19 story in the Times, “Warily Eyeing China, Philippines May Invite US Back to Subic Bay,” drew a strong reaction Monday from a leftist lawmaker, who demanded that the Aquino administration disclose details of the secret aid

request as well as plans to reopen the US military base in Subic Bay. “We find it traitorous for the Aquino administration to run to Washington and covertly seek funding for military improvements without even consulting or disclosing such a request, even to the leadership of the legislature,” said Kabataan Rep. Terry Ridon. “We call on the Executive department to immediately disclose details of this failed bid, especially as Congress is currently discussing the national budget.”

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Martial Law remembered. Members of various organizations protest on Mendiola in Manila during the 43rd anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law. Lino SantoS

Guingona: Lumad being decimated

By Macon R. araneta and Christine F. Herrera SENATOR Teofisto Guingona III on Monday bewailed the killings of lumad in Mindanao, saying that paramilitary forces are decimating helpless indigenous people all over the region, and not just in Surigao del Sur. Guingona, and administration ally, pointed out that recent lumad killings have been documented in Davao del Norte, Cotabato, Bukidnon, and Surigao,

which are far from each other.

“Lumad numbers are dwindling. It will be a national tragedy to lose them,” warned Guingona, chairman of the Senate committee on peace, unification, and reconciliation and a member of the justice committee.

Guingona said he would conduct on-site Senate investigations on Oct. 1 in Tandag town, Surigao del Sur, where lumad have sought refuge to escape the Next page violence in their village.

Reyes brothers arrested in Phuket

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NEDA chief says taxes regressive

By Gabrielle H. Binaday, Sandy araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

IN the face of President Benigno Aquino’s refusal to lower income taxes, Socio-economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan admitted Monday that the country’s tax system is regressive, and that middle- and low-income groups bear the brunt of the cost of government.

for our national security is real and significant, yet it does not necessarily mean that we should allow US military forces unprecedented entry to our military bases and facilities.

Claiming to defend national sovereignty from one bully by surrendering it to another bully is simply illogical,” he added.

“The US solution is not the answer to the growing unrest in the West Philippine Sea. We have entered into several similar pacts in the past, but did our country benefit from it? Clearly, no. Instead, agreements like the VFA [Visiting Forces Agreement] and the MDT [Mutual Defense Treaty] only served to further undermine our national sovereignty, drag us into Washington’s wars, and exploit our people and resources,” he said.

Ridon insisted that the so-called “US pivot in Asia” is part of a larger US scheme to ensure China’s cooperation with the US, as laid out in former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton’s foreign policy essay “America’s Pacific Century.”

“In the final analysis, the Philippines is again serving as a mere pawn in this hostile game of gaining the upper hand in the Asia-Pacific region,” Ridon said.

In Camp O’ Donnell in Capas, Tarlac, the Army test-fired six US-made M113A2 armored personnel carriers that the Defense Department acquired through a grant from the US Army for excess stock, and which were refurbished by the Israeli com-

pany Elbit Systems.

The APCs were the first of 28 units that Elbit Systems is refurbishing for the Defense Department under a 2013 contract approved by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

The acquisition of 114 units more of same model through a grant in 2012 by the US DSCA has been approved.

Reports said the Defense Department had an allocated budget of P880 million to buy 14 new APCs but the Army chose to use the funds instead to refurbish used armored vehicles with modern technology and weapons systems.

Each APC was refurbished for P132 million.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said the refurbished armored vehicles used Israeli technology and featured a remote control weapons system from Australia Maj. Gen. Mayoralgo dela Cruz, commander of the Army’s Mechanized Infantry Division, said they were satisfied with refurbished units and the results of the live-fire tests.

“The firepower is accurate, and the gunner doesn’t have to leave the vehicle. He’s inside and it’s like he’s playing a computer game where we can see the enemy at long range,” Dela Cruz said.

The units need to be passed by the Technical Inspection and Acceptance Committee before they can be turned over to the MID for deployment, he said.

Testifying before a Senate hearing on the P22.6-billion budget for the National Economic and Development Authority, which he heads, Balisacan said the country’s tax system may appear progressive on paper but it is actually regressive.

“It is the low income groups paying higher taxes proportional to their income,” Balisacan said, noting that the country’s ability to collect taxes should also be improved because of growing needs in infrastructure and other key economic sectors.

“You just have to find sources of revenue. We also have to deepen the tax base as you try to correct the inequities in the tax system,” Balisacan said, adding that reforms in the tax system should be made with a view to all interconnected aspects.

“I do not like to see this as either-or,” Balisacan replied when asked whether new revenue sources should first be found before considering proposals to lower income tax rates.

“We should not be taking this issue on a piecemeal basis because it is far easier from a political point of view to get those taxes reduced, but far more difficult to navigate efforts to find new sources of revenues such that these are not burdensome to the low income groups,” he said.

But Senator Ralph Recto argued that the P30 billion that economic managers claim will be lost due to income tax rate cuts will not even make a dent in the national government’s P3-trillion budget.

“Next year the budget will be P3 trillion. Will P30 billion make a dent?

No, it will not,” Recto said, adding that in 2014 the national government even failed to spend P500 billion.

“The fact is that that will also be spent and that will move the economy.

The global economy is weak, what is really important is domestic consumption,” Recto added.

In the proposed tax reform bill submitted by Marikina Rep. Romero Quimbo, those who are earning P180,000 and below annually are exempted from paying taxes while those who earn from P180,000 to P500,000 would pay 9 percent.

Individuals who earn from P500 000 to P10 million a year would pay 17

committed by the military and paramilitary groups.

At least 20 lumad tribal leaders came to Manila from Mindanao to ask the President to stop the killings.

In the Senate, Guingona also urged his colleagues to pass Senate Bill 2368, which makes it a crime to forcibly displace tribal communities.

Speaking at a forum last week, Guingona was joined by a 16-year-old survivor of a massacre last month in Bukidnon, which is 1,327 kilometers away from Lianga, Surigao del Sur, where three lumad leaders were executed in front of gathered residents.

The survivor, Jan-Jan (not his real name) related that his family was preparing corn for breakfast when his father suddenly fell dead from a burst of gunfire.

The gunmen then ordered the rest of his family to show themselves, then mowed them down as they stood with their hands up.

“The violence against lumad is

widespread and it’s important for the government to restore law and order,” Guingona said.

On Tuesday, tribal leaders will hold a news conference at Vinzons Hall of the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City to challenge the President to a face off on the lumad killings.

Bayan secretary-general Renato Reyes Jr. said the lumad contingent from Mindanao consisted of witnesses and survivors of the ongoing militarization of their communities.

Among them are relatives of massacre victims in Surigao and Bukidnon who have sought the help of human rights groups here and abroad, he said.

“The Aquino regime likes to tout itself as the opposite of the Marcos regime but rights victims are saying otherwise,” said Bagong Alyansang Makabayan chairperson Carol Araullo.

“There are now more than 500 political prisoners under Aquino, more than the political prisoners un-

der the Arroyo regime,” Araullo said.

“It seems that it is the Aquino government that has not learned any of the lessons of the past as it continues to repeat the crimes of the dictator,” Araullo said.

“Militarization, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture, political prisoners and overall impunity remain today under a so-called democratic regime,” she added.

The tribal leaders marched with cause-oriented groups to mark the 43rd anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law. In remembering the atrocities of the Marcos dictatorship, the groups also called attention to what they described as the continuing legacy martial rule under the Aquino administration, Reyes said.

Reyes said Bayan assembled at the Plaza Miranda before marching to the Mendiola Bridge, near Malacanang.

Much like the US-backed Martial

Never again. Lumad and militant groups gather in Mendiola in Manila on Monday to slam the 43rd anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law. LiNo SaNtoS

US...

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Ridon also twitted the Aquino administration for being rebuffed because of corruption. “[US President Barack] Obama’s refusal to give in to Aquino’s secret wish due to corruption and capacity issues… shows the extent of the Philippine government’s bad reputation when it comes to handling foreign aid. It seems that even the master is distrusting his loyal lapdog,” Ridon added.

Ridon said the New York Times report validated speculation that the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement that the country signed with the United States would be used to reopen US military bases in Subic and Clark, which were booted out in 1991 in a historic vote in the Senate.

“When EDCA was signed, we warned against Washington’s economic and political motives, and now we’re seeing that such fear is not unfounded,” Ridon said While acknowledging the need to strengthen the country’s territorial defenses, especially in light of China’s heightened encroachment in the West Philippine Sea, Ridon said the Philippines needs to guard against other powers, particularly the US, that would exploit the conflict to advance their own interests.

“The threat that Beijing poses

Guingona...

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He will be joined by Senators Paolo Benigno Aquino IV and Aquilino Pimentel.

The Aquino administration has played down the lumad killings, and repeated the Armed Forces claim that the members of the tribal communities were communist rebels or sympathizers.

On Monday, a contingent of tribal leaders and survivors held a demonstration near the Palace to urged President Benigno Aquino III to stop the lumad killings.

“Martial law is now in effect in our communities, where the armed forces terrorized the lumad and extrajudicial killings are carried out with impunity by state sponsored paramilitary groups,” one tribal leader said, before others took turns recounting the abuses and atrocities

percent, while those exceeding the P10 million mark will pay 30 percent.

Under Senator Juan Edgardo Angara’s version, those whose annual income are up to P500,000 will be exempted from paying tax.

The current law requires those earning P500,000 and higher be taxed at the rate of 32 percent.

The Finance Department earlier projected that the government would lose P29 billion in revenues if the new tax rates are adopted.

The department also submitted a proposal seeking to increase the valueadded tax from 12 percent to 14 percent.

But Balisacan said a higher VAT rate would not be enough to offset losses from lowering income taxes.

What the higher consumption tax will do is increase revenue, but not lower taxes. “That is not going to be sufficient,” he said In the Palace, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said he received a text message from Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima saying that the government is open to “holistic reform” that will include an adjustment in the tax brackets and the rates, but in a “fiscally responsible” way that avoids “the slippery slope of populist policies.”

Lacierda could not say, however, what a “holistic reform in the adjustment of rates and brackets.”

“We’ll send [your] query to Sec. Purisima,” Lacierda said in a text message to The Standard.

On Sept. 14, the President said he was not amenable to lowering income tax rates, saying he was unconvinced that this would benefit the majority of Filipinos.

“The question is, will the lowering of income tax level be beneficial to our countrymen? I am not convinced as of the moment,” said Aquino during an interview in Iloilo City.

Malacañang earlier said the Department of Finance is pushing for a comprehensive review of the existing tax system.

“The government is open to consider proposals on changing the income tax rates and continues to work with Congress on this matter,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said.

Law regime, Reyes said, the current US-sponsored counter-insurgency drive called Oplan Bayanihan is being blamed for the mounting human rights violations under this regime.

“The lumad killings and militarization under Bayanihan show us that the Martial Law mindset remains especially within the AFP,” Reyes said.

In Cagayan de Oro City, hundreds of protesters trooped to the regional headquarters of the Commission on Human Rights to press the agency to press for action on their complaints of human rights violations by the military.

Karapatan secretary-general for Northern Mindanao, Christopher Ablon, said the persistent murder of ordinary civilians was evocative of the Martial Law period, citing the killing of four civilians in Bugna, Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental on March 29, and five members of the Manobo tribe on Aug. 15. With Lance Baconguis

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Wanted brothers nabbed in Phuket

Grains week. Sacks of rice are displayed at the National Food Authority’s warehouse in Quezon City during the celebration of Grains Industry Week on Monday. Jansen RomeRo

Poe keeps top rating in latest SWS survey SENATOR Grace Poe is still the preferred candidate for President in the 2016 elections based on a survey conducted by Social Weather Stations on Sept. 2 to 5, the polling body said Monday.

Former Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, the ruling Liberal Party’s standard bearer, jumped to second place to overtake Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Poe welcomed the survey results and thanked the Filipino people.

“From the bottom of my heart, I thank the Filipino people for their support and trust,” Poe said.

Roxas welcomed his higher ratings, as did Senate President Franklin Drilon and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., both LP members.

Reps. Gus Tambunting and Silvestre Belo III questioned the survey result while Reps. Rodolfo Albano III, Ben Evardone and Edgar Erice welcomed it.

Poe’s rating rose to 47 percent, five points higher than her result in the second quarter of June this year.

Roxas advanced to second place with 39 percent from 21 percent. Roxas was anointed by President Benigno Aquino III as his preferred successor on July 31.

Binay ranked third with his 35-percent rating, which was one point higher than in June, while Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte placed fourth with 16 percent.

Senator Francis Escudero received 6 percent, Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. 5 percent, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada 3 percent, and Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, former Senator Panfilo Lacson, former House Speaker Manny Villar, and Senator Allan Peter Cayetano 1 percent.

Poe also remained the top choice for vice president after she added four points from June to reach 25 percent.

Escudero went up to 18 percent from 7 percent, Marcos went up to 6 percent from 1 percent, and Binay went down to 5 percent from 7 percent.

Duterte remained at 3 percent, while Cayetano went up to 3 percent from 2 percent.

Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo received 2 percent after having received no rating in June, while Senators Loren Legarda, Antonio Trillanes IV and Miriam Defensor Santiago and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada received 1 percent each.

The others who also rated 1 percent were Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, former House Speaker Manny Villar, Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao and former Senator Panfilo Lacson. sandy araneta, John Paolo Bencito, maricel V. Cruz and macon R. araneta

TWO Filipino politicians wanted over the murder of a prominent anti-corruption crusader have been arrested in Thailand after more than three years on the run, Malacañang said Monday.

Joel Reyes, the former governor of Palawan, and his brother Mario, a former town mayor, were detained on the Thai holiday island of Phuket on Sunday, said presidential spokesman Herminio Coloma.

The Reyes brothers are facing murder charges over the 2011 death of Gerry Ortega, a prominent Palawan environment activist who had also used a radio show he hosted to frequently accuse the Reyes brothers of massive graft.

The brothers went missing in early 2012 after an arrest warrant was issued for them, and had not been seen since.

“The arrest of the longwanted Reyes brothers provides an opportunity for pursuing the ends of justice,” Coloma said in a statement.

He thanked the Interpol and Thai police for their help in arresting the Reyes brothers, but did not provide further details.

Ortega was shot in the head at point-blank range while shopping in Puerto Princesa, the capital of Palawan, an island known as the Philippines’ last environmental frontier but which has suffered from illegal logging, mining and overfishing.

The gunman was

caught trying to flee the scene and police said his weapon was owned by one of Joel Reyes’ lawyers.

Aside from alleged environmental crimes, Ortega had accused Joel Reyes of syphoning off millions of dollars in revenues from a gas field off the coast of Palawan when he was governor.

The brothers’ escape reinforced the Philippines’ reputation for having a “culture of impunity”, with powerful men free to kill or intimidate political opponents, journalists and other critics without any punishment.

At least 168 journalists or media workers have been killed since the restoration of democracy in the Philippines in 1986, but only 13 cases have seen murder convictions, according to local press groups.

Patty Ortega, widow of the murdered activist, told AFP a task force assigned to capture highprofile fugitives had informed her of the arrests.

She expressed relief but also said she was worried about whether the Reyes brothers could still evade justice.

“We still feel anxiety.

Our judicial system is not that fast. We know our opponents have a lot of advantages. They have money, influence. They slipped through immigration, so it is not far from our thoughts that something else might happen,” she said.

“I want to see them handcuffed and facing a court and in jail.” aFP

‘Palace financing Roxas’ campaign’ THE camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay on Monday slammed the Aquino administration for its use of government resources that it says are financing the political advertisements of Liberal Party standardbearer Manuel Roxas II. The group said the massive expenditure on Roxas had caused the former Interior secretary to leap in the latest Social Weather Stations’ presidential preference survey, which was conducted on Sept. 2 to 5.

Despite that, however, Binay’s spokesman Rico Quicho said the vice president was still grateful to his supporters who were continuing to show their full support for him.

He said the results of SWS’ recent survey had not affected Binay’s desire to continue his pro-poor programs and to fight for inclusive growth for all Filipinos.

He said the heavy advertising and the questionable use of government resources to promote Roxas had contributed to the increase in his numbers to tie Binay if the margin of error was considered.

Quicho expressed confidence that the vice president’s core supporters would remain solid.

“There will be no changes in the campaign direction and the vice president will continue to go to the provinces to spend time and talk directly to the people,” Qui-

cho said.

He said the results of the SWS survey also meant that Filipinos now believed that the allegations of corruption against Binay and his family were fabricated.

He said the people believed that the orchestrated attacks against the vice president and his family were all lies.

In the lasts SWS survey, Binay slipped to third but the 35 percent he got from it was actually one point higher than in the firm’s survey last June.

Roxas’ rating, meanwhile, surged to 39 percent from 21 percent in June.

Senator Grace Poe now has a preference rate of 47 percent, which is five percentage points higher than in June. Vito Barcelo

For the BBL. Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and other members of the All-Out Peace Movement pose for a picture during a press conference in Quezon City where they defended the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law. Jansen RomeRo

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Carpio: Poe not natural-born

By Rey E. Requejo and Macon R. Araneta SENATOR Grace Poe, the front-runner in presidential voter preference surveys, is a Filipino under international law, but not a natural-born citizen because she is a foundling, Senior Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said Monday.

The DNA knows. The Senate Electoral Tribunal, chaired by Senior Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, convened on Monday to hear oral arguments on the citizenship of Senator Grace Poe-Llamanzares, who has declared her intent to run for president in 2016. DANNY PATA

Pinoy jailed over FB posts A SINGAPORE court on Monday sentenced a Filipino nurse to four months in prison for posting inflammatory comments on Facebook against Singaporeans and lying to police investigators.

Ello Ed Mundsel Bello, 29, a former employee of government-run Tan Tock Seng Hospital, had posted comments on Facebook in January insulting Singaporeans and calling for the takeover of the city-state by his countrymen.

State Courts Judge Siva Shanmugam sentenced Bello to three months in jail for sedition in relation to his Facebook posts, and another month for lying to police who investigated him following complaints from the public.

Singapore, a densely populated immigrant nation which

suffered racial riots in the 1960s, uses sedition laws to clamp down on locals and foreigners found to have incited ethnic tensions.

In a Facebook post on Jan. 2, Bello wrote: “Singaporeans are loosers (sic) in their own country, we take their jobs, their future, their women and soon we will evict all SG loosers (sic) out of their own country hahaha.”

In a subsequent comment, Bello said “we will kick out all the Singaporeans and SG will be the new Filipino state.”

After an outcry from Singaporeans, Bello took down his posts and claimed to police investigators that his account had been hacked by an unknown person. But he eventually admitted posting the comments.

Prosecutors said Bello’s misleading statements to the police aggravated his original offenses and led to “unnecessary wastage” of investigative resources.

They had sought a sentence of five months in prison to “send a clear message to like-minded individuals that their behavior will not be tolerated”.

Singaporeans who have written or published racist comments about other ethnic groups as well as foreigners have also been prosecuted.

The Filipino community in Singapore is estimated at more than 170,000.

About 40 percent of Singapore’s population of 5.5 million are foreigners. The wealthy city-state depends heavily on guest workers because of its low fertility rate. AFP

But Poe’s lawyer Alexander Poblador argued there was no contradiction between Philippine laws and the generally accepted “presumption of nationality” under international law and Poe had even undergone DNA tests to prove her ethnicity and filiation.

“If there is a customary international law saying foundlings can be deemed citizens of the country where they were found, we apply that under the principle of incorporation,” Carpio opined during oral arguments at a hearing of the Senate Electoral Tribunal on Monday.

“But you are still a naturalized citizen, not natural born. Because if customary international law says a foundling is natural born, it will violate our Constitution and we cannot apply it here,” Carpio said as he questioned Manuelito Luna, lawyer of Rizalito David who filed the case against Poe. Another SET member, Associate Justice Arturo Brion, said Poe may have to prove she is an offspring of a Filipino parent so she can be declared a natural-born citizen, and Poblador revealed that Poe is undergoing DNA testing to prove her filiation.

“We are already in the process of conducting DNA test for probable parents of the senator,” Poblador told the nine-man SET. Poe herself confirmed at the Senate that she underwent a DNA test for comparison with people who approached her and claimed they are relatives of Poe’s biological parents.

“It’s already under process,” Poe told reporters. “They were the ones who approached me. I can’t identify [those who submitted DNA samples] because they are private persons.”

“All I can say is, I would be very happy if they are really my blood relatives because they are very decent people and very kind,” Poe added.

However, Poblador said the DNA tests were undertaken “without prejudice to our legal position. We do not have the burden of proof and that we have the presumption of law in our favor.”

Poblador said the quo warranto petition against Poe should be dismissed because complainant David, whom Poe defeated in the 2013 elections, has not presented proof Poe is not a Filipino citizen.

“Because her parents are unknown there is no evidence that her mother or father was not a Filipino. Petitioner rather than the respondent has the burden of proof to prove that respondent was not a natural-born Filipino citizen,” Poblador said.

“This rule cannot be thrown away just because the respondent is a foundling. [David] cannot shift this burden by simply saying that since respondent is a foundling there is no evidence that her parents are natural-born Filipino,” Poblador added.

Poblador also noted that Article 14 of the 1930 Hague Convention provides that “a child whose parents are both unknown shall have the nationality of the country of birth.”

The provision added that “if the child’s parentage is established, its nationality shall be determined by the rules applicable in cases where the parentage is known.”

Poblador added that the said article provides that “a foundling is, until contrary is proved, presumed to have been born on the territory of the State in which it was found.”

Poe’s camp also cited the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, which held that a foundling is presumptively citizen of the country where he or she is found and presumed to be born of parents who are citizens of that country.

Crame drug dens busted

By Francisco Tuyay DRUG pushers have become so bold, they don’t fear putting up drug dens at the very perimeter of the Philippine National Police’s Camp Crame headquarters in Quezon City.

Lawmen learned this after they unleashed simultaneous pre-dawn raids on at least 12 drug dens at densely populated West Crame village in San Juan City, right beside Camp Crame, resulting in the arrest of 20 suspected drug pushers.

Raiding party leaders even arrested a policeman and was hot on the tracks of an agent of the National Bureau of Investigation who supposedly protected the illegal drug trade in the village. Both the policeman and NBI agent, however, were not identified pending ongoing follow-through operations.

Sr. Supt Antonio Gardiola, chief of the PNP Anti Illegal Drugs Special Operations

Task Force, said the arrests and seizures was the result of a month-long surveillance of the areas and personalities involved.

“It was the effective partnership between the PNP and the community with a common desire to eradicate drugs in the barangays,” Gardiola said.

The operations were held on the basis of 12 search warrants issued by the Pasig Regional Trial Court.

Rogelio Tuscao, one of the suspects nab admitted using marijuana and denied peddling shabu, while Aurora Awa admitted to have been forced to peddle shabu out of poverty and due to her sick kid.

Gardiola said West Crame is just one of several barangays in Metro Manila that has been severely affected by drugs, adding that his task force will step up operations by targeting high-value suspects and their biggest facilities. With John Paolo Bencito

Co-ed groupie. President Benigno S. Aquino III poses for a groupie with the athletes and coaches of the Philippine team to the 2015 World Cheerleading Championships.

MALACAÑANG PHOTO

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Panel head upbeat on Moro law approval

By Rio Araja DESPITE the chronic lack of quorum at the House of Representatives, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, ad hoc committee on the Bangsamoro, on Monday said there is still time to pass the Basic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, the substitute for the much-criticized Bangsamoro Basic Law. At a news conference in Quezon City, Rodriguez urged peace advocates not to lose hope for BLBAR over the absence of many lawmakers, and even if Congress and the Senate will have to go on recess starting Oct. 10, two days before the start of the filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2016 elections.

“BLBAR is very much alive,” he told reporters.

After the filing of CoCs, both chambers will still have time to take up BLBAR when they resume regular sessions from Nov. 3 to Dec. 16, he said.

“We will work hard for a bicameral meeting,” he vowed.

According to Rodriguez, “all resources of the House and support have been given” to pass the BLBAR, but the non-resumption of the interpellation period due to lack of quorum continued to impede its passage.

“The only problem is quorum,” he admitted.

Despite such, he said Congress has “the entire November and until Dec. 16 to finish at least 14 interpellations.”

He said it is impossible for Congress to tackle the bill’s amendments on Sept.

26, during which the deliberation of the General Appropriations Act has been scheduled until Oct. 9.

“Congress will have its recess on Oct. 10. We resume Nov. 3 until Dec. 16.

We plan to amend immediately on Nov. 3,” he added.

He maintained the bill is “very much alive although we were not able to finish the interpolation.”

Rodriguez joined representatives of the National Anti-Poverty Commission and All-Out Peace, “a network of 17 networks with 200 organizations.”

“We support non-government organizations to appeal to congressmen to have a quorum,” he said.

The period of interpellation for the substitute bill, House Bill No. 5811 or BLBAR, was scheduled to resume in August, but sessions were always adjourned due to lack of quorum.

Graft court: Arrest Tupas

By Rio N. Araja THE Sandiganbayan on Monday ordered the arrest of former Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. for graft over alleged questionable payment to a private firm for the provincial government’s unconsummated electricity of P4 million.

Also ordered arrested were former provincial accountant Lyd Tupas, former-assistant department head of the office of the provincial accountant Sandra Bionat and formergeneral services department chief Ramie Salcedo.

“After a careful assessment of the records, the documents and other evidence submitted together with the information of the aboveentitled case, the Court finds the existence of probable cause and so orders the issuance of a warrant of arrest against the accused,” the court’s decision read.

The anti-graft court’s Fifth Division directed the Bureau of Immigration to prevent Tupas and his co-accused from leaving the country.

“This Court, in the exercise of its inherent power to use all means

necessary to carry its orders into effect, more specifically, to preserve and maintain the effectiveness of its jurisdiction over the case and the persons of the accused. Hereby orders the Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration to hold the departure from the Philippines of the above-named accused and to include the names of the said accused in the Hold Departure List of the said Bureau.”

Tupas earlier filed a motion to defer his arrest, to no avail.

Government prosecutors have been given five days to comment on Tupas’ motion for deferment, according to Fifth Division’s clerk of court, Ma. Teresa Pabulayan.

On Sept. 15, the Office of the Ombudsman found probable cause to indict Tupas, Lyd Tupas, Bionat and Salcedo for graft for

violating Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Tupas and his co-accused were accused of using their positions in “conspiring with one another” to give “unwarranted benefit, advantage and preference” to Green Core Geothermal Inc. by approving the release of P4,007,111.91 to the company from December 2009 to April 2010.

The case stemmed from a 2007 contract between the Iloilo government and the National Power Corp.. which was later assumed by NPC’s successor Green Core, for the bulk supply of electricity from Sept. 26, 2007 to Dec. 25, 2011 to facilitate the construction of the Iloilo multipurpose convention center.

Even if the construction of the convention center did not push through, Tupas made payment to paid Greencore P5.88 million for the billing period of December 2009 to April 2010.

The Ombudsman said the actual electricity consumption of the province only amounted to P1.88 million.

“This is to certify that a

preliminary investigation has been conducted in this case, that there is a sufficient ground to engender a well-founded belief that the crime charged has been committed, and that the accused are probably guilty thereof,” the Ombudsman’s complaint read.

Tupas Sr. is the father of incumbent Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. In a joint motion, Tupas Sr. and his three other co-accused through their lawyers Joenar Pueblo urged the Sandiganbayan to cite the Ombudsman’s field investigators for contempt for allegedly bypassing the authority of the Court of Appeals by elevating the case to the Sandiganbayan without waiting for the CA to resolve their pending motion for certiorari.

“Such legal strategy aside from being unfair and uncalled for was intended purely to emasculate the power and authority of the Honorable Court of Appeals 3rd Division,” their motion read.

“The actuation of the Office of the Ombudsman clearly has for its intention to render the case moot and academic and to assure that the decision of the Honorable Court of Appeals becomes inutile.”

War games. This photo taken on Sept. 20, 2015 shows members of Airsoft Asia Philippines, donning US, Russian and German soldiers’ World War II era uniforms taking a rest during a combat game at an airsoft shooting facility in Antipolo City, Rizal. The members are reenactors of World War II in the Pacific, in the Philippines, but use WWII era soldier uniforms from Europe for the purpose of their games. This year 2015, the world commemorates the 70th anniversary of the end of WW II. AFP

NUP to test 3 presidential aspirants’ mettle

By Maricel V. Cruz THE National Union Party, a member of the administration coalition, has invited the three presidential bets, namely, Senator Grace Poe, former Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II and Vice President Jejomar Binay to the party’s national convention on Sept. 28.

Rep. Elpidio Barzaga, the NUP vice president for external affairs, said that the convention will be held in Sofitel Hotel with 400 party members attending.

“We have invited them altogether in one day in the spirit of fairness and to dispel speculations that the NUP is already entering in an agreement with the NPC because the latter is supporting Grace,” Barzaga said, referring to the Nationalist People’s Coalition.

“They should come personally. They can’t have representatives. If they can’t make it,

Barzaga

that is not our concern anymore. But if you are invited by an important group and they think that our support will be material to their candidacy, I think they will be coming,”

Barzaga, who has been supportive of Roxas’ presidency, added.

Barzaga said the three presidentiables will be asked to present their platform of government, with Poe being the first to speak at 10:30 a.m., to be followed by Binay at 11:30 a.m. and Roxas at 1:30 p.m.

Barzaga made the announcement Monday about the NUP convention after the Social Weather Stations released its latest survey showing that Roxas ranked second at 39 percent next to Poe at 47 percent, and Binay third at 35 percent.

Barzaga said each presidential candidate will have 10 minutes each to speak and win the NUP members’ support in the next year’s presidential derby.

The NUP is composed of former Kampi members, the dissolved political party founded by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

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NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Historic labor pact sealed

By Vito Barcelo

THE Philippines and New Zealand have signed a bilateral agreement that will ban the imposition of placement fee on overseas Filipino workers going to New Zealand, clamp down hard on illegal and unscrupulous recruiters and agents, and prosecute perpetrators of document fraud and other recruitment shenanigans.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz and New Zealand Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Michel Woodhouse signed the landmark labor cooperation agreement in New Zealand during Baldoz visit to that country.

In a brief ceremony at New Zealand’s Parliament House, known as the “Beehive”, Baldoz and Woodhouse signed the “Arrangement on the Principles and Controls on the Recruitment and Protection of Filipino Workers in New Zealand”, in the presence of Philippine Ambassador to New Zealand Virginia Benavidez, who was instrumental in hammering out the agreement, and top officials of New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

Baldoz, who was on an official mission to New Zealand, was joined by her top officials at the DOLE, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, and Labor Attaché to Australia and New Zealand lawyer Rodolfo Sabulao.

“This is a very historic and a very significant occasion,” Baldoz said, adding that “this landmark document will govern the smooth deployment of skilled and professional overseas Filipino workers to New Zealand and ensure their welfare and protection while working in this country.”

There are close to 40,000 Filipinos in New Zealand, 23,682 of them were permanent migrants, 9,444 temporary workers, and 1,024 irregular workers.

The POEA has recorded an increasing deployment of OFWs to New Zealand, with 1,638 new hires deployed in 2014.

OFWs in New Zealand are mostly production workers (66 percent); agriculture and animal husbandry workers with 17 percent; professionals, 4 percent; administrative and managerial workers, 5 percent; service workers, 5 percent, and the rest are either sales or clerical workers.

Based on New Zealand Immigration data, about 50 to 55 percent of workers participating in the rebuilding of Christchurch are OFWs. Baldoz said the agreement will strengthen the “Memorandum of Agreement on Labor Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Government of New Zealand” which the two countries signed on Nov. 4, 2008.

She said the new agreement will boost and enhance the economic and socio-cultural ties between the Philippines and New Zealand, explaining that the agreement eliminates high placement fees and document fraud that have been the bane for workers intending to work in New Zealand.

Traffic obstruction. It’s business as usual at the Balintawak Market in Quezon City despite the on-and-off campaign launched by the city government to prevent sidewalk vendors from illegally occupying the road. JANSEN ROMERO

Make way for Mabuhay Lanes—MMDA

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Department of Interior and Local Government has ordered community leaders to clear all road obstructions for the reopening of Mabuhay Lanes, alternate routes for private motorists avoiding the congested Epifanio de los Santos Avenue.

The Metro Manila Development Authority came up with the decision to reopen the Mabuhay Lanes following a meeting with Metro Manila mayors and

School holidays in MM mark APEC summit THE Commission on Higher Education issued a memorandum on Monday declaring Nov. 17 and 20 as “school holidays” in Metro Manila to mark the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting on Nov. 18 -19, 2015.

CHED-NCR Regional Director Dr. Leonida S. Calagui said the “school holidays” were intended to contribute to the security of the 21 leaders expected to attend the APEC Economic Leader’s Meeting to be held at the Philippine International Convention Center.

The Commission urged higher education institutions in the NCR to give

students alternative activities and assignments to keep them off the campuses and roads on those dates.

The Department of Education-National Capital Region office in a separate memoranda also suspended classes on Nov. 17 and 20 for the APEC meet.

Malacañang had earlier declared Nov. 18 and 19 as Special Non-Working days for the National Capital Region through Proclamation No. 1072, s. 2015, which allows college students to have a fourday rest on the above-mentioned dates.

John Paolo Bencito

Drug ring leader falls in Quezon City THE alleged leader of the “Amalie Drug Group” operating in Quezon City was arrested on Monday morning during a “sting” operation in Barangay Tatalon, police district director Chief Superintendent Edgardo Tinio said.

“Merlita Samson alias Merly, 45, had more than one kilogram of shabu worth around P2.2 million confiscated from her. She is the leader of the ‘Amalie Drug Group’,” Tinio said.

Samson is a native of Bacolod City and currently residing in Sitio San Roque in

Barangay Bagong Pag-asa, police said.

“The arrest of the suspect is an offshoot of a previous buy-bust operation last week in Barangay Greater Fairview that led to the death of two suspects who shot it out with anti-drugs operatives and in Barangay Sta. Teresita several weeks ago,” Tinio said.

In his report, Chief Inspector Enrico Figueroa, head of the District Anti-illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group, said Samson was collared around 4:30 a.m. at Hilltop Street corner Araneta Avenue. Florante S. Solmerin

officials of Philippine National Police–Highway Patrol Group to find solution to the traffic problem in Metro Manila.

MMDA traffic engineering chief Neomie Recio said the DILG has marching orders for barangay officials to clear Mabuhay Lanes (formerly Christmas lanes) of obstructions such as basketball courts, videokes, illegally parked vehicles and even small eateries and canteens.

“The DILG has already

manned and instructed the barangays to clear these roads.

If these obstructions will be removed, Edsa will no longer be congested as motorists have options to take alternate routes,” she said.

Recio said private motorists can use the 17 Mabuhay Lanes on their way to various commercial centers n Metro Manila. “We have shortcuts to Greenhills, Divisoria and Baclaran. If you are coming from NLEX [North Luzon Espressway], there is no need to use Edsa.”

The Metro Manila mayors decided to help the MMDA to clear the Mabuhay Lanes in their jurisdiction and also provide help to traffic enforcers.

The MMDA usually implements the scheme during Christmas season to help private motorists avoid heavy traffic during the holiday rush. The special lanes were opened as alternate routes to shorten the travel time during the holidays, when traffic flow is expected to be heavy.

Marcos sets Pangasinan visit on Sept. 27 SENATOR Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has scheduled a visit to Pangasinan on Sunday, Sept. 27, to renew ties with Pangasinenses and feel the pulse of his kailian amid clamor for him to seek the presidency in the 2016 elections.

The junior of former President Marcos, who just turned 58 on Sept.

13, will rally several groups at the Macario Ydia Development Center in this cycling town for nationbuilding at 1 p.m.

Lawyer Julius Magno, a native of this town and chairman of the Samahan Ilocano International, said Marcos will be received by former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., Gov. Amado Espino Jr., Rep. Gina de Venecia, Mayor Bona de Vera Parayno, Vice Gov. Ferdie Calimlim, Vice Mayor Manny Casupang, and other luminaries.

Marcos’ Pangasinan visit is part of his itinerary of the so-called Solid North that began a few weeks back amid calls for him to run for the presidency.

Marcos, who earned the respect of lawyers and political scholars for

his brilliant chairmanship of the Senate local government committee that is scrutinizing the provisions of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, will administer the oaths of the charter officers of the Federation of Civil Societies of Mangaldan and five other organizations.

Guia Macmod, president of the Pangasinan Muslims Assembly, a former MILF commander, said Mindanaoans “love Bongbong because he is seriously working on the proposed BBL law with sincerity and competence.”

Marcos has been receiving praises for blocking the Bureau of Customs’ illegal policy of opening balikbayan boxes without any good reason, it was learned.

Before proceeding to the MYDC, the senator will be the guest of the Northern Luzon Media at Trish Hotel in Mangaldan presided by Capitol Post publisher Mita Sison-Duque.

The forum will have DWIZ-Dagupan City manager Orly Navarro, Pangasinan Press Club past president, as moderator.

Gov. Amado Espino Jr. will intro-

duce the senator and induct the officers of the Mangaldan Federation of Civil Societies Inc., headed by Dr. Jose Soriano as president.

The senator will also administer the oath of the new officers of the National Cycling Federation of the Philippines, headed by former Tour of Luzon champion Jesus Garcia Jr.; Federation of Pangasinan Subdivision Homeowners Associations Inc., headed by Daniel “Bong” Palisoc; the President Hotel Breakfast Club, headed by Mita Sison-Duque, chairman, and Cesar Carpio, president; Federation of Free Farmers of Bugallon, headed by Ricardo Cunanan, chairman, and Florencio Fernandez, executive director; Fishpond Owners, Operators and Fisherfolk Association of Dagupan City Inc., headed by Alfredo Dawana, chairman, and Eduardo Maramba, president; Ulopan na Sumisigay Ed Dagupan, headed by Ronnie Cayabyab, president; Samahan ng mga Maliliit na Mangingisda sa Dagupan, headed by Rodrigo “Boy” Estrada, president; Pangasinan Muslims Assembly, and others.

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news

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Authorities nab solon’s uncle for illegal drugs

By Dexter A. See

Free immunization. Mothers with babies make their way to a Baguio City facility of the Department of Health for the Under-Five Children Immunization

Program. DAVID CHAN

Blast injures 4 in Bukidnon

By Florante S. Solmerin

At leAst four soldiers were injured after the New People’s Army rebels detonated an improvised explosive device they had planted along a road in Barangay Pagan, Kitaokitao, Bukidnon on sunday morning.

Captain Alberto Caber, public affairs chief of the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom), said Monday that the explosion followed a brief firefight.

Caber identified the wounded soldiers in the

explosion as Second Lieutenant Noel Manalang, Sergeant Ruel Lavalle, Private First Class Abdurasan Ibnomusa, PFC Ravi Pamalison, and PFC Marvin Dancel, all members of the 8th Infantry Battalion.

Caber said the soldiers were pursuing a group of rebels at around 8:20 a.m. when a blocking force hit them with the bomb explosion.

“The soldiers were on pursuit operations against members of the Guerrilla Front 53 of the NPA’s Southern Mindanao Regional Committee who are responsible in the aborted liquidation attempt of White Kulaman barangay chairman Felipe S. Cabugnason, the other day,” Caber said.

Cabugnason was among three Manobo persons brought to Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City last week to meet the press where they denied military participations in the spate of lumad killings in Caraga region.

Karapatan, a human rights organization, and Surigao del Sur Gov. Johnny Pimentel have tagged the military as behind the formation and arming of the Magahat-Bagani militia to kill their fellow tribesmen who were sus-

pected to be sympathizers and supporters of the NPA. Caber said they considered Cabugnason a “liberator” from NPA influence in his barangay. Since then, the NPA had allegedly targeted him for liquidation.

The Commission on Human Rights has debunked the military claim of “tribal war” as the reason behind the killings against indigenous people fighting against mining giants and expansion of palm tree plantations inside their ancestral domains.

BANGUED, Abra—An uncle of the congresswoman of the province and brother-in-law of the municipal mayor of this capital town was arrested by police and anti-narcotics agents here during a drug buy-bust operation over the weekend.

Juvenal Azurin, regional director of the Cordillera office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, identified the arrested individual as Francisco Briones Acosta alias Boting, 48, businessman and a resident of Barangay Zone 1, Linasen, Bangued, Abra.

Acosta was immediately collared by the operating troops after he sold a sachet of suspected shabu to PDEA operative during the sting operation.

Sources said Acosta is the uncle of Rep. Maria Jocelyn Valera Bernos and the brother-in-law of Bangued Mayor Dominique Valera, who is the latter’s father.

Authorities also took from Acosta a roll of aluminum foil and the buybust money used during the operation.

He is now temporarily detained at the Bangued Municipal Police Station pending the filing of cases for violation of the pertinent provisions of Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known as the “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.”

Azurin emphasized that PDEA-CAR together with the PNP is stepping up its campaign against illegal drugs in Abra.

It was learned that the shabu supply in the province is coming from the coastal areas of the Ilocos region.

Destiny, not dynasty—Mindoro pols

By Robert A. Evora

Teamwork. Farmers’ wives assist their husbands thresh newly harvested palay in Kabacan, South Cotabato. OMAR MANGORSI

CALAPAN CITY—Ruling political families of this island are already preparing for the 2016 elections.

“Local voters have no choice but to cast their ballots,“ a concerned resident said.

The political families of Umali, of Oriental Mindoro, and Villarosa, of Occidental Mindoro, are top contenders to retain or reclaim their seats. The Umalis and Villarosas are blood relatives who have been in control of local politics since the Martial Law years of the 1970s.

Oriental Mindoro Gov. Alfonso V. Umali Jr. and his younger brother, second district Congressman Reynaldo V. Umali, for the second time may both run unopposed in next year’s election.

They are sons of former Gov. Alfonso L. Umali Sr. who reigned for 10 years from 1970 to 1980.

In Occidental Mindoro, three immediate members of the Villarosa family are running in this 2016 local election for top positions in the province. Former San Jose Mayor Jose T. Villarosa will reclaim the mayoral seat against incumbent Mayor Romulo Festin of the Liberal Party.

The former mayor is fielding his wife, former congresswoman and deputy House speaker Amelita C. Villarosa, to run for governorship against LP’s incumbent Gov. Mario Gene Mendiola. The senior Villarosa is a close relative of former Occidental Mindoro Gov. Arsenio Villarosa.

Villarosa’s son, Mayor

Anthony Voltaire C. Villarosa, will seek mayoral reelection in Mamburao, the provincial capital.

Mayor Villarosa said it “depends on the performance” of a political family. “Kung maganda ang performance at nakakatulong naman sa tao ang political dynasty bakit ito ipagbabawal [if they perform well and are able to help the people, why prohibit it?]” the former governor, congressman, barangay chairman and San Jose mayor said.

“It’s destiny, not political dynasty,” says Gov. Umali, a close political ally of President Benigno Aquino III. He adds it’s pure luck (“swertehan lang yan!)” Umali is Oriental Mindoro LP provincial chairman and the incumbent president of the League of Governors of the Philippines.

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A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

EAGLE EYES DEAN TONY LA VIÑA

LESSER KNOWN, JUST AS HEROIC

[ EDI TORI A L ]

AN INVITATION TO JUMP “THEY are not taking it very well,” says Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo about her children. She says they are under a lot of stress because of the “invitation” for their mother to run for vice president in 2016, alongside the administration party’s standard bearer, Manuel Roxas II. Robredo’s name first surfaced upon the death of her husband in August 2012. Interior and Local Governments Secretary Jesse Robredo perished in a plane crash off the coast of Masbate. The resulting groundswell of sympathy turned the nation’s attention on his widow, a lawyer who rendered pro bono service, shunned the limelight and simply provided support to her husband.

The widow initially rejected ideas of running for political office in 2013, but was prevailed upon to seek a seat at the House of Representatives. She won.

And now she is being wooed again, this time to be the running mate of Roxas.

Mrs. Robredo has, on several occasions, rejected such importuning. She recognized how daunting the task was, and she did not feel that she was ready to aspire to become the second-highest official of the land. She also said she knew she did not yet have enough preparation to take on the job. She would run, but for reelection or at most, for the Senate. Did she not refuse to attend the launch of a movement exhorting her to run?

Many people lauded her firmness. There goes somebody truly principled, they say.

Leni Robredo knows exactly what her limits are.

But the courtship has not ended. In the run-up to the filing of the certificates of candidacy next month, the lawmaker is still being asked to join the vice presidential race.

The stalwarts of the Liberal Party cannot praise her hard enough and say she would even win against fellow Bicolano Senator Francis Escudero who has already declared he is seeking the number-two post.

Eventually, this will be a test of Robredo’s firmness, and her sincerity in saying that she is not yet ready for the challenge. Have we not heard of other “reluctant” candidates who ran despite saying they would not because they “had to,” or because the “clamor was so strong?” They who make a show of grudgingly accepting the challenge perform poorly—just look at the present leader, a man who was swept into the presidency by the death of his mother and the perception that he is clean. Why, Mr. Aquino even complains of his lack of amorous affairs, his thinning hair and lack of time for his favorite hobbies because of the job we have imposed on him.

Who we need is somebody who knows exactly what they want—and what they don’t want. Mrs. Robredo may be as good and as immaculate as people make her out to be, but if she herself needs convincing she is ready, how can she convince the rest of us to vote for her?

She must be wary, too. Those who sing her praises are likely not as concerned about her being fit for the job as they are with ensuring their political survival in the next six years. They just need a fresher, more trustworthy face to hide behind.

DAMN STATISTICS LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES IT WAS the great journalist and writer Mark Twain who classified lies into three kinds: “There are lies, damn lies and statistics.”

I remember Twain after hearing my favorite outlier political analyst, Professor Antonio Contreras of De La Salle University, once again take issue with giant survey provider Social Weather Stations for coming out with

another of those strange polls that he says are skewed to favor certain candidates. Contreras is talking about the SWS’ Sept.

2-5 “best leaders” poll, which had Malacañang’s candidate for president Mar Roxas in surprise second place with 39 percent, after regular survey-leading independent bet Senator Grace Poe with 47 percent.

The third major presidential candidate, Vice President Jejomar Binay of the United Nationalist Alliance, “slipped to third, up by a negligible percentage point,” with 35 percent, according to the newspaper

BusinessWorld, which has exclusive rights to publish the SWS survey first. And right there, according to Contreras, lies the survey company’s grievous sin.

Adding up the percentages gathered by SWS gives a grand total of 121 percent, not including those racked up by the other possible presidential candidates like Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. This is because, as Contreras has pointed out, the survey was rigged to show results that are different from polls that would show an ordinary (and infinitely more logical) total of 100 percent.

A9

Apparently, simulating an actual election is not the goal of the survey-taking company here.

SWS’ insistence on asking its respondents to name three candidates is clearly the culprit here. I will let Contreras explain, in his own words: “This is a survey about the presidential elections, where there is only one name written on the ballot,” Contreras said.

“It is misleading, to say the least, to keep on administering a survey that asks respondents to write up to three names.

“It is not only unscientific.

It is also structurally designed to benefit some candidates and put [others at] a disadvantage.”

“Any statistician worth his/ her degree knows that in order for surveys to have sense, the design and the conditions

for administration of the survey must mimic, or if not approximate, the phenomenon being measured. In fact, the questionnaire must even appear like a sample ballot.”

That should be clear, even to SWS. But apparently, simulating an actual election is not the goal of the surveytaking company here. *** I guess the more important question is not who the preferred candidate of the people in an election is, if

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it were held during the time the poll was conducted, but who benefits from conducting such a loaded survey. Contreras is not one to pussy-foot on this matter, either: “This type of survey is advantageous to Poe and Roxas and not to Binay. Binay has a loyal base, people who thick and thin will stick with him. Hence, they will most likely write only his name. The Poe and Roxas voters are from the same demographic group and are most likely anti-Binay. Thus, there

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would be a significant number of respondents who would write both Poe and Mar, without Binay.”

In other words, because the voters who would most likely choose Poe or Roxas come from the same group, they would include both their names if they were allowed to put down more than one name in a survey. And because Binay’s likely voters are not voting for either Poe or Roxas, they will probably not choose someone else besides their chosen candidate.

Continued on A11

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THIS week, we remember a terrible time in Philippine history. Forty-three years ago this week, President Ferdinand E. Marcos declared martial law. Some celebrate the infamous day yesterday, Sept. 21, the date that is evident in Proclamation 1081; others on Sept. 23, when Marcos spokesman Francisco Tatad (present occupation is the main cheerleader of the anti-Grace Poe camp) announced that we were now under military rule.

Meanwhile, in those first days, thousands were arrested and detained. Others escaped and joined the armed resistance. Many were tortured; others died.

Many also survived; some continuing still with the armed struggle today, while quite many have become academics, government officials, and business people.

Life continues in our country with sunsets that bleed (a phrase I borrow from a post-Yolanda picture of Rick Rocamora). But let it not be said that we do not know how to remember the fallen.

This year, I will recall the anti-dictatorship martyrs and heroes of our great island. Many of them died during martial law; others survived the regime but should still be honored for their courage. Some are well known like Cesar Climaco and Hashim Salamat, But most are not famous, certainly many were lesser known but no less heroic.

Cesar Climaco was on his third term as mayor of Zamboanga. He was famous for not cutting his hair to protest martial law. Climaco was shot in the back and killed in 1984, shortly after he won a seat in the Batasang Pambansa. He was 68 years old.

On that same year, not far away from Zamboanga City, in Dipolog City, lived and died another martyr Jacobo Amatong.

A crusading lawyer, educator and journalist, Amatong was killed in 1984 with another human rights lawyer Zorro Aguilar.

Also assassinated in 1984, was Alexander Orcullo, cause-oriented leader from Davao City. Alex, as I personally witnessed, was a fiery speaker. He was an intellectual who was immersed in the struggle of the masses. The anti-communist group Alsa Masa is believed to have killed him.

From Davao City and the surrounding region emerged many heroes in the anti-dictatorship struggle.

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

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

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

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

EAGLE EYES DEAN TONY LA VIÑA

LESSER KNOWN, JUST AS HEROIC

[ EDI TORI A L ]

AN INVITATION TO JUMP “THEY are not taking it very well,” says Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo about her children. She says they are under a lot of stress because of the “invitation” for their mother to run for vice president in 2016, alongside the administration party’s standard bearer, Manuel Roxas II. Robredo’s name first surfaced upon the death of her husband in August 2012. Interior and Local Governments Secretary Jesse Robredo perished in a plane crash off the coast of Masbate. The resulting groundswell of sympathy turned the nation’s attention on his widow, a lawyer who rendered pro bono service, shunned the limelight and simply provided support to her husband.

The widow initially rejected ideas of running for political office in 2013, but was prevailed upon to seek a seat at the House of Representatives. She won.

And now she is being wooed again, this time to be the running mate of Roxas.

Mrs. Robredo has, on several occasions, rejected such importuning. She recognized how daunting the task was, and she did not feel that she was ready to aspire to become the second-highest official of the land. She also said she knew she did not yet have enough preparation to take on the job. She would run, but for reelection or at most, for the Senate. Did she not refuse to attend the launch of a movement exhorting her to run?

Many people lauded her firmness. There goes somebody truly principled, they say.

Leni Robredo knows exactly what her limits are.

But the courtship has not ended. In the run-up to the filing of the certificates of candidacy next month, the lawmaker is still being asked to join the vice presidential race.

The stalwarts of the Liberal Party cannot praise her hard enough and say she would even win against fellow Bicolano Senator Francis Escudero who has already declared he is seeking the number-two post.

Eventually, this will be a test of Robredo’s firmness, and her sincerity in saying that she is not yet ready for the challenge. Have we not heard of other “reluctant” candidates who ran despite saying they would not because they “had to,” or because the “clamor was so strong?” They who make a show of grudgingly accepting the challenge perform poorly—just look at the present leader, a man who was swept into the presidency by the death of his mother and the perception that he is clean. Why, Mr. Aquino even complains of his lack of amorous affairs, his thinning hair and lack of time for his favorite hobbies because of the job we have imposed on him.

Who we need is somebody who knows exactly what they want—and what they don’t want. Mrs. Robredo may be as good and as immaculate as people make her out to be, but if she herself needs convincing she is ready, how can she convince the rest of us to vote for her?

She must be wary, too. Those who sing her praises are likely not as concerned about her being fit for the job as they are with ensuring their political survival in the next six years. They just need a fresher, more trustworthy face to hide behind.

DAMN STATISTICS LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES IT WAS the great journalist and writer Mark Twain who classified lies into three kinds: “There are lies, damn lies and statistics.”

I remember Twain after hearing my favorite outlier political analyst, Professor Antonio Contreras of De La Salle University, once again take issue with giant survey provider Social Weather Stations for coming out with

another of those strange polls that he says are skewed to favor certain candidates. Contreras is talking about the SWS’ Sept.

2-5 “best leaders” poll, which had Malacañang’s candidate for president Mar Roxas in surprise second place with 39 percent, after regular survey-leading independent bet Senator Grace Poe with 47 percent.

The third major presidential candidate, Vice President Jejomar Binay of the United Nationalist Alliance, “slipped to third, up by a negligible percentage point,” with 35 percent, according to the newspaper

BusinessWorld, which has exclusive rights to publish the SWS survey first. And right there, according to Contreras, lies the survey company’s grievous sin.

Adding up the percentages gathered by SWS gives a grand total of 121 percent, not including those racked up by the other possible presidential candidates like Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. This is because, as Contreras has pointed out, the survey was rigged to show results that are different from polls that would show an ordinary (and infinitely more logical) total of 100 percent.

A9

Apparently, simulating an actual election is not the goal of the survey-taking company here.

SWS’ insistence on asking its respondents to name three candidates is clearly the culprit here. I will let Contreras explain, in his own words: “This is a survey about the presidential elections, where there is only one name written on the ballot,” Contreras said.

“It is misleading, to say the least, to keep on administering a survey that asks respondents to write up to three names.

“It is not only unscientific.

It is also structurally designed to benefit some candidates and put [others at] a disadvantage.”

“Any statistician worth his/ her degree knows that in order for surveys to have sense, the design and the conditions

for administration of the survey must mimic, or if not approximate, the phenomenon being measured. In fact, the questionnaire must even appear like a sample ballot.”

That should be clear, even to SWS. But apparently, simulating an actual election is not the goal of the surveytaking company here. *** I guess the more important question is not who the preferred candidate of the people in an election is, if

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it were held during the time the poll was conducted, but who benefits from conducting such a loaded survey. Contreras is not one to pussy-foot on this matter, either: “This type of survey is advantageous to Poe and Roxas and not to Binay. Binay has a loyal base, people who thick and thin will stick with him. Hence, they will most likely write only his name. The Poe and Roxas voters are from the same demographic group and are most likely anti-Binay. Thus, there

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would be a significant number of respondents who would write both Poe and Mar, without Binay.”

In other words, because the voters who would most likely choose Poe or Roxas come from the same group, they would include both their names if they were allowed to put down more than one name in a survey. And because Binay’s likely voters are not voting for either Poe or Roxas, they will probably not choose someone else besides their chosen candidate.

Continued on A11

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THIS week, we remember a terrible time in Philippine history. Forty-three years ago this week, President Ferdinand E. Marcos declared martial law. Some celebrate the infamous day yesterday, Sept. 21, the date that is evident in Proclamation 1081; others on Sept. 23, when Marcos spokesman Francisco Tatad (present occupation is the main cheerleader of the anti-Grace Poe camp) announced that we were now under military rule.

Meanwhile, in those first days, thousands were arrested and detained. Others escaped and joined the armed resistance. Many were tortured; others died.

Many also survived; some continuing still with the armed struggle today, while quite many have become academics, government officials, and business people.

Life continues in our country with sunsets that bleed (a phrase I borrow from a post-Yolanda picture of Rick Rocamora). But let it not be said that we do not know how to remember the fallen.

This year, I will recall the anti-dictatorship martyrs and heroes of our great island. Many of them died during martial law; others survived the regime but should still be honored for their courage. Some are well known like Cesar Climaco and Hashim Salamat, But most are not famous, certainly many were lesser known but no less heroic.

Cesar Climaco was on his third term as mayor of Zamboanga. He was famous for not cutting his hair to protest martial law. Climaco was shot in the back and killed in 1984, shortly after he won a seat in the Batasang Pambansa. He was 68 years old.

On that same year, not far away from Zamboanga City, in Dipolog City, lived and died another martyr Jacobo Amatong.

A crusading lawyer, educator and journalist, Amatong was killed in 1984 with another human rights lawyer Zorro Aguilar.

Also assassinated in 1984, was Alexander Orcullo, cause-oriented leader from Davao City. Alex, as I personally witnessed, was a fiery speaker. He was an intellectual who was immersed in the struggle of the masses. The anti-communist group Alsa Masa is believed to have killed him.

From Davao City and the surrounding region emerged many heroes in the anti-dictatorship struggle.

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

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

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OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

A BINAYBONGBONG TANDEM TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

SIXTY-seven years ago, sometime in 1948 when I was still in my second year at the Ateneo de Manila ruins at Padre Faura, the Sodality Club of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of which I was a member, were taken by bus to Lipa, Batangas.

We were to visit a Carmelite monastery in the wake of reports of a Marian phenomenon when the Blessed Virgin Mary allegedly appeared to a Carmelite postulant, Teresita Castillo, who said that while she was at the garden, she saw a vine shake although there was no wind at all.

The postulant then heard a woman’s voice saying: “Fear not, my child. Kiss the group.

Whatever I tell you to do, you must do. For 15 consecutive days, come to visit me here in this spot.”

The next day, Castillo returned to the same spot, and saw a beautiful lady holding a rosary.

Yet the next day, a mysterious shower of rose petals occurred at the same place and was also witnessed by some nuns. This sparked an investigation that would lead to the persecution of Castillo and other personalities, including then-Auxiliary Bishop Alfredo Obviar, who is now a candidate for sainthood.

Through the efforts of some Jesuits, who accompanied our group, we were introduced to the Carmelite postulant and to Obviar. We saw those rose petals that showered the place where the Blessed Virgin allegedly appeared. They were dry, but they still exuded that wonderful rose petals scent.

Since then, I been asking myself whether the appearance of the Blessed Virgin, similar to that of apparitions at Lourdes (France), Fatima (Portugal), Guadalupe (Mexico) and elsewhere was for real. My faith tells me that if the Blessed Virgin’s appearances elsewhere were true, and declared by the Church as truly “super-

natural” and object of belief and devotion, the Lipa apparition could also be true.

Now, after 67 years, Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles has officially declared that the Lipa apparition and the shower of rose petals are of “supernatural character” and worthy of belief.

Now that I’m 88 years old, believing in my faith as Catholic, I consider myself privileged and blessed for having gone there 67 years ago. The experience strengthened my faith and devotion to the Blessed Virgin.

I have gone to several Marian pilgrimages.As I always say: for those who believe, no explanation is necessary; for those who do not believe, no explanation is possible.

These two will be formidable together.

*** Senator Bongbong Marcos will be the running mate of vice president Jojo Binay in the 2016 elections.

I heard this from an unimpeachable source who claimed the vice president had convinced Marcos to be his running mate. I consider this a formidable team-up; it further solidifies the already-solid North: Binay from Isabela, and Marcos from Ilocandia.

Some may have doubts about Bongbong Marcos, but it’s a fact that there are still many Ilocanos everywhere in the Visayas and Mindanao. I am and will always be an Ilocano, who will always side with his fellow Ilocano.

The stand of Bongbong Marcos on the controversial Bangsamoro Basic Law just may be his defining moment.

The late strongman Ferdinand Marcos may be a lot of things for some people, but there is no doubt he also did

HENERAL LUNA—A MUSTWATCH MOVIE FOR ALL FILIPINOS THERE are movies that entertain, and there are movies that educate.

And then there is the occasional movie that does both. Heneral Luna, which is currently playing in movies nationwide (the number of theaters were reduced after a lackluster first week results, and then subsequently increased as positive word-of-mouth drove audiences to moviehouses during the second week) not only does a superb job of both entertaining and educating in a compelling way—it does a hell of a lot more. In the two occasions that I watched the movie in the last two weeks, the audience broke into spontaneous and sustained applause as the credits rolled, something that rarely happens today, and particularly when it involves a local movie.

There is absolutely no doubt that Heneral Luna is well-crafted movie.

It’s a period film, which usually becomes an occasion for nitpicking.

The people behind Luna tries hard to keep the production as authentic as possible, but whatever lapses and oversights become overshadowed by the tight storytelling, the outstanding technical elements, and the exceptional performances of the actors. John Arcilla as Antonio Luna inhabits the role like second skin; it’s not engaging in hyperbole to say even his spittle seems deliberately timed.

There are many reasons why Heneral Luna should be required viewing for all Filipinos. It is a movie that engages audiences to challenge many of our appreciation of certain critical and pivotal moments in Philippine history and the roles played, the decisions made, and the actions pursued by the people we collectively refer to as heroes and consequently placed on pedestals. History, after all, is most often reduced to accounts about the courage and valor of the pivotal players of certain epic events during the revolution; the frailties of our heroes and the many tragic stories of conspiracy and betrayal that led to their downfall, are usually presented as footnotes. We’re generally kinder, particularly to some good. And Bongbong is the exact replica of his father: erudite, steadfast in his beliefs.

He is an achiever. That makes the Binay-Marcos tandem formidable as the only opposition to President Aquino’s anointed, Mar Roxas who is still scrounging for a running mate.

In my 65 years as a journalist, I have never seen an administration presidential bet scrounging for a running mate.

Now they would settle for a neophyte congresswoman from Bicol, who thinks that her being a widow to Jesse Robredo, allegedly an exemplary public offi-

ARE WE THERE YET? BONG C. AUSTERO people who died during the revolution. Unfortunately, it’s precisely this collective effort to sweep under the rug the many unfortunate and embarrassing events in our history that hobbled and even pulled back our development as a nation that explains our continuing inability to learn from our mistakes.

Watching Heneral Luna is like holding a mirror in front of our faces and being confronted with our foibles and follies as a people. This exercise is usually attended by a lot of giggling and defensive laughter, but not while watching Heneral Luna where the sense of rage and anger borne out of realization is almost palpable.

In one scene, Luna successfully sequestered a train to be used to ferry soldiers to the battlefields in Bagbagin and Novaliches; the soldiers could not be accommodated in the train because the officials have already commandeered the train for the pleasure of their families who, naturally got the choice seats. The tempestuous Luna had to throw everyone out lamenting the Filipino’s complete devotion to their families, sometimes to the exclusion and detriment of the country or the common good. This same predilection remains today —I have come across many politicians who, even in public speeches, have intoned the hierarchy of their affections thus: God, Family, Self, and then country. Notice, for example, how we tend to allocate the best seats or the choice arrangements in public occasions for family members of politicians, and how these people eventually prioritize members of their families for political largesse, advantages, and other political benefits—even those who proclaim to be servant leaders and who make a big fuss about how they are all about serv-

cial, is a sure ticket to the vice presidency.

Santa Banana, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo should know her limitation. She said it before when she turned down the initial attempts of Malacañang to make her Mar’s running mate.

I know she would rather continue being a congresswoman for her district, or perhaps run for a higher office like the Senate.

(This is, at least, unlike Senator Grace Poe who said, unabashedly: “I’m your next President.”

Grace promised the moon and the stars to the people. I heard her 20-point

ing their constituents, the poor, and the underprivileged.

There are many of these powerful scenes that tug at our collective conscience because we know these incidents continue to haunt us today. The utter inability among Aguinaldo’s cabinet members to come to an agreement on critical issues and for dissenters to respect decisions arrived at is something is a continuing malady; in our country, our leaders never concede defeat be it an election, an argument, or an advocacy—they scheme, they filibuster, and when all else fails, they wait for their turn to assume power at which point they insist on revising everything to suit their own interests and agenda. This is why many programs never really get institutionalized—most end up being replaced or revised regardless of the fact that they are working well. The legendary amor propio of people in positions of authority, the tendency to display blind obedience to individuals rather than to a chain of command, the predilection of the ruling elite to dissociate themselves from the situations of the majority of the people and to exist in a social vacuum, the tendency to identify with regional affiliations (Caviteños, Kapampangan, Bicolano) rather than think as Filipinos—all these are painfully illustrated in Heneral Luna. All these, are sadly, maladies that we continue to suffer from as a people.

The best movies are those that affect the audience in a powerful way; either provoke higher-level thinking, or move them into positive action. If we have more movies like Heneral Luna, we’d have more luck empowering our people.

It’s easy to blame producers and directors who prefer to churn out inane movies about mistresses and ex-lovers, but the audience is actually not powerless either. If everyone supports Heneral Luna, then more producers and directors will be emboldened to replicate it. So please go and watch Heneral Luna.

I promise you it will be really worth it.

platform encompassing economic, social and cultural issues, including corruption, peace and order, education, infrastructure, tax reform, agriculture, and the West Philippine Sea territory dispute with China, labor and human rights.)

A Mar-Leni tandem.

That’s a losing formula.

People will be asking: Who’s Leni?

Strangely, it seems that widows and children of the dead tend to metamorphose as leaders. When Ninoy Aquino was assassinated, Cory became president. When Cory died, BS Aquino III became president out

of sympathy. Now, we have Grace Poe, adopted daughter of the late movie icon FPJ, running as president.

Now, the President and the Liberal Party would want the widow of Jesse Robredo. *** I’d like to echo the need for the Senate Electoral Tribunal to decide soon on the residency and citizenship issues hanging over the head of Senator Grace Poe, who is running for the presidency.

The filing of certificates of candidacy for national positions is fast approaching.

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

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OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

A POSTSCRIPT ON THE DOJ-INC ISSUE; NAIA SCANNERS VIOLATE PRIVACY

THE recent entry of Senator Grace Poe in the presidential derby triggered many news items about other candidates, declared or otherwise. For instance, Leni Robredo, a possible vice presidential candidate under the Liberal Party, may face criminal charges for allegedly soliciting and receiving funds from foreign sources to finance her 2013 campaign for the congressional seat of Camarines Sur. News about Poe’s presidential run has likewise drawn public attention away from government anomalies. These include the P20 million worth of traffic lights of the Metro Manila Development Authority which recently ended up in Legazpi City in Bicol. So far, MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino has not explained why he should not be held liable for this irregularity.

Another anomaly overlooked is the recent revelation by the Commission on Audit that P141 million worth of relief goods rotted away in the warehouses of the Department of Social Welfare and Development under Secretary Dinky Soliman.

Still another issue forgotten lately is the rift between the Department of Justice under Secretary Leila de Lima, and the Iglesia Ni Cristo religious sect.

It will be recalled that months

ago, a minister of the INC filed a criminal complaint with the DoJ. The minister alleged that he was, among others, abducted by certain officials of the INC supposedly over disagreements over a series of online commentaries. When Secretary De Lima entertained the case, the INC protested on the ground that the state was meddling in the internal affairs of a religious group. Invoking the separation of Church and State mandated by the Constitution, INC members organized a large rally, first along Padre Faura Street in Manila, and later at the intersection of Edsa and Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong.

The rally aggravated the already horrid traffic mess along Edsa and its nearby roads. Grace Poe and Chiz Escudero used the rally to their political advantage, but then that is the topic of another story.

Since a stalemate between Secretary De Lima and the INC seemed forthcoming, officials of the administration of President Benigno Aquino III and some INC leaders held a close-door meeting. At the end of that meeting, the INC announced that its demands were met, but provided no details. On the other hand, the government said no concession was given to, and no

Lesser... From A9

the struggle against the Marcos dictatorship in Cagayan de Oro, Sonja Pacana stands out. Although much younger, she was the best friend of my mother, Lourdes Maestrado La Viña (herself a leader of the causeoriented movement in our city).

Sonja was courage personified.

She died of cancer in Chicago, USA a few years ago.

There were many other women in Mindanao that fought the Marcos regime. Among them is my friend Inday Santiago from Davao City who is fortunately still alive and well contributing to the work of peace in our island.

There were tens of thousands of Moro martyrs in the antiMarcos struggle. Hashim Salamat, revolutionary leader of the Bangsamoro, is just one of them.

Coming from a religious family in Maguindanao, Salamat studied in Egypt and could have remained in exile. Instead he came back to the Philippines to join the Moro National Liberation Front led by Nur Misuari who battled frontally with the Marcos army in the mid-1970s. Later, Salamat would lead a group of idealistic MNLF members to form a new revolutionary organization which they called the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Talking of religious leaders, there was of course Jesuit priest Fr. Godofredo Alingal SJ and PIME priest Tulio Favali who were both killed, the latter by paramilitary forces. Of course, the heroic leadership of Bukidnon Bishop Francisco Claver

My personal favorite is Larry Ilagan, husband of Makabayan Representative Luz Ilagan, who survived martial law and died of cancer in 2001. Larry was a successful lawyer who risked everything to become a human rights lawyer and to fight the Marcos dictatorship. He and his two Davao City colleagues, all members of the Free Legal Assistance Group, Tony Arrelano and Marcos Risonar (the Davao 3 or AIR as they were known) were arrested in 1985 and became a subject of a notorious Supreme Court decision that legitimized illegal arrests.

Romraflo Taojo, a young lawyer who worked closely with former Commissioner of Human Rights Billy Aportadera, at that time a human rights lawyer in Davao, was not so lucky. In the thick of a legal fight in Tagum against military lawyers, Taojo was ruthlessly murdered, shot in his eyes and mouth.

From Davao City also, the writer Freddie Salanga and social development leader Rey Teves must be remembered for their contribution to the struggle.

In my region, Northern Mindanao, we also had pioneering human rights lawyers. Fred Gapus, who died recently, stood out. He worked with Oscar Musni and Eli de la Serna, two young FLAG lawyers who inspired me to be what Romy Capulong called a people’s lawyer.

In recalling the history of

secret agreement was made with, the INC. In the aftermath, de Lima said the criminal case filed by the INC minister in the DoJ will take its natural course in the investigation process.

The equivocal statements given by both sides suggest that the problem was resolved only temporarily. Questions necessarily arise, however. If the INC saw a need for mass action when the DoJ started its investigation, what will happen if the DoJ finds probable cause and rules in favor of the INC minister who filed the criminal complaint? What will the government do if the INC goes back to the streets in protest?

Right now, the spotlight should be on Secretary De Lima, who is considering running for the Senate. If De Lima decides to run, then sooner or later, she will have to resign her DoJ post to begin her campaign. Under the law, however, the DoJ must resolve the INC case within a fixed number of days. If that deadline is breached, the complainant will certainly raise objections.

De Lima’s additional problem is that if she resigns from the DoJ before the INC case is resolved, it will look like she was ordered

by President Aquino to keep her hands off the INC case, or that she wants to court the INC votes during those perilous times cannot be forgotten.

The lumad, too, had their own heroes of the resistance during that time, such leaders as Datu Gawilan and Datu Mambiling Ansabo. As it is today with the killings of lumad educators and leaders, their lands were under threat from development aggression.

As in everywhere in the country, many of those who died were active in the armed resistance against Marcos.

Edgar Jopson (Ateneo de Manila student leader, Manileño by birth but became the leader of the National Democratic Movement in Mindanao) was said to have been extrajudically killed in Davao City in 1982, even after he had surrendered.

Emman Lacaba, born in Cagayan de Oro, poet and warrior who found his true home among workers and peasants, died in an encounter with soldiers in Davao del Norte.

Raymundo Petalcorin came from the same province where Lacaba was killed. A student activist from the University of Mindanao, he left the comforts of city life to be with the masses.

Like Emman, he died in his late twenties.

Mario Romulo Kintanar, who worked with Edgar Jopson and later marred his widow Joy, was luckier in that he survived these comrades. Unfortunately, as an aftermath of the big internal fight in the revolutionary movement in the 1990s, Kintanar was supposedly also assassinated by

in the coming elections. *** Meanwhile, officials operating the Ninoy Aquino International Airport may be courting a breach of privacy suit soon.

NAIA officials admit that the new computerized body scanner installed at the airport can actually see through the clothing of passengers and reveal their naked bodies on the corresponding video monitor. They were quick to insist, however, that the monitor will replace actual images with “caricatures” and that nobody will look at the actual naked bodies appearing on the monitor.

What they conveniently failed to admit is that the images of naked bodies can be retained in the digital memory of the computerized body scanner and match each image with the passenger’s name.

The use of this intrusive device at the NAIA is very unsettling, and should be a cause for alarm for all passengers using the airport. Foreign embassies should also be upset.

Passengers going through a routine body check at the international airport have a reasonable expectation of privacy with respect to the intimate parts of their bodies. In other words, body scanning equipment used at the airport should not be able and upon the order of former comrades.

Finally, I would like to remember Vicente Gonzales Jr. Jun, aka Speedy and many other aliases. Jun was a Pisay scholar, who joined the movement when he was an engineering student in Cebu. He was one of the victims of the CPP-NPA’s Operasyon Ahos and was killed somewhere in Zamboanga del Norte.

According to Jun’s sister: “We have not found his body. According to some stories, his body was “gipaanod sa suba” (thrown to the river) after being interrogated and tortured to a crime he never committed. I hope to visit the place where he was last seen someday to achieve full closure.

According to one of the local priests in Dipolog, this place is like “heaven on earth where one can almost touch the clouds.”

I knew personally several people like Jun, including Dave and Dean Barrios who were also of Dipolog City.

Several student leaders from Xavier University, where I taught in the early 1980s, were also killed in that sad episode of the anti-Marcos struggle. Although it was not the Marcos military that killed these young people, their names and faces must be remembered and never again must what happened to them be repeated.

Never again! Let’s all say this out aloud today—never again!

Facebook: tonylavs5 or Dean Tony La Viña Twitter: tonylavs

to produce images of naked bodies and to capture these images on a video monitor. The scanning devices are supposed to detect illegal objects concealed by a passenger, and not to see through the clothing of people.

In extreme cases, an extensive body search of a suspicious person may be warranted, but that is done physically in a private, secured place, without any video recording equipment around.

As stated earlier, if the body scanning equipment used at the NAIA can see through clothes and capture the naked image of a passenger on a video monitor, the same equipment can record the naked image in a digital memory file. This creates the haunting specter of unscrupulous airport personnel—and there are many of them—secretly using the body scanning equipment for perverted purposes, and even for blackmail.

The disclaimer offered by airport authorities is not enough.

Everyone subjected to body inspection at the NAIA, Filipino or otherwise, has the constitutional right to privacy with respect to the intimate parts of their bodies. Those scanners must be replaced by non-intrusive devices.

Concerned citizens should file a case for habeas data, as well as anti-graft raps, against the airport authorities.

Damn... From A9 Of course, this is Contreras’ theory, which cannot really be gleaned from the results of the SWS survey. But even if the survey company insists on conducting its strange survey method, it can easily find out if that theory holds, the professor explains.

“There would have been more meaning that can be drawn from the survey if SWS would also provide us the percentage of voters for each candidate who also wrote the name of the other candidates,” he says. “It would not have been an extra effort. All they had to do was to cross-tabulate.”

But the news media and even the candidates themselves are not helping to make sense of the SWS survey, which they report as if it was just a regular poll taken and interpreted the regular way. This, Contreras says, eliminates any possible value that may be derived from what is an important tool to judge public opinion at a given time.

“As it is, this SWS survey is one that would not even pass as a defensible undergraduate thesis,” Contreras says. “That it is now used by many politicians, opinion makers and media people without question, to my mind, makes SWS guilty of a serious offense not only against the science of statistics, but also against democratic politics.”

Lying through statistics is not new, of course. Just like losing even after winning the surveys isn’t new, either.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

‘Pagara, Magsayo are future of boxing’

By Ronnie Nathanielsz NONITO “Dodong” Donaire Sr., the father and trainer of five-division world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire, believes that International Boxing Federation Intercontinental super bantamweight champion Prince Albert Pagara and IBF Youth featherweight champion Mark Magsayo are the future of Philippine boxing.

EuroBasket kings. Spain’s center Pau Gasol (rear center) and his teammates celebrate after Spain won the final basketball match between Spain and Lithuania at the EuroBasket 2015 in Lille, northern France. AFP

Red-hot Velez dominates netfest PATRICIA Velez kept the momentum of her two-title romp last week, winning the girls’ 16- and 18-andunder titles in emphatic fashion while Klyde Lagarde took the boys’ 14-U crown in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group tennis tournament at the M’lang Tennis Club in M’lang, North Cotabato yesterday.

Velez, Davao’s leading junior netter, overpowered Jazzelle Madis, 6-3, 6-2, to pocket the 16-U diadem then smothered Arnie Joy Diaz, 6-2, 6-0, in the centerpiece division to duplicate her feat in Gen. Santos City where she bested Danna Abad and Nicole Bautista.

Lagarde, on the other hand, stunned top seed Wilfred Bentil-

lo, 6-2, 6-1, in the semifinals then dominated John David Velez, 6-1, 6-0, as the rising Gen. Santos City bet, ranked fourth in the 32-player draw, snared the 14-U title in the Group 3 event hosted by Mayor Joselito Piñol and presented by Technifibre.

“We thank Palawan Pawnshop for this long-running, nationwide tennis program for the youth, especially for the young players here at M’lang, Cotabato,” said Piñol.

Third seed Jarel Edanga from Surala took the boys’ 18-U plum with a thrilling 6-3, 6-4 win over top seed Jefferson Alqueza from Kidapawan, who got back at his tormentor with a tough 7-6(2), 6-3 victory for the 16-U diadem.

Lancers rout USC Warriors

By Mikey Izumi CEBU City—In a game that was expected to be an intensely competitive affair, the 10-time champions University of the Visayas Green Lancers routed the University of San Carlos Warriors, 74-43, in the second round of eliminations of the 15th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum on Sunday.

From the opening tip-off, the Green Lancers launched a blistering attack to race to a 31-13 start and a 44-19 halftime lead as they almost totally shut down the inside presence of USC’s Cameroonian import Shooster Olago by switching UV’s defensive trio of Arvie Cabañero, Alwin Aguirre and their other Cameroonian import Steve Akomo, on him.

The Green Lancers did the same against the outside

shooters of the Warriors as their pesky defense forced the Warriors to shoot a dismal 1-of-21 attempts from behind the arc.

The Warriors staged a minor rally in the third quarter as they cut the lead to 19, 58-39, but the Green Lancers countered with a 9-2 run capped by Alfred Codilla’s 3-pointer to thwart any hopes the Warriors had of coming back.

Codilla, who finished with 18 points and two rebounds was named the Best Player of the Game by Viva Sports Panelists TV panelists Rico Navarro and Sandi Grumo.

Leonard Santillan had 14 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists; while Akomo had 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Shooster Olago was the only USC Warriors’ player in double figures with 13 points and 13 rebounds. The 43 points that USC scored was the lowest this season.

“The rash of reversals further underscored the level playing field that has marked all our tournaments this year. Although Patricia (Velez) dominated her division again, it was close call majority of the final matches,” said Palawan Pawnshop COO Bobby Castro.

David Velez, also from Davao, likewise rebounded from his loss to Lagarde as he copped the 12-U crown with a 6-2, 6-1 romp over JV Comendador while local bet Cedric Pamplona rallied from a set down to repulse Tennielle Madis in a thrilling tie-breaker, 0-4, 5-3, 11-9, to snatch the 10-unisex title in the event sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop.

Wilt Krjie Naliponguit of Adamson University

In an overseas telephone conversation from his gym in Oakland, California, Donaire told The Standard/ boxingmirror.com that Pagara, who sparred with super flyweight Joebert Alvarez, a protégé of Donaire, “is very good but he needs to slow down a little because he is tense and wants to knock his opponent out right away.”

He said the undefeated Prince Albert is “a good, disciplined fighter. He is the future.”

Donaire was also impressed with unbeaten Magsayo.

“He is also a big potential for the Philippines,” said Donaire, who however remarked that they (Pagara and Magsayo) still have a lot of things to learn.

“While they have the talent and the power, they still have a few weaknesses,” said Donaire. “But they can be corrected because the two young fighters from the famed ALA Gym are wiling to listen and learn.”

Donaire said that World

Boxing Organization No. 2-ranked light welterweight Jason Pagara is in a tough weight division, suggesting that “maybe, he should try to go down to lightweight (135 pounds) because he’ll be much better.”

“Jason, he is not really big for 140 pounds and is a little chubby and needs to be disciplined,” Donaire said.

The Pagara brothers and Magsayo will be featured on ALA Promotions’ initial venture in the US in a fight card headlined by WBO light flyweight champion Donnie Nietes at the StubHub Center in Carson City, California on Oct. 17.

Jason Pagara faces former World Boxing Association super featherweight Interim title challenger Santos Benavidez, a 33-year-old with a record of 25-7-2 with 19 knockouts and who is coming off back-to-back wins over Jay Krupp whom he knocked out in the eighth round on June 20 this year after scoring a first-round TKO over Cody Richard on May 8.

La Salle, Adamson advance to finals LA SALLE Greenhills and Adamson University bested top contenders from the National Capital Region to win the coveted Small Basketeers of the PhilippinesPasserelle championship recently held at the Ateneo Blue Eagle Gym. Adamson University, in their second year to join the tournament, already made it to the National finals, defeating Ateneo de Manila University in the Passerelle category, 7663. For the SBP category, La Salle Greenhills triumphed over their longterm rival Xavier School, 42-36, gaining back their NCR championship title La Salle Greenhills and National University placed third and fourth respectively in the Passerelle category while Ateneo de Manila University won against Chiang Kai Shek College, 51-31, in the SBP category.

This year, the SBP Passerelle Twin Tournament has assembled 600 of the country’s most promising cagers, with kids 9-11 years old competing in the SBP tournament and kids 12-

14 years competing in the Passerelle Tournament, all putting the lessons they learned from BEST Center to the test.

Sponsored by MILO and supported by Chris Sports, the SBP-Passerelle Twin Tournament was founded in 1986 and is organized by the award-winning Basketball Efficiency and Scientific Training Center.

It provides budding young basketeers a platform to showcase their basketball skills, as well as foster camaraderie and sportsmanship among the participating schools, the players and their parents.

For more information, please call the BEST Center hotlines 411-6260 or 371-3065, or visit BEST Center Sports Inc. on Facebook.

Celebrating 36 years of producing basketball legends, the Best Center is the pioneer scientific sports clinic in the country and was cited with an Olympism Award by the Philippine Olympic Committee, and installed in the Hall of Fame by the Philippine Sportswriters Association.

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Bingo Bonanza badminton listup on REGISTRATION for the P1.5 million Bingo Bonanza National Open badminton tournament is ongoing with organizers expecting another full-packed field when the event is held Oct. 11-18 at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex Badminton Hall and at Glorietta 5 Atrium in Makati City.

Fee is pegged at P800 with the listup ending on Sept. 30 at 5 p.m. The list of players will be posted on Oct. 1 with the draw set on Oct. 3, according to the organizing EventKing Corp.

The schedule will be posted on Oct. 5 while the team managers, coaches and players meeting will be held Oct. 7. For details and online listup, visit wwww. bingob.com/nationalopentournament or email or fax to EKC at info@eventkingcorp.com.ph.

The qualifiers will be held in the first four days at the RMSC Badminton Hall before action shifts to Glorietta for the quarterfinals from Oct. 15 all to the way to the finals starting at 1 p.m. on Oct. 18.

Gelita Castilo and Marky Alcala captured the singles crowns in last year’s revival of the event, sponsored by Bingo Bonanza in its effort to help develop and promote the sport. The country’s premier amusement center used to the chief backer of big-time badminton tournaments since the early 2000s.

Other titles to be disputed in the event, sponsored

by Gatorade, Glorietta, Smash Pilipinas and the Philippine Olympic Committee and sanctioned by the Philippine Badminton Association headed by Vice President Jejomar Binay and sec-gen Rep. Albee Benitez, are the the men’s and ladies doubles and the mixed doubles.

Britain, Belgium clash in final PARIS—Great Britain and Belgium secured shock places in November’s Davis Cup final on Sunday while 17-time major winner Roger Federer cast doubt over his future in the competition.

Andy Murray of Great Britain holds his country’s flag after his reverse singles victory against Bernard Tomic of Australia in the Davis Cup tennis semi-final between Great Britain and Australia in Glasgow, Scotland. AFP

8th Anvaya Cove Triathlon slated THE first class Anvaya Cove Beach and Nature Club in Morong, Bataan opens its doors once again to triathletes from around the nation as the eighth Anvaya Cove Invitation Triathlon fires off on Oct. 17 and 18.

As in previous editions of the annual multisport event, the first day of action will see a series of SuperTriKids side events that will start at 3 p.m., such as the short distance aquathlon (25 meter swim-200 meter run) for participants aged 8 and below, a 200 M swim-2 Kilometer bike – 1 Km run triathlon for 9 to 10 years-old and a 300 M swim – 4 Km bike – 2 Km run triathlon for 11-12 years old.

The next day in the event supported by Globe Business and Gatorade, the longer races of Standard Distance (1.5 Km swim – 40 Km bike – 10 Km run), Sprint Distance (750 M swim – 20 Km bike – 1 Km run) and mini-Sprint (500 M swim –

9 Km bike – 2.5 Km run) triathlons will start at 6:30 a.m.

This year the new bike course for Standard Distance will have a portion at the new South Park area which is not as steep as last year’s golf club leg.

Top 3 categorical winners in race distances will be awarded with trophies for their achievements. The STK races awarding ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. of Saturday while the next day’s awarding ceremony for other categories will start at 10 a.m.

The Anvaya Cove Beach and Nature Club has new rooms to offer participants and their families and friends, so that the ultimate resort triathlon experience can be had by many. Support teams and family members of participants who won’t be staying at ACBNC will be charged a day guest fee of P400 per person. The guest fees include P250 consumable applicable to food

and beverages only.

Registration fees set at P3,500 (Sprint/Mini-Sprint), P8,000 (Sprint Relay), P4,000 (Standard Distance) and P1,000 (STK) up to September 30, 2015. Effective October 1 the fees will be P4,500 (Sprint/Mini-Sprint), P11,000 (Sprint Relay) and P5,000 (Standard Distance).

The fees, which will cover guest fees, insurance and participation cost, entitles participants to post-race meals, race packets, and a finisher’s t-shirt.

Registration is ongoing at the TRAP Head Office at Unit 405, Building B, Philsports Complex in Pasig City as well as at SPEEDO Concept Stores (Alabang Town Center, SM Megamall, The Podium, Glorietta 4 Makati, Bonifacio High Street and SM Mall of Asia).

The TRAP can be contacted at tel. Nos. 710-8259, 3996598, 0921-9954764 and 09156394233.

Britain made their first final since 1978 with victory over Australia in Glasgow thanks to world number three Andy Murray’s 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 win over Bernard Tomic in the first reverse singles.

With two-time Grand Slam winner Murray in their ranks they will start as favourites to win a first Davis Cup since 1936 when they go to Belgium for the November 27-29 final.

Belgium reached their first title match since 1904 with a tense 3-2 win over Argentina in Brussels with Steve Darcis, the world number 64, needing a fourth match point to defeat Federico Delbonis 6-4, 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3).

When Belgium last made the final in 1904 their opponents were also Britain who swept to a 5-0 triumph.

The 28-year-old Murray celebrated his 25th win from 27 Davis Cup singles matches as Britain secured a first victory over old rivals Australia since 1978.

Nine-time winners Britain last won the Davis Cup in 1936 when Fred Perry and Bunny Austin sealed a 3-2 victory over Australia at Wimbledon.

“Winning for your country and your team-mates means a lot. The crowd were unbelievable from the first ball to the last,” Murray told the BBC. “I didn’t feel great the whole weekend to be honest, I’ve been struggling with my back, but I just tried to disguise it.”

It is a remarkable turnaround for a British team that have risen from being on the verge of relegation to Europe/Africa Group III in 2010 to being finalists in 2015.

In Brussels, world number 15 David Goffin kept Belgium afloat against Argentina with a routine 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 win over Diego Schwartzman to level their semifinal at 2-2.

Darcis, 31, then sealed victory for a Belgian side which had knocked out defending champions Switzerland in the first round. AFP

Training tips for triathlon newbies MORE and more Filipinos are catching the triathlon bug. With various triathlon competitions happening across the country and many celebrities endorsing the sport, it’s not surprising that a lot of Pinoys are also keen on becoming triathletes.

However, triathlon can be intimidating for newcomers. “Triathlon is an endurance sport, which requires high fitness level and extensive training. Athletes also need to have adequate knowledge of triathlon’s core sports, which are swimming, cycling and running. Of course, the training should be complemented with healthy diet and regular exercise,” says Dr. Nicky Montoya, president of MediCard Philippines.

Here are helpful tips for those who are planning to join a triathlon race: Swimming Know the right swimming techniques. Triathlon begins with a race in open water, which can get chaotic without a roped-off lane line to

follow and having swimmers in close proximity to each other. To dispel anxiety that may arise from such a situation, swimmers are advised to improve their breathing technique.

Swimming skills, like hand entry, freestyle, sighting, and drafting can also help them move swiftly and get ahead of other challengers.

Be familiar with the open water. The open water environment can be unpredictable. It may be too deep or too cold, which can be challenging for those who are used to swimming in the pool.

To familiarize themselves with this environment, swimmers should practice swimming in the open water especially during the race season.

Get used to wearing a wetsuit. Swimmers who are not used to wearing a wetsuit may feel their arms and shoulders getting heavier, find their strokes constrained and feel more buoyant. Training in a wetsuit can help triathletes adapt to these discomforts.

Cycling Master the bike mechanics. Cycling mastery

does not only help triathletes race faster without spending too much energy; it can also help them avoid fatigue and injury. Important biking techniques to master include accurate pedal strokes including circular strokes, cadence, proper shifting of gears, and body positioning.

A good body position relaxes the upper body, which allows more oxygen to be used by the leg muscles.

Practice scenarios similar to the race day.

Biking the race course before the event day can help athletes familiarize themselves with the terrain and provide them with insights on the best cycling workouts that go well with the race condition. Triathletes are also advised to practice cycling with their gears on to get used to their equipment.

Running Do brick sessions regularly. A brick session means running immediately after cycling. Running, which comes after cycling, is often considered as the most challenging

part in a triathlon race because of reduced leg muscle power and blood shunting, when the body needs time for the blood to be redistributed from the muscles used for cycling to the muscles required for running. To help the body adapt to the biking-running transition smoothly, triathletes are advised to do brick sessions regularly (1-2 per week).

Practice negative splitting. Negative splitting means completing the second half of a race faster than the first half. Studies reveal that this strategy improves the overall triathlon performance by helping the athletes conserve energy and speed up near the end of the race. Negative splitting takes practice and discipline and becomes a more effective tool as athletes gain more racing experience.

The MediCard Lifestyle Center offers quality and diverse medical and specialty services, including nutrition counselling, diet management and a yoga fitness facility. For more information, visit http://mlc.medicardphils.com.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Lascuna eyes redemption TONY Lascuña vows to atone for a pair of poor performances that cost him a fourth Order of Merit title as he heads the field in the season-ending ICTSI Tournament Players’ Championship beginning tomorrow at Sherwood Hills Golf Club in Trece Martirez, Cavite.

While his ball-striking and iron game remain solid, Lascuña rues the loss of his putting touch that has anchored his domination of the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour the last three years but ruined his drive for a fourth straight plum in the money race.

“I just couldn’t seem to putt right in the last two tournaments, especially at Luisita where I finished outside of Top 10 in a long while,” said the ace Davaoñeo shotmaker, who ended up 12th in the inaugural Central Azucarera de Tarlac and yielded the OOM title to young gun Miguel Tabuena.

“But Miguel is playing exceptionally well. He’s

good but I could’ve salvaged my season had my putting clicked last week,” said Lascuña, who nevertheless vowed to get back on track in the P3.5 million TPC marking the end of the local golfing season sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. Tabuena, who has secured the OOM title with back-to-back victories at ICTSI Open at Wack Wack and at Luisita, and Angelo Que won’t be around for the PGT final tournament but Lascuña still faces a slew of talented rivals, headed by Jay Bayron, Elmer Salvador, Orlan Sumcad, Clyde Mondilla, Cassius Casas, Zanieboy Gialon and Jhonnel Ababa.

Lascuña won five tournaments last year to extend his reign as OOM champion for the third year but went winless in the first half of this year’s circuit although he has posted a number of top five finishes to keep him among the OOM contenders.

He grabbed the lead with back-to-back victories at ICTSI Apo and ICTSI Classic at Mt. Malarayat and looked headed for another banner year when he led by four in the final round at ICTSI Open at Wack Wack.

But he floundered in the last 18 holes and turned in a career worst final round output of 79, yielding the title to Tabuena before turning in a below-par performance at Luisita.

Mars Pucay, who routed the field to snap a long title spell and win this event at Southlinks last year, is also in the fold, ready to defend the crown and give some push to an otherwise mediocre season.

Christine Patrimonio (right) and her sister Clarice are looking to surpass their disappointing quarterfinal finishes in the 2014 edition of the Philippine Columbian Association Open-Cebuana Lhuillier Wildcard Event.

Patrimonio sisters seek better show

Singapore GP champ. Ferrari’s German driver Sebastian Vettel celebrates his victory on the podium after the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix in Singapore. AFP

SISTER Clarice and Christine Patrimonio will be front and center today as they begin their ladies’ singles campaign in the 34th Philippine Columbian Association Open-Cebuana Lhuillier Wildcard Event at the PCA Open clay courts in Paco, Manila.

Top seed Clarice will pit her skills against Erika Manduriao, while seventh pick Christine faces off with Kimberly Keethler in the event supported by Cebuana Lhuillier, Puma, Dunlop, The Philippine Star, Head, Babolat, Compass/IMOSTI and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao.

The Patrimonio sisters, who are looking to surpass their disappointing quarterfinal finishes in 2014, have never won a PCA title. The powerhouse siblings have never been so eager to end that curse.

Last year, Clarice bowed to Hannah Grace Espinosa, 6-7 (0), 6-2, 3-6 as her older sister Christine lost to 2014 champion Marian Jade Capadocia, 1-6, 4-6, in the tournament supported by Whilpool/Fujidenzo, Broadway Motor Sales Corp. Coca-

Cola Fesma Philippines, Tyrecorp Incorporated, Pearl Garden Hotel, Metro Global Holdings Corporation, Avida, PVL Restaurant, Mary Grace Foods, Inc., Seno Hardware and Wire Rope Corporation.

Defending champ Capadocia failed to make it to the deadline this year.

Second seed Marinel Rudas is expected to deliver a tremendous performance against Jana Exconde for a stab at the ladies title.

Not to be overlooked are Edilyn Balanga, Maia Balce, Sjaira Hope Rivera, Rafaella Villanueva and Espinosa who will be joining the fray in the first round.

Balanga battles Precian Ever Rivera; Balce goes up against Princess Castillo, Rivera meets Ana Atangan and Espinosa slugs it out against Monica Cortez.

Meantime, in men’s doubles play, No. 8 Leander Lazaro and Marc Reyes defeated Paolo Baran and Jeric Delos Santos, 6-2, 6-4, to advance into the second round along with Andrew Tangalin and Jordan Villanueva who thrashed

Renoso Valderama and Anhony Morante, 6-3, 6-1.

The tandem of Jimmy Tangalin and Marvelous Cortez came back from a rocky start to beat Arc Dolorito and Wilson Oblea, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 10-5, while Dave Mosqueda and Francis Dominic dominated Lanzado Lawrence Obdina and Mark Clarence Cabahug, right off the start, 6-3, 6-1.

Abson Alejandre and Chris Prulla, Fritz Verdad and Al Michael Madrio, Raffy Santiago and Raymond Diaz, Jigo Pena and Francis Edilbert Alcantara, Engelbert Dionisio and Bernard Arce, and Ralph Antonio and Claudio Canlas got off easy with walkover wins.

The No. 1 tandem of Patrick John Tierro and Johnny Arcilla, No. 2 Marc Alcoseba and Elbert Anasta, No. 3 Ronard Joven and Francis Casey Alcantara and No. 4 Roel Capangpangan and Joseph Arcilla are granted openinground byes.

Men’s singles action resume on Wednesday.

Junior Tigresses gain share of top spot UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas posted twin victories over the weekend to tie defending girls’ champion National University in first place at the end of first round action of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 78 high school volleyball tournament at the Adamson University gym.

The Junior Tigresses beat De La Salle-Zobel, 25-20, 25-18, 2514, and University of the East, 25-16, 25-22, 25-11, to give the Season 77 second placers a 5-1 record.

The Bullpups bid for a first round sweep got stalled by Adamson, 25-13, 25-21, 23-25, 1225, 11-15 last Saturday before

bouncing back the next day with an emphatic 25-14, 25-11, 25-8 victory over Far Eastern University-Diliman to also finish at 5-1.

The Alabang-based Junior Lady Spikers settled for third with a 4-2 slate after a 25-15, 2519, 25-20 decision over the Baby Falcons.

UE is running fourth at 3-3,

followed by joint fifth placers Adamson and FEU-Diliman, both sporting 2-4 cards.

In the boys’ division, NU completed a six-game sweep of the first round after beating last season’s runner-up Ateneo, 25-23, 25-14, 25-16, and UST, 19-25, 25-18, 22-25, 25-14, 15-8.

The Junior Warriors wound

up second with a 5-1 slate, as the reigning champions downed the Tiger Cubs, 25-22, 25-21, 25-21, and the Baby Tamaraws, 25-19, 25-20, 25-20.

FEU-Diliman ended up the first round at 4-2 in third spot, while UST is in fourth with an even 3-3 card. The Blue Eaglets are in fifth place at 2-4.

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Gilas PH ready for battle

By Jeric Lopez

GILAS Pilipinas has declared itself ready to go to war in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship, as the team left the country yesterday amid high expectations after a week of intense training camp in Cebu.

According to reports, the nationals already arrived in Changsa, China, the venue of the tournament, which dangles a lone spot for the Asian champion for the 2016 Rio Olympics set next year in August.

The nationals are confident of their chances against the best teams in Asia, with a betterconditioned Andray Blatche and a team which had improved its cohesiveness and fluidity.

“We’re in a much better shape

know. I think we’re ready,” said Gilas coach Tab Baldwin. “All of our preparations will now come to play. We have everything we need from scouting reports to the system we’d like to run.

We’re a better team now with better cohesion. It’s now for us to do our best.’’

The Cebu camp, which ended with an additional practice last Sunday, capped an impressive stint in the Jones Cup, where Gilas finished second and a

four-team pocket tournament held in Manila, which they won.

“The tournaments and games that we played in really helped us a lot in terms of gauging ourselves and where we’re at,’’ said Baldwin. “We’re able to adjust and correct the mistakes we saw from there to tighten screws.’’

The Philippine Team starts its FIBA Asia campaign tomorrow against Palestine at 11:45 a.m. in Group B play of the opening round before it faces Hong Kong on Thursday and Kuwait on Friday. Gilas Pilipinas has been picked to sweep all its games in the initial round before plunging to a much tougher competition in the second round onwards.

The top three teams in the group will join the top three squads from Group A, which is composed of Japan, Malaysia, India and defending champion

Iran, in second round play to form Group E wherein teams will carry its records over and play the teams they haven’t played yet. From there, the top four teams, along with the top four from the other side of the bracket, advance to the quarterfinals.

Blatche, the team’s naturalized star, used the past week to get himself in better condition after he took some time off in the middle of training to attend to his ailing mother in the United States. The former National Basketball Association player standout is now in better condition and is looking to spearhead the Philippines’ attack.

“He (Blatche) is getting better and he’s been working hard.

We’re looking forward for his contributions for us,’’ said Baldwin.

Legions of Ilonggos prep up on their marks before the gunstart of the 39th National MILO Marathon in Iloilo.

LOTTO RESULTS 6/55 00-00-00-00-00-00 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 4 DIGITS 0-0-0-0 3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

TWO-DIVISION world champion Brian Viloria’s training is ahead of schedule as he prepares for the biggest fight of his life against undefeated pound-for-pound No.1, World Boxing Council flyweight champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez of Nicaragua at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 17.

Hall of Fame trainer Freddie

Roach’s assistant, Filipino Marvin Somodio told The Standard/boxingmiror.com that Viloria “is doing great in training and Brian is ahead of schedule.”

Somodio revealed that Viloria is only four pounds over the flyweight limit and he is very motivated to get that green and gold World Boxing Council belt.

He said Viloria has been sparring with former world champion,

ILOILO CITY—After a two-week hiatus, the 39th National MILO Marathon made a big return in Iloilo this Sunday, and drew over 17,000 runners who participated in the country’s most prestigious footrace. The local government of Iloilo showed its support for the MILO Marathon with the presence of Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and Vice Mayor Jose Espinosa, III. Mayor Mabilog demonstrated the importance of exercise to his constituents by participating as a runner in the 5K race while Vice Mayor Rojas sounded the gun start.

With the advantage of two additional weeks for training, NMM regulars Romulo Balinas and Lorena Blanco shared the spotlight at the 21K centerpiece event. Balinas clocked in at 01:17:13, besting hundreds of runners in the men’s 21K division. Bennis Murillo (01:18:04) and Norlan Warizal (01:19:20) completed the top 3 male 21K finishers.

The male champ was delighted with the outcome of his performance despite a setback during the race. “I am glad I was the first to cross the finish line even though I knew I was losing speed towards the finish,” Balinas said.

“The cramps slowed me down in the last 5K of the race but it’s a good thing I was able to cope up with the pain—a skill that I owe to my training,” he said.

After placing seventh from last year’s elimination race, the University of St. La Salle Bacolod alumni steeled himself to reach for the top rank. “I literally pushed myself to undergo rigorous training in the last three weeks,” he said. “With this victory, it only shows that hard work does pay off.”

Filipino Rodel Mayol and a tough Mexican kid.

Meantime, Gonzalez was also reported by the WBC to be looking in great shape as he continues his training grind in Costa Rica.

“He needs the very best build-up in preparations of his career,” the WBC reported, acknowledging that Viloria “is an accomplished as well as dangerous rival, who will try his utmost to dethrone him.”

PSA Forum tackles beach volley, ice hockey BEACH volleyball and ice hockey are two of the featured topics when the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum resumes its regular session today at Shakey’s Malate.

Philippine team players Bea Tan, Lindsey Dowd, Charo Soriano, and Alexa Micek are going to talk about their coming campaigns in the ‘Fit to Hit Beach Volley Invitational Manila.’

They will be joined in the session aired live over DZSR Sports Radio 918 and presented by San Miguel Corp., Shakey’s, Accel, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., by LVPI secretary-general Ricky Palou and head of Solar Sports Ralph Roy. Sharing the limelight with the volleyball people is the Federation of Hockey League Inc. led by

president Chris Sy as it discusses its recent campaigns in the Malaysian Invitational Ice Hockey and Hong Kong Academy Ice Hockey tournaments, respectively.

With Mr. Sy in the public sports program that starts at 10:30 a.m. are competition director Francois Gautier, player Carlo Angelo Tigaronita, and coach Carlo Montano.

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2 newcomers hog spotlight in Milo race

Viloria’s training ahead of schedule

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

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Brian Viloria (right) with elite trainer Freddie Roach

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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 Dream comes true for new no. 1 Day CHICAGO—Jason Day has been making golf look simple lately but, after claiming the world number one ranking he had long coveted, revealed that it had been anything but easy.

“It’s been very, very difficult for me to try and downplay getting to number one, because I’ve really wanted to reach this goal for a long time now,” the 27-year-old Australian said after another convincing win in the US PGA Tour’s BMW Championship catapulted him to the top.

Day led wire-to-wire—jump-starting his run with a spectacular first-round 61 and never looking back.

His 22-under total of 262 had echoes of his record-setting 20-under triumph at the PGA Championship last month, where Day at last broke through for his first major title.

His fifth win of the season has him poised atop the FedEx Cup playoff standings—in pole position to seize the $10 million playoff bonus at the season-ending Tour Championship.

Patrimonio sisters seek better PCA net showing TURN TO A14

Jason Day of Australia beams after winning the Final Round of the BMW Championship at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, Illinois. AFP

But it is the number one ranking that resonates with Day, even though he is the third man in three weeks to claim it after Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy traded the top spot.

Day said it was a dream he had nursed since childhood, when he was inspired by the exploits of Tiger Woods.

But Day was chided as a presumptuous upstart when, as a young pro, he told a group of reporters on a conference call that he believed he could topple Woods from the summit.

Day admitted Sunday that he was unprepared for the criticism he received then.

“It wasn’t the response that I was expecting,” he said. “I mean, I expected to get a little bit, but not the response that I got from practically everyone.”

As his career progressed, and Day’s undeniable talent failed to yield a major title, the naysayers gained steam.

But all that changed in August, when he built on the momentum of another major near-miss at the British Open to win the Canadian Open, then make his major breakthrough at Whistling Straits.

Fueled by critics Now with four wins in his last six events, he’s on top of the world—and can afford to be magnanimous when contem-

plating his earlier critics.

“I’d love to say, ‘I told you so,’ but that wouldn’t be very nice,” Day chuckled.

“I would still thank them, because that was kind of the fuel that lit the fire for me, especially with the dedication over these last few years.

“I know that a lot of people were thinking against me on that.”

Reaching number one hasn’t left Day devoid of goals. Even with five wins to Spieth’s four this season he knows the 22-year-old American’s two major titles and wealth of other strong finishes could still make him the pick for PGA Tour player of the year.

Day would like to strengthen his claim to that honor with one more win in the Tour Championship.

Looking further ahead, he wants to add more Grand Slams to his resume.

It doesn’t leave much time to contemplate the view from the top—which Day said so far doesn’t seem that different anyway.

“It just feels normal,” he said. “I feel like I did yesterday, the same. Once again, I’m just a regular guy like everyone else.

“Everyone has dreams. As long as you stick to them and work hard, you can accomplish anything.” AFP

Viloria’s training ahead of schedule TURN TO A15

Red Lions try to maximize their strength

By Peter Atencio WITH at least Games Today (San Juan Arena) six teams fig- 10 a.m. -- EAC vs Perpetual (jrs) 12 nn. -- San Sebastian vs uring in a tight San Beda (jrs) race for the Fi2 p.m. -- EAC vs Perpetual (srs) nal Four, the 4 p.m. --San Sebastian vs San Beda Red San Beda (srs) Lions hope to maximize their strength by making full use of their deep bench in the final stretch of the 91st National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament.

San Beda coach Mike Jarin said they will start digging deep beginning in their 4 p.m. game today against the San Sebastian Stags at the San Juan Arena.

“We had combinations which the players were not used to. Like a guard playing a forward, and 2 players acting like a 5. I take responsibility in our loss of the lead in our last game. But we need to give everybody exposure coming into the playoffs.

Last push na ito,” said Jarin.

If the Red Lions get past the Stags, they will pull two games ahead of Letran and grab a firmer grip on the solo lead at 12-3 (win-loss) card, which would give them a good head-start in the race for the Top 2 spots in the semifinals.

Last Thursday, the Red Lions roared past the Lyceum Pirates, 87-80, but not after losing an 18-point halftime lead. That game saw Jarin experiment with combinations, as he gave his second stringers playing time to build their confidence.

That same day, the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers ambushed the Letran Knights, 86-80, giving the Red Lions the solo lead.

B1

TUESDAY: SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

PSALM to face plunder raps

By Alena Mae S. Flores

SAN Miguel Corp. is readying plunder charges this week against the management of Power Sector Assets Management Corp. for alleged fraud in the contract of the Sual coal-fired power plant in Pangasinan, the company’s top executive said Monday.

San Miguel president Ramon Ang said San Miguel Energy Corp., a unit of San Miguel which won the contract to manage the output of Sual plant in 2009, was being asked by PSALM to pay for 1,200-megawatt capacity of the facility, when the plant’s actual output was only 1,000 MW. “This week, we will file plunder case against PSALM for Sual because… it cost so much damage for the Philippine government. I will

file it with the DoJ [Department of Justice],” San Miguel president Ramon Ang told reporters.

Ang said San Miguel had consulted its legal team who claimed PSALM’s actions qualified as plunder.

“We wrote them [PSALM] a legal demand one year ago and told them that it is not legal. We will take legal action and since we are not talking, it’s about time,” Ang said.

PSALM, which terminated a contract of a unit of San Miguel

over the management of another power facility—the Ilijan power plant in Batangas, has yet to respond to the new accusation of San Miguel.

Ang said while the conglomerate’s energy arm paid for the operations and maintenance expenses of the Sual power plant, the company enjoyed less than 100 percent of the contracted output.

“The contract of the government, of PSALM, when the plant was put up was 1,000 megawatts. Then some time after GMA [President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo] left in 2009, the one who put up the plant [Team Energy] said the plant is now at 1,200 MW, when it is only at 1,000 MW,” Ang told reporters.

San Miguel Energy offered PSALM $1.072 billion to manage and sell the output of the Sual power plant during the privatization process in August 2009.

“So there was a dispute because they were asking us to pay for 1,200 MW when it’s only 1,000 MW. That’s illegal and we will sue PSALM for that. At the last minute, they changed it to 1,200 MW,” Ang said.

Sual was built by Team Energy, a joint venture between Marubeni Corp. and Tokyo Electric Power Corp.

San Miguel Energy said prior to the privatization of the Sual independent power producer administrator contract, PSALM and Team Energy, the builder of the plant, signed a memorandum of agreement covering the Sual power plant’s excess capacity.

When the output of the plant was bidded out, PSALM imposed the same agreement on San Miguel Energy as the IPP administrator.

Starting November 2009, Team Energy used the agreement as basis to claim payments for excess generation from San Miguel Energy.

PSe comPoSite index Closing September 21, 2015

8000 7700 7400 7100 6800 6500

7,092.41 39.50

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing SEPTEMBER 21, 2015 43.50 44.60 45.40

P46.470

46.20

CLOSE

47.00

HIGH P46.455 LOW P46.560 AVERAGE P46.516 VOLUME 574.200M

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 P20.75-P21.75 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Monday, September 21, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate

SMC preferred shares. San Miguel Corp. marks the listing of P33.5 billion worth of preferred shares in a bell-ringing ceremony at the

Philippine Stock Exchange Monday. Shown at the ceremony are (from left) SMC head of treasury Sergio Edeza; SMC director Aurora Calderon; SMC chief finance officer Ferdinand Constantino; SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang; PSE Chairman Jose Pardo; PSE director Amor Iliscupidez, PSE director Ma. Vivian Yuchengco; PSE president and chief executive Hans Sicat; and PSE director Alejandro Yu.

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

46.4930

Japan

Yen

0.008336

0.3876

UK

Pound

1.553400

72.2222

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129039

5.9994

Switzerland

Franc

1.032951

48.0250

Canada

Dollar

0.756716

35.1820

Singapore

Dollar

0.713623

33.1785

Australia

Dollar

0.722596

33.5957

Bahrain

Dinar

2.654773

123.4284

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266738

12.4014

Brunei

Dollar

0.711086

33.0605

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0033

Thailand

Baht

0.028137

1.3082

UAE

Dirham

0.272316

12.6608

Euro

Euro

1.129700

52.5231

Korea

Won

0.000860

0.0400

China

Yuan

0.157126

7.3053

India

Rupee

0.015221

0.7077

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.237756

11.0540

New Zealand

Dollar

0.641519

29.8261

Taiwan

Dollar

0.030948

1.4389 Source: PDS Bridge

Energy lifts suspension order on Semirara’s coal contract THE Energy Department has lifted the suspension order on the coal operating contract of Semirara Mining and Power Corp. in Caluya, Antique, after the company complied with the conditions set by the government.

Semirara Mining said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it received the department’s order on Sept. 17, which found it “substantially complied with the conditions set by the DoE resulting in a marked improvement in the level of safety in its mining operation.”

The department issued the suspension order immediately after the July 17 accident at the

north Panian site of Semirara Mining’s operations in Antique, which claimed the lives of nine miners.

“In view of the foregoing and in consideration of the overall national interest, the DoE hereby approves the resumption of mining operations of Coal Operating Contract No. 5, subject to the oversight function and regular monitoring by the DoE-IC to ensure compliance with the above mentioned recommendations,” the letter signed by Energy officer-in-charge Zenaida Monsada said.

Monsada’s letter to Semirara Mining president Victor Con-

sunji stated that the DoE investigation committee had verified the compliance by the company with the conditions of the government.

“After a thorough review, the DoE finds that SMPC has substantially complied with the conditions in the DoE letter dated Sept. 1, 2015 resulting in a marked improvement in the level of safety in its mining,” Monsada said.

Semirara Mining imposed a three-month suspension against the department heads of mine Truck and shovel operation department, mine planning and engineering department, safety, health and environmental depart-

ment and geology department starting from September 2015 until June 2016.

The suspensions were made in a rotational basis due to the lean organization.

Semirara Mining is also in the process of hiring a safety consultant and submitted an upgraded mining protocol with improvements on the construction buffer zones.

The buffer zones in every 30 meters of height per three benches will ensure bottom support against slope failures and serve as catching areas of slide materials as opposed to the no standard buffer zones prior to the July 17

landslide.

Semirara Mining also submitted a revised and upgraded health and safety program on hazard identification risk assessment and control of its mining personnel though trainings.

The company also acquired and installed slope stability radar to augment the 24-hour round-theclock mine safety inspections.

The Environmental Management Bureau of the Environment Department also nlifted the suspension order on Semirara Mining’s environmental compliance certificate for its East Panian expansion project.

Alena Mae S. Flores

TUESDAY: SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Monday, SepteMber 21, 2015

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 4.2 17 30.45 0.92 1.01 100 1.46 30.5 75 91.5 137 361.2 57 180 1700 124

2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.68 12.02 19.6 0.74 0.225 78 0.9 17.8 58 62 88.35 276 41 118.2 1200 59

AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank Bright Kindle Resources COL Financial Eastwest Bank First Abacus MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

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

2.79 69.2 103.00 84.15 42.65 1.30 15.5 20 0.65 0.610 84.75 0.96 17.10 25.10 53.35 96.5 300 31.2 141 1460.00 49.80

47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 20.6 125 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 2.89 17 31.8 109 15.3 9.4 0.98 241 4 74 33.9 90 13.26 293 5.25 12.98 15 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.86 7.34 238 3.28 0.315 2.65 234 5.28 1.3 2.17

35.9 1.11 1.01 1.86 7.92 15.32 62.5 10.08 29.15 1.5 1.5 10.72 9.55 9.04 6.02 8.86 1.06 8.61 20.2 71.5 13.24 5.34 0.395 173 1.63 33 23.35 17.3 5.88 250.2 3.87 8.45 10.04 3.03 1.95 1 4.02 1.65 5.9 161 1.55 0.138 2.09 152 4.28 0.640 1.2

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

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

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

Mabuhay Vinyl Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phinma Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

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

Vulcan Ind’l.

42.7 1.5 0.97 1.7 9.86 17 127 26.4 46.7 2.85 1.2 10.16 10.920 7.95 6.09 7.97 1.6 14.2 24 66.65 13.80 5.84 2.320 184.00 4.63 46.95 23 21.9 5.6 298.40 4.09 6.86 11.20 3.39 1.99 2.23 4.03 2.79 5.2 135 2.09 0.143 1.81 191.1 4.62 0.7 1.03

0.59 59.2 30.05 7.39 3.4 3.35 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 4.92 0.66 1455 7.5 76 9.25 0.85 17.3 5.53 6.55 0.0670 2.31 1.61 2.99 84.9 3.5 974 1.66 156 0.710 0.435 0.510

0.44 48.1 20.85 6.62 0.23 0.23 634.5 7.390 12.8 2.6 2.26 0.152 837 5.3 49.55 4.84 0.59 12 4.2 4.5 0.030 1.23 0.550 2.26 59.3 1.5 751 1.13 80 0.211 0.179 0.310

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. 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 Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

LT Group 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. Top Frontier Unioil Res. & Hldgs Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.420 57.4500 19.90 6.64 0.240 0.245 782 7.1 12.90 3.01 4.20 0.219 1300 6.00 70.85 6.27 0.61 12.36 5.13 8.14 0.0360 1.320 1.720 2.78 45.80 2.85 880.00 1.18 66.000 0.3300 0.2160 0.215

10.5 26.95 1.99 1.75 0.375 41.4 5.6 1.44 0.201 0.69

6.74 12 0.65 1.2 0.192 30.05 3.36 0.79 0.083 0.415

8990 HLDG 7.170 Anchor Land Holdings Inc. 8.40 A. Brown Co., Inc. 0.62 Araneta Prop `A’ 1.120 Arthaland Corp.

0.220 Ayala Land `B’ 35.05 Belle Corp. `A’ 3.01 Century Property 0.58 Crown Equities Inc. 0.110 Cyber Bay Corp.

0.430

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

SHARES 24,009,356 237,786,887 170,901,781 99,092,883 149,965,937 827,047,572 1,511,843,426

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 2.79 2.65 69.3 66.15 103.20 102.10 84.30 83.05 42.7 41.5 1.29 1.28 15.68 15.4 20.2 19.8 0.69 0.69 0.600 0.530 85 84 0.96 0.96 17.10 16.80 24.80 24.80 53.70 53.20 97.5 96.5 300 296 32 31.15 141.4 139.5 1520.00 1415.00 52.00 50.00 INDUSTRIAL 43.5 42.95 1.43 1.41 0.97 0.91 1.77 1.67 10.8 9.86 17 16.9 130 130 26.5 25.5 46.6 44.8 2.9 2.69 1.8 1.17 10.2 10 10.900 10.74 8.00 7.80 6.16 5.99 8.00 7.80 1.6 1.58 14.2 13.04 24.1 23.3 68.7 66.75 13.38 13.38 5.72 5.84 3.460 2.010 190.50 186.00 6.94 4.63 46.95 46.95 23.3 22.7 22.5 21.5 5.6 5.55 298.40 294.60 4.14 4.09 7.05 6.90 11.40 11.20 3.39 3.25 1.99 1.94 2.24 2.2 4.07 4.01 2.7 2.7 5.2 5.2 135.9 130.9 2.3 2.09 0.155 0.143 1.80 1.75 191.9 190 4.73 4.73 0.78 0.67 1.03 1.01 HOLDING FIRMS 0.430 0.410 58.0000 57.3000 19.90 19.54 6.64 6.63 0.239 0.235 0.24 0.233 787 770 7.11 6.93 13.48 13.00 3.39 3.2 4.10 4.08 0.220 0.200 1300 1257 5.96 5.96 70.85 69.90 6.27 6.19 0.8 0.61 12.36 12.22 5.12 5 8.43 8.14 0.0360 0.0330 1.310 1.310 1.750 1.700 2.63 2.63 46.05 45.10 3.20 2.55 898.00 882.00 1.48 1.17 66.000 65.000 0.3300 0.3000 0.2390 0.2010 0.216 0.216 PROPERTY 7.170 6.900 8.40 7.56 0.65 0.62 1.120 1.120 0.225 0.220 35.00 33.95 3.06 3.01 0.61 0.59 0.107 0.102 0.430 0.425

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

2.66 69.25 103.00 83.45 42.65 1.28 15.4 19.8 0.69 0.590 84.8 0.96 16.80 24.80 53.20 97.5 300 31.95 141 1415.00 50.50

-4.66 0.07 0.00 -0.83 0.00 -1.54 -0.65 -1.00 6.15 -3.28 0.06 0.00 -1.75 -1.20 -0.28 1.04 0.00 2.40 0.00 -3.08 1.41

130,000 13,060 8,652,580 1,822,080 30,300 26,000 13,400 44,100 4,000 12,074,000 263,370 42,000 33,900 100 382,490 4,790 2,230 103,500 349,640 2,325 14,700

43.05 1.41 0.92 1.67 10.6 16.98 130 26.5 45 2.74 1.8 10.04 10.800 7.95 6.05 7.80 1.59 14.18 23.5 67 13.38 5.8 3.000 190.50 6 46.95 23.3 22.5 5.55 295.60 4.1 6.99 11.20 3.39 1.97 2.2 4.06 2.7 5.2 135 2.25 0.143 1.80 190.7 4.73 0.72 1.01

0.82 -6.00 -5.15 -1.76 7.51 -0.12 2.36 0.38 -3.64 -3.86 50.00 -1.18 -1.10 0.00 -0.66 -2.13 -0.63 -0.14 -2.08 0.53 -3.04 -0.68 29.31 3.53 29.59 0.00 1.30 2.74 -0.89 -0.94 0.24 1.90 0.00 0.00 -1.01 -1.35 0.74 -3.23 0.00 0.00 7.66 0.00 -0.55 -0.21 2.38 2.86 -1.94

3,094,100 -14,775,025.00 57,000 124,000 -104,310.00 2,169,000 3,600 65,400 -27,156.00 40 186,700 513,800 -23,018,000 2,835,000 149,560.00 9,937,000 0.00 281,100 -382,552.00 5,780,400 14,455,590.00 3,052,900 22,364,763.00 17,318,600 8,960,781.00 69,200 4,788.00 90,000 1,100 964,100 -8,133,360.00 53,540 -252,934.00 1,100 -13,380.00 198,500 331,448.00 155,992,000 -3,953,310.00 338,400 42,285,686.00 2,314,000 300 153,400 1,950,910.00 79,600 17,300 170,000 21,618,618.00 627,000 1,574,200.00 1,718,400 3,109,057.00 22,900 161,000 -50,850.00 494,000 15,760.00 1,624,000 497,000 -395,420.00 145,000 500 6,760 7,583.00 5,347,000 310,020.00 8,700,000 -102,460.00 816,000 777,490 -11,076,480.00 1,000 10,749,000 -125,400.00 214,000

0.430 57.9500 19.72 6.63 0.236 0.233 779 6.96 13.16 3.39 4.08 0.201 1270 5.96 70.15 6.23 0.72 12.28 5.1 8.3 0.0340 1.310 1.700 2.63 45.10 2.83 890.00 1.30 65.000 0.3000 0.2100 0.216

2.38 0.87 -0.90 -0.15 -1.67 -4.90 -0.38 -1.97 2.02 12.62 -2.86 -8.22 -2.31 -0.67 -0.99 -0.64 18.03 -0.65 -0.58 1.97 -5.56 -0.76 -1.16 -5.40 -1.53 -0.70 1.14 10.17 -1.52 -9.09 -2.78 0.47

90,000 1,768,230 19,369,700 2,500 160,000 700,000 129,150 1,178,700 10,900,000 6,000 2,000 610,000 116,610 2,600 776,250 724,300 2,370,000 2,017,300 8,252,100 2,711,200 80,100,000 14,000 1,686,000 3,000 292,000 1,358,000 358,120 5,902,000 130 20,470,000 4,680,000 110,000

6.900 8.40 0.64 1.120 0.220 34.25 3.06 0.6 0.102 0.430

-3.77 0.00 3.23 0.00 0.00 -2.28 1.66 3.45 -7.27 0.00

274,000 5,000 352,000 85,000 470,000 13,661,300 906,000 5,543,000 3,660,000 760,000

211,775.00 153,484,538 -69,139,261.00 -223,740.00 -4,684.00 -396,585.00 192,650.00 3,290,882.00 -40,320.00 7,354,580.00 557,840.00 349,980 -15,746,465.00 -1,096,800.00 -171,665.00

8,743,223.50 195,880,020.00

26,592,560.00 1,117,799.00 79,082,808.00 100,000.00 -95,449,270.00 11,306,880.00 -892,204.00 -4,541,924.00 -3,716,028.00 676,495.00 -40,800.00 42,750.00 -10,012,035.00 19,480,340.00 43,500.00

19,206.00 5,720.00

-157,601,525.00 684,820.00 -1,369,000.00 42,500.00

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low 10.96 0.97 2.22 2.1 1.8 8.4 5.94 0.180 27 8.54 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 7.56 1.62 8.59

2.4 0.83 1.15 1.42 1.27 3.1 4.13 0.090 23 2.69 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 3.38 0.83 5.73

10.5 66 1.44 1.09 14.88 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 12.3 2.6 7.67 4 1700 2720 8.41 1.97 119.5 12.5 0.017 0.8200 2.2800 5.93 12.28 3.32 3.2 95.5 1 2.46 15.2 1.040 6.41 4 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1

1.97 35.2 1 0.63 10.5 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 10.14 1.6 4.8 2.58 830 1600 5.95 1.23 102.6 8.72 0.011 0.041 1.200 2.34 6.5 1.91 1.95 3.1 0.650 1.8 6 0.37 3 2.28 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55

STOCKS

Close

High

11.6 0.85 2.95 10 0.490 1.9

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

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

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

Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown NOW Corp.

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

7.59 SSI Group 0.63 STI Holdings 1.71 Transpacific Broadcast 5 Travellers 0.315 Waterfront Phils.

1.14 Yehey

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

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

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

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

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

TA Petroleum

70 553 525 118 120 8.21 12.28 1047 78.95 84.8

33 490 500 101 101.5 5.88 6.5 1011 74.5 75

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ First Gen F First Gen G GMA Holdings Inc. Leisure and Resort PF Pref 2 SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F

6.98

0.8900 LR Warrant

15 88 12.88

3.5 13.5 5.95

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

Makati Fin. Corp.

IRipple E-Business Intl Xurpas

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

22.6 20 22.6 0.810 0.800 0.800 1.05 1.02 1.02 1.78 1.74 1.76 1.40 1.37 1.37 3.20 3.16 3.20 4.55 4.43 4.45 0.102 0.084 0.102 19.28 19.22 19.28 8 7.9 8 28.90 28.05 28.45 1.56 1.5 1.5 3.29 3.15 3.29 21.90 21.15 21.35 0.73 0.7 0.71 8.4 8.1 8.4 0.740 0.660 0.730 5.480 5.370 5.450 SERVICES 8.17 8.22 7.8 8.17 60 60.5 59.9 59.95 1.06 1.07 1.07 1.07 0.540 0.540 0.520 0.530 11.24 11.3 11.3 11.3 6.37 6.50 6.36 6.40 0.0610 0.0610 0.0600 0.0600 3.7 3.7 3.52 3.52 91.75 91.75 89.05 89.5 10 10.1 9.55 10 1.61 1.79 1.6 1.75 4.95 4.99 4.70 4.98 2.72 3.00 3.00 3.00 920 921 920 921 2528 2548 2504 2524 6.42 6.45 6.40 6.40 1.28 1.21 1.20 1.21 84.9 87.3 85 86.4 11.4 11.4 11.4 11.4 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.196 0.196 0.176 0.180 1.4700 1.6700 1.6700 1.4700 2.15 2.11 1.98 2.03 8.80 8.82 8.80 8.81 2.62 2.63 2.47 2.62 2.20 2.20 2.10 2.20 38.00 38.00 38.00 38.00 0.600 0.610 0.580 0.600 2.05 2 1.97 1.97 5.35 5.37 5.2 5.37 0.480 0.480 0.435 0.480 4.73 4.52 4.50 4.50 3.08 2.52 2.52 2.52 18.80 18.80 18.48 18.80 2340.00 2368.00 2296.00 2306.00 0.580 0.580 0.550 0.550 1.170 1.170 1.130 1.130 31.65 31.90 31.55 31.80 71.90 71.55 70.00 71.50 6.64 7.26 6.35 7.23 7.02 7.02 6.74 6.84 0.52 0.52 0.50 0.50 1.69 1.69 1.69 1.69 3.37 3.37 3.4 3.47 0.370 0.430 0.335 0.370 2.800 2.800 2.400 2.650 MINING & OIL 0.0055 0.0059 0.0053 0.0059 2.40 2.31 2.30 2.31 5.02 5.02 4.91 4.95 0.198 0.209 0.209 0.209 6.0000 6.1900 5.6000 5.6200 0.69 0.74 0.69 0.74 0.67 0.66 0.63 0.65 6.30 7.40 6.10 7.00 1.07 1.07 0.99 1.01 0.295 0.305 0.285 0.295 0.181 0.184 0.180 0.183 0.010 0.010 0.010 0.010 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 2.25 2.25 2.08 2.09 7.46 7.5 7.14 7.24 2.98 3 2.91 2.92 0.5800 0.5500 0.5500 0.5500 1.3400 1.3900 1.3400 1.3500 3.78 3.87 3.78 3.86 5.15 5.160 5.040 5.09 1.43 1.400 1.350 1.38 0.0110 0.0110 0.0110 0.0110 137.00 139.70 138.00 139.00 2.27 2.28 2.24 2.24 PREFERRED 60 60.05 60 60 530 530 528 528 538 537 537 537 110.6 110.7 110.6 110.6 115.5 118.1 118.1 118.1 6.28 6.26 6.26 6.26 1.06 1.09 1.07 1.07 1016 1020 1018 1018 80 80 80 80 82 81.5 80.5 80.5 76 80 76 77 77 78.8 77.5 78 77.5 80 77.1 78 WARRANTS & BONDS 3.370 3.250 3.110 3.110 SME 3.42 3.28 3.25 3.25 52.8 68 52.8 55.25 12 12.2 11.64 12 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 117.5 117.5 115.9 115.9

13.00 -1.23 -2.86 -1.12 -2.14 6.67 -1.11 12.09 1.37 1.39 -1.22 -3.23 4.11 -4.47 -2.74 0.36 8.96 -0.55

4,391,900 342,000 749,000 16,662,000 519,000 8,000 13,891,000 2,000,000 900 330,400 459,900 332,000 14,000 10,757,100 997,000 8,600 1,315,000 2,467,600

-4,955,530.00

0.00 -0.08 0.94 -1.85 0.53 0.47 -1.64 -4.86 -2.45 0.00 8.70 0.61 10.29 0.11 -0.16 -0.31 -5.47 1.77 0.00 0.00 -8.16 -11.98 -5.58 0.11 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -3.90 0.37 0.00 -4.86 -18.18 0.00 -1.45 -5.17 -3.42 0.47 -0.56 8.89 -2.56 -3.85 0.00 -0.88 0.00 -5.36

288,300 27,230 9,000 620,000 2,001,000 6,334,500 46,030,000 881,000 278,630 400 23,000 344,000 4,000 150 8,295 60,900 344,000 663,520 800 2,000,000 14,470,000 14,634,000 24,000 448,200 391,000 17,000 600 33,000 5,000 942,200 450,000 9,000 2,000 29,900 137,480 3,137,000 3,076,000 320,500 1,553,210 24,927,100 752,600 6,589,000 2,000 1,390,000 10,150,000 752,000

7.27 -3.75 -1.39 5.56 -6.33 7.25 -2.99 11.11 -5.61 0.00 1.10 0.00 9.09 -7.11 -2.95 -2.01 -5.17 0.75 2.12 -1.17 -3.50 0.00 1.46 -1.32

693,000,000 -179,800.00 20,000 -46,050.00 238,400 -30,287.00 20,000 2,900 728,000 502,000 -5,200.00 113,000 -23,625.00 26,409,000 -10,927,850.00 860,000 3,410,000 1,200,000 43,900,000 308,000 41,800.00 2,400,000 4,002,447.00 765,000 -114,660.00 190,000 244,000 53,910.00 15,000 206,300 35,587.00 550,000 74,460.00 50,300,000 1,157,570 -19,438,063.00 491,000 -95,360.00

0.00 -0.38 -0.19 0.00 2.25 -0.32 0.94 0.20 0.00 -1.83 1.32 1.30 0.65

374,230 12,550 1,000 120 10,000 52,100 15,000 1,005 4,000 66,700 48,160 177,050 1,261,800

-7.72

196,000

-4.97 4.64 0.00

36,000 10,620 2,984,500

14,322,182.00

-1.36

7,890

69,660.00

-114,940.00 -7,343,650.00 8,943,620.00

-2,977,425.00 -324,120.00 3,508,085.00 5,040.00 96,200.00 1,170,706.00 -16,000.00

0.00 10,972,669.00 120,000.00 3,962,288.00

138,010.00 -4,939,810.00 -4,887,696.50 18,000.00 -34,120.00 3,018,350.00

1,834,845.00 14,400.00 -48,348.00 -117,543,170.00 -897,050.00 -200.00 -17,650.00 1,851,467.50 110,777.00 1,106,678.00 -2,361,760.00 -1,231,640.00

-5,310,300.00 -4,033,920.00

80,700.00 -406,700.00

T op L oSerS

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,561.81 (DOWN) 2.42 INDUSTRIAL 10,860.95 (UP) 32.99 HOLDING FIRMS 6,616.31 (DOWN) 5.43 PROPERTY 2,915.84 (DOWN) 78.96 SERVICES 1,773.46 (DOWN) 10.11 MINING & OIL 11,238.43 (DOWN) 21.94 PSEI 7,092.41 (DOWN) 39.50 All Shares Index 4,054.86 (DOWN) 21.74 Gainers: 71 Losers: 110; Unchanged: 35; Total: 216

Close

Double Dragon 20 Empire East Land 0.810 Global-Estate 1.05 Filinvest Land,Inc. 1.78 Interport `A’ 1.40 Keppel Properties 3.00 Megaworld 4.5 MRC Allied Ind. 0.091 Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry 19.02 Primex Corp.

7.89 Robinson’s Land `B’ 28.80 Rockwell 1.55 Shang Properties Inc. 3.16 SM Prime Holdings 22.35 Sta. Lucia Land Inc. 0.73 Starmalls 8.37 Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. 0.670 Vista Land & Lifescapes 5.480

T op g ainerS VALUE 1,153,796,871.81 1,197,689,082.00 2,177,452,047.936 1,093,714,034.22 964,177,305.26 220,226,672.837 6,844,345,681.06

Low

Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Da Vinci Capital

1.8

50.00

Paxys Inc.

2.52

Mabuhay Vinyl

6

29.59

ISM Communications

1.4700

-18.18 -11.98

Ionics Inc

3.000

29.31

Unioil Res. & Hldgs

0.3000

-9.09

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

0.72

18.03

Forum Pacific

0.201

-8.22

Double Dragon

22.6

13.00

Island Info

0.180

-8.16

F&J Prince 'A'

3.39

12.62

LR Warrant

3.110

-7.72

MRC Allied Ind.

0.102

12.09

Crown Equities Inc.

0.102

-7.27

Dizon

7.00

11.11

Marcventures Hldgs., Inc.

2.09

-7.11

Easy Call "Common"

3.00

10.29

Benguet Corp `A'

5.6200

-6.33

Solid Group Inc.

1.30

10.17

Agrinurture Inc.

1.41

-6.00

TUESDAY: SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

B3

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

Market ends rally; SM Prime declines

Pagcor chief honored. Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. chairman and chief executive Cristino Naguiat Jr. is chosen as one of this year’s CEO Excel awardees for his leadership and use of excellent business communication strategies. Pagcor is the third largest revenue generating government agency in the Philippines. The Philippine chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators honored Naguiat and and 13 other leaders in the country as this year’s CEO Excel awardees at the Grand Ballroom of the Intercontinental Hotel in Makati on September 14, 2015.

ICTSI obtains perks for port expansion

By Othel V. Campos

THE Board of Investments approved the request of International Container Terminal Services Inc. for fiscal incentives on the P5-billion expansion of the Manila International Container Port.

ICTSI is constructing Berth 7 that includes a 300-meter wharf structure, back-up areas and associated roadway improvements.

The project is expected to accommodate future container volume growth of up to 2.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units upon completion.

BoI Governor Lucita Reyes and executive director Efren Leaño presented the project’s certificate of registration to ICTSI procure-

ment and general services director Antonio Coronel.

ICTSI recently expanded MICT’s yard capacity after completing phase 1 of the Berth 7 and opening up another four hectares of new yard space.

Intended to be an empty container depot, the area can store up to 4,300 containers in moderate wind conditions.

Adjacent to the other side is another two hectares, which will be

completed by the end of the year.

Upon completion, the entire area of Phase 1 will have the capacity to store 6,500 TEUs of container vans.

The new yard is part of ICTSI’s $35-million expansion project for the MICT aimed at immediately addressing growing volumes at the Port of Manila.

The full development, estimated to be completed in 20 months, will add approximately 500,000 TEUs of yard capacity to the MICT. Complementary to the new yard is the development of a 21-hectare inland container depot in Laguna that will cost the company another $30 million in investments.

ICTSI recently acquired six new

rubber tired gantries, which may be deployed at either the MICT or ICTSI’s Subic operations, depending on demand.

The company also plans to expand the Subic Port in anticipation of increased port utilization by 2015.

Port utilization in Subic is expected to hit 21 percent by 2015, which will also improve the usage of ICTSI’s two-berth facility within the free port area administered by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

ICTSI, which operates and manages the MICT, maintains and operates container terminals in gateway ports in over 20 countries across the Asia-Pacific, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East and Africa.

THE stock market fell Monday to snap a six-day rally, after the US Federal Reserve delayed an interest rate rise, with traders seeing the decision as a sign of weakness in the global economy despite initially welcoming it.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index declined 39.50 points, or 0.6 percent, 7,092.41 on a value turnover of P6.8 billion. Losers beat gainers, 110 to 71, with 35 issues unchanged.

Ayala Land Inc., a major property developer, dropped 2.3 percent to P34.25, while Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., the biggest telecommunications firm, lost 1.4 percent to P2,306.

SM Prime Holdings Inc., the largest real estate company, tumbled 4.5 percent to P21.35, while GT Capital Holdings Inc. of tycoon George Ty, slipped 2.3 percent to P1,270.

Ionics Inc., an electronic manufacturing services company, jumped 29 percent to P3, while Double Dragon Properties Corp. surged 13 percent to P22.60.

The rest of Asian markets largely turned lower Monday. Sydney ended 2.02 percent lower, Seoul shed 1.57 percent and Hong Kong lost 0.75 percent.

However, Shanghai closed 1.89 percent higher. Tokyo was closed for a public holiday.

Most high-yielding—or riskier—currencies, which enjoyed healthy rallies last week, also retreated as investors moved back into safer assets such as the yen.

The euro rose against the yen and dollar, however, after Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras won his second election this year despite a controversial austerity deal struck with European leaders.

Chinese stocks recovered from early losses to end almost two percent higher as President Xi Jinping set off for the United States, fueling hopes several trade agreements will be signed.

The trip comes as authorities continue their crackdown on “illegal market activities” in a bid to restore confidence in the country’s markets following three months of volatility that has seen trillions wiped off valuations. With AFP

Standard Chartered expects Bangko Sentral to keep interest rates

By Julito G. Rada THE Monetary Board, the policymaking body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, may keep the current policy stance steady in its meeting on Thursday as economic growth remains robust and inflation continues to be at a manageable level, British bank Standard Chartered said over the weekend.

“We expect the BSP to keep the reverse repo rate and the special deposit account rate unchanged at 4 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively. GDP growth improved in the second quarter of 2015 after slowing in the first quarter,

allaying concerns about a further slowdown,” Jeff Ng, the bank’s regional economist for Asia, said in a report.

“Domestic growth remains robust, which does not support the case for rate cuts, in our view. Inflation is also likely to rebound after slowing to record low levels in recent months,” Ng said.

The gross domestic product growth rebounded in the second quarter, expanding 5.6 percent from the 5 percent in the first quarter. This brought the GDP growth average in the first half to 5.3 percent, way below the government’s target range of 6 per-

cent to 6.5 percent this year.

Ng said as monetary conditions remained tight, the Bangko Sentral could afford to delay rate hikes. He said the bank regulator was likely to gauge the market reaction to the US Federal Reserve’s policy rate decision last week before making any move.

On Thursday, the US Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged but hinted there might be a modest policy tightening before the year ends.

Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said countries with good economic fundamentals, like the Philippines,

would benefit from the latest action of the US Federal Reserve.

He said the Fed move could result in “some near relief for emerging markets with good fundamentals and yield pick-up.”

He said the Bangko Sentral’s preemptive tightening moves last year remained relevant and domestic demand appeared steady still.

The board in its meeting on Aug. 13 kept the benchmark interest rates steady for the seventh time since October last year on manageable inflation environment.

The board maintained the key

policy rates steady at 4 percent for the overnight borrowing and 6 percent for the overnight lending.

The interest rates on term RRPs, RPs, special deposit accounts and banks’ reserve requirement ratios were likewise left steady.

The Monetary Board based its decision on its assessment that prevailing price and output conditions support maintaining current monetary policy settings. Latest baseline forecasts showed that inflation could settle slightly below the target range for 2015 but was likely to remain within the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent over the rest of the policy horizon.

B4

CEO award. Social Security System president and chief executive Emilio de Quiros Jr. (center) is among the recipients of the Communication Excellence in Organizations Excel

Awards for 2015 held on Sept. 14 at the Intercontinental Hotel along Ayala Avenue in Makati City. De Quiros was cited for his vision and outstanding performance for the past five years as the head of SSS. With de Quiros are (from left) Elpi Cuna, chairman emeritus and IABC fellow; Ritzi Villarico Ronquillo, chairman and director of the international executive board and trustee, IABC Foundation; Kane Errol Choa, president of IABC; and Joe Zaldarriaga, vice president of IABC and chair of CEO Excel Awards 2015.

Aboitiz Power goes to Indonesia

By Alena Mae S. Flores

ABOITIZ Power Corp. has formed a joint venture to build a 110-megawatt greenfield geothermal power plant in East Java province in Indonesia.

Aboitiz Power said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Monday wholly-owned Singaporebased subsidiary Aboitiz Power International Pte. Ltd. signed an agreement with PT Medco Power

Indonesia to participate in the exploration and development of a potential 110-MW plant.

“It is our first international power venture,” Aboitiz Power president and chief operating of-

ficer Antonio Moraza said when asked for comment, adding the company would take a 49-percent stake in the project.

Aboitiz Power chairman Erramon Aboitiz told reporters earlier the company was looking at opportunities for geothermal and hydro power projects abroad.

“We are looking abroad. We looked at PNG [Papua New Guinea]. We are also looking at different opportunities in Indonesia,” Aboitiz said.

“We’re looking at different sources. We are looking at geothermal, hydro,” he said.

Aboitiz Power is also expanding its geothermal portfolio in the Philippines.

Its subsidiary AP Renewables Corp. is presently conducting predevelopment works on the Negron-Cuadrado geothermal prospect in Zambales and Pampanga.

AP Renewables currently owns the 289-MW Tiwi geothermal plant in Albay and 458.53 Mak-

ban geothermal facility in Laguna and Batangas, after acquiring the plants from the government for $446.8 million.

Philippine Geothermal Production Co., the joint venture of US firm Chevron Geothermal Inc. and SM Investments Corp. operates the steam fields that power the Tiwi-Makban power facilities.

Aboitiz Power plans to raise its power generation capacity to 4,000 MW by 2019 from over 2,000 MW to date.

Govt ready to award SMC, Eagle investing $1b in cement LRT 2 deal in January By Jenniffer B. Austria

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Transportation Department said Monday it will hold the bidding for the operation and maintenance of Light Rail Transit Line 2 in December and award the contract in January next year.

“Since bid submission date is scheduled for December this year, award should be within January,” Transportation Department spokesman Michael Arthur Sagal said.

Sagcal said he expected the signing of the contract in February next year.

The agency earlier shortlisted Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. and SMRT Transport Solutions Consortium; D.M. Consunji Inc. and Tokyo Metro Co. Ltd. Consortium; Light Rail Manila Holdings 2 Inc. Consortium of Ayala Corp., Metro Pacific Investments Corp., RATP TRANSDEV Asia and RATPDevelopment SA; and San Miguel Holdings Corp. and Korea Railroad Corp. Consortium for the LRT operations and maintenance project under the public-private partnership scheme.

The contract will last for 10 to 15 years, with the winning bidder given the right to maintain the existing 11 stations and the 4.2-kilometer Masinag extension. The government earlier awarded the construction of LRT 2 Masinag extension to DMCI for P2.27 billion.

LRT 2 east extension project involves adding 4.2 kilometers to the railway from the existing Santolan station at Marcos Highway, Pasig City, all the way to the intersection of Marcos and Sumulong highways in Masinag, Antipolo.

SAN Miguel Corp. and Eagle Cement Corp. are investing $1 billion to build five new cement plants that will result in a combined capacity to 16 million metric tons by 2017.

San Miguel president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang said the conglomerate was building a 2-million-metric-ton cement plant in Pangasinan under Northern Cement, while Eagle Cement was constructing a 2-million-MT plant each in Bulacan, Quezon province, Cebu and Davao.

“All in all that is 10 million MT. All five plants should be running by 2017,” Ang told reporters Monday during the listing of San Miguel’s P33.5 billion worth of new preferred shares.

San Miguel and Eagle Cement, which is privately owned by Ang, have a combined capacity of 6 million MT of cement.

Ang said San Miguel was expanding existing cement capacities amid strong demand for private and public infrastructures.

He said the company would also continue to bid for infrastructure projects that the government might bid out under the public-private participation scheme.

Among the San Miguel’s existing infrastructure projects are the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway Project, the connector road project and the Metro Rail Transit Line 7.

The conglomerate is also bidding for the bundled airport project, the P50-billion

regional prison facilities project, the P170-billion NorthSouth Railway project and the P18-billion Davao Sasa Wharf project.

San Miguel ventured into cement business in 2013 with the P3-billion acquisition of 35 percent of Northern Cement Corp., a company personally owned by San Miguel chairman and chief executive Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. Northern Cement, whose main plant is located in Sison, Pangasinan, used to be the country’s leading cement manufacturer. It was established by Cojuangco on Feb. 10, 1967.

San Miguel’s move to acquire a cement company is in line with its plan to aggressively expand its infrastructure portfolio.

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

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

B5

SMC eyes new Naia runway Linux 24 years later T W E N T YFOUR years ago this month, a young Finnish prog ra m mer announced on a newsgroup that he was developing a free operating system designed to run on personal computers. It was just a hobby, it said—nothing big.

With the benefit of hindsight, the announcement by Linux Torvalds turned out to be quite the understatement.

Perhaps the most ubiquitous example of the widespread growth of Linux today is in mobile phones. Google Android, which powered 82.8 percent of smart phones shipped in the second quarter of 2015, is based on Linux.

Linux has also made huge inroads in Fortune 500 corporations, according to the 2014 Enterprise End User Trends Report from The Linux Foundation and the Yeoman Technology Group, which surveyed companies such as Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Bristol-Myers Squibb, NTT, Deutsche Bank, the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. The survey found that Linux was the platform of choice for the cloud for 75 percent of the companies, and 78 percent felt that Linux was more secure than other operating systems.

Among companies that ran their networks on Linux, 87 percent added Linux servers in 2014, and 82 percent planned to add more in 2015. This was accompanied by a drop in the deployment of servers on other operating systems.

Linux and its open source approach are also at the forefront of innovation from technology giants such as Google, Facebook and Amazon. Even Microsoft, whose CEO once described Linux as a cancer, has created its own variant of Linux to power switches on its Azure cloud platform.

In the increasingly important field of Big Data, where data sets are so large or complex that traditional data processing applications are inadequate, most of the solutions such as Hadoop and MapReduce use Linux as their underlying platform.

All 10 of the world’s 10 fastest supercomputers run Linux. In fact, 94 percent of the Top 500 supercomputers in the world run on the open source operating system.

Ironically, just about the only area where Linux has not dominated is the platform for which it was first developed—desktop computers.

Hard data is difficult to come by because Linux is free and there are no sales figures to indicate the true number of users. The Linux Counter project estimates there are 81.5 million Linux users—which is a drop in the bucket of 3 billion Internet users.The most commonly cited figure is about 1.5 percent of the market— which isn’t all that high either, regardless of whether or not you believe that the numbers from Net Applications or StatCounter are understated.

Torvalds himself acknowledges the low penetration on the desktop and attributes this to the fact that very few computer manufacturers sell their machines with Linux already installed.

“This is my personal failure in Linux that I started Linux as a desktop operating system and it’s the only area where Linux hasn’t completely taken over,” Torvalds said at the Aalto University Center for Entrepreneurship in June 2012. “That just annoys the hell out of me.”

“The reason that the desktop is so hard to crack is that most consumers do not want to install an operating system on their machine. And that’s not desktop-centric. You don’t want to install an operating system yourself on your cell phone, either. The reason Linux is successful on cell phones is not because you have 900,000 people downloading disk images and installing them on your cell phone everyday. No, it’s because it comes on the cell phone pre-installed. And that has never happened in the desktop market.”

In his remarks three years ago, Torvalds said the fourth or fifth generation of Google Chromebooks—which come with a version of Linux pre-installed--could change things.

This year, worldwide Chromebook sales are expected to grow 27 percent to 7.3 million units, the research company Gartner Inc. says, with most of them going into the education market, where the inexpensive, web-centric laptops managed to beat out iPad shipments to schools.

The absolute numbers aren’t all that big compared to the 261 million desktop PCs and notebooks that Gartner projects will be sold this year, but it’s a start.

This is nothing to sneeze at, considering that Linux too, which dominates most areas of computing today, had a humble start 24 years ago as a mere hobby.

Column archives and blog at: http://www.chinwong.com

By Jenniffer B. Austria

CONGLOMERATE San Miguel Corp. will submit to the next administration a proposal to build a P50-billion new runway and airport terminal in the existing Ninoy Aquino International Airport complex in Parañaque City.

San Miguel president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang said in an interview following the listing of the company’s P33.5-billion preferred shares at the Philippine Stock Exchange the company would propose to construct a runway and airport terminal with 20 air bridges that would cater to low-cost airlines.

“I will propose this as an unsolicited project to the next government,” Ang said.

He said the new runway would be built beside the existing main runway. The proposal would also involve the construction of a lowcost airport terminal near the new runway.

Ang said the whole project, including the new runway, the airport terminal and acquisition of right of way, would cost P50 billion.

“Ideally the new runway should have the same length as the old one which is 3,400 square meters by 45 meters width,” Ang said.

Naia currently only has two runways, one for international flights and another for domestic flights.

Ang said the construction of a third runway and the airport terminal may cost only about P7 billion, but the biggest component of the project is the right-ofway acquisition.

He said only 60 percent of the land needed to build the project was empty while the remaining 40 percent was owned by private companies, including the Shoemart warehouse.

The project will provide Naia with another 50 takeoffs and landings per hour.

The existing runways can handle 42 takeoffs and landings an hour.

The proposed low-cost terminal is expected to handle 50 million passengers a year.

Ang said even with the construction of a third runway and a low-cost terminal, the government should still build a new airport terminal.

San Miguel submitted proposal last year to build a $10-billion modern international airport in a 1,600-hectare reclamation area in Manila Bay .

The planned airport project will have four runways capable of handling 150 million passengers annually and can accommodate 250 takeoffs and landings per hour.

e-Pass partnership. 2Go Express Inc. and e-Pass signed a memorandum of agreement on Sept. 16, 2015, encompassing that selected 2Go Express Outlets will serve as an e-pass loading locations. Signing the agreement are (from left) Randy Zafra, 2Go Express retail network manager; Joanne Borromeo-Ramos, 2Go express retail network and marketing assistant vice president; Arlo Espino, e-Pass chief sales and marketing officer; Anne Machuca, e-Pass marketing and business development manager; and Steve Salvo, e-Pass channels manager.

Govt to develop new breed of chicken

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales THE Agriculture Department on Monday disclosed a plan to develop a native breed of chicken with high egg production and less quality feed requirements compared with regular layers.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said purification and genotyping of native chicken and classifying for either egg, meat or dual breed were currently ongoing.

“Research and development of indigenous feed materials to lower feed cost have also been conducted,” Alcala said.

Several research were conducted to improve the quality of

the country’s native chickens and to lower its production cost, the agency said.

A research conducted by Central Philippine University-College of Agriculture Resources and Environmental Sciences last year showed that feed additives using garlic, onion and moringa proved to strengthen immune system of native chicken.

Jaime C. Cabarles Jr., dean of CPU-Cares said the research showed that incorporation of two grams of garlic powder per kilo of feeds increased live weight gain, which could be attributed to enhanced chicken immune system.

Cabarles said the appearance

and quality of rations with additives greatly affected the volume ingested by chickens, thereby decreasing the feed consumption due to repulsive odor and taste of the diet.

Economic analysis also found that commercial feeds required more investment as compared to other rations wherein cheap cost of the raw materials for feed additives contributed to lower production expense.

Alcala earlier ordered the construction of Triple A dressing plants to support export requirements of poultry and to further develop the poultry industry for the international market.

TUESDAY: SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

B6

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

Gotesco Land faces delisting

By Jenniffer B. Austria

THE Philippine Stock Exchange has initiated delisting procedures against dormant Gotesco Land Inc. due to repeated failure to submit reportorial requirements in violation of the disclosure rules of the exchange.

The PSE said in a notice posted on its Web site Gotesco Land did not submit annual and quarterly statements in 2007 and from 2010 to 2014, information on the number of shareholders for the months from Nov. 2013 to June 2015, quarterly public ownership reports from December 2013 to June 2015 and the list of top 100 stockholders for the quarters ending December 2013 to June 2015.

The trading of Gotesco Land shares has been suspended since May 16, 2008 due to the non-submission of an annual report for the year ending December 2007.

Shares of Gotesco Land were last traded on May 15, 2008 when it closed at P0.140 apiece.

The Securities and Exchange Commission on May 25, 2009 is-

sued an order revoking Gotesco’s registration of securities and permit to sell for non submission of the 2007 annual report and first and second quarter reports in 2008, and non-payment of assessed penalties The non-submission of reportorial requirements, revocation of the registration of securities and a negative stockholders’ equity are among the grounds for the involuntary delisting of a listed company under the PSE’s delisting rules.

Gotesco posted capital deficiencies or negative balances in its stockholders’ equity in the amount of P911 million, P1.3 billion and P1.15 billion for fiscal years ending 2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively, according to the latest available financial statements of the company

submitted to the PSE. The PSE said Gotesco, following the serving of a notice of delisting, would be entitled to a hearing.

“But should the company decide not to or fail to request for a hearing within the specified period, the exchange shall decide the case solely on the basis of the records on hand,” the PSE said.

Gotesco Land was originally registered with the SEC as Surigao Consolidated Mining Co. Inc. engaged in the exploration and mining of gold, silver, copper and iron ores in Surigao del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur provinces.

The company is currently engaged in real estate developments with two projects, namely The Evercrest Cebu Golf Club and Resort Inc. in Cebu City and The Chateau Royale Sports & Country Club Inc. in Nasugbu, Batangas.

Gotesco will be the second company to be delisted by PSE. The exchange on Aug. 15 delisted Marsteel Consolidated Inc., owned by the Martel family, also due to the non-submission of reportorial requirements.

Carabao dairy showcase. Agriculture Undersecretary and Philippine Rural Development Project

director Emerson Palad (left) and World Bank Task Team Leader for PRDP Carolina Figueroa-Geron (third from left) check on the label of a carabao dairy product from Ubay, Bohol during the opening of the First World Bank Implementation Support Mission in Visayas cluster on September 14, 2015 in Panglao, Bohol. With them are (from left) DA-PRDP deputy project director Arnel De Mesa, Bohol Governor Edgardo Chatto, PRDP project support office Visayas director Roy Abaya and Bohol provincial project management and implementing unit I-REAP head Stella Marie Lapiz.

Climate change affect livestock raisers CURRENT temperature extremes in the Philippines caused by the onset of the monsoon season and the effect of the El Niño phenomenon will be stressful to farm animals and could lead to higher susceptibility to infections, an animal health expert said.

Allen Valdeavilla, an extension veterinarian of Univet Nutrition and Animal Healthcare Co., said respiratory diseases would be more common nowadays and preventive measures were necessary to prevent possible outbreaks that could negatively affect farm productivity and profitability.

“The abrupt changes in ambient temperature that we are experiencing now highlight the need to

reinforce farm biosecurity measures like disinfection and vaccination to prevent the entry or spread of disease-causing microorganisms in a farm,” he said.

Valdeavilla stressed the need to further educate animal raisers—especially backyard swine raisers who supply the bulk of market pigs— about proper biosecurity measures to help ensure food security and safety in the Philippines.

“We must also be conscious of the fact that humans and other animals are usually the ones that carry these harmful germs, so there must be serious efforts to limit the exposure of farm animals to potential carriers of pathogenic organisms,” he added.

“Disease-causing microorganisms are invisible, and the usual soap-and-water solutions are not enough to disinfect our animal pens and cages,” he said. “There must be a program on disease prevention, including the regular disinfection of pens and farm equipment once a week and giving appropriate vaccines against diseases prevalent in the area.”

Valdeavilla said he recommended using Univet’s Major D, a three-in-one disinfectant that also acts as a detergent and degreaser which is safe to use even in the presence of animals. This makes routine disinfection easier because there is no need to remove the farm animals from their pens.

Three industries deserve govt help THE theory of industrial developments states that the industrial authorities of a country should focus on, and prioritize the flow of resources to, goods in whose production that country has displayed special skill and a competitive edge. There are at least three products made in this country that meet the criterion set by the theory and thus deserve unstinting government support. The three are shoes, guns and stringed musical instruments.

The Philippines makes good shoes, and they are made in the city of Marikina. In the last decades of the twentieth century, Marikina shoes achieved acclaim beyond this country’s shores. Just how famous Marikina-made shoes became in foreign markets is best illustrated by the story about a wealthy Filipino businessman who shopped in a swanky Fifth Avenue store to buy a special take-home gift for his wife. The salesman told him, “Sir, how about some beautiful Italian shoes? These here are handcrafted in the small Italian town of Marichina.” The story may or may not be apocryphal, but it goes to show how far and how high up the market ladder Marikinamade shoes have gone.

The Marikina shoe industry has been losing luster in recent years, but the city’s famous shoes came back to the center of public attention with the statement of a number of lady guests at the recent State of the Nation event that they were wearing Marikina-made shoes.

That statement was a real shot in the arm for Marikina’s shoe manufacturers.

The development and progress of the Marikina shoe industry has largely taken place through the efforts of the city (formerly municipal) government, specifically the Marikina Shoe Industry Development Office. Marikina shoe manufacturers no longer have anything to prove. They have shown that, with good design, good raw materials—i.e. first-class leather—they can compete with the best that the world has to offer.

It is high time the government, specifically, the Department of Trade and Industry, gave the Marikina shoe industry the serious and sustained attention it deserves. With the national government working hand in hand with the city government, foreign shoe buyers will come to know that Marikina is a thriving city in the Philippines, not a small town in Italy.

Another domestic industry that has remained small, almost certainly because of its somewhat controversial character, is the handgun industry of Cebu, centered on the city of Danao. From time to time one reads or hears media stories about violent crimes being committed with the use of paltik handguns. The use of the word paltik gives the reader or listener the impression that Danao-made weapons are not comparable with the best in world markets. Maybe so, but the fact remains that the potential is there for the development of a first-class handgun industry in Danao City and its environs. Indeed, if the media reports are to be believed, the so-called paltik weapons do their jobs with deadly accuracy.

There is a Philippine company that manufactures rifles, with government approval and supervision, for the military and for export.

Rifles are just as deadly as handguns. If the government can support the manufacture of rifles in this country, why can’t it work with the Danao and Cebu authorities to establish a handgun industry in the Philippines? That way, the paltik industry will be brought out of the shadows and even become the Colt Industries of this country.

Finally, the stringed musical instruments industry. The Philippines is acknowledged to be a producer of some of the finest guitars in the world. This is attested to by the guitars that foreign tourists bring out with them when their luggage loads permit. The Cebu guitar industry is a standout.

True, violins and similar stringed instruments are more sensitive and are more difficult to produce. But, given their dexterity and experience—often handed down from generation to generation—can the guitar-makers of Cebu and other places not be helped to move up the scale and try their hands at making violins and cellos? The answer is, they can.

Here again the government needs to get entirely involved, including financially. Since the guitar makers have thus far not shown any inclination toward organizing themselves, DTI can bring the producers together and make of them a regular, integrated industry.

Guitars and other stringed instruments marked “Made in the Philippines” should, and can, take their well-deserved places in the world’s concert halls and entertainment venues.

E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

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WORLD

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Refugees favoring Sweden, Holland PARIS—They dream of a better life in Germany, Sweden or Holland, but one country appears glaringly absent from the lips of refugees on their arduous journey to Europe: France.

So why are refugees skirting Europe’s second largest economy, once seen as the promised land for asylumseekers?

“France is not good for my future, and on top of that it doesn’t have the reputation of easily giving a residence permit,” said Edward, a 24-year-old from Baghdad waiting in Stockholm for a boat to Finland.

Word has spread that going to France means months without a roof over their heads, wading through French bureaucracy and dealing with disobliging civil servants who don’t speak English.

The country’s stuttering economy, where some 3.5 million are unemployed, is also a turn-off.

France “is nice to visit but not for work”, said Abdulrahman, a 26-year-old Syrian in Sweden.

Two weeks ago, President Francois Hollande offered to take up to 1,000 refugees to help Germany, which is buckling under thousands of daily arrivals.

Right away, Paris dispatched a team of immigration officials to Munich to convince refugees to seek asylum in France.

However, less than 600 arrived on organized buses and no more are expected for the moment, the immigration office said, refusing further comment.

It is an hour’s drive outside Paris, through verdant thick forest and cow-dotted pastures that one group of Iraqi and Syrian refugees were welcomed in a faded-white monastery in the village of Bonnelles.

Their eyes sparkle when talking about France, a “land of human rights” with long ties to Syria—which was under French rule for about 25 years after World War I. But few were planning to come here until they were approached by the immigration officials in Munich. AFP

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In Nepal, quake survivors turn porters to deliver aid BIGU, Nepal—Her back hunched over, Nepali villager Sanchimaya Thami strained to make the last stretch of a five-hour trek to deliver critical relief supplies to other victims of April’s devastating earthquake.

The 36-year-old is one of some 10,000 survivors of the disaster hired as porters to bring food, medicines and shelter materials to remote Himalayan villages cut off by the 7.8-magnitude quake that hit on April 25, killing nearly 8,900 people.

“I used to be a farmer, but now I

have no farm, it’s all gone,” Thami told AFP, as she recounted the impact of the quake and massive aftershock that followed in May, which wiped out her village of Bigu in northeastern Dolakha district.

“We had no food to eat, we had nowhere to live—it took about a week before help arrived,” Thami said as she dropped off a 30-kilogram sack of lentils for her fellow villagers.

The disaster destroyed roads, leaving villages like Bigu cut-off from vital supplies and creating a “logistical nightmare” for aid agencies, said Stephen Anderson, emergency coordinator for the World Food Program, which is funding the scheme.

“This is some of the most challeng-

ing terrain WFP has operated in globally”, Anderson told AFP. “We desperately needed to access villages where choppers couldn’t land either because of the steep terrain or the weather... we were facing an emergency,” he said.

While the agency struggled to find a way out of the crisis, a small team of Nepali and foreign mountaineers made their way to the quake epicenter in Gorkha district.

Argentinian mountaineer Damian Benegas was on Mount Everest, planning to summit the world’s highest peak for a sixth time when the disaster struck on April 25, triggering a deadly avalanche.

The 46-year-old climber arrived unscathed in Kathmandu six days Manila

Standard

TODAY

later and traveled on to Gorkha, determined to help.

He considered hiring a helicopter to run air drops, but was deterred by the cost, which ran into thousands of dollars.

“We realized that we needed to approach this whole thing creatively.

“As mountaineers, we rely hugely on porters to move supplies and I thought we could do the same here, move more goods for a fraction of the cost of a chopper,” he told AFP. Over the next few days, the volunteers and villagers lifted rocks and cleared away debris in a bid to open up blocked mountain paths and begin the delivery of tents, blankets, food and water provided by nonprofits. AFP

Republic of the Philippines Province of Bataan City of Balanga BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE OFFICE INVITATION TO BID NO. INFRA -071- 2015

The Provincial Government of Bataan, through the General Fund71 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. Completion of Mariveles District Hospital Mariveles, Bataan

=P=19,999,948.03

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”.

Unusual pyramid. People look at a display of an instant-noodles pyramid

measuring 7.4m tall and stacked with 57,155 of Cup Noodles at the museum in Yokohama, suburban Tokyo, on Sept. 21, 2015. Japan’s Nissin Foods employees stacked 69 ascending layers of cup noodle packages to celebrates the 44th anniversary of the establishment of the Cup Noodle and Guinness World Records recognized the “Largest Packaged product pyramid” on Sept.

18. AFP

Hong Kong tycoon criticized after he sold assets in China BEIJING—The mouthpiece newspaper of China’s Communist Party blasted Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing after he sold assets on the mainland with the world’s second-largest economy facing headwinds.

The 87-year-old, nicknamed “Superman” for his sharp business acumen, has been offloading major property investments in China—where growth slowed to a 24-year low last year and has continued to weaken this year—after investing heavily there in the 1990s.

The move, combined with his selling of assets in Hong Kong, has fueled speculation that the richest man in Asia is losing confidence in

the Greater China region.

“Capital has no borders while businessmen have their own motherland,” the People’s Daily said on a verified social media account, implicitly questioning Li’s patriotism.

China’s opening up, vast market and favorable policies had been “the key cornerstone” of Li’s success, yet he was now leaving his benefactor in the lurch, it said in a commentary Sunday on its account on China’s mobile messaging application WeChat, a less formal platform than the printed newspaper itself.

“From the perspective of uncomplicated people, he shared the prosperity while we had good

times but could not beat the odds together with us now that we have difficulties,” it added. “This is indeed unacceptable emotionally.”

But it sought to downplay any “negative impact” on confidence in China, saying the mainland offers “a vision that goes beyond money”.

“We don’t need to worry that no investors will come after Li Kashing,” it said, pointing out the country accounts for more than 12 percent of the global economy.

“What we can do is not to condescend to persuade him to stay or to hurl invectives out of outrage, but to build the country better to make today’s departure tomorrow’s regret.” AFP

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.

Maximum Cost of Bidding Documents Approved Budget for the Contract (in Philippine Peso) 500,000 and below 500.00 More than 500,000 up to 1 Million 1,000.00 More than 1 Million up to 5 Million 5,000.00 More than 5 Million up to 10 Million 10,000.00 More than 10 Million up to 50 Million 25,000.00 More than 50 Million up to 500 Million 50,000.00 More than 500 Million 75,000.00 The Provincial Government of Bataan will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on September 29, 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 12, 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 22 – September 28, 2015 Refer to date of Opening of Bids September 22 – October 12, 2015 October 01, 2015 October 12, 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. 22, 2015)

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cESAR BARRioqUinTo EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

world

Zoo says killer tiger will not be put down WELLINGTON—A tiger that mauled a New Zealand zookeeper to death will not be put down because the attack was “in line with his natural instincts”, zoo officials said Monday.

Experienced zookeeper Samantha Kudewah died on Sunday morning when the tiger, a Sumatran male called Oz, attacked her at Hamilton Zoo, south of Auckland.

Hamilton Council, which runs the zoo, described Kudewah’s death as a tragedy but said there was nothing to gain from destroying the big cat.

“Although there is an inherent risk for zoo professionals who manage big cats like Oz, there is no wider ongoing risk—there is no reason for us to put Oz down,” the council’s community general manager Lance Vervoort said in a statement.

“This is our call, and the decision on Oz rested solely with us.

Oz is a significant animal for his species. He is the father of our two cubs, and he is vital to the ongoing breeding program to conserve this rare species.”

Vervoort added: “The widely held view among zoo professionals was that Oz’s attack on Samantha was in line with his natural instincts.”

Sumatran tigers are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature with only an estimated 500 left in the wild.

The zoo’s decision comes after an online petition opposing euthanasia attracted more than 5,000 signatures and a separate “Help Save Oz” Facebook page gained more than 10,000 likes.

Police and workplace authorities are still investigating how Kudewah was killed and Vervoort said he could not comment on tiger management procedures until their work was done.

Kudewah’s colleague Catherine Nichols said the 43-year-old mother-of-two was a passionate conservationist whose expertise in captive breeding programs was recognized internationally.

AFP

Pilgrimage. Muslim pilgrims circle counterclockwise Islam’s holiest shrine, the Kaaba, at the Grand Mosque in the Saudi holy city of Mecca, late on Sept. 20, 2015. The annual hajj pilgrimage begins on Sept. 22, and more than a million faithful have already flocked to Saudi Arabia in preparation for what will for many be the highlight of their spiritual lives. AFP

Francis meets Castros after mass in Havana HAVANA—Pope Francis met Sunday with Fidel and Raul Castro, the brothers who have ruled Cuba since its 1959 revolution, after celebrating an outdoor mass attended by hundreds of thousands.

In what is sure to become an emblematic moment of his tour of Cuba and the United States—the Cold War enemies whose reconciliation he helped bring about— the pope chatted with former leader Fidel Castro at his home in Havana, then held a closed-door meeting with current president Raul at government headquarters.

Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said the pope had a “very informal and friendly” conversation with 89-year-old Fidel that touched on various topics, including the environment.

Francis, 78, gave the former Cuban leader four books, including two on theology.

Castro reciprocated with a copy of Brazilian priest Frei Betto’s book of interviews with him, “Fidel and Religion,” which he signed, “With admiration and respect from the Cuban people.”

The video of the meeting aired on Cuban state TV showed the men sitting and chatting, the visibly voluble Castro clad in a tracksuit—his trademark in retirement.

After years of hostility between the Church and Castro’s commu-

nist regime—which was officially atheist for more than three decades—relations began to slowly improve in the 1980s, culminating in a historic visit to Cuba by pope John Paul II in 1998.

Francis, who arrived Saturday, is now the third pope to visit the island, after his predecessor Benedict XVI traveled there in 2012—a remarkable amount of papal attention for a country where only 10 percent of the population describe themselves as Catholic.

The pope later met with Castro’s brother, President Raul Castro, 84, who took power when Fidel stepped down amid a health crisis in 2006.

Before the meetings, the pope gave a homily on Havana’s Revolution Square calling on Cubans to

serve the downtrodden and warning them that “service is never ideological,” in what appeared to be a veiled critique of the communist regime.

“Christians are constantly called to set aside their own wishes and desires, their pursuit of power, and to look instead to those who are most vulnerable,” he told the crowd, speaking beneath a towering sculpture of his fellow Argentine Che Guevara’s iconic silhouette.

“We need to be careful not to be tempted by another kind of service, a ‘service’ which is ‘selfserving.’”

Three Cuban dissidents were arrested as they approached the pope shouting “Freedom!” when he arrived for the mass. AFP

South Sudan conditions worsening

For posterity. French writer Maryline Desbiolles poses in Paris on Sept. 15, 2015. AFP

JUBA, South Sudan—Conditions in war-torn South Sudan have worsened with thousands fleeing fighting since a ceasefire deal three weeks ago, the United Nations has warned.

In the northern battleground state of Unity, thousands of civilians are trekking through the vast Sudd swamplands to reach the village of Nyal, away from fighting.

“About 10 canoes, each carrying 60 to 70 people, have arrived in Nyal on a daily basis since midAugust,” the UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in its latest report.

At least 18,000 people have arrived in Nyal in the past two weeks, taking the total there to more than 78,000 civilians, the report added.

In the capital Juba, the UN warned of a “deteriorating security situation”, where an aid worker was murdered in a “brutal attack” on September 10, taking the total killed since the war began to 34.

Some 1.64 million people have fled fighting inside the country, another 628,000 have fled as refugees into neighboring nations, while over 4.6 million people are now dependent on food aid.

The army and rebels have repeatedly traded blame accusing each other of breaking an August 29 ceasefire deal, the eighth such agreement to have been signed since civil war broke out in December 2013.

Despite the fighting, both sides say the political deal remains in place.

Over 192,000 terrified civilians are sheltering inside UN bases.

In the largest camp, the UN base in the Unity state capital Bentiu— home to 112,000 civilians—some 34 children died in just one week alone, many from malaria, the UN report added. AFP

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TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR

BING PAREL A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

BERNADETTE LUNAS

life @ thestandard.com .ph

WRITER

@LIFEatStandard

A RTS, CU LT U RE & T ECH

LIFE Commercial photographer Jan Gonzales

Landscape photographer Randall Cipriano

Street photographer Xyza Dela Cruz Bacani

Street and travel photographer Rommel Bundalian

Fashion photographer Niko Villegas

Wedding photography maestro Lito Sy

THE FUTURE OF PHOTOGRAPHY

FujiFilm launches X Series Mirrorless Cameras

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one are the days of EPP films and shaking Polaroids (which really, doesn’t do anything to the photos) during photoshoots. As technology continuously evolves and reshapes the behavior of consumers, one of the most advanced and evolving industries is Photography. Today, everyone is already armed with a digital camera and can become a selfproclaimed photographer. People take a photo of their food before eating, f lash OOTDs, take a picture of every skyline they see, including the horrendous traffic and f lood situations.

Photographs have become an everyday commodity and with such an obsession comes cameras in the smallest form possible.

It has been a challenge though to shrink professional DSLR cameras and still retain viable features – high resolution, color accuracy, and advanced autofocus technology – which is why camera companies developed what is called the Mirrorless camera.

What exactly is a Mirrorless camera? A Mirrorless camera does not have the mirror-reflex found inside DSLRs, which reflects light into the viewfinder –and in turn makes DSLRs bulky. By removing this mirror, light travels directly into the camera’s sensor, allowing for a lighter and quieter camera, while still giving users the option of changing and choosing from a variety of lenses.

Recently, FUJIFILM, one of the best-regarded camera brands worldwide, launched the X Series Mirrorless Cameras. More compact, capable, and user-friendly, they give great image quality that can rival that of full-sized DSLRs – but without the back strain. The X series is built for functionality and portability with controls that let photographers create the best photos better than all other Mirrorless cameras and DSLRs. And aside from the function, the form of the X series models boast of the sexiest designs in camera releases today: classic, yet modern and sophisticated.

Size has been the number one selling point of the series and sometimes this, too, makes skeptics and pro-DSLR camera buffs shy away from switching to the Mirrorless models.

Professiona l and a mateur photographers often bring with them the most expensive and hi-tech DSLRs, but bigger is not necessary better. Mirrorless cameras have grown into their own distinct category and rake in more function and advantages than DSLRs. FUJIFILM X Series Mirrorless Cameras’ shutter is discreet and quiet; since the mirror is gone it doesn’t create a sound unlike when the mirror inside the DSRL swings up. It becomes much easier to engage in

X-T10 Silver

X-A2

quick street photography without having to disturb anyone or alarm a subject. It also reduces camera shake, and vibrations are minimized. Clarity and sharpness is also not compromised in the X series because of the sensorembedded focus pixels. With the built in X-Trans CMOS sensor, you can capture best image quality with less graininess as it produces accurate and natural colors, and even skin tones. An added bonus on the setting recreates FUJIFILM’s 80-year history of photographic film manufacturing heritage packed in its Film Simulation Mode- ASTIA for smooth tone reproduction, Velvia for vivid colors, Provia natural tones, and two portraiture settings: softer Pro Neg.Std and sharper Pro

Neg.Hi. Sepia and black and white is also included.

Since the mirror is gone, the viewer is also gone and is replaced by an Electronic View Finder or EVF. It is eye sensitive, meaning it only reacts when you put your eye on the EVF. What’s good about this function is that you can view the actual setting so it’s easier to adjust and capture.

And oh, looking inside the EVF feels like you’re looking inside a 3D screen.

Holding an X series in hand takes away all the complications in clicking and setting up camera settings. Built to look like a classic FUJIFILM camera, the buttons look simple and are strategically placed for easier back-to-basic dial operations.

Buyers of the X Series can enjoy 18 high quality premium lenses packed with Nano-GI coating for sharper images and the world’s most advanced Optical Image Stabilization technology.

Continued on C4

TUESDAY : SEPTEM B ER 22 : 2015

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

POPULAR NOW: Personal safety apps We ’ve b e e n u s i n g ou r smartphones for a host of activities, most of which are entertainment-related. But once in a while, app developers would find a way to turn our can’tlive-without devices into a tool THE GIST that can help make the world a

BY ED BIADO better place. Last year, fitness apps were all the rage. Now, it’s shaping up to be the year of the personal safety app. And we’re shining the spotlight on three such services with some of the most compelling features.

PURE FORCE

Developed by Filipinos for Filipinos, the Pure Force app “is a private initiative to offer to the public and government agencies a single tool to reach for help in emergency situations.” It is “designed to improve the daily lives of each and every citizen, by giving a safer solution to protect our lives.”

Available for use in the Philippines, the app lets citizens report crimes, emergencies and other situations wherein they need assistance from public service agencies. Requests are directed to the appropriate organization – ambulance, firemen, police, security personnel, and search and rescue – that can then track, monitor and respond to the incident.

COMPANION

The Companion app “lets you reach out to family, friends or your campus police and have them keep an eye on you as you travel late at night.” To activate, you need to enter your destination and select the desired contacts to be your “companion.” Even if they don’t have the app installed on their phone, your companion will be able to access a live map of your route and track your progress.

“If you start running, don’t make it to your destination on time, have your headphones yanked out or your phone falls to the ground, we will check in on you to make sure everything is okay. If you don’t respond in 15 seconds, we will automatically alert your Companions,” the developers say.

STOP ATTACK

A full-featured assault-response app, Stop Attack is a “virtual witness to assaults (verbal or physical), capturing moment-bymoment details via video and audio recordings, which are sent directly to secured cloud storage in real time. Even if you only capture a few moments of footage before you drop your device or it is broken, those precious recordings can be accessed later and used as evidence. Damage to the phone will not affect the recordings already sent to the cloud.”

Aside from recording, this app (available for a yearly subscription of $0.99) has a ‘Panic List’ feature that sends email and text message links of the recording and your GPS location to your trusted emergency contacts. An option to notify the authorities anywhere in the world is provided as well.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @EdBiado

Shopwise, Wellcome now accepting bills payments

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hopwise and Wellcome are providing customers with value-added services through a par tnership with Electronic Commerce Payments, Inc. or EC Pay that allows payments for utility, loans, and airline bills including Manila Water, Maynilad, VECO, AEON Credit, PLDT, Globe, Smart, Bayantel, Cignal TV, Sky Cable, Philippine Airlines, Air Asia, and Cebu Pacific, among many others. Credit card payments for AUB and BPI Credit Cards are also accepted.

All Shopwise branches including Cebu and Cagayan de Oro can accept bills payments, as well as all Wellcome stores. This service will also be available soon at Wellcome Greenland (Cainta) and Alabang Hills (Muntinlupa). The new service adds to the convenience Shopwise and Wellcome can offer shoppers, as they can now buy their groceries and pay their bills all in one place.

For the full list of accepted payments, see f lyers and posters or log on to www. shopwise.com.ph. Shopwise

and Wellcome are managed

by Rustan Supercenters, Inc., a member of the Dairy Farm International Group.

Shopwise has branches in Alabang, Makati, Libis, Cubao, Manila, Antipolo, Sucat, Commonwealth, San Pedro, Sta. Rosa, Imus, Cagayan de Oro, and Cebu.Wellcome stores are located in Marikina, Farmers, Taft, Boni, Mercedes, Alabang Hills, GTuazon, Greenland, Stamford, Gran Europa (CDO), Lancaster, Hemady, Fairview, Lagro, Azienda (Cebu), Starmall Alabang, and JT Centrale.

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ARTS AND CULTURE ROUNDUP What’s on in theaters and galleries this week

EXHIBITS JIA SANTOS-ESTRELLA: J’Adore Main Gallery, Artinformal, San Juan Ongoing until October 17

In her latest solo exhibition, mixed-media artist Jia Santos-Estrella presents the continuation of her previous show, “Je t’aime” back in 2012 by, this time, featuring the things that she adores. With a comprehensive background in fashion and interior design as luxury merchandising director and fashion buyer, her current collection is composed of salvaged furniture transformed into one-of-a-kind pieces that present an elegant and whimsical flair.

The furniture line features geometric patterns and images from nature painted in a spectrum of colors, thus giving a fresh and exquisite look. Her distinct design style also comes out in each of the artist’s creation that exudes her charm and energy.

For more information about this ongoing exhibit, visit www.artinformal.com IAN FABRO: Hurt Anatomies Big Room, Artinformal, San Juan Ongoing until October 17

Young contemporary artist Ian Fabro exhibits his current works that explore the facets and emotions in one of life’s certainties – ending. Each piece of the University of the Philippines-educated artist’s latest series represents the various conclusions a person experiences in his life: from the time an infant leaves the safety of his mother’s womb to every moment we leave a place or someone else once dear and familiar.

In a poetic description by Mookie Katigbak-Lacuesta, she wrote: “In the pull of my steer, each one the last way home, each home the last attachment bolts undo. This is where it ends, this sinking swell. Where I cry out your name and you tell me ‘go on’ and I go on without you.”

For more details, visit www.artinformal.com

JAN BALQUIN: This Day We Completely Lost Sight of Land Inner Room, Artinformal, San Juan Ongoing until October 17

With photography as her medium, Jan Balquin uses images of landscapes that interrogate reality and question whether a possible meaning of a subject can be derived from recorded stills that she re-created and broke down to only their key elements.

Balquin’s works, whose composition primarily presents imagined tapestry of land, reveal her personal musings and preview her persistence in pursuing her vision through the process she chose. For instance, she brought another layer to images that feature reimagined perspectives and sections of large-scale photos reconstructed with small patches of photos chosen based on color and texture. Complementing the collection of collages are video loops of a peaceful terrain and congested flashes of passing vehicles.

CONCERTS HISTORY RETOLD: The PPO Youth Concert CCP Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater), Manila September 22

For this season, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra stages its first concert for children ages 8-16. The concert takes a look at some of the most recognizable music made popular by film and television.

To make the show not only relatable but also educational for young audiences, PPO puts a historical spin on the music to teach the youth about the origin and give a new perspective to some of those timeless classics.

For more information, call PPO office at (02) 832-1125 loc 1613.

Demented. Delightful. Deranged. De Jesus CCP Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater), Manila September 24

For more information, visit www.artinformal.com My Own Personal Philippines

by Members of the AACC Corte de Las Palmas, Alabang Town Center, Muntinlupa City September 26 to October 7

The Ayala Alabang Camera Club, the photography club of residents in Ayala Alabang Village, stages a show that seeks to answer via still images “What is Philippines to you?” Veering away from the usual tourism-oriented shots of sunsets and landscapes, the 31-photo collection features colored and black and white photos of people, places and events in the country that have personal meaning to the photographer.

Each member-photographer included in the group show answers what the Philippines means to him through images showcasing experiences, memories, insights and knowledge focused from a particular standpoint. Jay Javier curates the weeklong exhibit.

For a night of dark, melancholic and whimsical music, Triple Threats: The Composers turns the spotlight on multi-awarded lyricist-composer-musical director Vincent de Jesus as the concert series’ second featured artist.

The highlights of the show are the songs from De Jesus’ 32-year career in theater, television and film to be performed by some of today’s finest theater actors and singers that include: Kalila Aguilos, Jed Balsamo, May Bayot, Raflesia Bravo, Nar Cabico, Joshua Cabiladas, Natasha Cabrera, Buddy Caramat, Ricci Chan, Red Concepcion, Erick Dizon, KL Dizon, Frenchie Dy, Bituin Escalante, Hans Eckstein, Topper Fabregas, Neomi Gonzales, Reuben Laurente, Melvin Lee, Kim Molina, Mikoy Morales, Red Nuestro, Giannina Ocampo, PJ Rebullida, Victor Robinson, Nino Royeca, Myke Salomon, Ali Santos, Markki Stroem, Kakki Teodoro, Sweet Plantado-Tiongson, Dudz Terana, Eula Valdes, Cris Villonco, Ejay Yatco, Menchu LauchengcoYulo and The CompanY.

Email ayalaalabangcameraclub@gmail.com for inquiries and more details.

Ticket prices for the concert cost P1,200, P1,000 and P800.

For more details, contact CCP Box Office at (02) 832-3704.

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THE FUTURE OF PHOTOGRAPHY From C1

During the X series launch, FUJIFILM introduced its latest ambassadors who all shifted to the Mirrorless technology of the X series. A self-proclaimed Xer, Bianca Araneta-Elizalde hosted the talk and she had a lot of praise for the X series as she uses it herself. Catch her photographs in her Instagram account as testament to the camera output. She noted that if the X series cam can turn her into a good photographer, then anyone could be one. The main ambassadors are internationally acclaimed street photographer Xyza Dela Cruz Bacani, street and travel photographer Rommel Bundalian, fashion photographer Niko Villegas, commercial photographer Jan Gonzales, wedding photography maestro Lito Sy, and landscape photographer Randall Cipriano.

So which of the X series camera should you get? If you’re a social media fanatic and posts photos of all your OOTDs, the sexy and trendy looking FUJIFILM X-A2 is your perfect companion. Selfies are made easier with the LCD screen that flips up 175 degrees. Its eye detection AF automatically focuses on the eyes, while the Portrait Enhancer mode makes skin look brighter and smoother. It comes with a super intelligent flash that optimizes the output depending on your surrounding, and good adjustments for your food and streetscape shots. Photo sharing is also a breeze – highlight up to 30 images in your camera and wirelessly transfer them to

your smartphone or computers and post directly on your social media sites or blogs.

And out of all the cams in the series, it’s the only model that comes in three leather casings – black, brown, and tan.

Are you more of a traveller and like to document your travel adventures? Are you a pet owner Instagrammer or a mommy who likes to take photos of her kids and post on her blog? FUJIFILM X-T10 is the best handy companion for these activities – lightweight, and packed with modes for high speed and precision, best for capturing moving subjects. Also, with the Film Simulation settings you won’t need after photo editing!

Now for the more serious shutterbugs: FUJIFILM X-T1, armed with the world’s highest viewfinder magnification ratio of 0.77x and fastest display with a lag-time of just 0.005 sec. It also has a weatherresistant structure, ready for trail and off road adventures. The body is sealed in approximately 80 places and is both dust and water resistant, and can cope in

X-T1 Black

temperatures as low as -10°C. By the way, this is what Xyza and Rommel carries with them.

So who knows you might be the next one in line if you use an X-T1.

Now for some heavy lifting, and by that we don’t mean the weight as we already know it’s the lightest cams around, but those shutterbugs always assigned to cover events, who need to capture the best possible moments during an event or a celebration – FUJIFILM X-E2 is the perfect gear. It is equipped with all the fancy functions you want in a high-performing camera, like an enhanced Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) that includes the world’s fastest display lag-time of 0.005 sec. and firmware upgrades that will shorten the display lag for FUJIFILM X-E2’s EVF to less than 1/10 that of the current firmware to the world’s fastest, invented as Real Time Viewfinder in FUJIFILM X-T1. For subjects that are fast moving and are constantly on the go, say your pets, or subjects in a race track, the camera boasts of the world’s fastest auto focus speed of 0.08 sec., achieved

by FUJIFILM’s evolved AF system that tracks the subject with precision even in high-speed continuous shooting. With the X-Trans CMOS II sensor, this X series cam

DANCING N IN ONE VOICE Philippine Ballet Theater collaborates with opera stars for the first time

ow on its 29th year, the Philippine Ballet Theatre is spreading its wings and gliding to the horizon of its future as it marks the first time a ballet company performs on stage with opera stars and finalists from The Voice Philippines through “Dancing in One Voice.”

Conceptualized by PBT cofounder Julie Borromeo with pop balladeer and former finalist of The Voice Philippines Timmy Pavino, Dancing in One Voice is a concert style production that will bring artists from different fields in a performance that is a tacit recognition of the quiet unsung heroes at PBT who have and continue their commitment to support the youth in performing arts: the instructors, the producers, the choreographers, and of course the dancers.

“As fellow performers, we can totally relate to their dedication to their craft. And by coming together during this show, we show our solidarity and support, and hope our audiences come to appreciate them just as we do,” remarks Pavino.

“We want to get back to our roots of our original goal which was to widen the appreciation of our ballet art form while keeping it entertaining, meaningful and relevant to our lives.

Art, after all – in all its forms – is truly a reflection of who we are and how we view ourselves,” says PBT president Sylvia Lichauco-De Leon.

X-E2 Black Front Left 18-55mm

delivers unprecedented resolution, unmatched color reproduction, and even higher definition image capture, paired with advanced Lens Modulation Optimizer (LMO). This gear is the right medium for large-size prints panorama shots, time-lapse photography, as well as HD Movies with the combination of FUJIFILM X-E2’s large sensor and bright XF/XC lenses.

Need we say more? We understand, #wishlist worthy, right? From September to November 30, catch FUJIFILM’s Camera and Lens Festival and get the best discounts for the new X series cameras. Yes you may freak out now, this is not a drill. Lens promo is only up until end of September.

To know more about the promo visit www. xphotographers.ph/september-festival. For more information on FUJIFILM, visit www. fujifilm.com.ph or follow their Facebook account on FujiFilm Philippines and @ fujifilmPH for their Instagram account.

Dancing in One Voice premieres at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Theatre for a limited run of only two performances on September 26th at 8 p.m. and the 27th at 6 p.m. Tickets are also limited, and are on a “first come, first served” basis at P1,500 for premium seating (box and front-center orchestra), P100 affordably priced for students and a range of prices in between to suit everyone’s preferences and budgets.

For inquiries and seat reservations, contact CCP Box Office (02) 832-3704, TicketWorld (02) 891-999 or PBT (02) 632-8848.

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

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SMart-Spinnr SubScriberS celebrate with Maroon 5

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aroon 5 showers fans—including Smart and Spinnr subscribers—with hits during the band’s V Manila concert at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sept.17.

Front-man Adam Levine called the Filipino crowd amazing singers several times during the show where he snag the hits like “Animals,” “Harder To Breathe,” “This Love,” “Lost Stars,” “She Will Be Loved,” “Sugar” among others.

Prior to Maroon 5, Spinnr gave away free VIP passes to Ariana Grande’s recently concluded Honeymoon concert while lucky Imagine Dragons fans were also gifted with VIP tickets as well as meet-and-greet treat to the band’s latest Smoke + Mirrors tour in the Philippines. Spinnr even held a fun-filled Mystery Manila contest to grant free VIP tickets to some lucky Arianators as well.

“Everybody’s enthusiastically waiting for Maroon 5 to return to the Philippines since their last concert in 2012,” says Spinnr product manager Lucille Tang. “And as always, we allowed our entertainment-loving subscribers to enjoy the Smart Life and get the full music experience.”

To join future SPINNR promos, just register to the promo page at Spinnr app and website (www.spinnr.ph). Upon registration, they can start earning points by subscribing to Spinnr Live Package, which includes 30 days of all-day music access with no added data charges for only P99.

Spinnr, a music service introduced by wireless services leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart), was named the “Best Mobile Music App” by the prestigious GSMA telecoms industry association at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain earlier this year.

The app, which kickstarted the music streaming revolution in the Philippines, won at the GSMA’s 20th Global Mobile Awards which is dubbed the “Oscars” of the mobile industry.

So don’t be left behind, live the Smart Life via a full music experience from Spinnr.

Download the Spinnr app or visit www.spinnr. ph to get the full music experience from music streaming to concert passes.

Spnnr and Smart subscribers at the concert

Adam Levine and his Maroon 5 bandmates delighted their Filipino fans with a non-stop repertoire of hits that had everyone singing along and dancing as well. It was a night of full of energy and enthusiasm

Anne Curtis to run for Children

UNICEF Celebrity Advocate for Children Anne Curtis launched “Heroes for Children Run” for the benefit of children most in need, especially in their first 1,000 days of life.

The run on Oct. 25 at the SM Mall of Asia grounds, is the first major fundraising initiative by Curtis since UNICEF appointed her as Celebrity Advocate last March.

“I am very much invested in health and fitness. I thought a benefit run that demonstrates health and wellness is a great way to raise resources to support children to have the best start in life! Proceeds from the run will help fund UNICEF’s 1,000 Days of Life’ campaign,” said Curtis.

Smart and Spinnr booth at the MOA

UNICEF Country Representative Lotta Sylwander (left) and Celebrity Advocate for Children Anne Curtis (right)

UNICEF and partners launched the ‘1,000 Days’ campaign through a series of legislative advocacy forums with the House of Representatives and the Senate last July.

The central theme is Ensuring the Right Start to Life through Optimal Maternal and Child Nutrition: Building a Stronger Nation.

“In the Philippines, at least 3.4 million Filipino children are stunted. Undernutrition accounts for over half of the 95 daily under-five child deaths. The ‘1,000 Days’ campaign will focus on much needed health and nutrition support in the critical first thousand days of the life of a child: from

conception through pregnancy, to childbirth, and through to the child’s second year and beyond,” said UNICEF Country Representative Lotta Sylwander.

“UNICEF greatly appreciates Anne’s initiative to raise funds to support the critical needs of young children’s health and well-be-

ing. She is personally leading this event and has mobilised her own networks and resources to make it happen.” Added Sylwander, “I accompanied Anne on her first field visit with us. She is committed not only to learn, but also to contribute in changing the lives of the Filipino children for the better. Her popularity and large fan base is an asset in drawing due attention to the needs of Filipino children.”

The run will feature a 500-metre dash for kids (age 12 and below); 5k, 10K, and 21K. Online registration for the Heroes for Children Run is open at www.takbo.ph/heroesforchildren until Oct. 11. In-store registration will run from Sept. 23 to Oct. 21 2015 at Chris Sports outlets at SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, SM City North Edsa, SM City BF Paranaque, Glorietta, and Market! Market!

To know more about the run and UNICEF’s programmes, visit www.unicef.ph or call 7581000 (Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.).

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

‘LES MiSéRabLES’ in ManiLa

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ameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed new production of Boublil & Schönberg’s legendary musical Les Misérables finally lands in Manila via Smart Infinity.

The musical is the latest to be staged in Manila following a stellar tradition of world-class musicals that Infinity was proud to have presented in the past. Previous production-tie-ups included like Phantom of the Opera, Cats, and Wicked.

Les Misérables’ magnificent score includes two of the best songs ever written in the history of music and stage – “On My Own” and “I Dreamed A Dream.”

“We are leaving no sense untouched. If you are into gadgets, Infinity has that covered with the latest offers that come with Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and the Samsung S6 Edge+; if you are into world-class entertainment experiences, Smart Infinity takes care of that as well with musicals that are served right where it’s most convenient for us

all; and if your heart beats travel, Infinity is there to address that as well,” offered James Chi, Marketing manager of Smart Infinity.

Infinity members will be the first to get tickets to the musical to be mounted in March 2016 at The Theatre at Solaire. Infinity users are offered first dibs to ticket purchasing and discount offers from Sept. 29 to Oct. 29.

Chi emphasized that this limited engagement provides an exclusive chance for those who live the Smart Life via Infinity to be the first to purchase tickets to the musical. “True to the tradition that Infinity has fostered when it comes to delighting the senses via Broadway productions, here is another classic exclusively brought to Manila by Infinity, the sole presenter of Les Misérables,” Chi added.

“Les Misérables is close to Filipinos’ hearts. Lea Salonga played both Eponine and Fantine and currently, another Filipina, Rachelle Anne Go, is playing Fantine

in the ongoing West End production. Of course, there’s the mainstream Hollywood success of the movie version that starred Hugh Jackman, Eddie Redmayne, Amanda Seyfried, Russel Crowe and Anne Hathaway still fresh in our minds. So now that the stage version is finally arriving via Smart Infinity, it completed the Les Misérables journey for every Filipino whose hears have been moved by this classic,” added Chi. Get two VIP orchestra tickets, a Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and PAL Mabuhay Miles when you subscribe to Plan 5000 or Plan 8000 complete with the free download of the entire soundtrack of Les Misérables via Spinnr. This offer (valid from Sept. 29 to Oct. 29) is also available when members opt for the latest Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+.

For existing members, enjoy a 10 percent discount on all Les Misérables tickets purchased within the said period.

Lea Salonga played both Fantine and Eponine

Rachelle Ann Go is the current Fantine on West End

Vin Diesel’s ‘The lasT WiTCh hunTer’ Trailer

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he action adventure The Last Witch Hunter starring Vin Diesel of The Fast and Furious fame takes on the legendary titular character of Kaulder, a guardian for an endless age, is all that stands between humanity and the combined forces of the most horrifying witches in history.

The Last Witch Hunter sees armies of witch hunters who battled the unnatural enemy across the globe for centuries, including Kaulder, a valiant warrior who managed to slay the all-powerful Queen Witch, decimating her followers in the process. In the mo-

Vin Diesel in The Last Witch Hunter

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 45 46 47 48 50 54 58 61 62 63 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Sitter’s bane 5 Bubbles up 10 Cut, as logs 14 Engineering toy 15 Commencement 16 Away from the wind 17 Gets a loan 18 Terra — 19 Navajo foes 20 Miniature maple, e.g.

22 24 25 26 28 32 35 37 38 39 41 42

Antique desks Aquarium scavenger Beginner Robin beaks Olympic award Peteman Future fish Part of ROY G BIV Big bird Separate Yes, in Cherbourg Dating site

Start of a bray Alum Teed off La — Tar Pits Muscle cells Video category Pass on Writer — Allende Music and dance Jerked away Dressy event — de vivre Rigid 007’s alma mater Cobras’ kin Flee to the JP Studies

DOWN 1 Splotches 2 Conquered again 3 Booster rocket 4 Flinging 5 Central points 6 The Plastic — Band 7 Jetsons’ dog 8 Ditto (2 wds.)

9 Rhubarb unit 10 Cooked in butter 11 Low voice 12 Show grief 13 Monster’s loch 21 “The Greatest”

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015

23 25 27 29 30 31 32 33 34 36 37 40 43 44 46 49 51 52 53 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 64

Sketch Invitation ltrs.

Male guinea pig Designer label Spanish water Burglar’s “key” Sherpa’s sighting Omani title Greasy dirt Contented murmur Livy’s road Yanks’ adversaries Disarms a bomb Warhol star — Sedgwick Off the street Magazine execs Stitch loosely Lucy’s friend Thick-skinned mammal Let up Juicy fruit Paton and Lerner Lower California Piccadilly statue Swab (hyph.)

— fixe Sixth sense

ments right before her death, the Queen curses Kaulder with her own immortality, forever separating him from his beloved wife and daughter in the afterlife. Today Kaulder is the only one of his kind remaining, and has spent centuries hunting down rogue witches, all the while yearning for his longlost loved ones. However, unbeknownst to Kauldet, the Queen Witch is resurrected and seeks revenge on her killer causing an epic battle that will determine the survival of the human race.

The Last Witch Hunter opens Oct. 21 in cinemas from Pioneer Films.

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

Grace Poe

Susan Roces with the Llamanzares family

mother knoWs best

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mid criticisms that Senator Grace Poe is not ready for the highest position in the country, her mother Susan Roces believes otherwise. “She is ready to take on the responsibility of leading the country to a better tomorrow.”

Says Roces, “I know my daughter and she will not decide on something that she’s not ready or capable in handling its responsibilities. Also, she spends time studying and analyzing things before making a decision.”

Da King’s widow is giving her all out support for Grace and running mate Senator Chiz Escudero in their campaign to be elected

From C8

to the highest and second highest positions in the government. The two declared their intentions to run separately last week, with Poe at the UP Bahay ng Alumni and Escudero at Club Filipino the day after.

“I am one with my daughter and I know that what she has decided to do has been thought of seriously and she has prepared well for it,” the actress said during an interview right after Grace made her declaration last Wednesday.

“I pray that the Lord guide her in doing the things that will benefit the country and our fellow Filipinos,” Roces added.

“To all those who have thrown their support for Grace, those

who were there at her declaration, and those who followed it at home, we are very grateful to all of you. You all make this very significant and meaningful for us.

Thank you,” Roces said.

HHHHH Women in Advertising in Cnn PhiliPPines The cutthroat world of advertising does not leave much room for women at the top. Merlee Jayme, chief creative officer of DM9 JaymeSyfu is one woman who has broken the mold.

Jayme first set foot in the world of advertising through a copywriting internship at J. Walter Thompson. Rising up the ranks,

Kina-Grannis

Kina Grannis with husband and partner Imaginary Future

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Kina grannis’ ‘eLements tour Live’

he first time Filipino fans met Kina Grannis, it was a match made in music heaven. Fans were captivated by her soothing voice and girl-next-door beauty.

It’s been three years since Kina has been back to Manila but the time has finally come as she returns for a Southeast Asian leg of her Elements tour.

The heartthrob from California has been living and breathing music ever since she was a young girl.

Her passion for music has brought her from learning to play the violin, the piano, guitar and even the ukulele.

Her talents were thrust into the limelight when her music video “Message From Your Heart” won a competition and was

shown to Super Bowl’s 97 million fans. The competition included a record deal, which Kina eventually forfeited, choosing instead to self-release her album and keep creative control.

Her debut album – Stairwells – debuted on Billboard’s Top 200 chart (and no. 2 on its new artist chart) due in large part to her devoted online following.

Kina’s sophomore album – Elements – written entirely by Kina and produced by Matt Hales (Aqualung), was released in May, 2014 and debuted in the Top 50 on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart (and top 5 on its Folk Chart).

Elements marks an undeniable maturity in songwriting and artistry and documents a period of

growth and change in Kina’s personal life, complete with an honesty and vulnerability that she’s excited to share with the universe.

Kina’s music is dark and driving, sweet and soaring, melancholy, humble, heartfelt and hopeful.

Her latest album and tour also represents an evolution not only as an artist but also as a person for the YouTube sensation. When she first came to Manila, she was a solo act. This time around, she comes to Manila with her fellow artist and husband, Imaginary Future.

Kina Grannis performs 7:30 p.m. at Kia Theatre (formerly New Frontier Theater) in Araneta Center on Sept.

27 featuring Gentle Bones and Imaginary Future.

Merlee Jayme

she eventually became executive creative director of Ace Saatchi & Saatchi and then BBDO Guerrero. In 2005, she and a few partners founded DM9 JaymeSyfu.

DM9 has received more awards than any other agency at their age, raising the bar of Filipino creativity.

Despite this, it still remains a tight team composed of 33 people who

are also friends, making it a tough but rewarding agency to get into.

Jayme calls herself “chairmom,” to remind herself that she a mother at work and to her daughters at home. As chairmom, she tries to make everyone feel like they are part of a family. The agency is kept small in size so that everybody knows not just each other’s names but their kids’ names as well.

Channeling her ad smarts and creativity for a cause, Merlee works with women’s organization Gabriela. DM9 created a “Bury the Past” campaign that helped women redeem their reputations online by suppressing scandalous videos.

Join host Angel Jacob as she sits down with advertising trailblazer Merlee Jayme Sunday in Leading Women on Friday at 7:30 PM on CNN Philippines.

John Legend teams with madonna’s danCe on

The upcoming intense dance movie Breaking Through went for a unique casting call that had John Legend (who serves as producer of the film) teaming up with Madonna’s DanceOn, a leading YouTube dance video network that serves as a source for undiscovered talent. Dance On also has Guy Oseary, Allen DeBevoise and CEO Amanda Taylor as founders.

John Legend, a multiple Emmy Award-winner, also produced original music for the film and has pooled together the most talented dancers and choreographers. John Swetnam, known for his breakthrough screenwriting work in Step Up All In that reached blockbuster status, pens the movie’s screenplay and takes on the director’s chair.

Breaking Through, a modern coming-of-age dance film for the YouTube generation follows the journey of talented dancer Casey Wright (played by Sophia Aguiar), a 21- year old small town girl with dreams of stardom. After a Hollywood talent scout noticed her online hip-hop dance videos, she becomes an overnight sensation. As her popularity rises, Casey risks losing herself and everything she cares about, all for the sake of music and fame.

On writing and directing the film, Swetnam explains he researched on the current various types of underground venues featuring the latest dance styles.

While doing so, he discovered that the new sub-culture of dance is really the Internet itself. Eventually he also discovered incredible dancers for the mov-

A scene from Breaking Through

Sophia Aguiar in Breaking Through

ie and reveals that the movie is more character-driven that was shot in raw using hand-held cameras.

“If you go on YouTube, you have all these people who have hundreds of thousands of followers and they make and post these amazing dance videos, and there’s kids from all over the world with huge followings. So I wanted to tell that story, so I could merge the Internet with dance,” Swetnam shared in recent interviews.

Breaking Through is the world’s first dance film of its kind, combining two sub-genres, dance movies and found footage. The movie also boasts a talented cast that includes Julie Warner, Jordan Rodrigues, Robert Roldan, Jay Ellis, Carlito Olivero, Bruna Marquezine, Shaun Brown, Dominic Sandoval, Taylor Locascio, and Lindsey Stirling.

It opens in theatres nationwide tomorrow from Axinite Digicinema.

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

PoP DivA cElEBRATES 35 YEARS wiTh ‘ThE KUhl. EvEnT’ ISAH V. RED Not many singers can stay long in the business in a decade or two.

A lot of them, some of them I know, retire and live more quiet and normal lives away from the blinding stage lights and deafening screams of fans.

Yet, there are those whose lives seem destined to do just that… sing…and make people’s lives a bit colorful, like Kuh Ledesma. “ For over 35 years I have been blessed with an amazing musical career and I continue to be in awe at how God continues to shape my story for His glory,” says Ledesma who is holding The KuhL. Event at CCF Center Main Auditorium at Tiendesitas along C5 in Pasig City.

Ledesma is counting merely her being in the business as a solo artist, although if we count the years she was with the Music and Magic, she might be singing for nearly four decades.

“That’s why I refer to it as ‘35 plus’ if we’d include my stint with Music and Magic which celebrat-

ed their 35th last year as a group,” Ledesma explains.

Also the plus, adds, the singer known in the industry as pop diva, refers to the guests her concert will have. “ I’ll have Gary V., Regine Velasquez, Jaya, Tirso Cruz III, her daughter Isabella, the Perkins Twins, and Migo (who is now trying his best to remain StarStruck, the talent search on GMA 7).

Ledesma also announced that Fernando Carillo, who became a household name in the Philippines when he appeared in the popular Mexican telenovela Rosalinda as Fernando Jose Altamirano del Castillo, will join her in the event.

“We will have a number together, in Spanish…hahahaha,” says Kuh who can’t hide her amusement.

On The KuhL. Event, Ledesma has this to say, “This project is also special in another way. CCF has been an amazing part of my life’s journey! Where better to give glory and thanks to my Maker who has all made things possible?”

Yet, she also dismisses the notion that she will only perform an all-gospel repertoire. “There will be gospel music in some part of the show, but generally I’ll be singing the hit tunes throughout my

journey. I know that I have sung songs that I may have regretted performing, but those were in the past. Since the start of my journey, I have chosen the songs that will inspire the audience and engender positive vibes among those who are in the same journey as I am.”

Ledesma has been a Christian (meaning born-again) in the last 15 years, yet she says she has just been on her early journey. “I am doing this to give glory to the Lord because it’s His hand that directs me to where I should go.”

Entertaining. That’s what Ledesma guarantees all who will be part of The KuhL. Event on Oct. 16.

“Come, join me in giving thanks and glory to God in this anniversary show of mine,” she says inviting everyone to be part of it.

Proceeds of the concert, Ledesma says, “Will be used towards my bible distribution ministry in depressed areas of Metro Manila and also for the Red Cross.”

Those who go to CCF for prayer and worship can get their tickets there, and those who attend Sunday services or mass may call 09209539488 or 09178139065 or 5320688. ➜ Continued on C7

Kuh Ledesma counts 35 years as a solo artist. The pop diva celebrates her three decades and a half with The KuhL. Event on Oct. 16