The Standard - 2015 October 13 - Tuesday

VOL. XXIX NO. 243 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 TUESday : OCTOBER 13, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Chaos, killing mar 1st filing day

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GRACE BY A MILE

The

Standard POE

BINAY

POLL

ROxAS

The

4-WAY PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST

BY MAJOR AREAS AND LOCALITY Binay

Poe NATIONWIDE METRO MLA. N./C. LUZON S. LUZON/BICOL VISAYAS MINDANAO URBAN RURAL

Roxas

Duterte

Standard

Undecided

22% 13% 10% 20% 1% 22% 30% 20% 7% 1% 19% 6%1% 27% 10% 33% 19% 22% 24% 19% 17% 1% 21% 19% 11% 25% 24% 23%

41% 46% 42% 47% 37% 36% 41% 40%

3-WAY PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST

BY MAJOR AREAS AND LOCALITY Poe DUTERTE

Liberal Party unveils full Senate slate

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NATIONWIDE METRO MLA. N./C. LUZON S. LUZON/BICOL VISAYAS MINDANAO URBAN RURAL

Binay

47% 55% 46% 49% 42% 47% 50% 45%

Roxas

Undecided

26% 26% 13% 28% 31% 21% 19% 31% 22% 36% 31% 22% 24% 23% 27% 27%

1 % 4% 3%

1 %

POLL

By Joyce Pangco Pañares

SENATOR Grace Poe posted a wide lead over other possible presidential candidates in the 2016 elections, results of the second The Standard Poll showed.

The survey, conducted by resident pollster Junie Laylo from Sept. 21 to Oct. 1, had 1,500 respondents, all of whom are registered voters with biometrics from 76 provinces across the country and the 17 cities in the National Capital Region.

Respondents were asked to choose from eight possible candidates—Poe, Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II, Vice President Jejomar Binay, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, Senators Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Miriam Santiago, and former senator Richard Gordon.

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Chaos, killing mar 1st day of filing

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

CHAOS marked the first day of filing of certificates of candidacy, presaging even worse problems on Election Day next year, one former poll official said Monday.

In a phone interview, the former poll official who asked not to be named expressed dismay over how the Comelec handled the crowd, particularly the candidates and the media.

“If you think there was no system during the filing, just imagine what it will be like during the elections,” the former official said.

The town mayor in Zamboanga Sibugay, Randy Climaco, became the first casualty of the 2016 elections after he was killed in an ambush hours after filing his certificate of candidacy for vice mayor. Six others who were with him, including the vice mayor of Tungawan, were wounded in the attack.

Police said Climaco’s group was aboard a pickup truck traveling from Barangay Batungan to Barangay Libertad in downtown Tungawan when they were ambushed by unidentified gunmen.

During the first day for the filing of COCs, Comelec officials

and staff in their Manila head office had to deal with an unruly crowd inside and outside the Palacios del Gobernador.

In an interview, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the chaos was partly caused by the change in procedure where the Commission en banc decided to separate the room for the filing of COCs from the interview area.

While this affected the media coverage, the actual filing went well, Jimenez said.

Vice President Jejomar Binay and Senator Gringo Honasan were the first candidates who officially expressed their intent to run for president and vice president, respectively.

At exactly 8 a.m. the United Nationalist Alliance candidates went straight to the Project Management Office where they filed their COCs and then proceeded to one end of the lobby where the media were waiting.

Chaos ensued, however, as photojournalists jostled for position to get to the UNA candidates while they were walking toward the far end of the lobby.

After failing to contain the media, some staffers shouted at the reporters in the hall, demanding to know which media outlet they represented.

“You are not allowed to do an ambush interview here. The interview should be there,” one staff members said, pointing to the far end of the lobby.

Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista lost his patience and stood before the cameramen and tried to blocked them from shooting Binay and Honasan’s walk to the interview area.

Bautista, about six feet tall, tried to cover the lenses of at least five cameras to prevent them from filming the candidates.

Jimenez said this was the first time in the history of elections that Comelec officials and staff became aggressive in the way they handled the media.

“It’s never been like this, right?” said Jimenez, who also raised his voice at the journalists at some point.

In a radio interview, Bautista blamed the chaos on the media, saying they do not know how to follow rules.

“The problem was your colleauges. You need to follow the rules,” Bautista told reporters in an afternoon press conference.

A source in the poll body said the new procedure was Bautista’s idea to make the filing of COCs more orderly.

In the past, the filing of the COCs was held inside the PMO where media were also stationed so they could ask the candidates about their platforms and campaigns.

Jimenez said they would “fine tune” the process to avoid similar incidents when other popular candidates file their certificates.

During the day, the Comelec

Election season.

also bent its “three companions only rule” when most candidates refused to file their COCs without their families and relatives present.

In an ambush interview, Binay said it was the UNA selection committee that picked Honasan to be his running mate.

Honasan said his family was reluctant to let him run for vice president, but he convinced them to agree.

“They understand that this is a calling, a sense of duty. I am a good soldier. I am the result of the [selection] process that the party went through, so I will follow the party that I am helping organize,” Honasan said.

Others who filed for the presidency were former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Augusto Syjuco Jr.; lawyer Elly Pamatong; and former Presidential Commission on Good Governance chief Camilo Sabio. The failed senatorial candidate who filed a disqualification complaint against Senator Grace Poe, Rizalito David, also filed his certificate as a candidate for president.

Former lawmaker Panfilo Lacson was the first to file a COC seeking to return to the Senate.

He is running as an independent.

Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares filed his certificate of candidacy also for the Senate, accompanied by his niece, actress Angel Locsin.

Unknown presidential candidate Ephraim Defino, clad in a leather cowboy hat and red jeans, shows his certificate of candidacy after registering his candidacy at the Commission on Elections headquarters in Intramuros, Manila.

AFP PHOTO

REDISTRIBUTED VOTES IN CASE A SPECIFIC CANDIDATE PULLS OUT OF PRESIDENTIAL RACE

Colmenares said he was running so that someone in the Senate would fight for the people and work to increase salaries and pensions and decrease the cost of power and water.

On the first day, there were 22 aspirants for president, three for vice president, and 16 for senator.

Independent candidates included a farmer, a tricycle driver, an engineer, a military man and a law student, On Tuesday, Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to file his COC for vice president.

Liberal Party candidates for the presidency and vice presidency, Manuel Roxas II and Rep. Leni Robredo, are expected to file their certificates Thursday, while Poe and Senator Francis Escudero are expected to file on the last day, Friday.

The start of a week-long registration process began on Monday for more than 18,000 positions up for grabs—from the presidency down to village captain level—in the May elections.

Another big name contesting next year’s elections is boxing hero Manny Pacquiao, who is expected to be able to capitalize on his fame to win a seat in the Senate.

Pacquiao, 36, is currently a member of the House of Representatives, and is widely seen as going for the higher-profile Senate post as a potential platform for an eventual presidential run.

With AFP

Grace...

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Duterte, Estrada, Marcos, Santiago and Gordon were included in the list because they had not declared their final decision on their 2016 plans during the survey period.

Poe, with a plurality of 32 percent, led the survey across all geographic areas where her ratings ranged from 28 to 35 percent.

Roxas placed second at 19 percent, followed by Binay (14 percent), Duterte (10 percent), Estrada (9 percent), Marcos (7 percent), Santiago (6 percent), and Gordon (1 percent).

Poe also led across all economic classes, genders, and age groups, with ratings ranging from 28 to 32 percent.

By ethnicity, Poe was the top choice among the Tagalogs (29 percent), Cebuanos (35 percent), Ilonggos (36 percent), Ilocanos (30 percent), Bicolanos (40 percent), and Muslim groups (27 percent).

It was only among the Warays that Poe placed second with 19 percent, with Binay taking the lead at 42 percent.

The survey also showed that Poe was the most trusted among the possible presidential bets with a net trust rating of +66, followed by Roxas (+39), Santiago (+38), Duterte (+25), Estrada (+20), Binay (+18), and Gordon (+1).

Respondents were also asked who they would vote for if their candidate of choice backs out from the presidential race. Most respondents who did not pick Poe as their first choice said they would vote for Poe, given that scenario.

In a four-way fight among Poe, Roxas, Binay and Duterte, Poe would even increase her lead to 41 percent, while Binay and Roxas would be tied for second place with 23 percent and 22 percent, respectively.

In a four-way contest, Duterte would be in third place with 13 percent, despite his statements during the survey period that he would not be running for President.

In the first The Standard Poll in May, Poe was at second place, trailing four points behind Binay who got 28 percent.

The Standard Poll has error margins of +/- 2.6 percent for the national results and +/- 6 percent for the regional results. All regions were represented in the survey.

Laylo, The Standard’s in-house pollster, has 25 years of experience in political polling and strategic research.

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Ombudsman indicts Veep Binay

By Rio N. Araja and Vito Barcelo THE Office of the Ombudsman on Monday indicted Vice President Jejomar Binay and his son, dismissed Makati City mayor Erwin Jejomar Binay Jr. on criminal charges for the questionable construction of Makati City Hall Building II. Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales also found probable cause to file multiple charges for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, malversation of public funds and falsification of public documents against 22 other city officials.

The Binay camp denounced the Ombudsman’s decision and said the timing of its announcement—just minutes after Binay and his running mate Senator Gregorio Honasan filed their certificates of candidacy—proved that the charges were politically motivated.

“This is a case of abuse of power by the Ombudsman,” said Binay’s spokesman for political affairs Rico Quicho. “The timing is suspicious because they fully knew that the VP would file his COC.” He added that there was malice in the Ombudsman’s order because she was fully aware that the vice president is covered by immunity and may not be removed except by impeachment.

The criminal charges arose from allegations of irregularities in the bidding and construction of the Makati carpark building project undertaken from 2007 to 2013.

The finding of probable cause comes after more than a yearlong fact-finding investigation. The preliminary investigation began in March.

The older Binay is facing four counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, six counts of falsification of public documents and one count of malversation for his involvement in phases 1 and 2 of the carpark project.

“In two separate resolutions on six docketed cases, flagrant anomalies were found to have been committed by Binay Sr. et al. in the design and construction of the building consisting of six phases,” the Ombudsman’s decision read.

Based on documents obtained by the Ombudsman, Binay and his son approved the bids and awards committee’s resolutions, notices of awards, contracts and payments using unnumbered and undated disbursement vouchers and obligation requests.

Morales rejected the vice president’s argument that the antigraft body had no jurisdiction to investigate impeachable officials, saying “being an impeachable officer does not insulate him from investigation.”

“The Office of the Ombudsman stressed that VP Binay is being investigated for criminal acts committed while he was a city mayor and not as vice president,” her official statement read.

“At all events, impeachable officers, like Binay Sr., are within the investigatory power or jurisdiction of this Office.”

The charges would be filed after Binay’s tenure of office as vice president, Morales said.

The younger Binay faces four counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, six counts of falsification of public documents and one count of malversation for his involvement in phases 2 to 6 of the project.

Complete slate. President Benigno Aquino III leads the proclamation of the LP candidates for the Senate. LINO SANTOS

Liberal Party proclaims full Senate ticket THE ruling Liberal Party on Monday finally bared its full ticket at its headquarters in Cubao, Quezon City, before its candidates finally file their certificates of candidacy for next year’s elections.

President Benigno Aquino III and administration bets Manuel Roxas II and Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo led the senatorial line-up that is a mix of former Aquino Cabinet officials, sectoral representatives and reelectionist senators.

In the party’s 12-man senatorial slate were Senate President Franklin Drilon, Senators Ralph Recto and Teofisto Guingona III, former Presidential Adviser on Food Security and Agricultural Modernization Francis Pangilinan, and Former Presidential Assistant on Rehabilitation and Recovery Panfilo Lacson.

Completing the list were former Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla, outgoing Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, outgoing Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director-General Secretary Joel Villanueva, former Akbayan Rep. and outgoing PhilHealth Director Risa Hontiveros, former Pampanga Gov. and Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority Chief Mark Lapid, and newcomers COOP-NATTCO partylist Rep. Cresente Paez and DILG Assistant Secretary for Muslim Affairs and Special Concerns Nariman Ambolodto.

Drilon said Paez and Ambolodto

were the candidates that are not too well known but he expected them to be familiar to the public in the next six months.

Marikina Rep. Romero Quimbo said the LP remained unfazed by the absence of its key allies during the 2010 presidential campaign—the National Unity Party, the Nacionalista Party and the Nationalist People’s Coalition—during Monday’s presentation of its senatorial lineup.

House Speaker Sonny Belmonte will be the general campaign manager of the LP-led coalition, with Quimbo and Akbayan Rep. Barry Gutierrez serving as spokesmen of the “Team Daang Matuwid.”

Caloocan Rep. Edgardo Erice, meanwhile, will remain the party’s spokesman.

In his speech, Roxas highlighted the achievements of the LP-led coalition in the legislature, including the passage of the General Appropriations Act and some landmark bills including the GOCC Reform Act, the Sin Tax Reform Law, the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act, and the Philippine Competition Act. “We need a good interaction between the legislature and the executive, an interaction that isn’t grounded on political convenience,” Roxas said.

Aquino slammed the critics of his favored bills including his proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law. “Just think: If we do not pass the BBL,

that means continuing the cycle of division; it means our countrymen will remain mired in violence and poverty; it means lending proof to the shortcomings of the ARMM, where even just one corrupt person elected into office can affect the future of all,” Aquino said.

He said the LP’s 12 senatorial candidates were chosen out of their steadfast belief in the straight path rather than their popularity in the preferential polls.

“Our primary criterion in deciding who to include in the slate was their readiness to continue our journey along the Straight Path,” Aquino said.

He slammed the enemies of the straight path.

“Now, how will we know who our true partners are? Let us look at the characteristics of the enemies of the Straight Path.

First, there are the empty promises where they say that they will give us everything while always forgetting to mention how they will fulfill those promises.”

“Second, there are those who lie to our faces. I just shake my head whenever I hear the statements they make—as if they were not among those who oppressed us before.

“The third: it is clear that they themselves admit that their track record is dismal, which is why they attempt to portray all others as having as dismal or downright bad a record as they have.” John Paolo Bencito and Macon Ramos-Araneta

Poe tells bets to prove their worth

By Macon R. Araneta

UNA’s team. Vice President Jejomar Binay welcomes his running mate, former Senator Gregorio Honasan, at the Commission on Elections head office in Manila.

PRESIDENTIAL candidate Grace Poe on Monday urged her fellow candidates in the 2016 elections to show what “stuff” they are made of as she insisted that the political campaigns should not be transformed into a circus.

While she herself belongs to a show business family, being the daughter of the late actor Fernando Poe Jr. and actress Susan Roces, Poe said she would “want the Filipino electorate to appreciate me for what my presidential plans are, hear what they need and propose immediate solutions to these while on the campaign trail.”

“All leaders need charisma to lead, to inspire. But if you

transform your campaign into a circus, you will just be taking away much of the people’s precious attention from the messages you want to convey,” Poe said on the first day of the filing of certificates of candidacy by the people running in next year’s elections.

Poe said she fully supports the plan of the Commission on Elections to hold televised debates particularly for the candidates to the higher positions in the 2016 elections.

“That way, we can remove all the pomp and pageantry that are usually seen at campaign sorties and allow the voters to see and hear for themselves how we will be able to handle the country’s problems,” Poe said in a statement.

Although she belongs to a show business family, Poe said she would want the Filipino electorate to appreciate the platforms of government she would present to the people.

She said the campaigns should be caravans of intellectual discourse and meetings of the mind.

“Let’s show the stuff we are made of, what we want to do for the country, what the people can expect from us,” she said.

“That way, we can remove all the pomp and pageantry that are usually seen at campaign sorties and allow the voters to see and hear for themselves how we will be able to handle the country’s problems.” With PNA

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SC urged to protect lumad

By Maricel V. Cruz and Florante S. Solmerin BAYAN Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares urged the Supreme Court to rule favorably on the pending pleas for writs of amparo and habeas data to stop the killings of tribal leaders and the alleged harassment by the military against the indigenous people in Mindanao, called lumad.

Uncle’s pet. Popular actress Angel Locsin (Angelica Colmenares in real life) makes a pitch for her uncle Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, who filed his certificate of candidacy for senator at the Commission on Elections headquarters in Intramuros, Manila on Monday. EY ACASIO

Romualdez runs for Senate LEYTE Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez will file Tuesday his certificate of candidacy for senator in a bid to bring more compassion in public service, including extending genuine benefits for persons with disabilities.

Romualdez, a lawyer and president of the Philippine Constitution Association, will be running under the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats which he heads as president, but he is also being eyed as guest candidate by the camps of Sen. Grace Poe and Vice President Jejomar Binay as well as Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

House Deputy Speaker and Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao, president of the Nationalist People’s Coalition which is perceived to carry the Poe and Sen. Chiz Escudero tandem, said

Romualdez will definitely be a senatorial candidate of their party.

Well-placed sources also said Romualdez will be endorsed by the National Unity Party, Partido ng Masang Pilipino of former President-turned Manila City Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada, and Partido Demokratio Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan.

The United Nationalist Alliance of Binay has been drafted Romualdez as one of their senatorial candidates.

In the case of Duterte, former North Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Piñol, an ally of the mayor, disclosed that Romualdez is included in Duterte’s “Dream Team” of senatorial candidates.

At the same time, AKO BICOL party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe, a lawyer and spokesman of the 40-man Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc., said the

group is receptive to the senatorial bid of Romualdez after their meeting last Friday.

Romualdez has been recognized for his work in pushing for the rehabilitation and rebuilding of Yolanda-hit areas despite the snail-paced action and assistance of the government.

Romualdez is also the author of a legislative measure exempting PWDs from the payment of 12-percent value added tax on certain goods and services.

He is the principal author of House Bill No. 1039 which “seeks to amend Section 32 of Republic Act No. 7277, otherwise known as the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability,” as amended by Republic Act No. 9442.

Romualdez strongly appealed to the House and Senate leaders to immediately convene the bicameral conference committee to approve the measure.

The congressman made the appeal as fresh complaints of harassment were raised by educators in Davao Oriental who claimed the military blockaded the Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation Inc. Academy in Banganga town.

“We have already filed writs of amparo and habeas data before the Supreme Court,” said Colmenares, who filed his certificate of candidacy for senator on Monday accompanied by his niece, popular actress Angel Locsin [real name: Angelica Colmenares].

Locsin, at the same time, urged the military to help stop the escalating violence in lumad communities by pulling back from the lumad’s ancestral lands.

“I am calling for the military pullout from lumad ancestral lands,” said Locsin, who had been supporting the operation of lumad schools in Mindanao.

“As of now, there are still lumad who cannot even return to their homes,” said the actress, who had also visited the very school that the military claimed to be infiltrated by communist insurgents. “Over 3,000 evacuees are still in various evacuation centers. We should help them return to their homes.”

The actress said the schools she visited have been very effective in educating tribal children and urged the military to respect the need to exclude schools from security operations.

“I think there should be no paramilitary forces in schools which should be considered sanctuaries of education. If you had children, would you want armed people in your children’s school. Of course, you will want those schools to be always peaceful,” Locsin said.

But in Banganga, Davao Oriental, Milagros Maglunsod-Tan accused the military on Monday of blockading the Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation Inc. Academy which was supposed to

be inaugurated on Monday.

Tan claimed that soldiers of the 67th Infantry Battalion, led by a certain Lt. Miguel Porras, prevented guests from arriving or leaving the school premises.

“They were not allowing anyone in or out of the area for a week until they could supposedly clear it of rebels,” Tan said.

“What’s happening now is there was this collapse of civilian supremacy over the military.”

Military-backed “datus” and their armed militiamen have been trying to close down all lumad schools built for them by international and local nongovernment organizations on the pretext that they were being used by the communist New People’s Army to propagate communism.

But Colmenares said there was no truth to the claim of the military and announced he and his group “will file administrative civil and criminal charges, especially against professional false roving witnesses, coddled by the military and the military and police involved in the harassment cases.”

Colmenares said their group have petitioned before the high court to issue a protection order and force the military to reveal any information that has led them to decide that schools should become part of security operations.

The congressman said 70 people who are trying to help the lumad restore normalcy in their lives have been included in a list for still undetermined reasons and they suspect that it was a “hit list.”

The supposed “hit list”, according to the human rights organization Karapatan, is appended to the criminal complaint for kidnapping, serious illegal detention and trafficking filed against supporters of some 700 lumad who had sought refuge at the United Church of Christ in the Philippines Haran Mission House in Davao City.

Charges filed vs. Tolentino

By Rio N. Araja THE Gabriela National Alliance of Women filed on Monday a complaint before the Ombudsman against resigned Metro Manila Development Authority Chairperson Francis Tolentino for violating the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and the Magna Carta of Women.

The charges were filed by Rep. Emmi de Jesus, Gabriela secretary general Joan May Salvador, Arlene Brosas of Gabriela-Metro Manila and Sr. Mary John Mananzan, Liza Maza of the Working for Empowerment and Good Governance, Judy Taguiwala of the Women’s Committee of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, Gabriela Krista Lluch Dalena of Tanggolbayan and Maria Carmen Sarmiento of the Writers in Prison Committee, Philippine Center of International PEN. Gabriela condemned Tolentino for his alleged role in the supposedly lewd performance of an all-girl group during the birthday

celebration of Laguna 4th District Rep. Benjamin Agarao Jr. last week and urged voters to reject politicians who see women as gifts to be abused.

“Respondent Tolentino, who is not only then the head of a government agency but who is also a lawyer by profession, failed to maintain and promote the required ethical standards as a public official,” the complaint further stated.

“Tolentino, Laguna Representative Benjamin C. Agarao Jr., and other officers of the Liberal Party tried all the possible excuses they could find to wash their hands off any scandal that would taint their personal and their party’s political ambitions for this upcoming election.”

The group also slammed Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice, a Liberal Party stalwart, for blaming the girl group Playgirl over the controversial incident that took place right after the LP oathtaking on Oct. 1 in Sta. Cruz, Laguna.

Running for president. Rizalito David, who filed a disqualification case against Senator Grace Poe in August, brings his certificate of candidacy for president to the Commission on Elections headquarters in Intramuros, Manila on Monday. JANSEN ROMERO

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Oil prices up; diesel costlier

by P0.70

By Alena Mae S. Flores The country’s oil firms on Tuesday raised the price of diesel by P0.65 to P0.70 per liter, kerosene by P0.70 per liter and gasoline by P0.10 per liter effective Tuesday to reflect the movement in world prices. eastern Petroleum Corp. on Monday announced that it will increase the price of diesel products by P0.70 per liter at 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday. eastern Petroleum said the latest price adjustments reflect the uptrend in world oil prices at the close of last week’s trading.

“Analysts say the market remains to have a glut in petroleum products. And industry experts even note that it would take time for oil supply and demand to rebalance, and global demand for energy is seen to grow by a third over the next 20 years,” eastern Petroleum said.

Other oil firms like Petron Corp., PTT Philippines and Seaoil Philippines also raised pump prices.

Petron said it adjusted gasoline by P0.10 per liter, diesel by P0.65 per liter and P0.70 per liter for kerosene “to reflect the movements in the international oil market and ethanol.”

TD@40: Teach, love, commit The Tulong Dunong Foundation will stage a night of music, musings and giving, a musical fundraising event for the benefit of the Tulong Dunong Scholars’ Support Fund.

The Tulong Dunong Scholarship Program which began in 1976, was an offshoot of the TD Tutoring Program of the Ateneo high School, founded

by Fr. James O’Brien S.J. Realizing that poverty dampens the human spirit, and was preventing many Filipino youth from achieving their dreams of progress and development, Fr. OB’s vision was simple, “To provide a venue for growth and development to deserving public school students who have limited opportunities and access to these opportunities.” Thus, TD was created as a platform to their enhanced education.

In celebration of its 40 years, Tulong Dunong is having a musical fundraising event featuring current and alumni Ateneo talents as well as non-Ateneo performers supportive of the TD program. Bukas Palad, Indak, Jim Paredes, Buboy Garovillo, Noel Cabangon and eric Santos are just a few of the performers Tulong Dunong has lined up for that special evening. TD@40, Teach, Love, Commit will be on Oct. 17, 2015, Saturday, 7 p.m. at the henry Lee Irwin Theater in the Ateneo campus. For ticket sales, donations and sponsorship inquiries, you may contact: Tulong Dunong Foundation Inc. Look for elma Fungo or Apolla Tolentino Contact No. 426-6001 ext. 6294 Ateneo high School

Party-list coalition. Members of Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc. flash their thumbs-up sign to two possible senatorial candidates Rep. Ferdinand

Martin Romualdez of Leyte (7th left) and former Akbayan Rep. Rizza Hontiveros during the group’s executive membership meeting at Kimbee Restauran in Quezon City. Also in photo are (from left, standing) PCFI executive director Sannah Frivaldo, Reps. Ashley Acedillo and Gary Alejano both of Magdalo, TUCP Rep. Raymond Mendoza, Cibac Rep. Sherwin Tugna, ACT-CIS Rep. Sammy Pagdilao, Akbayan Rep. Barry Gutierrez, Coop-Natco Rep.Anthony Bravo, ACAP Rep. Rico Geron, AVE Rep. Eulogio Magsaysay, An Waray Rep. Nonoy Piamonte, (from left seated) Butil Rep. Pit Guanlao, A Teacher Rep. Juliet Cortuna, 1 Sagip Rep. Erlionda Santiago, and Coop-Natco Rep. Cresente Paez. VER NoVENo

Glorietta blast: Court paves way for trial of two suspects

By Rey E. Requejo The Court of Appeals has paved the way for the prosecution of the two accused in the Glorietta blast in Ayala Center in Makati City on Oct. 19, 2007 that led to the death of 11 people and injuring 108 others.

In a 16-page decision, the CA’s Tenth Division through Associate Justice Mariflor Punzalan-Castillo dismissed the petition for certiorari filed by Ricardo Cruz, an engineer, and Miguel Velasco Jr. assailing the resolution of the Department of Justice that held them criminally liable for the blast.

Cruz was the Operations Manager of Metaline enterprises, while Velasco was its foreman under Metaline enterprises, the contractor of Makati Supermarket Corp. where the explosion occurred.

Metaline was contracted by the

Ayala group to install the ventilation system in its basement.

Investigators ruled out bomb explosion. It was found that the accumulated amounts of methane gas that was produced from the waste water and the diesel vapor in the basement of the MSC Building from Aug. 4 to Oct. 18, 2007 was enough to cause the explosion.

In ruling against the petitioners, the appellate court upheld the findings of the DoJ in finding probable cause against Cruz and Velasco for the crime of Reckless Imprudence Resulting in Multiple homicide,

Multiple Physical Injuries and Damage to Properties.

The CA ruled that the DoJ did not commit grave abuse of discretion in filing the criminal charges against Cruz and Velasco, saying it is within the province of the prosecution to determine probable cause.

“The determination of probable cause for purposes of filing information in court is essentially an executive function that is lodged at the first instance, with the public prosecutor and, ultimately, with the Secretary of Justice,” the appellate court ruled.

The CA also pointed out “the prosecutor and the Secretary of Justice have wide latitude of discretion in the conduct of preliminary investigation and their findings with respect to the existence or non existence of probable cause are generally not subject to review by the Court.”

The appellate court junked the

arguments of the petitioners that they were not among those originally charged by the complainants, specifically the Multi-Agency Investigation Task Force Glorietta, then prepared by P/Chief Supt.

Luizo Ticman. however, the CA ruled that “what is material is the actual complaint filed by Task Force Glorietta” which is composed of the DoJ panel of prosecutors headed by the late Senior State Prosecutor Leo Dacera.

The appellate court also dismissed the petitioners’ argument that they shall benefit in the ruling of another division of the CA on Nov. 17, 2008, which cleared the other accused namely Clifford Arriola, Joselito Buenaventura, Charlie Nepomuceno, Jonathan Ibuna and Juan Ricaport for lack of due process against them.

Besides, the CA noted that the petitioners committed a wrong remedy in appealing the case.

Lawmaking 101 for House neophytes set

By Maricel V. Cruz INCOMING new members of the house of Representatives next year need not undergo trainings and workshops on legislation and legislative work somewhere else because Congress now has its own Institute for Legislation and Legislative Governance, or simply Legislative Institute, to train and orient them on lawmaking and legislative governance, among others.

This came after the house of Representatives adopted house Resolution 212 of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., that will pave the way for the establishment of the Legislative Institute.

The resolution, co-authored by Majority Floor Leader and Mandaluyong Rep. Neptali Gonzales II, Minority Floor Leader and San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora and representatives of major political parties in Congress, seeks to establish the Legislative Institute as an institutional continuing education program to further develop the capabilities of legislators and the house of Representatives Secretariat to strategically manage legislation, the legislative process, and legislative governance.

“The Legislative Institute will principally serve as a continuing training and education program for members of the house and their

staff, the officials and staff of the house Secretariat, including applicants for positions therein and such other persons and entities who may have need of knowledge and skills on legislation and the management of systems, processes and resources relating to legislation and legislative governance,” Belmonte said.

Belmonte also said the Legislative Institute will also develop, provide for and implement training courses, inclusive of conducting seminars, workshops and other educative projects and learning activities to impart, enhance and expand skills knowledge and more related capabilities on legislation, legislative systems and procedures.

Under the hR 212, the Legislative Institute will also manage and administer legislative support services, including the harnessing of information and communication technology in legislation, and the undertaking of such activities relating to the generation of resources in support of the conduct of these activities.

“This is a dream come true for us because now we have our own Legislative Institute to educate more and train house members, especially the newly elected ones, on everything about legislation and the legislative process. even our legislative support service staff will be

included in the knowledge and skills enhancement programs,” Belmonte said.

Belmonte pointed out “the Legislative Institute will harness the experts of professionals in disciplines impacting on the conduct of legislation, legislation management and legislative support services inclusive of the expertise and institutional knowledge of former members and legislators who have had extensive experiences and exposure in the field of actual legislation and the dynamics thereof.”

The resolution named the house secretarygeneral as the program Manager of the Legislative Institute and tasks the official to supervise and coordinate the formulation and implementation of training and education activities, modules and other related initiatives.

In a statement, house Secretary General Marilyn Barua-Yap said the establishment of the Legislative Institute is a historic development in Congress this year, and a landmark achievement of the 16th Congress under Belmonte’s leadership.

Barua-Yap said it is about time Congress, the primary lawmaking branch of the government, has its own training institute just like the other branches and agencies of the government.

T U E S D AY : O C T O B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

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NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Peña-Mercado teamup vs Binay

By Joel E. Zurbano

MAKATI City’s Romulo Peña Jr., the acting mayor, has filed his certificate of candidacy for the city’s top elective post, teaming up with Karla Mercado, daughter of former vice mayor Ernesto Mercado, who is the principal witness in the Senate investigation of alleged irregularities in the city hall.

Early bird. Manila’s 5th District Rep. Amado Bagatsing (left) is joined by daughter Cristal after filing his certificate of

candidacy for the mayoralty race at the Comelec headquarters on Arroceros Street in the historic Intramuros. EY ACASIO

In Manila, 3-way fight shaping up MANILA 5 th district Rep. Amado Bagatsing on Monday filed his certificate of candidacy armed with a platform calling for a “New Manila.”

Bagatsing is running for mayor in a city where his late father Ramon Bagatsing had served for 15 years from 1971 to 1986, the longest-serving among local chief executives. He is pitted against the incumbent Mayor Joseph Estrada and former mayor Alfredo Lim. “Let’s help each other to attain our common goal to bring back the old glory of Manila. This is what I intend and definitely, with your help and support, we can show the world that Manila is back, that businesses are thriving within our city and that Manileños are contented and happy,” he said.

Bagatsing and his running mate Ali Atienza, son of former Manila mayor and now Buhay Party List Rep. Lito Atienza, will run under Kabalikat ng Bayan sa Kaunlaran, a local political party he founded in the 80s.

If elected, Bagatsing promised to establish an organize local government focused on eliminating corruption and expansion of basic health, infrastructure and social services with the help of six lawmakers representing the city.

The 67-year-old solon is also planning to intensify free education, scholarship grant programs and sports projects for the youth, as well as providing manpower training programs and livelihood projects for unemployed residents.

Also under the ticket of Kabaka

party are Manny Lopez, son of former Manila mayor Mel Lopez, who is running for congressman in the 1st district; reelectionist 2nd district Rep. Carlo Lopez; incumbent Councilor Don Juan Bagatsing, also for congressman (4th district); Cristal Bagatsing (5th district), and Sandy Ocampo (6th district).

“Collective role from businesses and individuals is important,” Bagatsing said.

If given a chance to serve as mayor, he said, he would also ask the business sector to give priority to hiring the legitimate residents of Manila. “We have to equip also the police force, clean up the image of Manila physically. Police enforcement against drug abuse will be fully implemented.” Joel Zurbano

Running for councilors under Peña’s ticket are: Nico Garcia, Virgilio Batalla, Mario Cruz, Jocelyn Hernandez, Raymond Kahiwat, Nilo Lopez, Jessielyn Trinidad, Victorio Umandap and Jose Villena IV for District 1; and Boyet Cruzado, Efren Arenas, Ernesto Aspillaga, Jeffrey Baluyot, Judith Celos, Artemio Contreras II, Hilario Lorico, Kristina Sarosa and Mario Hechanova for District 2.

Hechanova, a former city general services division chief, recently filed an affidavit relative to the case filed against suspended Mayor Junjun Binay and his father Vice President Jejomar Binay saying former city engineer Nelson Morales told him that the elder Binay ordered that biddings for the construction of the Makati Science High School be rigged.

Peña made the decision to run for mayor after taking over the city from Mayor Junjun Binay who was ordered suspended, and later dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman also came up with a decision perpetually disqualifying the young Binay from holding public office.

But legal experts said Junjun can still run for any elective post, saying the decision of the Ombudsman was not final and could still be subject to judicial review before it can be carried out.

The camp of Binay stated earlier that Makati Rep. Abby Binay may run for mayor of Makati in case the

Commission on Elections did not allow her brother to seek a new term of office.

Mayor Binay vacated his post last July to serve the sixmonth preventive suspension order against him in connection with the alleged irregularities in the construction of Makati Science High School and City Hall Building II. His lawyers maintained that the allegations hurled against the Binays are baseless and politically motivated.

They said the allegations did not have factual nor legal basis, and were made as part of an organized demolition campaign against the Vice President, who is the leading candidate for the 2016 presidential polls.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee conducted a probe last year into the case stemmed on the complaints filed by two former village captains—Renato Bondal and Nicolas Enciso—claiming that the construction of New Makati City parking building was overpriced by P1.3 billion.

Bondal and Enciso challenged both the Vice President and the mayor to prove that their complaint was politically motivated.

Bondal, who ran but lost to Binay in the last elections, claimed the building is “the most expensive parking building in the entire country.”

The younger Binay last year exposed the plan of the opposition block to unseat him and members of the city council to pave the way for the designation of Peña, a Liberal Party member, as acting mayor.

QC mayor seeks 3rd term, crows about hefty gains

By Rio Araja QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista on Monday delivered his fifth and last state-of-thecity address of his second term, crowing about his gains and his ability to “free new fund sources for the city’s development through tough negotiations.”

On the 76th foundation day of the city, Bautista declared his third and last bid as mayor in the 2016 national and local polls.

He took into account the accomplishments of the city government under his term, saying he has introduced “several determined but commonsense measures to free idle assets of pending obligations into productive revenue contributors to the city.”

“Total revenue gross collections for the Quezon City government reached P15.5 billion in 2014. For the first nine months of this year, gross collections have already reached P14.63 billion, which already covers the 2015 budget target of P14.46 billion,” he said.

According to Bautista, another “determined negotiations” of the city government “finally resolved the 33-year-old settled account from the Land Bank of the Philippines,” he noted.

“In 1982, the local government unit placed P30 million in trust with LandBank, which the bank lent to Ramawil Properties without any enforceable collateral,” he said.

The security used by Ramawil was falsified land titles, prompt-

ing the LandBank to file a case.

The LandBank won and obtained the Ramawil properties, but the city government was not able to collect against the bank “until this year when a compromise agreement was finally signed between the local government and LandBank.”

“With this agreement, the city government gets back the P30 million and also P142 million in interest earnings, which represents fresh money for development projects,” Bautista said.

He said he has also pushed for strategic partnerships with the National Housing Authority, Road Board and the city’s Department of Public Order and Safety to expand the city’s housing stock by 21,707 shelter units.

PCSO aid form. Top executives of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office hold

copies of the revised Individual Medical Assistance Program form that will gather data necessary for the socio-economic evaluation of people seeking medical assistance from PCSO. From left: Betty B. Nantes, PCSO director; Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas III, PCSO general manager; Francisco Joaquin III and Mabel V. Mamba, PCSO directors. PCSO has adopted a new procedure that eliminates the interview portion of the request for assistance as part of PCSO’s ASAP (At Source Ang Processing Program) during its launching held at PCSO Extension Office in Quezon City on Monday. LINO SANTOS

t u e s d ay : o c t o b e r 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

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news

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Agriculture Dept. boosts cloud seeding versus El Niño

Mud on the face. Any tourist visiting Lake Agco in Kidapawan City never goes home without trying the mud facial mask from the boiling lake.

The mud is believed to be medicinal because of its sulfur content. AMIEL MARK CAGAYAN

Ex-Iligan mayor surrenders after two months in hiding

By Froilan Gallardo

Cagayan de Oro City—Former Iligan Mayor Celso Regencia, who has been in hiding because of his alleged involvement in the ambush of Rep. Vicente Belmonte, surrendered to authorities Monday morning, the national Bureau of Investigation said.

NBI regional agent in charge Alex Caburnay said Regencia surrendered to officials of the Iligan City Jail after hiding for almost two months, \after a court issued warrants of arrest against him and 10 others.

“I commend the decision of

the mayor to trust our judicial system by submitting himself to the jurisdiction of the court,” Caburnay said.

The Regional Trial Court Branch 44 in Initao, Misamis Oriental issued the warrants for three counts of murder

and six counts of frustrated murder against Regencia; his bodyguard, Police Officer 3 Alfeo Arnoco, Amado Baller, Rogelio Pitos Sr., Romeo Suganob, Peehay Capanpagan, Julito Oros Ansad, Dodo Silvano and Rogelio Pitos Jr. Arnoco went on absence without leave and also went into hiding along with the rest of the suspects.

Several gunmen ambushed the convoy of Rep. Belmonte after it left the Laguindingan Airport in Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental last Dec. 11, 2014.

Three of Belmonte’s body-

guards were killed in the ambush, while the congressman and five others were wounded.

Pursuit operations later arrested one of the gunmen identified as Dominador Tumala of Osmeña town, Zamboanga del Norte who provided the court with the details of the ambush plans and Regencia’s alleged participation.

Before he went into hiding, Malacañang have suspended Regencia for 60 days for abuse of authority after allegedly stripping Iligan Vice Mayor Ruderic Marzo of his authority to appoint casual employees at the Sanggunian Panlungsod.

The Department of Agriculture on Monday said it is intensifying cloud seeding operations as it bolsters its efforts against the harsh effects of el Niño.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said that the agency will not waste any opportunity to seed all seedable clouds to mitigate the worsening effects of the weather phenomenon, expected to last until March next year.

Cloud seeding is a weathermodification method where chemical “nuclei” such as silver iodide or calcium chloride are introduced in the atmosphere to induce condensation, and eventually, precipitation.

Moisture collects around these “nuclei” and fall as rain upon reaching a certain saturation level.

The department’s Bureau of Soils and Water Management had been conducting cloud seeding operations in strategic locations nationwide since last year. however, Alcala emphasized that cloud seeding is only one of the many interventions used by the DA to combat the effects of el Niño.

“Though this technology is beneficial to many agricultural lands, this may not be required or suitable in some areas,” he said.

The Agriculture chief said that as early as April 2014, the DA has already started preparing for the impacts of el Niño on the country’s agriculture sector.

For long-term adaptation measures, the DA has improved the country’s small-scale irrigation systems to make these more resilient to the effects of extreme weather and climatic conditions, as well as other calamities, not only el Niño.

It has also promoted climateand disaster-smart farming and fishery technologies to cushion the agro-fishery sector against the effects of calamities.

The DA has also released drought-tolerant rice varieties and other alternative crops in threatened rice-producing areas.

High Court junks disqualification case against Norzagaray officials

By Rey E. Requejo The Supreme Court has affirmed a Commission on elections order dismissing a 2013 disqualification case against a mayor, a councilor and a vice mayoralty candidate in Norzagaray, Bulacan.

In a 17-page en banc ruling written by Associate Justice Jose Portugal Perez, the SC dismissed the petition for certiorari filed by former Mayor Feliciano Legaspi that sought to annul Comelec Order SPA No. 13-323 for allegedly being issued with a grave abuse of discretion.

On May 14, 2013, Legaspi, losing candidate in the 2013 mayoral elections, filed a disqualification case against Alfredo Germar, Rogelio Santos Jr. and Roberto esquivel on the grounds of rampant vote buying.

Germar and Santos emerged as winners during the election, securing the positions of mayor and councilor, respectively, while esquivel failed in his bid for vice mayor.

After the Comelec Special First Division rendered a resolution disqualifying Germar and Santos from the respective positions of mayor and councilor, a motion for reconsideration was filed before the Comelec en banc, which resulted in a split vote.

A rehearing was conducted, nevertheless, and the Comelec again failed to muster a majority consensus.

The Comelec issued the assailed order, pursuant to Section 6, Rule 18 of the 1993 Comelec Rules of Procedure, which states that “if no rehearing, no decision is reached, the action or proceeding shall be

dismissed if originally commenced in the Commission...”

Aggrieved, Legaspi sought recourse with the SC. To resolve the issue, the SC distinguished between the different outcomes resulting from the Comelec en banc’s failure to decide.

“Thus, under the provision, the first effect [i.e., the dismissal of the action or proceedings] only applies when the type of case before the Comelec is an action or proceeding ‘originally commenced in the commission’; the second effect [i.e., the affirmance of a judgment or order] only applies when the type of case before the Comelec is an ‘appealed case’; and the third effect [i.e., the denial of the petition or motion] only applies when the case or matter before the Comelec is an ‘incidental matter’,” the SC ruling said.

A good day. Fishermen’s wives in San Esteban, Ilocos Sur, are happy at their husbands’ catch. DAVID CHAN

T U E S D AY : O C T O B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

EAGLE EYES DEAN TONY LA VIÑA

A SYNOD OF MERCY

[ EDI TORI A L ]

CLASH OF CLOWNS CHAOS and confusion marked the first day of the filing of certificates of candidacy at the Intramuros office of the Commission on Elections.

Comelec officials attributed these to changes they introduced to the process. Now there are separate rooms for the filing proper, and yet another room for the interview.

When the first two high-profile candidates filed their certificates at eight in the morning, and media representatives tried to take photos and videos and interview the candidates, no less than the Comelec chairman tried to come between the media and the candidates. The commission spokesperson said media did not follow instructions.

But the circus was not just because of missed cues. On the first day of the filing, 22 individuals of disparate backgrounds and temperament declared their intention to seek the highest post in the land. Some were dead serious; others were plain nuisances. And this was just the first day.

In other Comelec offices, candidates for other posts also started filing their certificates, ensuring that they got attention and mileage.

Noticeable were the family members of incumbent officials about to max out their terms, offering themselves up selflessly to the demands of public service, much to the detriment of their personal and family lives.

Down south, a town mayor from Zamboanga Sibugay was gunned down by still-unidentified suspects on the first day of the filing, reminding that elections in the Philippines are not only a circus; they are also bloodsport.

“Chaotic” is the opposite of orderly, which is what we are all aiming for. An election can only be credible if it is orderly, and the results believable if the people who exercised their right to vote are sober and deliberate, not swayed by fanfare.

There’s a few days left, and then, heavens, the campaign, which will highlight more things about why we vote whom we vote for. It’s a noisy season that will be upon us, but if we despise so much where our governments, past and present, have led us, and then perhaps we should rethink the way we respond to their gimmickry, their violence, and their Messianic claims.

THE HYPOCRITE-ROGUE LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES BEFORE the story is buried under the news of who or what has filed his, her or its certificate of candidacy for the coming elections, I feel compelled to say: the Aquino administration has been conclusively found, by the United Nations, no less, to have illegally detained former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo—and yet will not move to rectify this clear miscarriage

of justice.

It doesn’t really matter if you agree that Arroyo should continue to be detained or not.

But it should matter—a lot—if the UN working group issued a mere “opinion” on Arroyo’s case, as the Aquino government described it, or if it handed down a judgment that has the force of a legal decision on the matter.

I happen to agree with the Sandiganbayan when it said, in reaction to the declaration of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, that the Philippines has its own set of laws

and is not really subject to any issuances from other nations.

But I have to disagree that this means that the government in Manila and its courts can simply ignore the UN ruling on the Arroyo case.

The case that the Philippines filed in the same UN against China is painfully applicable here. How can Manila insist that the UN intervene in the territorial dispute in the Kalayaan Island Group, using the organization’s Convention on the Law of the Sea, when it cannot accept an adverse ruling on the case of the long-detained former President?

A9

The Aquino government should not be allowed to act like it is administering a rogue state.

And the Aquino administration had already decided to put itself under the UN working group’s jurisdiction. After all, it replied last June to the charge of Arroyo advocate Amal Alamuddin Clooney that the detainee’s human rights were violated, through the Philippines’ permanent representative in Geneva, thus tacitly agreeing that the group can and should rule on the matter.

But now that the panel has decided the case, the Aquino government has decided that the decision is of no value, because the Philippines has its own laws and the UN cannot enforce its decision. What the government is not saying is that

if the ruling had gone the other way, then it would have, in all likelihood, accepted it.

China, at least, has never agreed that the UN has jurisdiction over the territorial dispute between Manila and Beijing. By refusing intervention, China has declared that it cannot be compelled to accept any ruling by the UN on the matter.

Not so the Philippine government, in the case of Arroyo. And the Aquino administration just proved that it

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.

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is a poor loser—and an even poorer defender of international laws on the preservation of human rights. *** Of course, the Arroyo case is politically charged. But that doesn’t mean that the Aquino government should be allowed to act like it is administering a rogue state when it is accused of human rights violations.

This is certainly not the first time that the Aquino government acted like it was outside the reach of internation-

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al convention and law and just plain common decency. The case of the killing of three lumad leaders in Surigao del Sur offers yet another example of the cavalier attitude that this government has taken in such matters.

To this day, the Department of Foreign Affairs has refused entry of representatives from the UN Special Rapporteur’s office who want to investigate the lumad killings. If the Aquino government really has nothing Continued on A11

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

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

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

ON THE fifth day, last Friday, of the General Congregation of the Synod of the Family currently going on in the Vatican, the synod fathers divided themselves into 13 discussion groups by language with around 20 members each, one small group is in German, four in English, three in Spanish, two in Italian and three in French. The real work has now begun. The discussion groups will tackle three parts of the instrumentum laboris or working paper which built up on the final report of last October’s extraordinary synod, as well as the suggestions and opinions from other Church entities.

This year’s synod is divided into three parts, with each week dedicated to one of the three sections of the instrumentum laboris. The first week of the meeting was spent on discussing the document’s first section, titled “Listening to the challenges of the family.” Thereafter, discussion will focus on the second part, titled “Discernment of the family vocation,” before culminating with the third, “The mission of the family today.” In the end, a 10-member global commission nominated by Pope Francis will draft the final synod report.

Discussions and interventions are not open to the public but periodic briefings are given by designated official spokespersons who appraise the world of the goings on during the synod. The summary below comes from those briefings.

As the working paper was rolled out, it was reported that several bishops voiced their concern about the text being overly negative, unclear, and possibly inaccurate in its translations. One concerned synod participant observed that while various elements of the document were admirable, he found much of the text flawed or inadequate. Another from the English speaking group said that the document also fell short “especially in its theology, clarity, trust in the power of grace, its use of scripture and its tendency to see the world through overwhelmingly Western eyes.” Those from the English speaking circle also noted that the language was problematic, and expressed concern that “the English translation may not be faithful to the official Italian text.”

In the most recent briefing, Fr. Thomas Rosica, the English-language assistant to the Holy See press office, told journalists Oct. 10 that the question is not “whether we’re here to change doctrine, but to make sure pastoral care takes account of real, actual, concrete situations of what each person is doing.” He read aloud portions of the brief interventions given by unnamed participants of the general congregation. One synod father said: “mercy toward sinners is not a form Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

T U E S D AY : O C T O B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

EAGLE EYES DEAN TONY LA VIÑA

A SYNOD OF MERCY

[ EDI TORI A L ]

CLASH OF CLOWNS CHAOS and confusion marked the first day of the filing of certificates of candidacy at the Intramuros office of the Commission on Elections.

Comelec officials attributed these to changes they introduced to the process. Now there are separate rooms for the filing proper, and yet another room for the interview.

When the first two high-profile candidates filed their certificates at eight in the morning, and media representatives tried to take photos and videos and interview the candidates, no less than the Comelec chairman tried to come between the media and the candidates. The commission spokesperson said media did not follow instructions.

But the circus was not just because of missed cues. On the first day of the filing, 22 individuals of disparate backgrounds and temperament declared their intention to seek the highest post in the land. Some were dead serious; others were plain nuisances. And this was just the first day.

In other Comelec offices, candidates for other posts also started filing their certificates, ensuring that they got attention and mileage.

Noticeable were the family members of incumbent officials about to max out their terms, offering themselves up selflessly to the demands of public service, much to the detriment of their personal and family lives.

Down south, a town mayor from Zamboanga Sibugay was gunned down by still-unidentified suspects on the first day of the filing, reminding that elections in the Philippines are not only a circus; they are also bloodsport.

“Chaotic” is the opposite of orderly, which is what we are all aiming for. An election can only be credible if it is orderly, and the results believable if the people who exercised their right to vote are sober and deliberate, not swayed by fanfare.

There’s a few days left, and then, heavens, the campaign, which will highlight more things about why we vote whom we vote for. It’s a noisy season that will be upon us, but if we despise so much where our governments, past and present, have led us, and then perhaps we should rethink the way we respond to their gimmickry, their violence, and their Messianic claims.

THE HYPOCRITE-ROGUE LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES BEFORE the story is buried under the news of who or what has filed his, her or its certificate of candidacy for the coming elections, I feel compelled to say: the Aquino administration has been conclusively found, by the United Nations, no less, to have illegally detained former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo—and yet will not move to rectify this clear miscarriage

of justice.

It doesn’t really matter if you agree that Arroyo should continue to be detained or not.

But it should matter—a lot—if the UN working group issued a mere “opinion” on Arroyo’s case, as the Aquino government described it, or if it handed down a judgment that has the force of a legal decision on the matter.

I happen to agree with the Sandiganbayan when it said, in reaction to the declaration of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, that the Philippines has its own set of laws

and is not really subject to any issuances from other nations.

But I have to disagree that this means that the government in Manila and its courts can simply ignore the UN ruling on the Arroyo case.

The case that the Philippines filed in the same UN against China is painfully applicable here. How can Manila insist that the UN intervene in the territorial dispute in the Kalayaan Island Group, using the organization’s Convention on the Law of the Sea, when it cannot accept an adverse ruling on the case of the long-detained former President?

A9

The Aquino government should not be allowed to act like it is administering a rogue state.

And the Aquino administration had already decided to put itself under the UN working group’s jurisdiction. After all, it replied last June to the charge of Arroyo advocate Amal Alamuddin Clooney that the detainee’s human rights were violated, through the Philippines’ permanent representative in Geneva, thus tacitly agreeing that the group can and should rule on the matter.

But now that the panel has decided the case, the Aquino government has decided that the decision is of no value, because the Philippines has its own laws and the UN cannot enforce its decision. What the government is not saying is that

if the ruling had gone the other way, then it would have, in all likelihood, accepted it.

China, at least, has never agreed that the UN has jurisdiction over the territorial dispute between Manila and Beijing. By refusing intervention, China has declared that it cannot be compelled to accept any ruling by the UN on the matter.

Not so the Philippine government, in the case of Arroyo. And the Aquino administration just proved that it

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-

is a poor loser—and an even poorer defender of international laws on the preservation of human rights. *** Of course, the Arroyo case is politically charged. But that doesn’t mean that the Aquino government should be allowed to act like it is administering a rogue state when it is accused of human rights violations.

This is certainly not the first time that the Aquino government acted like it was outside the reach of internation-

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

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can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

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al convention and law and just plain common decency. The case of the killing of three lumad leaders in Surigao del Sur offers yet another example of the cavalier attitude that this government has taken in such matters.

To this day, the Department of Foreign Affairs has refused entry of representatives from the UN Special Rapporteur’s office who want to investigate the lumad killings. If the Aquino government really has nothing Continued on A11

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

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ON THE fifth day, last Friday, of the General Congregation of the Synod of the Family currently going on in the Vatican, the synod fathers divided themselves into 13 discussion groups by language with around 20 members each, one small group is in German, four in English, three in Spanish, two in Italian and three in French. The real work has now begun. The discussion groups will tackle three parts of the instrumentum laboris or working paper which built up on the final report of last October’s extraordinary synod, as well as the suggestions and opinions from other Church entities.

This year’s synod is divided into three parts, with each week dedicated to one of the three sections of the instrumentum laboris. The first week of the meeting was spent on discussing the document’s first section, titled “Listening to the challenges of the family.” Thereafter, discussion will focus on the second part, titled “Discernment of the family vocation,” before culminating with the third, “The mission of the family today.” In the end, a 10-member global commission nominated by Pope Francis will draft the final synod report.

Discussions and interventions are not open to the public but periodic briefings are given by designated official spokespersons who appraise the world of the goings on during the synod. The summary below comes from those briefings.

As the working paper was rolled out, it was reported that several bishops voiced their concern about the text being overly negative, unclear, and possibly inaccurate in its translations. One concerned synod participant observed that while various elements of the document were admirable, he found much of the text flawed or inadequate. Another from the English speaking group said that the document also fell short “especially in its theology, clarity, trust in the power of grace, its use of scripture and its tendency to see the world through overwhelmingly Western eyes.” Those from the English speaking circle also noted that the language was problematic, and expressed concern that “the English translation may not be faithful to the official Italian text.”

In the most recent briefing, Fr. Thomas Rosica, the English-language assistant to the Holy See press office, told journalists Oct. 10 that the question is not “whether we’re here to change doctrine, but to make sure pastoral care takes account of real, actual, concrete situations of what each person is doing.” He read aloud portions of the brief interventions given by unnamed participants of the general congregation. One synod father said: “mercy toward sinners is not a form Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

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OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

THE SON ALSO RISES TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

SECTION 26 of the Fair Elections Act is not fair at all. It allows elected officials (I am not sure if it includes not only senators, but also member of the House of Representatives, and other elected local officials) to run for President or Vice President. If they lose, however, they just go back to serve the remainder of their terms.

Just look at the political horizon now. There are five senators running for the vice presidency, and one congresswoman. Under Section 26 of the Fair Elections Act, if four of the senators lose, they can always go back to serve the rest of their terms in the Senate. The lone congresswoman, a first termer, will wait for another three years before she can run again for the same position.

Why else would political veterans support Marcos?

This is why I support the amendment to the Fair Elections Act. Such a law needs to be fair and equitable. Santa Banana, it encourages senators to run even without any hope of winning, except for “the funds of it,” because they can always go back as senators. If they lose, they would have won a jackpot in donations and contributions. *** Speaking of senators running for President or vice president. If Senator Grace Poe does not make it—granted, of course, that she is not first disqualified for not being a natural-born Filipino— she can always go back as senator to finish her first term for another three years. She can aspire again for the presidency in 2022,

but if she loses again, she will be senator until 2025.

Lucky girl, isn’t she?

In the case of the five other senators running for the vice presidency, the entry of Senator Bongbong Marcos into the fray makes the race for the No. 2 position of the land interesting and even exciting.

While Senator Chiz Escudero remains ahead of the pack, having been the second choice for the vice presidency next to Mrs. Grace Poe Llamanzares in all surveys, analysts and political observers say that the only son of the late strongman President Ferdinand E. Marcos, with or without a running mate, can win.

For one thing, Bongbong Marcos has Ilocandia, both Region I and Region II, including parts of Pangasinan, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija as his political base. But, more importantly, there are so many Ilocanos in Mindanao and even the Visayas.

And don’t forget that the former First Lady Imelda Romualdez hails from Tacloban, Leyte, the eastern part of the Visayas. Santa Banana, as an Ilocano myself, I can say: once an Ilocano, always an Ilocano.

This is a general rule.

No matter what some people think of the Marcoses and martial law, the fact is that Marcos was the most brilliant Filipino President, who also did a lot of his country. Don’t forget that the NLEX and SLEX were started by Marcos, and the Marcos Highway all the way to Leyte. Rice self-sufficiency was attained during the Marcos regime.

And because of Martial Law, he broke the backbone of the communist insurgency; made the separatist Moro National Liberation Front irrelevant with the self-exile of Nur Misuari.

Lest I am misunderstood, I am not justifying martial law which suppressed our freedoms and civil rights, together with its excesses. But, my gulay, in my more than 65 years as a journalist, having walked the corridors of power and having seen the best and worst of administrations, I can say that the Marcos regime had the best of technocrats and cabinet members.

Take it from veteran

GRAIN FROM CHAFF THE circus officially begins this week when those aspiring for national office start trooping to the Commission on Elections at Intramuros to file their respective certificates of candidacy. The whole exercise will be marked by all kinds of gimmickry which people will try to pass off as ceremonial pomp and pageantry. There will be atiatihan dancers, marching bands, cheer leaders, confetti, and hordes of placard-waving and shrieking supporters garbed in whatever colors the candidates have chosen to represent themselves.

What all the extravaganza has to do with the occasion baffles the mind. When we come to think about it, the filing of certificates of candidacy should be a solemn, if not sacred, moment. It’s when a candidate declares under oath his or her sincere intention to serve the people. It is supposed to mark the moment when the proverbial die is cast, when a candidate makes a date with destiny. Why candidates cheapen such a potentially poignant moment is indicative of their character and the value they attach to elective positions.

Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista has laid down the specific guidelines to be followed during the filing of candidacies this week. He has particularly asked that candidates limit to a certain number the supporters who would join them inside the Comelec offices. Let’s see if Bautista is able to implement his guidelines—we all know from experience that most candidates and their supporters have the tendency to flaunt laws. The irony is that these people claim to be messiahs representing change and politicians, former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, who both endorsed the candidacy of Bongbong. Why else would they he be endorsing a candidate if they don’t see him as a winner?

Now about Chiz. He is my good friend and so is his wife, Heart Evangelista. His Bicolandia base is now divided by other Bicolanos, like Leni Robredo, running mate of administration candidate Mar Roxas, Alan Peter Cayetano, whose wife is a Bicolana, Antonio Trillanes and Gringo Honasan, who are also from Bicol. Aside from Bicol, Chiz has no other base.

Even now, Bongbong Marcos is already No. 2 in the vice presidential race.

The next and upcoming survey polls will prove me right. *** Last Saturday, when I went to join my 365 Club

ARE WE THERE YET? BONG C. AUSTERO reform, yet they cannot be bothered to follow basic laws of courtesy and responsible citizenship. For example, most of them will be organizing motorcades that will create monstrous traffic jams that will inconvenience hundreds of thousands of people—the same ones they swear they will serve.

And we can all be sure that all of them will be leaving behind tons of trash at Intramuros that most of them cannot be bothered to clean up. So right at the very start we already know that many of these people are hypocrites—their actions are not aligned with their supposed intentions.

This week, therefore, we really should be on the lookout for the candidates who will treat the filing of their certificates of candidacies with the decorum required of the occasion.

It’s when we separate the clowns from the earnest public servants, the buffoons from the sensible ones, the grain from the chaff.

But then again, we’ve already known the real worth of certain candidates prior to this week’s filing of certificates of candidacies.

For example, Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who declared his intention to run for the vice presidency last week, made big declarations about the supposedly bold and revolutionary transformation that he wants to initiate once he gets elected into office. In the interest of disclosure, I will state for the record that having personally suffered from the political repression that

buddies at the Hotel Intercon, I learned that Ayala will, by year-end, demolish the hotel and build some kind of gateway to the Ayala Central Business District.

I was worried. We at the 365 Club had been staying at the Intercon since 1972.

The management of Intercon, however, assured us that we would be transferred to the Holiday Suites Hotel, a Hotel Intercontinental subsidiary.

We will miss Hotel Intercon and its management led by our very good friend Christian Peridon, who is also the manager of Holiday Suites Hotel.

But we in the 43-yearold club are glad because Holiday Suites Hotel is not far from Intercon. *** I was not mistaken when I listed resigned Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino as one

was prevalent during the Marcos dictatorship, I loathe the Marcoses and what they represent. However, I will respect, albeit grudgingly, anybody’s right to run for any office and to make an utter fool of himself or herself in the process. In the case of Marcos, his bold pronouncements about the kind of movement that he will initiate and pursue once he gets elected as vice president come across not only as hollow and insincere —they were also, quite frankly, ridiculously implausible.

Unless the line of succession is invoked, the post of vice president in this country has no value; he or she serves at the pleasure of the President. Of course we all know that the vice president is next in line to the President, but there’s no guarantee that he or she is treated as such. In many instances in the past, we’ve even had Presidents who deliberately bypassed or ignored the vice president. Let’s call a spade a dirty shovel—the post of vice president is basically a decorative or ceremonial position. Worse, if the person occupying the post is not on the good side of the President, he or she ends up doing absolutely nothing, usually given token responsibilities hardly worth crowing about. So how Marcos intends to initiate his grand movement as vice president is perplexing.

We all know that Marcos is not exactly a moron, so we know that he knows about the limitations of the functions of the vice president.

All those grand pronouncements, therefore were just that—an exercise in rhetorical discourse. That’s what Marcoses do best. Seriously, folks— we’ve been there before, haven’t we learned our lesson from the Marcos dictatorship yet?

of the best appointees of BS Aquino III, among few others.

Tolentino resigned as MMDA chairman, a cabinet position, and asked to have his name erased from the list of the administration’s senatorial candidates. This indicates self-respect and “delicadeza.” Tolentino’s decision was caused by the dance performance of The Playgirls two weeks ago. The lewd acts led to political controversy.

Tolentino had denied that he was the one who engaged The Playgirls as a gift to Laguna Rep. Benjamin Agarao, but media and his political opponents insist it was him.

Tolentino even apologized for the incident, even if President Aquino, the titular head of the Liberal Party, did not.

I believe that Tolentino does not deserve all the brickbats that media threw at him. He is

the most hardworking MMDA chairman I have known. My gulay, why should he be blamed for the worsening Metro Manila traffic gridlock, especially at Edsa? Even with the PNP Highway Patrol Group now in command of Edsa’s traffic, it will still take you more than two hours that avenue.

For so long as we don’t have enough skyways and other means of commuting along Edsa, traffic jams will stay. If anybody or any agency has to be blamed, it should be the Department of Transportation and Communications, and the President himself. They knew Edsa traffic will come to this, but they did not do anything.

Foreign Direct Investments, and influx of tourists? Forget it. Not with our kind of traffic problems, pollution, and flash flood the moment it rains.

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OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

WHAT’S THE FUSS ABOUT?

TO MAKE up for the devastation the Japanese Imperial Army caused to East and South East Asian countries during World War II, Japan has taken the initiative to finance noteworthy infrastructure development projects of friendly governments in the region.

The Japanese agency tasked with this large-scale undertaking is the Japan International Cooperation Agency for Overseas Deve-lopment Assistance or JICA for short.

Actually, the JICA does not give out money—it lends money to developing countries to finance the construction of buildings, facilities, and roadways for public welfare. The JICA receives proposals from interested governments, evaluates them, and if a proposal appears worthwhile and feasible, negotiations are undertaken between JICA representatives and officials of the government concerned.

Infrastructure projects financed by the JICA have to satisfy certain standards and conditions imposed by the lender, and comply with pertinent laws on procurement of the borrowing country. Often, the borrower must hire the services of certain experts endorsed by the JICA. A recent JICA-funded project has attracted some attention lately—a five-year contract for the rehabilitation and maintenance of the 123-ki-

A synod.. From A9 of weakness nor an abandonment of Church teaching;” and yet another participant said that “unless we acknowledge openly people’s situations, we will not be able to address those situations clearly,” adding that “we have to learn to speak the truth in love in many situations, because in many situations people are completely powerless over what has befallen them.”

One other emphasized that viewing the Church’s doctrine on marriage in the light of mercy requires both “attention to the pastoral dimension and the application of the Church’s teaching.”

Another spokesman, Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, Major Archbishop of the SyroMalankar Archeparchy of Trivandrum, responded to a question from a French

lometer Surigao-Davao-Surigao (Lipata)-Agusan del Norte Road. This project is to be supervised by the Department of Public Works and Highways. The approved budget for the undertaking is P3,422,688,199.31.

Under Philippine law, a public bidding must be conducted by the DPWH, and bidders must comply with bidding rules and regulations.

The bidding itself involves two basic phas es—pre-qualif ication, where disqualified bidders are weeded out, and the bidding itself, where the bids are opened and the contract is awarded to the winning bidder.

An interested bidder must submit the required documentation to prove that it is capable of constructing the project within the stipulated period, and in accordance with the specified standards. It must also submit documentation to show that it has sufficient experience in the large-scale construction industry, and that it has undertaken construction projects of a similar or near-similar nature or scale. Of course, it must offer to complete the project in an amount within the approved budget.

Bidders who do not comply with the documentation requirement are disqualified in the pre-qualification phase

journalist on whether an in-depth examination of doctrine would take place during the synod, by saying that the synod “in fact is destined to be a pastoral one.”

There was also some confusion about the final outcome of the synod: Would there be a document issued by the synod fathers, or are they there mainly to provide advice to Pope Francis who will issue an apostolic letter to the faithful? Our very own Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, as reported by National Catholic Reporter, defended the process of the synod, pointing out “a new method of discussion was being tried at this synod, and that ‘definitely it has caused … a bit of confusion.’” And our good cardinal, being what he is, an eternally hopeful person, he added, laughing: “But it’s good to be

of the bidding. This measure is designed to, among others, protect the government from fly-by-night entities determined to win the contract without finishing the project.

Compliance with these guidelines is mandated by both Philippine law, and by the JICA. From the records available, it appears that three corporate entities expressed interest in the roadway project—China Wuyi Co. Ltd., Wijaya Karya (Persero), Tbk., and the joint venture of the Equi-Parco Construction Co. and Hebei Road and Bridge Group Co., Ltd. In the course of the prequalification phase, the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the DPWH discovered that the first two bidders lacked the requisite documentation, and that they do not have adequate experience in the large-scale construction industry. Only the third bidder, the joint venture of Equi-Parco and Hebei, passed the pre-qualification phase.

In the end, only the EquiParco-Hebei joint venture submitted a valid bid in the amount of P3,321,551,974,95.

Accordingly, the contract was awarded to it.

The JICA conducted its own evaluation of the bidding process, and on April 16, 2015, it found the process in order.

On Sept. 21, 2015, the JICA also upheld the award in favor

confused once in a while.

If things are always clear, then we might not be in real life anymore.”

While other topics were brought up such as the indissolubility of marriage, the role of parents in educating their children, the importance of prayer and a missionary spirit within families, the importance of children, and a longer marriage preparation process, the common thread of the discussions centered around the topic of mercy which, while greatly needed, is something that cannot be separated from the truth, emphasizing the long-held Church belief that mercy is inextricably intertwined with doctrine.

Last week, as the first week of the synod closed, Pope Francis offered one of the congregation’s daily moments of prayer for peace, with mention of the Middle East. He appealed

of the Equi-Parco-Hebei joint venture. Days thereafter, the chairman of the DPWH BAC reiterated that the bidding process and the evaluation that came thereafter complied with the guidelines provided by the JICA. The P3,321,551,974.95 winning bid of Equi-Parco/Hebei is 2.95 percent below the revised approved budget of the contract (ABC) in the amount of P3,422,688,199.31 and not 20 percent higher than the ABC as some quarters would have people to believe. Actually, of the approved budget of P3,422,688,199.31, JICA’s share represents 76 percent or P2,365,786,178.42, with the government shouldering the remaining 24 percent or P1,056,902,020.89. The disinformation being peddled the public by those opposed to the project takes only into account JICA’s share of the budget and excludes government’s financing share to make it appear that the winning bid was over the ABC. This is, of course, ridiculous.

A Mindanao-based politician with alleged interests in the large-scale construction industry, in alliance with other local politicians and business groups, likewise assailed the award in favor of the EquiParco-Hebei joint venture on the ground that it was rigged.

So far, however, no evidence to support this assertion has sur-

to the international community to put immediate interests aside, and find solutions for the escalating conflict in that region.

Practicing the mercy that is the unifying thread of the summit, Pope Francis “said that “we are painfully struck and we follow with great concern what is happening in Syria, in Iraq, in Jerusalem and the West Bank,” where violence has escalated, claiming innocent lives and fueling “a humanitarian crisis of enormous proportions.”

He asked for prayers: “Let us unite, therefore, in an intense and confident prayer to the Lord, a prayer that intends to be an expression of solidarity at once with [our] brother Patriarchs and Bishops from those regions, who are present here, as well as with their priests and faithful, and to everyone who lives there.”

faced. For whatever that allegation is worth, it may have a difficult time overcoming the earlier confirmation by the JICA that the evaluation and awarding processes have been above-board.

For the record, this observation is not intended to dis credit or to throw cold water at public interest advocates who expose anomalies in government. Public interest advocates are vital to a working democracy where the rule of law is upheld. Without public interest advocates, corruption in the corridors of political power will go unchecked.

Unless there is sufficient documentation which substantiates the allegations against the award of the roadway contract to the EquiParco-Hebei joint venture, however, further criticism of the award is unfair. While shady contractors must be exposed and disqualified, care must be taken to see to it that legitimate winning bidders are not subjected to undeserved condemnation.

This way, legitimate bidders not to mention foreign funding agencies like JICA are not discouraged from dealing with the government on some future occasion. It will be a nightmare, indeed, when only shady bidders participate in public biddings for government projects.

The hypocrite... From A9 to hide—like, say, the involvement of the military in the murder of lumad leaders, the closure of indigenous children’s schools and the forced evacuation of thousands of Manobo tribesmen in Surigao— why can’t it allow UN representatives to look into these allegations?

And I suspect that this attitude of the current Philippine government is once again informed by the virtual policy direction laid out by President Noynoy Aquino himself. After all, this is the President who, confronted during a foreign visit with charges that his administration has allowed the killing of media workers to go unpunished, replied that the victims did not die in the line of duty—as if the government should be called out only when it fails to arrest and punish the killers of journalists assassinated while at work.

Advocates have long accused Aquino of insensitivity and abject failure when it comes to protecting groups and individuals from violators of their most basic and most sacred human rights. The charges are consistent with the widely-held belief that this President has no empathy for ordinary Filipinos—and is hell-bent on persecuting his political opponents.

I can only add that Aquino has always been a hypocrite, spouting slogans of righteousness while he repeatedly violates the law—local or international—in order to achieve his petty political victories. And you really don’t need the UN’s verdict to know, in your heart, that this is true.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

After Beijing win, Novak eyes Shanghai SHANGHAI—Novak Djokovic flies to the Shanghai Masters on Monday just hours after lifting his eighth trophy of the year in Beijing— and few look capable of stopping him grab title number nine this week.

Beach volley clinic. Ilocos Sur Rep. Ronald Singson (center), program initiator, and Ilocos Sur Gov. Ryan Singson (with dark glasses),

co-sponsor pose with the country’s volleyball superstars Alyssa Valdez and Bea Tan (third and fourth from right) and other players at the culmination of volleyball clinic and classic exhibition match between Valdez’s team and a New Zealand duo. The volleyball clinic is a component of the grassroots’ development program of the Singson brothers for the Ilocos Surian youths.

Kerr recovering from spinal fluid leak LOS ANGELES—Steve Kerr, who coached the Golden State Warriors to the NBA title last season, said Sunday a spinal fluid leak after back surgery led to his absence from the tam.

Kerr, speaking at the team’s practice facility in northern California, said that he suffered the leak of spinal fluid during back surgery on July 28, and despite a second procedure to address the problem was still experiencing symptoms.

“It’s very rare, it does happen occasionally, but it happens when there’s an accidental nick of the dura that surrounds the spinal cord,” said Kerr, who announced on October 1 he would be away from the team indefinitely.

“But I lost spinal fluid, took about a month to figure out what was going on, a lot of headaches, some other symptoms.” AFP

Castilo, Alcala lead badminton cast GELITA Castilo and Marky Alcala gear up for defense of their respective crowns in the centerpiece Open singles with an elite cast out to foil their repeat bids in the 2015 Bingo Bonanza National Open badminton tournament set to fire off next Monday at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall and Glorietta 5 Atrium in Makati City.

Castilo rallied to beat Sarah Barredo, 21-17, 14-21, 21-19, to snare the women’s crown while Alcala stamped his class over R-Jay Ormilla, 21-15, 2111, to run away with the men’s diadem and complete Allied Victor’s sweep in last year’s revival of the event put up

by Bingo Bonanza and sanctioned by the Philippine Badminton Association headed

by Vice President Jejomar Binay and sec-gen Rep. Albee Benitez.

But they will have their

hands full in the upcoming event with the rest of the cast all primed up to contend for top honors, cash prizes and ranking points, guaranteeing top-notch, fierce finishes in the week-long event sponsored by the country’s premier amusement center which has backed big-time badminton tournaments since the early 2000s.

Barredo, for one, is raring to redeem herself from last year’s setback, winning the recent FDG Cup Badminton crown, along with the likes of Airah Albo, Danica Bolos, Jennifer Cayetano, Michal Del Duquilla, Maridel Rivera, Monica Rivera, Mariya Sevilla and Pauline Tan. Meanwhile, the draw and seeding will be held Oct. 15 with the matches to be posted on Oct. 16. The coaches, team managers and players meeting is set Oct. 16 at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.

The preliminaries will be held Oct. 19-21 at the Rizal Memorial with action shifting to the Glorietta 5 Atrium for the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals, according to the organizing EventKing Corp.

Alcala, also a winner in the FDG Cup, remains the player to beat in the men’s singles of the event sponsored by Gatorade, Glorietta, Smash Pilipinas and the Philippine Olympic Committee which also features JC Clarito, Kevin Cudiamat, Frell Gabuelo, Alvin Morada, Paul Vivas, Ros Pedrosa, Rabie Oba-ob, Kevin Dalisay and Ormilla.

Castilo and Alcala are also teaming up in the mixed doubles which also includes the Vivas-Eleano Ynlayo, Peter Magnaye-Jessie Francisco, Christian Bernardo-Joella de Vera, Carlos Cayanan-Alyssa Geverjuan and Ronel Estalisno-Marissa Vita tandems.

Forum tackles native games THE country’s coming campaign in the World Indigenous Games or Tribal Games will be discussed in length during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at Shakey’s Malate today.

Head of delegation Col. Jeff Tamayo is going to talk about the Filipinos’ bid in the Oct. 22 to 29 meet in Palmas, Brazil during the weekly session aired live over DZSR Sports Radio 918 and presented by San Miguel Corp., Shakey’s, Accel, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

Former Southeast Asian Games goldmedal winner Jayson Balabal of the Igorot tribe leads the six-man PH team.

Also joining the lively discussion in the forum starting at 10:30 a.m. are Philippine Tennis Association president Randy Villanueva and Marcel Petit, coach of netter Jeson Patrombon, who is seeing action in the 34th Philippine Columbian Association Open-Cebuana Lhuillier ITF Men’s Futures 2 competitions.

A 6-2, 6-2 victory over long-time rival Rafael Nadal underlined the dominance of the world number one, who stretched his China Open winning streak to 29 matches without dropping a set.

Defending champion Roger Federer and Andy Murray await in China’s southeastern metropolis, in what is a challenge of a different order for Djokovic with an elite men’s field.

But the 10-time Grand Slam-winner is no stranger to success at Shanghai’s Qi Zhong Stadium, after claiming two Masters titles and the 2008 Tennis Masters Cup at the large venue on the city’s outskirts.

After a breathtaking China Open, when he lost only 18 games and extended his record to 9-0 in Chinese finals, Djokovic had no doubts about maintaining his level this week.

“Well, I’m hoping definitely. I know the conditions are slightly different.

I’m going to get a couple days of rest and practice and get ready,” he said late on Sunday in Beijing.

“I mean, it’s not the first time I’m playing back-to-back weeks. Next week’s tournament is going to be even stronger because obviously all the best players in the world are there.

“This positive week definitely encourages me and gives me a lot of confidence for Shanghai.”

- Favorite surface Second seed Federer preferred not to dwell on a potential final against Djokovic, as he sizes up his half of the draw which includes Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Kei Nishikori and Stanislas Wawrinka.

“Playing in semis or finals doesn’t matter. Looks like you have to beat him at some stage the way he’s playing right now. If you play him in the semis or the finals, it doesn’t really matter,” said the Swiss.

“I don’t think that far ahead, to be quite honest.” AFP

Gomez to grace Batang Pinoy tilt

PAL Ladies’ Interclub Runner-up. Members of the Cebu Country Club receive from

PAL officials their 1st runner up trophy in the Championship Division of the 10th PAL Ladies Interclub that wrapped up recently in Bacolod. Photo shows from left Ria Domingo, PAL VP-Marketing; Christian Hartshorn of Boeing (one of Interclub’s sponsors), Ryoko Nagai, Riko Nagai, Junia Gabasa, Josephine Siguan, Menchit Martinez, Louise Go, Kim Hong, Crystal Neri and Ismael Augusto Gozon, PAL Senior VP for Operations.

QUALIFIERS, who will see action in the Batang Pinoy National Championships, will be in the company of accomplished sportsman and current president of Philippine Fencing Association Richard Gomez, who will grace the Solidarity Meeting and Opening Ceremonies on Nov. 27 in Cebu City.

“The organizers of Batang Pinoy thank Richard Gomez for supporting our program and his presence will definitely inspire the participants (of Batang Pinoy) and the youth in general to engage in sports activities,” said Philippine Sports Commission chairman Ricardo Garcia.

The national centerpiece program for sports, Batang Pinoy caters to children 15 years and below.

The popular actor recently won gold at the first-ever Asian Master’s Fencing Championship held at the PhilSports Complex in Pasig City.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Racal Motors outlast Sta. Lucia RACAL Kama Motors battled back from 20 points down before outlasting Sta. Lucia, 99-92, in overtime at the start of the Pilipinas Commercial Basketball League Founders Cup at the Pasig Sports Center Sunday night.

Jessie Saitanan scored eight of his 12 points in the extra period, including two triples as Kama Motors completed their comefrom-behind win.

Three other players scored 20-plus points for Racal Kama Motors—expros Roider Cabrera (25) and Rudy Lingganay (23) and Mark Montuano (21).

The three keyed Racal Kama Motor’s huge run in the fourth period. They were trailing by 16, 44-68, entering the fourth period, but they outscored the Realtors, 28-14 in the fourth.

Montuano scored 10 in the pivotal stretch, while Cabrera had eight.

Cabrera was fouled, while taking a three-pointer with his team trailing by five, 7782, with 42.7 seconds to go.

He made the first two and missed the third, but Lingganay came out of nowhere to score on a putback as Kama Motors moved within striking distance, 81-82.

Lingganay stole the ball in the next play off a bad pass by Rob Celiz and was fouled in the process. He split his charities with 34 seconds for the first deadlock of the game.

Both teams failed to score in the next two offensive trips setting up the overtime.

“Inisa-isa namin talaga yung problema nung half time kaya kami natagalan,” said Racal Kama Motors coach Jing Ruiz. “But malaki ang tiwala ko sa mga players ko. This is a stromg team. The ex-pros, alam nila gagawin nila kapag ganitong situations kaya alam kong magdi-deliver sila.”

Jays push Royals to the brink ARLINGTON—Troy Tulowitzki broke out of his postseason doldrums Sunday, belting a three-run homer to lift Toronto to a 5-1 victory that kept them alive in their Major League Baseball playoff series against Texas.

Troy Tulowitzki (2) and Kevin Pillar of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrate after defeating the Texas Rangers in game three of the American League Division Series in Arlington, Texas. The Blue Jays defeated the Rangers with a score of 5 to 1. AFP

‘Presidents Cup must return to Asia’ INCHEON—The first Presidents Cup in Asia was an outstanding success and should come back to the continent in the future, according to winning US captain Jay Haas.

Sunday’s thrilling finale saw the valiant International team lose by just a single point 15.514.5 on the final green after 30 matches over four days in the closest encounter since the cup was shared in 2003.

With packed home galleries cheering his every move at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Incheon, Bae Sang-Moon couldn’t quite deliver at that crucial, pressure-filled moment.

Instead it was captain Haas’s son Bill who secured the dramatic win to take the Cup back to the United States for the ninth time in its 11-edition history.

The biennial showdown now returns to the US to be hosted at Liberty National in New Jersey in two years time and will then go to Melbourne in 2019.

Haas senior told AFP before leaving Korea Sunday night that he had loved every minute of his stay and said Asia deserved to host the event again, hopefully in

2023.

“I think the event should come back in the future, without question,” he said.

There had been fears earlier in the week that the over-enthusiastic fans clicking away on cameras would be a problem.

But Haas said the massive galleries at Jack Nicklaus had been a credit to the sport, and to Korea.

“The crowds were fantastic and very respectful. The fact that most of them don’t drink (alcohol) was really refreshing.

“You didn’t get anybody screaming out ‘You da man’ or ‘get in the hole’ like they do in the States when they’ve had too much to drink. It made it very pleasant for the players.

“They were appreciative of both teams and applauded good shots.

Of course, you could tell who they were supporting, but it never once stepped over the line.”

- Flying colors Haas said hosting the Presidents Cup had been like a test event for Asia, and it had passed with flying colours.

“Whether it’s here, Japan or wherever they go, it should come

back. This week has been a great proving ground for all of Asia to say we can do that, we can do it better.”

And Haas would like nothing better than for it to return to the same venue in eight years time.

“Just the logistics of it—the hotel is right there we can see it (from the course)—the city, the food and the people have been fantastic.

“But I do understand that if it comes back to Asia there are going to be other countries that will want to give it a try.”

The close encounter and thrilling denouement breathed welcome new life into the Presidents Cup after a succession of runaway victories for the US. It was played in the true spirit of the game without the rancour or rampant jingoism that so often mars the Ryder Cup between the US and Europe.

Chris Kirk “hated” when he won his pivotal match when Anirban Lahiri missed a tiny putt on 18. And Bill Haas said he really felt for the crestfallen local hero Bae. Players shook hands instead of slapping high fives and the sense of mutual respect was palpable. AFP

The Rangers still lead the Blue Jays in the best-of-five American League Division Series 2-1, and can advance with a win when they host the Blue Jays in game four on Monday.

The winners of the series will face either the Houston Astros or Kansas City Royals in the American League Championship Series.

Astros first baseman Chris Carter had three hits, including his first post-season home run, as Houston beat the visiting Royals 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their series.

With a win at home on Monday, the Astros can end the Royals’ bid to return to the World Series a season after they fell in the title showcase to the San Francisco Giants.

Blue Jays shortstop Tulowitzky was 0-for-10 in the first two games of the series against Texas -- shock wins for the underdog Rangers in Toronto.

He was dropped to sixth in the batting order for the first time this season. The move paid off when he collected a bases-loaded walk in the fourth inning that put Toronto up 2-0.

Two innings later Tulowitzki broke the game open with his threerun homer to left field with two outs off Texas reliever Chi Chi Gonzalez.

“I had a good pitch to hit, and finally put a good swing on one,” Tulowitzki said.

“Tomorrow (if) we get a win, we go back to Toronto. So this was huge for us.”

His output was plenty of support for Toronto starting pitcher Marco Estrada, who allowed five hits and one run over 6 1/3 innings.

Estrada struck out four and didn’t issue a walk. The Rangers didn’t have a baserunner until third baseman Hanser Alberto hit a two-out double in the bottom of the third frame.

By then, the Blue Jays had put up one run against Rangers starting pitcher Martin Perez, with catcher Dioner Navarro scoring on a double-play ground ball in the third. AFP

Top volley star Cruz regains confidence TWO-TIME UAAP Finals Most Valuable Player for women’s volleyball Cha Cruz knows how it’s like to sweat – to really sweat.

“As an athlete, I sweat all the time on the court during training and games but on the flipside, when I’m at work, talking to people and presenting myself, the ‘sweat look’ isn’t exactly the most pleasing. As we all know, sweat leads to body odor and when we interact with others, presenting ourselves the right way is a concern. People perceive us in many ways, not just visually or audibly but also olfactory, or how we smell, sometimes even equating it to good or bad hygiene,” said the former team captain of the De La Salle University Lady Spikers, who won the UAAP Women’s Volleyball Championship in 2011 and 2012.

But Cha has found an effective way to spike sweat off.

“SweatX not only gives me the assurance that sweating that much would no longer be a problem, but also the confidence to do my regular activities knowing that I’ll be fresh the whole time through,” said Cha, who now plays for the Philippine Super Liga and the Shakey’s V-League.

She is also pursuing her Master’s degree in Special Education so she does a lot of class reports and demonstrations that also cause her to sweat outside her regular sports activities.

SweatX, first to be introduced to the market by Dr. Jean Marquez of The Skin Specialist, is a completely new, groundbreaking treatment that significantly reduces excessive sweating and body odor.

It is a safe, painless, and clinically proven solution that can be performed without the use of drugs, toxins or surgical incisions.

Cha, who is also called Miss Everything in volleyball circles, had four sessions only on her underarms, though SweatX can also be used on the hands, feet, underarms, groin area and other parts of the body.

“SweatX works by delivering precisely controlled thermal energy to the treatment area and deactivating the sweat glands.

The surrounding tissue remains unaffected,” explained Dr. Marquez, a Fellow of the Philippine Dermatological Society.

She also clarifies that the treatment does not negatively affect the body’s natural ability to sweat or to cool itself, as only 2% of the sweat glands are located in the underarms.

Two-time UAAP Finals Most Valuable Player for women’s volleyball Cha Cruz (left) with Dr. Jean Marquez of Skin Specialist

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

PH’s best netters face stiff foreign challenge THE country’s top-ranked netter Patrick John Tierro understands the level of difficulty he faces as he leads the charge of the local bets in the 34th Philippine Columbian Association Open-Cebuana Lhuillier ITF Men’s Futures 2 beginning today at the PCA clay courts in Paco, Manila.

With newly crowned PCA Open champion Alberto Lim Jr. out of commission, it is up to Tierro to put up a stellar performance against the foreign players, who flew in from all over the world to compete in the tournament supported by Cebuana Lhuillier, Puma, Dunlop, The Philippine Star, Head, Babolat, Compass/IMOSTI and Sarangani Rep. MannyPacquiao.

Lim won’t be seeing action due to sickness.

“This is a different playing field.

Mas malalakas na ang mga makakalaban kaya kailangan hundred percent parati sa bawat laro. I need to be focused in each and every game,” said the 30-year-old Tierro, who fell victim in the hands of Lim, 6-3, 7-6 (5), in the men’s singles finals a couple of weeks ago.

Joining Tierro in the main draw are former Australian Open juniors’ doubles champion Francis Casey Alcantara, eighttime PCA Open titlist Johnny Arcilla, Australian Open juniors’ quarterfinalist Jeson Patrombon,

With newly crowned PCA Open champion Alberto Lim Jr. out of commission, it is up to Patrick John Tierro to put up a stellar performance against the foreign players, who flew in from all over the world.

veteran campaigner Elbert Anasta, and qualifiers Diego Garcia Dalisay, Rolando Ruel and Bryan Otico.

“I am very excited for this year’s edition of the PCA Open being an ITF Men’s Futures. This will provide our players the opportunity to improve their world ranking and give them the much needed exposure against world-class competition. This will also help us in our preparations for the Davis Cup matches next year,” said Cebuana Lhuillier President and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier, who also serves as chairman of board of the Philippine Lawn Tennis Association.

Among the world-class netters who are standing in the way of the national bets are Enrique LopezPerez of Spain, Kento Takeuchi of Japan and Vinayak Sharma Kaza of India. They will be joined Ilya Vasilyev of Russia, Kunal Anand of India, Yu Cheng-Yu, Liang Wen-Chun, Lin Wei-De and Lee Kuan-Yi of ChineseTaipei, and Arata Onozawa, Makoto Ochi, Hiromasa Oku, Katsuki Nagao, Masato Shiga, Issei Okamura and Ren Nakamura of Japan.

In doubles’ play, the powerhouse tandem of Tierro and Johnny Arcilla will also be seeing action after they clinched an automatic berth in the 16-pair main draw after disposing off Francis Casey Alcantara and Ronard Joven, 3-6, 6-3, 10-7 in the doubles’ finals.

Ladon fails to advance to Olympics

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

IN a seriously questionable decision, Filipino light flyweight Rogen Ladon was robbed of a chance to earn a spot in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero, Brazil when all three judges scored the fight in favor of Russia’s Vasilii Egorov late Sunday night at the Ali Hamad Al Attiya Arena in Doha, Qatar.

The Russian, who is also a southpaw like Ladon, kept boring in through all three rounds and was cautioned several times by Colombian referee Armando Carbonell. On one occasion,

the TV cameras caught Ladon grimacing after a nasty head-butt which seemed to escape the notice of the three judges.

All three judges Jose Del Puerto Toquero of Cuba,

Daniel McFarlane of Britain and Khas Erdene Gerardo Khishgee of Mongolia scored the bout 29-28 in favor of Egorov, eventhough Ladon connected with 1-2 combinations from the outside as he darted in-and-out like he did in his previous winning performances.

Boosted by the presence of eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao when he faced No. 1 ranked Joselito Velazquez Altamirano of Mexico, Ladon missed the inspirational presence of his idol, who had to leave for the United States on Sunday to receive the prestigious “Game Changer of the Year” award from the internation-

al non-profit organization, Asia Society at a gala dinnercelebration at the United Nations in New York.

Ladon couldn’t get his game-plan against the Russian, who constantly bored in and wrestled the Filipino to earn what AIBA itself said was “an incredibly close decision” that painfully ended the Filipino’s remarkable World Campaign.

Egorov will now face Joshnys Argilagos in the finals after the Cuban defeated Ukraine’s Dmytro Zamotaev.

Not only did Ladon lose a coveted berth in the Olympic Games, he also lost a chance to win the P500,000 incentive promised by Pac-

quiao to the winner of a gold medal in Doha.

Fighting out of the red corner, Ladon was cautioned by coaches Boy Velasco and Romeo Brin to look out for the tendency of Egorov to bore in, leading with his head.

At the end of the fight, Egorov appeared to be somewhat surprised at the decision as his Russian coaches embraced him with joy as he stepped outside the ring.

Ladon began aggressively with 1-2 combinations, followed by a solid left hook while Egorov tried to tie him up and work to the body as he tried to bully his way against the Filipino, who was cautioned for

whirling around.

As the Russian charged in with 34 seconds remained, Ladon connected with good counter-punches.

The same pattern continued through the next two rounds which all three judges surprisingly scored for the Russian.

Delegation head, ABAP executive director Ed Picson himself said: “The wild swinging foe forced him to engage in close quarters after tying him up with some deft holding tactics.”

Picson and coaches Velasco and Brin “thought Rogen won it but in close fights such as this, you have to be prepared for the worst.”

Philips Gold tests Cignal’s strength AFTER a huge upset of two-time sets down to clobber the starchampion Petron, Cignal troops studded Blaze Spikers, 18-25, back to the war zone 17-25, 25-16, 25-18, as it battles dangerous 16-14, on opening day Games Today Philips Gold today in (The Arena, San Juan) that was witnessed by 4:15 p.m. • Petron the 2015 Philippine a roaring crowd at the Meralco Superliga Grand Prix 6:15 vs Alonte Sports Arena in p.m. • Cignal vs women‘s volleyball Binan, Laguna.

Philips Gold tournament at The In that game, Cignal Arena in San Juan. started out slow before Action starts at 6:15 p.m. fol- putting the handcuffs on Dindin lowing the highly anticipated Manabat, allowing American import clash between the Blaze Spik- Ariel Usher to dominate the game. ers and Meralco in the 4:15 p.m.

Usher, a powerful and charmopening game of this prestigious ing spiker from Oregon, delivered inter-club tournament present- 29 kills and two blocks to finish ed by Milo, with TV5 as its of- with 31 points. But the revelation ficial broadcast partner. was a rookie from Bacolod City in Billed as one of the teams to Fritz Joy Gallenero, who scored watch this conference, the HD 12 smashes and two blocks for a Spikers pulled off an early shocker total of 14 points, while also conas they bravely battled from two tributing in the non-scoring de-

partment with eight digs.

With the win, Cignal formally snapped Petron’s 16-game winning run. The last time the Blaze Spikers lost was on Nov. 26 of last year when it surrendered a fiveset decision to Generika in the second round of eliminations of the Grand Prix.

“It was a very good game, a total team effort,” said Acaylar, adding that the victory over Petron means nothing, but just a mere motivation for them to play harder. “If we prepared long and hard for this tournament, so are the other teams.

Everybody is prepared. We can‘t be relaxed at this point. It’s still a very long way to go.”

Cignal’s vaunted strength, however, will be tested against Philips Gold.

Manny Pacquiao with boxers (starting second from right) Eumir Felix Marcial and Roger Ladon and coaches Romeo Brin and Boy Velasco.

T UE S DAY : O CTO B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

La Salle spikers stun Ateneo bets

By Peter Atencio

CYD Demecillo combined forces with Kim Fajardo to lead the La Salle Lady Green Archers past Ateneo’s pair of Bea Tan and Alyssa Valdez, 11-21, 21-16, 21-15, Sunday in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines beach volleyball tournament at The Sands of the SM Mall of Asia.

The La Salle spikers dealt the Lady Eagles their first setback

in five games, and improved their chances of making it to

the Final Four, with their third win in five matches. They are now tied with at third spot with the University of Santo Tomas Tigresses.

In the other match, reigning Most Valuable Player Cherry Rondina and Rica Rivera towed UST past University of the Philippines’ Arianne Estranero and Vina Alinas, 21-12, 21-15.

They later turned back University of the East’s Judith Abil and

Angelica Dacaymat, 21-3, 21-4.

Far Eastern University moved up to tie Adamson in second place at 3-1 after the pair of Bernadeth Pons and Kyla Atienza made short work of National University’s Jaja Santiago and Jasmine Nabor, 21-12, 21-12.

The Lady Bulldogs and the Lady Maroons dropped to 1-3 in joint sixth.

UE, meanwhile, bowed out of contention after losing five straight.

In the men’s division, Ateneo eked out a 21-18, 21-12 victory over Far Eastern University, while UST beat UP, 21-19, 21-17, and La Salle, 21-12, 21-14, as the two teams remained unbeaten in the season.

Defending champion National University stopped UE, 2115, 21-16, and UP, 19-21, 21-18, 15-12 for a 4-1 slate, while Adamson overwhelmed La Salle, 21-10, 21-14, to even its record to 2-2.

Santo Tomas, UP stake taekwondo UAAP titles

UST’s Ed Daquiaog (left) shoots against De La Salle’s Jeron Teng in a UAAP game won by the Tigers, 81-79, on Sunday. BROSI GONZALES

UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas and University of the Philippines open their title-retention bids in the men’s and women’s division of the UAAP Season 78 taekwondo tournament today at the Blue Eagle Gym. Last season, the Growling Tigers completed a six-fight sweep to recapture the men’s crown, while the Lady Maroons ended a 12-year women’s title drought.

The most successful men’s taekwondo program with 12 crowns overall, UST will face tough challenge from perennial contender De La Salle and UP. The Lady Maroons, who won two championships in the league, are bracing a fightback from the former champion Tigresses and the Lady Archers.

The teams to watch out in the four-day tournament are University of the East and National University, which are not known as taekwondo powers but both achieved podium finishes in the men’s division.

Poomsae competition is scheduled on Sept. 21, with UP defending the crown against last season’s runner-up La Salle and UST. Action in juniors’ taekwondo is set on the same day, with the Junior Warriors staking their title.

Road Warriors, Energy Colas eyeing progress this season

By Jeric Lopez TWO teams in the lower echelon will both try to make a breakthrough as they look forward to a better showing in the 41st Philippine Basketball Association, which unfolds on Oct. 18.

NLEX and Barako Bull had at least one good stretch last season, but still were unable to do enough to contend against the league’s big boys. They both want to put themselves in a position wherein they can be more of a threat to the perennial contenders this coming season.

With a year of experience in the league under its belt, the NLEX Road Warriors are eyeing a better season and for head coach Boyet Fernandez, it’s about consistently getting in the playoffs and being a dangerous team in there.

“We’ve learned a lot in our first season and now, we want to be better overall and

make the playoffs and do our best from there,’’ said Fernandez, who attended several coaching seminars in the United States early in the off-season.

Fernandez cited the team’s upgrade of roster as one of the big positives for them going into the season.

The Road Warriors are obviously more formidable after acquiring veteran workhorse Sean Anthony, sophomore playmaker Kevin Alas, prized rookie gunner Garvo Lanete and enforcer rookie Glenn Khobuntin. They will join forces with reliable veterans Asi Taulava, Mark Cardona, Jonas Villanueva, Enrico Villanueva and Mark Borboran.

“I feel like we got some really good players that can make a huge impact for us like Sean Anthony, Kevin Alas and Garvo Lanete.

With those guys and our dependable veterans, I feel that we’re a better team and win can do better that last season,’’ he said.

Like NLEX, Barako Bull wants to see some progress this season as well.

Last season, the Energy went into a winning streak early in the last two conferences only to falter down the stretch on both occasions.

Coming into this season, Barako Bull will present a revamped roster with nine new faces on the squad.

The Energy have veterans Mick Pennisi, Mac Baracael, Josh Urbiztondo, Jondan Salvador, Emman Monfort along with Jeric Fortuna, Prince Caperal Jens Knuttel and rookie Michael Miranda.

Gone are the likes of Joseph Yeo, Carlo Lastimosa and Dylan Ababou, who are all regulars in coach Koy Banal’s system last season.

Barako Bull is hoping that their new acquisitions along with old reliables JC Intal, RR Garcia, Chico Lanete, Willie Wilson and Rico Maierhoffer can elevate the team to contender status.

These two squads actually tested each other in a tune-up game last Saturday, when the Road Warriors routed the Energy, 110-97, to show a glimpse of what they can bring to the table this season.

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

P0 M+ P0 M

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T U E S D AY : O C T O B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

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

sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS

Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers interacts with the kids during a NBA Cares clinic as part of the 2015 NBA Global Games China at the Mercedes Benz Arena in Shanghai, China. AFP

Knights, Red Lions dispute no. 1 seed BITTER rivals San Beda College and Letran battle it out today for the No. 1 seeding, while Mapua and Arellano clash for the fourth and last Final Four slot in the 91st NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.

The Knights (13-5) routed the Perpetual Help Altas, 93-64, last Friday to arrange a much-awaited 4 p.m. re-match with the Lions (13-5), with the winner clinching the top seed.

The Cardinals and the Chiefs face off at 2 p.m., with the winner booking the last slot to the Final Four, while forging a 4 p.m. showdown with Jose Rizal for the No. 3 seeding on Thursday also at the MOA Arena.

Jose Rizal, Mapua and Arellano University

Jays push Royals to the brink TURN TO A13

wound up in a three-way tie at third to fifth plac“We will fight them, kahit tumbang preso es, but the Bombers ended up with the highest o patintero pa ‘yan (even if its just an ordinary quotient of 20 points as against the Cardinals’ -1 child’s game),” said Letran coach Aldin Ayo and the Chiefs’ -20. of their much-awaited faceLetran and San Beda split Games today (MOA Arena, Pasay) off with the reigning five-peat 12 nn. • St. Benilde vs LPU (jrs) their first two encounters this champions.

2 p.m. • Mapua vs Arellano (srs) year with the former taking the The Cardinals will be eyeing 4 p.m. • San Beda vs Letran (srs) first, 93-80, on July 16 and the a return to the Final Four since latter snatching the second, 77-73, last week. making it that far five years ago before they spiInterestingly, San Beda has ended up the raled down to fifth, sixth and two dead-last fintop seed in the last nine years and has never ishes in the next five seasons. lost its previous three playoff games for the top In juniors’ play, Lyceum of the Philippines spot against Arellano, 97-69, last season; San University and La Salle-Greenhills collide at Sebastian, 88-85, four years ago; and San Se- 12 noon for the last spot to the Final Four. bastian again, 71-65, six seasons back.

The winner will advance to the stepladder semiThe Knights, in contrast, are gunning to fin- finals wherein it will tackle No. 3 Arellano and ish at No. 1 for the first time since accomplish- then the winner gets to meet No. 2 Mapua with ing the feat 10 years ago, the same year they the winner finally setting up a title clash with San won their last championship by beating defunct Beda, which earned a thrice-to-beat edge after an member Philippine Christian University.

18-game sweep of the elimination round.

PH’s top netters face tough foreign challenge TURN TO A14

Lin surprised

by Chinese fans’ support HONG KONG—Jeremy Lin, the NBA’s first Chinese-American player, said Sunday he was “surprised” by Chinese fans support as he and his team Charlotte Hornets beat Los Angeles Clippers in a preseason game in Shenzhen.

The 27-year-old, whose ancestry is from Taiwan and China, in July signed with Hornets in a free agent deal worth $4.3 million over two years.

He had previously spent two NBA seasons with Houston after leaving the Knicks and last season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Playing an NBA game in China for the first time, he said he felt “thankful” for Chinese fan support after his side won the match 106-94.

“I feel thankful and blessed...It’s the first time for me to play professional basketball in China,” he told reporters in Putonghua at a press conference following the sold-out game attended by 17,400 at the Shenzhen Universiade Centre.

“I am surprised that fans treated me so well...no matter in the hotel or when I was walking around, they’d bring up posters and the jerseys,” he said.

In 28 minutes of play, he scored 16 points.

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

It is also the first time an NBA game was played in Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong. AFP

TUESDAY: OCTOBER 13, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

B1

SM reopens Cherry this week PSe comPoSite index Closing October 12, 2015

8000 7700 7400 7100 6800 6500

7,150.29 11.38

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing OCTOBER 12, 2015 43.50 44.60 45.40

P45.800

46.20

CLOSE

47.00

HIGH P45.770 LOW P45.970 AVERAGE P45.867 VOLUME 773.050M

P417.00-P640.00 LPG/11-kg tank P35.85-P43.35 Unleaded Gasoline P24.55-P28.00 Diesel

oPriceS il P

By Jenniffer B. Austria

SM Investments Corp. said Monday it will reopen two branches of newly acquired grocery store chain Cherry Foodarama this week, in time for the fourth-quarter holiday spending.

SM Markets, a unit of SMIC, said in a statement Cherry Shaw in Mandaluyong City would reopen on Oct. 13 while Cherry Congressional in Quezon City would welcome customers on Oct. 15.

The company did not say when it would reopen the third store, Cherry Antipolo in Rizal.

All Cherry supermarkets were closed down on June 25, after SM Investments of retail tycoon Henry Sy acquired the chain from the Ong family.

SM Markets said Cherry Shaw

and Cherry Congressional would have wider offerings of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, poultry, seafood and other products. The retail outlets would also have new assortments of groceries, featuring a healthy mix of imported and all-time Pinoy favorites, it said.

Cherry stores would also sell appliances, furniture and home/kitchen ware. They would also offer medicines through Watsons Pharmacy.

The stores will also have bills payment counters for added convenience to customers, SM Markets said.

“The reopened Cherry stores promise to deliver excellent customer service accompanied by a wide range of products to its shoppers; a formula that has worked for SM Markets for three decades,” SM Markets said.

SM Markets said the old Cherry stores got much needed makeovers “to keep up with the times and continue delivering satisfaction to their loyal customers.”

It said the stores would retain the Cherry brand.“Though their appearance has changed and they are now part of the SM Markets family, every visit to Cherry Shaw and Cherry Congressional is guaranteed to be sweet as cherry just like the old days,” SM Markets said.

Cherry Foodarama has been in the business since the early 1950s and is considered one of the pioneers in the grocery business.

The supermarket chain has been known to offer Filipino consumers low prices for local and imported brands and food items.

SM group’s purchase of Cherry Foodarama marked its second acquisition in three years, strengthening SM group’s position as the leading supermarket chain in the country.

SM Investments signed a joint venture with the Waltermart group through its subsidiaries SM Retail Inc. and SM Prime Holdings Inc. in 2013.

SM Investments had a total of 289 retail stores, comprising 51 SM Stores, 41 SM Supermarkets, 43 SM Hypermarkets, 127 Savemore stores and 27 WalterMart stores as of end-June 2015.

Meanwhile, Alfamart, the group’s small retail format, increased its number of stores to 50 as of end-June.

today

P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene P20.75-P21.75 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Monday, October 12, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

45.9260

Japan

Yen

0.008317

0.3820

UK

Pound

1.531300

70.3265

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129032

5.9259

Switzerland

Franc

1.040691

47.7948

Canada

Dollar

0.772618

35.4833

Singapore

Dollar

0.717206

32.9384

Australia

Dollar

0.732815

33.6553

Bahrain

Dinar

2.656254

121.9911 12.2482

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266695

Brunei

Dollar

0.714643

32.8207

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000075

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.028137

1.2922

UAE

Dirham

0.272264

12.5040

Euro

Euro

1.136500

52.1949

Korea

Won

0.000873

0.0401

China

Yuan

0.157597

7.2378

India

Rupee

0.015441

0.7091

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.241838

11.1067

New Zealand

Dollar

0.669120

Taiwan

Dollar

0.031014

30.7300 1.4243 Source: PDS Bridge

Policymakers’ meeting. The inter-governmental Group of Twenty Four (G-24) and the Alliance for Financial Inclusion jointly hosted a roundtable discussion on financial inclusion during the International Monetary Fund/World Bank Group annual meetings on Oct. 7, 2015 in Lima, Peru. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. (right) chaired the roundtable discussion on understanding the extent, drivers and impact of de-risking whereby global banks are terminating or severely restricting relationships with certain clients such as money transfer operators/remittance companies and the on-going initiatives of international organizations to better understand this phenomenon.

PAL: Ground, flight operations stable despite strike notice

By Darwin G. Amojelar PHILIPPINE Airlines said on Monday its ground and flight operations remain unhampered despite the notice of strike filed by union Philippine Airlines Employees Association.

The airline, owned by tobacco tycoon Lucio Tan, said the signatories to the notice of strike were not PAL employees, adding that 90 percent of the 117 workers that were laid off accepted the separation package.

“A strike does not happen overnight.

Parties will have to go through a legal process as required by the DoLE [Department of Labor and Employment]. This will en-

able PAL management to state its position on the issues raised and we welcome this opportunity to be heard,” PAL said.

Palea on Oct. 8 filed a notice of strike with DoLE in relation to the redundancy of positions affecting 117 employees.

The union cited alleged unfair labor

practice as basis for the strike. Palea under the law has 15 days before it can actually hold a strike.

PAL on Sept. 2 sent notices of termination to 117 employees, almost all Palea members. The notice cited an alleged organizational restructuring which had rendered “several positions in the company redundant.”

The layoffs will take effect November 9 and involve the payment of a separation package of 125 percent of monthly basic salary per year of service and a gratuity pay of P100,000.

PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista earlier said the airline would turn over its ground handling activities in

domestic stations to a third party service provider by next month.

Bautista said the company expects to incur savings with the manpower reduction as well as operational efficiency. He added no other employees would be laid off.

PAL’s parent firm, PAL Holdings Inc., recorded a consolidated total comprehensive income of P5.94 billion in the first half of the year, up 1,500 percent from just P362.4 million year-on-year.

Total revenues in the first half rose 14 percent to P55.95 billion from P48.95 billion a year earlier. Revenues in the second quarter reached P28.09 billion, up 2.9 percent from P27.23 billion.

TUESDAY: OCTOBER13, 2015

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Monday, october 12, 2015

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 4.2 17 30.45 2.6 1.01 100 30.5 75 91.5 137 80 361.2 57 180 1700 124 3.26

2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.97 1.68 12.02 19.6 1.02 0.225 78 17.8 58 62 88.35 52 276 41 118.2 1200 59 2.65

AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources COL Financial Eastwest Bank I-Remit Inc. MEDCO Holdings Metrobank PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank Philippine trust Co. PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

2.6 69.45 108.50 83.50 41.1 2.45 1.24 15.6 19.64 1.84 0.630 83.85 18.50 25.60 54.20 108.1 122 296 30.45 144.2 1510.00 55.50 2.99

47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 89 148 20.6 125 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 2.89 17 31.8 109 15.3 9.4 0.98 241 79 3.95 4 74 33.9 90 13.26 293 12.98 6.75 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.86 7.34 238 3.28 0.315 2.18 2.65 234 5.28 1.3 2.17

35.9 1.11 1.01 1.86 7.92 40.3 32 15.32 62.5 10.08 29.15 1.5 1.5 10.72 9.55 9.04 6.02 8.86 1.06 8.61 20.2 71.5 13.24 5.34 0.395 173 34.1 2.3 1.63 33 23.35 17.3 5.88 250.2 8.45 3 3.03 1.95 1 4.02 1.65 5.9 161 1.55 0.138 1.02 2.09 152 4.28 0.640 1.2

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

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

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

Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Phoenix Semiconductor Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ Splash Corporation Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

43.5 1.53 0.9 1.67 12.2 51.2 83.15 16.82 97.05 25.1 42 2.39 2 10.2 10.300 7.50 6.10 7.85 1.82 12 23.4 67 13.00 5.98 2.660 197.40 31.25 2.1 3.05 46.85 23 22.5 5.53 301.20 7.10 3.7 3.55 2.12 2.35 4.01 3.1 5.5 140 2.3 0.149 1.38 1.93 195 4.77 0.68 1.28

0.59 59.2 30.05 2.16 7.39 3.4 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 3.68 4.92 0.66 1455 7.5 76 6.5 9.25 0.85 17.3 0.71 5.53 6.55 0.0670 2.31 1.61 2.99 84.9 3.5 974 1.66 1.39 390 156 0.710 0.435 0.510

0.44 48.1 20.85 1.6 6.62 0.23 634.5 7.390 12.8 2.6 1.15 2.26 0.152 837 5.3 49.55 3.43 4.84 0.59 12 0.580 4.2 4.5 0.030 1.23 0.550 2.26 59.3 1.5 751 1.13 0.93 170 80 0.211 0.179 0.310

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

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

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

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

Minerales Industrias Corp.

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

0.420 57.5000 18.46 1.12 6.60 0.250 775 7.23 12.60 3.5 3.1 4.08 0.260 1371 5.78 70.50 3.69 5.95 0.83 11.58 0.52 5.21 8.65 0.0370 1.250 1.940 2.83 49.95 2.86 879.00 1.22 0.75 188.00 90.600 0.3400 0.2170 0.250

10.5 1.99

6.74 0.65

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc.

6.430 0.67

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

SHARES 22,020,251 143,347,240 294,481,186 134,147,293 239,687,442 1,104,800,519 1,939,857,381

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 2.75 2.55 69.45 67.2 109.00 105.80 84.50 83.80 41.1 41 2.38 2.35 1.43 1.33 15.6 15.4 19.9 19.6 1.90 1.72 0.730 0.620 85.5 83.75 18.40 17.80 25.00 25.00 54.20 52.05 108.1 108 124 124 296.2 295 32.2 30.45 148 144.5 1520.00 1505.00 55.50 54.30 3.15 3.15 INDUSTRIAL 43.55 42.85 1.54 1.5 0.9 0.9 1.76 1.64 13.48 12.2 53.6 51.2 83.20 83.20 16.86 16.8 105 105 26.5 24.1 42 41.65 2.47 2.38 2.17 1.93 10.14 9.95 10.620 10.26 7.83 7.41 6.40 6.10 7.98 7.90 1.75 1.75 12.28 12 24.75 23.7 69 67.5 13.00 13.00 6.21 6.02 2.720 2.300 200.00 197.40 32.00 32.00 2.25 2 3.5 3.08 47.00 45.00 23.3 22.95 22.8 22.15 5.62 5.53 305.00 302.00 7.49 7.12 4.35 3.7 3.65 3.60 2.13 1.99 2.45 2.25 4.03 4.00 3.1 3.1 5.2 5 140 139 2.45 2.28 0.152 0.148 1.50 1.38 2.03 1.93 196.5 193.4 4.8 4.7 0.74 0.67 1.33 1.23 HOLDING FIRMS 0.420 0.420 58.4000 57.3500 18.76 18.18 1.12 1.06 6.50 6.50 0.250 0.245 775 770 7.28 7.16 12.92 12.60 5.02 3.6 4.3 3.79 4.08 3.91 0.270 0.255 1376 1322 5.80 5.79 72.10 70.80 4.55 3.7 6.23 6 0.89 0.84 11.6 11.32 0.54 0.54 5.29 5.08 8.64 8.42 0.0380 0.0350 1.400 1.220 1.980 1.920 2.85 2.84 49.00 47.75 2.70 2.69 884.00 873.00 1.31 1.21 0.77 0.77 188.00 188.00 94.800 87.500 0.3650 0.3500 0.2250 0.2160 0.250 0.249 PROPERTY 6.450 6.390 0.68 0.63

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

2.69 69.45 106.50 84.00 41.05 2.38 1.43 15.6 19.6 1.72 0.650 85.5 17.82 25.00 52.05 108.1 124 295 30.75 146.8 1520.00 54.30 3.15

3.46 0.00 -1.84 0.60 -0.12 -2.86 15.32 0.00 -0.20 -6.52 3.17 1.97 -3.68 -2.34 -3.97 0.00 1.64 -0.34 0.99 1.80 0.66 -2.16 5.35

39,000 7,300 1,679,610 1,190,270 104,800 65,000 211,000 2,300 130,800 50,000 14,627,000 2,169,300 300,700 5,000 242,930 4,260 20 300 98,500 483,340 110 970 1,000

43.2 1.5 0.9 1.65 12.9 53.6 83.20 16.8 105 26.5 41.65 2.46 1.94 10.14 10.300 7.50 6.39 7.92 1.75 12.28 24.65 67.5 13.00 6.1 2.310 200.00 32.00 2 3.09 45.00 23.15 22.8 5.54 303.00 7.34 4.35 3.65 2.01 2.3 4.01 3.1 5 140 2.28 0.150 1.38 2.03 194 4.75 0.69 1.29

-0.69 -1.96 0.00 -1.20 5.74 4.69 0.06 -0.12 8.19 5.58 -0.83 2.93 -3.00 -0.59 0.00 0.00 4.75 0.89 -3.85 2.33 5.34 0.75 0.00 2.01 -13.16 1.32 2.40 -4.76 1.31 -3.95 0.65 1.33 0.18 0.60 3.38 17.57 2.82 -5.19 -2.13 0.00 0.00 -9.09 0.00 -0.87 0.67 0.00 5.18 -0.51 -0.42 1.47 0.78

2,248,800 6,000 70,000 479,000 25,900 430 170 1,748,600 20 440,100 371,000 1,123,000 13,489,000 108,700 3,898,300 1,618,900 17,573,200 40,900 11,000 2,700 3,543,300 156,620 11,900 534,900 22,590,000 440,370 300 21,000 30,000 22,000 1,163,100 124,200 8,800 372,630 1,132,300 6,000 44,000 417,000 426,000 3,601,000 30,000 22,000 5,410 642,000 2,180,000 620,000 10,801,000 717,010 53,000 3,979,000 1,352,000

0.420 57.5000 18.50 1.06 6.50 0.245 775 7.16 12.84 4 4.3 4.00 0.270 1350 5.80 71.50 4.2 6.2 0.86 11.46 0.54 5.15 8.49 0.0350 1.230 1.920 2.85 47.75 2.69 884.00 1.25 0.77 188.00 94.800 0.3500 0.2500 0.250

0.00 0.00 0.22 -5.36 -1.52 -2.00 0.00 -0.97 1.90 14.29 38.71 -1.96 3.85 -1.53 0.35 1.42 13.82 4.20 3.61 -1.04 3.85 -1.15 -1.85 -5.41 -1.60 -1.03 0.71 -4.40 -5.94 0.57 2.46 2.67 0.00 4.64 2.94 15.21 0.00

30,000 1,734,780 28,495,721.00 9,575,700 98,605,666.00 12,000 4,600 470,000 130,410 -957,905.00 573,000 96,248.00 5,297,400 -12,018,806.00 295,000 58,000 1,071,000 580,000 173,055 106,293,465.00 16,400 -88,008.00 1,898,760 7,577,730.50 12,000 4,359,600 -9,476,707.00 3,344,000 -17,000.00 4,550,600 6,488,214.00 40,000 20,895,600 -27,436,376.00 1,587,100 102,720.00 195,900,000 59,000 1,891,000 11,000 376,800 -11,527,525.00 10,000 177,580 39,791,365.00 807,000 2,000 60 85,260 -1,971,187.00 10,350,000 34,000.00 300,000 460,000

6.390 0.63

-0.62 -5.97

1,046,700 848,000

401,010.00 -25,621,463 37,607,418.50

-968,986.00 172,690.00 3,414,910.50 -82,800.00 -1,751,608.00

-659,985 19,292,360.00 75,500.00

-25,392,785.00

25,900,976.00 -10,035,900 -192,560.00 -504,680.00 138,928.00 -6,262,566.00 4,166,771.00 28,386,641.00

15,460,400.00 -5,104,094.50 126,100.00 33,260.00 -11,440.00 24,013,825.00

-9,701,290.00 -314,640.00 -7,202.00 1,075,646.00 1,987,052.00 10,050.00 -125,730.00 93,000.00 -12,050.00 17,710,760.00 52,305,110.00

-928,980.00

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low 1.75 41.4 5.6 5.59 1.44 0.201 0.69 10.96 0.97 0.305 2.22 2.1 1.8 5.94 0.180 0.72 8.54 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 7.56 1.62 8.59

1.2 30.05 3.36 4.96 0.79 0.083 0.415 2.4 0.83 0.188 1.15 1.42 1.27 4.13 0.090 0.39 2.69 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 3.38 0.83 5.73

10.5 66 1.44 1.09 28.5 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 7.67 1700 2720 8.41 1.97 119.5 7 12.5 0.017 0.8200 2.2800 5.93 12.28 3.32 2.53 1 15.2 0.62 1.040 22.8 6.41 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1

1.97 35.2 1 0.63 18.2 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 4.8 830 1600 5.95 1.23 102.6 3.01 8.72 0.011 0.041 1.200 2.34 6.5 1.91 1.01 0.650 6 0.335 0.37 14.54 3 79 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55

STOCKS

Close

Araneta Prop `A’ Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ Cebu Holdings Century Property Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Global-Estate Filinvest Land,Inc. Interport `A’ Megaworld MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Realty `A’ Primex Corp.

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

11.6 0.85 2.95 10 0.490 1.9

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

Cebu Air Inc. (5J) DFNN Inc. FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ IPeople Inc. `A’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Manila Bulletin Melco Crown MG Holdings NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings 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 17.24 25 0.330 12.7 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.440 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 1.030 3.06 0.020 0.021 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9

0.0043 6.47 9.43 0.236 6.5 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.2160 0.013 0.014 3.240 18.96 2.11 0.365 1.54 0.012 0.013 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67

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

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

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

TA Petroleum

70 553 120 8.21 12.28 1047 84.8

33 490 101.5 5.88 6.5 1011 75

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

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

6.98

0.8900 LR Warrant

15 88 12.88

3.5 13.5 5.95

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

Makati Fin. Corp.

IRipple E-Business Intl Xurpas

High

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

1.190 1.190 1.190 37.550 36.400 36.800 3.15 3.06 3.08 5.03 5 5.03 0.64 0.61 0.62 0.114 0.110 0.112 0.435 0.430 0.430 20.75 20 20.6 0.950 0.930 0.930 0.162 0.162 0.162 1.31 1.21 1.23 1.79 1.73 1.78 1.35 1.28 1.34 4.85 4.58 4.6 0.085 0.083 0.085 0.4200 0.4200 0.4200 7.98 7.85 7.85 29.35 28.75 29.00 1.58 1.56 1.56 3.15 3.15 3.15 22.00 21.40 21.85 0.74 0.73 0.73 8.18 8.17 8.18 1.380 1.110 1.240 5.500 5.180 5.500 SERVICES 7.75 7.8 7.76 7.8 63 63.4 63 63 1.1 1.15 1.12 1.12 0.600 0.600 0.560 0.600 29 29 29 29 5.95 6.03 5.75 5.80 0.0570 0.0580 0.0550 0.0550 3.8 3.84 3.72 3.84 84.6 86.2 84.8 85.9 5.49 5.55 5.00 5.00 974 955 955 955 2242 2300 2250 2300 6.56 6.64 6.55 6.62 1.21 1.23 1.20 1.22 77.7 80 78 79.4 5.79 4.51 4.51 4.51 11.86 11 11 11 0.010 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.180 0.182 0.178 0.181 1.4400 1.4700 1.4300 1.4500 2.15 2.25 2.15 2.25 8.36 8.60 8.28 8.45 3.98 4.00 3.85 3.88 1.14 1.18 1.18 1.18 0.620 0.640 0.600 0.640 3.88 3.91 3.78 3.79 0.320 0.320 0.295 0.310 0.570 0.850 0.590 0.840 18.7 18.8 18.8 18.8 4.58 4.75 4.50 4.50 97.00 96.00 96.00 96.00 18.92 18.92 18.60 18.92 2260.00 2348.00 2262.00 2276.00 0.580 0.590 0.570 0.570 1.080 1.090 1.050 1.050 32.65 33.20 32.65 33.10 75.00 76.30 75.00 76.10 7.03 7.24 6.90 7.03 5.70 5.90 5.72 5.73 0.47 0.47 0.46 0.46 1.5 1.5 1.47 1.5 3.51 3.71 3.54 3.7 0.360 0.355 0.350 0.355 3.650 3.880 3.660 3.660 MINING & OIL 0.0048 0.0050 0.0047 0.0050 4.89 5.16 4.92 4.96 10.58 12.20 12.20 12.20 0.189 0.205 0.190 0.200 5.8000 6.1400 5.8000 6.1000 0.72 0.75 0.72 0.74 0.65 0.67 0.65 0.67 8.36 8.90 8.37 8.88 0.93 1.3 0.97 1.3 0.290 0.295 0.285 0.295 0.183 0.195 0.185 0.194 0.199 0.205 0.205 0.205 0.0097 0.0100 0.0097 0.0100 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 1.99 2.51 2.05 2.33 6.87 7.33 7.05 7.21 2.77 2.99 2.77 2.85 0.5900 0.6000 0.5900 0.6000 1.3600 1.5900 1.4000 1.5400 0.0094 0.0094 0.0088 0.0088 0.0090 0.0093 0.0093 0.0093 3.89 4.01 3.87 4.00 4.96 5.380 4.980 5.33 1.37 1.470 1.400 1.40 0.0120 0.0130 0.0110 0.0130 139.80 139.40 137.50 137.50 2.4 2.45 2.37 2.45 PREFERRED 65 66.4 65 65.25 532 532 528 528 115.6 116 116 116 6.4 6.4 6.3 6.4 1.12 1.12 1.11 1.12 1028 1035 1035 1035 82 82.5 82 82.1 79 79.2 79 79.2 78.6 79 78.9 79 79.95 80.05 79.5 79.5 WARRANTS & BONDS 2.880 3.000 2.880 2.900 SME 3.22 3.2 3.15 3.15 64.5 64.5 63.4 64.4 15.34 15.4 14.8 14.96 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 117.1 117.1 116.3 116.7

3.48 -2.13 0.65 0.60 -1.59 0.00 0.00 3.10 0.00 -0.61 5.13 0.00 4.69 -3.16 0.00 9.09 1.95 0.00 -2.50 -0.94 0.92 0.00 0.12 -4.62 6.18

11,000 6,192,100 1,751,000 36,000 4,724,000 6,120,000 910,000 1,630,600 3,476,000 100,000 19,259,000 14,430,000 649,000 24,785,000 830,000 30,000 105,600 3,032,300 164,000 9,000 6,201,900 800,000 13,700 26,008,000 7,783,300

0.65 0.00 1.82 0.00 0.00 -2.52 -3.51 1.05 1.54 -8.93 -1.95 2.59 0.91 0.83 2.19 -22.11 -7.25 10.00 0.56 0.69 4.65 1.08 -2.51 3.51 3.23 -2.32 -3.13 47.37 0.53 -1.75 -1.03 0.00 0.71 -1.72 -2.78 1.38 1.47 0.00 0.53 -2.15 0.00 5.41 -1.39 0.27

43,900 112,620 142,000 2,636,000 900 5,835,000 1,412,923.00 68,610,000 110,000.00 14,000 208,480 2,659,900.00 577,100 -10,720.00 10 59,670 -35,695,250.00 147,400 161,000 1,705,790 -57,144,251.50 400 300 1,500,000 2,230,000 -36,400.00 628,000 -20,000.00 13,000 1,093,800 2,410,791.00 1,340,000 16,030.00 3,000 162,000 2,504,000 1,133,350.00 890,000 102,853,000 -1,529,130.00 100,000 20,000 1,250 96,000.00 54,000 -325,080.00 57,940 1,704,360.00 150,000 5,752,000 365,300.00 694,400 7,534,700.00 138,400 5,259,246.50 6,599,100 -922,675.00 15,729,300 -3,016,973.00 4,390,000 -1,013,400.00 37,000 7,767,000 -9,707,290.00 300,000 1,306,000

4.17 1.43 15.31 5.82 5.17 2.78 3.08 6.22 39.78 1.72 6.01 3.02 3.09 0.00 17.09 4.95 2.89 1.69 13.24 -6.38 3.33 2.83 7.46 2.19 8.33 -1.65 2.08

292,000,000 246,000.00 1,569,000 -2,957,570.00 200 190,000 6,300 296,000 -21,900.00 386,000 216,200 7,533.00 105,028,000 -3,391,980.00 560,000 17,020,000 510,000 372,000,000 200,000 3,790,000 -1,613,470.00 11,057,300 1,859,861.00 605,000 57,000.00 121,000 1,951,000 18,880.00 16,000,000 4,000,000 17,000 1,571,000 -968,700.00 1,109,000 -369,520.00 272,300,000 -100,300.00 256,760 -15,055,022.00 356,000

0.38 -0.75 0.35 0.00 0.00 0.68 0.12 0.25 0.51 -0.56

747,460 60 40,000 331,400 32,000 20 83,300 46,780 255,100 136,170

0.69

163,000

-2.17 -0.16 -2.48

62,000 3,480 1,304,700

-0.34

3,270

51,539,115.00 2,052,350.00 -25,132.00 -451,450.00 -10,323,250.00 -24,440.00 -2,673,280.00 -622,590.00 -72,159,030.00

17,275,150.00 45,155,690.00 -216,510.00 10,735,381.00

-14,432,956.00 2,795,600.00 -690,450.00

108,732.00

99,088.00

T op L oSerS

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,591.51 (up) 1.45 INDUSTRIAL 11,075.80 (up) 95.04 HOLDING FIRMS 6,615.66 (up) 12.97 PROPERTY 3,044.39 (down) 22.35 SERVICES 1,717.90 (up) 17.83 MINING & OIL 11,526.18 (up) 456.28 PSEI 7,150.29 (up) 11.38 All Shares Index 4,094.13 (up) 14.38 Gainers: 120 Losers: 72; Unchanged: 32; Total: 224

Close

1.150 37.600 3.06 5 0.63 0.112 0.430 19.98 0.930 0.163 1.17 1.78 1.28 4.75 0.085 0.3850 7.7 29.00 1.6 3.18 21.65 0.73 8.17 1.300 5.180

T op g ainerS VALUE 624,277,133.01 1,394,903,919.42 1,734,066,112.615 833,692,970.06 913,332,473.53 284,694,352.7584 5,805,327,318.395

Low

Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

NOW Corp.

0.840

47.37

Imperial Res. `A'

4.51

-22.11

Ferronickel

1.3

39.78

Ionics Inc

2.310

-13.16

F&J Prince 'B'

4.3

38.71

Roxas Holdings

5

-9.09

Phil H2O

4.35

17.57

DFNN Inc.

5.00

-8.93

Marcventures Hldgs., Inc.

2.33

17.09

IPeople Inc. `A'

11

-7.25

Bright Kindle Resources

1.43

15.32

I-Remit Inc.

1.72

-6.52

Atok-Big Wedge `A'

12.20

15.31

Oriental Pet. `A'

0.0088

-6.38

Wellex Industries

0.2500

15.21

A. Brown Co., Inc.

0.63

-5.97

F&J Prince 'A'

4

14.29

Seafront `A'

2.69

-5.94

Jolliville Holdings

4.2

13.82

Pacifica `A'

0.0350

-5.41

TUESDAY: OCTOBER 13, 2015

B3

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

Market advances; EDC leads gainers

FLI promo winner.

Filinvest Land Inc.’s new brand ambassador Richard Yap (second from left) and FLI executives led by senior vice president Francis Ceballos (left) and vice president for real estate marketing Bernadette Ramos (right) award the EastWest Gift Card prize to Purificacion dela Torre, mother of lucky Filinvest home buyer, Sheena Dela Torre, who won twice in Filinvest 60 for 60’s first monthly draw. FLI held the awarding of raffle prize to dela Torre amounting to P120,000 at the recent Filinvest Property Festival. Last July, FLI launched the raffle promo for its selected Futura Homes, Filinvest and Filinvest Premiere brands, where 60 lucky home buyers have a chance to win P60,000 cash prize.

Bigger terminal up by year-end—ICTSI

By Darwin G. Amojelar

INTERNATIONAL Container Terminal Services Inc. said on Monday it expects to increase its import capacity by double digits once the expansion of Manila International Container Terminal is completed before the end of the year.

The port operator, owned by billionaire Enrique Razon Jr., said MICT was set to finish the first stage expansion of Yard 7 before the year ends.

Upon completion, the Phase 1 development will increase the terminal’s existing import capacity by 18 percent. The entire area of Phase 1 will store 6,500 20-foot equivalent units.

The new yard is part of ICTSI’s $35-million expansion project for the MICT aimed at immediately

addressing the growing volumes at the Port of Manila.

Complementary to the new yard is the development of an inland container depot in Laguna, about 21 hectares, where ICTSI has earmarked $30 million.

Earlier, ICTSI acquired new container handling equipment worth $50 million in preparation for the operational launch of its port in Columbia next year.

ICTSI said its unit Sociedad

Puerto Industrial de Aguadulce S.A. recently received four per post Panamax quay cranes and five rubber tired gantries for Aguadulce Multi-User Container Terminal at the Port of Buenaventura.

In July 2007, ICTSI won the 30-year concession for the construction and operation of a container terminal and grains and coal-handling facility at the Port of Buenaventura.

ICTSI posted a net income of $100.4 million in the first half of the year, down one percent from last year’s $101.7 million.

Revenues amounted to $552.1 million in the first half of the year, up eight percent from $510.3 million on year.

ICTSI handled consolidated volume of 3.90 million TEUs in the first six months this year, up 9 percent from 3.57 million TEUs

in the same period in 2014.

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

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

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

ICTSI in July joined four other groups that submitted prequalification documents for the P18.99-billion Davao Sasa Port modernization project, the government’s first seaport project under the public-private partnership scheme.

STOCKS rose Monday in step with a rally in the regional market on expectations the Federal Reserve will delay an interest rate rise until next year.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 11.38 points, or 0.2 percent, to 7,150.29 on a value turnover of P5.8 billion. Gainers overwhelmed losers, 120 to 72, with 32 issues unchanged.

Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-biggest lender in terms of assets, climbed 2 percent to P85.50, while Globe Telecom Inc., the second-largest telecommunications firm, advanced 2.6 percent to P2,300.

Energy Development Corp., the biggest producer of steam energy, rallied 4.8 percent to P6.39, while JG Summit Holdings Inc. of industrialist John Gokongwei rose 1.4 percent to P71.50.

Shanghai, meanwhile, led a broad Asian equities rally Monday on hopes of fresh Chinese economic stimulus.

The greenback had edged up at the start of the day--clawing back some of last week’s losses-after the vice chairman of the Fed raised the prospect that borrowing costs could still go up this year despite a global slowdown.

The recent rally across assets follows a torrid July-September quarter that saw trillions wiped off stock valuations and highyielding, or riskier, currencies tumble.

Among other share markets Hong Kong finished 1.21 percent up, while Seoul ended 0.10 percent higher, Taipei surged 1.5 percent by the close and Singapore was 1.19 percent stronger in the afternoon.

However, Sydney closed down 0.9 percent after rising every day last week.

Global markets went into meltdown in August after China devalued its yuan currency, fanning worries about the state of the world’s number two economy, while traders were also on edge over the expected US rate rise.

However, with China due to release key indicators this week, including on trade and inflation, dealers are hoping it will announce more economy-boosting measures. With AFP

Banks’ rediscount loans decline sharply amid ample liquidity

By Julito G. Rada BANK loans under the rediscount facilities of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas declined sharply in the first nine months from a year ago due mainly to enough liquidity in the financial system.

Data from the Bangko Sentral on Monday showed total availments of thrift and rural banks under the peso rediscount facility dropped 61 percent to P397 million for the period Jan. 1 to Sept.

30 from P1.017 billion a year ago.

“Out of the aggregate availments for the period, 89.6 percent went to commercial credits, 2.9 percent to production credits and 7.5 percent to other credits consisting of housing [4.4 percent)], permanent working capital [1.7 percent] and CAPEX [capital expenditures], 1.4 percent,” the Bangko Sentral said.

Under the exporters’ dollar and yen rediscount facility, total availments of a universal bank amounted to $0.7 million and

benefitted one exporter. This represented an 89.9-percent decrease in availments compared with $6.9 million in grants on year.

Meanwhile, there was no yendenominated availment under EDYRF during the period, nor for the same period last year.

The Bangko Sentral said another reason for the decline in loan availments was the increase in rediscounting rates implemented recently.

Domestic liquidity or money

supply in the financial system in August grew 9 percent to P7.789 trillion from P7.148 trillion yearon-year, due mainly to sustained demand for credit in the domestic economy.

The August expansion was faster than the 8.4-percent growth year-on-year in the month of July.

Domestic claims grew 13 percent in August from 11.3 percent in July. Credits to the private sector increased at a faster pace relative to the previous month.

The rediscount facilities of the

Bangko Sentral allow banks to borrow money to meet shortterm liquidity requirements.

The peso rediscounting facility on Nov. 15, 2013 became an openvolume window. The Bangko Sentral said the arrangement would enable banks to tap the facility for any amount subject to eligibility requirements.

The Bangko Sentral said it was just part of a package of measures to address liquidity problems due to challenges that could affect global financial markets.

B4

Grant for coop bank. Agricultural Credit Policy Council executive director Jovita Corpuz (second from left) and Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala (second from right) turn over a P20-million check to the representatives of Cooperative Bank of Ilocos Norte to aid in the expansion of the implementation of government’s agriculture and fisheries financing program which aims to contribute to the attainment of inclusive growth through financial inclusion of the unbanked and underbanked sectors in agriculture.

PH remains resilient—Moody’s

By Julito G. Rada

GLOBAL debt watcher Moody’s Investors Service said Monday the Philippines’ rating is resilient to slowing growth in Asia, as the country is expected to sustain economic strength over the next couple of years.

Moody’s said un a credit analysis on the Philippines the country’s Baa2 government bond rating reflected the resilience of its economy to the current headwinds affecting neighboring countries and other emerging markets.

“Further, the stable outlook reflects Moody’s expectation that positive economic and fiscal trends will be sustained over the next one to two years. However, these will be balanced against the persistent weaknesses in the sovereign’s cred-

it profile,” Moody’s said.

Moody’s said it examined the sovereign rating in four categories, such as economic strength, which was assessed as “high”; institutional strength, “moderate (+)”; fiscal strength, “moderate”; and susceptibility to event risk, “low”.

The report was an annual update to investors and not a rating action.

Moody’s said domestic demand in the Philippines cushioned the effects of weaker exports amid slowing growth in

much of the Asia-Pacific region.

It said risks to the government’s external liquidity and funding conditions arising from the prospective tightening by the US Federal Reserve were manageable.

“Internally, although political noise has increased ahead of general elections next year, Moody’s does not expect the improvements in institutional strength to reverse. Reform momentum has been largely sustained, leading to improved assessments of competitiveness and governance,” it said.

Moody’s, however, said bottlenecks in fiscal expenditure continued to weigh on growth and could threaten the government’s capacity to meet its goal of increasing infrastructure spending to at least 5 percent of gross domestic products by 2016.

“Nevertheless, the govern-

ment’s public-private partnership program has gained some traction, following a slow start at the outset of the Aquino administration,” it said.

Moody’s said the government’s debt as a share of GDP was expected to decline for the fifth consecutive year in 2015 as fiscal deficits remained lower than budgeted.

Both public and private sectors also relied less on cross-border sources of financing in recent years, leading to improved external debt ratios and lowering the country’s susceptibility to volatile capital flows, it said.

“Nevertheless, the government’s revenue—as measured against GDP—is low and debt affordability remains weak when compared to investment-grade peers, although both ratios have improved in recent years,” Moody’s said.

93% of Filipino investors confident on retirement

By Gabrielle H. Binaday A STUDY by insurance company Manulife shows that around 93 percent of Filipino investors are confident about their financial situation in retirement.

The study also found that more than a quarter (26 percent) of those that have begun planning for their retirement started their plans in their 40s or older.

The research carried out for the Manulife Investor Sentiment Index revealed that more than four fifths (82 percent) of investors had started retirement planning.

The average age when Filipinos start their retirement planning is 35.5 years. Among those who have not started retirement planning, the average age at which they intend to begin is 41 years.

“Expenditures are unlikely to fall significantly during retirement and people could

live in retirement longer than expected. Investors also need to take into consideration the effect of inflation, which erodes retirement savings by lowering purchasing power and therefore living standards,” said Ryan Charland, president and chief executive of Manulife Philippines.

“We encourage investors to plan for retirement early to increase their chances of having enough to support the lifestyle they want once they retire, without having to depend on family or additional sources of income,” Charland said.

The survey also showed that investors preparing for their retirement in the Philippines saved an average of 12 percent of their monthly income towards retirement and wealth accumulation.

“They [investors] expect 58 percent of their retirement income to come from cash savings, insurance saving products

and pensions, 13 percent from a full or part time job and 11 percent in the form of financial assistance from the family,” Manulife said.

The study found that investors were focusing on building up their pension plans, with almost all respondents (97 percent) making mandatory contributions and nearly two thirds (64 percent) making additional voluntary contributions.

“Many Filipino investors recognize the need to supplement their mandatory pension plans to maintain their current standard of living in retirement,” said Aira Gaspar, chief investment officer of Manulife Philippines.

Gaspar said the effective way to achieve their current standard of living was to make regular contributions to a portfolio of investments that are diversified across asset classes that match the investor’s risk and return objectives.

Malayan is leading non-life insurer MALAYAN Insurance Co. Inc. has re-established itself as the country’s number one non-life insurer, based on the rankings by the Insurance Commission.

Annual reports and financial statements submitted by non-life and general insurance companies to the Insurance Commission showed that Malayan continued to widen its lead over its rivals, cornering 11.8-percent market share in 2014.

Malayan’s gross premiums written of P 7.3 billion in 2014 was the highest among the Philippines’ 69 non-life insurers.

This feat marked the 45th consecutive year, since 1970, that Malayan earned the number 1 position, further solidifying the company’s reputation as the most preferred non-life insurance provider in the country.

Malayan Insurance is a member of the Yuchengco Group of Companies, one of the country’s largest conglomerates into financial services, banking, investments, construction, education, energy and information technology.

Malayan Insurance offers a wide range of non-life insurance products such as fire, motorcar, accident, travel, casualty, aviation and marine insurance, as well as surety bonds to help fulfill the insurance needs of both Filipino corporations, families, and individuals.

T U E S D AY : O C T O B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

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

B5

July foreign investments rose 2% El Capitan tips IT’S been a week since I upgraded to El Capitan (OS X 10.11) on my MacBook Air and I’m still stumbling onto some of its new features that are not immediately obvious. Most of these are fairly minor features, but taken together, they can make your Mac just a wee bit easier to use.

Where did my cursor go?

It doesn’t happen a lot, but once in a while, I lose track of my cursor. With El Capitan, I no longer have to squint at the screen to find it. All I have to do is shake the mouse or rub the trackpad a few times, and the cursor grows larger, just long enough for me to spot it.

A new way to rename.

Linux and Windows users have long been able to right-click on a file and choose “rename.” Oddly, that option has not been available on Macs—until now. Is that really any easier than clicking on a file name in finder, or hitting the Enter key with the file highlighted?

Perhaps not, but it’s good to have that option.

By Julito G. Rada

Foreign direct investments rebounded with a 1.6-percent growth in July, supported by higher net equity capital infusions, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Monday.

Data showed net inflows of FDIs reached $458 million in July, up 1.6 percent from $451 million registered in the same month last year.

Net equity capital investments increased 45.3 percent in July to $152 million, as the $173-million capital infusions exceeded withdrawals of $21 million during the month.

The bulk of the equity capital placements came from Singapore, Hong Kong, the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom.

These foreign capital went to

the financial and insurance, mining and quarrying, real estate, manufacturing, and wholesale and retail trade activities.

Financial and insurance activities captured almost half of the increase in total equity capital placements during the period, reflecting investors’ confidence in the country’s sound financial system.

Bangko Sentral said despite the higher capital placements in July, net inflows of FDIs in the first seven months still fell 35.2 percent to $2.477 billion from $3.824 billion a year ago.

“Net equity capital placements increased marginally by 1 percent to $805 million from $797 million last year. This was not enough to offset the large declines in investments in debt instruments [by 51.6 percent] and reinvestment of earnings [by 12.7 percent],” Bangko Sentral said.

Equity capital placements in the seven-month period hit $1 billion, which came mostly from the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and Germany.

These were invested in manufacturing, financial and insurance, real estate, electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply and mining and quarrying activities.

Foreign direct investments posted a record $6.2-billion net inflow in 2014, up by 65.9 percent from $3.737 billion registered in 2013.

Pathfinder.

This one is mostly for propeller heads who like to use Terminal, but every so often, I’ve wanted to have a feature like this, too. To copy a file’s full pathname to the clipboard, just right-click on the file to call up a contextual menu. Then, tap the Option key to get “Copy Pathname” as an extra option.

Hide the menu bar Mac users have long been able to auto-hide the Dock at the bottom of the screen, tucking it away when it’s not needed to gain a little more desktop space. Unlike on Windows or Linux, however, the Mac’s menu bar was constant and immutable. This too has changed.

To get the menu bar to autohide, simply go to System Preferences > General, then check the box next to “Automatically hide and show menu bar.”

Move the Spotlight window On Yosemite, the Spotlight search bar appeared dead center near the top of the screen. This isn’t always the best spot for it, though, because it often gets obscured among other open windows—and there was no way to move it to another location. Now on On El Capitan, you can move the Spotlight search bar like any other window by dragging it to a new spot on the desktop. If a results window is attached to it, you can drag that as well. Unfortunately, once you’ve opened up a results window, that bumps up the search bar up—which is also where it will appear when you summon it next (with Command+Space). To restore the search bar to the default spot front and center, just hold down the magnifying glass icon on the menu bar.

You’ve got Mail.

I have to confess that I have not used the Mac’s built-in mail program (preferring to use Thunderbird for consistency, since that is what I use on my Linux desktop) but some new features that El Capitan added piqued my curiosity.

These include the ability to open multiple mail tabs in full screen mode, if you’d like to work on several e-mails at the same time, simply by typing Command+N. Like you would on an iPad, you can now delete and e-mail by swiping across it from right to left—only instead of swiping on the screen, you can perform the gesture on the trackpad.

Mail also enables you to add an event to the Calendar application with just one click if it detects a date in your incoming mail.

Search as you speak?

A cool feature of Spotlight is that it is now supposed to be capable of doing natural language searches such as “stuff I worked on today.” In practice, however, this has been a hit-or-miss affair for me (mostly miss), maybe because my primary language, English—without specifying US, UK or Australia, is not any of the supported ones. Too bad.

Column archives and blog at: http://www.chinwong.com

TVolution Stick.

Broadband and digital services leader PLDT Home launches the groundbreaking TVolution Stick in partnership with multinational technology company Intel. The compact ‘PC on a stick’ innovation transforms any HDMI-ready TV or monitor into a fully operational Windows computer. Shown during the product preview are (from left) PLDT and Smart executive vice president and consumer business group head Ariel Fermin, Intel Philippines country manager Calum Crisholm and PLDT vice president and Home marketing director Gary Dujali.

Exporters oppose pre-inspection system

By Othel V. Campos THE Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. said Monday the government’s plan to revive the pre-inspection system for Philippine-bound cargoes will result in unnecessary import costs and more delays in shipments.

PhilExport president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. raised the concern, as the government plans to revive the PIS and its inclusion in the proposed Customs Modernization and Tariff Act. The government said the preinspection system would speed up the delivery of shipments, with the elimination of x-ray and other inspections at the port of

destination and implementing the inspection at the port of loading, instead.

“In the context of the ports in Manila, the disadvantage multiplies, in that importers will also have to suffer from delays and extra costs due to traffic, demurrage and trucking,” Ortis-Luis said.

Ortiz-Luis said the cost of PIS should not be more than that of the x-ray inspection fee, which would be replaced by the new system.

He said the PIS was no longer being used in developed countries and was applied only in less developing countries.

“This gives us a signal that this

is no longer best practice and casts doubts on the willingness of our country-suppliers to install the facilities and equipment to handle our requirement for PIS,” he said.

Ortiz-Luis said the PIS policy could be implemented on a voluntary basis, “as the importer sees it fit for his operations and competitiveness.”

Meanwhile, the Port Users Confederation Inc. said the proposed program on PSI was a revenue or tax measure without legislative authorization.

“The penalties imposable are not authorized by any statute.

The exemption lists violate the equal protection clause,” it said.

TUESDAY: OCTOBER 13, 2015

B6

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

2GO ties up with Aferry.com

By Darwin G Amojelar

THE Philippines’ largest shipping logistics company, 2GO Travel, has teamed up with the largest online ferry ticket distribution network in the world in a bid to expand its international market.

2GO Travel vice president Stephen Tagud said the partnership with AFerry.com would broaden the ticket distribution of 2GO Travel and open the Philippines to a broader international market. The partnership is expected to make the booking of cruise tickets in and around the Philippines easier.

“This unprecedented partnership shows that Philippine sea travel has a bright future and is truly world class,” Tagud said.

AFerry.com, owned and operated by Travel Gateway Ltd., which promotes the services of 140 of the top ferry companies in Europe, North America, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand

and the Philippines, offering 1,800 routes throughout the world and receiving 4,000 bookings daily.

It has 3.5 million direct costumers and more than 9,000 affiliates agents worldwide. Bookings can also be easily placed and accessed with the their first multi-ferry IPhone app.

“We are honored to be announcing our association with 2GO Travel, the foremost ferry operator in The Philippines,” Dermot Cairns, vice president Asia Pacific for The Travel Gateway Ltd., said.

2GO Travel offers corporate and leisure travel, package tours, and special events, as well as maritime and hotel and food

services training.

Its parent company, 2GO Group Inc., reported a net income of P854.44 million in the first six months of the year from P568.97 million year-on-year.

Total consolidated revenues increased 22 percent to P8.55 billion from P7 billion in the same period last year.

Freight revenues jumped 19 percent to P1.81 billion, mainly due to higher volume arising from more round trips and optimized routing initiatives.

The passage business expanded 14 percent in terms of revenues to P2.13 billion as the group continues to innovate and improve service offerings.

2Go Travel continues to ride high with the improving domestic tourism industry that has a positive impact on the volume of sea travelers.

With the rapid expansion of the group’s non-shipping businesses, the revenue mix has further shifted to 54 percent non-shipping and 46 percent shipping.

RGM&Co. partner. R.G. Manabat & Co., the Philippine member firm of KPMG International, teams

up with Car Awards Group Inc. as the official tabulator of the Car of the Year-Philippines Awards and Truck of the Year Philippines Awards 2015. RGM&Co. The awarding ceremonies will be held on November 13, 2015 at the Fontana Hot Spring Leisure Parks & Casino in Clark Field, Pampanga. Sealing the partnership are (from left) RGM&Co. head of advisory Henry Antonio, CAGI president Robby Consunji, RGM&Co. vice chairman and chief operating officer Emmanuel Bonoan, CAGI vice president Charlie Cruz and CAGI treasurer Neil Pagulayan.

Ebdane advocates responsible mining ZAMBALES Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. said he will support the mining industry as long as companies are responsible by protecting the environment and keeping pollution to a minimum.

Ebdane Jr. acknowledged the negative effects of mining but said “responsible mining” would be the guiding principle for all companies and the government in Zambales.

“Whether we admit it or not, all mining operations worldwide have their downside, which is environmental destruction,” Ebdane said.

“But mining is a necessary evil.

Our industries would suffer and the national economy would collapse without the mining industry,” Ebdane said. “Hence, we can’t escape mining.”

He urged mining companies that operate in Zambales to follow the

existing mining laws to ensure environmental protection and prevent diseases.

“The government recognizes the contributions of the mining industry to the Philippine economy, but mining firms have to be responsible by cleaning all the mess they create while in pursuit of those valuable mineral and metal ores,” Ebdane said.

The official said mining companies should also help host communities and provide employment.

“Responsible mining involves prevention, mitigation and management of environmental issues like pollution, river siltation and soil erosion,” Ebdane said.

He defended the decision of the Environment Department and the Mines and Geosciences Board to suspend temporarily suspend the

operations of some mining companies in the province until they addressed environmental issues.

The MGB later lifted the suspension order on Benguetcorp Nickel Mines Inc. and Zambales Diversified Metals Corp. after the two agreed to construct alternate roads devoted solely to mining operations and install safety measures to prevent pollution.

Ebdane, in an Aug. 3 letter to Environment Secretary Ramon Paje, recommended a conditional lifting of the suspension order on Benguetcorp. and Zambales Diversified after the two complied with the requirements of the MGB and the Environmental Management Bureau to build a “backdoor mining hauling road,” or “onemine haul road,” devoted for mining operations.

Four bulwarks vs bad governance THE story of the post-Independence quest for good governance in this country has almost entirely been the story of one institution, namely the Committee on Accountability of Public Officers, a.k.a. the Blue Ribbon Committee of the Senate. True, the Executive branch of the government has fielded its special investigation agency—e.g., the PCAPE (Presidential Commission on Administrative Performance and Efficiency) and the PAGC (Presidential Anti-Graft Commission) in that quest, but ferreting out bad civil servants has almost entirely been the job of the Blue Ribbon Committee.

Not anymore. Where there was only one government gun—at most two—blazing against the malefactors in government, now there are at least four guns blazing.

The leader in the fight against good governance is still the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, but it is no longer fighting alone.

Now it has company.

At the top of the list of new Senate allies in the fight against bad governance is the Office of the Ombudsman. A Constitutional body, the Office patterned after similar offices in the Scandinavian countries, is mandated to seek out and punish the bad eggs in the government. The office of the Ombudsman and its earlier occupants were regarded with near-disrespect, even derision, by the Filipino people during the administration of President Gloria Arroyo and her predecessors, but things change with the assumption of office of PNoy Aquino’s appointee to the position of Ombudsman.

Conchita Carpio-Morales, a former Supreme Court Justice, has shown the nation what an Ombudsman truly is and how her Office should function. She dusted off cases that had not been acted upon by her immediate predecessor and went hammer-and-tongs after allegedly corrupt, oppressive and incompetent government officials. The latest official to experience her disciplining authority is the suspended mayor of Makati City.

Another of the Senate’s new allies in the fight against good governance is CoA (Commission on Audit). Slow moving and unfocused under a succession of not-top-caliber chairmen, CoA came back to life with the assumption of the chairmanship

by Grace Pulido-Tan and the appointment as Commissioner of Heidi Mendoza, now a UN Undersecretary General.

Working in collaboration, CoA and the Office of the Ombudsman have built cases against a growing number of high-profile government malefactors, including high-rank military officials and local-government heads. Undoubtedly, the most celebrated victims of this newfound cooperation between the two institutions have been the participants in the alleged PDAF (priority development assistance fund) scams involving Janet Napoles.

The latest newcomer to the list of Senate allies against bad governance is the AMLC (Anti-Money Laundering Council).

Created in order to make possible the Philippines’ removal from the Financial Management Council’s blacklist of suspected money-laundering countries, AMLC has been instrumental in the indictment of numerous Filipinos—including public officials—for undertaking financial transactions violative of the Anti-Money Laundering Act. AMLC reports and data have figured prominently in the 2014-2015 Senate investigation of the allegations of wrongdoing by Vice President Jejomar Binay and his son Jejomar Jr. Working together closely, these four institutions—the Office of the Ombudsman, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, COA and AMLC—have been, and are, a formidable force for good governance. They are our foremost bulwarks against bad governance in this country. Together, they will, in the coming days, hold accountable appointed and elected public officials who engage in such activities as overpricing public facilities, flouting bidding procedures, demanding kickbacks, maintaining dummies for their illegally acquired assets and filling public payrolls and beneficiary lists with non-existent people.

E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

T U E S D AY : O C T O B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

WORLD

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Suffering to bring shine to makeup GIRIDIH, India—Her face caked in dirt and hair matted with sweat, eight-year-old Lalita Kumari hacks away at pieces of rock containing an elusive mineral that adds a dash of sparkle to lipstick and nail polish.

While taking a breather in the hollow of a shimmery sand hill, Lalita says she has not known any other way of life after toiling in the mines of India’s eastern Jharkhand state since she was aged four.

“I want to go to school but there is never enough at home for us to eat. So I have to come here and work,” said the pony-tailed youngster, her blistered hands hid behind her back after laying down her pickax.

Lalita is among hundreds of children who help their families make ends meet by spending their day collecting mica, their stomachs often hungry while the sun beats down on their heads.

Two decades ago the Jharkhand government shut down the mines over environmental concerns but tons of scrap left behind continue to lure impoverished villagers.

The mica adds glitter to powders, mascara and lipsticks of the top global brands although a complex supply chain makes pinning down the exact origin almost impossible, say activists.

The families of the children who collect the mica often sell it to small traders who in turn sell it to the big suppliers.

In 2009, German pharma giant Merck was accused of using mica mined by children and supplying it to brands such as L’Oreal and Revlon.

Merck has since implemented several measures to make sure that “all mica used for the manufacture of our pigments comes from child labor-free sources,” the company said in a statement to AFP. Activists, however, say remote areas make monitoring impossible and there is no way to guarantee the mica is child-labor free. AFP

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New drama therapy lifts Iraq’s trauma-hit teeners BAGH DA D —Ha n e e n , who has spent most of her life in orphanages, says she used to stay weeks locked up in herself, aimlessly eating, watching TV and sleeping through each day.

Last week, the 13-year-old Iraqi girl was beaming with joy and excitement when the crowd at a Baghdad theater gave her and her friends a rousing round of applause.

“Now I’m happy. I sing, dance and joke with my friends from the orphanage,” she said. “I have changed.

People are asking me: ‘What happened? Have you gone crazy?’”

What happened was a project set up by the Ruya Foundation for Contemporary Culture in Iraq and aimed at introducing drama therapy in a country where almost everybody has suffered some kind of trauma.

The play at the Theater Forum, an edgy arts center that opened in a beautiful old building on the banks of the Tigris, was the culmination of a months-long program.

Six theater professionals were trained in Beirut by Catharsis, a drama therapy center led by director Zeina Daccache, known for her work with prisoners and migrant workers in Lebanon.

Bassem Altayeb was one of the trainees.

He took the lead in helping a small group of teenage girls from the Dar al-Zuhur orphanage in Baghdad put together a play that tackles the issues they face.

“Each one found some confidence and self-esteem, built their character... The script is about the girls saying: ‘We too have a right to live, to be protected and have dreams,’” he said.

On stage, one of the girls puts on a old white-haired man’s mask and, in a disturbing scene filled with doom, takes a young bride still clutching her doll to a nuptial room.

Lost childhood, early marriage, social inequalities: the play tackled a range of issues with a spontaneous mix of humor and gritty bluntness.

The young troupe also took a swipe at politicians and echoed the despair that is driving the country’s youth out of Iraq and onto Europe’s shores, drawing hearty laughter but also a few embarrassed chuckles from the crowd.

“I am proud of them today,” said a misty-eyed Iman Hassoon, the orphanage’s principal, after the show.

“I sometimes get men coming to the orphanage asking to adopt one of the girls,” she said, adding that she always refuses because she is afraid they will end up enslaved as maids or for prostitution.

“I hope they can use the energy they found with this play to protect themselves and carve a place of their own in society,” Hassoon said. AFP

InvItatIon to BId SUPPLY AND DELIVERY OF DESKTOP AND LAPTOP COMPUTERS FOR THE CREDIT INFORMATION CORPORATION PUBLIC BIDDING No. PB15-001 FUNDING SOURCE: CIC CORPORATE BUDGET FOR F.Y. 2015 1.

2.

Protest. Officers of the Baumettes prison block the entrance to the penitentiary

IN THE MATTER OF THE D.M. WENCESLAO & ASSOCIATES, INCORPORATED (Registrant) x ------------------------------------------------- x

: REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES : In relation to an Initial Public Offering : : :

NAME Delfin J. Wenceslao Jr. Delfin Angelo C. Wenceslao Carlos Delfin C. Wenceslao Edwin Michael C. Wenceslao Paolo Vincent C. Wenceslao Alberto E. Pascual Serafin U. Salvador, Jr. Sylvia C. Wenceslao Paul Mar M. Quinto Heherson M. Asiddao

POSITION Chairman, President and Director Chief Executive Officer and Director Director Treasurer and Director Chief Operating Officer and Director Independent Director Independent Director Vice President for Corporate Social Responsibility Corporate Secretary and Chief Legal Officer and Compliance Officer Chief Finance Officer

The Registration Statement and its attachments and any amendments (collectively referred to as “RS”) are open for inspection by interested parties during business hours. Copies thereof, photostatic or otherwise, shall be furnished to every party upon request at such reasonable fees as the Commission may prescribe. Said RS may be downloaded from the company’s website: www. dmwai.com.

(SGD) VICENTE GRACIANO P. FELIZMENIO. JR. Director (TS-OCT. 6 & 13, 2015)

APPROVED BUDGET FOR THE CONTRACT (ABC)

PRICE OF BIDDING DOCUMENT

1 lot

Supply and Delivery of Desktop and Laptop Computers

PHP 720,926.67

PHP 1,000.00

Bidders should have completed, within Three (3) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project.

The summary of the bidding activities is as follows: October 13, 2015 October 22, 2015 / 2:00 PM October 27, 2015 November 03, 2015 / 2:00 PM

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

4.

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.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders from the BAC Secretariat (see address below) and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents, in amounts pursuant to the Schedule.

NOTICE Notice is hereby given that on September 24, 2015, a revised sworn Registration Statement (“RS”) has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on behalf of D.M. WENCESLAO & ASSOCIATES, INCORPORATED for the registration of 2,145,861,200 common shares with a par value of P1.00 per share, to be offered and issued to the public by way of an initial public offering at a price of up to P44.00. This republication is being made to reflect the new indenpedent directors who were elected on September 11, 2015.

According to the documents presented on September 24, 2015, the following persons are the key officers/directors of the corporation:

DESCRIPTION

3.

SEC Building, EDSA, Greenhills, Mandaluyong City

MARKETS AND SECURITIES REGULATION DEPARTMENT

QUANTITY

Advertisement/Posting of Invitation to Bid Pre-Bid Conference Issuance of Bid Bulletin Deadline for Submission and Opening of Bids

in Marseille on Oct. 12, 2015. French trade unions CGT and SPS on Monday called for a protest, demanding the strengthening of the workforce and the removal of a paragraph that changes working conditions. AFP Republic of the Philippines Department of Finance Securities and Exchange Commission

T h e C R E D I T I N FO R M AT I O N C O R P O R AT I O N (C I C) i nv i t e s P h i l G E P S r e g i s t e r e d s u p p l i e r s t o b i d f o r t h e f o l l o w i n g i t e m s:

The Bidding Documents may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the PhilGEPS provided that Bidders shall pay the non-refundable price not later than the submission of their bids.

Interested bidders may inspect the Bidding Documents and obtain further information from the BAC Secretariat at the address given below.

6.

The CIC will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on October 22, 2015 / 2:00 PM which is open to all interested parties. Only those who have purchased the bidding documents may attend and participate.

7.

All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bid opening shall be conducted on November 03, 2015 / 2:00 PM at the CIC Office, 6F Exchange Corner Building, V.A. Rufino St. cor. Esteban St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend the opening. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8.

Bidders shall submit their duly accomplished eligibility requirements, technical and financial proposals in two separate sealed envelopes in the address indicated below.

9.

The CIC reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

10. For further information, please refer to: BAC Secretariat Credit Information Corporation 6F Exchange Corner Building V.A. Rufino Street cor. Esteban St. Legaspi Village, Makati City Email: bac-sec@creditinfo.gov.ph Telefax: (02) 893-7159

( T S - O C T. 13 , 2 015 )

MS. AILEEN L. AMOR – BAUTISTA Chairperson, BAC

T U E S D AY : O C T O B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

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CESAR BARRiOqUinTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

world

HK student leader in bid over vote rules HONG KONG—Hong Kong student leader Joshua Wong launched a court bid Monday demanding the age limit for candidates to stand for election in the city be lowered from 21 to 18.

Democracy activist Wong launched the bid on the eve of his 19th birthday and said if it was passed he would consider running for the city’s de facto parliament.

The teenager became the face of the Umbrella Movement protests for fully free leadership elections, which brought parts of the city to a standstill at the end of last year.

Despite the rallies, authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong refused to budge on political reform.

Since then Wong has said activists must turn to longer term strategies to bring change.

“I wish to tackle the current system through judicial review, and to call for more young people to participate in politics more comprehensively,” he said in a statement Monday after filing an application for judicial review at the city’s High Court.

Hong Kong residents can vote from the age of 18, but can only stand for office from the age of 21, something that Wong says is unconstitutional.

The current rules “were preventing us from our rights as promised according to human rights laws and the Basic Law (the city’s constitution)”, he said.

Wong added that it was necessary for the younger generation to be eligible to stand in order to challenge the “conservative political culture” of the pan-democrats currently in the legislature and to push for selfdetermination for Hong Kong.

The semi-autonomous city was returned to China by Britain in 1997 and is ruled under a “one country, two systems” deal that allows it much greater freedoms than seen on the mainland.

But there are fears that Beijing’s influence is increasing and freedoms are being eroded.

Last year’s mass protests were sparked after Beijing said the candidates for the city’s next leader must be vetted by a loyalist committee ahead of a public vote. AFP

Border town. This picture taken on Oct. 10, 2015, shows people walking in a shopping street in Andorra La Vella (Andorre-La-Vielle) in the east Pyrenees between France and Spain. AFP

Rushdie invitation puts book fair in controversy F R A N K F U R T—T h e world’s biggest book fair opens Wednesday under a cloud of controversy with Iran calling on all Muslim nations to boycott the exhibition because author Salman Rushdie has been invited to speak.

Organizers of the Frankfurt Book Fair defended the choice, saying freedom of expression was a key theme at this year’s gathering of writers and publishers, 10 months after Islamists marched into the Paris office of French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo and

gunned down its editorial team.

“We feel a strong politicalization this year and freedom of expression will be a key theme,” said Juergen Boos, director of the exhibition.

The show promises to be controversial even before its doors open, with a press conference on Tuesday to be headlined by Rushdie, who has a death warrant on his head over his 1989 book “The Satanic Verses”.

Iran’s then supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa saying the British author should be killed, forcing Rushdie to go into hiding and the British government placed the writer under police protection.

Tehran on Wednesday said it was boycotting the Frankfurt fair, because it had, “under the pretext

of freedom of expression, invited a person who is hated in the Islamic world and created the opportunity for Salman Rushdie... to make a speech”.

It also urged other Muslim nations to join its boycott.

It is perhaps ironic that the guest country of this year’s show is Indonesia—the nation with the world’s largest Muslim population.

About 70 writers from the Southeast Asian nation will attend, including author Laksmi Pamuntjak who will present her latest book “The Question of Red”, a love story set in the 1960s, a period of violent repression against communists.

Themes of barriers, borders and the fight against extremism will dominate during three days of discussions with 20 writers from

around the world, led by Danish author Janne Teller.

Held for the second consecutive year, the discussions, titled “Frankfurt Undercover”, are aimed at generating ideas aimed mainly at influencing political opinion.

The Frankfurt fair dates as far back as the Middle Ages with the invention of the Gutenberg press just down the road, and this year some 7,300 exhibitors will be present, with up to 300,000 visitors expected.

As in every edition, internationally renowned writers will be out in Frankfurt to promote their latest works, including Ken Follett, who is set to speak about the video game adaptation of his runaway success “Pillars of the Earth”. AFP

Jerusalem stabbing spreads new fear

Remembering the victims. People release 88 doves as political

leaders and families of the victims of the Bali bombings gathered on Sydney’s Coogee Beach on Oct. 12, 2015, to mark the 13th anniversary of the terrorist attack that killed 88 Australians. AFP

JERUSALEM—A new stabbing in Jerusalem’s Old City and a car attack spread more fear among Israelis on Monday as Palestinian unrest showed little sign of ending after nearly two weeks of violence.

Frustrated Palestinian youths have defied president Mahmud Abbas as well as an Israeli security crackdown by rioting in annexed east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, while 16 stabbings have targeted Jews since October 3.

There have been warnings of the risk of a full-scale Palestinian uprising, or third intifada.

In the latest stabbing, an Arab man attacked a policeman with a knife at an entrance to Jerusalem’s Old City and was shot dead by security forces.

The police officer’s protective vest stopped the knife and he was unharmed. The attacker was shot dead by other officers.

Police identified the attacker as an Arab without saying whether he was Palestinian or Arab Israeli.

The incident occurred at the Old City’s Lions Gate.

On Sunday night, four Jews were attacked near a kibbutz in northern Israel by an Arab Israeli who rammed them with his car

and then lunged at them with a knife.

The Israeli army said that two soldiers were hit by the car, with one of them seriously injured, and two civilians were stabbed.

Stabbing attacks have killed two Israelis and wounded around 20.

The violence began on October 1, when an alleged Hamas cell shot dead a Jewish settler couple in the West Bank in front of their children.

It followed repeated clashes at Jerusalem’s flash point Al-Aqsa mosque compound in September between Israeli security forces and Palestinian youths. AFP

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TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR

BING PAREL A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

BERNADETTE LUNAS

life @ thestandard.com .ph

WRITER

@LIFEatStandard

A RTS, CU LT U RE & T ECH

LIFE

‘BenCab: The Filipino Artist’ retrospective exhibit showcases BenCab's proficiency in different art forms; aside from painting and printmaking, he also explored sculpture as seen in this piece titled Mother & Child.

The evolution of BenCab

BY BERNADETTE LUNAS

“I

t’s fun!” National Artist for Visual Arts Benedicto Cabrera candidly responded when asked to describe his 50-year journey as an artist. Then he quipped, “You’re looking for struggle?”

Truth is, for mere mortals it’s hard to believe that making art and thriving in this field aren't rife with agony and frustration, at least once in a while. But we are not BenCab, who at age seven started painting on walls and pavements, and has not stopped since then.

“I’m curious. I like to try a lot of things,” he said. From drawing and painting on walls and pavements he moved on to canvases and handmade paper, and further explored other media such as printmaking, sculpture, performance art and interactive art.

With a prolific professional career that started when he staged his first group show in 1965 at the Art Association of the Philippines, it would seem like he’s done everything. But always up to reinvent himself and evolve with the times, BenCab, at 73, looks forward to exhibiting a series of his drawings on a Samsung Note 5.

“As long as you’re living, you should feed that curiosity,” advised BenCab. “Do what you can, if you can do it just continue as long as you’re living.”

Throughout the five decades of his creative career, BenCab became identified with certain images, notably the intriguing Sabel – a bedraggled lady clothed in plastic scraps, hair disheveled, skin soiled with dirt and grime, scavenging and wandering the streets of Bambang in Tondo, Manila – who has grown and has taken different variations from the day he first saw her. The National Artist also continues to explore his Larawan series – a collection of paintings that started in the late 1960s and based on colonial Filipino photographs he discovered at a Chelsea antique shop when he was living in London.

The long list of accolades bestowed on him attests to his solid and enduring contribution to Philippine contemporary art. He received the Thirteen Artists Award in 1970, Kalinangan Award for Painting from the City of Manila in 1988, Gawad CCP Para Sa Sining

On display are over a hundred BenCab artworks curated by Dannie Alvarez that represent his creative career in a span of 50 years.

Biswal in 1992, and ASEAN Achievement Award for Visual and Performing Arts and Outstanding Citizen of Baguio Award for Arts in 1997, among many others.

In 2006, he was conferred the Order of National Artist for Visual Arts – that alone says a lot.

BenCab also founded the BenCab Art Foundation, Inc., that supports activities related to the arts and environment, and the BenCab Museum in Baguio where he is now based.

BenCab, despite his fame and fortune, remains his reserved, shy and easy-going self, whose candor is often funny and always admirable. “I’m actually boring!” he said when asked if he had quirks typical to many artists.

But for many of us living in a world filled with BenCab’s art, we can only understand the artist through his works. Thus, to mark his 50 fruitful years, the BenCab Art Foundation, Inc. organized a yearlong celebration in eight museums, which kicked off in February at the University of the Philippines in Diliman to celebrate his life and artistry.

The highlight of the ongoing celebration is BenCab’s retrospective exhibit entitled “BenCab: The Filipino Artist” at the Metropolitan Museum Manila which opened on October 5 and will run until February 27, 2016.

“This is the spine of the whole show,” declared BenCab. “The idea [for the yearlong event] is thematic and this is the one that will show the range of my 50-year career.”

Curated by Dannie Alvarez, the show gathers more than a hundred paintings, prints, drawings and sculptures from BenCab’s collection and those loaned from several institutional and private collectors.

According to Metropolitan Museum of Manila president Tina Colayco, each piece on exhibit was “painstakingly reviewed by the artist himself and our curator.”

The show serves as the Met’s recognition of BenCab’s contribution to Filipino art.

It aims to present an assemblage of works that represents the artist’s five-decade career from his early creations as a Fine Arts student in UP to his 1960s paintings when he began as a professional artist to his most recent works this year.

More than anything, the exhibit showcases BenCab’s proficiency in different art forms beyond painting and printmaking, how his familiar images of Sabel – a recurring figure in this show – has evolved from an abstract drawing to a metal sculpture (“I am exploiting her!”), and how, through his works, he has touched the Filipino psyche and encouraged conversation among his audience.

Apart from the many faces of Sabel, on exhibit is a painting of people with a banner that says “Positively No Filipinos Allowed,” which BenCab said was about the discrimination Filipinos faced abroad in the ‘70s. There’s also a piece featuring Filipina chambermaids working in London. The show also presents his artwork inspired by the City of Baguio and its people as well as his current favorite subject, “Drapes.”

National Artist for Visual Arts Benedicto 'BenCab' Cabrera

But of the over a hundred pieces on exhibit, BenCab said his current favorite is the 168x130 cm “Monumental Figures,” which is another Sabel image painted on pigmented paper pulp on STPI handmade paper. He said doing this piece was challenging because he had little to no room for mistakes as the paint quickly dries up, but the outcome, for him, “[is] impressive!

It can actually be a sculpture,” he said, while carefully eyeing his work. “I should attempt to do it as a sculpture,” he finally exclaimed.

BenCab’s career has evolved and flourished because he did not stop, not even if he was uninspired. Besides, he said, “Inspiration is only for amateurs. I’m just working; I get proposals from people who come to me and I take the challenge.” And after 50 years, BenCab is still ready to take on any challenge.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

HOW TEENS USE THE INTERNET FOR ROMANCE

THE GIST

BY ED BIADO

T

here’s a joke on the Internet that goes something like, “Young people these days are so immersed in digital culture that they believe that liking someone’s social media posts is a form of flirting.” Some take it further and say that it’s actually the only form of flirting that these youngsters know. While the statement is often said in jest, we all know that jokes usually come from a place of truth.

The post-millennial generation – today’s teenagers – are digital natives. They don’t know a world without the Internet and

the convenience it offers. Because of that, their social dynamics are heavily reliant on modern technology. They never had to wait by the landline telephone for a call or physically write a single letter, put it in an envelope, lick a stamp and wait for the mailman. Chances are they’ve never even seen a stamp in real life.

One of the latest studies by Pew Research Center investigates how this affects the way they communicate, especially for the purpose of cultivating romantic relationships. Here are some of the findings:

SOCIAL FLIRTING How teens get close to their crushes

55%

flirt or talk to someone to show their interest

31%

50%

...while among inexperienced daters, it’s only 14%

47%

show their interest by friending them on Facebook or other social sites

use social media interaction (liking, commenting, etc.) to express their attraction

make playlists (or as we oldies know them, mixtapes) for their crushes

send flirty or sexy pictures or videos of themselves

11%

send flirty messages 63% of experienced daters have done this

@LIFEatStandard

10%

23% of experienced daters have done this

...while among inexperienced daters, it’s only 2%

CREEPY FLIRTS When attraction becomes fatal

25%

35% of girls have done this

have unfriended or blocked someone for flirting with them in ways that have made them uncomfortable

EMOTIONAL CONNECTIONS How social media makes love happen

59% happening in the life of their significant other

say social media makes them feel more connected to what’s

social media offers a place for them to show how much they care about their significant other 47% say say social media helps them feel emotionally closer to their 44% significant other say social media makes them feel jealous or unsure about 27% their relationship

PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION When spectators get involved

37%

63%

69%

of experienced daters express their feelings for another in ways that are visible to their network

of experienced daters support their friends’ relationships with likes and posts

of experienced daters think that too many people see what’s going in their relationships because of social media

QUALITY TIME How teenage lovebirds stay in touch

92%

Text messaging

70%

...while among boys, it’s only 16%

Social media

49%

Messaging apps

87%

Talking on the phone

69%

Instant messaging

37%

Email

86%

Being together in person

53%

Video chat

31%

Talking over video games

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @EdBiado

SOURCE: PEW RESEARCH CENTER (WWW.PEWINTERNET.ORG)

New ‘Frontiers’ with JOYA Contemporary art gallery opens at Alphaland Makati Place

T A cozy corner in the gallery with mounted magazine and newspaper articles

Gallery owner Julian Ongpin (left) with artist Henry Curchod

Ramon Diaz and Babes Oreta

Italian Embassy's Antonio Gallo and Bobby Ongpin

Photographer Artu Nepomuceno with one of his abstract pieces

he Julian Ongpin Young Artists (JOYA) gallery has opened its door to art aficionados who are sure to appreciate the works of emerging international artists alongside a select stable of the country’s emerging and most inspired artistic talent. JOYA, which will cater to all demographics and represent artists of all ages and stations in life, is the brainchild of Julian Ongpin, who described himself as a “fanatical graffiti artist” when he was a teenager growing up in Sydney.

The son of business magnate Roberto “Bobby” Ongpin and the late Della Stone who was an avid collector of both Australian and Philippine Art, Julian’s love for art is not surprising since he is a direct descendant (on his paternal side) of Damian

The ribbon cutting with celebrities and art aficionados

Domingo, the first great Filipino painter. His greatgreat grandfather Roman, who had an art supply shop called El 82, was a friend and patron of Filipino artists and also helped fund the revolution. Julian’s great grandfather Alfonso Ongpin is still renowned to this day for his impressive collection of Lunas, Hidalgos, Amorsolos and many other famous Filipino artists.

“My father, Roberto, while not an artist in the normal sense of the word, maintains his hand through creating such wonders as Tagaytay Highlands, Alphaland Makati Place and the Balesin Island Club,” the young Ongpin notes.

JOYA’s debut show, “Frontiers,” features the works of Australian Henry Curchod via a series called Reductions, and young Filipino photographer Artu Nepomuceno with his first abstract offering entitled Psychedelic Warfare.

Showcasing the different states of movement and tension within each artist’s collection, “Frontiers” seeks to highlight the differing stages of spiritual and emotional balance that have surfaced in the constantly changing landscape of people’s consciousness.

The Julian Ongpin Young Artists gallery is located on the second floor of Alphaland Makati Place, corner Malugay and Ayala Avenue Extension, Makati.

TUESDAY : OCTOB ER 13 : 2015

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

ARTS AND CULTURE ROUNDUP What’s on in theaters and galleries this week

EXHIBITS LAMON: Marc Cosico Children in the Global Village, Museo Pambata, Manila Ongoing until October 31

Nowadays, the youth is bombarded with foreign images and icons through mass media.

Visual arts teacher Marc Cosico tries to identify the icons and images that represent the foreign influences in our culture through an exhibit featuring a collection of works that reflects his experiences as a child, adolescent, young adult, and now as a father.

By borrowing concepts from politics, religion and popular culture, Lamon recognizes their role in shaping us as a person, beginning as a child. He also depicts how we’re able to resist these external threats from within. For an instance, he cites how Pong Pagong of the television show Batibot challenged and ended the decades-reign of Sesame Street here in the Philippines.

CONCERTS Sarong Banggi Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Manila October 16 to 18

Inspired by the 1910 love ballad by Bicolano Potenciano Gregorio about an enchanted evening encounter between a love-struck man and a lovely rural lass, Ballet Philippines relives the folk song “Sarong Banggi” as a production about the Filipino family.

Arranged and orchestrated by Ryan Cayabyab, the show opens with a Filipiniana Gala featuring the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. Libretto is penned by Dennis Marasigan while costume is designed by Rajo Laurel.

The production features choreography by Carissa Adea, Ronelson Yadao, Cyril Aran Fallar, Paul Alexander Morales, Nonoy Froilan, and Carlo Pacis, each of whom brings to the stage his/her unique impression of the Filipino family in a contemporary ballet.

WORKSHOPS Advanced Writing Workshop (with Jessica Zafra) Ayala Museum, Makati City October 15, 22, and 29

For writers who are ready to showcase their short story, essay, biography or novel, here’s a workshop that will help them be ready. Experienced in creating a work of prose, Jessica Zafra facilitates this workshop series.

This workshop serves as the sneak preview for writers before they present their work to the public.

Their creations, which are required to be submitted upon registration, will be read, discussed, and dissected by other writers; in turn they will read, discuss, and dissect the others’ work.

For more details about the show, visit www.ballet.ph or call Ballet Philippines at 551-1003.

Registration fee costs P6,800. For inquiries and reservations, call (02) 759-8288 or email education@ ayalamuseum.org

MMCO: The Amazing Brahms Meralco Theater, Pasig City October 21

Si Pagong at Matsing Ayala Museum, Makati City October 17

A decade after PETA produced the award-winning play “Palasyo ni Valentin,” the students of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s Production Design Program present their reinterpretation of Mario O’Hara’s sarsuela.

“Palasyo Ni Valentin” is a memory play that follows the story of Valentin, an old caretaker and film operator living in an antiquated theater who, through alcohol, revives his eventful past reflecting the development of the theater in the Philippines during the Spanish to American era. Directing the restaging is Nonon Padilla, who also led the PETA production in 1998.

Valentin will be played by Ricky Davao, while Thea Gloria brings life to Diding.

For the second show of Metro Manila Concert Orchestra 15 Crystal Anniversary Concert Season, the great music of Johannes Brahms as performed by New York-based pianist Jose Artemio Panganiban III is presented.

Led by conductor Josefino Chino Toledo, the concert features Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 which has been described as “grand, tempestuous, dark, devastating, extremely wonderful, emotional, heartbreaking and haunting.”

Halloween comes early as Ayala Museum, in partnership with Tuldok Animation Studios and Faber-Castell, presents this Halloween-themed arts and crafts activity for kids.

Workshop fee, which range from P585 to P650, includes art materials, snacks, and film screening of the animated short, Si Pagong at Matsing. Kids are encouraged to come in their most creative costumes.

Prizes await the creepiest, cutest, and/or most unique little creature to attend.

Ticket prices range from P200 to P400. Contact Kimberly Villanueva at (639) 176275288 for inquiries.

For inquiries, call MMCO at (02) 216-6487 or (639) 175335747 or (639) 067777958.

For more inquiries and reservations, call (02) 759-8288 local 35 or email education@ayalamuseum.org

Lamon facilitates Museo Pambata’s Summer Art’s Cool and part of the proceeds from the sale of the art pieces will go to Museo Pambata’s art programs for underserved children. For more information, email info@museopambata.org.

THEATER Palasyo ni Valentin SDA Theater, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Manila October 15 to 17

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

The MyPhone Team

The MyPhone Team having a Selfie

@LIFEatStandard

MyPhone Team Dream Team (from left): Leo and Ellen Bernardino, SGI Chairman Emeritus Atty. Elena Lim, contemporary artist Leeroy New, and MyPhone CEO David Lim with wife Julia

MY PHONE, MY SELFIE

First-ever selfie store now open at SM MOA

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elfie addicts will have fun shopping at the first-ever MyPhone Selfie Store recently launched at Cyberzone SM Mall of Asia. MyPhone endorsers Devon Seron and Kyle Vergara livened up the event, along with StarStruck’s Faith de Silva and heartthrobs Brandon Bautista and Vince Soriano. The MyPhone Team headed

by CEO and president David Lim, dealers Leo and Ellen Bernardino, and MyPhone Selfie Store designer, contemporary artist Leeroy New, were on hand for the opening of the store whose experiential design concept gives selfie-natics lots of opportunities for that picture-perfect, wacky shot.

Other stores are soon to follow in major cities and provinces, in keeping with the brand’s

MyPhone endorsers Devon Seron and Kyle Vergara, with guest star Faith de Silva and MyPhone VP-Marketing Richard De Quina

The brains behind the MyPhone Selfie Store, artist Leeroy New and MyPhone CEO David Lim

advocacy to uplift Filipino pride and help promote young Filipino artists who will be working in each of the stores to ensure that each will have a unique look. The only similarity between these MyPhone stores is the Filipino heart apparent

in each of the crafts, complementing the heart embedded on the products.

The Selfie store is a feast for the senses and the mind as well. Rather than playing music, the store will showcase trivia clips featuring

exclusive contents from the MyPhone Pinoy App, such as interesting facts about Philippine history and culture. Contents played include significant events in Philippine history, heroes and famous artists, as well as local riddles or bugtong and even famous cheesy pick-up lines.

“With the help of our homegrown artists, we will be able to make the MyPhone Selfie store an image of the Philippines, and everything beautiful in it. It will be about MyPhone and the heart embedded in it,” shared MyPhone CEO David Lim. Watch out for the MyPhone Selfie Store Contest.

Just by taking selfies inside the stores and uploading them online, you will have the chance to win a MyPhone RIO Pixie. Visit facebook. com/myphone for more details.

A grand stellar series, featuring the best works of the great masters, performed by world class soloists, under the awardwinning conductor, Prof. Josefino Chino Toledo

JOSE ARTEMIO PANGANIBAN III Pianist THE AMAZING BRAHMS October 21, 2015 • 7:00pm Meralco Theater Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City Brahms Concerto No. 1

For tickets, call MMCO Tels: 216-6487 / 0906-7777958 / 0917-5335747

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

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01 Alden Richards' Kapuso Fans Day in Cebu 02 Fans brought placards and love notes for Alden Richards 03 The crowd excitedly waits for Alden Richards for his Kapuso Fans Day in Cebu

AldEn mEsmErizEs CEBuAnos

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n overwhelming crowd of approximately 15,000 cheered Pambansang Bae Alden Richards in the recently concluded Kapuso Fans Day on Oct. 2 at Gaisano Island Mall Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu.

Richards cannot help but be emotional seeing the Cebuano’s warm reception of him. The actor says, “I really felt the love of the Cebuanos. I just enjoyed ev-

ery single moment of seeing the smiles and hearing the cheers of all our Kapuso. Thank you so much for the support.”

Even if his flight was delayed, this didn’t stop the Cebuanos to meet Alden in the flesh making the mall show the most attended Kapuso Fans Day in Cebu. “Until now I am still in awe at the number of people who went there to join the show and I believe it is by God’s grace that I made it to Cebu

to make all our Kapuso happy.”

The other half of the phenomenal AlDub love team visited the Cebuanos to thank them personally for their unwavering support to Eat Bulaga’s “Kalyeserye,” where the actor shares a split-screen romance with Maine “Yaya Dub” Mendoza.

The crowd burst with joy when Ricahrds performed special numbers for his fans. He sang “Akin Ka na Lang” by The

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for Regional Strategy and Business Development Division says, “The viewers are always the main drivers of the Network’s success. The success of Eat Bulaga’s Kalyeserye is traced to the undying support of the Filipinos, including, in particular, the Cebuanos. That is why our Kapuso stars, like Alden Richards, will never hesitate to go the extra mile to personally extend their gratitude to the fans, who serve as the Network’s biggest inspiration.”

Old-SChOOl OCtOber On dMAX

the PhiliPPineS winS MiSS GlObe 2015 nn Lorraine Colis gave the country its first international title when she bested 32 contestants from around the world at the Miss Globe 2015 World Finals, Friday at the Rose Theater Brampton in Toronto, Canada.

Outgoing Miss Globe 2014 Jacqueline Wojciechowski of Canada passed the title to the stunning 22-year-old beauty from Mexico, Pampanga. Colis, who was on her first travel overseas, made good her promise to bring home the crown to set a winning tone among fellow Bb. Pilipinas queens in 2015.

“Colis’ win is a proud moment for the Philippines and her recognition illustrates worldwide acclaim and appreciation for true Filipina grace and beauty,” Bb. Pilipinas organization posted on its Facebook page.

The Miss Globe runners up were Miss Albania Sara Karaj (1st), Miss Macedonia Elena Angjelovska (2nd), Miss China Yisha Chen (3rd) and Miss France Oceane Pernodet (4th).

Itchyworms, “Can’t Find No Reason” by Louie Heredia, and the AlDub theme “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran that made the supporters go wild.

The fun didn’t stop as the Cebuanos participated in exciting contests, like “That’s My Bae,” where male participants showcased their twerking dance moves; and “Dubsmash Like Yaya,” where the females acted out like Yaya Dub. Oliver Amoroso, GMA head

The Top 15 also included Misses Brazil, Canada, Estonia, Korea, Lithuania, Mexico, Montenegro, Poland, Portugal and Russia.

Winners of special awards were Miss Trinidad and Tobago, Best in National Costume; Miss South Africa as Miss Friendship; Miss Korea as People’s Choice Award, and Miss Cuba as Miss Talent.

Colis, a BS Management graduate of the University of Santo Tomas, was the country’s representative to the 42nd Miss Globe pageant. Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) Chairman Stella Marquez Araneta got the franchise from Petri Bozo. From 2004 to 2013, the pageant was held in Albania. It is different from the Miss Globe pageant won by Bb. PilipinasUniverse 2004 Maricar Balagtas in 2001 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Miss Globe is run as a “beauty contest of great opportunities for every girl, throughout the world, which has a desire to be fulfilled.”

– Eton B. ConCEpCion Ann Lorraine Colis

This month, get your tools out and stock up on popcorn as DMAX brings back three of your favorite shows on automobile and jet restoration, refurbishment and even repossession.

The Car Chasers is back for a second season - which means more cars, more transformations and bigger deals. Car Chasers season airs 8:10 p.m. every Monday.

Dan Short is an automotive force of nature. He does whatever it takes to restore cars to the highest possible standard, and he doesn’t care who he has to steamroll, charm or sandblast along the way.

Short knows that each car is a powder keg of hidden surprises and problems to be solved, and the only way that a restoration will succeed is if the owner is as committed to the restoration as Short and his team.

Witness top class automobile restorations in the all-new episodes of Fantomworks, premiering 8:10 tonight.

Few men can make it in the high stakes game of airplane repossession, and Airplane Repo follows them on their clandestine missions. Banks and creditors call these guys to outfox deadbeat owners and recover the expensive aircraft – they are the best of the best in what they do. The latest episodes of Airplane Repo premieres 8;10 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28.

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

Run, KicK, Stop diabeteS With celebRitieS

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ince it started in 2009, the SunPIOLOgy Run has already raised millions of pesos for education and social services. Every year, the event is made even brighter by the presence of Star Magic’s crowd-drawers including Kim Chiu, Maja Salvador, Paulo Avelino, Matteo Guidicelli, Xian Lim, Liza Soberano, Enrique Gil, Ejay Falcon, Rayver Cruz, Jessy Mendiola, Robi Domingo, Joem Bascon, JC de Vera, Pokwang, Angeline Quinto, Zaijian Jaranilla, Nash Aguas, Alexa Ilacad, PBB alumni, Inigo Pascual, Sofia Andres, Michelle Vito and Bea Alonzo to name a few. Iza Calzado also joined the annual Sunpiology Run. Star Magic’s Rayver Cruz, Diego Loyzaga, Kaye Abad, JC De Vera, Ejay Falcon, Jayson Gainza, Joem Bascon, Janus del Prado and Enchong Dee are just some of the artists who will join the run this time.

Of course, Sun Life ambassador and Hebreo Foundation founder Piolo Pascual continues to be at the forefront of this annual event.

“I’m hoping that this will be the biggest and brightest SunPIOLOgy Run yet. Aside from being able to send more scholars to school, we will also be doing our part in stopping the spread of a debilitating disease such as diabetes. So guys, let’s run together in the name of a healthier and diabetes-free Philippines,” he said.

Global health statistics show that the Philippines has become an “emerging hotspot” of diabetes as it affects more than four million Filipinos, apart from those who remain undiagnosed. This is despite the fact that the disease can be prevented and managed with a healthy lifestyle.

This disturbing trend prompted Sun Life-Philippines to dedi-

cate the SunPIOLOgy Run 2015 to the fight to #KickDiabetes and finally halt its escalation.

Run foR health and education Now on its seventh year, the SunPIOLOgy Run slated on Nov. 28 will carry the twin advocacies of health and education to be led

by Star Magic celebrities who will physically tackle “diabetic” obstacles along the routes of the newly-opened McKinley West of Megaworld Properties in Fort Bonifacio. Beneficiaries include the Institute for Studies on Diabetes Foundation, Inc. (ISDFI), Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation Philippines Inc., Star Magic Scholars and Hebreo Foundation.

Much like how wellness should be accessible to everyone regardless of age, the SunPIOLOgy Run now has a new category called the Golden Kilometer or GK (P600).

It’s a 1K distance that can be enjoyed by those in their 50s and up. Participants can still choose from the old time favorites 500M Kids Dash (P350), 3K (P700), 5K (P800), and 10K (P900).

“Together with other Sun Life territories, we are concerned about the widespread prevalence of diabetes, especially here in the Philippines. We actually belong to the top 15 countries where diabetes is most rampant,” said Sun Life Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer Riza Mantaring. “So for this year, we will raise funds for both health and education - two advocacies that have always been very close to our values as a company.”

KicK up the fight However, the battle against the diabetic bulge goes beyond the finish line. Participants can give more through the Sun Life Foundation’s KICK2GIVE wherein runners will be challenged to kick body bags

cRoSSWoRd puZZle 43 44 45 46 47 48 51 52 53

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Kind of tooth 7 Sort 10 Rocker — Jett 14 Black-and-yellow bird 15 — voyage!

16 Munitions 17 Interstellar cloud 18 Want-ad letters 19 Move toward 20 Type of boxer 23 Oater sound effects

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911 responder Hide away Playing marbles AMA members PFC superior Apply WD-40 Service charge Queen’s trucks Tina Turner’s ex Katharine — Bates Skater Midori — Drops on the grass Heavy sword

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Vet office sound — you serious?

Guitar, slangily Pecs’ partners “Wool” on clay sheep Rapidly Geological period Beau Wedding party members Poop out Expertise Skirted the basket Major — Hoople Rumor, perhaps “Becket” actor Scream and shout — Plaines, Ill. Halvah base

DOWN 1 Triumphed 2 Umbrage 3 Bro or sis 4 Considers unlikely 5 Mexican pots 6 Signify 7 Steel girders (hyph.)

8 Towers over 9 Was in the loop 10 Broom wielder 11 Rolex rival

with “diabetes” wordmarks for additional donations to ISDFI. Stop the SpRead Registration begins online at sunpiology.com and in-store via Runnr BHS and Trinoma and Toby’s outlets in Robinsons Galleria and SM Mall of Asia starting Oct. 19.

Can’t wait to get started? Warm up with Sun Health Quest App, a fun game filled with wellness information, including diabetes prevention tips. Check it out via sunlifeph’s FB page.

Organized by Run Rio, SunPIOLOgy Run 2015: #KickDiabetes is supported by Megaworld Properties (Venue Partner), Medicard (Medical Partner), Tobys & Runnr (Registration Partners), Max’s (Presscon Partner) with Gardenia, Cebu Pacific, Sante Barley (Event Partner) and supporters PhilRice and Sun Life Asset Management.

Pilo Pascual is waiting fory you at the finish line.

Piolo Pascual invites everyone to participate in next month's SunPiology Run

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Delhi nannies Nanook’s realm Mobile homes?

Trust account Impassive Zen poem Immature raptor They come in for a landing Some may be sour Pale yellow Flexible Oregon neighbor Unearthly Say “!@#$%” Most frilly Rock tumbler stones Universe It makes scents — donna Baseball’s Hank — Cliffside refuge Correspond Smooth-pated Psyche’s beloved Big extinct bird “Nightmare” street Ruby or Sandra

Kring Kring Gonzales reveals her beauty secrets

Kring-Kring gonzales running for mayor?

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ctress-turnedentrepreneur and public servant Cristina “KringKring” GonzalesRomualdez may run in the mayoral race as the succesor to her husband, present mayor of Tacloban City Alfred Romualdez.

Kring is very busy as the Commission on Elections set Oct. 12 to 16 as filing of certificates of candidacy for those running in the 2016 elections, from President down to Local Government posts.

But she does not look a bit haggard. Kring-Kring is as radiant and beautiful as ever; she looks as young as she was during her rise to fame in the ‘90s.

“My secret to looking young?

Number one, my love for and faith in God. He has always and continues to bless me, my family and my constituents. Number two, ClearTight,” reveals Cristina.

ClearTight Laser is a state-ofthe-art, non-ablative treatment that improves fine lines and wrinkles,and lightens the skin.

“Just after one session, I saw significant improvement on my problem areas -- tightening of the neck and diminished lines around the mouth. There is also visible improvement around the eyes.

I like it since I can attend to my work without any redness on my face,” she says.

This modern procedure is an alternative to traditional skin resurfacing and surgical facelifts as it does away with expensive, time-consuming surgery. A unique handpiece treats hard-to-reach areas traditional ablative lasers can’t touch. It produces heat beneath the skin to reduce pain or discomfort.

“ClearTight delivers photo acoustic shockwaves to the target area through high laser intensities in nanosecond pulses. It stimulates the collagen under the skin, offering controlled dermal shrinking that tightens the skin,” says Dr. Jean Marquez, founder of The Skin Specialist who has been doing laser treatments for 15 years already.

“ClearTight is good for busy women like Kring, women who can’t afford to have any downtime such as redness and swelling but want to see immediate results. It is also for those who have loose and wrinkled skin around the eyes, forehead, around the mouth, neck, hands, underarms, elbows and knees. Kring needs ClearTight especially because she is always exposed to the sun in her work so she is prone to photoaging,” says Dr. Marquez.

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

whoppinG p50 million first day Gross of ‘felix manalo’

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elix Manalo, the much talked about biopic of the founder of Iglesia Ni Cristo, broke all existing box office records, according to Viva Films, producer of the film. The Dennis Trillo starrer opened to more than 400 screens nationwide and grossed P50 million when it opened on Oct. 7.

The film now holds the record of all-time highest grossing non-holiday, non-payday opening, breaking all other records previously held by local and foreign films. Joel Lamangan directed the film that assembled the biggest cast ever in a local film.

This is unprecedented in local film history, the first film to pre-

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sell tickets days before it opened commercially. The theaters at SM and Robinsons malls opened their theaters earlier than the usual 10:30 a.m. for the Manalo screenings. The theaters were open as early as 8 a.m. even before the entire malls could open to the public at 10 a.m. to give way to the public who wanted to watch the film ahead of the others.

SM Cinemas also held latenight screenings at 11:30 p.m. for those who wanted to watch the movie at their most convenient.

Felix Manalo is an historical biopic told in an epic sprawl on the life and times of Ka Felix Manalo, Iglesia Ni Cristo’s first executive minister.

It was premiered at the Philippine Arena on Oct. 4 and set two Guinness world records, one for the largest audience for a premiere screening and the other for the largest audience for a film screening. The official count of the adjudicators from Guiness World Records UK was 43,624.

HHHHH is dennis trillo wooinG back Jennylyn mercado?

If what Dennis Trillo is doing as support for Jennylyn Mercado’s upcoming flicks The PreNup, we can say the actor is hell bent to win back the actress’s love and trust. What do you call that he even goes regularly to Mercado’s salon and spa? fans Go wild over alden richards at narita airport Immediately after Alden Richards landed in Japan for the celebration of Kapusong Pinoy Japan, fans mobbed him at the airport.

Richards was really surprised that even in the land of the rising sun, he has that much followers who were all dying to see him up close and personal. He is very grateful for th warm reception his fans gave him and said he would never forget the experience.

Alden Richards

Benjamin Alves, Lovi Poe, and Heart Evangelista

nothinG personal amonG cast of beautiful stranGers The situations in the series, no matter how dramatic they may be, don’t affect the personal relationships among Heart Evangelista, Lovi Poe, Rocco Nacino and Benjamin Alves.

The production crew say that the four lead actors act like nothing happens among them during takes and off the set they are like normal people and friends.

For them, strengthening their personal relationship will be good to each of them when they act out the scenes they are in. They believe that will make them effective actors. Probably they’re right. chiz’s support of in-laws important Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero is very thankful to his parents-in-law for the support they are giving him in his bid to be the next vice president of the country.

In a radio interview, Chiz thanked his mother-in-law for attending last month his declaration to run for vice president.

“Yes, and I thank them. I thank them for their support, for believing in me. Malaking bagay iyon sa akin and higit pa, malaking bagay kay Heart iyon dahil nabunutan siya ng napakalaking tinik,” Chiz said hinting at the previous misunderstanding between her wife and her parents.

Cecile, Heart’s mother, was present on Sept. 17 at Club Filipino in Greenhills along with her sisters, when Chiz accepted Senator Grace Poe’s offer to be her running mate in 2016.

Reynaldo Ongpauco, Heart’s father, was sick and couldn’t attend Chiz’s vice-presidential decraltion.

On a lighter note, the senator confirmed that he and Heart will have their renewal of marital vows on Feb. 15, 2016.

This time his in-laws will be there to at-

Chiz Escudero

tend the celebrations.

“It’s not a second wedding. Renewal lang kasi noong una namin, wala iyong mga magulang niya (Heart) so gagawin sa bahay lang. Hindi naman ito iyong kasal talaga,” Chiz explained.

“Gusto lang namin mayroon kaming picture na kasama iyong magulang niya, iyon lang. Gusto ni Heart kumpleto iyong kaniyang pamilya,” the senator added.

Dennis Trillo

Kris Bernal

kris bernal’s immersion with those with intellectual disability One of the preparations Kris Bernal is doing for her role in the upcoming Little Nana (originally Little Mommy) is to immerse her self with those afflicted with intellectual disability.

Says Bernal, “I really observe them, their movements, speech pattern, and behavior. When I do this I am with Juancho Triviño and Hiro Peralta. This is one way to make our portrayal perfect for the soap.”

Grace still Gentle even amid criticisms Amid all the criticisms hurled at her, including her own cousin Shery Cruz, Senator Grace Poe remains calm and collected, and answers all of them in a good-natured way.

Remember that instead of rebuking her cousin when she said that she isn’t ready to be president of the Philippines, she even thanked her for her concern.

Why is Grace Poe remains calm and collected amid all the brickbats thrown at her? Grace says that’s what experience taught her. She used to be a pre-school teacher.

“May mga nagtanong po sa akin, bakit minsan kahit na masyado nang stressful o kaya may mga hearing sa Senado ay malumanay pa rin daw ako? Sabi ko,

ken chan loves destiny rose much The actor says he loves the character he plays in Destiny Rose now that it is now the voice of the members of the LGBTQ community. For this alone, Ken Chan is motivated to play the part very well as all of the members of this community as all their eyes focused on him. He says he doesn’t want to disappoint them as Joey/Destiny Rose.

Ken Chan

Grace Poe

dahil dati ako po ay nagtuturo ng mga bata. At kahit papaano ang mga teachers ay kailangan mahaba ang pasensya,” the senator said at the World Teacher’s Day Celebration in Naga City on Oct. 6.

Grace thanked his fellow teachers for what she

has become.

“Hanggang ngayon, taos-puso pa rin ang aking pasasalamat sa inyong lahat sapagkat hindi po natin mararating ang mga narating natin kung hindi dahil sa tulong ng mga guro,” sabi ng senadora patungkol sa mga kapwa niyang guro.

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ Spiritual SongwriterS in a ConteSt for half a million If you think pop songwriters have all the chances to win big tickets in some songwriting contest, think again. There’s this songwriting contest sponsored ISAH V. RED by a Christian sect that gives out half a mil for the first prize.

A Song of Praise or ASOP Music Festival is a praise song writing competition on television.

Twelve new songs were chosen for performance onstage with multi-talented and acclaimed Filipino singers as interpreters at the grand finals night.

The event is an assortment of novice and experienced songwriters once again. Even first-time songwriters who joined the competition had reached the finals round.

Here are the songs to be performed: “Dinggin Mo, Oh Dios” by Cris Bautista, interpreted by Reymond Sajor; “Alabok” by Jesmer Marquez, interpreted by Jeffrey Hidalgo; “Sabik Sa’yo” by Joseph Bolinas, interpreted by Ney Dimaculangan; “Walang Hanggan” Benedict Sy, interpreted by Maki Ricafort; “Jesus, I Love You” by Timothy Joseph Cardona, interpreted by RJ Buena; “Mahal Mo Ako” by Maria Loida Estrada, interpreted Sabrina; “Kung Pag-Ibig Mo’y Ulan” by Christian Malinias, interpreted by Leah Patricio; “Dakila Ka Ama” by Ella Mae Septimo, interpreted by Ruth Regine Reyno; “Ikaw Na Lang Mag-Drive Ng Buhay Ko” by Rolan Delfin, a tricycle driver, interpreted by Betong Sumaya; “Pahintulutan Mo” by Leonardo de Jesus III, interpreted by Philippe Go; “Salamat Po, Ama” by Dennis Roxas, interpreted by Jojo Alejar; “Pakamamahalin Din Kita” by Dennis Avenido, interpreted by Nino Alejandro Ryan Cayabyab, Celeste Legaspi, Mon del Rosario, Jungee Marcelo, Jett Pangan, and Lachmi Baviera, respected names in the music and entertainment industry, have graciously accepted the role of giving their insights and critique for each of the song.

The prizes at stake are: P100 thousand for the 3rd runner-up; P150 thousand for the 2nd runner-up; P250 thousand for the 1st runner-up and P500 thousand pesos for the “Song of the Year.”

The best interpreter will receive P50 thousand.

The ASOP Music Festival Year 4 Grand Finals will be at 6 p.m. tonight at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum. ➜ Continued on C7