The Standard - 2015 October 02 - Friday

VOL. XXIX NO. 232 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 FRIday : OCTOBER 2, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

AFP hit in tandag probe of killings

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World’s Worst

Waze judges Manila’s traffic hardest to navigate

By Joel E. Zurbano

MANILA was judged as the city with the worst traffic on the planet by users of Waze, a mobile application that helps motorists navigate congested streets around the world.

“On a city level, Manila reported the worst traffic on Earth, with Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and Jakarta

not far behind,” Waze said on its website Thursday.

By country, the Philippines

was ranked ninth worst, with a score of 3.9. El Salvador (2.1) and Guatemala (3.0) offered “the worst driving experiences in the world,” due to frequency and severity of traffic jams, lack of driver services, and poor road infrastructure.

Behind the Philippines were Panama (3.8); Indonesia, Romania and Ecuador (all with 3.7); Colombia (3.3); Venezuela (3.3); Guate-

mala (3.0) and El Salvador (2.1).

The Netherlands topped the list with the best driving experiences in the world with 7.9 rating followed by Latvia (7.3), the Unites States (7.2), Sweden (7.2), Czech Republic (7.1), Belgium (7.0), France (6.9), Italy (6.8), Hungary (6.8) and Slovakia (6.7).

“The Dutch driving experience can’t be beat! Despite the fact that the Netherlands is one of the most

densely populated countries in the world—behind Bangladesh, South Korea and Taiwan—the country performed best overall and outranked all other countries with the least amount of traffic,” Waze said.

“On a city level, Phoenix, Arizona has the best driving conditions in the world, with low traffic and self-identified “happy” drivers,” it added.

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Reminder. Members of the Akbayan youth group wearing Antonio Luna masks troop to the Comelec offices in Manila to remind voters to register for the coming elections. Danny Pata

Well-funded group behind kidnapping of foreigners

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House kills proposals to lower taxes

By Maricel V. Cruz and Vito Barcelo SPEAKER Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said Thursday that pending proposals to lower individual and corporate income tax rates will no longer be passed for lack of time.

While acknowledging the gov-

ernment needs to adjust the tax rates to increase the take-home pay of low- and middle-income wage earners, Belmonte said the measure might only be subjected to open debates and discussions, but will have to be considered by the next administration.

Belmonte also said the House has

nothing but the proposed 2016 national budget on its agenda during the last session days until Oct. 9.

“I am in favor to the proposal lowering income tax but in rational way, not in a way that we are all being rushed because this is popular with the voters,” Belmonte told reporters.

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US ready to deploy men in disputed sea

By Florante S. Solmerin

THE US commander o the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade based in Okinawa, Japan, said Thursday his troops were ready to deploy and help the Armed Forces of the Philippines defend the country against foreign aggression amid ongoing tensions caused by a territorial dispute between Beijing and Manila.

“We know that this is a contested area,” said Brig.

Gen. Paul Kennedy. “This is a busy neighborhood that you live in. The people and your neighbors all have their own aspirations and designs.”

Kennedy, here for the 32nd Philippine Bilateral Exercises that will run until Oct. 10, said that in the worst case scenario, “should somebody overstep the line,” the Marine Corps could be called upon to help an ally under the Mutual Defense Treaty signed between the US and the Philippines in 1951.

“I would tell you that if

anybody would challenge the sovereignty of this country, their best friends within this region would respond within a matter of hours and generally, I assure you that that is not a hollow promise,” Kennedy said.

He said the US Marines consider the Philippines as its “second home.”

Kennedy issued the statement following reports that the US had deployed at least 30,000 Marines in Hawaii as part of its pivotal security deployment in the Asia-Pacific region.

The statement comes also as China continues

World’s...

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The Netherlands, Slovakia, Sweden, and Czech Republic all reported an easy, breezy driving experience in the Top 5.

“Believe it or not, the US and France have some of the lightest traffic in the world thanks to smaller cities with appropriate infrastructure that’s easy to navigate,” Waze said.

Waze also cited several Latin American countries including El Salvador and Guatemala as the “toughest places to be a driver right now, ranking last due to frequency and severity of traffic jams, lack of driver services, and poor road infrastructure.”

The navigation app evaluated the driving experience of 50 million users in 32 countries and 167 metropolitan areas to create the world’s first “Driver Satisfaction Index”, a single numerical score from satisfying (10) to miserable (1).

The Waze Driver Satisfaction Index is based on six key factors: traffic Level by frequency and severity of traffic jams; road quality and infrastructure; driver safety based on accidents, road hazards and weather; driver services like access to gas stations and easy parking; socioeconomic factors including access to cars and impact of gas prices; and “Wazeyness,” the level of helpfulness and happiness within the Waze community Early this year, research firm Numbeo came up with a study

its reclamation and construction activities on the reefs of the disputed West Philippine Sea, despite earlier pronouncements that it had stopped.

Other claimants to the disputed areas are Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia.

Kennedy said the exercises, now on their 32nd year, offer new lessons every time they are staged.

“In this ever increasingly complex security environment, these lessons are becoming more and more acute and remind us of the seriousness of the business that we have at hand,” the general said.

On Wednesday, Philippine Marines spokesman Capt. Jerber Anthony Belonio said PHIBLEX is designed to maintain readiness, enhance interoperability and improve the ability of Marines from both countries.

This time, the joint exercises would be held in Cavite.

“Last year, we’ve been to Palawan. This time it

showing the Philippines as having the fourth worst traffic in Asia and ninth worst in the world.

Numbeo’s collated data on the traffic situation of 88 countries for its 2015 Traffic Index, showing that the Philippines obtained a “traffic index” of 202.31.

The traffic index refers to the “composite index of time consumed in traffic due to job commute, estimation of time consumption dissatisfaction, carbon dioxide consumption estimation in traffic and overall inefficiencies in the traffic system.”

Numbeo said the Philippines ranked fourth in Asia, behind Bangladesh, Jordan and Iran.

Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino, who came under fire and was asked to resign over the worsening traffic problem in Metro Manila, said the study showed the need for 10 more MRT lines in Metro Manila.

Tolentino also said the study highlights the need for the country to disperse industries to the countryside.

Traffic in Metro Manila, according to Japan International Cooperation Agency, cost the Philippines P2.4 billion a day in productivity losses The chaos could reach to P6 billion a day by 2030 in terms of productivity losses, and this was nearly three times or 2.5 times the current estimated losses a day.

On Thursday, Senator Ferdinand ‘‘Bongbong’’ Marcos Jr. pushed for the development of areas outside Metro Manila as a long-term solu-

will be in Ternate, which is the training ground of our Marines. But our command post exercises would be in Palawan,” he said.

Belonio said all the equipment for the amphibious exercise will be provided by the US Marines.

“Our troops will discover new tactics and maneuvers especially using amphibious assault vehicles,” he said.

A US Marine Corp statement said PHIBLEX will include a commandpost exercise, field-training, live-fire practice and humanitarian and civic assistance projects.

Some 1,200 Filipino troops will be joined by 3,500 Marines and sailors from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, III Marine Expeditionary Force, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, a Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force and the Navy’s Commander, Task Force 76. With PNA

tion to solving traffic congestion.

“Experts say the most effective major and long-term solution that is being proposed to address this gigantic traffic and urban congestion problem in Metro Manila is to develop the areas around it that have strong economic potential. For example, Cavite and Batangas to the south; Bulacan, Pampanga, Olongapo and Tarlac to the north; and Rizal to the east,” he said.

Marcos, chairman of the Senate committee on local government, said the focus should no longer be developing the National Capital Region, but areas chat will called the “Greater Capital Region.”

Also on Thursday, the Department of Transportation and Communications announced that it has contracted a Canada-based firm to upgrade the signaling system of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3.

DoTC said that the P53.37-million contract was awarded to Bombardier Transportation Signal Ltd. to minimize and eventually eliminate glitchesont the MRT-3 as part of the agency’s railway rehabilitation efforts.

Under the contract, Bombardier will replace the existing local control system called MAN 900 with the more contemporary EBI Screen 900 over seven months.

Another solution proposed Thursday was the use of doubledecker buses that can carry more passengers.

Highway Patrol Group director Chief Supt. Arnold Gunnacao said the proposal came from Bataan Rep. Enrique Garcia Jr.

House...

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“I don’t think [we can pass it] as we only have few days left before the recess [to give time for the filing of the certificates of candidacy on Oct. 12]. Also I don’t think even you would want an electiondriven reform. The measure needs to be passed here [in the House], in the Senate, in the bicameral conference committee, and [signed by] President Aquino to become a law,” Belmonte added.

Belmonte said the challenge for the next administration was to find ways to increase the take-home pay of workers.

“Personally I would have wanted discussion on it, more in depth study. Let’s get momentum in its favor, and then make it one of the first priorities of the next administration. Let them reap the reward of this,” Belmonte said.

Taking a cue from the Finance Department, the Palace rejected a bill calling for the lowering of income tax rates, warning of a revenue loss of P30 billion.

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said the government “cannot put fiscal sustainability and credit rating at risk by doing piecemeal revenuereducing legislation.”

The opposition United Nationalist Alliance or UNA on Thursday criticized Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II for opposing the proposed tax cuts, saying he was showing his true colors.

“Vice President Jejomar Binay was not surprised by the LP presidential bet’s move in opposing the tax measure since Roxas is a member of the oligarchy, who is out of touch with the sufferings of the common man,” UNA spokesperson Mon Ilagan said.

“He has no sympathy to what was happening outside his iron gates in Cubao,” Ilagan added.

President Benigno Aquino III, who anointed Roxas as the Liberal Party candidate for president in 2016, earlier turned down a call from major business and labor groups to lower the tax rates.

“Eighteen groups, including business, trade, professional and labor groups, have pressed for tax reform. Unfortunately, Mar Roxas is out of touch,” Ilagan said.

“The equivalent of three months’ salary, each and every year, of an ordinary worker goes to taxes in exchange for lame government service,” he added.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines said more than 40 million wage earners were disappointed by President Aquino’s rejection of tax cuts.

Lowering tax rates would increase the purchasing power of workers, said TUCPNagkaisa spokesman Alan Tanjusay.

Ilagan, on the other hand, said most Filipinos are wondering how they can feel relief from the administration’s Tuwid na Daan (straight path) mantra when they are saddled with one of the highest tax rates in Asia.

Ilagan said the outdated tax brackets should be adjusted to account for prevailing rates of inflation.

“Our tax system has to be seen as fair-meaning. Those with fat pay checks should pay higher taxes than those whose pay checks are less—and inflation-adjusted tax brackets, are simply right and just,” he said.

He added that the estimated foregone income from the reformed tax system is only 1 percent of the 2016 budget, or about P30 billion out of the total P3.002 trillion.

“This can easily be made up for by other revenue means, like stricter fiscal controls in an election year or more robust revenue collection efforts,” he said.

Senator Francis Escudero also took a swipe at Roxas, who said a cut in tax rates would lead to cuts in government projects, saying no Filipino should be deprived of services.

“In Club Filipino, I said we needed a government with a heart, one that would find ways to lower the prices of electricity, and goods, as well as lower the taxes we pay,” said Escudero.

“If he truly cares about the three million to four million middle-income workers who stand to benefit from lowering income taxes, and empathizes with the struggles they face every day, then he should find a way to make it work,” Escudero said of Roxas.

Escudero, who had earlier urged Malacañang to certify as urgent measures to lower the income tax, added that the Palace’s own allies in the Senate and the House of Representatives have carefully studied the bills now being discussed, and have proposed various means by which government can compensate for the estimated P30 billion in revenues the government expects to lose from lower taxes.

“We don’t have to raise the VAT as earlier measures like the Sin Tax have already increased government revenue. Lowering the income tax broadens the tax base, increases the purchasing power of our people and it increases consumption, thereby spurring production and producing more jobs.

We need to lower income taxes and we need to do it now,” he said.

Workers protested before the offices of the Social Security System and the Bureau of Internal Revenue in Quezon City to reiterate their demand for tax exemptions.

“We can no longer bear tax deductions that do not really translate to responsive social services. We want tax exemptions now,” said Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino chairperson Leody De Guzman in a statement.

“It is the ordinary wage earners who are forced to bear the tax burden through automatic deductions unlike foreign corporations and their local partners who enjoy multiple tax privileges. Our purchasing power, weak as is, further eroded by the rising cost of commodities,” said De Guzman. With Sandy Araneta and Macon RamosAraneta

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AFP blasted in lumad slay probe

By John Paolo Bencito, Froilan Gallardo and Joel Zurbano

TANDAG CITY—Surigao del Sur Gov. Johnny Pimentel on Thursday slammed the military and the police for failing to disband the Magahat-Bagani forces despite the request to that effect he made last year.

“What I want is to arrest these fugitives who killed three lumad leaders and to suppress these paramilitary forces,” Pimentel said during a public hearing on the lumad killings here.

He made his statement even as Senator Teofisto Guingona III urged the military and the police to arrest the suspects in the Sept. 1 killing of a lumad school director and two lumad leaders in Lianga, Surigao del Sur. Guingona, chairman of the Senate committee on justice and human rights, said several priests from the Surigao del Sur diocese had testified that the suspects were freely roaming and even demanding money from the villagers in Surigao del Sur. “The arrest is step one to bring back the confidence and heal the wounds of the injustice against the lumad,” Guingona said.

Glen Acosta, assistant parish priest of Barobo town, had testified that last week, one of the suspects, Bobby Tejero, was sighted in one of the villages.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro reiterated that his agency had condemned the killing of three lumad leaders in Sitio Han-ayan, Lianga town, and promised it would help the agencies investigating the case.

“The investigation is now in the hands of the Department of Justice and I heard also the Commission on Human Rights,” Luistro said after attending a convention in Pasay City Wednesday night.

But members of the Save Our Schools Network said

the Department of Education was partly to blame as it was allowing soldiers and paramilitary groups to set foot in campuses.

Pimentel said the military was complicit in the killings in Surigao del Sur as it was allowing paramilitary groups to operate in the province.

“If you are not, why can’t you suppress these paramilitary forces?” Pimentel said.

“We have requested since last year that you disband these armed groups because we cannot obtain peace in Surigao because of them.”

Pimentel criticized the AFP for its supposed involvement in the displacement of over 3,500 families from five municipalities in the province, and of whom many were seeking temporary shelter in an evacuation site near the provincial capitol.

Surigao del Sur has since been placed under a state of calamity following the lumad killings and the mass evacuation.

Pimentel claimed the paramilitary group was equipped with high-powered firearms, which he said could only have been provided by the AFP. The religious leaders present during the public hearing testified that military camps were near the camps of the paramilitary forces, fueling suspicion that the AFP was deliberately not doing anything to suppress them.

“Army camp in Barangay Karumata in San Miguel town is just one-and-a-half kilometers away from the MagahatBagani camp of Datu Jasmin Acevedo,” said Sister Maria Gemma Abellana of the religious order ICM.

Protest. Members of the women’s group Gabriela hold a protest rally in support of the lumad in Marikina City on Thursday.

Jansen RomeRo

Well-funded group behind Samal kidnaps

By Francisco Tuyay THE group that abducted two Canadians, a Norwegian and a Filipina in a resort hotel on Samal Island in Davao City on Sept. 21 was described by a source as a well-financed group on Thursday.

The source said the group was also well-organized judging by the way it executed the abduction of Kjartan Sekkingstad, the Norwegian operations manager of the Ocean View Resort Hotel, the Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall and Hall’s Filipino girlfriend Maritess Flor.

“They had the capacity to plan and to execute the plan using enormous resources and equipment,” the source said.

He made his statement even as Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Thursday the military and the National Police were

continuing to pursue the kidnappers.

“The AFP and the PNP are relentlessly working on pursuing those behind the abduction while ensuring the safe return of the captives to their respective families,” Coloma told reporters.

“That is the focus of what we are doing right now.”

The abduction was initially attributed to Al-Habsi Misaya or Al-Bahil, a former Abu Sayyaf member from Jolo who later formed his own gang that now operates in the Zamboanga Sibugay area.

The source said planning the kidnapping from Sulu and then executing it in Davao City was not an easy task.

From Samal Island, the kidnappers whisked their captives to a waiting motor boat and cruised to Carmen, Panabo and Davao del Norte, and from there they used a vehicle to trav-

el to Surigao, Butuan and Valencia in Bukidnon.

After Valencia they went to Kabacan in Cotabato, but nothing was heard from them until they reached Sulu. The kidnappers used the motor boat to travel to Carmen from Samal, and then they used another motor boat to travel to Sulu.

“They left the first motor boat in Carmen and then used another boat to transfer the victims to Sulu from Kabacan,” the source.

“It was a combination of sea and road travel.”

Al-Habsi Misaya or Al-Bahil is said to have replaced Al Bader Parad, an Abu Sayyaf commander who was killed in a firefight with soldiers in Maimbung, Sulu, on Aug. 9, 2007.

The kidnappers are said to be using Zamboanga Sibugay as their tactical basin and Sulu as a detention area for their victims. With sandy araneta

Palace hits back at Mabini actor

From Thailand. A port worker shows off refined sugar illegally imported from Thailand that arrived at the Manila International Container Port last August. ey acasio

MALACAÑANG on Thursday slammed actor Epy Quizon for criticizing the Philippines’ education system after students asked him about his role as Apolinario Mabini in the movie Heneral Luna.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Quizon’s comments on the education system was “not reflective of the students’ level of awareness.”

“I believe the comments Mr. [Epy] Quizon received from three students are not reflective of the students’ level of awareness of our heroes,” Coloma quoted a text message that Education Secretary Armin Luistro had sent him.

“Essentially, I assured the President [Aquino] that Philippine history, including local and national heroes, is taught in Grades IV, V and VI in

the new K to 12 curriculum.

In any case, I committed to discuss this concern with the curriculum supervisors and validate if the majority of the students have similar deficiencies.”

Quizon had recently said he was surprised when the students aked why Mabini had been sitting down in the entire movie, apparently not knowing he was a paralytic.

Heneral Luna is the Philippine’s entry in the Best Foreign Language Film category of the 2016 Oscars.

Quizon’s statement became viral in social media when he posted on Facebook his comment on why Mabini had been sitting down in the entire movie.

“What have we been teaching these kids in our history classes?”

Quizon said in his post.

A leftist group said President Benigno Aquino III was the one who needed to study Philippine history, not the young students he chided for not knowing that Apolinario Mabini was a paralytic.

Anakbayan said instead of building up national industries as envisioned by Mabini and Luna, Aquino’s policies featured the pimping of Filipinos abroad through its labor export policy.

“It is the height of hypocrisy for Aquino to mock today’s youth when it is precisely the K-12 curriculum which his administration railroaded that took away the study of Philippine History from high school. He is the one who has learned nothing from history,” Anakbayan national chairman Vencer Crisostomo said. sandy araneta

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Metro water supply cut anew

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

THE only hope to improve water supply in Metro Manila lies in Tropical Depression “Kabayan” which is expected to hit Aurora province on Friday and increase the sinking water level at Angat and Ipo dams, the authorities said Thursday.

Water managers made the assessment after the National Water Resources Board announced that it has decided to further reduce the water allocation for Metro Manila from the 38 cubic meters per second last month to 36 cms.

“This necessary reduction is determined to manage the water from the Angat reservoir during the period of this extraordinary El Niño which is projected to last until June 2016,” said NWRB Executive Director Sevillo David Jr. who announced the reduction on Thursday.

David said the NWRB Board has decided to approve a standby allocation of 10 cubic meters per second for

irrigation use in the 14,000-hectare Angat-Maasim River Irrigation System (AMRIS) area starting Oct. 16.

Water level at Angat Dam is at least 189.91 meters on Thursday, 20.09 meters below its normal high water level.

Maynilad Water Services Inc., which supplies Metro Manila’s west zone, said it has not yet received a copy of the decision, but it will cause longer supply interruptions.

“At 36 CMS allocation, the number of Maynilad customers affected by reduced supply availability and pressure may increase, and the current sevenhour daily water service interruptions [from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.] may lengthen,” Maynilad said in a statement.

“This is assuming that no rains will fall at the Ipo Dam, which helps to alleviate reduced allocations from Angat Dam,” Maynilad added, hoping that water levels will increase after Kabayan hits Luzon.

“However, Ipo Dam has a small holding capacity. Given this, we shall give our customers two days’ advance notice before the reduced allocation will start to have an effect on our service levels,” Maynilad added.

The company said that it will continue to coordinate with Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System and other Angat Dam stakeholders to ensure that water level at Angat Dam is protected, and that water consumers in Metro Manila will continue to have water for their daily needs through the summer months of 2016 despite the strong El Niño.

For the east zone, Manila Water Company Inc. Corporate Communications head Jeroc Sevilla Jr. said that the company will continue with its seven-hour water pressure reduction.

“Since it has just been announced,

we will still continue with our pressure reduction from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily as we recalibrate if there is need to adjust this scheme,” Sevilla said. “We will inform our customers at least two to three days before we implement a new scheme.”

According to the latest Pagasa update, about 69 percent of the country will experience the drought and dry spell by the end of the year.

Effects will intensify in the first quarter next year where 68 provinces or 85 percent nationwide will be hit.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said at least 20 areas in Luzon are now under public storm warning signal no. 1 as Kabayan accelerated and intensified.

Pagasa weather forecaster Benison Estareja said the eye of Kabayan was estimated 105 kms north northeast of Daet, Camarines Norte and was packing maximum winds of 55 kph near the center. It is forecast to move northwest at 20 kph.

Sock it to ‘em. Members of the newly formed Save the Philippines Movement clench their fists to express support for the presidential candidacy of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte during a launching held at the Club Filipino in San Juan City. LINO SANTOS

VP suffers significant ratings drop

By Sandy Araneta and Vito Barcelo VICE President Jejomar Binay’s trust and approval ratings dropped significantly during the third quarter of 2015, the latest Pulse Asia survey showed yesterday.

But despite the sharp drop in the latest Pulse Asia performance and trust ratings, Binay said he remained grateful for the constant support of the Filipino people, especially those from the provinces.

I am thankful that despite the Senate inquisition and the intensified campaign of lies and pattern of deceit against me, our [countrymen’s] faith in me remain steadfast and undiminished, h Binay said in a statement.

The Vice President had earlier said that he was not bothered by the numbers but admitted that they forced him to work harder and personally talk to the gmasses h which comprise more than 60 percent of Filipino voters.

“Whatever the results of the survey, my determination to uphold my responsibilities and serve our people will never falter,” he said.

Based on the survey conducted from Sept. 8 to 14, 43 percent of Filipinos appreciate the work of the Vice President and 39 percent trust him.

Binay scored an approval rating of 44 percent in Mindanao and 47 percent in the rest of Luzon. He also received 44 and 46 ratings from Classes D and E, respectively.

The same survey showed that 43 percent of people from Mindanao and 42 percent from Luzon trust the Vice President. Classes D and E, meanwhile, gave him 40 and 44 trust ratings.

Poe confident SET will junk election case

By Rey E. Requejo THE camp of Senator Grace Poe is “highly confident” that the nine-member Senate Electoral Tribunal will decide on her disqualification case based on merits and ultimately rule that she is a natural-born Filipino citizen.

“We believe that the SET will really resolve this case based on the law, based on their conscience, based on their own interpretation of the controversy and the given facts,” Poe’s lawyer George Garcia said, in a statement.

The SET, composed of three Supreme Court justices and six senators, is chaired by Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio who, during the Sept. 21 oral arguments on the disqualification case, opined that Poe, being a foundling, is considered a naturalized citizen under customary international law.

Garcia said Poe’s legal team will not seek Carpio’s

inhibition, despite claims by various quarters, including lawmakers and legal luminaries, that he had already prejudged the case against the lady senator.

According to him, the team remains confident in the integrity and independence of Carpio and eight other SET members, namely: Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo de Castro and Arturo Brion, and Senators Bam Aquino, Nancy Binay, Pia Cayetano, Loren Legarda, Tito Sotto and Cynthia Villar.

Garcia said the SET is expected to resolve the case on the merits and based on law, notwithstanding the political affiliations of its members, particularly the six senators, who are Poe’s colleagues in the Senate.

Meanwhile, Garcia said they are confident that even without the results of Poe’s DNA test, they can still prove she is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines.

He said their client had agreed to undergo a DNA test not because she wanted to verify her citizenship, but to establish her relationship with alleged relatives as part of her “personal search for truth.”

Steady as they go. A vendor at the Kamuning market watches over her

rice products as the authorities announced a cut in water supply allocations that may lead to irrigation shortages that will in turn lead to a rise in the prices of the country’s main staple. JANSEN ROMERO

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Law dean takes up cudgels for Gloria

By Rio N. Araja A LeGAL eagle, Antonio Abad Jr. former dean of Far eastern University’s Institute of Law and Adamson University’s College of Law, on Thursday challenged the supposed commission of conspiracy involving former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in connection with the alleged misuse of P366-million confidential and intelligence fund of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

At a forum in Quezon City, Abad questioned the continued detention of Arroyo at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center and the recent denial of her demurrer to evidence by the Sandiganbayan.

“If plunder is a conspiracy, then the act of one is the act of all,” he told reporters.

“If the demurrers of the other accused in the plunder suit were granted, why did the court deny Arroyo’s?”

The anti-graft court earlier granted the respective motions for demurrer filed by the former PCSO board members—co-accused Manuel “Manoling” Morato, Raymundo Roquero and Jose “Popoy” Taruc V in the plunder suit—and even allowed them to post bail for their provisional liberty. “Her demurrer should have been granted because the other co-accused’s demurrers were also granted,” Abad said.

Arroyo, in her demurrer to evidence, prayed for the dismissal of the plunder case she is facing over the prosecution’s lack of evidence that would prove she amassed ill-gotten wealth through the PCSO’s funds.

Voters’ list-up. Comelec Commissioner Andres Bautista along with non-governmental organizations and Namfrel encourages the public to intensify efforts in reaching out to voters or face being disenfranchised. The last day of registration will be on Oct. 30. DANNy PATA

PNoy, like Abad, liable for DAP—lawmakers

By Maricel V. cruz

Militant lawmakers said on thursday that Budget Secretary Florencio abad and President Benigno aquino iii, being the lead perpetrators of the Disbursement acceleration Program, should be prosecuted for their “illegal act” on the implementation of DaP that was declared as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate and Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said President Aquino, Abad and others who are responsible for the DAP mess should not escape liability over the DAP that involves billions of pesos that is not owned

by Abad.

“Abad and all those who are responsible in the DAP should be held accountable,” Zarate, a lawyer, said.

Zarate said Abad’s defense of good faith was “misplaced,” “considering that there were indicators showing he might have established the DAP knowingly aware that it is

tainted with illegality.”

Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, one of those who filed technical malversation charge against Abad, appealed to Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales not to exempt President Aquino from the ongoing investigation related to the controversial DAP. Ridon said that the case against Abad is strong, especially in light of the Supreme Court decision outlawing the DAP. “Ombudsman Morales should take the cue from the DAP decision of the SC, as it clearly challenges the public to hold Abad, and even Aquino, accountable for creating DAP,” Ridon said, referring to the 27-page final decision on

DAP promulgated by the Supreme Court in February this year.

Ridon said that while the Ombudsman could not yet file a case against the President due to his immunity, the anti-graft court should immediately charge Abad and Relampagos before the Sandiganbayan.

“The cases should be filed soonest and with haste,” Ridon said.

In the said ruling, the SC upheld the unconstitutionality of several acts under DAP, particularly the “withdrawal of unobligated allotments from the implementing agencies, and the declaration of the withdrawn unobligated allotments and unreleased appropriations as savings,” and the “cross-border” transfer of savings.

Sarmiento, ex-solon, passes away

Transport budget. Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines director general William

Hotchkiss III, left, and Manila International Airport Authority general manager Jose Angel Honrado testify during the Senate deliberation on the proposed budget of the Department of Transportation and Communications and its attached agencies . Ey AcAsiO

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

FORMeR congressman Angelito ‘Lito’ Sarmiento, also a former mayor of San Jose Del Monte, suffered a heart attack while testifying in court in Malolos City, Bulacan. He was rushed to the nearby Bulacan Provincial Hospital were he was pronounced dead around 11 a.m. He was 86.

Sarmiento was at the witness stand before the sala of Judge Isidra A. Maniego of the Regional Trial Court of Bulacan—Branch 7 during the continuation of his direct testimony in connection with the civil case for damages he filed against Smartmatic-TM when he suddenly complained of dizziness.

Court interpreter Ariel Benedictos and court interpreter ely Miclat Jr. said Sarmiento just stopped his narration and fell to the left-side of the railing guard of the witness stand.

Court Sheriff Boyet Villarente said Sarmiento regained consciousness after about a minute as other court personnel rushed to bring him a glass of water while court aide called for an emergency ambulance.

Sarmiento again had a seizure and was immediately carried by Villarente and court aide Jummy Pascual to the ambulance and taken to the emergency room of the BPH. Sarmiento never regained

consciousness. He is survived by his wife, Yves, and children Jude, Angelito, Jr., Jacqueline and Jolina.

Sarmiento served as congressman of the 4th District of Bulacan from June 30, 1992 to June 30, 2001 and Mayor of San Jose Del Monte City from 2004 to 2009 and served as Presidential Adviser for Agricultural Modernization during the Arroyo administration from 2001 to 2004.

Sarmiento filed a civil suit against Smartmatic after his own vote was not counted by the PCOs machine during the 2010 elections where he lost to Mayor Reynaldo San Pedro. Orlan Mauricio

F R I D AY : O C T O B E R 2 , 2 0 1 5

A6 House eyes renaming of 4 Rizal roads as Aquino Ave LAWMAKERS have moved to rename the Kay Tikling–Antipolo –Teresa–Morong National roads in Rizal Province after President Corazon C. Aquino in recognition of her service to the public as the 11th President of the Republic of the Philippines.

The proposal to rename the four national roads as Corazon C. Aquino Avenue is embodied in House Bill 6129, filed by Antipolo Reps. Romeo Acop, Joel Roy Duavit, Isidro Rodriguez Jr. and Deputy Speaker Roberto Puno, which was approved by virtue of Resolution No. 255 by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the Province of Rizal on Nov. 12, 2012.

“If passed into law, it will constantly remind us of a distinguished stateswoman regarded by many as the Mother of Philippine Democracy,” the lawmakers said.

Acop said on Feb. 25, 1986, as a result of the ‘People Power Revolution,’ Corazon Cojuangco Aquino became the first female president of the Philippines, restoring democracy and ending more than two decades of authoritarian rule in the country.

“Under her presidency, the country experienced radical changes and sweeping democratic reforms,” Acop said.

Puno said she appointed a Constitutional Commission, which completed its final draft in October 1986. On Feb. 2, 1987, the Filipino people overwhelmingly approved the new Constitution of the Philippines, which put strong emphasis on civil liberties, human rights and social justice. The ratification of the new Constitution was followed by the restoration of Congress in 1987.

Duavit said during her term, President Corazon Aquino promulgated two landmark legal codes, namely, the Family Code of 1987, which reformed the civil law on family relations, and the Administrative Code of 1987 and the Administrative Code of 1987, which reorganized the structure of the executive branch of government.

Maricel V. Cruz

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Lifestyle check sought on airport, OTS officials

By Maricel V. Cruz

AN ADMINISTRATION lawmaker on Thursday prodded the Office of the Ombudsman to conduct a lifestyle check on all personnel and officials of the Office of Transportation Security and the Manila International Airport Authority following the disclosure of the alleged “laglag bala” extortion scheme at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

House deputy majority leader and Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles added that third-party probers should conduct the investigation in connection with the “laglag barya” scheme at the NAIA, preferably by the National Bureau of Investigation and not by their own people.

Nograles said that he had received information that many OTS and MIAA personnel are

living beyond their means because of the various moneymaking schemes that could include the “laglag-barya” racket that had just been exposed by their victims.

He said that the action of OTS director Miguel Oraa where he merely transferred the OTS personnel who were accused in two cases of “laglag-bala” incidents speaks a lot about the extraordi-

nary lenience of OTS officials in treating rogue personnel.

“Extortion is a serious offense.

It is not just an administrative offense but also a serious felony under our revised penal code and our Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. They should have been suspended and held in custody pending results of their investigation,” Nograles said.

“Simply transferring them to another unit gives me the impression that there is really collusion in the OTS to cover up these money-making rackets at the NAIA. While other countries see their airports as a source of pride, it’s a crying shame that our have become ours source of embarrassment,” Nograles said.

Nograles said that the “laglag bala” racket at the NAIA could just be one of the money-mak-

ing schemes at the NAIA and he would not be surprised if there are also cases of evidence-planting including illegal drugs on arriving and outbound passengers.

“Why would anyone smuggle in or smuggle out one or two pieces of bullets in a very secure facility like an airport? Or why would one take the risk of doing the same thing on a pack of marijuana or a sachet of shabu?

I think that a third-party investigating team should not just investigate the most recent cases of laglag barya cases but should also look into other related cases in the past,” Nograles said.

Nograles pointed out the third-party investigation should also include a lifestyle check by the Office of the Ombudsman on all OTS and MIAA personnel and officials.

NP members. Nacionalista Party president Manny Villar (right) swears in local officials of Balayan, Batangas as new members of the premiere political party in the country.

Army clarifies CoA findings on ‘expired’ medicines

By Francisco Tuyay

QC immunization drive. Thirty-five thousand newborns in Quezon City are provided

with a full immunization package from the local government amounting to P20,000 per child as part of the city’s campaign to provide quality public health services. This project was made possible by the Safe Delivery Network of Quezon City headed by Dr. Verdades Peña Linga, City Health Officer of Quezon City, and Quezon City Health Department’s Chief Nurse Fe M. Justimbaste, in partnership with United Laboratories Inc. Mayor Herbert Bautista (second from left) receives the ceremonial certificate from Claire Papa (fourth from left), director for External Affairs of United Laboratories Inc. On hand to witness the ceremony are (from left) Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, Theresita B. Caldino (nurse supervisor), Dr. Judy Gilda Martinez (chief, Field Health Operations), Dr. Angeline Gomez (OB Resident QMMC), and Dr. Luz Maria Garcia (medical director of SafeBirth Lying In Clinic).

THE Philippine Army on Thursday clarified that it did not procure and subsequently distribute expired medicines to its troops in 2013 even as their primordial concern is the health of troopers.

Army spokesman Col. Benjamin Hao said the facts contained in the Commission on Audit report about the procurement of P37.5 million worth of medical kits was inaccurately interpreted by some in the media.

“The CoA report did not say that we procured and distributed expired medicines…The [media] report said that what we distributed and procured are expired.

We won’t allow such [erro-

neous reporting],” said Hao. “We have to correct it and we are categorically saying right now that we are not procuring and distributing expired medicines to our troops. We give premium to the health of our troops, especially those that will save their lives. That ‘s the priority of the Army,” he added.

Hao said the medical package consisting of 1,040 medical kits were supplied by BDM Enterprises on June 18, 2013 and subsequently accepted by the Army’s Technical Inspection and Acceptance Committee on July 10, 2013.

Hao said that 997 of the medical kits were distributed to various units in September 2014. However, 43 of which supposedly for the Army’s

Training and Doctrine Command, were not withdrawn after finding that seven of the items were either expired or were expiring.

“Out of these 43 kits, the CoA noted that seven out of the 54 items found in the kits were either expiring or already expired,” he said.

Hao could not say how many medical kits were inspected

by CoA. The medicines were supposed to expire in June 2015 or two years after the delivery.

The expired or expiring items found were ammonium nitrate, antibacterial ointment, chlorpheneramine maleate, sodium hypochlorite, IV infusion set, dry scrub, and chloroquine phosphate.

F R I D AY : O C T O B E R 2 , 2 0 1 5

A7

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Model farms to improve productivity in Isabela

By Brenda Jocson

Bombed. A roadside bomb in Isabela City, Basilan, killed three people and damaged this vehicle on Thursday. The city’s vice mayor was unhurt. PNA

Peace process office denies soliciting funds in Cordillera

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY—The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process belied that it had authorized individuals to solicit from concerned government agencies and local officials so-called mobilization funds.

These funds were claimed to be for the speedy release of the programmed budget for the implementation of various ‘Payapang Pamayanan’ projects approved for conflict-affected areas in the Cordillera.

In a letter to the different local chief executives in the region, Marilou Ibañez, OPAPP director IV and Closure Agreement Secretariat, said that the solicitation activities are not authorized, endorsed, approved, allowed or support-

ed by their office.

She added that steps are now being taken to arrest the unscrupulous individuals using the name of the OPAPP for their extortion activities.

“The process for endorsements, approval and implementation of projects are guided by joint guidelines and agreements among line and regional agencies and local government units in close coordination with the Cordillera Regional Peace and Order

Council through the Department of the Interior and Local Government–Cordillera Administrative Region as RPOC Secretariat,” Ibañez stressed.

She added: “As you are further aware, the generation and approval of proposals for Pamana follow a process of deliberations by LGUs with their constituents and legislative councils at the municipal and provincial levels, and eventually, with the CRPOC.” Ownership, validation and monitoring of Pamana projects and the responsibility to sustain them rest on communities, not individuals, through their respective local government units with the technical support of the regional line agencies.

In July 2011, the Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army and

the Philippine government signed an agreement for the closure of the armed component of the Mount Data peace agreement and the subsequent conversion of the CPLA into a socio-economic force that would contribute in spurring economic growth in the conflict-stricken communities regionwide.

It was learned that part of the national government’s commitment under the closure agreement was to provide adequate fund support to the implementation of major infrastructure and socio-economic development projects in identified conflictstricken areas to allow the increase of economic activities that will be instrumental in uplifting the living condition of people who were affected by the decades of armed con-

flict in the countryside.

The official added that the only authorized OPAPP personnel to deal with regional line agencies and local officials in relation to the completed and ongoing projects in their respective places are Nenita Quilenderino-project management office manager; Fr. Adonis Bringas-project development officer IV of the PMO-CAR; Jessica Banganan-PDO III of the PMO-CAR; Sheryl Datinguinoo-PDO V of the Closure Agreement Secretariat; Christina Umali-PPO III of the Closure Agreement Secretariat; Zandra GarciaPDO IV of the Closure Agreement Secretariat and Den Mark Hernandez-PDO III of the Closure Agreement Secretariat.

PHILIPPINE Rice is building a large-scale model farming community in Isabela to boost food security and economic stability of farming communities in the province.

Andres dela Cruz, PhilRice Isabela Science Research Specialist II, said the concept which is an upgraded Palayamanan System, now called Palayamanan Plus, also aims to create a real-life example of integrated and diversified rice-based farming system.

Palayamanan Plus, in addition to increasing farmers’ income and productivity, will be done in large scale. Rice farming will be intensified.

“Aside from having crop combinations such as ricemungbean or rice-melon, whichever will adapt, to enhance productivity, the said project will include livestock integration, mushroom production and organic fertilizer production,” Dela Cruz said.

He said PhilRice has been promoting the Palayamanan model as a farming system directed towards farm diversification to increase farm productivity and profitability to address food security and economic instability of farm families.

“Increasing the profitability means utilizing farm mechanization and applying purposive integration and diversification of certain farming components,” Dela Cruz said.

He said the Palayamanan Plus project in the province is in collaboration with the local government unit of Quirino, Isabela through Mayor Josie Maria Bella Juan and the Department of Agriculture through municipal agriculturist Mercedita Aquino.

Wage all-out war vs dengue, independent lawmaker says HOUSE independent bloc leader and Leyte (1st District) Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez reminded the public that there should be no let up on efforts against dengue as the provinces of Cavite and Bulacan have been placed under a state of calamity due to the continued rise in the number of cases.

Last month, the Cavite provincial health office recorded a total of 3,904 cases of dengue, with 16 fatalities, from Jan. to Sept. 12. The said figure is 200 percent higher than the number of dengue cases in the same period last year.

In Bulacan, the Provincial Epidemiology Surveillance Unit recorded 4,771 cases as of Sept.

30 since January with 11 fatalities. The dengue cases has a cumulative increase of 230 percent

compared to last year’s statistics which was 1,342.

Romualdez exhorted every household to conduct a “searchand-destroy mission” on possible breeding sites of dengue-carrying mosquitoes.

“Prevention is better than cure. Starting inside our house, each member of the family should show compassion by maintaining cleanliness in our surroundings,” said Romualdez.

Romualdez called on the public to do its part in helping the local government units against dengue since the government cannot do it alone.

The Leyte lawmaker reminded that dengue remains a threat even during the El Niño season, according to the Department of Health.

The DOH said households are expected to store water in anticipation of the dry spell, which could serve as mosquito breeding sites.

“Nobody is being spared by this disease. Make sure that the containers of those stored water are covered properly. This big battle against dengue needs the cooperation of each and every Filipino family,” said Romualdez.

Aside from the provinces and Cavite and Bulacan, the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council Cebu City is set to declare the city under a state of preparedness following the rise in dengue cases this quarter.

As of Sept. 5, the DoH has reported 78,808 dengue suspected cases or 16.5 percent higher compared to the same period last year.

Angel on earth. A girl from San Rafael, Bulacan, dressed as an angel participates in

a parade to celebrate the town’s 14th Angel Festival in honor of St. Raphael on Tuesday.

TEDDY PELAEZ

F R I D AY, O C T O B E R 2 , 2 0 1 5

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

SMC IS 125; PH IS 47TH

[ EDI TORI A L ]

REDUCED WATER ALLOCATION EL NIÑO is here and water consumers are feeling it. The National Water Resources Board has further reduced the water allocation to Metro Manila’s two water concessionaires amid the drought that has kept the water level in the Angat reservoir low.

The water agency lowered the supply to Manila Water Co. Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. from 38 cubic meters a second last month to 36 cubic meters this month in an effort to manage the water level of the Angat Dam. The agency monitored the water elevation at 189.91 meters, or 20.09 meters below the normal level.

Metro Manila’s consumers are among those who are bearing the brunt of the dry spell. The reduced allocation to the two concessionaires means pressure from the pipes will decrease and the current seven-hour daily water interruption in the area served by Maynilad Water may lengthen.

Manila Water, meanwhile, will keep its seven-hour water pressure reduction as a result of the decision of the NWRB. The water authority in times of drought gives priority to rice farmers to keep their lands irrigated. The government agency normally cuts off the supply of water for electricity generation and divert the resource for irrigation purposes. The supply to water distributors is likewise reduced to make the resource available to farmlands in Bulacan and some parts of Pampanga.

El Niño, however, will wreak havoc on farmlands that are not reached by irrigation facilities. The dry spell has already resulted in crop damage worth over P3 billion as of August. The Agriculture Department last week assessed the damage to rice, corn, high value crops and livestock sector at P3.3 billion, affecting 65,855 farmers nationwide. The damage, according to the department, covered 112,387 hectares of corn, including 36,869 hectares with no chance of recovery.

Mindanao, meanwhile, with its heavy reliance on hydro-electric dams, will also suffer the brunt of El Niño through power outages.

El Niño may come back in the near future because of the changing climate pattern. Authorities, thus, must prepare harder to lessen its impact, especially on consumers and the less fortunate farmers.

SEEKING VALIDATION LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES IN LAGUNA, the tuwid na daan just became the tuwad na daan. And they have the video to prove it.

A video posted on social media Web sites showing a Laguna congressman cavorting on a stage with a bunch of scantilyclad women miming the sex act immediately went viral yesterday, completely burying the

official reason for the event hosted by the administration Liberal Party. It’s just another day on the campaign trail for a party that can’t seem to do anything right, from choosing a vice presidential candidate to finding suitable entertainment for a congressman’s birthday bash.

The sexy dancers were supposedly a gift from Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino, an LP senatorial candidate, to the birthday boy, Rep. Benjamin Agarao, who gladly strut-

ted his stuff on the stage. Aside from celebrating Agarao’s birthday, the LP was supposed to swear in a raft-load of new members, with Tolentino and his presidential candidate Mar Roxas in attendance.

Tolentino has denied bringing in the raunchy entertainment, saying that the emcee’s announcement to that effect was totally misinformed. Tolentino didn’t even bother to comment on the survey conducted by the people behind the Internet traffic app Waze, who declared that Metro Manila had the worst

A9

Now the people can give their verdict on people like Petilla and Tolentino, without Aquino protecting them.

traffic in the world.

Tolentino, after all, is still MMDA chairman and nominally in charge of traffic, having refused to resign even after declaring his intentions to run for the Senate. What an unmitigated disaster Tolentino—and indeed his entire party—is. *** Speaking of the Senate slate of the LP, the party of President Noynoy Aquino is supposedly all set to bring in yet another political pygmy into that sorry lineup in the person of the former and unlamented energy secretary, Jericho “Icot” Petilla. If Petilla’s nickname is still unfamiliar to you, it’s

mentioned in his paid television advertisements—which unfortunately fail to realize that “ikot” is Tagalog for going in circles, which is what Petilla basically did when he handled the energy portfolio.

Petilla will be remembered (or forgotten, more likely) for ensuring that it was never more fun doing business in the Philippines because this country has the highest power costs in all of Southeast Asia, aside from being some of the highest in all of Asia and the en-

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City.

Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial), 832-5546, (Advertising), 832-

tire world. And now he wants us to repay him by sending him to the Senate?

I recall that in the aftermath of super Typhoon “Yolanda”, Petilla promised to quit if he fails to restore power supply in the all areas affected. When he was not able to deliver, he did resign but was conveniently prevented

by President Noynoy Aquino from doing so; Petilla, of course, didn’t fight for his right to leave.

In December 2013, when power costs were at an all-time high, Con-

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

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

gress demanded that Petilla run the government-owned Malaya power plant which, with its 650-megawatt capacity, could have tempered the rate hike. Petilla played deaf and dumb, or made “pa-ikot.”

In 2014, Petilla pushed for the grant of emergency powers for Aquino to address the looming power crisis in the following year. There was shortage of supply, he warned, as he also called for the procurement of P12 billion worth Continued on A11 of generator sets.

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

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

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

IN THE afternoon of Tuesday, Sept. 29, top officials of San Miguel Corp. gathered to mark a milestone that comes only once in one and a quarter century —the 125th anniversary of SMC. The National Historical Commission led by Chair Maria Serena Diokno was there to validate the historic event with a marker. San Miguel began in 1890 as a fabrica de cerveza beside Malacañang, the presidential palace in what is today the San Miguel district in Manila.

From a single product 125 years ago, San Miguel has expanded into a sprawling conglomerate of at least 38 companies in eight major industries. Since there are huge companies in each industry, making them virtual conglomerates by themselves.

SMC is the largest Philippine conglomerate and largest company in revenues, P782 billion in 2014, the largest in EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation) P121 billion a year, and the largest industrial company in assets, P1.245 trillion as of early 2015.

SMC revenues are 6.2 percent of total economic production or GDP (gross domestic product, in 2014).

With over 100 plants in the Philippines and the rest of Asia, San Miguel is No. 1 in beer, No. 1 in beverages, No. 1 in food , No. 1 in packaging, No. 1 in petroleum refining and marketing, No. 1 in power generation, No. 1 in infrastructure, No. 1 in private airport management.

Only very few companies last a hundred years in the Philippines. So if you last 100 years, you must be very, very good, very, very durable, and have a business which is very sustainable in the short and long term.

Among the five original countries of the Asean (Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand), the Philippines has the worst environment for doing business. In Asean, the Philippines is No. 5 or the worst, in global competitiveness. The Philippines is also the worst in Asean in quality and level of infrastructure—a key ingredient to economic dynamism and success in governance.

The Philippines’ global ranking, per the latest World Economic Forum World Competitiveness 2016, is 47th (the last among the Asean 5). Singapore is 2nd, Malaysia 18th, Thailand 32nd, and Indonesia 37th. Please note: the citizens of these countries are no more talented nor more intelligent than we, Filipinos, are.

Their countries are no better endowed in resources than the Philippines. If you ask me, the Philippines has the best among resources of the five, has the most strategic location, and has the best people – 100 million Filipinos, the 12th largest population on earth.

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

F R I D AY, O C T O B E R 2 , 2 0 1 5

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

SMC IS 125; PH IS 47TH

[ EDI TORI A L ]

REDUCED WATER ALLOCATION EL NIÑO is here and water consumers are feeling it. The National Water Resources Board has further reduced the water allocation to Metro Manila’s two water concessionaires amid the drought that has kept the water level in the Angat reservoir low.

The water agency lowered the supply to Manila Water Co. Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. from 38 cubic meters a second last month to 36 cubic meters this month in an effort to manage the water level of the Angat Dam. The agency monitored the water elevation at 189.91 meters, or 20.09 meters below the normal level.

Metro Manila’s consumers are among those who are bearing the brunt of the dry spell. The reduced allocation to the two concessionaires means pressure from the pipes will decrease and the current seven-hour daily water interruption in the area served by Maynilad Water may lengthen.

Manila Water, meanwhile, will keep its seven-hour water pressure reduction as a result of the decision of the NWRB. The water authority in times of drought gives priority to rice farmers to keep their lands irrigated. The government agency normally cuts off the supply of water for electricity generation and divert the resource for irrigation purposes. The supply to water distributors is likewise reduced to make the resource available to farmlands in Bulacan and some parts of Pampanga.

El Niño, however, will wreak havoc on farmlands that are not reached by irrigation facilities. The dry spell has already resulted in crop damage worth over P3 billion as of August. The Agriculture Department last week assessed the damage to rice, corn, high value crops and livestock sector at P3.3 billion, affecting 65,855 farmers nationwide. The damage, according to the department, covered 112,387 hectares of corn, including 36,869 hectares with no chance of recovery.

Mindanao, meanwhile, with its heavy reliance on hydro-electric dams, will also suffer the brunt of El Niño through power outages.

El Niño may come back in the near future because of the changing climate pattern. Authorities, thus, must prepare harder to lessen its impact, especially on consumers and the less fortunate farmers.

SEEKING VALIDATION LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES IN LAGUNA, the tuwid na daan just became the tuwad na daan. And they have the video to prove it.

A video posted on social media Web sites showing a Laguna congressman cavorting on a stage with a bunch of scantilyclad women miming the sex act immediately went viral yesterday, completely burying the

official reason for the event hosted by the administration Liberal Party. It’s just another day on the campaign trail for a party that can’t seem to do anything right, from choosing a vice presidential candidate to finding suitable entertainment for a congressman’s birthday bash.

The sexy dancers were supposedly a gift from Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino, an LP senatorial candidate, to the birthday boy, Rep. Benjamin Agarao, who gladly strut-

ted his stuff on the stage. Aside from celebrating Agarao’s birthday, the LP was supposed to swear in a raft-load of new members, with Tolentino and his presidential candidate Mar Roxas in attendance.

Tolentino has denied bringing in the raunchy entertainment, saying that the emcee’s announcement to that effect was totally misinformed. Tolentino didn’t even bother to comment on the survey conducted by the people behind the Internet traffic app Waze, who declared that Metro Manila had the worst

A9

Now the people can give their verdict on people like Petilla and Tolentino, without Aquino protecting them.

traffic in the world.

Tolentino, after all, is still MMDA chairman and nominally in charge of traffic, having refused to resign even after declaring his intentions to run for the Senate. What an unmitigated disaster Tolentino—and indeed his entire party—is. *** Speaking of the Senate slate of the LP, the party of President Noynoy Aquino is supposedly all set to bring in yet another political pygmy into that sorry lineup in the person of the former and unlamented energy secretary, Jericho “Icot” Petilla. If Petilla’s nickname is still unfamiliar to you, it’s

mentioned in his paid television advertisements—which unfortunately fail to realize that “ikot” is Tagalog for going in circles, which is what Petilla basically did when he handled the energy portfolio.

Petilla will be remembered (or forgotten, more likely) for ensuring that it was never more fun doing business in the Philippines because this country has the highest power costs in all of Southeast Asia, aside from being some of the highest in all of Asia and the en-

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City.

Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial), 832-5546, (Advertising), 832-

tire world. And now he wants us to repay him by sending him to the Senate?

I recall that in the aftermath of super Typhoon “Yolanda”, Petilla promised to quit if he fails to restore power supply in the all areas affected. When he was not able to deliver, he did resign but was conveniently prevented

by President Noynoy Aquino from doing so; Petilla, of course, didn’t fight for his right to leave.

In December 2013, when power costs were at an all-time high, Con-

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

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

gress demanded that Petilla run the government-owned Malaya power plant which, with its 650-megawatt capacity, could have tempered the rate hike. Petilla played deaf and dumb, or made “pa-ikot.”

In 2014, Petilla pushed for the grant of emergency powers for Aquino to address the looming power crisis in the following year. There was shortage of supply, he warned, as he also called for the procurement of P12 billion worth Continued on A11 of generator sets.

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

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

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

IN THE afternoon of Tuesday, Sept. 29, top officials of San Miguel Corp. gathered to mark a milestone that comes only once in one and a quarter century —the 125th anniversary of SMC. The National Historical Commission led by Chair Maria Serena Diokno was there to validate the historic event with a marker. San Miguel began in 1890 as a fabrica de cerveza beside Malacañang, the presidential palace in what is today the San Miguel district in Manila.

From a single product 125 years ago, San Miguel has expanded into a sprawling conglomerate of at least 38 companies in eight major industries. Since there are huge companies in each industry, making them virtual conglomerates by themselves.

SMC is the largest Philippine conglomerate and largest company in revenues, P782 billion in 2014, the largest in EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation) P121 billion a year, and the largest industrial company in assets, P1.245 trillion as of early 2015.

SMC revenues are 6.2 percent of total economic production or GDP (gross domestic product, in 2014).

With over 100 plants in the Philippines and the rest of Asia, San Miguel is No. 1 in beer, No. 1 in beverages, No. 1 in food , No. 1 in packaging, No. 1 in petroleum refining and marketing, No. 1 in power generation, No. 1 in infrastructure, No. 1 in private airport management.

Only very few companies last a hundred years in the Philippines. So if you last 100 years, you must be very, very good, very, very durable, and have a business which is very sustainable in the short and long term.

Among the five original countries of the Asean (Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand), the Philippines has the worst environment for doing business. In Asean, the Philippines is No. 5 or the worst, in global competitiveness. The Philippines is also the worst in Asean in quality and level of infrastructure—a key ingredient to economic dynamism and success in governance.

The Philippines’ global ranking, per the latest World Economic Forum World Competitiveness 2016, is 47th (the last among the Asean 5). Singapore is 2nd, Malaysia 18th, Thailand 32nd, and Indonesia 37th. Please note: the citizens of these countries are no more talented nor more intelligent than we, Filipinos, are.

Their countries are no better endowed in resources than the Philippines. If you ask me, the Philippines has the best among resources of the five, has the most strategic location, and has the best people – 100 million Filipinos, the 12th largest population on earth.

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

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

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A10

OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

A PAPAL TRYST was good reason for Pope Francis to meet with her.

When the Church was perseFR. RANHILIO cuted, popes always considCALLANGAN ered it incumbent upon them AQUINO to “confirm their brothers ALL the time that the pope and sisters in the faith.” It was in Cuba and the US, I was was a tender, pastoral gesture short of sleep. Live telecasts for the pope to have received of papal events had me glued her in a private audience.

Was the pope lending his to the television a few hours after midnight. When the seal of approval to Davis’ event was over, it was usu- stand on traditional marally an exercise in futility to riage? But of course. Does recoup hours of lost sleep. I anyone who has the least unhad no regrets, whatsoever. I derstanding of Catholic theshared in the excitement. I ology expect the Bishop of hung on his every word. And Rome, chief teacher of the I crossed myself whenever he Church, to concede, whether imparted his blessing. And by word or deed, approval so it is that I am enraged that to the matrimonial union he is receiving flak for hav- of persons of the same sex? ing met with Kim Davis, the Francis may be a reformer, conscientious objector, in but he is Catholic and I am private. Cowardly, one post not sure that he is eager to be read. Duplicitous, screamed a heretic!

So why the private meetanother. Now, really? ing?

Why no announcement? Why did it have to come to public attention only after the pope had returned to the Vatican? Any member of the clergy who has had to Was the pope make pastoral decisions and lending his seal has had to be prudent about them knows the answer: Had of approval to the pope met Kim Davis unDavis’ stand der the glare of camera lights, had the meeting been pubon traditional licized, it could have so easmarriage? But ily been taken as an endorsement of Davis’ defiance, and of course. that would certainly be unwelcome, unwise, imprudent and downright wrong. But he met with her because she was going through a period of Kim Davis had refused testing because of her convicto issue licenses to same- tions. It was a pastor’s heart, sex couples, despite the cel- certainly not uncharacteristic ebrated Obergefell judgment of Francis, to assure her that of the US Supreme Court. she was not alone in her beShe was wrong in holding to lief.

Does this not negate all office and defying a lawful order of court. I may take that Pope Francis preached exception on moral grounds about inclusiveness? I reto the Supreme Court’s judg- ally do not understand why ment; I may not share its it is that some people think it many philosophical prem- does, because it clearly does ises about which, I wish, it not. One can be respectful, had been more critical and kind, accepting and solicitous circumspect. But judgment of people with whom one diswas lawfully rendered, doc- agrees. One should be clear trine enunciated. Kim Davis about one’s theological posiwas, however, objecting on tions, but that is no reason to the ground of conviction and build a fence that keeps those while in office, her conscien- who disagree from one’s cirtious objection took the form cle of charity. That is what of her refusal to issue licens- Pope Francis has consistently es. Her position on marriage taught: Firmiter in re, suaviter is also that of the Catholic in modo... firm about what Church. Without a doubt, one holds, but always respectshe has suffered immensely ful and caring towards all! because of her beliefs: from being slurred as a bigot to the rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph threat of administrative and rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph even penal sanction. This rannie_aquino@yahoo.com

PENSEES

A TALE OF TWO CITY LIFESTYLES MAYOR Jejomar Binay promised—and continues to promise until now—that he would make all of us live the affluent lifestyle of Makati City’s residents if he were elected President.

Indeed, Makati’s poverty incidence rate was only 0.5 percent of its population, second best only to San Juan’s 0.3 percent and that, perhaps, entitled Mayor Binay to boast that “ganito kami sa Makati.”

When my friends and I— especially those of us who were already dependent on our meager pensions—heard his promise for the first time in 2008, we wished that we, too, could live that affluent lifestyle.

We then prayed that it would come true.

We embraced his promise as if it were our only hope from being dragged down into the ranks of the poor one-fourth of our population.

He even promised to make the whole country as prosperous as Makati City as if he, his wife and his son—not its business tycoons—were the ones who had transformed this former swampland into the country’s foremost financial district.

A certified boy scout who was always prepared, Mayor Binay quickly declared his candidacy for the presidency on Nov. 12, 2008, way ahead of the forthcoming May 10, 2010 presidential election then.

Among his rivals was Senator Manuel Roxas who had himself nominated by the Liberal Party as its standard bearer two weeks later on Nov. 26.

But the unexpected death of former President Cory Aquino on Aug. 1, 2009 suddenly altered their political destinies and that of her son Senator Noynoy Aquino III. Giving way to Senator Noynoy as the new Liberal Party’s standard bearer, Senator Roxas on Sept. 1 withdrew his own nomination for the presidency and slid to run as his vice presidential candidate.

Seeking... From A9 What Petilla didn’t say was that procuring generators and the cost of maintaining would be shouldered by power consumers. Whom he failed to consider, when he didn’t plan for standby power supplies in the years prior.

And right before Petilla finally resigned this year to prepare for his Senate run, he made one final questionable move, signing a circular stating that all power-sourcing requirements should undergo bidding. While it sounded good on paper, Petil-

Mayor Binay—as if he, too, didn’t want to be on a collision course with President Cory’s son—also withdrew his presidential bid and slid to be the running mate of former President Erap “Para sa Mahirap” Estrada.

Mayor Binay and Senator Roxas thus ended up still facing each other, this time for the second-highest position of the land.

PNoy won convincingly as President but Mayor Binay’s 14,645,574 votes barely edged only Senator Roxas’ 13,918,490 votes in the slimmest winning margin of any vice presidential race in the country.

Mayor Binay thus accomplished something that no mayor has done before. Even the popular movie star, San Juan Mayor Erap, first had to become a senator before being elected as vice president.

VP Mayor wasted no time in announcing that he would seek again the presidency six years after. Since then, he has not ceased campaigning for it.

He must have inspired to follow in his footsteps Mayor Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte of Davao City, a lawyer and a septuagenarian like him.

Davao City in the 1980s was noted for murders that were common occurrences in its streets until the locals formed in 1985 the vigilante group “Alsa Masa” that drove out these lawless elements.

An assistant prosecutor since 1977, Mayor Digong was first appointed as officer-in-charge vice mayor immediately after the 1986 People Power almost at the same time when VP Binay was appointed by President Cory as Makati City’s officer-in-charge mayor.

Davao City was still the country’s murder capital—not only

its largest city in terms of area— when Mayor Digong became its mayor for the first time in 1988.

Thereafter, peace and order improved, the economy developed, and social stability reigned.

He continued to be its mayor for the next 22 years, serving at times as vice mayor and congressman.

The two thus started their political careers at the same time and the forthcoming 2016 election would decide who will finish as President.

Denying, and ever denying that he was running in the next presidential election, Mayor Digong could not stop 50,000 of his supporters from braving a rainy afternoon last Saturday at the Quirino Grandstand just to beg him to run for President.

Wearing Duterte baller ID bands, ribbons, and T-shirts, they were but a fraction of his solid followers who make up at least 15 percent of voters.

Ever enigmatic, he didn’t attend the gathering. Instead, he only sent his followers a text message that he would soon do a final soul-searching before finally deciding with all his heart and mind whether to run or not.

He nonetheless promised that he would never abandon them.

My senior citizen friends and I believe him because we now consider him as ours—“Atin ‘to ‘Pre.” After all, he never abandoned Davao City.

More than that, he had transformed the city from a hotbed of uncontrolled criminals, communist guerrillas and leftists into one of the safest cities in the world which now also serves as the main trade, commerce, and industry hub of Mindanao.

We also crave the same peaceful and progressive lifestyle that its residents now enjoy.

To satisfy this craving, Mayor Digong must decide to run so he could transform the rest of the country into another Davao City of a larger scale.

la’s competitive selection circular, deftly emasculated the Energy Regulatory Commission, which lost its primarily role of reviewing and challenging power supply contracts; what a “paikot” that was.

Truth to tell, I found it really hard to think of the things, good or bad, that Petilla did while he was in the Cabinet.

Like many of Aquino’s officials, Petilla was just another nonperforming, bungling bureaucrat who seemed to have no idea of what he was doing—and no intention of doing anything good while in office.

And I’m actually glad that like Tolentino and several other prominent Aquino administration officials who failed spectacularly in office, Petilla now seeks validation from the people for the work—such as it is—that he did. Now the people can really give their verdict on people like Petilla and Tolentino, without Aquino running interference and protecting them from the well-deserved condemnation that they will soon receive in polling places all over this long-suffering land.

FILIPINO PENSIONER HORACE TEMPLO

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OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

MAIL MATTERS

CLARIFICATIONS ON CASH DONATIONS AND RELIEF FOR YOLANDA VICTIMS

THIS has reference to the editorial “The straight-path lie” published in your newspaper on Sept.

28 which partly tackled the 2014 audit report of the Commission on Audit on the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s handling of the cash donations for Typhoon “Yolanda” victims and the alleged expired relief goods.

We at the department would like to share with you our responses to the issues which were accepted by COA during the exit conference in July. These responses were also included in their final report that was uploaded on their Web site but which had been missed out in the editorial.

On the issue that cash donations remained in the bank, please be informed that P73 billion foreign aid was pledged to the country of which P45 billion were in cash and P28 billion

were non-cash. However, the Philippines only received P17 billion, of which PI.202 billion were in cash and 1.269 billion in non-cash were given to the government.

The remaining P14 billion went to non-government organizations and multilateral organizations, among others.

The DSWD received Pl.1 billion both in local and foreign currency. As of Sept. 14, DSWD had already disbursed 83.20 percent of the donations it had received.

The amount went to transitional shelter program, cash for work, ready-to-eat food items and medicines, demurrage fees, civil registry documents, supplies for children, and support to operations, among others. The remaining 16.80 percent is already allocated based on a work and financial plan to include projects such as the supplementary feeding program and tour-

SMC... From A9

San Miguel is No. 1 because of its top management. It is No. 1 primarily because of two people—Eduardo M. Cojuangco Jr., the chair and CEO, and Ramon S. Ang or RSA, vice chairman, president and chief operating officer.

ECJ and RSA are not products of Ivy League schools. They are the product of raw talent and experience. ECJ took up agriculture in UP Los Baños and California. He began business as a teenager. RSA finished engineering at FEU. He began in business as a 13-year-old buying and selling auto parts, and later cars and trucks and industrial machines.

He was a multi-millionaire before he was 20, starting with zero capital but only with three phone books (which had lists of buyers and suppliers).

As early as 1983, Cojuangco or ECJ saw the potential of SMC. He worked with then Ayala Corp. CEO Enrique Zobel to buy into San Miguel, initially, with the 20 percent owned by the Zobel-Ayala family, and later on, to buy the 31 percent that John Gokongwei Jr. had acquired from the family of Andres Soriano Jr., SMC’s longtime president and who had be-

What is the problem then?

One word: Leadership. We have had bad leaders. They have come from a very small gene pool—in a nation of 25 million families or 100 million people.

In the last 55 years, our leaders have come from only four families—Marcos (Ferdinand and his cousin Fidel V. Ramos, 26 years); Macapagal (Diosdado Macapagal and his daughter Gloria Arroyo, 13 and a half years); Cojuangco-Aquino (Corazon Aquino and her son, BS Aquino III, 12 years and four months); and Ejercito-Estrada (Joseph Estrada, three years).

Singapore had no toilets, no water, very few people, almost no land, and hardly any resource when it began 50 years ago. Half a century ago, the Philippines was the richest country in Asia.

Today, Singapore is the richest economy in Asean and the third richest in the world in per capita GDP ($82,762 per IMF 2014)—thanks to a man named Lee Kuan Yew, who singlehandedly built a nation from scratch.

The Philippines is 119th, with $6,962 per capita GDP.

#FAILOCRACY

ism project.

On the alleged rotten goods, we would also like to reiterate that there were no rotten goods in DSWD warehouses as these were all distributed to families needing assistance. The goods were not wasted and did not expire at all because these were distributed before the expiration date.

In our response to COA, we explained that the goods being referred to were those prepositioned at the National Resource Operations Center, the Department’s main warehouse located in Pasay City; intended

to replenish family food packs for families affected by the eruption of Mayon Volcano in 2014. The early decampment of the Legazpi evacuation center before the original 90-day projection led to the early termination of family food packs for the evacuees. The extra family food packs were then distributed to various DSWD centers and institutions.

In compliance to the recommendation of the COA to look into the inclusion of goods that have short shelf-life, DSWD has since stopped procuring noodles for the family food packs.

The Department is currently working with the World Food Programme and the Office of Civil Defense for the construction of island cluster warehouses to serve as storage facilities as well as training centers for logistics and warehouse manage-

ment. The target locations for warehouses cum training centers are Clark Air Base (for Luzon) Cebu (for Visayas), and Davao (for Mindanao).

DSWD also partnered with WFP for the setting up of a mechanized production system atthe NROC which will be inaugurated on September 30.

DSWD strongly reiterates to the media and the public that the COA audit observations do not mean that there were actual irregularities but that these were part of the government routine to provide a check-and-balance mechanism and to enhance operations.

We hope that these information have clarified the issues.

come sickly. ECJ ended up as majority owner of SMC. In 1986, the government sequestered both blocs of shares —the 20 percent of Ayala for which ECJ paid a premium (P50 when the market was doing at P30 a share), and the 31 percent of Gokongwei for which ECJ again paid a premium. ECJ himself went into exile, leaving RSA to hold the fort and take care of ECJ’s assets. RSA preserved them and kept them out of harm’s way from greedy government bureaucrats and envious tycoons.

Later, the Supreme Court declared the 20 percent indeed belonged to ECJ. However, the high court declared the 31 percent belonged to the coconut industry since ECJ allegedly borrowed and thus used coco levy money deposited with the United Coconut Planters Bank. What the Supreme Court failed to see is that San Miguel was a much bigger depositor of UCPB. ECJ borrowed San Miguel money to acquire the additional 31 percent—and control—of San Miguel. The entire 51 percent should have been returned to ECJ. Today, ECJ, on paper, has very small shareholdings in

SMC, less than 4 percent. The biggest stockholders are Iñigo Zobel, EZ’s son, 31 percent, and RSA, 24 percent.

In 1999, ECJ brought RSA into SMC’s executive, initially as his special assistant and de facto COO, with the title vice chairman. RSA didn’t want to be named president initially, preferring to work in the background. In 2002, RSA became president.

In 2007, having earned his spurs, RSA embarked on the largest expansion and diversification ever undertaken by a Philippine company.

With beer, beverages and carton/plastic boxes, SMC was making good revenues and profits. But these were not enough for a business that should last another century.

In less than seven years, SMC transformed itself from a market-leading beverage, food and packaging business with a globally recognized beer brand, into a diversified conglomerate with market-leading businesses and investments in the fuel and oil, energy, infrastructure, telecommunications and banking industries.

SMC operates the airport of the most exciting tourism destination in the Philippines— Boracay.

The company operates the power plant of the most important dam in the Philippines, Angat whose reservoir is 35 kms long and 3 kms wide at its widest, with a surface of 2,300 hectares and water storage capacity of 850 million cubic meters. It supplies 97 percent of residential water of Metro Manila.

SMC has a pervasive but positive influence—beer, gin, soda, juices, coffee, milk, or water, cheap electricity, highways — San Miguel provides it. And any processed food you eat—chicken, hotdogs, corned beef, ham, luncheon meat, biscuits, ice cream, popsicle, butter or margarine is probably made by SMC. In the future, SMC will build more coal plants, more cement plants, steel mills, the new Manila international airport, and what RSA calls “the fastest, cheapest and best” cellular phone and landline service. “We will have the most advanced 5G cellular phones.”

Assistant Secretary JAVIER R. JIMENEZ Spokesperson, Department of Social Welfare and Development

biznewsasia@gmail.com

CHONG ARDIVILLA

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sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Jays nail 1st title in 22 years BALTIMORE—The Toronto Blue Jays clinched their first division title in 22 years by clobbering the Baltimore Orioles 15-2 Wednesday behind a career high five-hit performance from shortstop Ryan Goins.

The Jays fittingly captured the American League East Division with a blowout victory as they lead the league in that category, having scored 10 or more runs 26 times this season.

Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista and Justin Smoak each hit home runs for the Jays in the first game of a doubleheader against the Orioles at Camden Yards. Bautista’s solo

homer in a five-run ninth inning was his 40th of the season.

The Blue Jays last claimed a division title in 1993 when they captured the World Series. That also was their last Major League Baseball playoff berth.

Toronto has won six straight and are now setting their sights on finishing with the best record in the

American League, which would give them home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs.

Goins went five-for-five and had a walk and two runs as Toronto finished with 18 hits.

Starting pitcher Marcus Stroman gave up just one run in eight solid innings. He surrendered five hits, striking out eight and walking two as he rarely got into trouble.

The right-hander has won all four starts since returning from a torn ACL in his left knee suffered during spring training. He has allowed five runs in 27 innings overall, only giving up a solo homer to Baltimore

left fielder Steve Pearce in the seventh inning on Wednesday.

Veteran right-hander LaTroy Hawkins, who is retiring after the season, came on in the ninth to ice the victory.

Designated hitter Encarnacion hit a two-run homer in the seventh and first baseman Smoak both added a solo home run in the ninth.

The struggling Orioles have lost five consecutive contests and won’t finish with a winning record for the first time since 2011.

Baltimore won the East Division last year—clinching against Toronto at home. AFP

Rose may play in NBA cage opener CHICAGO—Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose underwent surgery Wednesday to repair his fractured left orbital bone after being hit in the face by an elbow in his first NBA pre-season practice.

The 26-year-old playmaker, the NBA’s 2011 Most Valuable Player, is expected back in a couple of weeks.

“At this time it is estimated he will be able to resume basketball activities in two weeks,” a team statement said.

First-year Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said earlier that he hopes to have Rose in the lineup for the October 27 opener against Cleveland.

“The surgery went as expected,” Hoiberg said. “It’s not structural damage that will keep him out. Once it’s healed, he’ll be ready to go.”

The injury took place Tuesday as Rose was driving to the basket along the baseline and took an elbow to the face from a teammate.

Rose likely will need a mask when he returns to the court.

In the past four seasons, Rose has managed to play only 100 games because of various injuries, including surgery on both knees.

“He’ll be back in no time,” teammate Joakim Noah said.

The Bulls are already without Mike Dunleavy Jnr for at least another two months following back surgery last week. AFP

Irving, Love uncertain of return Edwin Encarnacion #10 of the Toronto Blue Jays and teammates celebrate in the clubhouse after defeating the Baltimore Orioles and clinching the AL East Division following game two of a double header at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. AFP

Southwoods bets favored WITH an intact lineup, Manila Southwoods-Masters is the odds-on favorite to extend its reign to five years when the Philippine Airlines Ladies’ Interclub golf team tournament comes off the wraps next week in Bacolod City.

“We are definitely going for our fifth crown,” said Masters playing team captain Claire Ong yesterday.

Ong said the same players that won them their fourth title last year in Cebu City will be back to rekindle their rivalry with Cebu Country Club.

Aside from Ong, the other members of the squad are Lora Roberto, Sofia Chabon, Abby Arevalo, Missy Legaspi, Annika Guangko, Claudine Garcia and Serafina Kim. The event, now on its 10th year, will be held Thursday, Oct. 8 and will run for three days.

Each of the 19 teams entered will play two rounds under the Molave scoring system at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club, popularly known as Marapara.

It will mark the first time that the tree-lined course will play host to the event. AFP

National Slalom 10th leg on Sunday THE 10th leg of the RACE Motorsports National Slalom Grand Prix Series erupts on Sunday at Robinsons Nova Market.

Registration is set from 8 a.m. onwards, while the open practice runs are slated from 8 to 10 a.m. A free slalom clinic is offered from 9 to 10 a.m.

Official practice runs begin at 11 a.m., with each driver being given only one official practice session regardless of how many classes or cars the participant is entered.

Contenders, who will accumulate points for the overall and class championship titles, must use the specified Federal Tyres for at least nine or 75% of the series and possess the Automobile Association of the Philippines Clubman license.

All drivers will be charged an additional P300 per leg for the Clubman License.

Sunday’s leg will be the start for the double-point system, which will extend until the 12th leg.

The 11th leg will be held on Nov.8, while the final stage is set on Dec. 6, both at Robinsons Nova Market. The

Slalom Invitational blasts off on Nov. 15 at Robinsons Place Calasiao Pangasinan.

The National Slalom event is affiliated with the AAP and FIA and is the longest-running motorsport discipline in the country.

Expected to participate are the series champions, headed by Dr. Peewee Mendiola of Big Chill; Milo, Noel and Estefano Rivera of Tough

Gear; Cabanatuan Auto Club; MSM Motorsports; AF Racing Team; Team Makaluma; Orthodox Racing; BYD Philipppines and G Spot.

The series is sponsored by Shell Helix Motor oils, with Pureplus Technology, Federal Tyres, Outlast Battery, Starbright Body Kits, Auto Transporter, Robinsons Nova Market and media partners Stoplight TV and C! Magazine.

Top contender Milo Rivera is a marked man in the overall category.

CLEVELAND—Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving and power forward Kevin Love, both still recovering from injuries in last season’s NBA playoffs, are uncertain when they will be ready to return.

Love was given four to six months to recover from a dislocated left shoulder in late April while Irving, who suffered a left kneecap fracture in game one of the NBA Finals against eventual champions Golden State, was expected to need three or four months to recover.

It’s possible neither player will be back in uniform for the season opener October 27 at Chicago, as Cavaliers general manager David Griffin says neither player has a definite timeline to return.

“Because we’ve had so many guys who are coming back from surgeries and guys who are overcoming injuries, you’re going to see us bring those guys along very slowly, very intentionally,” Griffin said. AFP

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sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Sang-Moon ready for President’s Cup, but doubts linger

Real Madrid’s Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (right) and Malmo’s Norwegian midfielder Jo Inge Berget vie for the ball during the UEFA Champions League first-leg Group A football match between Malmo FF and Real Madrid CF at the Swedbank Stadion, in Malmo, Sweden. AFP

Ronaldo’s return to Man U looms MADRID—Cristiano Ronaldo refused to commit his future to Real Madrid just hours after becoming the club’s joint leading scorer of all time with two goals on Wednesday.

Ronaldo equalled Raul’s record of 323 goals for the Spanish giants in their 2-0 Champions League win over Malmo despite Raul playing over 400 games more for Los Blancos than the Portuguese star, who also passed 500 career goals on the night.

Ronaldo has long been linked with a return to Manchester United, where he starred between 2003 and 2009 before a then world record 80 million euro ($90 million, £59 million) transfer to Madrid.

A move to Paris Saint Germain or even a shock transfer to Major League Soccer in the United States have also been rumoured.

“I am happy here, I want to win things here. I feel good, but as I have said millions of times no one knows what will happen in the future,” the three-time World Player

of the Year told Spanish radio station Cadena SER. “We will see what happens tomorrow but at this moment in time I am happy at Real Madrid,” he added.

“No one knows what will happen next year. I am happy here, but you never know what will happen in the future.

“I have to achieve things here, I feel good, I want to win things with Real Madrid because I think this club has potential to win things, but I don’t know what will happen in the future.”

Ronaldo spoke to the Spanish media present in Sweden for the first time since February after Real were humiliated 4-0 by Atletico Madrid.

The Portuguese was heavily criticised for going ahead with his

30th birthday party the night of that defeat after Colombian rapper Kevin Roldan posted pictures of Ronaldo and other Madrid players enjoying themselves on social media.

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique then sarcastically thanked Roldan for his part in Madrid’s rivals success after they won the treble of La Liga, Champions League and Copa del Rey last season.

“It isn’t the moment to speak about these things. When I don’t speak it is because something isn’t right, so every one can think what they like,” added Ronaldo.

“It was my decision. I didn’t want to speak and there is no one that obliges me to. I speak when I want to, Real Madrid have never put pressure on me to speak.

“Why do I not speak more often? Because the questions aren’t good. What does this (Roldan) have to do with the game?

“You want to put me in a mess with what Pique has done, why does that matter to me?” AFP

Singapore’s football body to amend constitution SNGAPORE—Singapore’s football association has vowed to amend its constitution next year after FIFA demanded an end to political interference in the appointment of the national body’s council members.

In a statement issued late Wednesday, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) said it will work closely with FIFA on amendments that will “ensure alignment” of its election process with the statutes of the sport’s global governing body.

“We will also seek the consent

of our members and affiliates as well as the necessary regulatory approvals for any changes to the constitution,” it said.

Compliance with FIFA rules is crucial for Singapore’s participation in international competitions.

“We expect to amend our constitution by March next year, and will make a further announcement in due course on the timing of the council elections,” FAS said.

The current FAS selection process is inconsistent with FIFA rules, which frown on govern-

ment interference in national football associations.

The FAS constitution, available online, states that all council members, including the president and deputy president, shall be appointed by the Singapore minister in charge of sports and confirmed by voting at an annual general meeting.

The FAS chief is traditionally an elected member of the ruling People’s Action Party, which has governed Singapore for the past 56 years. AFP

SEOUL—South Korean PGA golfer Bae Sang-Moon arrived home Wednesday for next week’s Presidents Cup, amid lingering doubts over his participation in the prestigious tournament.

Bae, 29, recently lost a legal battle to defer his mandatory military service, and it remains unclear just how soon he may be forced to switch his golf kit for army fatigues.

A two-time PGA Tour winner, Bae failed to qualify automatically for the International team that will vie with the US team in the October 6-11 event in the western port city of Incheon.

International team captain Nick Price made Bae one of his two extra picks, saying he wanted a player that South Korean fans could root for.

Although Price said he did not foresee any problem with Bae’s availability, there remains an outside chance he could be ordered to report for military duty in the next few days.

“I can’t really tell you at this point what will happen,” Bae told reporters as he arrived at Incheon airport. AFP

Guiang, San Juan lead iGan Cup golf winners MARTIN Guiang emergd as the winner of Class A in the recent iGAN CUP, a 14-year-old tournament for a cause last Aug. 27 at the Eastridge Golf and Country Club, Binagonan, Rizal.

Dennis Gonzales was the runner-up in this event, now considered as the longest-running celebrity charity golf tournament in the Philippines.

A total of 190 golf enthusiasts joined 14th iGAN Cup golf tournament “Fore! A Cause… Fore!

D’ Kids…”

John San Juan took Class B honors in the one-day encounter, organized by broadcast journalist Arnold “Igan” Clavio, President and co-founder of IGAN Ng Pilipinas Foundation, Inc. Nilo Manglo took the Class C crown, while Lizbeth Alcantara claimed the ladies’ crown.

Monsour del Rosario is the celebrity media men’s titlist, while Glydel Mercado emerged as the women’s champion.

Proceeds will go to the beneficiaries, programs and activities of Igan Foundation.

The tournament was held through the following supporters, sponsors and partners: Platinum Sponsors Universal Robina Corporation, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, Metro

Pacific Investment Corporation, San Miguel Corporation, Reyes Haircutters, Ritemed and Sun Life Financial; Gold Sponsors Shell Companies in the Philippines, Stradcom, Cherrylume, New San Jose Builders, Tape, Inc. Philippine Gaming Management Corporation, Harbour Center Port, Unilever, Cathay Land, Inc., Megafiber, and DMI Supply; and Silver Sponsors PLDT-Smart, SM Prime Holdings, Inc., FR Sevilla Industrial and Dev’t Corp., MIS Maritime Corp., Globe Telecom, Inc., Home Development Mutual Fund, Ayala Land, Inc., Indigo Estates, Waterfront Hotel and Casino, United Laboratories, Inc., GMA 7, One Meralco Foundation, Andoks, Don Lee Builders, Inc., Ar Lo Aluminum Company, Inc., New Golden City Builders Development Corporation, Hyundai Elevator Philippines, JC Premiere, and San Miguel Purefoods; Bronze Sponsors: SM Mart, Inc., Diamond Motor Corporation, Polyfoam-RGC International Corp., Multicare Philippines, Diamond Drilling Corp., Creative Bakers, Philippine Business Bank, Sunwest Group of Companies, Zesto Corporation, Organo Gold International, Inc. Jack Nicklaus, Crankmaster Trading, Organique, Optimum Market Strat Int’l, Inc., Pin High, and The Generics Pharmacy.

Soaring for a serve.

Franca Larissa of Brazil serves during a match against Jennifer Kessy and Emily Day of the United Stateson in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. AFP

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

NU, Ateneo gear up for classic duel THOUGH his main concern is to deliver the crown for National University, coach Roger Gorayeb also wants volley fans to come home winners when the Lady Bulldogs and the Ateneo Lady Eagles dispute the Shakey’s V-League Season 12 Collegiate Conference crown in sudden death on Sunday.

no key adjustment will be made entire team.”

Game Sunday for Game 3 but hopes Valdez will NU is actually eyeing a repeat of regain her confidence and bearing 12:45 p.m. • NU vs Ateneo its Season 10 feat when it nipped and the rest will step up big in the Ateneo, 3-1, in sudden death afkeenly awaited winner-take-all match. ter dropping the first game and winning the “There’ll be no changes as far as our game next while the Lady Eagles are seeking their plan is concerned. We’ll just apply what we’ve third collegiate crown in the league sponbeen doing under coach Tai (Bundit),” said Tu- sored by Shakey’s and presented by PLDT paz of the Thai mentor who had to honor a Home Ultera after sweeping Adamson in previous commitment back home. “We’re pin- Season 8 and edging UST, also in rubber ning our hopes not just on Alyssa but on the match, in Season 9.

In fact, he hopes the Lady Eagles will show up with their best game at The Arena in San Juan City.

“I really want Ateneo to play its best game on Sunday. We played bad in Game 1 and they struggled in Game 2. Wouldn’t it be nice for the league and the fans if we both come out in our best form on Sunday?” said Gorayeb.

If that happens, Gorayeb added, it will boil down to reception.

“The key to our game is reception. Unless we receive well, we couldn’t cash in on our height advantage. All starts on a good reception,” said Gorayeb, whose wards bounced back from a 25-19, 25-13, 25-23 Game One loss with a 25-22, 25-17, 25-17 victory last Sunday.

That sent the series to a rubber match where Ateneo is expected to rebound from that stinging setback where its star player and league MVP Alyssa Valdez groped for form and struggled in the face of the Lady Bulldogs’ solid blocking and reception.

Valdez, who unleashed a 20-hit game in the series opener, was held to just nine in Game Two and the rest of the Lady Eagles failed to step up big, enabling the Lady Bulldogs to fashion out a surprisingly easy win.

Ateneo assistant coach Parley Tupaz said Republic of the Philippines COMMISSION ON ELECTION Manila IN RE: MANIFESTATION OF THE PARTIDO NEGORENSE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROVINCIAL POLITICAL PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE MAY 13, 2016 NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTIONS, AND SUBSEQUENT ELECTIONS THEREAFTER

ALA Gym head coach Edito “Ala” Villamor (right) is shown here training one of the gym’s boxers.

THEREAFTER PARTIDO NEGORENSE (PN), Petitioner, x-------------------------------------------------x

NOTICE 1.

HENRY A. SOJOR Secretary General PARTIDO NEGORENSE (PN) Amigo Subdivision Piapi, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental

PETITION

2.

PARTIDO NEGORENSE (PN) Babajuba, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental

COMES NOW the undersigned, DR. HENRY A. SOJOR, SecretaryGeneral of the PARTIDO NEGORENSE, and unto this Honorable Commission, respectfully alleges:

3.

THE PROVNCIAL ELECTION SUPERVISOR Commission on Election Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental (Pls. notify the parties concerned)

SPP NO_______________(P.L.M.) x----------------------------------x

1.

That the full name of the political party is the PARTIDO NEGORENSE and its registered acronym (PN);

2.

That its principal headquarters and post office address is at Babajuba, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental;

3.

That the date and place of its organization was on March 2, 2015 at Babajuba, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental

4.

That the date and manner of election or selection of its officers was on March 9, 2015 through voting;

5.

That the names and addresses of its organizers and officers, Executive Committee members, Directorate or Party Convention delegates are embodied in the Constitution and Bylaws;

6.

That the extents of its constituency cover the entire Province of Negros Oriental;

7.

That its program of government is political party organization;

8.

That it is not a religious sect or denomination;

9.

That it is not pursue its goal through violence or other unlawful means;

10. That it shall uphold and adhere to the Constitution and shall obey all laws and legal orders promulgated by duly constituted authorities; 11. That it is not supported by, nor does it accept financial contribution from any foreign government or their agencies; WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed that the PARTIDO NEGORENSE with the acronym (PN) be allowed to participate in the Political Party in the May 13, 2016 National and Local Elections.

GREETINGS Attached is a copy of the ORDER of the Commission (SECOND DIVISION) in the above-entitled case date September 22, 2015.

Manila, 28 September 2015.

FOR THE DIVISION: (SGD) ATTY. ABIGAIL JUSTINE M. CUARESMA-LILAGAN Acting Clerk of the Commission

Republic of the Philippines COMMISSION ON ELECTION Intramuros, Manila SECOND DIVISION In Re MANIFESTATION OF THE PARTIDO NEGORENSE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROVINCIAL POLITICAL PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE MAY 13, 2016 NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTIONS AND SUBSEQUENT ELECTIONS

NORMA ANDAYA

SUSANA D. TAN, Petitioner,

SECOND DIVISION

-versus-

SPP-NO. 15-113 (PP)

CIVIL CASE NO. 13-130870 For: Declaration of Nullity of Marriage

MANUEL A. VACA Respondent x------------------------------------x DECISION WHEREFORE, in view of the foregoing disquisition, judgment is hereby rendered declaring the marriage between petitioner SUSANA D. TAN and respondent MANUEL A. VACA celebrated on February 26, 1988 in the City of Makati as NULL and VOID ab initio for being bigamous, pursuant to Article 35 paragraph 4, in relation to Article 41, of the Family Code of the Philippines.

PARTIDO NEGORENSE (PN), Petitioner, X------------------------------------------------X

ORDER When this case was called for hearing, there was no appearance for the petitioner nor counsel .

Considering the Memorandum dated 22 September 2015 of Atty.

Eddie G. Aba, Provincial Election Supervisor, COMELEC, Negros Oriental which states that the Order dated 08 September 2015 was not served to the concerned parties, the hearing of this case today is reset to October 6, 2015 at 2:00 in the afternoon.

WHEREFORE, this case is hereby reset to October 6, 2015 at 2:00 in the afternoon.

SO ORDERED Given this 22nd day of September 2015 at Manila, Philippines.

FOR THE DIVISION

SPP-NO. 15-113 (PP)

Since the parties did not acquire any property during their marriage, let the Decree of Nullity be issued upon the finality of this Decision after the Registration of the Entry of Judgment in the Civil Registry of Makati City where the marriage celebrated and in the Civil Registry of the City of Manila where this Court rendering the Decision is situated, in consonance with Section 19 of A.M. No. 02-11-10-SC. Let copies of the Decision be furnished the Office of Solicitor General, the Office of the City Prosecutor, the Office of the Civil Registry of the Cities of Makati and Manila, the Philippines Statistics Authority, the petitioner and his counsel and the respondent.

Further, since service of summons was made by publication and respondent failed to appear in the action, let the dispositive part of this Decision be published once in a newspaper of general circulation pursuant to Section 19 of AM No. 02-11-10-SC, at the expense of petitioner.

Lastly, since service of summons was made by publication, again, petitioner shall cause the publication of the Decree of Nullity once in a newspaper of general circulation.

SO ORDERED Done in chamber, July 27, 2015, City of Manila, Philippines

(SGD) AL A. PARREÑO Presiding Commissioner (TS-OCT. 2, 2015)

In Classified Ads section must be brought to our attention the very day the advertisement is published. We will not be responsible for any incorrect ads not reported to us immediately.

Republic of the Philippines National Capital Judicial Region REGIONAL TRIAL COURT Branch 5, Manila rtcbr5manila@gmail.com 0939-7730915/310-5324

Republic of the Philippines COMMISSION ON ELECTION Intramuros, Manila

Done this 6th day of May, 2015 in the City of Dumaguete City, Philippines.

(SGD.) HENRY A. SOJOR, Ph. D. PN Secretary-General

NORDAN P. TOMPONG This is to inform the Public that ff are no longer connected with above company. ( T S - O C T. 2 , 2 0 15 )

In Re MANIFESTATION OF THE PARTIDO NEGORENSE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROVINCIAL. POLITICAL PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE MAY 13, 2016 NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTIONS AND SUBSEQUENT ELECTIONS THEREAFTER

ERRORS & OMISSIONS

NOTICE GYRON CREW, INC. w/ address at 703 Ferguson Park Tower, M.H. del Pilar cor A. Flores Sts., Ermita, Manila has submitted application for manning license at POEA with the ff incorporator/ director/officer:

(SGD) EMILY L. SAN GASPAR-GITO Presiding Judge (TS-OCT. 2, 2015)

ALA pugs impressive in training

By Ronnie Nathanielsz THE three boxers, who will figure in the blockbuster fight card of the inaugural offering of the famed ALA Promotions, looked impressive in sparring at the Wild Card Gym of Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach.

ALA Gym head trainer Edito “Ala” Villamor, a former world title contender told The Standard/boxingmirror. com that Jason Pagara, undefeated younger brother Prince Albert Pagara and another unbeaten boxer in Mark Magsayo, all went eight rounds against tough opponents in preparation for their US debut at the Stub Hub Center in Carson City, California on Oct. 17.

Villamor said they all showed they were in good condition and were impressive in sparring, with World Boxing Organization No. 2-ranked light welterweight Jason having a “good workout in which he looked in a much better condition than in his last fight in Dubai.”

He said Prince Albert, the reigning International Boxing Federation Inter-Continental super bantamweight, sparred with talented Filipino Marvain Mabait, “who always trains at the Wild Card Gym and helps Filipino boxers.”

But according to Villamor, Magsayo, who is the current IBF Youth featherweight champion, lived up to his “Magnifico” nickname and was “magnificent in sparring with a Japanese and a Russian opponent.”

He revealed that WBO light flyweight champion Donnie Nietes, the longestreigning Filipino world champion, was scheduled to leave Manila last night.

After a day’s rest, Nietes would begin sparring with two-division world champion Brian Viloria, who will clash with newly elevated pound-for-pound No.1 Roman Gonzalez, the undefeated WBC flyweight champion at Madison Square Garden on Oct.17.

F R I D AY : O C T O B E R 2 , 2 0 1 5

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Fair deal

PHILIPPINE Basketball Association fans are DENNIS PRINCIPE aware of a SPORTS CHAT very rule that prohibits ballclubs owned by a single company to enter into a direct trade.

San Miguel Corporation and PLDT are the only companies that operate more than one team in the league.

And while these two conglomerates adhere to that specific rule, it cannot be avoided that each of their teams would need a player or two to from its sister team.

A conduit, meantime, usually comes in not just to serve as channel for two sister teams but to also to benefit from it.

Such was the case when NLEX acquired forward Sean Anthony from Meralco through the Mahindra Enforcers.

As we all know, NLEX and Meralco are owned by telecommunications tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan under his PLDT umbrella.

Initially, the Bolts released Anthony to the Enforcers for their 2016 and 2017 second-round picks. That trade gives Meralco a chance to add young talents to their squad in the next two years.

Mahindra then shipped Anthony to NLEX for seldom-used Juneric Baloria together with the Road Warriors’ 2016 and 2017 second-round picks.

In essence, Mahindra was able to recover their future picks which they initially sent to Meralco apart from adding a talent many believe has what it takes to compete in the league.

NLEX, meanwhile, gained a player which they feel will be the answer to a void that they have to fill to improve on their performance once they enter their sophomore season.

“We saw something in Sean which we can maximize because our coaches have been scouting his performance in the past,” said NLEX team manager Ronald Dulatre.

NLEX, Meralco and Mahindra just did the PBA a favor when it comes to showing its fans how to enter a deal that shows parity.

FOCUSING ON DEFENSE. More than one Most Valuable Player award, several Finals MVP honor and multiple PBA championships.

Gaining those trophies would make one player feel complete and eventually take it easy and just think about extending his career and in the process collect more financial rewards.

But not Big Game James Yap. While people would think he has done and won it all, Yap says there are still more achievements out there that he can aspire for and would make him feel motivated in the seasons to come.

“Ako kasi kumbaga, nag-champion na ako, nanalo na ng MVP, ako ‘yung isang player na hindi nagre-relax. Sabihin mo na magsasawa?

Hindi mangyayari ‘yun,” said Yap. “Mapabilang sa all-defensive team. ‘Yun na lang ‘yung hindi ko nakukuha. Kasi iniisip ko ‘yung MVP, Finals MVP parang bonus na lang ‘yun.”

While Yap admits he’s been used to being the main man on offense and a recipient of several screens for him to be able to get good looks at the basket, he still feels incomplete for as long as people won’t talk about his defensive prowess.

“Tingin ko sa defensive award ‘pag nakuha mo ‘yun, pakiramdam mo talaga na nakakatulong ka sa team,” said Yap. Yap added that by being conscious about it, it will make him continue to work hard and make sure to always keep himself in shape.

“Sa depensa kasi kailangan kundisyon ka kasi habol ka ng habol sa tao mo. ‘Yung ball screen, ‘yun ang mahirap, paano mo maiiwasan ‘yung screen tapos nandu’n ka pa din sa tao mo,” said Yap. Yap’s former mentor, the venerable two-time grand slam coach Tim Cone believes his one-time ward’s unique demeanor is what’s making him stand out from the rest of the league’s top players.

“The calmness of James Yap. We used to talk about it before a game. We had a lot of guys really pumped up, jumping around, everybody was so intensed, and James was just in the corner, relaxed,” said Cone “I told the coaching staff that’s why he is big game James. Nothing fazes him he just comes out, plays calmly and is able to withstand the big moments.”

Devance vows to help Kings

By Jeric Lopez

THE drastic change in his career path in the Philippine Basketball Association has caught veteran forward Joe Devance by surprise, but he is ready to move forward.

After a four-team trade early this week that shipped him from Star to Barangay Ginebra, the versatile Devance admitted that he was shocked by the movement, but is now ready to adapt to be able to help his new team and his longtime coach Tim Cone, who he will be reunited with again for the third time in his career after their stints with Alaska and Star.

“I was shocked at first, but I just have to play basketball now and help Ginebra as much as I can,’’ said Devance.

The 6’6” point-forward has mixed feelings with the trade.

He is excited to be reunited with Cone, but at the same time, sad he’ll be leaving his mates back in the Hotshots’ fray.

“It’s so nice to be able to play for Coach Tim (Cone) again, but it’s also so hard to leave the guys behind in Purefoods. I’ve been there in the last few years and we’ve been through a lot,’’ he said.

In that four-team trade, Devance was sent out to Ginebra, Barako Bull got Mac Baracael and

Prince Caperal, Star took in Jake and Ronald Pascual in return and GlobalPort received veteran big man Dorian Pena.

“I thought they were just rumors initially, but then it happened. I have nothing to do with the trade. I’m just a player and I have no control over that,’’ he said.

Being a player that’s very familiar with Cone and his system, having played for the winningest coach for most of his career, Devance knows he will play a vital part in the Gin Kings’ bid to turn their fortunes around under the watch of the 18-time champion mentor.

“It’s going to be new faces, but the system of Coach Tim (Cone) stays the same. I’m very familiar with it, and I can help out in that aspect. I hope I

can help the team succeed and do the best that I can. I know Coach Tim’s system more than anyone in the league and I guess it makes sense for me to be here,’’ said Devance, who is already attending the practices of Barangay Ginebra.

Meanwhile, in another trade, workhorse Sean Anthony will now join NLEX after being dealt away by Meralco in a three-team transaction which also involved Mahindra.

The Bolts, who were forced to unload Anthony since they were over the limit of five Filipino-Foreigners allowed per team, received Mahindra’s 2016 and 2017 second-round picks, while the Enforcers got NLEX’s 2016 and 2017 second-round picks, as well and sophomore guard Juneric Baloria.

Mahindra eyes buy-out of Fil-Swede’s PBA contract

Ateneo’a Kiefer Ravena drives to the basket as an unidentified UP Maroon defends in a UAAP game won by the Eagles, 56-43, on Wednesday.

BROSI GONZALES

By Ronnie Nathanielsz ERIC Pineda, the team manager of KIA, now Mahindra, said he is seeking a buy-out of the contract of Fil-Swede center Michael Burtscher because he is constantly injured.

Pineda added he will meet with the player, who launched a tirade against the team on social media.

In a lengthy conversation with The Standard/Viva Sports, Pineda admitted that Burscher’s contract is valid until Aug. 31, 2016, although he said that “after Aug. 31 this year, we are buying out his contract because he is always injured and is going to be injured again.”

Pineda said they have already made an offer to buy out Burtscher’s contract but their counter was way, way too much.

“They are going to my office today, but I told the guy you have been doing a lot of things you should not have been doing, that’s why you are injured because it is in the Uniform Players Contract that they cannot engage in any other sports,” said Pineda.

The manager admitted that Burthscher suffered an ankle injury during practice. “We worked on that and everything was fine and then he re-injured himself on his knee. He wanted to do an operation, but that was the time we were already trying to buy-out his contract. But it’s not a problem for us because it’s our responsibility and we will have you operated, but it’s not something that is needed immediately .”

When informed of Burtscher’s complaints, liberally spiced with the F-word, Pineda said he should not have done that.

“We have been very nice to him, he has been making a lot of money from the team and then when he didn’t receive his salary for one month, he complains. If he claims he has no money that’s his problem not mine,” said Pineda

Cotto begins training camp for fight vs Alvarez LOTTO RESULTS

By Ronnie Nathanielsz REIGNING World Boxing Council Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto, who has a record of 40-4 with 33 knockouts, has arrived in Los Angeles to begin training camp at the Wild Card Boxing Club with Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach ahead of his showdown against former WBC and World Boxing Association Super Welterweight

World Champion Saul Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KOs) at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Nov. 21.

The WBC website reported on what Cotto and Roach had to say about the start of camp.

“I am more than ready to get to work and am fully confident that the plan Freddie Roach has in place for our team is going to ensure that I am prepared to lock in this victory on Nov. 21,” said

Cotto, the WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion said.

On the other hand, Hall of Fame Trainer, Seven-Time Trainer of the Year Award Winner and Trainer Roach, talked about the energy at the Wild Card Gym, where four of the top fighters from the famed ALA Gym in the Philippines, headed by WBO light flyweight champion Donnie Nietes, who

is scheduled to spar with twodivision world champion Brian Viloria, among others.

“The energy at Wild Card is at an all-time high. Miguel is one of the hardest working men I know and he did not waste any time getting into the ring with me. I know that we have the tools we need for a successful training camp that will put Miguel in the best position possible to beat Canelo,” said Roach.

6/49 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 6/42 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 6 DIGITS 00-00-00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

F R I D AY : O C T O B E R 2 , 2 0 1 5

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RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

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

sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS

Three of the world’s best flatland BMX bikers, Viki Gomez (shown above), Matthias Dandois and Vittorio Brumotti are coming to Manila to showoff their rampless skills at the PhilBike Expo 2015, slated today at the SMX Mall of Asia.

Chiefs stun champion Red Lions

By Peter Atencio

THE Arellano Chiefs were on fire from start to finish, stunning the defending champion San Beda Red Lions, 91-72, yesterday to keep their Final Four semifinal hopes flickering in the 91st National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament at the Arena in San Juan.

Jiovani Jalalon shot 11 of his game-high 25 points in the first period, allowing the Chiefs to grab a 27-18 lead they kept at manageable levels until the end.

The Red Lions, who were forced to 11 of 24 turnovers in the first half, dropped to second with their 12-5 record, their worst perfor-

mance in a decade.

They are still in contention though for the no. 2 seeding in the Final Four after falling behind the Letran Knights (12-4), with still a game left in their second-round schedule.

Olaide Adeogun banged in 17 points and was held to four in the final period by the Chief, who im-

proved to 11-6 in a nilde Blazers leaned Games Tuesday share of third place on the heroics of (The Arena in San Juan) with the University Jonathan Grey in 8 a.m. San Sebastian vs JRU (jrs) 10 a.m. EAC-ICA vs Mapua (jrs) of Perpetual Help the closing minutes 12 San Sebastan vs JRU(srs) Altas. to turn back the Ly2 p.m. EAC vs Mapua (srs) “Ang bigat nito, 4 p.m. Perpetual Help vs Letran (srs) ceum Pirates, 59-56, coming from back- 6 p.m. Perpetual Help vs Letran (jrs) and hike their reto-back losses. I’m cord to sixth at 5-12. happy their character is different in Grey, who had 13 points, scored this game. Hindi sila na-dishearten on a drive to hand the Blazers a sa dalawang sunod na talo,” said seven-point cushion, 59-52.

Chiefs’ coach Jerry Codinera after The Pirates refused to give up, they bounced back from losses to tying the count at 55-59 on a putMapua and Letran. back from Joseph Gabayni, and a The Chiefs held Arthur de la Cruz charity from Shaq Alanes. to just two points as they went on to Alanes was actually awarded grab a 78-58 spread in the last 6:43 three freebies in the last 6.2 secoff Jalalon’s two charities. onds off an unsportsmanlike foul Meanwhile, the College of St. Be- by John Domingo and on a techni-

Ronaldo moving to Man United?

Jays nail 1st title in 22 years

TURN TO A13

TURN TO A12

cal called on coach Gabby Velasco for contesting the call, but time wasn’t on their side.

“We still have to improve. We need to develop our game. This is for our future games,” said Blazers coach Gabby Velasco.

The Pirates finished their campaign with a 14-4 slate.

In the junior division, Eduardo Velasquez hit a triple with 30. 4 seconds left, sending the defending champion San Bed Cubs to an 8176 beating of the Arellano University Braves.

This gave the Red Cubs their 17th straight win, moving them a victory closer to an 18-game sweep and a possible automatic final slot.

B1

FRIDAY: OCTOBER 2, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

PH spending slows down again

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

THE government returned to a budget surplus in August, after two straight months of deficits, as expenditures continued to fall below target.

Data from the Finance Department showed the national government posted a P15-billion surplus in August, following a P32.2-billion shortfall in July and P72.7-billion deficit in June.

This trimmed the fiscal deficit in the first eight months to P3.4 billion, much lower than P197.2billion deficit target for the period.

The government capped the 2015 budget deficit at P283.7 billion.

Data from the Finance Department showed the August surplus was just half of the P29.9-billion surplus recorded in the same period last year and 45-percent below the P27.32-billion target surplus for the month.

“Sound fiscal management bur-

nishes our credentials as one of Asia’s safest and strongest, a boon for our investment and growth prospects. The Filipino people benefit from a better fiscal position: the better we can resist the turns of the tides in volatile times, the better we can chart the path for our own future,” said Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said.

Netting out interest payments, the primary balance in August yielded a surplus of P31.49 billion, or 41 percent below the P53.61 target primary surplus.

This brought the primary balance surplus in the first eight months to P222.24 billion.

Government revenues in Au-

gust rose 4 percent year-on-year to P176.7 billion. Collections in the first eight months increased 13 percent to P1.4 trillion, but were 16 percent below the P209.34billion target collection.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue’s collection in August rose 9 percent year-on-year to P138.52 billion, but P22 million or 14 percent short of the P160.69-billion target for the month.

The Bureau of Customs collected only P26.89 billion in August, or 7 percent lower than P29.06 billion a year ago.

Expenditures in August rose 15 percent to P161.61 billion, but still fell 11 percent short of the P182.02-

billion target for the month.

“Steady expenditure growth from February to August allowed for year-to-date spending to increase 11 percent from last year,” the Treasury said.

Interest payments in August dropped 20 percent year-on-year to P16.5 billion from P20.6 billion last year mainly due to timing issues.

“August 2014 IP [interest payments] was driven up by July payments recorded in the following month causing a high-base effect for August 2015 year-on-year analysis. Nevertheless, total IP of P225.7 billion for January to August is 1 percent lower year-onyear,” the Treasury said.

PSe comPoSite index Closing October 1, 2015

8000 7700 7400 7100 6800 6500

6,890.94 3.04

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing OCTOBER 1, 2015 43.50 44.60 45.40

P46.760

46.20

CLOSE

47.00

HIGH P46.645 LOW P46.770 AVERAGE P46.705 VOLUME 717.600M

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

oPriceS il P today

Jollibee’s 900th store. Making its mark in the post-Yolanda rehabilitation of Leyte, fast food chain operator Jollibee Foods Corp. opened its 900th store in the town of Palo on Oct. 1, 2015. Jollibee Philippines president Joseph Tanbuntiong dedicated the store as symbol of better days to come for the town and its residents. Shown doing the traditional burger toast are (from left) Jollibee global brand chief marketing officer Francis Flores, Jollibee Visayas regional business unit head Shing Llanos, Jollibee national business unit head Jojo Subido, Jollibee, Leyte first district board member Bob Abellanosa and Jollibee Philippines president Joseph Tanbuntiong.

P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene P20.75-P21.75 Auto LPG

Govt widens ban on Palawan oil exploration areas

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Thursday, October 1, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

46.8310

Japan

Yen

0.008342

0.3907

UK

Pound

1.512600

70.8366

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129032

6.0427

Switzerland

Franc

1.027432

48.1157

Canada

Dollar

0.749457

35.0978

Singapore

Dollar

0.702790

32.9124

Australia

Dollar

0.703185

32.9309

Bahrain

Dinar

2.656254

124.3950

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266645

12.4873

Brunei

Dollar

0.700329

32.7971

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000068

0.0032

Thailand

Baht

0.027548

1.2901

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

12.7508

Euro

Euro

1.117800

52.3477

Korea

Won

0.000843

0.0395

China

Yuan

0.157144

7.3592

India

Rupee

0.015265

0.7149

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.227583

10.6579

New Zealand

Dollar

0.639795

Taiwan

Dollar

0.030308

29.9622 1.4194 Source: PDS Bridge

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE government has ordered the suspension of oil and gas exploration activities in more areas northwest off Palawan, amid the territorial dispute with China.

The Energy Department declared a force majeure on service contract 75, an oil and gas bloc offshore northwest Palawan, which is controlled by Philex Petroleum Corp., the oil and gas unit of Philex Mining Corp.

“Under the terms of the force majeure, all exploration work at SC 75 shall be immediately suspended effective from the end of its first sub-phase on 27 Decem-

ber 2015 until the date the DoE notifies the company resume petroleum related activities,” Philex Petroleum said in a disclosure to the stock exchange.

The government made the declaration after Philex Petroleum sought for clarification from the Energy Department on SC 75, which is also located near SC 72 (Recto Bank) and SC 58 (West Calamian), all in northwest Palawan.

SC 72 and SC 58 are also now under suspension, after they were declared under force majeure.

“As a result, the second subphase [SP-2] of SC 75 has been put on hold under further notice. The

terms of SP-2 and all subsequent sub-phases will be extended by the term of the force majeure,” the company said.

Philex Petroleum holds a 50-percent direct interest in SC 75 while PNOC Exploration Corp. owns 35 percent and PetroEnergy Resources Corp. has the remaining 15 percent.

Philex Petroleum earlier completed the acquisition of 2,237 line-kilometers of 2D seismic data in SC 75.

The processing and interpretation of the 2D seismic data was supposed to be completed early this year.

Philex Petroleum, through Fo-

rum Energy Plc., earlier suspended works on Recto Bank (SC 72), following the declaration of force majeure amid the ongoing geopolitical tensions with China.

The department earlier granted Forum an extension of schedule to complete the second exploration sub-phase of SC 72 by one year to Aug. 15, 2016.

Philex Petroleum holds a 60.49 percent voting interest and a 48.76 percent economic interest in Forum.

Philex Petroleum is an upstream oil and gas company incorporated in the Philippines whose shares are listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange.

FRIDAY: OCTOBER 2, 2015

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Thursday, OcTOber 1, 2015

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 17 30.45 10.4 2.6 1.01 100 30.5 75 91.5 137 361.2 57 180 1700 124

2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.97 12.02 19.6 6.12 1.02 0.225 78 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 BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. COL Financial Eastwest Bank Filipino Fund Inc. I-Remit Inc. MEDCO Holdings Metrobank PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank

2.48 68.9 103.50 80.30 41 2.47 15.3 20 7.50 1.68 0.680 81.6 16.50 24.00 49.65 104 296 30.05 137.2 1425.00 51.00

47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 89 148 20.6 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 17 31.8 109 20.75 15.3 9.4 0.98 241 79 3.95 4 33.9 90 13.26 293 5 5.25 12.98 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.86 238 5.5 3.28 0.315 2.18 2.65 234 5.28 1.3 26 2.17

35.9 1.11 1.01 1.86 7.92 40.3 32 15.32 10.08 29.15 1.5 1.5 10.72 9.55 9.04 6.02 8.86 8.61 20.2 71.5 13.86 13.24 5.34 0.395 173 34.1 2.3 1.63 23.35 17.3 5.88 250.2 3.37 3.87 8.45 3.03 1.95 1 4.02 1.65 161 4.1 1.55 0.138 1.02 2.09 152 4.28 0.640 10.02 1.2

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

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

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

Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

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

Splash Corporation Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

43.2 1.5 0.92 1.54 10.5 52 83.20 16.48 25.9 40 2.6 1.78 9.94 9.990 6.99 5.50 7.58 12 22.15 65.65 12.00 12.90 5.7 3.350 192.80 31.10 2.05 4.48 21.75 21 5.66 296.40 3.82 4.1 6.95 3.30 1.95 2.02 4.00 2.8 136 4.19 2.12 0.144 0.91 1.88 192 4.6 0.67 23.00 1.05

0.59 59.2 30.05 7.39 3.4 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 4.92 0.66 1455 7.5 76 6.66 9.25 0.85 17.3 0.71 5.53 6.55 0.0670 1.61 2.99 84.9 3.5 974 1.66 156 0.710 0.435 0.510

0.44 48.1 20.85 6.62 0.23 634.5 7.390 12.8 2.6 2.26 0.152 837 5.3 49.55 3.52 4.84 0.59 12 0.580 4.2 4.5 0.030 0.550 2.26 59.3 1.5 751 1.13 80 0.211 0.179 0.310

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

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

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

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

Minerales Industrias Corp.

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

0.425 57.7000 15.32 6.39 0.235 767 6.77 12.80 3.1 4.00 0.280 1265 5.97 70.85 5.35 5.86 0.72 10.08 0.56 4.98 8.42 0.0350 1.720 2.7 48.50 2.69 890.50 1.17 73.000 0.3200 0.2280 0.226

10.5 26.95 1.99 41.4 5.6 5.59

6.74 12 0.65 30.05 3.36 4.96

8990 HLDG 6.510 Anchor Land Holdings Inc. 7.56 A. Brown Co., Inc. 0.58 Ayala Land `B’ 34.000 Belle Corp. `A’ 3.04 Cebu Holdings 5

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

SHARES 21,196,647 178,232,588 104,024,304 74,588,790 130,354,897 266,899,693 777,906,789

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 2.69 2.52 69.3 68.3 105.00 102.90 81.95 80.20 42 41.1 2.45 2.45 15.5 15.3 20.1 19.8 7.40 7.40 2.44 1.77 0.720 0.650 82.95 81.7 16.50 16.30 23.90 23.90 51.00 49.65 104 103 295 295 30.25 30 138.5 135.2 1460.00 1450.00 51.20 51.00 INDUSTRIAL 43.45 43.25 1.49 1.49 0.91 0.91 1.57 1.51 10.7 10.5 51.5 51.5 83.15 83.15 16.58 16.4 26 25 40.9 39.8 2.69 2.58 2.09 1.79 9.94 9.75 10.460 9.99 7.20 6.99 5.90 5.55 7.68 7.56 12 11.88 22.7 22.25 67.9 65.7 12.00 9.52 12.90 12.90 5.71 5.65 3.730 2.880 193.10 192.00 31.10 31.00 2.07 2.05 4.85 4.5 22 21.75 21.4 21 5.6 5.5 297.60 295.00 3.82 3.81 4.18 4.05 6.96 6.88 3.30 3.30 1.97 1.94 2.49 2 4.00 3.91 2.72 2.72 139 138 4.19 4.19 2.19 2.04 0.147 0.144 1.25 0.90 1.96 1.87 192 188.5 4.6 4.56 0.67 0.65 23.00 23.00 1.05 1.01 HOLDING FIRMS 0.430 0.390 57.8500 56.6000 16.40 15.66 6.60 6.21 0.240 0.240 775 750 6.77 6.75 12.90 12.30 3.35 2.92 4.00 3.86 0.280 0.260 1301 1286 5.97 5.95 70.85 68.10 4.99 4.99 5.85 5.58 0.73 0.69 10.5 10.12 0.55 0.55 5.14 4.97 8.46 8.41 0.0360 0.0350 1.750 1.710 2.85 2.7 50.50 48.50 2.90 2.69 895.00 879.50 1.19 1.10 77.000 68.200 0.3350 0.3200 0.2330 0.2170 0.270 0.226 PROPERTY 6.510 6.400 8.26 8.25 0.61 0.58 34.300 33.700 3.05 3 5.05 4.98

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

2.52 69.3 105.00 80.20 41.2 2.45 15.48 20 7.40 2.33 0.650 82.3 16.40 23.90 49.85 104 295 30.1 138 1455.00 51.05

1.61 0.58 1.45 -0.12 0.49 -0.81 1.18 0.00 -1.33 38.69 -4.41 0.86 -0.61 -0.42 0.40 0.00 -0.34 0.17 0.58 2.11 0.10

44,000 5,320 2,812,880 840,930 900,700 5,000 4,900 34,200 3,100 2,937,000 9,035,000 3,333,850 40,800 500 426,100 3,830 80 169,500 592,180 200 3,960

43.35 1.49 0.91 1.55 10.5 51.5 83.15 16.4 25.85 40 2.6 1.92 9.75 10.460 6.99 5.65 7.67 12 22.25 65.85 10.52 12.90 5.7 3.530 192.00 31.10 2.07 4.5 21.8 21.35 5.5 296.60 3.81 4.16 6.89 3.30 1.96 2.25 3.91 2.72 138.1 4.19 2.17 0.147 1.02 1.90 188.6 4.56 0.67 23.00 1.05

0.35 -0.67 -1.09 0.65 0.00 -0.96 -0.06 -0.49 -0.19 0.00 0.00 7.87 -1.91 4.70 0.00 2.73 1.19 0.00 0.45 0.30 -12.33 0.00 0.00 5.37 -0.41 0.00 0.98 0.45 0.23 1.67 -2.83 0.07 -0.26 1.46 -0.86 0.00 0.51 11.39 -2.25 -2.86 1.54 0.00 2.36 2.08 12.09 1.06 -1.77 -0.87 0.00 0.00 0.00

686,600 5,000 274,000 530,000 1,300 10 20 401,400 591,800 255,800 1,166,000 8,233,000 85,600 7,252,800 2,398,000 45,655,000 13,700 3,600 2,755,000 42,970 17,900 50,900 66,700 72,960,000 576,740 6,400 9,000 81,000 5,373,600 46,300 1,007,500 129,570 10,000 799,000 514,000 39,000 496,000 12,189,000 2,826,000 10,000 27,620 4,000 1,222,000 2,220,000 2,576,000 1,537,000 1,445,660 22,000 978,000 4,600 36,000

0.415 56.6000 16.12 6.60 0.240 757.5 6.75 12.30 3.35 3.88 0.260 1300 5.95 69.95 4.99 5.59 0.72 10.16 0.55 5 8.45 0.0360 1.730 2.7 49.60 2.90 888.50 1.19 77.000 0.3300 0.2200 0.250

-2.35 -1.91 5.22 3.29 2.13 -1.24 -0.30 -3.91 8.06 -3.00 -7.14 2.77 -0.34 -1.27 -6.73 -4.61 0.00 0.79 -1.79 0.40 0.36 2.86 0.58 0.00 2.27 7.81 -0.22 1.71 5.48 3.13 -3.51 10.62

280,000 1,252,950 11,490,500 20,200 100,000 192,900 350,000 8,629,800 10,000 15,000 3,260,000 223,695 26,000 1,400,440 9,000 2,804,000 26,000 8,483,300 20,000 15,514,000 2,336,800 28,600,000 1,439,000 16,000 326,900 73,000 88,540 6,325,000 38,760 6,680,000 1,060,000 1,300,000

6.500 8.26 0.58 34.050 3 5.05

-0.15 9.26 0.00 0.15 -1.32 1.00

2,856,200 2,800 128,000 6,138,000 1,671,000 42,500

311,145.50 154,375,499 29,261,114.50 -61,650.00 -23,202.00 557,950.00 7,400 -324,730.00 -154,670.00 -27,871,231.00 -1,529,080.00 -4,120.00 -1,661,770 4,517,232.00 189,000.00 -104,144.50 12,197,425.00

-4,904,344.00 -10,123,320 -38,750.00 5,590.00 -416,389.00 50,618,554.00 -6,103,972.00 -32,728,943.00 -31,832.00 -15,413,175.00 222,334.00 -1,198.00 -11,610.00 208,325.00 2,857,420.00 30,496,673.00

-16,970,340.00 -18,900.00 880,000.00 3,085,564.00 816,540.00 699,074.00 -588,000.00 -10,000.00 -884,920.00 3,525,765.00

-445,190.00 512,720.00 114,062,343.00 101,120.00 -2,550.00 -13,800.00

-3,483,819.50 68,366,724.00 -3,726.00 46,604,235.00 1,342,809.00 153,796.00 -3,880.00 -18,900.00 108,321,850.00 155,100.00 -23,997,966.50 -44,910.00 -702,210.00 -31,563,810.00 -3,933,820.00 42,750.00 -4,747,665.00 -137,390.00 9,960,805.00 -316,340.00 -6,600.00 26,000.00 4,319,716.00 18,998.00 -16,329,745.00 -2,788,750.00 -4,980.00

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low 1.44 1.48 0.201 0.69 10.96 0.97 0.305 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

0.79 0.97 0.083 0.415 2.4 0.83 0.188 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 1.09 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 12.3 2.6 7.67 1700 2720 8.41 1.97 119.5 12.5 0.017 0.8200 2.2800 5.93 12.28 3.32 1 2.46 15.2 0.62 1.040 6.41 4 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1

1.97 35.2 0.63 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 10.14 1.6 4.8 830 1600 5.95 1.23 102.6 8.72 0.011 0.041 1.200 2.34 6.5 1.91 0.650 1.8 6 0.335 0.37 3 2.28 79 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 APC Group, Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Calata Corp.

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

Discovery World DFNN Inc. FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. IPeople Inc. `A’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown MG Holdings NOW Corp.

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

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

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

1.14 Yehey

0.0098 5.45 17.24 0.330 12.8 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.440 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 1.030 3.06 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9

0.0043 1.72 6.47 0.236 5.11 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.2160 0.013 0.014 3.240 18.96 2.11 0.365 1.54 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67

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

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

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

TA Petroleum

70 525 8.21 12.28 111 1060

33 500 5.88 6.5 101 997

1047 84.8

1011 75

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ GMA Holdings Inc. Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F

6.98 15 88 12.88

0.8900 LR Warrant SME 3.5 Makati Fin. Corp.

13.5 IRipple E-Business Intl 5.95 Xurpas

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,541.36 (up) 9.98 INDUSTRIAL 10,638.55 (down) 13.10 HOLDING FIRMS 6,438.94 (down) 18.28 PROPERTY 2,861.52 (up) 3.43 SERVICES 1,656.72 (up) 0.07 MINING & OIL 10,843.33 (up) 121.59 PSEI 6,890.94 (down) 3.04 All Shares Index 3,975.45 (up) 3.01 Gainers: 100 Losers: 63; Unchanged: 55; Total: 218

Close

Century Property 0.58 Cityland Dev. `A’ 1.03 Crown Equities Inc. 0.100 Cyber Bay Corp.

0.415 Double Dragon 19.9 Empire East Land 0.750 Ever Gotesco 0.164 Global-Estate 1.02 Filinvest Land,Inc. 1.68 Interport `A’ 1.30 Keppel Properties 3.70 Megaworld 4.37 MRC Allied Ind. 0.090 Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry 19.50 Primex Corp.

7.7 Robinson’s Land `B’ 28.45 Rockwell 1.54 Shang Properties Inc. 3.1 SM Prime Holdings 20.65 Sta. Lucia Land Inc. 0.73 Starmalls 7.84 Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. 0.690 Vista Land & Lifescapes 5.030

0.6 0.57 0.95 0.95 0.100 0.100 0.425 0.420 20.6 19.98 0.760 0.750 0.164 0.163 1.02 1.01 1.72 1.67 1.32 1.30 3.72 3.71 4.5 4.37 0.096 0.089 19.28 19.22 7.83 7.7 28.55 27.50 1.54 1.54 3.29 3.1 21.05 20.40 0.73 0.73 7.84 7.84 0.690 0.690 5.140 5.000 SERVICES 7.9 7.9 7.75 59.6 60.4 59.8 0.570 0.600 0.550 5.21 5.38 5.12 0.0520 0.0540 0.0520 3.52 3.96 3.53 86.55 88 87.3 10 10 9.96 1.79 1.79 1.62 4.75 4.76 4.71 950 950 950 2348 2370 2320 6.40 6.50 6.40 1.25 1.22 1.21 75.05 78.5 75 12 11.9 11.9 0.011 0.011 0.010 0.180 0.186 0.178 1.4400 1.4900 1.4100 2.07 2.27 2.15 8.10 8.45 8.00 4.20 5.00 4.19 0.600 0.600 0.600 2 2.01 2.01 3.73 3.73 3.53 0.300 0.300 0.295 0.500 0.520 0.470 4.50 4.50 4.50 2.8 2.8 2.8 95.80 95.80 94.00 18.60 18.76 18.22 2190.00 2208.00 2172.00 0.570 0.570 0.560 0.980 0.990 0.960 31.00 31.45 31.00 72.95 74.40 72.95 6.62 6.83 6.65 6.10 6.21 5.77 0.48 0.50 0.48 1.4 1.54 1.4 3.34 3.28 3.21 0.360 0.350 0.345 3.200 4.150 3.290 MINING & OIL 0.0052 0.0053 0.0050 2.18 2.35 2.18 4.55 4.61 4.50 0.186 0.186 0.185 5.8000 5.91 5.91 0.7 0.75 0.7 0.65 0.68 0.64 7.50 8.08 7.20 0.93 0.98 0.94 0.295 0.300 0.290 0.179 0.180 0.178 0.195 0.192 0.186 0.0098 0.010 0.0099 0.011 0.011 0.010 1.96 2 1.96 6.4 6.8 6.5 2.83 2.96 2.79 0.5800 0.5900 0.5900 1.2700 1.4300 1.2700 3.85 3.88 3.50 4.77 4.800 4.770 1.32 1.490 1.320 0.0110 0.0120 0.0110 136.10 137.70 136.20 2.34 2.59 2.2 PREFERRED 61 61 60.95 540 540 540 6.21 6.22 6.21 1.11 1.12 1.12 111 113 112 1080 1080 1080 1130 1140 1135 1030 1035 1032 81.5 82 81.6 78.5 78.8 78 78.45 78.35 78.35 78.9 79 78.9 WARRANTS & BONDS 2.710 2.750 2.590

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

0.59 0.95 0.100 0.420 20.3 0.750 0.163 1.02 1.68 1.30 3.72 4.37 0.090 19.22 7.75 28.30 1.54 3.29 20.70 0.73 7.84 0.690 5.100

1.72 -7.77 0.00 1.20 2.01 0.00 -0.61 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.54 0.00 0.00 -1.44 0.65 -0.53 0.00 6.13 0.24 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.39

1,857,000 1,000 2,170,000 320,000 1,356,800 262,000 510,000 619,000 10,513,000 103,000 18,000 28,008,000 500,000 800 249,600 2,718,400 19,000 7,000 10,235,500 250,000 707,400 54,000 1,617,100

-237,710.00

7.85 60 0.570 5.19 0.0520 3.88 87.75 9.96 1.79 4.75 950 2356 6.46 1.22 75.5 11.9 0.011 0.180 1.4500 2.15 8.00 4.20 0.600 2.01 3.6 0.300 0.470 4.50 2.8 94.00 18.76 2180.00 0.570 0.980 31.15 73.75 6.71 5.83 0.49 1.4 3.28 0.350 3.560

-0.63 0.67 0.00 -0.38 0.00 10.23 1.39 -0.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.34 0.94 -2.40 0.60 -0.83 0.00 0.00 0.69 3.86 -1.23 0.00 0.00 0.50 -3.49 0.00 -6.00 0.00 0.00 -1.88 0.86 -0.46 0.00 0.00 0.48 1.10 1.36 -4.43 1.04 0.00 -1.80 -2.78 11.25

81,700 93,700 2,877,000 14,449,300 13,770,000 731,000 152,310 1,900 3,004,000 365,000 30 37,850 7,400 167,000 2,523,850 1,300 7,500,000 2,140,000 827,000 8,000 329,500 20,207,000 10,000 40,000 5,163,000 500,000 550,000 51,000 15,000 1,200 154,300 101,755 1,159,000 6,392,000 1,531,800 1,073,740 4,880,200 8,981,200 5,940,000 312,000 104,000 50,000 10,423,000

0.0052 2.35 4.56 0.185 5.9100 0.75 0.64 8.00 0.95 0.295 0.178 0.192 0.0099 0.011 1.96 6.67 2.95 0.5900 1.4000 3.50 4.77 1.42 0.0110 136.70 2.44

0.00 7.80 0.22 -0.54 1.90 7.14 -1.54 6.67 2.15 0.00 -0.56 -1.54 1.02 0.00 0.00 4.22 4.24 1.72 10.24 -9.09 0.00 7.58 0.00 0.44 4.27

214,000,000 0.00 53,000 -82,250.00 141,000 -247,680.00 500,000 600 819,000 -700.00 470,000 89,400 -750.00 7,039,000 -1,413,650.00 50,000 810,000 330,000 -7,640.00 1,000,000 700,000 -5,000.00 274,000 7,177,500 -39,551,160.00 2,590,000 22,000 365,000 26,600.00 35,000 -3,850.00 202,000 -4,770.00 980,000 26,700,000 -3,300.00 309,440 22,563,192.00 1,059,000 -14,100.00

61 540 6.22 1.12 113 1080 1140 1035 82 78.8 78.35 79

0.00 0.00 0.16 0.90 1.80 0.00 0.88 0.49 0.61 0.38 -0.13 0.13

1,103,760 160 87,000 854,000 7,730 20 135 230 24,560 77,900 170,460 1,292,920

-42,500.00 -16,269,235.00 -1,500.00 -4,890.00 -40,800.00 -9,327,100.00 -29,710.00 57,951,730.00 424,700.00 10,893,625.00 -1,540.00 -6,200.00 56,421,395.00 -3,920.00 3,493,067.00

11,241,039.00 1,950,331.50 569,920.00 28,500.00 -40,404,920.00 -81,594,363.00 8,950.00 4,380.00 -1,120,880.00 1,146,770.00 -5,451,170.00 23,970.00 -2,800.00 98,952.00 -22,695,100.00 624,270.00 1,853,150.00 17,628,768.50 511,775.00 -11,595,530.00 -2,353,900.00 -39,140.00 -150,300.00

-14,407,190.00 -541,120.00 -280,000.00

-1,886,400.00

2.590

-4.43

160,000

3.31 3.21 3.15 3.15 58 65.95 57 63.4 14.04 14.58 14 14.42 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 113 113.8 113 113

-4.83 9.31 2.71

28,000 8,510 2,570,900

62,862.00 9,754,318.00

0.00

2,460

79,400.00

T op g ainerS VALUE 795,831,790.29 1,405,836,322.762 1,384,003,981.92 752,246,117.395 1,217,927,373.53 114,328,458.294 5,707,765,884.192

Low

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

I-Remit Inc.

2.33

38.69

Ginebra San Miguel Inc.

10.52

-12.33

TKC Steel Corp.

1.02

12.09

Petroenergy Res. Corp.

3.50

-9.09

Pryce Corp. `A'

2.25

11.39

Cityland Dev. `A'

0.95

-7.77

Yehey

3.560

11.25

Forum Pacific

0.260

-7.14

Zeus Holdings

0.250

10.62

Keppel Holdings `B'

4.99

-6.73

Oriental Peninsula Res.

1.4000

10.24

NOW Corp.

0.470

-6.00

Calata Corp.

3.88

10.23

Makati Fin. Corp.

3.15

-4.83

IRipple E-Business Intl

63.4

9.31

Lopez Holdings Corp.

5.59

-4.61

Anchor Land Holdings Inc.

8.26

9.26

LR Warrant

2.590

-4.43

F&J Prince 'A'

3.35

8.06

SSI Group

5.83

-4.43

FRIDAY: OCTOBER 2, 2015

B3

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

Inflection IN LANGUAGE, inflection denotes the tone, modulation or pitch used in spoken words. In mathematics, as in business, inflection is something else entirely. Generally combined with the word point, inflection denotes a significant change in direction.

It is a word much in my mind this week, the first week of the last quarter of the year, the beginning of the month of filing of candidacy for the Philippine 2016 national elections, a week for thinking about change. More importantly, it is a week for thinking about goals and paths. After all, choosing the leader for the nation is essentially about influencing the path the nation will take for the six years after election.

Report card Of interest to those of us thinking about the national leadership, this week the World Economic Forum released its most recent Global Competitiveness Report. This year’s report covers 140 economies and the Philippines ranks 47th, an improvement from 52nd of 144 economies from the previous year.

An earlier report, the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business report provided much less sunny news, showing the Philippines ranking 96 of 189 companies, a drop of 9 ranks from 2014.

For this current administration, possibly the most relevant indicator is the one that directly addresses the heart of its administrative platform, “daang matuwid” (literally the straight path), Transparency International’s index of perceived corruption. In the 2014 report, the Philippines ranked 85th of 175 territories, a rise from 94th (of 177) in 2013, and a significant improvement from the 2012 ranking of 105th (of 176).

What this rise in ranking masks is how far away we truly are from achieving the “daang matuwid.” TI’s corruption index measures level of perceived corruption in the public sector on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). The Philippine 2014 score is 38. By contrast, Denmark, top in the list, scores 92. Singapore, 7th in the list, scores 84. Our close neighbor, Malaysia, ranked 50th in the list, scores 52.

Visibility While rankings are useful and allow us to identify countries worth emulating, what is truly important is understanding the goal and what it takes to achieve the goal. In 2012, when the new scores using 0 to 100, from the old method of using a 0 to 10 score, were released, TI Philippines president Rosalinda TIrona echoed this sentiment when she said: “We must go beyond this ranking and think of what we can do.”

Near the beginning of this administration’s term, I had the opportunity to speak with a few leaders in government and in that meeting, our group pointed out that taking a few important indicators would help the government in laying out a path for the future. Metrics, after all, are a critical means for creating the visibility required to develop priorities. There was general agreement with this notion and with the identification of the global competitiveness index and the ease of doing business index as excellent starting points for crafting a path for economic growth.

The global competitiveness index includes 12 pillars, organized into three sub-indexes: (a) basic requirements; (b) efficiency enhancers; and (c) innovation and sophistication.

How does the Philippines stack up on the GCI? Overall, the Philippines ranks 47th, with a score of 4.4. However, we rank 47th and higher in only three pillars: macroeconomic environment (24th), market size (30th), and business sophistication (42nd). In the sub-indexes, we rank 47th (3.9) in innovation and sophistication, 51st (4.3) in efficiency enhancers, and 66th (4.6) in the basic requirements.

On a scale of 1 to 7, our highest scores are in two pillars of basic requirements: macroeconomic environment (5.7), and health and primary education (5.5). However, while we rank an excellent 24th on macroeconomic environment, our ranking in health and primary education is only 86th. Not surprisingly, our lowest score (3.4) as well as our lowest ranking (90th) is in infrastructure, the third pillar of basic requirements. Completing the picture in the basic requirements sub-index, our score in the institutions pillar is 3.8 (77th). The country scores below 4 in only two other pillars: technological readiness (3.9) and innovation (3.5). These are also, sadly, the two factors commonly identified as critical to creating inclusion and growth.

Visibility and consequence This is sobering information. We have made great strides in only one important area: the macro-economic environment. This is clearly not enough.

Weak institutions, failing infrastructure, and less than competitive education erode competitiveness. Interestingly, these are the areas of competitiveness where the often invisible hand of government can have the most impact. This information becomes even more concerning when taken with the decline in the country’s rankings in the ease of doing business report.

Now to the primary promise of this current administration, the question of corruption. In 2012, Tirona, then TI Philippines president, named a single step as critical in furthering the fight against corruption. It was, predictably, the single most important legislative step to achieving visibility in the public arena: the Freedom of Information bill, a bill which clearly did not receive priority by this government, a bill which to this day remains unpassed.

In one of the APEC meetings in Iloilo last week, we spoke about change, visibility and consequence. Change as a country, we agreed, required a system of accountability. Of course, the shaping of values and character is important. However, in the larger world of public service, the material temptations of money and power can be extremely beguiling. In the public arena of behavior, accountability is best forged through the certainty of appropriate consequences, good or bad. These consequences can only be meted out if the actions meriting them are entirely visible.

What all of this tells us is something we already know, but also something worth repeating. We need to pay attention to the basics. Infrastructure, strong institutions, basic human development (health, education), and transparency.

It is high time for change. Once every six years, we, the citizens, get a chance to create a point of inflection. Let us choose well.

Readers can email Maya at integrations_manila@yahoo.com. Or visit her site at http://integrations.tumblr.com.

Manila Water gets P16-b Japanese loan

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

MANILA Water Company Inc., a unit of conglomerate Ayala Corp., secured a 40-billion yen (P15.7 billion), seven year-term loan from three Japanese banks to finance the construction of sewerage treatment plants and rehabilitation of sewer lines.

Manila Water said in a statement it obtained the loan from The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd., Mizuho Bank Ltd. and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp.

Manila Water said the loan was the single largest capital raising activity of Manila Water following the approval of the company’s rate rebasing business plan in April this year.

The loan is also the longesttenured non-guaranteed yen facility extended by Japanese banks to a Philippine corporation.

“This transaction signifies the strong support by the banking industry to the company,” Manila Water said.

The company said it would use proceeds of the term loan facility to partly finance capital expenditures, including the

Stocks decline slightly THE stock market fell slightly Thursday after a two-day rally, bucking the trend in most Asian markets.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 3.04 points, or 0.04 percent, to 6,890.94 on a value turnover of P5.71 billion. Gainers, however, beat losers, 100 to 63, with 55 issues unchanged.

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., the biggest telecommunications firm, slipped 0.5 percent to P2,180, while Universal Robina Corp., the largest snack food maker, lost 1.8 percent, to P188.60.

Alliance Global Group Inc. of tycoon Andrew Tan rallied 5.2 percent to P16.12, while GT Capital Holdings Inc. of tycoon George Ty climbed 2.8 percent to P1,300.

A slight improvement in an official gauge of Chinese factory activity, meanwhile, gave a boost to investor confidence Thursday, rallying Asian equities and emerging market currencies for a second straight day.

However, a dip in Japanese business confidence highlighted the struggle ahead for the country’s leaders in kickstarting the economy in the face of a growth slowdown in China and an expected US interest rate rise.

The gains come after global stock markets suffered their worst quarter since 2011, with trillions wiped of valuations since China devalued its yuan currency in August, sparking fears about the worldwide impact of China’s struggles. With AFP

construction of treatment plants and rehabilitation of sewer lines.

Manila Water said the loan would also facilitate the development of new water sources and the rehabilitation of water treatment plants and distribution networks to ensure reliability during natural disasters.

“These projects will enable the company to continuously provide the highest quality of water and used water services to its customers in the East Zone concession area,” Manila Water said.

Manila Water serves 6.3 million customers in parts of Quezon City and Manila, Marikina, Pasig, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Pateros, Makati, Taguig and Rizal province.

Manila Water along with west

zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. in April demanded compensation from the government, after regulator Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System ordered rate adjustments based on two different results of arbitration.

Manila Water demanded P79 billion in compensation from the government while Maynilad Water said it would not implement the MWSS order on tariff adjustments.

Manila Water filed a notice of claim with the national government through the Finance Department, seeking compensation for financial losses arising from a recent appeals panel decision.

Manila Water asked the government to indemnify losses estimated to be over P79 billion from 2015 to 2037.

An arbitration panel of the International Chamber of Commerce earlier ordered Manila Water to reduce its tariff by 11 percent and decided that corporate income tax should be excluded from the cash flows used for the determination of tariffs.

This was a result of its finding that the company is a public utility.

FRIDAY: OCTOBER 2, 2015

B4

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

LRT 1 operator to add trains

By Darwin G. Amojelar

Political bullies IT WAS rather anticlimactic the way the Liberal Party “formally” selected former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas as its standard bearer for the May 2016 elections. Like, were we really surprised at all since President BS Aquino had already endorsed and anointed Roxas as his “successor” (which makes one think as if Roxas’ assumption of the presidency was already a done deal)?

For many LP die-hards, a sour note in what was supposed to be a rah-rah national convention was the absence of Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo—who is being pressured into becoming the running mate of Mar, whose overtures (via President BS) to another presidential aspirant, Senator Grace Poe, has been rebuffed. Robredo does not have to speak at all for people to figure out the enormous stress that she and her family must be going through—what with big LP men like Senate President Franklin Drilon and Speaker Sonny Belmonte issuing statements to the media that Robredo will be the running mate of Roxas.

Robredo denies having given her consent—not even informally as Speaker Belmonte earlier claimed—to run for vice president under the Liberal Party banner, and one can only surmise why it’s taking her a long time to say “yes” when others would die to be in her position. Surely, there must be something the lady knows that we don’t—other than the reason given that her children are also not sold to the idea of their mom gunning for a higher position.

As the lady solon said, if it were true that she has given her consent, then she would have made an announcement or declaration to the media and the public. But no, the way it looks is that the big boys of LP are trying to really weigh down the lady and use that “kahiyaan na ito” kind of strategy to pressure her into saying yes —if only to save the face of Mar Roxas and the whole LP. But hey, why put the burden on Robredo and her kids? Whose bright idea was it anyway to announce to everyone that the LP is eyeing Robredo who, in the eyes of many, now looks like a second choice after Grace Poe thumbed down the “invitation” to be the running mate of Roxas? Let’s go hypothetical here.

Even if Robredo eventually agrees, most likely because she has been placed in an untenable position and told that she is the only one that can make the LP and its standard bearer save face —you know, the kind about the groom all ready and waiting but aw, shucks, no bride???—what kind of a vice presidential candidate will she make when at the back of her mind, the run is halfhearted?

There’s a word for people who try to compel, coerce and pressure someone into something he or she would rather not do: bullies. It takes all kinds—but bullies are the kind that use undue advantage (weight, age, position, status etc.) to try and intimidate others into agreeing with what he wants. Bullying can come in many forms other than the physical. It can be emotional or psychological, evident when one’s peace of mind is disturbed and when one is put through undue emotional stress—more like hounded if one were to really think about it.

Bullies. They can be very nice if they want something from you, but nasty when you refuse like what some people did to Grace Poe when she decided to go it “alone” for the presidency. They were all praises when they were trying to convince Poe but when she turned them down, that’s when the dirty talk and tactics began.

Oh well, what can you really expect from politicians who berate media people when they get a less-than-positive kind of coverage, or who would rather belabor technicalities and legalities while everyone is dying in the aftermath of a storm or would argue over uncollected body bags?

Oops—a bully just bopped us on the head because now we can’t keep this thought from popping in our mind: Heck—how can you trust someone to show you the way when he can’t even blaze his own trail and has to parrot the line of someone else?

••• For comments, reactions, photos, stories and related concerns, readers may email to happyhourtoday2012@yahoo.com. You may also visit and like our Facebook page https://www.facebook. com/happyhourmanilastandard. We’d be very happy to hear from you. Cheers!

Light Rail Manila Consortium, led by Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Ayala Corp., plans to acquire two new trains for Light Rail Transit Line 1 on top of the government’s commitment to add 120 light rail vehicles under the concession agreement, a top executive said Thursday.

“The priority is to bring back more light rail vehicles on the line to reduce the customers’ waiting time,” LRMC president and chief executive Jesus Francisco said.

Expanding the capacity of the trains to lessen waiting time means refurbishing existing trains and purchasing new ones to complement the government’s acquisition of new LRVs. The Light Rail Transit Authority and the Transport Depart-

ment earlier said new trains at LRT Line 1 were expected to be delivered starting 2017.

LRTA operated LRT 1 until Sept. 12, 2015, when it was turned over to LRMC. LRMC embarked on an assessment of the trains, substations, tracks and passenger terminals to determine the extent of work needed to improve light rail service for around 400,000 daily passengers.

Francisco said the company was prioritizing the baseline requirements for passenger safety and convenience.

“We also need to improve the condition of the rails in preparation for the time when we can bring up the trains up to speed,” he said.

He said as part of LRMC’s system-wide review, the assessment of the power supply system, line and catenary system, signaling and telecommunications were also being undertaken.

“Together with DoTC and LRTA, LRMC will work to complete the full assessment of Line 1 as soon as possible,” he said.

LRMC earlier disclosed plans to upgrade the passenger terminals, including facilities such as escalators and elevators. The company started with the restoration of lighting at all passenger terminals for enhanced passenger safety.

Investment roadshow. Board of Investments executive director Efren Leaño, delivers the welcome remarks at the sixth series of Investments Priorities Plan regional roadshow at The Heritage Hotel, Pasay City.

The forum discussed the investments opportunities for potential and existing investors, and the present regional economic situation.

IN BRIEF Nissin buys Quorn for $833m LONDON—Philippines-based consumer goods company Monde

Nissin Corp. has bought British meat-alternative food producer Quorn for £550 million as it looks to grow sales across Asia, the pair announced Thursday.

Investment firms Exponent and Intermediate Capital announced in a statement that they have agreed to sell Quorn to Monde Nissin for the equivalent of $833 million or 743 million euros.

Quorn, which makes its meat alternatives using a fermentation process, enjoyed sales of £150.3 million in 2014 across a number of countries.

“We have an ambition to be the world leader in meat alternatives, ultimately creating a $1.0-billion business,” said Quorn chief executive Kevin Brennan.

“Monde Nissin Corporation’s purchase represents a great step forwards in this ambition; they share our belief in the potential of Quorn, and provide capability to expand the brand into Asia.” AFP

Money supply increases 9% DOMESTIC liquidity or money supply grew 9 percent in August to P7.789 trillion from P7.148 trillion a year ago, on sustained demand for credit in the domestic economy, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Thursday.

The August expansion was faster than the 8.4 percent growth recorded in July.

“The continued expansion of money supply during the month indicates that domestic liquidity remains adequate to support the requirements of the economy,” Bangko Sentral said.

Meanwhile, outstanding bank loans rose 14.1 percent in August to P4.667 trillion from P4.089 trillion a year ago. This was faster than the 13.6-percent growth recorded in the previous month.

Loans for production activities, which comprised more than 80 percent of banks’ aggregate loan portfolio, rose 13.8 percent in August, up from 13.4 percent in July.

“The expansion in production loans was driven primarily by increased lending to the following sectors: real estate activities [14.9 percent]; electricity, gas, steam and airconditioning supply [25.6 percent]; wholesale and retail trade, and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles [15.5 percent]; financial and insurance activities [15.3 percent]; and manufacturing [5.8 percent],” Bangko Sentral said. Julito G. Rada

PLDT loses A rating FITCH Ratings has downgraded the credit ratings of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. after the telecom firm allocated higher capital expenditures for 2015.

PLDT’s long-term local currency default rating was reduced to BBB+ from A-.

The credit rating agency simultaneously affirmed PLDT’s longterm foreign-currency IDR and its foreign-currency senior unsecured rating at ‘BBB’.

Fitch said the revision was due to the further deterioration in the company’s funds flow from operation due to signifiant capex expansion.

PLDT raised its capex to P43 billion this year from an earlier budget of P39 billion.

The company also earmarked $100 million for digital acquisitions in 2015, including $20 million in Internet TV service provider iflix and online payment solution company Paywhere.

Fitch Ratings projected losses in the digital business of PLDT over the next three years.

First said despite the downgrade, PLDT was expected to sustain its leading position in the telecommunications market, although Telstra Corp.’s impending entry with San Miguel Corp. will intensify competition over the longer term. Darwin G. Amojelar

MPIC to take over Davao hospital

Metro Pacific Investments Corp. has offered to buy out the remaining 65.18-percent interest in the 315-bed Davao Doctors Hospital for P1.61 billion.

Metro Pacific said in a disclosure to the stock exchange unit Metro Pacific Hospital Holdings Inc. on Thursday launched a general offer to acquire the remaining 587,154 shares of stock in Davao Doctors Hospital (Clinica Hilario) Inc. not held by it.

MPHHI currently owns 313,655 shares, representing 34.82 percent of the outstanding capital stock of Davao Doctors.

Metro Pacific said the tender offer is based on the tiered pricing.

The tender offer will end on Nov. 19. SyCip Salazar Hernandez and Gatmaitan Law Offices was tapped to be the tender offer agent for the deal.

Metro Pacific currently operates and manages nine hospitals, including Davao Doctors, Western Mindanao Medical Center in Zamboanga City, Makati Medical Center, Asian Hospital & Medical Center, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, De Los Santos Medical Center, Riverside Medical Center in Bacolod, and Central Luzon Doctors Hospital in Tarlac. Jenniffer B. Austria

PetroEnergy projects cleared THE Energy Department has declared two renewable energy projects of PetroEnergy Resources Corp. as commercial, including the 12-megawatt Maibarara-2 geothermal expansion project in Batangas and the 50-MW solar project in Tarlac.

The move will enable PetroEnergy to avail of the feed-in-tariff rate for solar and wind projects, which is expected to boost the company’s bottom-line starting 2016 and 2017.

The Maibarara 2 expansion is owned and being operated by Maibarara Geothermal Inc. while the Tarlac solar facility is owned and being developed by PetroSolar Corp.

Maibarara Geothermal and PetroSol are 65-percent and 56 percentowned subsidiaries, respectively, of PetroGreen Energy Corp, PetroEnergy’s 90 percent-owned subsidiary and renewable energy arm.

The department issued to Maibarara Geothermal the confirmation of commerciality and the certificate of additional Investment for the Maibarara expansion last week. It also issued the certificate of commerciality dated Sept. 24, 2015 for the 50-MW Tarlac solar project n Central Technopark, Tarlac City. Alena Mae S. Flores

F R I D AY : O C T O B E R 2 , 2 0 1 5

B5

CEsAR BARRIOquInTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Between devil, deep blue sea in Turkey ISTANBUL—In the Istanbul district of Esenyurt, during the Muslim holiday of Eid, a skinny Syrian boy counted his friends on his fingers.

“Vedat... Serkan... Sefa... Emre,” Mohammed said, listing off the Turkish names with pride during a visit to the local Syrian-owned cafe and butchery with his father.

The pint-sized eight-year-old, who picked up Turkish playing on the street, acts as translator for his Arabic-speaking parents and sixyear-old brother, who still struggle with the local language two years after fleeing the war across the border.

But like most of the over one million Syrian children living in Turkey, his integration is far from complete.

“I like Turkey because in Syria there was a war. Here, I feel safe.

But I’ve never been to school. I’d love to go to school!” he said, smiling shyly.

As European leaders continue to slug it out over how to absorb the tide of refugees streaming into the continent, Syrians in the country that has borne the biggest load are weighing their options for the future.

“When the war is over we’ll return to Syria. Getting to Europe is too difficult,” Mohammed’s father Hussein said, with a protective hand on the shoulder of his firstborn.

But the future no longer features Turkey for many of the country’s over two million Syrian refugees, for whom life is a grind on pittance black market wages.

That’s for those who find work, and when the bosses pay up.

Like many children his age in Esenyurt, which supplies labor for local clothing, shoe and make up factories, Halil, 15, went out to work to help support his family.

But after two months sewing shoes, he quit after his boss refused to hand over his 1,250 Turkish lira (364 euros, $410 dollars) in earnings.

“I couldn’t report him to the police because I don’t have a resident’s permit,” Halil explained as he waited at the cafe counter for soup and flatbread.

“Here’s it is like at home. It’s war!

The Turks don’t want us,” an older man interjects. AFP

world Croatian drivers ferry refugees day and night BARANJSKO PETROVO SELO, Croatia—They usually chauffeur tourists or school children, but Croatian bus drivers are now working into the night ferrying thousands of migrants from one corner of their country to another.

Arrival. Heidi Rhoades and Jillian Michaels arrive at PETA’s 35th Anniversary Party at the Hollywood Palladium on Sept. 30, 2015, in Los Angeles, California. AFP

“Temporary transport,” say the signs on their buses. Behind the wheels, the drivers’ eyes are tired after a week that has seen them working at a furious pace.

“The hardest part is not the driving, it’s the waiting,” said Domagoj Majstorovic, who does the school run during the day and transports migrants at night and on the weekends.

He waits at the Baranjsko Petrovo Selo border post by Hungary for his passengers to disembark, having arrived in a 10-bus convoy from a migrant centre near the Serbian border, about 100 kilometers away.

It is a cumbersome process: a bus cannot be emptied until all the migrants in the preceding vehicle have been carefully searched by the Hungarian police, before being shepherded into a buffer zone.

Another driver admitted to being “a little tired”.

“I’ve been getting up at 5:00 am and not getting home until midnight for five days. Normally, I work eight hours a day,” he said.

Their various bus companies have made vehicles available to the government to evacuate the unrelenting flow of migrants and refugees that has entered Croatia since mid-September—an influx that reached a record 10,000 on Friday.

Previously, tens of thousands of people—many of them fleeing conflict in countries such as Syria and Afghanistan—had traveled from Greece up through Serbia directly into Hungary, on their way to seeking better lives in northern Europe.

But Hungary’s decision to seal its border with Serbia in September has seen the travelers re-route their trail through neighboring Croatia.

“They are not impolite, not aggressive. All that they ask us is to recharge their phones or for water.

If we have it, we give it to them,” said Marko Rasic, dressed in his Terzic Bus uniform.

“Generally, they don’t know where they are going. They ask us and wince when we tell them Hungary. We tell them it is just in transit, they will go to Austria. It reassures them.”

Rasic is not, however, so impressed by his working conditions. AFP

War, starvation haunt Sudanese despite peace deal KOCH, South Sudan—On paper, the war is over in South Sudan, after rivals signed a peace deal to end 21-months of violence that left tens of thousands killed.

But here in the swamps of Koch in the northern battleground state of Unity, the political deal means little in lands where fighting, rape and the burning of homes has not stopped, worsening hunger levels already bordering on famine.

“We came to receive food,” said mother-of-seven Nyaluak Gai, aged 24, waiting in lines of hundreds of people for aid handouts from the UN World Food Program, WFP. “We search for water lilies and wild plants for food,” Gai told AFP, saying that the aid rations will last a short time, and she must then go back to gathering grass to fill the bellies of her children.

Gai is a widow: her husband was killed in a civil war marked by widespread atrocities on both sides, and in which civilians have borne the brunt of the fighting.

Both sides are accused of having perpetrated ethnic massacres, recruited and killed children and carried out widespread rape, torture and forced displacement of populations to “cleanse” areas of their opponents.

A year ago famine was averted only after a huge intervention by aid agencies.

Now aid agencies warn that while some areas are improving as crops ripen, other areas where war has forced the people to flee into remote swamps are on the edge of disaster.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization warns of “isolated cases of starvation” in parts of

Unity and Upper Nile states— once the country’s main oil producing states, now the epicenter of violence—which it lists as “one of the world’s worst humanitarian and food security situations.”

Parts of both states are already classified as being one step short of famine, according to the last technical assessment made in April. AFP

B6

F r i D aY : o c t o b e r 2 , 2 0 1 5

WORLD

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Afghan soldiers retake Kunduz KABUL—Afghan forces retook control of the strategic northern city of Kunduz on Thursday, officials said, but gunfights were ongoing after a three-day Taliban occupation that dealt a stinging blow to the country’s Nato-trained military.

The fall of the provincial capital, even temporarily, highlights the stubborn insurgency’s potential to expand beyond its rural strongholds in the south of the country.

Afghan forces, hindered by the slow arrival of reinforcements but backed by NATO special forces and US air support, struggled to regain control of the city after three days of heavy fighting.

But on Thursday troops managed to reach the center of Kunduz after an overnight counteroffensive. Residents told AFP that the streets were littered with Taliban bodies and that gun battles are still echoing in parts of the city. “[Afghan] special forces now control Kunduz City, it is retaken and being cleared (of) terrorists,” interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said on Twitter, adding that the insurgents had suffered heavy casualties.

Deputy Interior Minister Ayoub Salangi said the city had been recaptured after a “special operation” overnight.

However, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid insisted: “This morning we have driven out Afghan forces from the city and the Taliban are still in control.”

But an Afghan Taliban commander who spoke to AFP from

an undisclosed location said that Taliban fighters were retreating from Kunduz. “The Taliban have almost vacated the main parts of the city but let me make it clear that we have proved that we can take control of any other city whenever we want,” he said.

Some scenes of jubilation erupted at dawn around the city square where local residents, who suffered three days of crippling food shortages, thanked government troops.

“Afghan soldiers took down the white-and-black Taliban flag in the city square and hoisted the government flag,” Kunduz resident Abdul Rahman told AFP. “The Taliban suffered heavy casualties last night. Dead bodies are scattered on the streets, and their supporters are carrying them out of the city wrapped in white cloths.”

Security officials said the mili-

Republic of the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources MINES AND GEOSCIENCES BUREAU Regional Office No. V Telefax No: (052)482-1056, Tel. No: (052)482-1156 / 480-1084 E - m a i l A d d r e s s : m g b r 5 @ y a h o o . c o m , W e b s i t e : w w w. r e g i o n 5 . m g b . g o v. p h

INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO BID Two (2) Units Mini-Bus/Coaster Vehicles P.R. No. 2015-09-763 1.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), through the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for CY 2015 intends to apply the sum of Six Million Pesos (PhP6,000,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for Two (2) Units Mini-Bus/Coaster Vehicles. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected during opening of bids.

2.

The MGB now invites bids for the Procurement of Two (2) Units Mini-Bus/ Coaster Vehicles.

Delivery of Goods is required within sixty (60) calendar days upon receipt of Purchase Order (PO). Bidders should have completed, within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II (Instructions to Bidders).

3.

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

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

4.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from MGB and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hours, from 9:00AM to 4:00PM. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from September 30 – October 14, 2015 at the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Four Thousand Pesos (PhP4,000.00).

Preview of specifications can be downloaded from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (Phil-GEPS).

5.

The MGB will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on October 2, 2015, Friday at 2:00P.M., at the Office of the Bids and Awards Committee, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

6.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on October 15, 2015, Thursday on or before 1:30P.M. All Bids must be accompanied by a Bid Securing Declaration or any other bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bid opening shall be on the same date, October 15, 2015, Thursday at 2:00P.M., at the Office of the MGB-Bids and Awards Committee. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend. Late bids shall not be accepted.

7.

The MGB reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

8.

For further information, please refer to: ENGR. ROBERTO D. CASEROS Head, Secretariat Bids and Awards Committee North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Telephone No. 6676700 loc. 153 E-mail: bacems_minesbureauco@yahoo.com Website: www.mgb.gov.ph (SGD)ENGR. JUANCHO PABLO S. CALVEZ Chairman, BAC

(TS-OCT. 2, 2015)

by hiding in people’s houses and conducting door-to-door searches for Afghan soldiers and government staff.

The Taliban’s recent gains in Kunduz and neighboring provinces highlight that a large and strategic patch of northern Afghanistan is imperilled by a rapidly expanding insurgency.

It is also seen as a game-changer for the fractious militant movement that has been dogged by a leadership crisis since the announcement in July of founder Mullah Omar’s death.

“The Taliban know that they don’t have the power to retain control of a big city like Kunduz,” Kabul-based military analyst Atiqullah Amarkhil told AFP. “But their takeover, however temporary, shows they are a force to reckon with before any future peace negotiations.” AFP

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT NATIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY

R e g i o n a l G o v e r n m e n t C e n t e r , DENR Annex Bldg., Rawis, Legazpi

City

tants had slowly infiltrated Kunduz during the recent Eid festival, launching a Trojan Horse attack that enabled them to capture it within hours on Monday.

The development coincided with the first anniversary of Ashraf Ghani’s national unity government.

Marauding insurgents seized government buildings and freed hundreds of prisoners, raising their flag throughout Kunduz.

The lightning capture of the city sent thousands of panicked residents fleeing as insurgents erected checkpoints across the city and were seen racing vehicles stolen from the police, UN and Red Cross.

Militants, showing off seized tanks and armored cars, had issued edicts against looting and vowed to enforce Islamic sharia law.

Rights group said the insurgents exposed civilians to grave danger

Invitation to Bid The National Housing Authority (NHA), through the Corporate Budget approved by the NHA Board for the year 2015 intends to apply the sum of the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payment for the following contracts: Ref. No.

Projects

2015 Construction of One -10- (1) Unit, 2-Storey, 145 8-Classroom School Building, Caoayan Hills AFP/PNP Housing Project, Brgy. Caoayan, Sual, Pangasinan 2015 Construction of One -10- (1) Unit Covered 146 Court/Multi-Purpose Center, Caoayan Hills, AFP/PNP Housing Project, Brgy. Caoayan, Sual, Pangasinan

ABC/ Source of Funds (P)

Duration (c.d.)

11,980,432.00 NG Subsidy

180

5,817,374.00 NG Subsidy

150

Required Work PCAB Description License At least Construction of Cat.“C” and School Building “D” & Small “B” for Bldg.

At least Cat.“C” and “D” & Small “B” for Bldg.

Construction of Covered Court/ Multi-Purpose Center

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

The NHA now invites bids for the above-cited projects. Completion of the works is required within the duration herein cited upon receipt of the Notice to Proceed. Bidders should have completed a single contract similar to the project costing at least fifty percent (50%) of the ABC. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

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

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

A complete set of Bidding Documents shall be issued only to bidders/authorized official representatives or employees of the bidder who can show proof of Notarized Authority to secure bid documents for the specific project, Official Company ID upon submission of a Letter of Intent (LOI) and upon Cash Payment of non-refundable fee of P12,000.00 for Ref. No. 2015-10-145 and P6,000.00 for Ref. No. 2015-10-146 at the Office of the NHA-BAC 2 Secretariat, 2nd Floor NHA Main Building, Diliman, Quezon City from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. starting on October 2, 2015. The BAC 2 Secretariat may be contacted at Tel/Fax No. 928-8272.

The NHA will hold a Pre-bid Conference on October 13, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. at the Operations Center, 3rd Floor NHA Main Building, Diliman, Quezon City, which shall be OPEN ONLY to bidders who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

Bids must be delivered at the NCR Conference Room, 3rd Floor NHA Main Building, Diliman, Quezon City not later than 9:00 a.m. on the date specified below.

Schedule of opening of bid October 27, 2015

-

Ref. Nos. 2015-10-145 and 146

All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and amount as stated in Bid Data Sheet (BDS). Bid opening shall follow immediately after the deadline of submission of bids at the same venue. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend. Late bids shall not be accepted.

The NHA 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/s.

(SGD) VICTOR C. BALBA Chairperson, Bids and Awards Committee 2 (BAC 2) NATIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City (TS-OCT. 2, 2015)

Council alarmed at rising racism STRASBOURG— Europe’s top human rights watchdog on Thursday voiced concern at THE mounting racism in Germany, citing a wave of far-right, anti-Islam demonstrations at odds with the more recent image of a country ready to open its doors to hundreds of thousands of refugees.

“There have been worrying developments as regards public manifestations of racism and xenophobia,” the Council of Europe’s committee on national minorities said in a statement.

“Manifestations of anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim and antiimmigrant sentiments are... reported to be rising, as well as attacks against asylum seekers,” the report said.

It specifically referred to the Monday marches organized by the anti-Islam PEGIDA movement last winter, which at its height drew crowds of up to 25,000 in the eastern city of Dresden, although support for the movement has since fallen.

While there were large counter-demonstrations and official statements in support of diversity and mutual respect, “sustained efforts are still needed to foster a climate of tolerance and intercultural dialogue,” the council said. AFP

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MOTORING

RAMON L. TOMELDAN EDITOR

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

The Indian Enforcer

Don’t be put off by its throwback exterior, it drives like a Land Rover Defender.

Text and photos by Dino Ray V. Directo III

CURIOSITY got the better of me when this Indian sports utility was pushed in the spotlight, drawing flak soon after it became the Philippine National Police official vehicle and beating its well-entrenched Japanese rivals.

Asianbrands Motors Corp., the exclusive distributors of the Mahindra brand in the country, had to deflect criticisms coming from all sides. It was a virtual unknown and yet, it won the bid to become the official PNP vehicle. To erase any doubts and negative perception from all the flak the brand has been getting, Mahindra sent me the civilian version of the Bolero. It has since been rebadged as the Enforcer.

For starters, Pininfarina would have gasped in disbelief at how its exterior was designed. It‘s either you love it or hate it and my wife, who is a non-partisan critic of automobiles says she hates it.

For car lovers like me, I had to step back and grab a cup of coffee to appreciate the boxy but solid lines of the Enforcer. Unlike its rivals, this Indian sports utility is built tough like an armored personnel carrier. Judging from

Utilitarian, no-frills dash layout for the Enforcer

its design, it was obvious that the Enforcer was designed as a no-frills transportation with creature comforts at a reasonable price.

Powered by a 2.6 liter MDi turbo-diesel, this manual transmission pick-up produces 63bhp with 195NMs of torque. Step inside the vehicle all you’ll see the essential elements of a modern-day sports

FAST FASTLANE

utility like climate control, power steering, an audio system and a seating capacity for five individuals. It has an independent type suspension with coil springs up front, while the rear’s rigidity is due to leaf springs. This baby can haul serious loads at the back from a .50 caliber machine gun or 50 sand bags.

Driving the Enforcer around

town feels like you’re behind the wheel of Land Rover Defender or the early version of the Mercedes Benz G-class. The ride is choppy, but it compensates in terms of acceleration and torque. Passing maneuvers is a cinch with the Enforcer even with three passengers and 20 sand bags at the double walled flat bed. The payload capacity is 710 kilograms, with a flat bed measuring 1481mm in length, 1532mm in width and 750mm in height.

Mahindra offers the Enforcer in various levels of trim in India. To keep costs down, AMC is offering only one version of the Enforcer.

Mahindra started its local operations with a bid which bagged the deal to supply 1,470 Mahindra Enforcers to the PNP. Mahindra won the deal after a stringent selection process which saw the Enforcer undergo a battery of reliability, durability and fuel efficiency testing.

I will take the Mahindra Enforcer for a spin any day, anytime, come hell or high water.

Extreme grip from Nitto

Hino Motors relaunched AFTER 40 years of milestones and leadership in the commercial bus and trucking segment, expect a stronger and more globally-attuned Hino brand as Pilipinas Hino Inc., the exclusive distributor of Hino trucks and buses in the country, progresses its growth targets under a new corporate name, Hino Motors Philippines Corp.

Via a new Joint Venture Agreement, investing partners Hino Motors Ltd. and Marubeni Corp. of Japan now hold majority shares in HMP, with

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HMP executives (from left): Mario N. Regala, (VP-Manufacturing), Felipe S. Barroga (VP-Comptroller), Koji Ota (assistant to the president/ director/VP-Marketing), Vicente T. Mills, Jr., (chairman/director), Hiroshi Aoki (president/director), Augusto s. Salcedo (VP-general sales manager), and Susumu Myokan (VP Treasurer/Director).

increased equity shares of 70 percent and 20 percent, respectively, with the Filipino partners holding 10 percent.

HMP is mainly engaged in the assembly and distribution of quality Hino trucks and buses, distribution of genuine Hino spare parts and supply of other automotive-related products and quality full maintenance after sales.

Present during the recent cor-

porate relaunch at the New World Hotel were the top brass of HMP led by chairman Vicente T. Mills, Jr., Hiroshi Aoki (president), Koji Ota (VP/marketing and assistant to the president), Susumu Myokan (VP-Treasurer), Augusto S. Salcedo (VP/general sales manager), Felipe S. Barroga (VP/comptroller), Mario N. Regala (VP/Manufacturing)–and members of the media.

WHEN going off road and you require some serious grip and control, all you need is Nitto’s Trail Grappler. Developed and tested on the roads less traveled by off road enthusiasts, the sidewall combines a 3-ply high turnup construction with a thick rubber compound that cushions the tire and helps prevent punctures. On the tread surface, the blocks are configured to provide additional biting edges

that command lateral stability and enhance forward traction.

When navigating tough terrain, the balanced void ratio and stone ejectors help clear debris from the tread to provide continuous traction.

For on-road comfort, Nitto’s engineers used advanced sound analysis equipment when developing the Trail Grappler to reduce noise levels commonly associated with off-road tires.

The internal construction and tread design also help optimize tread life. Two wide steel belts provide a stable base for the tire and increase tread strength. This advanced construction provides optimal uniformity and reduces irregular wear. On the outer shoulder block, the reinforced grooves maintain block stiffness to extend the life span of the tires.

B8

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RAMoN L. toMeLDAN EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

motoring

Macau to host GT World Cup

Technology and power highlighted at BMw ExpO

I

Text and photos by Dino Ray V. Directo III

t was a busy weekend for the country’s best selling European brand as Asian Carmakers Corporation, the exclusive importer of the BMW brand in the country, hosted a three-day exposition highlighting its products. Patrons and event visitors were treated to BMW's full display of its ranging from the M performance vehicles to the two-wheeled monsters from BMW Motorrad. “BMW is defined by a rich history rooted on the promise of sheer driving pleasure. There’s no better way to share this growing heritage with our fans, car enthusiasts, and aspiring BMW owners than to showcase a line-up that is stronger and more diverse than ever before,” said Maricar Parco, ACC president.

BMW closed off a busy section of the Bonifacio High Street and converted it into an open air showroom where the people got up close and personal with over BMW’s 10 models and 30 variants spread throughout the venue.

Among the draws were the BMW 3 Series Anniversary Edition; the all-new BMW X6; and the award-winning BMW S1000RR Sports Bike.

Families and kids were protected from the elements at the air-conditioned confines of the BMW Pavilion, were guests can lounge comfortably, while Dad chooses from the lot of available cars on sale. Visitors were treated to a slew of adrenaline-filled activities and exclusive deals, namely:

One of the crowd drawers was the M3 performance vehicle RR: Two wheeled enthusiasts had their fill of sexy sports bikes at the Expo

Visitors test drove the latest BMW cars available for test drive including the first ever BMW 2 Series Active Tourer.

BMW owners were treated to a free diagnostic check.

Patrons chose from a wide selection of BMW Premium Selection (BPS) vehicles at special prices.

Bargain hunters had a field day in the attractive programs for select brand-new BMW models.

A lucky visitor to the 2015 BMW Expo won one of three

NEXT month, Macau will host the first ever FIA GT World Cup, the latest addition to the programme’s all-star show-stoppers which now includes prestigious races for Formula 3, motorcycles, touring car and GT machinery. But what is this new, rapidly emerging category of motorsport competition? GT racing – or Grand Touring racing to give it its full name – is an important part of the rich tapestry of sportscar competition around the world. Forty percent of the 55 cars that started the famous Le Mans 24 Hours race in France this year were highly- developed variants of road-going sportscars – Porsches, Ferraris, Aston Martins and more – that you can see on the streets. These are distinct from the purpose-built racing cars known as prototypes that battle it out at the front of the field at Le Mans. International GT racing is split between two different codes. The cars that race at Le Mans, as well as in the FIA World Endurance Championship of which it is the centre piece, are built to GTE rules.

There is a separate – and much more widespread – realm of GT racing known as GT3. And it is these cars that will be racing in the FIA GT World Cup on the streets of Macau in November.

GT3 cars are closer to their roadgoing cousins and, perhaps most significantly, cheaper both to buy and run than the machinery that competes in GTE. The rule book offers widespread freedoms and the performance of the cars is controlled by a process known as the Balance of Performance.

The idea is to create a level playing field by tweaking parameters such as weight, engine power, aerodynamics and ride height to make sure that a range of machinery can race on equal terms. This means that front-engined cars, such as the Bentley Continental GT3 and the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3, can be competitive against mid-engined sportscars such as Ferrari’s 458 Italia GT3 and the new carbonchassis McLaren 650S GT3. GT3 is inclusive by its very nature and has included in its 10-year history cars as diverse as the Morgan Aero 8 and the Ford Mustang. The GT3 category has spread around the globe since its creation back in 2006.

It has become the basis of multiple national championships around Europe, as well as series in Australia, the United States and Brazil.

The next step on the GT3 pyramid is the international championships, such as the Blancpain GT Series in Europe and the GT Asia Series.

GT3 cars also compete for overall victory in important races such the Nürburgring 24 Hours, which incorporates the legendary 12- mile Nordschleife circuit, and the Bathurst 12 Hours in Australia. There are also classes for GT3 machinery in the Le Mans Series in Europe and Asia and in the Tudor United SportsCar Championship in the US.

limited BMW M Travel Sets with an M Sports Bag and an M Suitcase.

These unique offers underscored BMW’s strengthened commitment to give customers the luxury suited to their every need while delivering the ultimate JOY in driving. “This three-day event was intended to promote fun and excitement, which is a core aspect of the BMW lifestyle, “ said Karl Magsuci, Marketing specialist of ACC.

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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

ST Y L E & BE AU T Y

LIFE

Nobu Restaurant’s entry way dressed up the iconic event. with a mountain of little bottles of Moet & Chandon, pink Marie France paper bags and tall vase aquariums with gold fish

Sweets, sweets, and more sweets!

Marie France’s dessert buffet

Jason Magbanua, Rima Ostwani and Jacqueline Share

Lilet Esteban

Chico Garcia, Angeline Fiechter and Gino Quillamor

Beng Dee and Rikki Dee Sarah Meier, Rafa Alunan, and Amina Aranaz-Alunan

Carmi Martin

30 ICONIC YEARS OF MARIE FRANCE Patty Bettita

From left: Niccolo Cosme, Tatum Ancheta, Nicole Limos, Rorie Manzano, NJ Torres, JR Isaac, Myrza Sison, Meriam Ahari and Zoe Laurente

From left: Bea Chua, Kryz Uy, Camille Co, Joni Koro, Lissa Kahayon, Santi Cua, NJ Torres, Mic Lim, Vince Golangco and Sheila Suyat

Sharon Horsman and Jeffrey Ng

From left: Tessa Villalon, Bernadette Allyson, Amanda Jacob, George Siy, Dawn Zulueta, Agot Isidro, Robin Horsman and Ana Roces

Chefs Rolando Laudico and Jackie Laudico

Mikaela Martinez

Dawn Zulueta-Lagdameo and Rep. Anton Lagdameo

Crickette Tantoco, Pepper Teehankee and Ernesto Lopez

I

n the Philippines, body care has always been a thriving business, and with the continuous advancement of technology there is no reason not to look good and feel good. There are so many innovative approaches to slimming, body sculpting, and weight loss, and while going under the knife can be the answer to many, there are a few who offer such treatments without having to go through an invasive procedure.

For three decades, Marie France has established itself as an authority when it comes to scientific, noninvasive slimming. Through the years, the company has stayed true to its campaign in reshaping beauty: “No pills, no exercise, no fad diets, no surgery.” Since it opened in the Philippines in 1985, it has been a game changer that revolutionized women’s perspective on slimming and health.

“I think that partnership, friendship, and the Siy family has made all of this possible,” says Peter Prestige, one of the directors of Marie France during its recent 30th anniversary celebration. Held at the Nobu Garden Patio in City of Dreams Manila, the venue was filled with Marie France patrons, partners, and Iconic ambassadors who have been a huge part in making the company reach its big 3-0.

From left: Millet Mananquil, Thelma San Juan, Yvette Fernandez, Mia Borromeo, George Siy, Sari Yap, Peter Prestige, Anna Sobrepeña, Robin Horsman and Raul Manzano

Donned in white, bold black, and luxe gold, the guests came in full support of the institution that has been a partner of many in creating and maintaining beauty.

Marie France endorsers and Facial Care Centre beauties Dawn Zulueta-Lagdameo, Bernadette Allyson, Amanda Griffin-Jacob, Agot Isidro, Ana Roces, Carmi Martin, Mikaela LagdameoMartinez, Bianca AranetaElizalde, Patty Betita, Tessa NietoVillalon, Rima Ostwani, including the night’s host Sam Oh and Issa Litton were present to celebrate with Marie France’s president George Siy and his wife Mimi, Jackie Siy-Share, Peter Prestige, Robin Horsman, and Angeline Siy-Fiechter.

The night was overflowing with drinks and a delectable six-course dinner that everyone was raving

about even after the end of the event.

During dinner, a special video was shown as a tribute to Marie France’s 30 years of being a trusted name in the industry, including an exclusive sneak peak of a behind the scene video of Marie France’s partnership with top glossies and publications.

Another highlight of the event was the presentation of ICanServe and Marie France’s joint project which aims to show support and love for women who are battling breast cancer. The ICanServe awareness video was conceptualized and created by visual storyteller Jason Magbanua, narrated by Dawn Zulueta-Lagdameo, with the timeless voice of Lea Salonga singing “Save It All” by Marie Hines.

An Iconic 30 years – Marie France has proven to be an icon in the industry that reshapes and transform lives.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

#STYLESPIRATION: The Emmys

Kerry Washington Claire Danes Photos courtesy of Tinseltown and Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com

The red carpet is one of the best places to look for fashion pegs. So we took a peek THE GIST at what

BY ED BIADO the stars wore at the recent Emmy Awards to give you the best looks, styles and trends that you can get plenty of inspiration from – whether you’re deciding what to wear to a big event or you simply want a wardrobe update. Here are our picks:

METALLICS

The top trend of the Emmys red carpet seems to be metallics. Christina

Ellie Kemper

Hendricks, Sofia Vergara, Cat Deely, Liz Hernandez and Kerry Washington posed for pictures showcasing the style and we have to say they all look great.

Shimmering hues, gold-silver ombrés, bejeweled and bedazzled: everything is on the table. Obviously, this isn’t an everyday look but if you’re looking to spice up an ensemble, having a metallic element that pops is surely the way to go.

HARDWARE SHOULDER STRAPS

Add a little industrial realness to your outfit by opting for a top with hardware shoulder straps. The style is seen on the red-carpet dresses of Tajari P. Henson and Claire Danes in the form of chain links.

There’s something really edgy with mixing such hard elements into feminine draping.

Jane Lynch

It works on so many levels. And it says a lot about you as the person wearing it.

This could be a hot emerging trend.

This should definitely be an option for your next formal event.

COLORFUL STRIPES

Actress Frances McDormand, who took home two Emmys the evening of the ceremony, literally turned heads when she arrived with what appeared to be a makeup-less face. This is 100 percent “stylespirational” as it says so much. It challenges beauty standards and gender inequality like no other. If an awardwinning actress can go to an awards show and win two awards without fussing about her face and in a ponytail, perhaps you shouldn’t be worrying too much about a bad hair day. Right?

We are so in love with the almost psychedelic Naeem Khan on Ellie Kemper, who plays the titular role in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. The dress is fun and sparkly and the directional stripes are flattering on any figure. Because it’s colorful, it exudes playfulness and youth.

Truly a fantastic style peg for any occasion.

TUXEDO

It’s chic, it’s cool, it’s a refreshing alternative to the traditional ball gown. Just ask Lisa Kudrow and Jane Lynch. Menswear as women’s wear is an emerging red-carpet theme and it’s really taking off this year.

THE SPANISH FASHION TAKEOVER CONTINUES Cortefiel to open 20 stores in the Philippines in 5 years

BY BERNADETTE LUNAS

S

pain is once again conquering the Philippines. But this time, it’s a fun and fashionable takeover as many Spanish accessories and apparel brands have landed on our soil, while several more are following suit.

Recently joining the long list of Spanish fashion labels operating in our country is Cortefiel of Grupo Cortefiel brand, whose portfolio also includes casual fashion label Springfield and swimwear and underwear retailer women’s secret.

While a new entrant in the Philippine market, Cortefiel is not a newbie in the fashion industry. Being the flagship label of the apparel retailer group, it has been selling men’s suits in 1946 in Europe.

But it wasn’t until 2007 that the Group felt the brand was ready to venture out internationally. “Because Cortefiel at that time, in the ‘80 to ‘90s, was not ready because the brand is a very classic,

very Spanish fashion brand,” explains Ignacio Orusco, franchise director for Grupo Cortefiel’s labels.

And when they saw the potential of the brand in Asia, they thought it was best to introduce it in the Philippines first – owing to the long and rich connection between the two nations.

“We decided to start first in a country which is close to Spain in terms of history and culture. It means the customers are more or less similar with ours,” shares Orusco, adding that before expanding to the Eastern market, they had to make some adjustments in terms of sizing.

The first Philippine branch opened late last year. Today, Cortefiel has outlets at Glorietta 3 in Makati, at Estancia Mall in Capitol Commons, and more recently at Bonifacio High Street’s Central Square in Taguig.

According to Orusco, the fourth Cortefiel branch, which will also be the brand’s flagship store, will open

Frances McDormand

at Shangri-La Mall in Mandaluyong in December. “The idea is to open around 15 to 20 stores in five years in the Philippines,” he says.

With a number of Spanish fashion labels available in the country, how would Cortefiel fare against others?

Orusco gives three ways how. “We have 100 percent Spanish designs, we have the best quality in the market, and we are one of the brands with the most competitive prices.”

Offering trendy and upgraded classic accessories and apparel for men and women, Cortefiel believes that it is a brand “for the customer who wants to create his/her own style” through a wide range of garments on offer.

“We have the must-haves (basics that are not as basic as basics) and fashion items,” says Orusco. Each piece, he concludes, best represents the colorful culture, youthful vibe and flamboyant style of Spain.

NO MAKEUP

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @EdBiado

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

Elegant snakeskin clutch with stones

Mother of Pearl dish, candles with golden sea urchin holders and snakeskin clutch with stones from MAGARA at Kultura

ARTISANAL FINDS AT MAGARA SHOP-IN SHOP AT KULTURA

I

f you love handmade Filipino products, you might want to check out premium artisanal shop-in-shop Magara that was recently launched at Kultura in SM Makati for the benefit of Crafts for a Cause foundations.

MAGARA (which in Filipino can mean anything from nice to elegant) highlights luxe fashion as seen in exquisitely hand woven piña tops by Crafts for a Cause’s Rurungan sa Tubod Foundation; hand-knotted necklaces with baroque pearls and other indigenous materials from Joyce Oreña’s Transformer collection; new statement jewelry with semi-precious stones from Tim Tam Ong; and elegant shell clutches and minaudieres from Cebu.

Orly

Samara Antique Rose

Sasha

Samantha Latte

Samara Fawn

Serena

@LIFEatStandard

Fuchsia buntal clutch with semi-precious stones

Tambourine pearl necklaces with gold pendants from MAGARA at Kultura

Magara will also carry beautiful accents for the home like curtain tassels and lamps made with indigenous materials like shell, mother of pearl, and ostrich eggs. Home accessories have a local touch in premium handmade abel Iloko by Balay ni Atong; and shell and decorative boxes from Eve Pek. MAGARA is located inside Kultura at the 2nd level of SM Makati. Other Kultura stores are located at SM Aura Premier, SM Megamall, the SM Mall of Asia, SM Lanang Premier, and SM City Cebu. Also visit website at www. kulturafilipino.com.

Bold and elegant semi-precious stone pendant necklace

Buntal clutch with gold pineapple from MAGARA at Kultura.

EFFORTLESS STYLE WITH YOSI SAMRA FLATS

C

omfort.

D u r a b i l i t y.

Uncompromised style. These are the bywords that sum up the qualities women look for in their footwear – and Yosi Samra delivers. The New York City brand that pioneered fold-up ballet flats, Yosi Samra, recently unveiled 20 new designs in its latest collection for the 2015 fall/ winter season.

The newest line puts the spotlight on Yosi Samra staples made of genuine leather and suede done in neutrals, plus a few bolder choices in various prints and textures. Designed to fit into the modern Filipina’s multi-faceted lifestyle and in a 4.5” x 3” package, the ballet flats embody effortless style that can be taken from day to night.

“The (Yosi Samra) brand is relatively new but the Philippine market has been progressive,” says Stephen Elizaga Chua, Regional Business Strategy and Development head. “The modern Filipina is very fashion savvy, a multitasker; she goes to school, blogs, takes photos, does business on the side – very progressive and ambitious. She likes to travel and she needs a pair of shoes that fits that lifestyle. The personality of the woman is reflected in her style and she

“The main icon is Audrey Hepburn with her effortless style, who can slip from an evening gown to slacks to shirts and flats – and we’d like to make the ladies aware that they have a lot of options,” he adds.

Established in 2009, Yosi Samra has become the go-to brand for shoes that are equally fashionable and comfortable made with materials of the highest quality. What is equally interesting to note is that Yosi Samra once worked as a bouncer in a New York City club – and it was this experience of trying to haul in women at 2 a.m. and other unholy hours into a taxi with their cumbersome heels that gave him the idea to develop fold-up ballet flats.

needs shoes to go with that, and we’re happy that we’ve been able to reach a wide audience because of the classic versatility of the shoes,” he says.

Green Tee, Inc. is the Exclusive Regional Distributor for Yosi Samra in Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines. To date, it has a total of 13 local branches, including ones in Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod, and Iloilo. Globally, it is available in over 1,000 boutiques across the US and 85 other countries. For branch locations and collection updates, follow Yosi Samra Philippines: www.facebook. com/YosiSamraPhilippines and www. instagram.com/yosisamra.ph

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

HOW TO ACHIEVE ‘PORELESS’ SKIN Before I get any violent reactions to the title of my feature this week, please note how I use the term “poreless” loosely. Pores, we all them. If you are POP-UP BEAUTY have a living, breathing

BY JIGS MAYUGA human being, then you have pores. Some people are just blessed with good skin and have almost invisible pores and minimal facial hair (Yes, we all have small hairs on our face, too). Sebum or oil is secreted by the skin through our pores via

small hair follicles to keep skin naturally supple and moisturized. Oilier skins tend to have larger pores that are more visible even from afar because of the shine associated with sebum. I struggled with oily skin, breakouts and huge pores in my teens and I’ve always imagined how the pores would go away with the farewell of puberty. Well, the bad news is that there is nothing you can do to actually make your pores go away. I’m in my late thirties now and my pores still greet me in the morning when I look at myself in the mirror.

But the good news is that there are products you can use to help minimize the appearance of pores and keep oil at bay. Here are some of my favorites:

HAPPY SKIN Insta Beauty Blur Cream,

E.L.F. Poreless Face Primer, The Landmark

Beauty Bar This primer foundation provides a light tint veil that corrects and blurs away skin imperfections by refining large pores and filling in lines and wrinkles.

It contains the tried and tested anti-aging ingredients Retinol and Peptides to make skin plump and smooth. Vitamin C helps boost the production of collagen while Vitamin E moisturizes and protects.

L’OREAL True Match Blur Cream, Watsons

Micro-blur technology blends imperfections, creating a soft focus effect on skin. It automatically adjusts to the texture of the skin to create a flawless finish.

Oil-free, non-comedogenic and dermatologist-tested.

Optically smoothens pores with a non-greasy weightless texture that you can barely feel on the skin. Use alone or before foundation/BB Cream by applying a small amount on visible pores.

This reduces the appearance of enlarged pores, fine lines, and shine for a gorgeous airbrushed look.

This clear, liquid formula infused with Tea Tree Extract is proven to keep oil at bay, while Vitamins A and E are known for their anti-aging properties.

Apply to clean skin prior to makeup application by using a small amount and blending evenly all over the face to create a smooth and flawless base before applying foundation.

KIEHL’S Rare Earth Pore-Minimizing Collection, Greenbelt 5

A skincare line complete with cleanser, toner, face lotion and a mask designed to detoxify the skin by reducing pore size. Rare Earth’s key ingredient, Amazonian White Clay, removes dirt, toxins, excess oil and dead cells that can clog skin and result in enlarged pores. Majority of those who use this product reported that it minimized the appearance of pores and kept skin matte looking for eight hours.

NYX Pore Filler,

SM Makati This talc-free and oil-free formulation enriched with skin-nourishing Vitamin E, applies smoothly on the skin to control oil and dries to a soft, satin finish.

Fine silicones leave skin matte and visibly reduce the appearance of pores.

This translucent cream can be used as a base, over makeup during the day for touchups or even alone.

BENEFIT Operation: Pore-Proof, Central Square

Benefit’s priming, “instant porefection complexion” kit that minimizes the appearance of pores and shine comes with mini sizes of the Shy Beam matte highlighter, the iconic POREfessional pore minimizing balm, Dr. Feelgood complexion balm, oil-blotting stick and a shine-vanishing pro powder. Everything you could possibly need to combat shine and disguise huge pores. The kit also includes a mini-booklet of tips and tricks to help guide beginners with the use of these POREfessional products.

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @jigsmayuga

Designer Lesley Mobo Will Show New Collection at the 7th Annual Red Charity Gala

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ondon-based Filipino fashion designer Lesley Mobo will debut a 40-piece collection influenced by “Tudor Romance towards the culmination of the War of the Roses” and “kitschy glamour via Studio 54” at the Red Charity Gala on October 16, 2015 at Makati Shangri-La, Manila.

Organized by Tessa PrietoValdes and Kaye Tinga, the annual fashion benefit event highlights the creativity and craftsmanship of the Filipino fashion designer and raises funds for the Red Cross and Assumption High School Batch 1981 Foundation with what

Prieto-Valdes calls “the loudest silent auction.”

This year, gala attendees will have the chance to outbid each other on a premium economy trip to Paris care of Singapore Airlines, a special bracelet created by Piaget jewelry, and a Balesin membership share, all for a great cause. Other surprise big-ticket items will be revealed on the night of the auction.

In addition to the raising funds for the Philippine Red Cross, “we try to help organizations that don’t have the capacity to raise funds because they don’t have the means,” said Prieto-Valdes at

a press conference for the event.

“Last year we donated 20 homes in Eastern Samar.”

Though tickets for the glamorous gala sell out regularly, the organizers still aim to outdo their own success every year. Sponsors have been so generous that guests will even enjoy a “swag room” to pick up giveaways.

Items up for the charity auction will be also be bigger and better. Cochair Kaye Tinga predicted that this year’s benefit would surpass expectations with more supporters, higher targets and an exciting runway show that brings Lesley Mobo’s creative vision to life.

F RIDAY : OCTOBER 2 : 2015

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

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Globe’s More access to eNtertaiNMeNt

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ow, you don’t have to go to a mall to watch movies, or stay at home to watch your favorite TV series.

The country’s no. 1 mobile brand offers the revolutionary device to transform the entertainment experience at home.

In this day and age of digital technology, the country’s no.1 mobile brand and purveyor of the Filipino digital lifestyle, Globe Telecom, brings the entertainment experience to a whole new level as it brings Chromecast to the Philippines to offer Filipinos a new way to stream their favorite entertainment content at home.

Chromecast is a thumb-sized media streaming device that plugs into the High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port of one’s television set at home. With Chromecast, customers can cast their smartphone, tablet, or laptop to a bigger screen for a better and more inclusive viewing experience. Chromecast can also be used as a remote control for TV, set-up a party at home with the TV set as instant DJ or VJ, enjoy family game-time with smartphones as controllers, watch shows that only selected users can hear, and view Chromecast-ready apps.

Chromecast is compatible with Android devices, tablets, iPhones, iPads, Macs or Windows laptops or Chromebooks, allowing users to cast their favorite entertainment and apps to the big screen. To use Chromecast, customers can plug in the device to an HDMI TV and a power source, download the app on a smartphone device, tablet, or laptop, authenticate the code, and click the cast icon on their apps to view content on TV. Filipinos can enjoy the following apps, which are Chromecast-ready: TV and Movies: HOOQ, CrunchyRoll, Stream2Cast, All-

Cast, Flixster, Dailymotion, Viki, SkyOnline and more.

Games: Just Dance Now, Monopoly Dash, Wheel of Fortune, Rube, Catch Phrase Blitz, FitFlap, Scrabble Blitz, Alien Invaders, Big Web Quiz and more.

Sports: NBA App, MLB, Red Bull TV and more.

Photos and Videos: YouTube, Chrome, Piccastr, BubbleUPnP, Pixlr, Lyve, Avia, Picture Cast, DayFrame and more.

“We are excited to be working closely with Google to bring Chromecast to Filipinos who are huge fans of everything entertainment: from movies, TV shows, games, sports, to photos and videos.

With Chromecast, our customers get instant access to quality entertainment experience at home as they get to see their favorite content and apps from the small screen to the big screen. Offering Chromecast supports our commitment to enable the Filipino digital lifestyle further as we provide our customers a platform to enjoy entertainment at the comfort of one’s home,” says Dan Horan, senior advisor for Consumer Business at Globe.

The telco’s global content partners are also Chromecast-ready, allowing customers to enjoy thousands of movies and TV series on HOOQ, watch live and on-demand NBA games via the NBA League Pass, and stream music and video content on YouTube.

Soon, Globe customers can get the Chromecast for free starting at Globe Home Broadband Plan 1299 with free access to HOOQ as well as across all Home Broadband Plans with free access to HOOQ and Spotify or the NBA League Pass.Meanwhile, Platinum Home Broadband customers can avail of the Chromecast for free starting at Plan 3749 to Plan 9999 with free access to HOOQ, Spotify, and the NBA League Pass.

Chromecast soon available in the Philippines from Globe: Launching Chromecast as a future offering from Globe with its home broadband plans are (L-R) Globe Senior Advisor for Consumer Business Dan Horan, Google Philippines Country Manager Kenneth Lingan, and Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu.

Globe Senior Advisor for Consumer Business Dan Horan showcases the features and benefits of Chromecast and how it can transform the entertainment experience at home with a simple tap on one’s mobile device.

Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu on how Globe is bringing the future of connectivity today with its latest offerings to its customers.

Miss Earth at UN

M

Herrel at the United Nations office in Vienna

Miss Earth 2014 Jamie Herrell and Stephan Sicars, head of Environment Branch of UNIDO

iss Earth 2014 Jamie Herrell paid Stephan Sicars, head of Environment Branch of UNIDO and Ole Reinholdt Nielsen, chief of Montereal Protocol Unit Environmental Branch, UNIDO a courtesy visit with MISS EARTH, an environmental event founded in 2001 that channels the beauty pageant entertainment industry as an effective tool in promoting environmental awareness, is celebrating its 15th year in Austria - famous for its Danube River, mountain villages, baroque city architecture, Imperial history and rugged alpine terrain.

Around 90 delegates from all over the world will be arriving in Vienna on Nov.18 to start their

activities and will converge at the Marx Halle in Vienna on Dec. 5 for the coronation night.

Climate Change will be the focus of Miss Earth for its Crystal Year celebration. The delegates will revisit and renew its campaign to influence people’s minds that protecting the planet is a very personal issue and everybody shares the responsibility to protect it through the five key words: Rethink, Reuse, Reduce, Recyle, Respect.

This two-hour television special will also feature and highlight the famous eco-tourism spots in Austria and the country’s laudable efforts in sustainable living.

Miss Earth 2015 will be telecast internationally and live streamed via the Internet worldwide.

F RIDAY : OCTOBER 2 : 2015

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

PeOPle

...ARE tALkinG AbOUt

ALDUb in COnCERt No touch.

Alden and Yaya Dun in their second meeting

Eat Bulaga is indeed striking the iron while it’s hot. To appreciate the massive support AlDub is getting, the super tandem is set to record a song and hold a concert for their millions of fans. Will they be able to set a new record on the music scene? Will that concert spark another social media frenzy? That’s what we’re going to find out soon.

Another singer with Filipino lineage is making waves in Australia’s X Factor. The 19-year-old student from South Sydney, who can play multiple musical instruments by the way, is one of the strongest contestants in the hit talent show.

If he wins, Cyrus will be the second Filipino to clinch the X Factor title after Marlisa Punzalan ended victor last year.

Cyrus Villanueva

Arci Munoz

2016, in the Portuguese seaside town of Espinho is now open.

As usual, the event will have its main focus on the unveiling of new faces on the international film scene, with a complete and widespread competition program that will be giving out 10 awards in total.

The festival is accepting feature films, Fiction and Documentary, from directors who are on their first or second production, regardless of age. It is also accepting short and medium length films (of up to 54 minutes) for fiction, documen-

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 44 45 47 49 50

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE

42

Bluegill Prepared to deal Rents Ms. Fitzgerald Doubt Harsh chemicals And, to Fritz Iroquois speakers Go biking Cow-headed goddess George or T.S.

51 53 56 57 61 65 66 69 70 71 72 73 74 75

Truck stop sight Boxing jabs Fishtails Elec. unit Shop for clothes (2 wds.)

Patches a wall Motel vacancy Kind of gin Muttered crossly Hint Actress — Petty Not taut Demeanor Nave neighbor Hair-raising Unthinkingly Diary opener Flat broke Cheerio! (hyph.)

DOWN 1 Wild guess 2 “It Must Be Him” singer 3 Marie’s friend 4 Winner awards 5 — Alamos 6 Pamplona shout 7 Byron’s works 8 Give a tenth 9 City near Incheon 10 A cube has six

tary, animation and experimental competitions, from directors up to the age of 30 (including).

After a tremendously successful experience in 2015, where it broke all submission records, the organization of the event decided to expand the submission alternatives. So alongside online submissions via the website (www.fest.pt) and the traditional physical submission process, applicants can also use its partner platforms Film Festival Life ( http://www.filmfestivallife.com/FEST-NewDirectors-

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015

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Clap of thunder Ms. Sommer Hoe Ration out Beat, as wings Makeshift swing Agronomists’ studies Comforter Bobby of Indy Illuminate Simon and Diamond Just perfect Jean-Claude Van — Minor mistakes Bisque and miso More turbulent Duck or hue Social climber Lad or lassie Famed frog Mary-Kate or Ashley Brawl Very willing Hemp product — Major Venture Opera set in Egypt Stonehenge builder “Only Time” singer England’s FBI Pivotal

ViCE GAnDA

He’s intelligent enough to know that most of the powerful messages affect people when sent out in a subtle way. Hence, his “stealing a kiss from Karylle” (not once, but twice) during It’ Showtime anniversary concert is viewed by the audience as his poor attempt to make people talk about him again. He knows that hard selling is not the way to go but he still went that route. Poor desperate thing.

JOEy DE LEOn

Joey de Leon

ARCi MUñOZ

The sultry actress has been chosen to be the calendar girl of a popular liquor brand. And to be chosen as one, people say the brand must have seen something extra ordinary about her. Sure, Arci is more than just killer curves and beautiful face. The Pasion de Amor star is a Fine Arts graduate at University of the Philippines.

Beauty and brains no doubt.

The Film submission period for the 12th edition of FEST - New Directors | New Films Festival, which will take place between the 20th and the 27th of June

20 22 24 27 28 32 36 37 39 40

Vice Ganda

CyRUS ViLLAnUEVA

Filipino Films invited to Fest

ACROSS 1 Telemarketing danger 5 Ransacks 10 Gush forth 14 Like a house cat 15 Vintage tune 16 Congolese river 17 Like the Kalahari 18 Deal with (2 wds.)

19 Long-handled tool

...ARE nOt tALkinG A bOUt t AbOUt

He’s fortunate that AlDub is untouchable because of its millions of fervent fans. But that doesn’t give him the license to discount other people’s opinion about AlDub, whether positive or not. Case in point, he put Lea Salonga in the center of controversy after the singer shared her thoughts about the attention the likes of AlDud is getting.

And Joey thought AlDub fans would devour Lea alive online. Guess what?

That didn’t happen.

JM DE GUZMAn

JM de Guzman

The embattled actor has sent a shout out to Enrique Gil challenging the latter in fisticuffs a la MMA (mixed martial arts). The recently sober former stage actor, who has lost another project to Jericho Rosales, told the Forevermore star to man up and take up on the challenge.

This really happens when a person’s mind isn’t wired like most normal people do.

New-Films-Festival), Film Freeway ( https://filmfreeway.com/ festival/FestNewDirectorsNewFilmsFestival), Click for Festivals (http://www.clickforfestivals. com/fest-new-directors-newfilms-festival) and Festhome (https://festhome.com/f/1524).

The deadline is Feb. 28, but be sure to submit the earliest possible to maximize possibilities.

FEST – New Directors | New Films Festival is now one of the most important cultural events in Portugal, a great opportunity and an excellent forum for the

new Filmmakers who wishes to establish himself in this industry.

Running parallel to the Festival is the FEST Industry Meetings (for one on one meeting with Film Producers), FEST - Training Ground (A high level film trainning program) and FEST - Pitching Forum, that connects filmmakers with producers and financiers.

Interested filmmakers must submit their work along with €2 (Euros) for short films and €5 (Euros) for Feature films, the fee is not applicable for national films.

F RIDAY : OCTOBER 2 : 2015

C7

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

Muslims' Queen of Batangas

His Royal Highness Sultan Paramount Faizal Coyogan Benaning Bansao of the Royal Houses of Sultanate of Batangas crowns Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto

Shaquille O'Neal visits a school in Hong Kong

Vilma santos-recto crowned tHe Queen of Batangas from c8

B

atangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto was crowned Queen of the Province, Holder of Authority (Baealabi A Gausa Sa Batangas) over the weekend by the Muslim community of Batangas in ceremonies held at the Lima Park Hotel, Lipa City, Batangas.

His Royal Highness Sultan Paramount Faizal Coyogan Benaning Bansao of the Royal Houses of Sultanate of Batangas led the ceremonies.

More than 3,000 Muslim brothers and leaders from Batangas as well as Brunei and Malaysia were present during the event.

Proud and grateful, Santos-Recto came in a Muslim costume.

“Malaking karangalan para sa akin dahil kasama ko ang mga kapatid na Muslim para matupad ang maayos na programa sa Batangas mula pa nang Mayor ako.

“Salamat kay Sultan Paramount Faizal Coyogan Cocoy Bansao .

Mabuhay po kayo! Muli, sa pangalan ng mga Batangeno at sa Mayor ng Lipa. Maraming salamat po sa karangalan!” she said during her acceptance speech.

Santo-Recto also took the chance to share the news about an in-depth interview she did for Yes! magazine’s October issue in which she and sons Luis Manzano and

Ryan Christian are on the cover.

Also coming in theaters this October is her new movie for Star Cinema in which she co-stars with Angel Locsin and Xian Lim.

Richards with one of the Starstruck girls Alden Richards surprises Starstruch hopefuls with a visit on the set

HHHHH alden surprises starstruck ladies Alden Richards dropped by the Starstruck set and created a commotion among the girl hopefuls.

It was an unannounced visit of the current sensational heartthrob whose pairing with Yaya Dub (Maine Mendoza) has be-

come a global phenomenon.

The Starstruck girls didn’t know what to do when they saw Richards around the set. True to his charming and humble self, the very popular TV celebrity approached the girls and tried bonding with them.

Richards was one of the Starstruch hopefuls in the show’s previous editions, but he wasn’t lucky enough to even reach the finals. But, look at him now, and see where he is in the firmament of stardom.

Some guys, really have, all the luck and as Lola Nidora says, “Sa tamang panahon!”

The Starstruk girls are as lucky for they were able to be near, physically, with Richards. Not even Maine Mendoza has that chance.

Do you think, she’ll be jealous?

HHHHH snooky serna not tHe cruel in-law at all Contrary to the character she plays in My Faithful Husband, Snooky Serna is as loving as any one can be. In fact, when she has the time, she drops by Jennylyn Mercado’s Fit and Form for some beauty service. It also affords them time to bond.

Serna and Mercado play in-laws in the series. The latter is Serna’s daughter-in-law being married

to her son Emman (Dennis Trillo). In the series, their characters are always at odds and Emman is caught between her love for his wife (Mercado) and love and respect for his mother (Serna.)

Serna’s portrayal of Cedes, Emman’s mother, is very effective viewers are looking at her with hatred in their eyes for making Mercado’s character suffer in her cruel hands.

But that is drama on television.

If you’re good people will either hate or love you.

Jennylyn Mercado

s

picturing a better environment,” said Kaplan. “Collectively we can make noise heard around the world on behalf of issues that are central to everyone’s well-being and do it in an entertaining way.”

In Asia, SPT Networks, which includes leading channels Animax, AXN, Gem, ONE and Sony Channel will present a three minute on air spot encouraging viewers to reduce the use of plastic bags in their daily lives. To communicate the message, SPT Networks enlisted the support of El Gamma Penumbra, the mesmerizing shadow play group who won the first season of Asia’s Got Talent on AXN earlier this year.

“The over-use of plastic bags in territories across Asia is a growing concern given the negative impact it has on our land, waterways, marine life

Standing over seven feet tall, there is a dominance that surrounds Shaquille O’Neal. Easily billed as one of the most recognizable NBA players, his basketball career was record setting. And while the star has retired from the game after 19 seasons, three championships, and an Olympic gold medal, offcourt he’s most definitely still scoring. An actor, sports analyst, designer, and an entrepreneur, Shaquille O’Neal is hard to miss.

This month in Talk Asia, CNN’s Anna Coren meets the man behind the brand and shoots hoops with the all-star in Hong Kong, as he opens up about his latest business venture in China and the drive that keeps him going.

HigHligHts from ‘talk asia’: On what drive’s him Shaq: “I just like to maximize my potential. I love partnerships, I love helping brands grow. I love meeting people. I love having fun.”

Snooky Serna

GlObal envirOnmenTal reSpOnSibiliTy CampaiGn ony Pictures Television Networks launched a worldwide campaign across their channels in 177 countries, engaging viewers in environmental issues, Andy Kaplan, president, worldwide networks for Sony Pictures Television (SPT) announced.

The effort, titled Picture This, will utilize the channels’ storytelling expertise to engage viewers around environmental issues important to each market.

Picture This will then combine these local efforts into a worldwide voice to bring awareness to everyday efforts that can help protect our natural resources.

“With the reach of our global networks and the passion of our storytelling, our networks will both engage the community and energize people to action by

Shaquille O’neal in Cnn’S ‘Talk aSia’

On his greatest accOmplishment Shaq: “My greatest accomplishment I would have to say is receiving a doctorate degree. Because it was something that was never imagined. Like my mother fought with me for eight years to go back and get my bachelors. So then I got my bachelors and I’m like “I’m cool. Mom’s off my back, I got a degree I’m good.”

On playing alOngside KObe bryant Shaq: “...yes it was a public feud but it wasn’t a reality feud, because just thinking about it, if it was a public feud and a reality feud, like a feud in real life, I don’t think we’d have any championships.”

Picture This: Sony Pictures Television Networks officials and members of the staff

and oceans. Through our Picture This campaign, we want to remind viewers to think twice before using, and then quickly discarding, their plastic bags.

Partnering with El Gamma Penumbra, who is known for their compelling environmental performances, was a natural choice

and their inspiring storytelling for Picture This is sure to make a big difference,” said Hui Keng Ang, senior vice president and general manager of Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia.

Picture a world without litter.

Picture an urban oasis. Picture a beautiful forest.

On what he want his legacy tO be Shaq: “In one sentence, I want people to say he was a nice guy. That’s it.”

CNN Talk Asia airs in the Philippines at 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 8. Replays on following days. For schedule, visit CNN International’s website.

F RIDAY : OCTOBER 2 : 2015

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

Chito Roño

Do mistresses have etiquette?

Kris Aquino

ISAH V. RED Former Manila Standard Today editor-in-chief and columnist Julie Yap-Daza wrote Etiquette For Mistresses (published 1993) inspired by stories of women she knew were having affairs with married men, hence they were what we call mistresses. No, the stories weren’t just about casual relationships but more about those that go beyond the physical nature of the engagement.

On screens since last Wednesday is the film adaptation of the book by director Chito Roño. It is an attempt to illustrate the concerns of women in Daza’s book and how they deal with them.

The film centers on a group of sophisticated, well-mannered women who are in fact mistresses and a younger woman they guide in their world. As they embark on their individual journeys to find love, issues arise because not all mistresses are alike – there are those who uphold tradition and follow the proper etiquette required of them, while others prefer to break the rules.

Georgia, Chloe, Stella, Charley, and Ina seem to have everything but they feel they have nothing knowing their love will never be whole.

They are all struggling to break free from the prison they have created around them.

Say the producers, “ Etiquette for Mistresses aims to give the audience a glimpse on the varied stories, different loves, and the pain women go through in illicit relationship.”

The film assembles Star Cinema’s biggest female stars to play the mistresses – Kris Aquino,, Iza Calzado, Claudine Barretto, and Kim Chiu.

The film marks the reunion of Aquino and Roño since the film Feng Shui in 2014.

Also, the movie is Barretto’s big comeback to the big screen after a long absence of close to a decade since she starred with Aquino in Sukob (2006).

For Kim Chiu, this is her most challenging role so far. “It’s my first time to play this kind of role,” she announced during the press conference.

Iza Calzado has returned to Star Cinema since starring in Starting Over Again and Maria Leonora Teresa (2014). And this is Cheena Crab‘s first starring role. Roño handpicked her to play one of the five mistresses.

Kriz Gazmen who wrote the screenplay said, “We have to put faces to Tita Julie’s book because that’s the way to make the premise plausible and relatable.” He was also responsible for the screenplays of No Other Woman and One More Try. Recently, he also wrote the photoplays of Breakup Playlist and Ex With Benefits.

The film premiered last Tuesday and unspooled on screens nationwide.

How many mistresses are watching the movie?

Who knows? Or they’d rather not take a look at their lives as portrayed in the film. The big question though is, do mistresses really have etiquette to follow? Or, at most, can’t they just be sensible and not make a scene or scandal in public?

Let’s see what Roño thinks. ➜ Continued on C7

The cast of Etiquette for Mistresses

Kim Chiu

Claudine Barretto

Iza Calzado