The Standard - 2015 November 09 - Monday

VOL. XXIX NO. 270 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 MONday : NOVEMBER 9, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Grace Poe promises to beat DQ case

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Govt’s ‘criMinal neGlect’ scoreD

By Christine F. Herrera, rio N. Araja and Macon ramos-Araneta

‘Tacloban will stay strong, resilient’

LAWMAKERS on Sunday slammed what they called the government’s continuing criminal negligence two years after Super Typhoon “Yolanda” killed more than 6,000 people and devastated large portions of Eastern Visayas.

By Maricel V. Cruz and ronald o. reyes TACLOBAN CITY—“We shall continue to fight to be strong and resilient.”

This was the message of Mayor Alfred Romualdez as the city commemorated the second year of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” which flattened the city and large portions of Eastern Visayas on Nov. 8, 2013.

The Romualdez clan led the unveiling of a marker at the astrodome, which saved 8,000 people’s lives during the onslaught of the killer typhoon two years ago.

“We are all here to honor the men, women, and children that did not make it but fought so hard for their survival,” Romualdez told a crowd of thousands gathered at the venue to witness the unveiling of the Astrodome Marker.

Romualdez also thanked the national government, including President Benigno Aquino III, for all the assistance they extended to help the typhoon victims get back on their feet.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have helped all of us Taclobanons,” the mayor said.

Romualdez also apologized for lapses that he said were inevitable “in the most desperate times and moments.”’

“Sometimes, we used harsh words, but at no time were we ungrateful for all the help given us,” the mayor said. “We are sorry if we spoke harshly because we are only human and what happened to us was really Next page painful.”

Man cries ‘tanim-bala’ at Manila’s seaport

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For those who died. Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez and his wife Councilor Cristina Romualdez unveil a marker for the thousands who died when Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ slammed into Eastern Visayas on Nov. 8, 2013.

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With hundreds of thousands still waiting for rehabilitation assistance, the government must be held liable for the slow pace of rehabilitation, said Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, particularly after the Commission on Audit reported that more than P1 billion meant for storm victims remained unspent and earning interest in various banks.

“The Aquino administration must explain why it did not use the funds meant for the rehabilitation of Yolanda-devastated areas. There is so much to do in building houses, creating livelihoods, rehabilitation of agricultural lands, and providing utilities and social services for the survivors,” he said.

On Sunday, foreign diplomats admitted they decided not to channel P15.77 billion in financial donations through the Philippine government and opted instead to use their own network to undertake relief and rehabilitation operations in the Yolanda-devastated provinces.

At a press conference in Patio Victoria in Tacloban City, vice presidential candidate Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his cousins, senatorial candidate Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez reiterated their demand that the administration account for the congressionally approved P180 billion earmarked for post-Yolanda rehabilitation.

Marcos expressed dismay that after two years, only 7 percent or 17,000 of the needed 250,000 homes were built for families living in high-risk zones.

He also said he doubted the government’s claim that it has accomplished 51 percent of its target for the rehabilitation of areas devastated by Yolanda, because it had barely carried out the masterplan drafted by former Senator Panfilo Lacson.

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Man cries ‘tanim-bala’ at seaport PORT authorities arrested a man Saturday night when they found a bullet inside his bag at the Port Area in Manila.

Daryl Incong, 21, was headed to Dipolog with his family at the Manila North Harbor when personnel at the X-ray machine discovered a bullet inside his bag, his uncle, Roger Incong, told a radio interview.

“My nephew called me up, saying they found a .38-caliber bullet in his bag. He was surprised because he was not bringing any bullet with him,” the uncle said.

“We were told that we need to post bail of P120,000—P80,000 for the bullet and P40,000 to have my nephew released,” he added.

He said his nephew, a security guard, denied bringing the bullet with him, and said the bullets issued for his service firearm are old, while the one found in his bag was new.

Incong’s arrest comes in the wake of a widening scandal at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, where security personnel are suspected of planting bullets in luggage to extort money from travelers.

On Sunday, the GMA7 news program 24 Oras aired a video showing two airport security personnel opening and emptying the bag of Lane Michael White, a 20-year-old American.

White was detained for six days after a .22-caliber bullet was found in the outside pocket of his luggage on Sept.

17, and is currently out on bail that was set at P40,000.

GMA-7 identified the airport personnel as Marvin Garcia and Maria Elma Cena.

In the video, Garcia and Cena can be seen emptying White’s luggage, which was then brought back to the X-ray scanner. Security then called the attention of the family, pointing to the X-ray photo which showed the bullet.

White, traveling to Coron, Palawan, was taken to the Office of the Transport Security, where he said someone asked for P30,000 to make the case go away, but he refused.

His lawyer, Ernesto Arellano, said White was a Theology graduate from Florida who was in the country looking for a new church site as part of their missionary outreach program.

He said his client had no experience in shooting and did not own a gun or bullets.

Second anniversary. From left, Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and Vice President Jejomar Binay huddle outside the Tacloban City Astrodome before a mass in honor of the thousands who died when Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ slammed into Eastern Visayas on Nov. 8, 2013. Ey AcASio

Govt’s...

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“I don’t know how they arrived at 51 percent because by the government’s own admission, if you look at the [permanent] housing figures, it is less than 10 percent,” he added.

Officials from the embassies of the United States, Germany, Indonesia and Turkey were also at the news conference.

Marcos said the foreign governments could not be faulted for not releasing to the Philippine government the pledges they made because the Aquino administration failed to submit the required proposals on where the pledged money would be spent.

“For example, if one country has pledged to donate say $100 million, the Philippine

government is supposed to submit a proposal as to where the budget would be spent and once approved, then the pledged money would be released,” Marcos said.

“Unfortunately, the pledges remained pledges.”

The government said while P45.1 billion had been pledged, it has received only P1.2 billion.

Non-cash pledges came to P28.19 billion, but only P1.26 billion of this was received.

Michael Hasper, chief of mission of the German Embassy, said his country has provided a total of P13.5 billion in donations, with P5 billion coming from private citizens.

“We have channeled our donations to eight organizations in the Philippines like the German Red Cross,” Hasper said.

Susan Brems of the USAID said it was not a question of

Tacloban...

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As the marker was unveiled, the mayor added: “Today, let this memorial be a symbol to all the leaders of the world. Let us work hard for the future of our next generation and let’s always remind ourselves that in times of desperation, we have a duty not only to our people but to God, to always bring the best of us. We will continue to fight to be strong, to be resilient and to always stand up for what is right.”

Joining the mayor at the ceremony were senatorial candidate and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, the mayor’s wife Kristina, vice presidential candidate Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., presidential candidate Vice President Jejomar Binay, and several foreign dignitaries.

At an unveiling ceremony at the Daniel Z. Romualdez airport, Congressman Romualdez stressed that malasakit or compassion was the greatest lesson of Yolanda to the whole world.

“As a witness to the overwhelming display of compassion, charity and generosity of spirit from the whole world, we consider ourselves lucky and truly blessed. This second chance at a life and this opportunity to build back better has filled us with hope and strengthened our resiliency to bounce back from all activities,” Romualdez said.

“We are strong in our resolve and our commitment to honor the lives lost and the display of compassion shown by everyone who has come to our aid at the time of our greatest need. Because of all of you, all of us who lived to tell our story, are living testaments to

“trust” that the donated P1.97 billion was coursed through some 40 to 50 organizations such as the United Nation’s World Food Program.

“From day one, our objective was to extend humanitarian assistance that is immediate and sustainable. Worldwide, we course our help through our network. From the time the Yolanda hit the Philippines, we have released $43 million and we were able to build 250 classrooms, 12 health centers, 1,000 sari-sari stores and [provide] livelihood assistance to the farmers,” Brems told the news conference.

She said the US government has introduced a new phase—rebuilding.

Every year, she said, the US government would continue to grant $100 million in financial assistance.

Col. Brian Bell, US Air Attaché, said the US government

has coordinated its efforts with Philippine military officials according to the mandates of Balikatan.

“We learned a lot ourselves and we are always here to help.

We are just a phone call away.

And surely, we will pick up the phone,” Bell said.

Rosa May de GuzmanMaitem, communication manager of the Philippine Mission of the Action Against Hunger or ACF International, said some 24 million euros had been coursed through their organization by the foreign governments for Yolanda alone.

Mayor Romualdez said his city has started to get back on its feet but that it receives help from the government on a “piecemeal basis.”

Congressman Romualdez said Taclobanons were grateful for the substantial help given by the foreign governments.

a renewed appreciation for new beginnings and the courage to face life’s hardships,” Romualdez added.

“Today, as we unveil this marker, let it be a reminder to the people of Tacloban, Leyte and Samar, our Filipino brothers and sisters, and our friends from around the world to never forget Yolanda—the lessons learned—and to pay it forward; and most importantly, the lessons of hope we learned from the Holy Father,” Romualdez said.

The lawmaker also urged the Palace to join hands in rehabilitating the devastated region, saying they did not have the luxury of time.

“Lets show the true Filipinos as we are. Let us be united, not only on post-disaster, but as a nation… Let us move forward. We don’t have the luxury of time to squabble over petty disagreements,” he added.

Aquino, in an e-mailed statement, urged Filipinos to pause in prayer for the victims of Yolanda on the second anniversary of its destructive visit. ‘‘Today we commemorate how our country and the world came together to face the challenges of the strongest typhoon in history, typhoon Yolanda,” said Aquino.

“We pause in prayer for the loved ones we lost, and pay tribute to the soldiers and civilians who placed themselves in danger to help their fellow man. May the memory and lessons of that time inspire us to persevere in building back better, and in living up to the solidarity, resilience, and generosity of Filipinos from all walks of life demonstrated not only then, but in all times of challenge and adversity,” said Aquino.

“God’s grace has enabled our country to ease the sufferings of those who lost everything in Yolanda, and reestablish communities that are once again

“We are forever grateful for the foreign governments that came together to help us and immediately responded to the crisis. We cannot possibly repay it,” said Romualdez, whose district suffered heavily from Yolanda.

Also on Sunday, presidential candidate Vice President Jejomar Binay said the rehabilitation work would be done speedily under his administration.

In an interview after the unveiling of MV Era Jocelyn Commemorative Marker on Tacloban City, Binay said he was baffled by the snail-paced reconstruction, with only 27 percent of the funds released.

Binay, who used to be chairman of the National Housing Authority, said the agency was able to build only to the extent that they received funds. If the funds were insufficient, there was a huge backlog, he added.

working to have a safer, and prosperous future. This would not have been possible without the world’s embrace of our people and our people’s own heroic generosity and sacrifice,” said the President.

“The Filipino people will never forget the kindness that allowed us to overcome this tragedy and are resolved to be there for nations and peoples similarly affected by tragedy,” Aquino also said.

The statement was read by Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, during Sunday’s radio interview over state-run dzRB. In the same program, Lacierda denied accusations that the administration was slow in bringing aid to the typhoon victims.

“You know, the typhoon has been one of the strongest... not only in the Philippines, but the entire recorded history,” said Lacierda.

“Of course, there have been allegations that the services have been slow. We understand. But there are also those who say—such as the United Nations, who has been involved in helping during calamities—that the actions taken by the Philippines and the local governments in Yolanda-affected areas, are faster than a lot of countries,” said Lacierda.

Earlier, a youth group labeled the Aquino administration a “disaster government” as the nation marked the second anniversary of one of the biggest disasters to strike the country.

“It has been two years now after Yolanda, but the people are suffering from the bigger disaster that is the Aquino government,” Anakbayan chairperson Vencer Crisostomo said as he and other activists lit candles to remember the estimated 7,000 people killed by the typhoon. With Sandy Araneta

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Grace camp vows to win DQ case THE camp of independent presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe will hurdle the disqualification case filed against her amid the negative results of the DNA tests on two of her possible closest relatives, her spokesman said Sunday.

Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian said Poe volunteered to go through DNA testing to strengthen her legal anchor.

But he maintained they will win the case on at least three legal grounds.

“First, the Constitution provides that international law principles are part of national laws. Under international law, a foundling follows the citizenship of the country where he or she was born,” Gatchalian said.

He made his statement even as the Senate Electoral Tribunal is set to resolve the disqualification case filed against Poe and which seeks her ouster from the Senate for not being a natural-born Filipino citizen.

The nine-member tribunal has scheduled on Nov. 17 its voting on the disqualification petition filed by Rizalito David in relation to Poe’s election as a senator in the 2013 polls.

SET secretary Irene Guevarra said date was agreed upon during the SET meeting last Friday in a hotel in Manila.

Gatchalian insisted that the treatment of foundlings was also reflected in the 1935 Constitution.

He said their second legal argument was that Poe did not have to do anything to perfect her citizenship. He noted that the court allowed her adoption by the late actor Fernando Poe Jr. and his wife actress Susan Roces.

“The court would not have allowed her to be

adopted if she were a foreigner,” Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian said Poe, who has been leading in all presidential surveys, will still undergo a DNA matching test with more possible relatives, but that would not be for legal purposes but for her own consumption. He said Poe was still looking for her biological parents.

Still, losing senatorial candidate David said the negative results of the senator’s DNA test would not help her.

“The DNA testing will have a negative impact in so far as her already precarious defenses are concerned,” he said.

His lawyer Manuel Luna said the negative results of the DNA test would affect how the Senate Electoral Tribunal will resolve the disqualification case.

But political analyst Ronald Simbulan says the negative findings on Poe’s DNA tests may have no effect on her presidential bid. He says the Filipino people have long accepted her as a natural-born Filipino citizen when they voted for her in the 2013 senatorial race that she topped.

She obtained over 20 million votes, the most number of votes ever recorded for a senator.

“For those questioning her being a natural-born Filipino, I think it’s too late in the day because that was settled when she ran for senator,” Gatchalian said.

Macon Ramos-araneta and Rey E. Requejo

In memoriam. Senator Grace Poe leads the wreath-laying at the Libingan ng mga Bayani for the PMA Class of 1991 of which she is an honorary member. Danny Pata

VP: Failure to aid ‘Yolanda’ victims immoral VICE President Jejomar Binay on Sunday described poverty as immoral as he lamented the administration's failure to improve the lives of the victims of Super Typhoon "Yolanda" two years after it struck.

Yolanda, the strongest typhoon to hit land in history, slammed into Eastern Visayas on Nov. 8, 2013, killing more than 7,000 people and leaving hundreds of thousands of others homeless.

“Imoral ang mapabayaang nagugutom at lubog sa kahirapan ang karamihan ng mamamayan, samantalang ang iilan ay nagtatamasa at nagpapakasasa,” Binay said during the founding anniversary of Alangalang town in Leyte.

“Inuulit ko: imoral. Hindi dapat mangyari at siyang unang-unang dapat ayusin ng isang pamahalaan.”

According to the Annual Poverty Indicators Survey or APIS of

the Philippine Statistics Authority or PSA, the poverty incidence in Eastern Visayas reached 54.9 percent in 2014, an almost 10-percent increase from 2012 figures. This translated to 2.25-million Filipinos in Eastern Visayas that did not have enough income and were languishing in poverty.

Yolanda caused the poverty incidence in Eastern Visayas to increase after it ravaged several towns in the region and other parts of the country.

Binay scored the administration for the slow pace of rehabilitation of the areas affected by super typhoon two years ago on Sunday.

“Nakakalungkot na dito sa Leyte. Kahit na may pondo naman para pagandahin ang buhay at tulungang makabangon ang mga biktima ni Yolanda, hindi naman ito nakakarating sa tamang panahon,” Binay said.

“Pangarap ko na ang bawat Pili-

pino ay makabahagi sa kaunlaran ng bansa. Ang bawat Pilipino ay dapat magkaroon ng patas na pagkakataong umangat sa buhay, upang sabay-sabay nating malasap ang tamis ng kaunlaran.”

He said that his administration will strive to create jobs and provide adequate social services that will especially help the poor once he is elected President.

He also vowed that under his term, the indecisiveness that had been associated with the present administration would be eliminated.

“Hindi tayo magiging indecisive. Walang teka-teka, kundi ang maaasahan ninyo ay mabilisan at epektibong aksyon sa mga problema,” Binay said.

“Mamadaliin natin ang pagsagawa ng mga planong nakabitin dahil sa paralysis by analysis, partikular na sa mga Private-Public Partnership programs,” he said.

Marcos airs doubts on mall voting

Bar exams. Tight security is being implemented in and out of the University of Santo Tomas for four consecutive Sundays for the 2015 Bar examinations. Danny Pata

SENATOR Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday raised concerns over mall voting in 2016, which was approved in principle by the Commission on Elections but which he said should not be allowed.

He said the voting should be restricted in school buildings.

“I don’t know if that is allowed. It’s very questionable as to whether or not you can set up precints in a mall,” Marcos said.

“Will they close the malls? Will shoppers be allowed to go in and out of the precints?”

Marcos said the logisti-

cal and practical arrangements for mall voting was a bit difficult.

“I don’t see why we have to do that,” said Marcos who is running for vice president in 2016.

He said it was clear that the voting should be restricted to school buildings. It should be conducted only in schools.

Marcos said they were near to coming up with a senatorial line up.

He said the list will include Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno.

"I have also proposed that [Sarangani Rep.]

Manny Pacquiao join us," Marcos said.

"We have proposed many other candidates, but Senator Miriam also wants her own senatoriables. That's why we have to discuss. I think it would be better if we agreed on the 12."

Romualdez and Pacquiao also belong to the United Nationalist Alliance of Vice President Jejomar Binay. Moreno is a shared candidate of Senator Grace Poe's Partido Galing at Puso and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada's Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino. Macon Ramosaraneta

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‘No permit, no rally’ for Apec THE Department of the Interior and Local Government has directed all Metro Manila mayors to strictly enforce a “no permit, no rally” rule but for the police to observe a policy of maximum tolerance during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Summit on Nov. 18 to 19 in Manila.

“Although our laws ensure the free exercise of the people’s right to peaceably assemble and petition the government, we would like to reiterate that we have to observe proper guidelines, including seeking permits to conduct rallies,” Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento said in a statement.

In his directive, Sarmiento said a mayor or any official acting in his behalf “may grant the application and issue the corresponding permit to rally.”

However, permits may not be granted in cases “where there is clear

and convincing evidence that the public assembly will create a clear and present danger to public order, safety and convenience.”

Sarmiento said a written permit is not required only when the rally is held in a “freedom park” established by law or ordinance or in a private property, in which case only the consent of the owner is required.

He added that a permit is also not needed “if the assembly is made in the campus of a government-owned and -operated educational institution, sub-

ject to the rules and regulation of the school or campus.”

Sarmiento explained that while law enforcement agencies will be in charge of securing the Apec leaders, “Metro Mayors must help in maintaining peace and order by observing the proper guidelines to ensure the safety of those who will join the rallies.”

Meanwhile, he said the police “shall at all times be mindful of their duty to keep the peace and provide proper protection to those exercising their right to peaceful assembly.”

Malacañang earlier announced that 20 leaders have confirmed attendance to the 2015 Apec Summit in Manila, including United States President Barack Obama, Russia President Vladimir Putin, Indonesia President Joko Widodo, Mexico President Enrique Peña Nieto, Chile President Michelle Bachelet, and

newly sworn-in Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau.

As this developed, the Department of Social Welfare and Development has reiterated that the grant of P4,000 house rental assistance to street families in Metro Manila is not a strategy aimed at hiding them during the forthcoming Apec summit.

“There is no truth to the claim of some sectors that the provision of P4,000 rental aid to homeless families is a strategy to hide them during the Apec meeting. It is a component of the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer Program for Homeless Street Families,” said DSWD Secretary Corazon Soliman.

She said MCCT-HSF is a program patterned after the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, which focuses on providing a complete package of assistance to street families. PNA

Warmup. A Metro Manila Development Authority constable directs motorists away from the ‘Apec Lane’ reserved for summit delegates along Edsa on Sunday.

The plastic barriers will separate the highway’s two inner lanes from SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City to Shaw Boulevard. JANSEN ROMERO

CHR says lumad left to fend for themselves

By John Bencito and Macon Araneta THE government’s absence in far-flung communities greatly contributed to the escalation of atrocities against the lumad, the Commission on Human Rights said.

“There is government neglect in the so-called lumad areas. The only government there is the local community structure wherein the Datus lead the community. But in terms of the basic social services, like education, health, and others, the government isn’t even present,” Human Rights Commissioner Roberto Eugenio Cadiz told The Standard in an exclusive interview.

Cadiz said that while alternative learning schools and civil society organizations address the government’s unfulfilled mandate of providing basic social services to the lumad, especially in terms of education, the conflict between the military and Communist rebels victimizes them.

“When groups immerse into these communities in a non-violent manner, offering education and teaching farming techniques... it’s not that they are siding with the New People’s Army.

Who would refuse having an education, how to read and write? But that doesn’t mean that these people are pro-NPA,” Cadiz said.

“Then the military, who may or may not have any background or understanding of these areas, start accusing the people, which radicalizes the situation.

Then the tension would escalate,” he explained.

Abu Sayyaf leader, aide die in encounter

By Florante S. Solmerin A LEADER of the Abu Sayyaf Group and one of his aides were killed during a clash Sunday between the bandits and soldiers in Tuburan, Basilan, the military said.

Captain Roy Trinidad, spokesman of Joint Task Force Zambasulta (Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi), identified the slain bandits as Abdul Hasan Yusop Sanajalun, who also went by the aliases Bullet, Rhey Cuebas Santos, Arjan Y. Sapii, and Abdulhasaan Tannajul, and his aide as Halid Calbie.

Trinidad said three soldiers were also in the encounter, which took place at 4 a.m.

A report from Lt. Sally Magno said military agents earlier pinpointed the hideout of Sanajalun, but when arresting troops arrived in the area, they were ambushed by bandits in Campo Dos, Barangay Colonia, Lamitan City.

Three troopers were immediately wounded, but the soldiers engaged the bandits in a 30-minute gun battle, resulting in the killing of Sanajalun and his aide.

Recovered from the scene were an M-653 assault rifle, a .45 cal. pistol, several improvised explosive devices, hand grenades, an air gun, magazines with live ammunition, cellular phones and personal belongings including pictures, PhilHealth cards and school identification cards.

Sanajalun had outstanding warrants for his arrest for kidnapping and serious illegal detention with ransom issued by a court in Zamboanga City.

“Bullet’s group was notorious for extortion and intimidation activities. They also used IEDs to bomb their targets. Based on our records, this group was responsible for the kidnapping of three employees of a construction firm in Barangay Cadayan, Akbar sometime in January,” Trinidad said.

Going for the record. Volunteers prepare pieces of chopped lechon to break the world record for the largest single serving of roast pork at Quezon City Memorial Circle on Sunday. The 4,200-kg record is held by Mexico.

JANSEN ROMERO

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Xmas fairytales. SM City Masinag along Marcos Highway, Antipolo opens its Christmas season with a fairytale -themed centerpiece featuring three iconic Disney characters— Cinderella, Belle of Beauty and the Beast, and Snow White. MANNY PALMERO

‘Reclamations’ alarm Pentagon SIMI VALLEY—The United States is “deeply concerned” that land reclamation efforts in the South China Sea could trigger conflict in the region, Pentagon chief Ashton Carter said Saturday.

“The United States joins virtually everyone else in the region in being deeply concerned about the pace and scope of land reclamation in the South China Sea,” Carter said at a defense forum at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California.

Carter added he was worried about “the prospect of further militarization, as well as the potential for these activities to

increase the risk of miscalculation or conflict among claimant states.”

On Thursday, Carter flew out to the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier as it was sailing in the South China Sea. The enormous supercarrier was accompanied by the guided missile destroyer the USS Lassen, which last month sailed past a series of islets in Subi Reef

in the Spratly Island chain.

There, China is using dredgers to turn reefs and low-lying features into larger land masses for runways and other military features.

The Lassen conducted a “freedom of navigation operation” as a way to rebuff China’s claims of sovereignty in the waterway.

“We’ve done them before, all over the world. And we will do them again,” Carter said of the sail-by.

Carter was addressing key US politicians and figures from the defense sector at the Reagan National Defense Forum, hosted by the Reagan library in Simi Valley. AFP

7,146 law grads take Bar exams

By Rey E. Requejo A TOTAL of 7,146 law graduates took the Bar exams at the University of Sto. Tomas on Sunday, the first of the four Sundays slated for the “most grueling and difficult” licensure exams in the country.

Supreme Court spokesman Theodore Te said the number of Bar takers is the biggest in the last four years.

Some of the Bar takers started arriving at the UST campus through the Espana gates as early as 5 a.m. on Sunday as tight security measures were being enforced in and around the campus to se-

cure the examinees.

“After the gates are closed, no one will be allowed to enter without the permission of the Bar Chairperson, Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro,” Te said.

The SC official said the exams last four hours in the morning or from 8 a.m. to 12 noon and another four hours in the afternoon or from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The examinees were required to wear their color-coded IDs together with their Notice of Admission, which serve as their pass for admission into the UST’s compound, buildings and assigned room.

Zamora twits lawyers handling Iglesia cases HOUSE Minority Rep. Ronaldo Zamora has chided the lawyers of cases involving the Iglesia ni Cristo for taking their cases to the media instead of arguing them in the court.

“Shut up and take your cases to court,” said Zamora in a Facebook post entitled “Another Crucifixion: In Defense of Religious Freedom.”

Zamora asked, “Shouldn’t these contending lawyers gag themselves in the meantime, and argue and win their case in our courts, as they were taught in law school?”

The San Juan lawmaker graduated valedictorian of his UP Law class and topped the 1969 Bar examinations.

Zamora took the counsels of expelled INC minister Lowell Menorca II to task for using the media to level accusations against officers of the INC, an exercise Zamora explained was better done inside a courtroom.

“Shouldn’t all this be done in court rather than in the newspapers?” stressed Zamora, who added that both sides would “be given their guaranteed day in court.”

This, the veteran lawyer said, would free the parties “from having to fight and win their case first in the arena of public opinion and only later in the courts of the land.”

Lawyers for ex-INC ministers Menorca and Isaias Samson have taken to social media to respond to issues relating to the string of cases filed against the church leadership.

Lawyer Trixie Cruz-Angeles, who has been representing both Menorca and Samson in their appellate court and DoJ cases, wrote recently in her Facebook page that “It would save you a lot of grief if you checked your facts once in a while. Do try to find out when Ahmedy and I became government consultants and who exactly appointed us.”

INC officers may opt for case probe review

By Rey E. Requejo LEADERS of the Iglesia Ni Cristo may file their answer to the criminal charges filed against them by expelled minister Isaias Samson Jr. and his family even after the Department of Justice has concluded its preliminary investigation hearing.

The DoJ’s investigating prosecutors may still accept the answers or counter affidavits of the respondents on the Samson family’s charges of harassment, illegal detention, threats and coercion against eight members of the INC’s Sanggunian or council if they found it meritorious.

According to Samson’s lawyer Trixie Cruz-Angeles, the respondents may still opt to file a motion to reopen the preliminary inves-

tigation hearing and justify why they were not able to appear in last Friday’s hearing.

“If the panel accepts their reason, the respondents may still be able to submit their answers to allow the DoJ to resolve the case with both sides presented,” Angeles said in an interview.

The respondent INC ministers—Glicero Santos Jr., Radel Cortez, Bienvenido Santiago Sr., Mathusalem Pareja, Rolando Esguerra, Eraño Codera, Rodelio Cabrerra and Maximo Bularan Jr. —or their lawyers were not able to appear in the hearing.

Investigating Assistant State Prosecutors Mark Estepa and Olivia Torrevillas decided to submit the complaint for resolution without the respondents’ side, saying they have been duly noti-

fied via subpoena and considering the media reports about the hearing.

Samson, his wife Myrna Dionela and son Isaiah appeared before the DoJ panel and affirmed their affidavits.

Samson said he would have wanted the INC ministers to answer his charges “for the truth to finally come out.”

But the complainant stressed that his criminal complaint does not target the INC as an institution, saying he still believes that the church could weather the present challenges.

“This is not against the church.

I did not include Ka Eduardo [Manalo] because I believe he is not involved. This case is just against certain people in the church,” he said.

A6

m o n D AY : n o v e m b e r 9, 2 0 1 5

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Grace, Mar clash over MRT deal

By Macon Araneta and John Paolo Bencito

As the senate resumes today its probe into the troubles plaguing the railway system, Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II rejected charges he had a hand in the maintenance deal for the Metro Rail transit.

Senator Grace Poe, chairman of the subcommittee on public services, has invited to the hearing officials of the Transport department, MRT, LRT and the Center for Commuters, a non-government group.

Poe expressed fears for the safety of commuters, about 650,000 daily or twice the capacity of MRT, given that the trains and tracks have frequently broken down due to wear and tear.

The presidential bet also questioned the MRT contracts entered into by the government because these employed and sustained the services of companies that do not have the capacity to maintain the railway system.

Roxas disowned the botched maintenance deal between the MRT and PH Trams.

“No, not at all. I don’t recall. What we’re talking here is the maintenance of the MRT which was Sumitomo at that time. When I was still [Transportation secretary], I’m just continuing on the hold-over of Sumitomo,” Roxas told reporters over the weekend.

Poe decried the long queues at MRT stations that the commuting public endures daily and blamed Roxas for the train system’s “dilapidated” state.

Poe also quizzed current Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya for “deliberately signing the maintenance contract” without any review.

“From a reputable contractor like Japanese firm Sumitomo, it was transferred to PH Trams and APT Global. And the contract was signed if I’m not mistaken, less than two weeks after Secretary Abaya got appointed,” Poe said.

“When we asked him on why did he signed the contract [with PH Trams and APT Global], Secretary Abaya told us that the contract was already finished, so he just signed it and for approval only. But who was [the DoTC secretary] before him?” Poe said.

Roxas, who held the Transportation portfolio from 2011 to 2012 before moving to the Department of the Interior and Local Government after the death of Jesse Robredo, was responsible for the government’s review at that time of the MRT’s maintenance provider.

The original maintenance agreement between MRT and Sumitomo expired on June 21, 2010 but went through four extensions from June 2010 until October 2012.

Fifteen days prior to the expiration of the last extension, the MRT Bids and Awards Committee adopted a resolution to make a negotiated procurement of an interim maintenance provider for six months and negotiate its terms and conditions. It was then awarded to the PH Trams-CB&T partnership with APT Global on Oct. 20, 2012.

Abaya, who also serves as president of the Liberal Party, replaced Roxas by that time.

Running low. Prices of galunggong (roundscad) rose at Manila’s Trabajo market on Sunday after the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources enforced a three-month ban in major fishing grounds in the country since supplies were running low. The moratorium will be in effect until February 2016. JAnsen RoMeRo

Politics heating up in Ecija CONGRESSIONAL candidate Rosanna “Ria” Vergara in Nueva Ecija on Sunday deplored the “political harassment” against her by the camp of Gov. Aurelio Umali who, according to her, is behind the disqualification case filed by a certain Philip Piccio.

Vergara, wife of the Cabanatuan City Mayor Jay Vergara, claimed that Piccio is an ally of Umali, who is seeking the post of 3rd district representative.

Umali is ending his term as provincial governor.

Piccio filed a Cancellation of Certificate of Candidacy against Vergara, apparently to ensure Umali’s victory in next year’s polls.

Vergara alleged that Piccio has an ax to grind against them because in 2013, she

filed 9 counts of libel against Piccio.The libel charges against Piccio, which are still in effect, stemmed from Piccio’s allegations that Jay is an immigrant from US when he has been mayor of Cabanatuan for five terms.

“I am fully confident that the law is on my side. I am a natural-born Filipino citizen. I have been a registered voter in the City of Cabanatuan since 1994, and as such, have been a resident thereof at least since that time. I am more than qualified and, more to the point, competent to run as and be the representative of the Third District of Nueva Ecija,” said the congressional bet.

“This is nothing more than personal and political vendetta,” she stressed.

Vergara claimed that when news broke

out that she would seek the congressional post, Umali immediately sent out word that it would be a “walk in the park” to beat her.

“No question or comment about my qualifications as a would-be candidate.

Since I started going around and because I have gained a strong following, my opponent has now resorted to filing this frivolous case and his lackey is the appointed political assassin,” she pointed out.

Vergara also said that she has nothing to hide and that she is more than ready to face Umali as her opponent.

“I have nothing to hide. I am ready to fight, fair and square—in court, before the Comelec and in the 2016 polls,” Vergara exclaimed.

Chiz backs creation of disaster agency AS THE nation marks the second year of Typhoon “Yolanda’s’’ onslaught, vice presidential frontrunner Senator Chiz Escudero on Sunday said that the demands of disaster preparedness, response, relief and rehabilitation required a dedicated agency managed by a cabinet-level official.

Escudero echoed the proposal of presidential bet Senator Grace Poe, who in a resolution she filed in 2013 called for the creation of a department that would focus on disaster risk reduction and management, separate from the Department of National Defense.

“Let’s learn from the painful lessons of Yolanda. There have been issues with regard to the pace of rehabilita-

tion and the mobilization of available financial resources for the victims of Yolanda. It’s been two years since it hit us, and much remains to be done,” lamented the senator.

Escudero, who visited Tacloban and Ormoc last month, said “despite enormous funds allocated by Congress and given by private donors, the housing requirements of our countrymen have yet to be fully addressed.”

“This speaks volumes of the need to have an agency headed by someone who will attend to this full-time,” Escudero said.

Administration presidential candidate Mar Roxas, who was in Tacloban when Yolanda battered the Visayas,

has thumbed down Poe’s proposal.

Roxas, who served as vice chairman of NDRMMC while serving as secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, said the “present setup of the government’s disaster preparedness and response has been effective in handling disasters.”

According to Escudero, however, the constant threat posed by natural disasters and the escalating damage caused by these required a thoughtful and thorough review of the current system.

“We are hit by 20 typhoons a year and are vulnerable to earthquakes and volcano eruptions. In Sorsogon and Albay, for example, we experience all that,” said the Bicolano senator.

m o n D AY : n o v e m b e r 9, 2 0 1 5

A7

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

2 Bukidnon villages vow to resist new rebel attacks KITAOTAO, Bukidnon—Two adjoining villages here have vowed to stand against any attack by New People’s Army rebels following the abduction and release this week of three locals to relay a message of an impending major assault by the militants to the communities.

White Kulaman village chairman Felipe Cabugnason confirmed to reporters the abduction last Nov. 5 of his three constituents namely, Samuel Paradero, a tribal leader; his son Beltran, and Jovani Rebaka, in adjacent sitio Bayugan, Kitubo village.

Cabugnason said the three were released on the same day with a message from the rebels for villagers to leave Kulaman and the near environs to be spared from the attack.

Apart from White Kulaman, the NPAs also threatened to attack the neighboring village of Kitubo.

He added that the rebels have stopped local store owners from buying goods from the town center to force government soldiers assigned in the area to come out of their detachments and become easy targets of rebels’ potshots.

Cabugnason maintained that despite the security threat, they would hold ground to repel the rebel attack even as he called on government to send more troops in their area.

The peripheries of White Kulaman and Kitubo villages, both situated in the border of Bukidnon and North Cotabato provinces, serve as rendezvous points of NPA guerillas when launching attacks against government troops and installations. PNA

Life goes on.

A woman dries clothes at a bunkhouse site in Tacloban City. AFP

Farmers seek Aquino help on Capiz sugar plantation Some 100 Capiz farmers, all survivors of Super Typhoon “Yolanda,’’ are urging President Benigno Aquino III to help them take possession of a sugar plantation in the province that had been long awarded to them through the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program but remains under the control of the heirs of its former landowner.

“We would like PNoy to know that we are not among the Yolanda survivors, who according to the government, have already recovered from the disaster,” said Pancho Arroyo, the farmer-leader of the Capiz peasants, who are members of national peasant federation Task Force Mapalad.

“We remain victims, not just of the storm but of the absence of genuine asset reform in an hacienda that had already been awarded to us 17 years ago but continues to be under the control of the heirs of the former landlord.”

Arroyo added that two years after Yolanda, the farmers remain landless. “We might also

soon homeless as the heirs of the haciendero have started to bulldoze our homes inside the plantation, which they want to be converted into residential use,” added Arroyo.

The 200-hectare portion of the landholding in Barangay Culilang, President Roxas, used to be owned by Nemesio Tan, was acquired and placed by the Department of Agrarian Reform under the CARP and was supposedly distributed to Arroyo and his fellow farmerbeneficiaries in 1998 through certificates of land ownership award.

Tan, however, was able to block CARP implementation in the plantation by securing in 2000 a temporary restraining order and pre-

liminary injunction from the Regional Trial Court-Branch 18 of Roxas City. This, despite the fact that under Section 68 of Republic Act No. 6657 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988, lower courts are prohibited from issuing TROs and injunctions against the DAR in relation to the latter’s duty of implementing the CARP. The said section of R.A. 6657 against the lower court’s undue interference to CARP was upheld by the Supreme Court through its Aug. 28, 2002 Administrative Circular No. 38-02 enjoining all judges “to strictly observe Section 68 (of) R.A. 6657.”

In September 2004, in a landmark ruling in DAR vs Cuenca, the high court again upheld the legality of Section 68 of R.A. 6657, saying the law has granted the DAR “special and original authority to hear and adjudicate agrarian matters.”

After Tan died, his heirs Sonia Tan-Beluso, Madelaine Tan-Yap, and Lucille Tan, kept control of the landholding.

Nueva Ecija police shoot dead alleged robbers, drug pusher

Fishermen’s playground. Men along the coast of Narvacan, Ilocos Sur go about their daily fishing routine. DAVE LEPROZO

CABANATUAN CITY—Three alleged robbers and a top illegal drug pusher were killed in separate anticriminality operations in this province Saturday.

Supt. Ricardo Villanueva, head of the Provincial Public Safety Company, said a companion of the three slain robbers eluded arrest on board a single motorcycle when his troops, along with members of the local police station led by Senior Inspector Erwin Ferry, town police chief, engaged in a shootout with the gang members along the provincial road in Barangay Mapangpang, Lupao at about 5 p.m.

Saturday.

He identified the alleged gang leader as Ronald Ibay, a resident of the municipality, who was among those dead on the spot after a brief chase.

Ibay has a pending carnapping case

in connection with the taking of a motorcycle from a poultry worker in nearby Talugtog town, Villanueva said.

Police have yet to establish identities of the two other fatalities as well as the one who escaped who were reportedly from Tarlac province.

Ferry said he sought the help of PPSC in establishing the anti-criminality checkpoint upon receiving a tip off that Ibay’s group was set to operate in the vicinity of Barangay Mapangpang that night.

“When the suspect saw the mobile checkpoint, they tried to escape but was pursued by our troops.” Villanueva said.

The suspects, he said, opened fire at the pursuing lawmen prompting the latter to retaliate which resulted in the killing of the trio.

M O N D AY : N O V E M B E R 9, 2 0 1 5

A8

opinion

ADELLE chuA eDiTor

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

plumbline pasTor apollo quiboloy

noT creaTed equal

[ EDI TORI A L ]

The Filipino is worTh lying For hOW stupid does president Benigno aquino III think Filipinos are?

Very stupid, if we go by the words of his Cabinet members and official spokespersons.

Last week, deputy spokesperson abigail Valte concocted a fiction that she peddled with a straight face.

When a Catholic bishop called them out on a plan by the department of social Welfare and development to hide the homeless during the asia-pacific economic Cooperation summit, Valte insisted that the homeless would not be hidden from the apec delegates and that the cash given to each of them was part of the government’s modified conditional cash transfer program. she said it was merely a fluke that the “activity” coincided with the apec summit and added cryptically: “[W]e have seen this opportunity to start helping them so they could have a transition from the streets into dignified living quarters.”

Could those “dignified living quarters” include transitioning the street children to a resort outside the city where the homeless could conveniently be attending a “workshop” away from view of apec leaders and delegates for the duration of their visit?

This was the same load of cow manure the palace shoveled onto the public plate when social Welfare secretary Corazon soliman admitted to Time Magazine that homeless families along roxas Boulevard were sent away during the papal visit in January so they would “not be vulnerable to the influx of people coming to witness the pope.”

On Jan. 14, one day before the pope arrived, 10 bus loads of street dwellers arrived at the Chateau royale resort in nasugbu, Batangas, a posh retreat that normally charges p6,300 a night. There, the dsWd booked 70 rooms for the 500 street children and their families for a “family camp” that the government said was part of the CCt program.

Coincidentally, the families checked out of the resort on Jan. 19, the last day of the pope’s visit.

Last month, soliman also lied to the public when she said there would no longer be any bunkhouses left in tacloban City and that all survivors of super typhoon “yolanda” would have been moved to permanent housing by the end of October.

The bunkhouses remain, a testament to this government’s incompetence and secretary soliman’s great capacity for lying. The truth of the matter is that in the two years since the killer typhoon struck and despite the massive amounts of aid poured into rehabilitation efforts, the government has completed only 17,641 housing units, less than one-fifth of its target of 92,554 units.

With more than one million people homeless as a result of the storm, economic planning secretary arsenio Balisacan had the gall to boast last week that the government is about halfway done with its rehabilitation work.

In a sharp counterpoint to secretary Balisacan’s optimistic claim, the Commission on audit has discovered that at least p382 million in local and foreign cash donations for the typhoon victims were kept idle in the dsWd’s bank accounts, while p923 million were kept idle in the bank accounts of the Office of the Civil defense.

Contrary to his claims of following the straight path, president aquino has been a party to all these and many more untruths, revealing his contempt for a public that he considers too gullible for independent thought. In so doing, he has given us a twisted version of the words of his martyred father, who declared that the Filipino is worth dying for—gleefully exchanging the “d” with an “l.”

TesTing The bar pensées Fr. ranhilio callangan aquino My parents are good lawyers. I say this not only because I am their son but because it is so. My father was a justice of the Court of appeals and has been chairman of the Legal education Board for some time now. My mother became a law dean and has authored three books in law. Others of their generation have left indelible imprints on philippine law, legal education and

jurisprudence: lawyers, jurists and law professors of genuine substance. When they sat for the Bar examination, they did so in a rather straightforward, no-frills manner. They left their homes (boarding places actually, because both of them were “probinsyanos”), early in the morning, careful not to disturb family members who remained asleep, went to Mass at Quiapo Church and then proceeded to the examination site.

By contrast, that complex of plans, operations and schemes that go into what are called “bar ops” demand of examinees

that they be monied or, at least, heavily indebted. aside from a six-month review program at which reviewers, supposedly endowed with the knack for second-guessing what examiners may ask, make no mean fortune from repeating in review classes, what should have been taken in law school, a network of “frat brods” and helpful moles help with “tips.”

That highly priced commodity is an intriguing part of “bar ops” because it can mean anything from hints as to the type of questions extrapolated from the writings, books, lecturenotes of suspected examiners to downright “leaks” of examination questions—of

i know of hardly any other country in the world that engages in a spectacle of this sort relative to the examination its lawyers take.

which there have been some in the past!

The ostentatious display of wealth by wealthy schools and wealthy students reaches truly vulgar proportions when examination weeks come around. It is then that posh hotels are booked in advanced

A9

by schools that can afford to do so. send-off rites more closely resemble sporting events than they do academic exercises. It is then that the social divide once more manifests itself as schools vie with each other at providing their examinees with truly unnecessary frills, while those

from poor, provincial schools look on, their modest station in life clearly rubbed in by the glaring contrast!

This is the cult of the Bar examination, fostered no doubt by those who deem themselves members of the elite class of bar-passers. I know of hardly any other country in the world that engages in a spectacle of this sort relative to the examination its lawyers take. It is a claim at elitism, however, of dubious currency. and yet, it cannot be said that we Filipinos are lacking in entertainment, because

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-

alden richards and yaya dub should provide us enough of that.

Ironically, the Bar examination itself has not yet been tested as every good test should be. I have embarked on a project of doing an item-analysis—one of the methods of testing examination questions—for which I have requested the supreme Court for the necessary data to which I hope I will be granted access. Justice Vicente Mendoza, dean Merlyn Magallona, dr. pacifico agabin, Justice adolf azcuna, Justice roberto abad—these are only

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

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

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some of the bright lights in the legal firmament who have expressed serious reservations about the “validity” of the Bar examination as an evaluative tool. The present Chief Justice, herself a long-time professor, has repeatedly expressed her dissatisfaction with the manner legal education is traditionally structured and the diagnostic tools it uses. For some time, the supreme Court adopted a combination of essay and multiple-choice questions Continued on A10

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

Chairman President & Chief Executive Officer Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Director of Operations Finance Officer Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

I had coffee with an academic who had spent the last decade tracking the proliferation of loose firearms in Mindanao.

From his views I could deduce that he’s not the absolutist type who would call for the pounding of all guns into plows because, in his words, there are the little, defenseless folks out in the boondocks whose ability to continue to plow rests on owning a gun. he was referring to sharecroppers tilling a patch of land a thousand feet above sea level, so remote that the nearest police station seems to be in another time zone. he said in places where no 911 hotline can scramble the police, a farmer’s protection against robbers could be the rusty World War II-vintage Carbine he slings on his shoulder by day and lets lean on his bedpost at night.

But before he could launch yet another of his treatise on the sociology of gun ownership in what he described as a failed and faltering state, a news crawler on the tV grabbed his attention.

It has something to do with a bill filed by legislators and which seeks to decriminalize the possession of three bullets or less. hearing this, my friend went ballistic. he said the ban can never be “allencompassing” and “across-the-board.” “ammunitions are not created equal. so they should not be treated the same.

There are bullets as small as the little finger of a child and there are those which are as big as a man’s arm,” I recall him saying. to stress his point, he then Googled the text of the firearms law on his phone. and indeed there it was—the categorization of guns and ammos in republic act 10591.

That law classifies firearms into three: small arms, Class-a Light Weapons, and Class-B Light Weapons.

Falling under small arms are revolvers, pistols and handguns. Under Class-a Light Weapons, if I am not mistaken, are rifles like the M-16 armalite and any other not exceeding 7.66 millimeter in calibre.

Mounted grenade launchers, anti-tank missiles are categorized as Class-B Light Weapons.

Other Class-B Light Weapons are “heavy machine guns, portable antiaircraft guns, portable anti-tank guns, recoilless rifles, portable launchers of antitank missile and rocket systems, portable launchers of anti-aircraft missile systems, and mortars.”

The law defines the calibre range of the Class Bs: above 7.66 millimeters but below 100 millimeters. This metric in english is four inches—no wonder bazookas are in that category. at this point, I was already sharing my friend’s concern. If indeed the sought exemption covers all three categories, then it would dilute the gun control provision of the law.

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

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

M O N D AY : N O V E M B E R 9, 2 0 1 5

A8

opinion

ADELLE chuA eDiTor

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

plumbline pasTor apollo quiboloy

noT creaTed equal

[ EDI TORI A L ]

The Filipino is worTh lying For hOW stupid does president Benigno aquino III think Filipinos are?

Very stupid, if we go by the words of his Cabinet members and official spokespersons.

Last week, deputy spokesperson abigail Valte concocted a fiction that she peddled with a straight face.

When a Catholic bishop called them out on a plan by the department of social Welfare and development to hide the homeless during the asia-pacific economic Cooperation summit, Valte insisted that the homeless would not be hidden from the apec delegates and that the cash given to each of them was part of the government’s modified conditional cash transfer program. she said it was merely a fluke that the “activity” coincided with the apec summit and added cryptically: “[W]e have seen this opportunity to start helping them so they could have a transition from the streets into dignified living quarters.”

Could those “dignified living quarters” include transitioning the street children to a resort outside the city where the homeless could conveniently be attending a “workshop” away from view of apec leaders and delegates for the duration of their visit?

This was the same load of cow manure the palace shoveled onto the public plate when social Welfare secretary Corazon soliman admitted to Time Magazine that homeless families along roxas Boulevard were sent away during the papal visit in January so they would “not be vulnerable to the influx of people coming to witness the pope.”

On Jan. 14, one day before the pope arrived, 10 bus loads of street dwellers arrived at the Chateau royale resort in nasugbu, Batangas, a posh retreat that normally charges p6,300 a night. There, the dsWd booked 70 rooms for the 500 street children and their families for a “family camp” that the government said was part of the CCt program.

Coincidentally, the families checked out of the resort on Jan. 19, the last day of the pope’s visit.

Last month, soliman also lied to the public when she said there would no longer be any bunkhouses left in tacloban City and that all survivors of super typhoon “yolanda” would have been moved to permanent housing by the end of October.

The bunkhouses remain, a testament to this government’s incompetence and secretary soliman’s great capacity for lying. The truth of the matter is that in the two years since the killer typhoon struck and despite the massive amounts of aid poured into rehabilitation efforts, the government has completed only 17,641 housing units, less than one-fifth of its target of 92,554 units.

With more than one million people homeless as a result of the storm, economic planning secretary arsenio Balisacan had the gall to boast last week that the government is about halfway done with its rehabilitation work.

In a sharp counterpoint to secretary Balisacan’s optimistic claim, the Commission on audit has discovered that at least p382 million in local and foreign cash donations for the typhoon victims were kept idle in the dsWd’s bank accounts, while p923 million were kept idle in the bank accounts of the Office of the Civil defense.

Contrary to his claims of following the straight path, president aquino has been a party to all these and many more untruths, revealing his contempt for a public that he considers too gullible for independent thought. In so doing, he has given us a twisted version of the words of his martyred father, who declared that the Filipino is worth dying for—gleefully exchanging the “d” with an “l.”

TesTing The bar pensées Fr. ranhilio callangan aquino My parents are good lawyers. I say this not only because I am their son but because it is so. My father was a justice of the Court of appeals and has been chairman of the Legal education Board for some time now. My mother became a law dean and has authored three books in law. Others of their generation have left indelible imprints on philippine law, legal education and

jurisprudence: lawyers, jurists and law professors of genuine substance. When they sat for the Bar examination, they did so in a rather straightforward, no-frills manner. They left their homes (boarding places actually, because both of them were “probinsyanos”), early in the morning, careful not to disturb family members who remained asleep, went to Mass at Quiapo Church and then proceeded to the examination site.

By contrast, that complex of plans, operations and schemes that go into what are called “bar ops” demand of examinees

that they be monied or, at least, heavily indebted. aside from a six-month review program at which reviewers, supposedly endowed with the knack for second-guessing what examiners may ask, make no mean fortune from repeating in review classes, what should have been taken in law school, a network of “frat brods” and helpful moles help with “tips.”

That highly priced commodity is an intriguing part of “bar ops” because it can mean anything from hints as to the type of questions extrapolated from the writings, books, lecturenotes of suspected examiners to downright “leaks” of examination questions—of

i know of hardly any other country in the world that engages in a spectacle of this sort relative to the examination its lawyers take.

which there have been some in the past!

The ostentatious display of wealth by wealthy schools and wealthy students reaches truly vulgar proportions when examination weeks come around. It is then that posh hotels are booked in advanced

A9

by schools that can afford to do so. send-off rites more closely resemble sporting events than they do academic exercises. It is then that the social divide once more manifests itself as schools vie with each other at providing their examinees with truly unnecessary frills, while those

from poor, provincial schools look on, their modest station in life clearly rubbed in by the glaring contrast!

This is the cult of the Bar examination, fostered no doubt by those who deem themselves members of the elite class of bar-passers. I know of hardly any other country in the world that engages in a spectacle of this sort relative to the examination its lawyers take. It is a claim at elitism, however, of dubious currency. and yet, it cannot be said that we Filipinos are lacking in entertainment, because

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-

alden richards and yaya dub should provide us enough of that.

Ironically, the Bar examination itself has not yet been tested as every good test should be. I have embarked on a project of doing an item-analysis—one of the methods of testing examination questions—for which I have requested the supreme Court for the necessary data to which I hope I will be granted access. Justice Vicente Mendoza, dean Merlyn Magallona, dr. pacifico agabin, Justice adolf azcuna, Justice roberto abad—these are only

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

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

some of the bright lights in the legal firmament who have expressed serious reservations about the “validity” of the Bar examination as an evaluative tool. The present Chief Justice, herself a long-time professor, has repeatedly expressed her dissatisfaction with the manner legal education is traditionally structured and the diagnostic tools it uses. For some time, the supreme Court adopted a combination of essay and multiple-choice questions Continued on A10

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

Chairman President & Chief Executive Officer Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Director of Operations Finance Officer Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

I had coffee with an academic who had spent the last decade tracking the proliferation of loose firearms in Mindanao.

From his views I could deduce that he’s not the absolutist type who would call for the pounding of all guns into plows because, in his words, there are the little, defenseless folks out in the boondocks whose ability to continue to plow rests on owning a gun. he was referring to sharecroppers tilling a patch of land a thousand feet above sea level, so remote that the nearest police station seems to be in another time zone. he said in places where no 911 hotline can scramble the police, a farmer’s protection against robbers could be the rusty World War II-vintage Carbine he slings on his shoulder by day and lets lean on his bedpost at night.

But before he could launch yet another of his treatise on the sociology of gun ownership in what he described as a failed and faltering state, a news crawler on the tV grabbed his attention.

It has something to do with a bill filed by legislators and which seeks to decriminalize the possession of three bullets or less. hearing this, my friend went ballistic. he said the ban can never be “allencompassing” and “across-the-board.” “ammunitions are not created equal. so they should not be treated the same.

There are bullets as small as the little finger of a child and there are those which are as big as a man’s arm,” I recall him saying. to stress his point, he then Googled the text of the firearms law on his phone. and indeed there it was—the categorization of guns and ammos in republic act 10591.

That law classifies firearms into three: small arms, Class-a Light Weapons, and Class-B Light Weapons.

Falling under small arms are revolvers, pistols and handguns. Under Class-a Light Weapons, if I am not mistaken, are rifles like the M-16 armalite and any other not exceeding 7.66 millimeter in calibre.

Mounted grenade launchers, anti-tank missiles are categorized as Class-B Light Weapons.

Other Class-B Light Weapons are “heavy machine guns, portable antiaircraft guns, portable anti-tank guns, recoilless rifles, portable launchers of antitank missile and rocket systems, portable launchers of anti-aircraft missile systems, and mortars.”

The law defines the calibre range of the Class Bs: above 7.66 millimeters but below 100 millimeters. This metric in english is four inches—no wonder bazookas are in that category. at this point, I was already sharing my friend’s concern. If indeed the sought exemption covers all three categories, then it would dilute the gun control provision of the law.

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

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

A10 The mulTi-parTy mess explained ThE Commission on Elections is faced with the task of trimming down the rita linda list of presidential v. jimeno candidates from 130 to a number composed of only the really serious contenders. This, by no means, is a mean feat. The Philippine Constitution itself has made the task tough because nearly anyone can qualify to run for the highest post in the land. All that one needs to qualify is that he is a natural-born citizen, a registered voter, able to read and write, at least 40 years old on the day of the election, and a resident of the Philippines for at least 10 years before the election.

If Comelec accepts all those who filed certificates and includes them all in the ballot, we will have an outrageously lengthy list—a spectacle that Comelec cannot afford to allow. Assuming Comelec succeeds in cutting the list to about five, six or, even seven presidential aspirants, the winner will never garner a majority of the votes cast—which is more than 50 per cent. Thus, it is more likely that the winner will only enjoy a mere plurality or garner just a few more votes than the next one. Can he then be considered as having won the trust and mandate of the Filipino people to run the country for six long years? hardly. Because of this phenomenon, even after a president has been proclaimed, While a nation’s the nation remains Constitution divided and fractured. should serve as Before the 1987 Constitution, the its backbone, ours Philippines had a much better system, needs reconstructing to respond to the similar to that in the United States, changing times and the where only two major needs of its people. parties slugged it out, the Liberal and the Nacionalista parties.

As in the American system, each party would choose the best of the best and field him to run against the contender from the other party. In the US, there are virtually two elections: the primary and the general. In the primary election, the candidate to represent either of the two dominant parties, that is, the Republican or the Democrat, is first elected. The winner then represents the party in a general election. While the Philippines never had the Electoral College system which is unique to the US, at least, the Filipino voters used to choose from the two best candidates who had gone through a primary selection process.

In most parts of the world, if an absolute majority or a designated percentage—such as 40 to 45 percent of votes cast—is not obtained by a candidate, the two who earned the highest votes undergo a runoff or a second election. The other candidates are then eliminated from the list so that those who voted for them may now vote for either of the top two candidates in order that a majority may be obtained by the more favored candidate. In the Philippines, the person having the highest number of votes, no matter how slim the margin may be, gets proclaimed as the winner. how did we get into this sorry mess? When the 1987 Philippine Constitution was being crafted, the initial intention was to shift the Philippines from the unitary/ presidential system to one of federalism. In a federal system of government it is all right to have multiple parties because the voters in every state will only vote for their representative in the parliament. The elected members of parliament from all the states will then choose from among themselves the prime minister. Thus, the general electorate is not subjected to the agony of choosing the head of government from an endless bevy of aspirants.

Unfortunately, even while the 1987 Constitution was originally crafted for a federal system of government— explaining why multiple parties are allowed to exist—in the final vote among the commissioners of the 1987 Constitution, the proponents of the federal system lost

out of the box

M O N D AY : N O V E M B E R 9, 2 0 1 5

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

handel’s ‘messiah... and he shall reign forever and ever’ ThE clock is ticking for independent presidential candidate Grace Poe. After DNA testing for probable relatives in Iloilo failed to match, the senator asked for another extension from the Senate Electoral Tribunal hearing the citizenship disqualification case against her. Granted a 13-day grace period, she is at this crucial point, fighting for her political life wherein she might even be unseated as senator. Coming out No.1 in the 2013 senatorial elections may have been heady for Grace Poe and she might have overreached her goal and level of competence.

When she turned down Senator Ferdinand Marcos. Jr.’s offer to have himself DNA tested to lay to rest persistent rumors she is the daughter of the former president, Grace Poe has narrowed her options to prove her citizenship. her husband Neil Llamanzares has not renounced his American citizenship and the family may be looking at a return to private life in the States.

The last window open to Poe is if Rosemarie Sonora, her rumored mother, steps up to submit herself to DNA. But that would, like the proverbial Pandora’s box, open a can of worms. Or maybe not. After all, an extended family is nothing new in this country’s politics and showbiz world. Joseph Estrada got elected President despite public knowledge of his mistresses and the children he sired outside his marriage. his two half-sibling sons—Jinggoy and Jayvee—were even elected senators. his mistress Guia Gomez is mayor of San Juan City. Only in our permissive Philippine society!

Rosemarie, the former Sampaguita Pictures film star is retired, remarried to an American and living quietly in the States. It is

testing ... From A9 (MCQs); it experimented with different proportions of essay to MCQs, until it decided to scrap the latter altogether. Experts in test-construction vouch for the usefulness of MCQs, but you need a good educator to prepare good MCQ questions—and that is just the problem with the Bar: In the past, many examiners were drawn from the ranks of practitioners with

baCK Channel alejandro del rosario doubtful she would submit to a DNA test and disrupt an otherwise tranquil life to get dragged into the dark world of Philippine politics. But one never knows about a mother’s instinct. She could still do right by Grace by coming clean and redeem herself for abandoning her child. IF the story is true. If Rosemarie does come out and prove Poe’s progeny, it would make for a dramatic denouement that could surpass even the viral AlDub craze. It will certainly add to Grace Poe’s underdog image and gain more votes from telenovela-addicted Filipinos. Otherwise, Grace Poe’s dream of the Presidency is dashed by her not being qualified as a Filipino citizen as required by the Constitution.

“Ang bagong umaga ay di na darating…” might as well be the revised refrain of her supporters.

Poor Chiz Escudero for thinking he had hitched his wagon to an unbeatable star. he may now find himself a political orphan stranded with no party willing to adopt him. Is that why Chiz was reportedly talking to vice president and United Nationalist Alliance presidential candidate Jojo Binay whom Escudero supported against Mar Roxas in the 2010 VP race?

Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. when asked whether he would allow himself to be DNA -tested because of persistent rumors he and Grace are half siblings, good naturedly said: “Why not, and if our DNA test match, I say welabsolutely no familiarity with test construction!

In higher education, preparing a Table of Specifications is a standard tool. You want to know exactly what areas you want to test, how much emphasis you give each area and what higher order thinking skill is tested. As far as I know, no Bar examinee is asked to submit a Table of Specifications. It should then be no surprise that notwithstanding the syllabus that the Supreme Court provides, it still largely a guessing

by a mere one vote. Thus, the 1987 Constitution put back the Philippines to the unitary/presidential system of government. Yet, as the Constitutional Commissioners were then running out of time as there existed no Constitution when President Cory Aquino declared a revolutionary government, the Commissioners apparently overlooked many provisions that needed to be changed to conform to a unitary/ presidential system.

This is but one of the many incongruities in the 1987 Constitution that needs revisiting and amending. While a nation’s Constitution should serve as its backbone, ours needs reconstructing to respond to the changing times and the needs of its people. Although amending the Constitution is a constituent act—or the act of the

come to the family!” drawing laughter at the Senate weekly news forum. Like his father, Bongbong knows how to work a crowd. As a young reporter, I remember thenpresidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos during a 1965 campaign.

In his stirring, stentorian voice, Marcos told a crowd at a public schools athletic meet in Tacloban: “You’re only accidentally Leytenos by birth, while I am a Leyteno by choice for marrying a native of Tacloban.” The crowd roared its approval. Marcos was of course referring to Imelda Romualdez who will be remembered for initiating the construction of the Philippine International Convention Center which will be the venue of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference being hosted

by Manila. To think Marcos critic Ninoy Aquino chided Imelda for having an “edifice complex” for the construction of several buildings during her watch as Metro Manila governor! Aside from the PICC, Imelda is also credited for putting up the Cultural Center of the Philippines for the performing arts and the Philippine heart Center.

Lying embalmed in a crypt in Batac, Ilocos Norte, Marcos must be smiling. Not only will he have a son a breath away from the presidency, he might even have at the same time a daughter for president! What a touch of irony that the destinies of Bongbong and Grace are intertwined.

Imelda Marcos, it was said, exalted in handel’s “Messiah” and its intoxicating hallelujah chorus of “…And he shall reign forever and ever …And he shall reign forever and ever…” Will George Frideric handel’s fitting composition fill Malacañang’s music room again? game about what questions will be asked, in any given subject.

Tests have desirable qualities: predictive and discriminatory validity among them. Where is the study that the Bar Examination meets these tests? That is why I am aghast at all the ostentation, the hype and yes, the vulgarity, that attends “bar ops.” It has the feel of the worship of an idol! rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@yahoo.com

sovereign people—without the support of the Chief Executive, any attempt to change it will fall apart.

Remember how much effort the present Congress invested to amend at least the economic provisions of the Constitution to make the nation more competitive in the global market? All these were put to naught as President Benigno Aquino III adamantly refused to touch his mother’s Constitution. Thus, the Filipino electorate must elect a President in 2016 who genuinely desires to promote the common good, rather than selfinterest, to lift the Philippines out of limbo.

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

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A11

OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

Simplifying electoral choiceS (Last of two parts) Seeing how a unitary structure, a presidential system with a multiplicity of parties, has created not only a confused but even a dysfunctional political system, we submit that the next President after June 30, 2016, initiate, and congress call for a constitutional convention with elected delegates right after they are sworn into office.

We subscribe to a federal system, this writer having embraced the idea since it was championed through Unlad Bayan, an organization founded by the late industrialist enrique Zobel and then vice President doy laurel in 1988, of which i was named secretary-general. The number and composition of the federal states should be debated upon by the elected delegates. at present, we have 15 administrative regions, namely: regions 1, 2, car, 3, ncr, 4 (divided into the mainland calabarzon and the Mimaropa island provinces), Bicol, region 6, 7 and 8 in the visayas (although a recent executive order has taken occidental away from Panay, and oriental away from central visayas), and the Mindanao regions 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and arMM. That’s a total of 16 administrative regions. assuming the same administrative regions are converted into federal states comprising the federal republic of the Philippines (the convention may also opt to rename the country in order to do away with colonial vestiges, although personally this may not sit well with many who have known themselves as filipinos through centuries), we propose: That we adopt a presidential system where the President and his vice president are elected at large by the populace. They shall hold office for a term of six (6) years, with one re-election.

We should have a two-party system similar to the United States, and our own before the imposition of martial rule.

We should adopt a unicameral federal congress, called the national assembly, to serve as the nation’s legislature, with each of the states electing at-large five (5) assemblymen nominated by their respective political parties prior to the election.

Thus, we will have a unicameral national

NOT... From A9 The authors of the bill should carefully calibrate their proposal so that bullets for all calibres are not exempt.

Because if it’s a blanket exemption, then anyone can lug around a mortar shell, or make that three, and be immune from arrest. or tot a rack of three antitank missiles without fear of

assembly composed of 80 members, more if we should have say, 17 or 18 states. for instance, if we create two separate political entities for our Muslim brothers, one for the mainland (Bangsa Moro) and another for the western islands (Bangsa Tausug), then there will be 17 states. and 18 if we shall create a separate state for Mimaropa (presently 4-B). There should be no term limits for assemblymen.

The nationally elected vice president shall automatically be the Speaker or presiding officer of the national assembly. Bloc voting must be the norm for President and vice president, state governor and vice governor (who shall be the Speaker of the state assembly), provincial governor and his vice governor, city and municipal mayors and their vice mayors.

This will do away with a Senate where 24 senators are elected nationwide, making electoral choice a function of money and celebrity status, most often regardless of ability or experience in legislation. elected by their states, they obviously must come from that ethno-linguistic area or are familiar to the area because of long residence. elections for the national assembly, with candidates chosen by party convention, should winnow the fit from the misfit. and campaigns will be less expensive. every state, rich or poor, regardless of population size or revenue, will have equal representation. Metro Manila centricity will in time be a thing of the past. (in the US of a, there are 50 states, with populous california and new york having 2 senators each, and less populous connecticut and alaska having the same number.) each federal component state shall be led by a governor voted by the entire state. his vice governor will automatically preside over the state legislature, where every province of the state will be represented by legislative district, the definition of which the convention should update according to current and future demographics.

The component province of each state shall be led by an elected governor, and his partymate vice governor shall be the presiding officer of a provincial board composed

apprehension. or lash three antiaircraft projectiles on the roof rack of his car and go on a joy ride without being flagged by the police.

But regardless of the calibre, exempting the carrying of two pieces or three pieces of ammunition is not the solution to the tanim-bala problem at the airport.

Still, the right solution is to

#failocracy

Since the proposed term of each elected of the mayors of the different component cities official is six years, we can de-synchronize and municipalities our elections, thus: elect the President and of said province. if it vice president as a team, together with the five LITO is a big province like national assemblymen in the first year of the baNayO Pangasinan with more term. So, even with manual voting, we write than 40 component only six names for the President (automatic cities and municipalities, the constitutional vote for his team-mate vP) and five legislators.

Three years after, we elect the state governor convention may choose to have the elected mayors taking turns at serving three years and his vice (1), the state assembly representative each in the provincial board. This will do of our district (1), the provincial governor and away with the present provincial boards his vice (1), the city or town mayor and his elected separately from the mayors. run vice (1) and the barangay captain (1). a total the province like a board of directors in a of 5 names. if the convention decides to have corporate set-up, with each mayor having a a barangay council, then add 5 or six barangay kagawad each. The voter writes only five to 11 say in policies and programs.

The same will be done with respect to names in his ballot. i know this proposal, which is entirely cities and municipalities, abolishing the city or municipal council and making local personal, will not be met positively by the policy and budgets the responsibility of present wielders of political power, especially the elected barangay leaders, where small those in the business of legislation. But i towns (on the average with 14 component submit that it is time we think out of the box. barangays) will take the place of the town run cities and municipalities like a corporate or city council. in the case of large cities board of directors, where each “stockholder” or towns, taking turns of three years unit is both a ceo of his barangay and a each, even two years each, within a full member of the policy council of the town. term of six years, may be legislated upon The form of government is still by the national assembly after the new presidential, with every voter having a choice constitution is ratified. of who he wants to lead him, but with a twoThere will be a need to reconfigure the party system. The convention can choose number of barangays, which in some cases, to retain a party-list system, as part of the were configured with no standard of measure. state assembly, but not the national assembly for instance, the city of Manila, with a roughly where every member should be elected at800,000 voting population, has 897 barangays, large by the component state’s voters. while cebu city, with some 600,000 voters, has or, we may opt to have a system similar to only 80 barangays. To further illustrate the need the french model, where the nationally elected for barangay rationalization: The barangay President is in charge of foreign affairs, defense, where i am a registered voter, libertad in currency and other departments imbued with Butuan city, has 16,000 voters. The barangay national security, with the power to nominate where my Manila residence is located has only a Prime Minister in charge of the economy 200 voters. and day-to-day operations of line agencies, The proposal stems from the political who shall be subject to the vote of the national reality that the barangay, being the smallest assembly. But for dictatorial powers, it is unit of government, is also the unit closest similar to the time when Marcos was President to and most responsive to the community. and the highly respected cesar virata was our The number just needs to be rationalized, prime minister. so that a barangay in Manila, or cebu, or less elected government officials, longer davao, or Zamboanga, would be serving terms of office (six years instead of three), similar populations and comparative land simplified method of choosing, a strong areas. again, the elected vice mayor shall be two-party system in a federal system of the presiding officer of the city or municipal government, while retaining a presidential council composed of the barangay captains. form. We submit.

SO I See

punish the perpetrators so that it can serve as a deterrent. it is not as if there is a national craze of bullet carrying that we have to legalize the norm.

There is no such clamor. The clamor is to protect the hapless traveller from being scammed by those whom they pay to protect them. legalizing the carrying of three bullets, more so on a whatever,

wherever, whenever basis, is not the cure. if the law indeed provides the fertilized bed for the planting of bullets, then the amendments should not be as drastic that mortar shell possession is amnestied in advance. hopefully, the bill does not prescribe blanket exemption. if it does, it must be withdrawn or corrected. Bills are rough drafts of legislation. They are not written

in indelible link so that imperfect sections are beyond erasure.

There’s a so-called rifle approach in solving problems in which a threat is removed with pinpoint accuracy. opposite this precise method is the gunshot approach where a problem is sprayed with pellets. in stopping “tanim-bala,” knee-jerk reactions do not lead to the hitting of the target.

chong ardivilla

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A12

sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Bradley batters Rios, keeps belt LOS ANGLELES—Timothy Bradley battered Brandon Rios en route to a ninth-round technical knockout on Saturday in a lopsided welterweight bout that had a dejected Rios announcing his retirement.

Bradley retained his World Boxing Organization world title, improving to 33-1-1 with 13 wins inside the distance with the triumph at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Fighting for the first time under the guidance of trainer Teddy Atlas, Bradley was quick and aggressive against a challenger who struggled to make the 147-pound weight limit.

Bradley, 32, was fast off the mark, landing a series of combinations in a

big first round.

Rios, a former World Boxing Association lightweight champion, absorbed a big right in the second, but responded in a battling exchange.

He was doing good work in the third before a body shot from Bradley clearly rattled him.

“I hurt him early to the body,” Bradley said. “I kind of wanted to get him not thinking about it for awhile, and then I went back downstairs.”

Bradley sent Rios to the canvas with

a left to the body in the ninth. Rios beat the count, only for Bradley to unleash a barrage that had him down again and referee Tony Weeks calling a halt at 2:49 of the round.

“That’s the best Bradley I’ve ever seen,” promoter Bob Arum said of the fighter who has been mentioned as a possible foe for Manny Pacquiao next year in what will likely be the Philippine legend’s last fight.

The two fought twice in 2012, when Bradley took a controversial split decision before losing the rematch by unanimous decision.

Rios, 29, wasn’t contemplating any future in the ring after falling to 33-31, with 24 knockouts.

“I think it’s time to get out,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Vasyl Lomachenko knocked out Romulo Koasicha in the 10th round to retain his WBO featherweight world title.

Lomachenko dominated throughout, punishing the Mexican with an array of punches before landing a string of body blows that brought Koasicha (25-5) down for the count at 2:35 of the 10th.

“I was just having fun in there,” said Lomachenko, an Olympic gold medallist in 2008 and 2012 who lost only once in a fabled 500-fight amateur career and captured his world title in just his third pro bout. “If I really wanted to knock him out I would have done it earlier.” AFp

Timothy Bradley Jr. (right) hits Brandon Rios in the fifth round of their WBO welterweight title fight at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Bradley retained his title with a ninth-round TKO victory. AFp

Supremo Lex routs Kama five Games Tuesday (JCSGO Gym) 4 p.m. – Cagayan Valley vs Supremo Lex 6 p.m. – Kama Motors vs Caida Tiles

DON’T look now, but Supremo Lex has become a much better team in the PCBL Founders’ Cup and proved it on Friday night when it picked up its second straight win following 96-85 triumph over Kama Motors at The Arena in San Juan.

Joseph Gabayni and Jayson Escueta continued to complement each other inside the shaded lane as they combined for 35 points and 18 rebounds, while powering Supremo Lex to back-to-back wins.

Supremo Lex has now improved to 2-4 to forge a tie with its victim from sixth to seventh places in this tournament supported by Spalding, Ambucore, Accel and Aquabest.

The team of coach Ralph Rivera got off to a strong start and built a commanding 51-32 lead at halftime and although Kama Motors rallied in the second half, the duo of Gabayni and Escueta and the timely baskets of Teytey Teodoro, who scored 11 of his 16 points in the period, kept their rallying rivals at bay.

Army rips Coast Guard, nears sweep Games Saturday 12:45 p.m. – PLDT vs KIA 3 p.m. – Army vs UP

ARMY overcame a fierce third set challenge put up by a gritty Coast Guard and hammered out a 25-4, 25-12, 33-31 victory yesterday to move within a win from sweeping the Shakey’s V-League Season 12-Reinforced Conference elims at The Arena in San Juan City.

Former league MVP Jovelyn Gonzaga erupted with a gamebest 20 hits, including 17 attack points, while Mary Remy Joy Palma and Honey Royse Tubino combined for 24 markers as the fancied Lady Troopers rolled to their fourth straight victory in the season-ending conference of the league sponsored by Shakey’s and presented by PLDT Home Ultera.

What made the win impressive was Army did it without ace setter Tina Salak and hitter Abi Marano, who sat out the game to

Warriors in 7th heaven LOS ANGELES—Stephen Curry cooled off but that didn’t stop the NBA champion Golden State Warriors from reeling off their seventh straight win to open the season, a 103-94 triumph over the Kings in Sacramento on Saturday.

Curry came into the contest riding a wave of four straight games of 30 points or more but settled for 24 in his worst shooting night of the fledgling season.

The reigning Most Valuable Player missed his first eight shots from three-point range, but his first threepointer proved key, putting the Warriors ahead 81-79 with 5:43 to play.

He finished by connecting on eight of 18 attempts from the floor, two of 10 from threepoint range -- his 80th straight game with at least one threepointer, the third-longest such streak in NBA history.

Curry wasn’t the only Golden State player struggling from long range as the Warriors missed 16 of their first 17 shots from beyond the arc.

But they benefitted from 21 Kings turnovers that led to 29 Warriors points as Sacramento again felt the absence of All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins, who missed his fourth game with a strained right Achilles tendon.

Despite their shooting woes the Warriors held off two second-half Kings rallies.

Forward Marco Belinelli’s three-pointer with 6:48 left in the third quarter capped a 23-7 scoring run that put the Kings up 55-53.

But Warriors guard Klay Thompson responded with a three-pointer to start a run of 14 straight Golden State points.

The Kings came back again, with forward Omri Casspi draining two threepointers and Belinelli adding another as the Kings outscored the Warriors 24-11 over the next seven minutes.

A jump shot from Rajon Rondo put Sacramento up 79-78 with 6:37 to play.

Rondo finished with a triple-double of 14 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds, but Curry’s three-pointer with 5:43 left gave the Warriors a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. AFp

Atencio, 84

PLDT Home Ultera flaunts its superb block through (from left) Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Rysabelle Devanadera and Janine Marciano to foil Navy’s Pau Soriano’s attack during their Shakey’s V-League Reinforced Conference clash at The Arena Saturday, Nov. 7.

rest in a game they were heavily favored to win.

But Palma and Tubino stepped up and scored 13 and 11 hits, respectively, while Sarah Jane Gonzales picked up the slack

from Salak by producing a careerhigh 37 excellent sets to clinch the Shakey’s Best Player of the Game honors in the tournament backed by Mikasa and Accel and organized by Sports Vision.

THE father of The Standard sportswriter Peter Atencio, Dr. Rafael M. Atencio, passed away on Oct. 17, 2015.

Also known by his nickname “Ralph” or “Paeng,” Atencio was cremated on Sunday at the Manila North Cemetery. A time for viewing will be announced later.

He was married to the former Cynthia Concio of Quezon City. Rafael is survived by his children, Joel, Peter and wife Angie, Michael and wife Jules, Rosanne and husband David, and Leo, and grandchildren Keefe, Megan and Marionne, Joachim and Bea. Those wishing to visit his remains can call Peter (09283926982), Michael (09258801663), or Joel (09198301726).

m o n day : n o v e m b e r 9 , 2 0 1 5

A13

sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Knox wins World Golf Championship SHANGHAI—Russell Knox became the first Scotsman ever to win a World Golf Championships event when he held off a world-class field for a two-stroke victory in Shanghai on Sunday.

His final round four-under par 68 at the $8.5 million WGC-HSBC Champions gave him a total of 268, 20-under par. Kevin Kisner of the US was second on 270 with English pair Danny Willett, who shot a final round 62, and Ross Fisher tied for third a further stroke behind.

Knox started the day at 85th in the world golf rankings and could now move into the top 30 when the new standings are announced on Monday.

The 30-year-old form Inverness, who is based in the United States and plays solely on the US PGA Tour, still had to play the final hole of his third round early Sunday after walking off in bad light after dusk on Saturday.

It proved a timely decision as with weather conditions more benign he picked up a birdie four to move into a share of the lead. AFP

Russell Knox of Scotland celebrates after winning the WGC-HSBC Champions golf tournament in Shanghai. AFP

Djokovic, Murray duel for Paris title PARIS—Top seed and defending champion Novak Djokovic will take on second seed Andy Murray in Sunday’s Paris Masters final in the latest instalment of their long rivalry.

In Saturday’s semis, Djokovic defeated Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 for his 21st straight win dating back to August 23, while Murray edged past David Ferrer 6-4, 6-3.

Paris is the last of the nine Masters 1000 series for the season with Djokovic having already won five and Murray two.

The win over Wawrinka was sweet revenge for world number one Djokovic, who lost the French Open final to the Swiss star on the other side of Paris in June.

That prevented the 28-year-old Serb from completing his career haul of Grand Slam titles.

As he subsequently won the Wimbledon and US Open titles, having already wrapped up the Australian Open, it also stopped him from becoming just the third man,

after Don Budge and Rod Laver, to win all four Grand Slam titles in the same year.

“Credit to Stan for playing a great second set and coming back, winning five games in a row, obviously serving more accurately, playing more powerful from the baseline back of the court, getting more balls back, and it worked for him. He played very well,” Djokovic said.

“But I still felt like I was hitting the ball well. With this kind of feeling and approach, I got to the third set and played the best set of the tournament so far.”

A break in the third game was enough for Djokovic to take the first set and, when he broke to lead 2-0 in the second, it looked like a straightforward win against a player who had finished a punishing quarter-

final match against Rafael Nadal well after midnight and got to bed at 3:45 am.

But Wawrinka summoned up his last energies to run off five games in a row and level the set scores.

In so doing he put an end to Djokovic’s superb set winning streak at 29, dating back to the second set of the US Open final against Roger Federer in early September.

A love service game for Djokovic to start the third set, however, reversed the momentum and Wawrinka visibly wilted, allowing the Serb to power into the final for the third straight year.

Wawrinka said that it had not so much been the late finish against Nadal that had left him drained, but more the “exhausting” nature of his win in two tough tie-breaks.

Earlier Murray defeated Ferrer to reach the Paris Masters final for the first time, having fallen five times at the quarterfinal stage. AFP

Cignal regains strength, blasts Air Force in 4 sets Games Monday (Cuneta Astrodome) 4 p.m.—Foton vs Meralco 6 p.m.—RC Cola-Air Force vs Philips Gold

MALOLOS CITY—Cignal finally regained its full strength and clobbered RC Cola-Air Force, 2519, 20-25, 25-10, 25-19, Saturday, Nov. 7 before an overflow crowd at the Malolos Sports and Convention Center to formally enter the semifinals of the 2015 Philippine Superliga women’s volleyball tournament After slowing down in the past couple of games, the HD Spikers were again relentless as they pounced on the sluggish Raiders in the last two sets to capture the victory in this prestigious interclub tourney presented by Asics and backed by Milo with Senoh, Mueller and Mikasa as technical partners and TV5 as official broadcaster.

Meanwhile, Philips Gold

regained its form as it made quick work of Meralco, 25-12, 26-24, 2519, to inch closer to the semifinals.

After slowing down in their previous game, Alexis Olgard and Myla Pablo took turns in peppering the defense with hot smashes while Bojana Todorovic took care of the backline defense to help the Lady Slammers claim their fifth win in seven games.

Philips Gold moved within a win of joining reigning champion Petron in the semifinals of this prestigious inter-club tournament presented by Asics and backed by Milo with Mueller, Mikasa and Senoh as technical partners and TV5 as official broadcaster.

Meralco, on the other hand, formally kissed its championship hopes goodbye with its seventh consecutive setback. Its experience, however, will be very valuable as the nucleus of the Power Spikers will be campaigning for De La Salle University in the UAAP wars in January.

Doping extortion abhorrent, says Coe LONDON—World athletics chief Sebastian Coe has labelled as “abhorrent” allegations of doping bribery within athletics after his predecessor was arrested by French police.

“That people in our sport have allegedly extorted money from athletes guilty of doping violations is abhorrent,” said International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) president Coe in a statement to Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper.

Lamine Diack, Coe’s immediate predecessor, was charged

by French police with corrup-

tion over suspicions he took bribes worth more than one million euros ($1.09 million) to cover up doping cases involving Russian athletes.

The IAAF have also opened disciplinary proceedings against one of Diack’s sons and three others, their own former treasurer and ex-doping chief.

However, Coe in his first response to the latest crisis to hit track and field, added: “That they were not able to cover up the doping results is testament to the system that the IAAF and WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) have jointly put in place.”

Coe said disciplinary procedures would be strengthened if current systems were found to be inadequate.

“Where there are fragilities in the system that may have allowed extortion, no matter how unsuccessful, we will strengthen them,” said Coe. “We will take the hearing process out of the hands of individual member federations.”

Coe, a two-time Olympic 1500 metres gold medallist for Britain, took over as head of the IAAF from Diack in August, vowing to clean up the tainted sport. AFP

Lynda Morales of RC Cola-Air Force scores against the defense of Cignal’s Amanda Anderson in a PSL game won by the Raiders, 25-19, 20-25, 25-10, 25-19. ROMAN PROSPERO

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Top finishers make world meet NUVALI announced that the Top 20 male and Top 20 female finishers of the Union Cycliste Internationale Cross Country Marathon World Series qualifying race at Dirt Weekend have the chance to represent their respective countries in the 2016 World Mountain Bike Championship in Laissac, France.

Top finishers display their medals at the podium.

They are (from left) Men’s 2nd Placer Tawatchai Jeeravatchatam (Thailand), Men’s Champion Milton Javier Ramos Gomez (Honduras) and Men’s 3rd Placer Alvin Benosa (Philippines).

TEDDY PELAEZ

Nationals carry La Salle-Zobel in jungolf LA SALLE Zobel celebrated the return of their top players from national team duty to pull away from their rivals in the Juniors’ and Aspirants’ 1 Division in the ICTSI-JGFP National Inter-School golf championships in various courses recently.

Aniceto Mandanas fired 58 points, Nikolo Gatmaytan carded 55 and Kristoffer Arevalo added 54 as La Salle Zobel bloated its lead to 45 points, with a 462 total in Juniors’ play.

Carl Corpus and Aidric Chan combined

for 103 points for Ateneo, but failed to get enough scoring support to stop La Salle Zobel from pulling farther away in the event backed chiefly by the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. Foundation.

Ira Alido and Jolo Magcalayo padded La Salle Zobel’s lead to 10 in Aspirants’ 1after scoring 52 and 46, respectively.

DLSZ is now at 276 against the 266 of Ateneo 1, which was at 266 after getting 50 from Riggs Illescas and 41 from Maio Castaneda.

Xavier 1, behind Sean Young and Jet Ang, remained far ahead in the Aspirants’ 2 category of the tourney also sponsored by the Philippine Golf Foundation, Philippine Airlines, Cleantech, Cleanpak and Inquirer Golf.

Ang had 36 and Young made 25 to jack up Xavier’s total to 269, leaving behind Ateneo which was at 228.

Seeing action next are the juniors at Eastridge, the Seniors at Ayala Greenfield and Aspirants’ 1 at Aguinaldo.

US skiing star Vonn treated for dog bite LOS ANGELES—US skiing star Lindsey Vonn needed hospital treatment on Saturday after being bitten as she tried to break up a fight between her pet dogs.

The 2010 Winter Olympics downhill gold medalist posted footage of her bloodied thumb on her Twitter account while confirming details of the incident.

“So the story is that my dogs got rowdy fight-

ing over a dang frisbee and I tried to break it up but got bit instead. Fun weekend,” the 31-yearold wrote on Twitter.

Footage posted on Twitter and Instagram showed a smiling Vonn in a hospital cap and gown being treated for the wound to her hand.

The injury was not serious and Vonn said in a post on her website she planned to be back skiing on Sunday.

Vonn, the four-time World Cup champion, is on the mend after suffering a broken ankle during a training run in New Zealand in August.

Vonn, the most successful woman Alpine skier in US history, has suffered a series of mishaps over the years, including a serious knee injury which ruled her out of the 2014 Sochi Olympics. AFP

Leading the race in the men’s division was Milton Javier Ramos Gomez of Team Honduras Intense Bikes-GoPro, who finished the 60-kilometer course in 2 hours and 18 minutes, followed

by Tawatchai Jeeravatchatam of Team ThailandSingha Infinite in second place and Alvin Benosa of Team BMC Philippines in third.

Ilda Pereira of Team Portugal-Mozinho MTB bested riders in the women’s category with a finishing time of 3 hours and 1 minute, while Yazid Kusmawati of Team Indonesia-Jabar Polygon and Melissa Jane Jaroda of Team PhilippinesGround Zero trailed behind at second and third places.

Both champions received P46,000 each in cash prize, while the first-runners up and secondrunners up received P35,000 and P15,000 respectively.

Dirt Weekend is one of the country’s premium mountain biking events held yearly since 2009 in Nuvali, Ayala Land’s largest eco-city development south of Manila.

The 2,290-hectare estate has dedicated bike and running trails, part of its sustainabilitygrounded development plan which allots 50% of the property to green, elevated spaces. This year’s main event, the XCM World Series Philippine qualifying leg, was attended by participants representing various parts of the country, as well as delegates from Spain, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Indonesia, Portugal, France, Thailand and Singapore.

“This is the first time that Nuvali hosted a UCI World Championship Series event and it has been a great honor for us to serve as a venue where Filipino athletes can showcase their talents. Nuvali is dedicated to developing world-class athletes, specifically mountain bikers, through the annual Dirt Weekend program,” said John Estacio, Nuvali General Manager.

As the international governing body on sports cycling and competitive cycling events, UCI designed the XCM race course at Nuvali to be at par with international technical standards to ensure that qualifiers will be ready for the 2016 World Mountain Bike Championship. The course ran for 60 kilometers and simulates mountain terrain with challenging climbs, as well as fast and technical descents.

Romeo...

From A16

seconds left to ice the win for GlobalPort, stretching the gap to a safe six points, 95-89, Overall, GlobalPort erupted for 20 points in the extension, eight of which came from Romeo, compared to only four for Barako Bull, to emphatically end the game despite a downer of a finish in regulation, wherein the Energy was able to force overtime on a last-second shot.

Pringle produced huge numbers of 19 points and 17 rebounds on top of five assists to lead the way for GlobalPort, while Romeo totaled a gamehigh 21 points and four assists despite coming off a flu a few days prior to the game.

GlobalPort coach Pido Jarencio praised his prolific 1-2 backcourt punch for a

job well done. ‘’Crucial iyong mga points ni Terrence nu’ng overtime kasi that gave us a five-point lead.

Hindi kagandahan inilaro niya nu’ng start kasi kagagaling lang sa trangkaso niyan, kaya limited muna minutes niya, pero naka-recover naman siya,’’ said Jarencio. ‘’Si Stanley (Pringle) naman consistent lagi ‘yan for us. We expect that from him.’’

GlobalPort is now tied with San Miguel Beer for fourth place, sharing identical 2-1 starts, while Barako Bull fell to 1-2. ‘’Extra effort lang kami nu’ng overtime. It was a total team effort,’’ added Jarencio.

JC Intal sent the game into overtime after knocking down a tough turnaround fadeaway jumper over Keith Jensen at the

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

buzzer to make it 85-all at the end of regulation.

However, the Energy wasn’t able to capitalize on the momentum it gained from Intal’s last-second shot as the Batang Pier kept their poise and composure to dominate in overtime.

Intal and Wilson each had 17 points to lead Barako Bull.

The scores: GLOBALPORT 105 - Romeo 21, Pringle 19, Kramer 14, Yeo 13, Washington 11, Maierhofer 9, Jensen 8, Sumang 4, Mamaril 2, Taha 2, Uyloan 2, Pena 0.

BARAKO 91 - Intal 17, Wilson 17, Cruz 13, Lanete 13, Fortuna 9, Garcia 8, Urbiztondo 7, Pennisi 6, Baracael 4, Miranda 0, Sorongon 0, Monfort 0.

Quarters: 29-18, 45-42, 6669, 85-85, 105-91

GlobalPort’s Stanley Pringle penetrates the lane and challenges four Barako Bull defenders in a PBA game won by the Batang Pier, 105-91.

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Crack field joins PH Chess Open SOME of the world’s biggest names in chess descend into Philippine shores today as the country plays host to two consecutive international tournaments in the next two weeks at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Olongapo City in Zambales.

First up is the Philippine International Chess Championship (Open and Challenger Divisions) which will be held starting today and will end Nov. 14. This will be immediately followed by the Philippine Sports CommissionPuregold Chess Challenge (Open and Challeger Divisions) slated Nov. 16 to 21.

Both tournaments will be held at the Subic Peninsula Hotel located inside the SBMA complex in Olongapo City., The foreign contingent numbering 19 is composed of six Russian players, two Chinese players, five from India, two from Ukraine, and one each from Armenia, Vietnam, Denmark and Indonesia.

All six Russians, who are led by top seed GM Vladimir Belous (Elo 2573), are grandmasters. The other Russian players are Mikhail Mo-

zharov, Smirnov Pavel, Shomoev Anton, Boris Savchenko and Anton Demchenko.

The Indians are led by sixth seed IM Sunilduth Lyna Narayanan, while the China is represented by GM Lu Shanglei and IM Lin Chen.

Ukraine also has two strong players in GM Alexander Zubov and GM Syvuk Vitali.

Last year’s champion Levan Pantsulaia of Georgia and his runner-up GM Ivan Popov of Russia, however, did not make it this year.

The foreign bets will match wits against each other and the best local chess minds led by newly minted national champion GM Richard Bitoon, Asia’s first GM Eugene Torre and GM Oliver Barbosa.

The women’s side will be bannered by 2015 national women’s

champion WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda, WIM Janelle Mae Frayna and WIM Cathering Perena-Secopito, among others.

This will be a significant tournament especially for Frayna, who is chasing her third GM norm and at the same time reach the Elo 2300 rating, a pre-requisite to those seeking a full WGM title.

“This tournament will give our young players a chance to improve their game and their ratings as well. This will also give our national and international masters, both men and women, to achieve their goals of making it to the next level,” Gonzales said of the tournament organized by the NCFP and sponosred by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Puregold, AUB, Burlington Socks and Marc Ventura.

Who is Terrence Crawford?

LOCKER ROOM RANDY CALUAG CONTRARY to reports, the Manny Pacquiao-Amir Khan is not a done deal yet. The news was quickly rebutted by Manny’s promoter Bob Arum, saying “it’s not true.”

Arum said negotiations are going on with Timothy Bradley and Terrence Crawford still in the picture for a possible match with the Filipino pride in April next year. Meanwhile, both Floyd Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez already shut down the door for a return showdown with Pacuiao.

Among the list of Paquiao contenders, Crawford stands out as the fighter with the best credentials to possibly beat the Pacman. Even Arum has reportedly said that the projected fight could be boxing’s “passing of the torch.”

But who is Terrence Crawford?

Crawford is currently the WBO lightwelterweight champion, undefeated in 27 fights, 19 via knockout.

His biggest victim was Yuriorkis Gamboa, whom he stopped in the ninth round of their 12-round lightweight title bout in 2014.

He is described as a hard-hitting, technical and thinking fighter-thanks to his splendid amateur background as a national US champion and Pan-American lightweight gold medalist.

The American is younger (28) and taller at 5’8” and he can match the Filipino’s speed. The only question is, can he withstand a punch?

Most fighters don’t realize Pacquiao’s punching power until they meet him in the ring. Go ask Juan Manuel Marquez, Timothy Bradley, Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito and even Flody Mayweather, who had to dance his way to victory over Pacquiao. *** Former Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight king George St. Pierre is going back training, getting ready for a comeback in the cage.

That is if his boxing trainer Freddie Roach is to be believed. Roach, in an interview with Fight Hub TV during the weigh-in for the Canelo Alvarez- Miguel Cotto boxing tiff, said that the Canadian MMA star will train for six weeks and is “ready to fight one more time.”

If George’s return to UFC would be timed for the UFC 200 in July, it could be a very huge attraction. He can start again with tune-up fights in the welterweight division, then immediately get a shot at the title.

Now, the Robbie Lawler Carlos Condit title match gets a new twist. *** Wonder what Mike Tyson is doing these days? The former world heavyweight champion has a TV show called Mike Tyson Mysteries, which is now on its second season.

The MTM is an animated se-

ries with Tyson, voiced as himself, tasked to solve mysteries with the help of her adopted daughter and a carrier pigeon. But this is not just what Tyson is busy with.

He loves to go around and talk -on TV and social media -- especially about politics. In his most recent pronouncement, he said business and media mogul Donald Trump should be the next president of the United States. He said a lot of people hate him and Trump, because they both tell the truth.

Being an acknowledged Pacquiao fan, Tyson, I’m sure, fully supports Pacman’s run for a Philippine senate seat. But a lot of Filipinos may not feel the same way as in the most recent survey, the boxing politician teeters from the 12th to 13th positions.

Pacquiao needs to prove himself more in the political arena. And it didn’t help that his absenteeism has become the highlight of his Congress stint as representative of the lone Sarangani district in Mindanao. **** COMBO PUNCHES: For more news about MMA, boxing and combat sports, please visit fightnewsasia.com and listen to FIGHTNEWS HOUR every Wednesday, 7:30 to 9 p.m., on DZSR Sports Radio 918 with my co-hosts Judith Caringal and JM Siasat. Watch out for our contest in this corner to win sports merchandise.

Sonny Wagdos (left) and Judelyn Miranda clinched the highest stakes as 21K winners of the 39th National MILO Marathon in Davao.

Wagdos, Miranda rule Milo Marathon in Davao DAVAO—Davaoeños Sonny Wagdos and Judelyn Miranda grabbed the top spots of the 21K centrepiece event at the National MILO Marathon qualifying leg in Davao City on Sunday.

The city known as the Crown Jewel of Mindanao saw about 8,500 runners grace the running routes in the biggest and grandest running event in the country.

Reigning MILO Marathon King Rafael Poliquit, who is already automatically qualified for the finals having won the 2014 MILO Marathon tilt, also gave his legs a stretch out in the Davao race.

Wagdos and Miranda each took home the top prize of P10,000 in cash and a trophy; and earned their slots to the National MILO Marathon Finals.

The finals will be held in Angeles on Dec. 6, where they will meet the nation’s elite runners in a heated grand finale to claim the MILO Marathon King and Queen titles.

To provide another level of prestige to the competition and incentive for the runners, this year’s King and Queen will be sent by MILO to the USA on all-expense paid trips, for a chance to run in the prestigious 2016 Boston Marathon.

Despite the challenging new race route, Wagdos excelled in his category as he posted a time of 01:15:25, beating his rivals Michale Achalico (01:15:56) and Manny Marfil (01:19:34) who fin-

South Korean captures her 1st LPGA victory TOKYO—South Korea’s Ahn Sun-Ju displayed nerves of steel to capture her first LPGA title on Sunday by winning the $1.5 million TOTO Japan Classic in a three-way playoff.

The 28-year-old calmly sank a five-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole after finishing the 54-hole tournament tied with a 16-under-par total of 200 alongside fellow Korean

Lee Ji-Hee and American Angela Stanford.

A superb six-iron approach from 165 yards set up Ahn’s coup de grace on the first extra hole after firing a final-round 67 in drizzly conditions at the Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club in Mie prefecture, western Japan.

“I didn’t think I could win the tournament but it’s a nice

surprise,” said Ahn after her 27th professional win, the bulk of them coming on the Japanese tour. “I’m so happy.”

Stanford, who also closed with a 67, narrowly missed a 30-footer at the 18th in the playoff but paid tribute to Ahn’s clutch approach shot.

“Sun-Ju hit a really good shot in there,” said the American after coming up just short

in her bid for a sixth LPGA victory. “If you stick it on 18, with this hole, you deserve birdie and you deserve to win.”

Overnight leader Jenny Shin carded a round of 70 to take fourth place and miss the playoff by a single shot while, Thailand’s Aryia Jutanugarn finished fifth after shooting the round of the tournament, an eight-under-par 64.

ished in second and third place, respectively. In the distaff side, Miranda clinched first place with a time of 01:32:57, relegating Madelyn Carter (01:48:19) to second place and Hazelvic Villanueva (01:52:07) in third place.

This race is Wagdos’ second championship crown in Davao.

The 21-year-old 4th year student of Univeristy of Mindanao has been running since he was in elementary. “I got into running because I really wanted to study and finish a degree. I was able to get scholarships because of my passion,” he shared. “I always have to focus on academics so I’m not always 100% in training. This year’s race route is also quite difficult because of the uphill parts. Fortunately, I still won the race. I’m so happy.

Miranda, on the other hand, has won a total of six regional leg champion crowns - three in Butuan, and three in Davao. Like Wagdos, she has been running since she was a child, and joined her schools’ track and long distance running varsity teams.

She has been joining the MILO Marathon with her elder sister for 20 years now. “For this race, I trained in the mountains, so I was prepared to face the uphill route,” she shared. “It was quite hard to balance my training time with my work shifts, so I am very proud of this victory. I would also like to dedicate this win to my uncle who just passed away.”

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m o n day : n o v e m b e r 9 , 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

Eagles soar to 5 straight win th

by reuel Vidal

THE Ateneo De Manila Blue Eagles soared to their fifth consecutive victory in the UAAP Season 78 men’s basketball tournament with a decisive 73-62 win over the La Salle Green Archers on Sunday at the SmartAraneta Coliseum.

Trailing by double-digit deficits in the first half, the Blue Eagles leaned on a decisive 23-9 third-quarter output to take command of the game going to the fourth period.

Kiefer Ravena, electing to drive strong to the hoop instead of chucking up three pointers, led the blazing Ateneo start in the third period. The Eagles started the quarter with a 14-2 run to turn a 30-35 deficit into a 44-37 advantage with 4:48 to go in the third.

Ateneo youngsters Adrian Wong and Aaron Black -- showing everyone there’s nothing to worry about when seniors Ravena and Von Pessumal graduate at the end of the season -- then took over the scoring chores. The pair led a swirling 9-7 finish as the Eagles erected a commanding 53-44 advantage going into the final quarter.

Prince Rivero scored on a charity split to cut the Ateneo lead to just five points, 64-59. Neither team could score from the field, but Ateneo converted enough free throws, including four by Ravena, to go on to win the game.

Pessumal scored 17 points to earn Player of the Game honors.

Ravena also had an outstanding game with 15 points, five rebounds and two assists.

With the victory, Ateneo (9 wins, 4 losses), which already clinched a seat in the semifinals, stayed within reach of the twice-to-beat advantage given to the top two teams in the Final Four. They trail the Far Eastern University Tamaraws (10-2) and the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers (10-3).

La Salle’s loss (5-7) meant that the final berth in the Final Four is still undecided. Still in the running are the National University Bulldogs (6-7) and the University of the East Red Warriors (4-8).

Meanwhile, the defending champion National University Bulldogs leaned on Gelo Alolino to beat the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 75-69, in the opening game.

Alolino scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to power the Bulldogs to victory. NU (6 wins, 7 losses) is in a tight race with La Salle for the last berth in the Final Four.

Romeo, Pringle lift Batang Pier quintet

by Jeric lopez games wednesday (Philsports Arena, Pasig City): 4:15 p.m. - Meralco vs. Talk ‘N Text 7 p.m. - San Miguel vs. Blackwater

Ateneo’s Von Pessumal drives for a floater against the defense of La Salle’s Andrei Caracut in a UAAP game won by the Eagles, 73-62. brosi gonZAles

brAdley bAtters rios to retAin wbo belt

TERRENCE Romeo caught fire at the right time, while Stanley Pringle unleashed monster numbers to carry GlobalPort to an overtime 105-91 win over Barako Bull in the 2015 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup Sunday at the Philsports

Arena in Pasig City.

With the game tied at 87-all, the spitfire scorer scored five crucial points on back-to-back jumpers, finishing with a trey from the right elbow with 2:14 left in the overtime period to give the Batang Pier a much-needed 92-87 cushion.

Willie Wilson made two free throws with 1:09 left to inch Barako Bull to within one possession, 89-92, but big man Jay Washington countered with a huge trey from the left elbow with 49 Next page

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MONDAY: NOVEMBER 9, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

B1 Labor-SFI agreement. Labor

Secretary Rosalinda DimapilisBaldoz (third from right) and Servicio Filipino Inc. Group of Companies chief executive and president Luis Alberto Anastacio (second from left) exchange copies of an agreement outlining the roles of the Labor Department and SFI Group in the implementation of the Philippine Talent Map Initiative. The signing of the agreement, which also aims to develop the new PhilJobNet platform, the official job portal of the government, took place during the World Association of Public Employment Services National Forum held Oct. 22to 23 in Tagaytay City. With them are (from left) SFI Group chairman Estrellita Anastacio, Bureau of Local Employment director Dominique Tutay and SFI director Vivian Guerrero. ]

PSe comPoSite index Closing November 6, 2015

8000 7700 7400 7100 6800 6500

7,118.20 4.25

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing NOVEMBER 6, 2015 43.50 44.60 45.40

P46.935

46.20

CLOSE

47.00

HIGH P46.875 LOW P46.940AVERAGE P46.902 VOLUME 590.800M

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

oPriceS il P today

P24.55-P28.00 Diesel P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, November 6, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

46.9060

Japan

Yen

0.008217

0.3854

UK

Pound

1.520800

71.3346

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129017

6.0517

Switzerland

Franc

1.005328

47.1559

Canada

Dollar

0.759705

35.6347

Singapore

Dollar

0.711238

33.3613

Australia

Dollar

0.715001

33.5378

Bahrain

Dinar

2.657737

124.6638

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266660

12.5080

Brunei

Dollar

0.708717

33.2431

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000074

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.028106

1.3183

UAE

Dirham

0.272301

12.7726

Euro

Euro

1.088300

51.0478

Korea

Won

0.000878

0.0412

China

Yuan

0.157565

7.3907

India

Rupee

0.015186

0.7123

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.232992

10.9287

New Zealand

Dollar

0.662778

31.0883

Taiwan

Dollar

0.030801

1.4448 Source: PDS Bridge

Customs collection fell again in October

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

CUSTOMS collection fell for the fourth straight month in October, pulled down by lower prices of petroleum products, the agency said over the weekend.

Preliminary data from the Bureau of Customs showed import tariff collection fell 0.7 percent in October to P31.8 billion from P34.2 billion in the same month last year. It also dropped from P32.65 billion collected in September.

The bureau said actual collection in October also missed the P42.9-billion target for the month by 26 percent.

The figure brought total collection by the agency, which accounts for about a fifth of government revenues, to P299 billion in the first 10 months, or 57 billion

short of the P355.95-billion target for the period.

Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina earlier said the government lost between P50 billion and P75 billion in tariff collections from oil imports this year because of weak crude prices.

The Dubai crude price, the benchmark for the Philippines, fell below $50 a barrel this year from around $100 a barrel last year. Taxes from oil products represent about 30 percent of the bureau’s collection.

Lina said 12 of the 17 ports did not meet their collection targets

as of the third week of October.

Port of Manila fell 30 percent short of target while Port of Batangas was 22-percent behind target.

“Year to date, San Fernando is 30-percent behind target and Limay at 50 percent, but we expect a significant increase on this from the ongoing influx of shipments for the holidays,” Lina said.

“More stringent valuation should be imposed to help in the revenue collection. We are closely monitoring valuation on oil, steel and rice,” he said.

Lina said the bureau was looking at speeding up public auction of forfeited goods to ease the collection burden of weak oil prices.

He said in the first eight months of the year, Manila International Container Port posted P333 million from auctioned goods.

Latest customs data showed

that 809 containers that could neither be sold through public bidding nor donated to the Social Welfare went through public auction.

“Preliminary figures for October is looking up, so we will strengthen efforts to meet targets by the end of the year,” he said.

Lina earlier conceded that hitting the government’s customs collection target of more than P400 billion for 2015 would not likely be met.

Lina said raising between P390 billion and P400 billion was “doable”.

“I am okay with the P400 billion, but it if it will be higher than that, then, that would be better,” he said.

This is below the P436.6-billion goal set by the inter-agency Development and Budget Coordination Committee.

Govt rejects plan to develop Poro Point airport

By Darwin G Amojelar THE government has scrapped a plan to turn a former US airbase in northern Luzon into an airport-shopping mall complex patterned after Singapore’s Changi airport.

“The feasibility study requires a lot of government investment. It will require a lot of expropriation, about another P4 billion. For us, if we are going to invest P4 billion we want to do it first in Clark City,” Bases Conversion and Development Authority president Arnel Paciano Casanova.

BCDA earlier asked the Public Private Partnership Center’s Project Development and Monitoring Facility board to finance the feasibility study for the development of the Poro Point San Fernando Airport.

“We are now looking at alternative uses. We are looking at MRO [maintenance, repair and operations] facility and flying schools, but still we are looking at commercial airlines who are going to operate. Currently, Cebu Pacific and PAL are not interested,” Casanova said.

No commercial airline flies to Poro Point in the absence of

passenger traffic. Zest Airways and Philippine Airlines used to fly to the San Fernando Airport.

Classified as a community airport, the San Fernando Airport is part of the Poro Point Freeport Zone in San Fernando, La Union.

Casanova has said the Poro Point San Fernando Airport was envisioned to become a regional airport that can also accommodate direct international flights, serving as gateway to La Union, Baguio and other tourist spots within the region.

The airport is also aimed at providing a link with and com-

plementing the operations of the Clark International Airport.

He said a small airport terminal shopping mall would be constructed similar to the Changi airport of Singapore.

The Poro Point Freeport Zone in La Union is a prime location for investments and tourism in North Luzon with its airport, seaport and tourism facilities.

The free port is an hour and a half away from the country’s Southeast Asian neighbors such as Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.

MONDAY: NOVEMBER 9, 2015

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS Weekly STockS revieW STOCKS

NOVEMBER 2-6, 2015 Close Volume

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

2.79 49.4 102.00 84.80 40 2.51 1.77 15.5 19.5 7.63 1.70 0.560 86.5 18.24 23.60 53.50 105 301 31.6 141.9 1525.00 57.00 3.01

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

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

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

LBC Express Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Corp.

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

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phinma Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

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

Splash Corporation Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

41.3 1.88 0.88 1.57 11 17.9 106 21.5 45.8 2.45 1.64 10.06 9.430 8.90 6.44 6.60 1.66 24.2 69.6 11.70 13.32 6.23 2.350 207.40 11.72 37.90 2.01 3.79 39.95 24.25 23.95 6.25 326.00 4.00 4.2 8.35 3.8 11.94 3.70 2.05 2.42 4.13 2.95 4.9 134.5 4 2.25 0.150 1.20 2.17 206 4.72 0.69 22.60 1.28

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

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

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Minerales Industrias Corp.

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

0.400 56.1500 18.52 1.20 6.36 0.255 0.250 786.5 7.65 13.10 4.22 4.5 3.80 0.250 1360 5.75 73.50 3.8 7.65 0.78 12.2 0.53 5.3 9.64 3.01 0.0300 1.490 1.960 2.83 49.80 869.00 1.20 0.84 188.00 79.500 0.3300 0.2330 0.300

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ Cebu Holdings Cebu Prop. `A’ Centennial City City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

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

MRC Allied Ind.

6.540 0.98 1.150 36.650 3.44 5.1 5.83 0.6 0.95 1.04 0.127 0.480 20.7 0.890 0.164 1.23 1.75 1.28 4.65 0.084

Value

FINANCIAL 755,090.00 4,635,415.00 1,921,681,698 1,602,645,394.00 33,917,450.00 359,960.00 10,103,240.00 1,003,628.00 6,348,020.00 4,578 228,820.00 3,216,450.00 653,069,609.50 27,129,132.00 1,898,360.00 24,978,752.50 398,930.00 674,892.00 4,832,510 162,977,744.00 1,145,625.00 15,453,619.00 12,340.00 INDUSTRIAL 6,647,000 277,266,090.00 355,000 642,610.00 682,000 590,530.00 4,215,000 6,690,090.00 18,800 205,210.00 3,111,900 55,165,560 10 1,060.00 1,872,900 42,471,020.00 616,500 28,776,915 2,670,000 6,555,780.00 6,533,000 10,983,670.00 32,500 343,406.00 33,048,900 316,831,502.00 24,929,300 216,431,812.00 54,808,300 355,912,435.00 9,414,000 66,910,224.00 38,000 63,160.00 9,934,000 248,788,980.00 1,294,040 91,564,806.50 38,000 450,320.00 59,300 835,758.00 5,645,300 35,754,852.00 66,588,000 173,039,920.00 2,721,700 563,378,362.00 56,100 668,300.00 7,100 267,980.00 10,000 20,800.00 56,000 206,970.00 1,200 46,990.00 10,469,500 244,136,670.00 500,600 12,001,900.00 5,182,700 35,194,885.00 2,022,500 658,514,900.00 84,000 356,140.00 11,177,000 47,423,450.00 13,972,900 115,509,401.00 132,000 544,130.00 27,200 320,768.00 388,000 1,403,190.00 3,711,000 7,730,250.00 1,823,000 4,519,160.00 1,352,000 5,602,700.00 36,000 105,790.00 15,000 73,500.00 61,540 8,368,230.00 95,000 373,000.00 1,650,000 3,707,140.00 38,530,000 5,941,890.00 460,000 545,690.00 5,224,000 11,334,160.00 7,603,980 1,566,348,996.00 39,000 181,950.00 9,661,000 6,816,080.00 1,100 24,940.00 31,934,000 45,533,040.00 HOLDING FIRMS 2,880,000 1,146,550.00 4,597,270 260,252,060.50 18,837,800 349,301,600.00 227,000 277,060.00 97,900 626,260.00 3,200,000 804,810.00 320,000 80,900.00 1,164,330 914,458,340.00 7,278,200 55,282,375.00 23,971,700 306,994,546.00 161,000 714,910.00 13,000 58,460.00 379,000 1,452,270.00 1,010,000 250,000.00 743,550 1,009,581,685.00 447,100 2,583,220.00 7,481,850 553,876,937.50 3,000 11,400.00 35,805,000 262,914,208.00 1,524,000 1,169,840.00 14,349,400 177,848,972.00 1,279,000 672,580.00 143,458,700 775,745,207.00 13,895,700 132,544,330.00 3,000 9,030.00 292,600,000 9,443,700.00 4,023,000 5,835,580.00 3,503,000 6,854,820.00 127,000 356,640.00 1,720,180 86,106,438.00 192,379,175 692,544,380.00 606,000 723,840.00 4,823,000 4,259,680.00 1,230 226,460.00 207,850 18,519,063.00 7,390,000 2,422,700.00 1,890,000 419,290.00 1,870,000 586,300.00 PROPERTY 1,116,600 7,175,197.00 294,362,000 295,670,450.00 23,000 26,610.00 42,797,900 1,516,998,745.00 2,812,000 9,873,500.00 41,215,400 210,198,197.00 1,600 9,583.00 8,333,000 5,005,990.00 62,000 58,460.00 5,000 5,170.00 1,680,000 210,950.00 40,972,000 20,120,570.00 2,172,700 44,824,305.00 2,227,000 1,997,090.00 2,000,000 325,060.00 67,026,000 84,701,490.00 109,087,000 191,352,700.00 390,000 501,610.00 101,347,000 480,069,740.00 13,740,000 1,182,730.00 280,000 95,100 19,004,150 19,136,260 847,500 145,000 5,458,000 64,900 322,900 600 134,000 5,547,000 7,698,970 1,500,400 79,100 465,650 3,870 2,260 152,000 1,146,830 745 271,200 4,000

OCTOBER 26-30, 2015 Close Volume Value 2.96 48.35 101.70 84.60 40 2.49 1.96 15.7 19.82 7.58 1.83 0.570 85.05 18.78 24.00 53.00 104 306 31.05 142.1 1555.00 57.00

1,589,000 1,261,800 15,658,420 10,214,440 258,500 105,000 24,879,000 70,900 224,300 8,500 85,000 5,658,000 12,987,890 1,793,100 80,200 276,290 7,160 105,250 1,114,100 2,216,980 1,230 526,900

4,824,020.00 60,414,850.00 1,620,037,226 871,148,931.00 10,407,405.00 256,350.00 48,351,300.00 1,104,744.00 4,467,326.00 64,720 150,730.00 3,326,070.00 1,121,424,043.00 33,991,644.00 1,928,025.00 14,875,736.50 731,897.00 31,507,958.00 35,022,935 315,998,488.00 1,902,550.00 30,028,959.00

42 1.84 0.9 1.58 10.6 17.3

8,832,900 468,000 1,298,000 1,799,000 8,600 4,762,400

373,876,390.00 824,060.00 1,167,890.00 2,882,070.00 95,700.00 82,539,458

24 46.5 2.54 1.64 11 9.750 8.30 6.64 7.53 1.66 25.3 70.65 11.70 14.20 5.94 2.270 206.00 12.9 35.55 1.98 3.5 40.00 23.8 24.3 7.3 325.00 3.86 4.2 8.10 4.81 11.60 3.70 2.04 2.46 4.11

2,136,300 769,500 4,531,000 5,176,000 1,112,900 81,667,700 19,953,600 53,083,700 2,495,600 62,000 8,244,000 1,649,300 24,500 109,700 340,600 18,868,000 2,147,230 25,000 4,700 118,000 149,000 23,300 10,471,100 766,100 1,044,100 3,821,340 48,000 8,840,000 22,737,400 132,000 162,300 1,245,000 2,203,000 22,110,000 14,400,000

49,708,385.00 34,470,135 11,425,310.00 8,842,150.00 11,230,788.00 842,147,947.00 161,296,718.00 363,190,680.00 19,152,696.00 103,590.00 214,056,840.00 120,240,391.50 291,410.00 1,526,116.00 2,028,869.00 45,262,930.00 581,657,676.00 324,678.00 172,715.00 236,640.00 543,990.00 941,150.00 252,905,170.00 18,699,385.00 7,043,678.00 1,231,755,318.00 184,880.00 36,862,950.00 178,963,192.00 626,700.00 1,852,274.00 4,550,900.00 4,417,350.00 65,516,570.00 59,169,550.00

5 138 4.09 2.1 0.157 1.27 2.20 200.6 4.73 0.67 22.80 1.18

51,000 48,230 160,000 503,000 34,420,000 391,000 10,620,000 10,986,250 26,000 2,989,000 1,200 1,237,000

254,930.00 6,764,668.00 619,150.00 1,070,730.00 5,669,200.00 477,330.00 23,425,540.00 2,244,306,427.00 119,300.00 2,002,080.00 27,360.00 1,491,060.00

0.390 56.0000 18.24 1.12 6.50 0.247 0.250 780 7.45 12.40 3.8 4 3.90 0.250 1314 5.84 71.40 3.9 6.78 0.81 12.5 0.52 5.22 9.44 2.8 0.0300

2,220,000 6,753,360 30,271,400 5,000 74,200 4,270,000 290,000 2,178,430 6,505,800 27,109,400 315,000 61,000 26,000 2,970,000 538,210 104,000 12,312,600 55,000 19,376,200 31,893,000 22,343,700 2,041,000 179,103,000 11,278,100 3,000 393,300,000

882,650.00 384,787,330.00 560,594,834.00 5,600.00 477,056.00 1,061,050.00 73,200.00 1,705,347,505.00 49,274,816.00 343,884,622.00 1,271,980.00 251,940.00 101,130.00 757,450.00 724,760,025.00 603,630.00 906,363,902.00 215,840.00 134,604,240.00 25,676,350.00 279,805,040.00 1,081,940.00 952,908,036.00 102,973,021.00 8,400.00 12,375,400.00

1.930 2.82 48.00 875.00 1.19 0.78 170.00 105.400 0.3250 0.2350 0.320

4,137,000 225,000 2,175,940 1,590,880 502,000 1,940,000 1,860 2,078,100 20,220,000 1,510,000 5,420,000

7,944,040.00 621,850.00 107,633,982.00 1,405,346,640.00 600,940.00 1,530,340.00 327,770.00 220,249,074.00 6,833,250.00 345,440.00 1,741,600.00

6.500 0.75 1.170 35.850 3.46 5.08

8,243,800 23,321,000 81,000 57,721,200 8,306,000 154,900

53,383,101.00 17,314,630.00 91,910.00 2,098,579,315.00 29,071,000.00 794,743.00

0.61 0.99 1.03 0.125 0.485 20.85 0.900 0.180 1.12 1.74 1.30 4.69 0.091

17,940,000 17,000 18,000 19,310,000 98,626,000 4,632,200 4,625,000 780,000 20,554,000 141,140,000 611,000 155,823,000 6,040,000

10,772,090.00 16,340.00 18,600.00 2,450,770.00 52,079,145.00 98,656,345.00 4,176,300.00 129,360.00 23,930,260.00 245,097,610.00 787,630.00 513,822,680.00 539,940.00

STOCKS

NOVEMBER 2-6, 2015 Close Volume

Phil. Estates Corp.

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

0.2450 0.4900 8.4 29.90 1.5 3.09 21.80 0.73 8.18 1.000 5.790

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

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

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

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

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

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

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

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Yehey

8.45 67.1 1.09 0.580 11.2 27 5.79 0.0560 3.5 88.95 9.94 1.66 5.95 3.86 955 2158 7.42 21.50 1.19 71.2 4.72 11.42 0.011 0.177 1.4500 2.2 9.02 4.20 1.15 2.30 30.00 0.630 2 3.57 0.280 0.830 18.14 4.55 2.8 9.45 100.50 20.25 2026.00 0.560 1.080 35.15 74.45 6.40 5.05 0.49 1.5 4.35 0.335 3.900

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

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

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

TA Petroleum United Paragon

0.0048 2.15 5.85 11.68 0.212 5.7 5.7100 0.74 0.67 8.80 0.83 0.305 0.190 0.205 0.0110 0.012 2.83 7.78 3.1 0.6100 1.4400 0.0100 0.0100 4.00 5.15 1.50 0.0140 137.00 2.32 0.0080

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

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

PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F Swift Pref

67.5 525 525 110.7 120 520 7.15 1.14 1065 1065 1035 78.7 83 79.1 79.5 80 2.7

Leisure & Resort Warr.

2.950

Makati Fin. Corp.

Ripple E-Business Intl Xurpas

2.78 57.6 16.78

First Metro ETF

116.4

OCTOBER 26-30, 2015 Close Volume Value

Value

6,630,000 7,808,000 133,500 24,062,600 1,541,000 805,000 38,548,500 8,360,000 1,916,000 9,492,000 51,717,300

1,699,800.00 4,200,875.00 1,122,999.00 730,312,390.00 2,317,240.00 2,451,060.00 845,224,515.00 6,217,280.00 15,672,689.00 9,626,680.00 298,902,306.00 SERVICES 2,251,900 19,506,325.00 189,820 12,786,268.50 537,000 605,870.00 26,547,000 16,170,650.00 14,200 159,310.00 1,400 37,220 48,984,500 297,351,441.00 125,430,000 7,121,990.00 1,298,000 4,570,060.00 2,180,380 195,689,082.00 1,400 13,949.00 51,000 84,480 3,587,900 21,079,462.00 71,000 251,610.00 50 47,750.00 330,400 736,707,600 2,506,100 18,818,066.00 100 2,150 86,000 103,610.00 8,255,520 614,430,936.00 3,300 15,820 5,300 60,526.00 199,500,000 2,015,000.00 12,470,000 2,248,210.00 23,946,000 38,197,370.00 196,000 417,470.00 1,469,300 13,212,771.00 37,904,000 169,716,850.00 20,000 23,160.00 128,000 292,510.00 4,700 124,900.00 62,000 37,370.00 183,000 362,450.00 34,089,000 121,101,450.00 4,130,000 1,137,700.00 39,983,000 33,654,360.00 9,500 172,614.00 33,000 153,250 10,000 28,000.00 315,300 2,979,453.00 1,470 148,434.00 595,600 11,712,811.00 791,815 1,684,972,070.00 4,683,000 2,640,480.00 57,943,000 64,407,810.00 11,668,600 418,392,970.00 2,943,320 222,260,218.00 7,112,000 45,018,589.00 36,098,200 183,505,765.00 79,792,000 39,100,335.00 78,000 117,320.00 16,174,000 72,438,900.00 2,510,000 836,750.00 796,000 3,174,640.00 MINING & OIL 2,050,000,000 9,869,100.00 1,314,000 2,903,700.00 519,900 2,949,571.00 800 9,344.00 1,090,000 243,210.00 11,000 63,513.00 2,800 16,321.00 14,183,000 11,841,090.00 2,812,000 1,912,470.00 143,800 1,267,019.00 229,856,000 197,689,150.00 2,080,000 635,200.00 19,850,000 3,790,730.00 1,500,000 307,500.00 25,200,000 253,700.00 45,300,000 543,000.00 6,847,000 20,594,550.00 20,877,200 165,229,654.00 3,079,000 9,570,560.00 1,984,000 1,229,380.00 1,738,000 2,516,530.00 152,100,000 1,591,600.00 9,400,000 94,700.00 106,000 410,710.00 2,370,100 12,460,643.00 11,009,000 17,763,860.00 149,600,000 1,959,700.00 1,185,790 161,375,779.00 2,116,000 4,949,540.00 4,000,000 35,000.00 PREFERRED 289,120 19,567,835.50 48,310 24,854,550.00 4,300 2,258,300 10 1,107.00 28,090 3,316,210.00 10,600 5,584,800.00 487,800 3,542,858.00 563,000 636,820 2,655 2,827,825.00 3,920 4,172,000.00 910 939,370.00 37,370 2,953,794.00 233,620 19,327,317.50 168,410 13,331,322.00 73,020 5,779,990.00 664,210 53,143,448.50 4,000 9,620.00 WARRANTS & BONDS 972,000 3,002,030.00 SME 559,000 1,567,430.00 69,270 3,734,265.50 11,820,300 194,360,754.00 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 24,820 2,921,019.00

0.2900 0.4500 8.42 30.60 1.52 3.24 21.60 0.75 8.18 0.990 5.570

760,000 560,000 536,500 49,714,800 1,202,000 71,000 75,751,300 25,643,000 99,800 21,437,000 37,452,600

221,500.00 253,700.00 4,525,713.00 1,549,180,665.00 1,842,870.00 227,600.00 1,680,900,100.00 20,097,570.00 817,664.00 22,542,020.00 213,105,214.00

8.2 65.6

369,600 249,020

3,069,590.00 16,206,482.50

0.570 11.26 27 6.15 0.0560 3.62 89.2 9.99

2,671,000 59,300 11,400 35,593,600 242,820,000 2,517,000 3,086,740 11,000

1,511,280.00 670,494.00 303,300 233,251,815.00 13,852,200.00 9,370,540.00 269,979,942.00 104,990.00

6.04 3.53 955 2280 7.40

5,346,800 222,000 3,880 294,725 3,114,500

31,700,629.00 770,580.00 3,731,000.00 683,499,760 22,337,914.00

1.25 82.5 4.70 11.4 0.012 0.183 1.4000 2.19 8.85 3.90 1.15

95,000 6,261,040 1,000 24,000 29,500,000 10,340,000 4,574,000 45,000 2,588,200 11,576,000 47,000

117,170.00 534,957,151.50 4,700 273,950.00 326,500.00 1,876,930.00 6,390,430.00 100,830.00 22,953,866.00 45,454,660.00 56,490.00

32.00 0.610 1.99 3.68 0.280 0.860

132 299,000 53,000 72,448,000 10,860,000 121,245,000

3,500.00 178,220.00 105,850.00 289,191,980.00 3,116,200.00 109,604,700.00

8.92 100.20 20.15 2200.00 0.570 1.140 36.00 76.90 6.40 5.31 0.47 1.51 4.6 0.370 4.090

100 715,280 629,000 767,690 5,472,000 28,844,000 11,459,800 5,438,870 25,504,000 52,329,300 58,700,000 57,000 65,122,200 1,020,000 3,834,000

892.00 71,529,298.00 12,589,957.00 1,781,817,660.00 3,084,210.00 33,709,440.00 413,935,090.00 421,708,512.00 162,242,928.00 293,315,072.00 27,965,050.00 86,160.00 298,172,496.00 353,400.00 15,465,580.00

0.0048 2.21 5.65 11.78 0.225 6 5.8600 0.74 0.67 9.08 0.9 0.315 0.193 0.206 0.0100 0.012 2.8 7.95 3.07 0.5900 1.5100 0.0110 0.0110 3.88 5.40 1.50 0.0140 133.90 2.41 0.0090

933,000,000 1,199,000 1,121,700 100 1,430,000 2,800 700 4,939,000 14,770,000 1,424,100 266,964,000 19,150,000 31,390,000 6,260,000 1,359,400,000 151,300,000 18,839,000 31,562,400 3,253,000 807,000 2,344,000 67,900,000 6,000,000 109,000 5,948,500 45,768,000 345,100,000 1,436,190 9,326,000 94,000,000

4,557,300.00 2,764,070.00 6,776,359.00 1,178.00 318,960.00 16,800.00 4,083.00 3,807,350.00 14,496,424.00 13,185,890.00 254,927,420.00 6,452,650.00 6,126,750.00 1,288,390.00 14,585,500.00 1,768,400.00 53,038,570.00 266,542,829.00 10,323,560.00 488,120.00 3,629,670.00 713,200.00 61,000.00 433,770.00 32,830,252.00 77,765,780.00 4,511,900.00 191,992,085.00 25,051,380.00 819,200.00

67.6 513.5 525

1,822,740 2,210 320

120,562,387.00 1,135,900.00 168,000

116.5 528 7.15 1.13

70 90 387,600 185,000

8,155.00 46,720.00 2,728,643.00 209,050

1090 1030 79 82 79.2 78.5 80.1 2.8

1,010 200,825 1,500 191,000 1,007,870 1,550,490 1,593,270 23,000

1,097,100.00 206,849,750.00 118,500.00 15,753,152.00 79,722,461.00 121,724,294.00 127,472,842.00 55,980.00

2.980

477,000

1,423,670.00

2.8 56.7 16

477,000 15,240 15,066,000

1,333,160.00 887,257.50 240,620,788.00

117

82,100

9,673,146.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining A. Brown Co., Inc. Pacifica `A’ Ferronickel IP E-Game Ventures Inc. SM Investments Inc. Oriental Pet. `A’ Philodrill Corp. `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Boulevard Holdings

VOLUME 2,050,000,000 294,362,000 292,600,000 229,856,000 199,500,000 192,379,175 152,100,000 149,600,000 143,458,700 125,430,000

STOCKS Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. PLDT Common Bank of PI Universal Robina Ayala Land `B’ GT Capital Ayala Corp `A’ SM Prime Holdings Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Globe Telecom

VALUE 1,921,681,698.00 1,684,972,070.00 1,602,645,394.00 1,566,348,996.00 1,516,998,745.00 1,009,581,685.00 914,458,340.00 845,224,515.00 775,745,207.00 736,707,600.00

MONDAY: NOVEMBER 9, 2015

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

Globe to spend $300m in Bayan

By Darwin G Amojelar

Toyota deploys 400 vehicles for Apec TOYOTA Motor Philippines Corp. will deploy around 400 vehicles to transport officials and delegates of the Asia Pacific Economic Conference, which will culminate in a summit of 21 world leaders in Manila Nov. 17 and 18.

TMP vice president for communications Rommel Gutierrez said about 400 Toyota vehicles would trasnport Apec officials and delegates from 21 countries, from the airport and hotels to the event sites, mainly the Philippine International Convention Center.

“We’ve been supporting since early this year all Apec-related meetings,” Gutierrez said.

Toyota is one of several automotive companies that were tapped as mobility partners for the Apec events, which were held in other parts of the country.

Toyota said that from January until October, it supported 20 major Apec events in Manila, Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Bataan and Tagaytay.

The company said this month it would continue supporting the Apec events in Manila, starting Nov. 12 to 13 for the concluding senior officials’ meeting at the PICC, simultaneous with the Apec Business Advisory Council meeting on Nov. 12 to 15. Other Toyota-sponsored events are the Apec Ministerial Meeting on Nov. 15 to 16, Apec CEO Summit on Nov. 15 to 17, Apec Economic Leaders’ Meeting on Nov. 17 to 18 and Abac Dialog with Leaders on Nov. 17. Othel V. Campos

GLOBE Telecom Inc. plans to spend between $200 million and $300 million over the next two years to modernize its fixed-line infrastructure, including that of Bayan Telecommunications Inc. “We do have a certain amount of fixed-line. Their [BayanTel] fixed-line cabinets are old. So, we have to fix that because they have a lot of enterprises and consumer subscribers,” Globe chief commercial officer Alberto de Larrazabal told reporters.

De Larrazabal said the first phase of the modernization of Bayan’s fixed-line infrastructure would be in Quezon City, Manila, Cebu and Davao.

Bayan’s broadband and fixedline voice subscribers last year stood at 144,100 and 174,400, respectively.

Globe owns 98.57 percent of

the outstanding capital of BayanTel, after it acquired the remaining stake of the Lopez family in the telecom company for P1.83 billion.

Globe acquired 98.26 percent of BayanTel’s loans and 100 percent of Radio Communications of the Philippines Inc.’s liabilities. RCPI, a unit of BayanTel, is owned by the Lopez Group.

The acquisition cost of $130 million was lower than the $400-million face value of BayanTel. Globe earlier reported a core net income, which excludes the impact of non-recurring items, of P8.6 billion in the January-

to-June period from P7.6 billion a year ago.

The second-ranked telecommunications company reported a net income of P8.7 billion in the first six months of the year, up from P6.8 billion in the same period last year.

Globe’s consolidated service revenues stood at P53.8 billion, or 13 percent higher than P47.7 billion a year ago, on the strength of robust revenue gains on mobile data and broadband, as more customers adopted a digital lifestyle.

Globe’s fixed-line data business increased 20 percent to P3.1 billion in the first half of the year from P2.6 billion last year, due mainly to the expansion in circuit count and increased usage triggered by strong demand for data connectivity, managed services and cloud solutions.

Globe is expected to report its third-quarter earnings this week.

Philstocks let go of its chairman

Philstocks Financial Inc. chairman Antonio Herbosa has offered to resign immediately, apparently to have the brokerage company’s application for initial public offering approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

It appears that one reason for the delay in the approval of the P185million IPO was the complaints the corporate regulator received against Traders Apprentice Pilipinas, an online discussion group about investing in the stock market, which is also led by Herbosa as founder and chief executive.

With Herbosa out, Philstocks believes that SEC has no more reason to delay its approval of the planned IPO. Philstocks said any more delay in the IPO would have a significant impact on the fund raising activity, as investors might lose interest.

Herbosa was replaced by Paul Wee, a major shareholder, as the new chairman of Philstocks, formerly known as Accord Capital Equities Corp. Jenniffer B. Austria

MRT 3 air-conditioning parts arrive

The air-conditioning system at Metro Rail Transit Line 3 is expected to improve soon, following the arrival of spare parts for the Czech-made trains.

Schunk Bahn und-Industrietechnik-Comm Builders and Technology Philippines, the German-Filipino joint venture that won the six-month rolling stock and signaling systems maintenance contract, said it took delivery of the spare parts that would likely lessen incidents of malfunctions usually linked to the air-conditioning system.

While the joint venture placed orders in July, when it bagged the contract, the spare parts from the equipment manufacturer in Europe had just recently arrived, because there was a four-month waiting time in delivery, according to CB&T president and chief executive Roehl Bacar.

Bacar said the air-con spare parts were vital in MRT 3 operations, “as most of the train defects and pullouts are due to aircon malfunctions.” He said he was hopeful that with the arrival of the spare parts, the Transportation Department would settle the bill with the maintenance provider. He said that five months into the sixth-month deal, SBI-CBT received less than 15 percent on their billings, forcing the company to resort to borrowing from banks to fulfill its commitment to MRT passengers. The Transportation Department is in the process of negotiating for a longer, three-year contract for the maintenance of the mass transit system. Roderick T. dela Cruz

Globe expects to trounce Smart in iPhone sales

Globe Telecom Inc. expects to outpace rival Smart Communications Inc. in terms of selling the most number of iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus units.

“We expect [sales] to be slightly lower, but still higher than the iPhone 5s. That seems to be the trend. Some people will wait if there are any bugs, so they’ll take the next version,” Alberto de Larazabal, Globe’s chief commercial officer, said.

De Larrazabal said the company decided to have a small launch for the new iPhone, unlike the previous launching when subscribers would line up the whole day just to get their iPhones.

He said Globe was optimistic about the sales of the new iPhone and would continue to outperform Smart in terms of selling the most number of units. “I think we continue to have the leadership in postpaid. We continue to be the preferred delivery for data, so we believe we will continue to outperform,” De Larrazabal said.

Both Globe and Smart started offering the new iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus on Nov. 6, with bigger data allocation and other freebies. Darwin G. Amojelar

Next big market. Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala talks to a local farmer-trader at the Benguet

Agri-Pinoy Trading Center. The agri chief encouraged highland vegetable growers and other farm producers from the Cordilleras to bring their produce to the BAPTC, considered the largest and most modernized facility of its kind.

Market index seen falling below 7,000

By Jenniffer B. Austria STOCKS are expected to trade lower this week, as the market weighs third-quarter corporate earnings and the probability of a US interest rate hike in December.

BDO Unibank chief investment strategist Jonathan Ravelas said last week’s close at 7,118.20 continued to support further weakness towards the 6,900 to 7,000-point level in the near term.

BPI Asset Management said in a weekly outlook the market would monitor the report on US non-farm payrolls coming out late this week.

The report will provide a gauge on the strength of the US labor market, with a strong number likely to give more impetus for the US Federal Reserve to push

through with a December rate hike.

“As such, we expect global equities to trade with a slight downward bias for the week ahead,” BPI Asset Management said.

The PSEi last week declined 0.2 percent to close at 7,118.20, while the broader all-share index also declined 0.4 percent to 4,103.47.

RCBC Securities head Raul Ruiz said investors were spooked by signals from the Fed that it might start to raise US interest rates as early as next month.

The lackluster third-quarter earnings of some major companies also contributed to the market’s decline last week.

Except for the services index which ended lower by 6.45 percent, all other major indices ended in the green, led by holding firms (up 1.2 percent), property

(up 1.2 percent), financials (up 0.5 percent), industrial (up 0.4 percent) and mining and oil (up 0.03 percent).

Foreign investors were net sellers by P480 million last week, with the average daily turnover remaining thin at P5.4 billion.

Top gainers last week were A. Brown Co Inc., which climbed 30.6 percent to P0.98; Prime Media Holdings Inc., which jumped 23.1 percent to P1.49; and Philippine H20 Ventures Inc., which advanced 18.75 percent to P3.80.

Heavy losers included Top Frontier Investment Holdings Inc., which fell 24.5 percent to P79.50; Discovery World Corp., which dropped 17 percent to P1.66; and Philippine Estates Corp., which dipped 15.5 percent to P0.0245.

B4 Property award.

SM Prime Holdings Inc., the leading integrated property company in the Philippines, is cited for three major awards in the recent Southeast Asia Property Awards in Singapore. SM Prime was recognized as the ‘Highly Commended Best Developer’ with its mall brand SM Supermalls as the ‘Best Retail Architectural Design’ for SM Mega Fashion Hall, the upscale expansion of SM Megamall, SM’s largest mall in the country. Shell Residences at the Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay, a project of SM Prime unit SM Development Corp., garnered the ‘Highly Commended Best Landscape Architectural Design’ award. The Southeast Asia Property Awards was held on Oct. 21, 2015 at the Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore.

SC voids Naga plant lease deal

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Supreme Court has declared as null and void the right of SPC Power Corp. to top the price of a winning bidder on the Naga power plant contract auctioned by state-owned Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp.

“Consequently, the asset purchase agreement and land lease agreement executed by Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. and SPC are annulled and set aside,” the high court said.

PSALM last year turned over the 153.1-megawatt Naga Power Plant to SPC Power after offering the highest bid for the plant.

PSALM conducted the bid-

ding for the Naga power plant on March 2014, in which Therma Power Visayas Inc. of the Abotiiz Group emerged as the highest bidder with an offer of P1.09 billion. SPC offered the second highest bid of P859 million.

The condition of the sale gave SPC the “right to top” the price of the winning bidder for the Naga plant, as stipulated under the agreement signed between

PSALM and SPC in 2009.

SPC paid PSALM P1.14 billion in May 2014, exercising its right to top the offer of Therma Visayas. PSALM issued the notice of award and the certificate of effectivity to SPC in July 2014.

Senator Sergio Osmeña III, however, filed a case with the SC last year seeking to stop the sale of the Naga power plant complex in Cebu to SPC Power and nullify the stipulation in the lease agreement contrary to public policy.

Therma Visayas asked PSALM to hold the turnover in abeyance pending the resolution of the case filed by Osmeña. The turnover of the facility to SPC, however, pushed through.

The high court, meanwhile, said SPC’s right to top under the

land lease agreement was void “for lack of valued interest or right to the object over which the right of first refusal is to be exercised.”

The court said the property subject of the right of first refusal was outside of the leased premises covered by the agreement.

It added that the contention of SPC regarding right of way, operational requirements “are clearly not analogous to a lessee’s legitimate interest on the property being leased.”

The court also said SPC had never operated the Naga landbased gas turbine.

“We hold that the grant of right to top to SPC under the LBGTLLA is void as it is not founded on the said lesses’s legitimate interest over the leased premises,” it said.

The SC also debunked SPC’s argument that the privatization of the Naga Power Plant Complex was even more advantageous to the government because it resulted in a higher price (P54 million more) than Therma Visayas’ winning bid.

“Whatever initial gain from the initial price obtained for the NPPC compared to the original bid price of TPVI is negated by the fact that SPC’s right to top discouraged more potential buyers from submitting their bids, knowing that even their most reasonable bid can be defeated by SPC’s exercise to right to top,” it said.

The court said attracting more bidders was still the better means to secure the best offer for the government.

Salceda’s pitch lures 2 Asian firms invest $150m in Clark foreign travel agents By Othel V. Campos LONDON—Expect Albay to draw more and more worldwide attention in travel and tourism from hereon.

Albay Governor Joey Salceda’s strong pitch for his province as a genuine top global tourist destination instantly drew enthusiastic raves and response here.

Salceda received the 2015 Pacific Asia Travel Association CEO Challenge’s Top Destination Award in formal rites at the Stationers’Hill along Ave Maria Lane in this British capital on Nov. 2 The PATA award has made Albay the Philippines’ foremost bet in the travel and tourism industry now. Following Salceda’s speech at the awards rites, giant travel and tourism players approached and assured him they would put Albay in their top priority destination lists.

One immediate proof of the emerging trend is the dramatic surge in the registration attendance for the 2015 PATA New Frontiers Forum, which Albay hosts on Nov. 25 to 27 this year, following the London event. From an initial 191 confirmed registered participants, the number has more than doubled and needs to be capped at 460 even as interested registrants are projected to surpass 600.

Addressing the PATA advocacy dinner which was attended by some 151 travel and tourism CEOs from all over the world, Salceda highlighted the strong points why Albay was chosen as a foremost global destination and why travel agencies should now put it in their list of priority spots. The dinner aims to enhance tourism development of emerging destinations, in a sustainable manner.

Albay won the 2015 PATA CEO Challenge’s Top Destination Award in the Regional/Provincial category and shares half of the $1-million prize with Thekkady, Kerala, India which won in the second/third tier towns and cities category.

TWO major Asian private equity companies are investing $150 million to build five office towers in Clark Freeport Zone, a move that may transform Clark into an office and logistics hub.

Hong Kong-based ADM Capital and BPE Asia Real Estate in a statement announced the closing of an initial $150-million investment to finance the construction of Grade A office buildings and surrounding infrastructure within the 177-hectare Global Gateway Logistics City in Clark.

ADM Capital is a fund manager with headquarters in Hong Kong, while BPE Asia Real Estate is an affiliate of Baring Private Equity Asia.

ADM Capital and BPE Asia are leading a consortium of investors providing the cornerstone capital for the construction of office buildings with a gross floor area of 142,000 square meters. The buildings are expected to meet the need of multinational companies and business process outsourcing companies in Central Luzon.

ADM Capital chief executive Christopher Botsford and BPE Asia managing director and head of real estate Mark Fogie said the investment was expected to provide high-quality office space in Clark in support of the area’s economic development.

“We have been involved with KGLI on the GGLC site for some time, having funded The Medical City building and are pleased to continue working with KGLI in the construction of their office buildings within the park, bringing much needed high-quality office space to the Clark area,” Botsford said.

Fogie said the strong demand for office space in Metro Manila had resulted in high occupancy and rising rental costs, prompting tenants and new entrants to look at secondary markets such as Cebu and Clark.

“The Clark area is well-positioned to thrive, given good accessibility and rents that are approximately half that of Metro Manila. With our own development and construction expertise in-house, BPE Asia looks forward to working closely with KGLI to

deliver this high-quality project,” Fogie said.

The project, located across The Medical City Clark Hospital, will be the first office buildings constructed on the GGLC site, which when completed will provide 5.8 million square meters of office, logistics, industrial and supporting retail and hotel space.

KGL Investment Co., a Kuwaiti company, is developing GGLC, a well-designed and master-planned office and logistics district strategically located next to the Clark International Airport.

The company started the development of the 177-hectare GGLC, with the construction of state-of-the-art The Medical City Clark, which was also co-funded

by ADM Capital and BPE Asia.

KGLI said construction of the first phase of office buildings was expected to start in November 2015, with pre-leasing arrangement already underway.

The Philippines has emerged as one of the fastest growing real estate markets in Asia, powered by the expansion of the BPO and outsourcing sector.

M O N D AY : N O V E M B E R 9, 2 0 1 5

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MPIC gets nod to build C5 link

By Darwin G Amojelar A UNIT of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. plans to start the construction of the P9-billion C5 Link Expressway Project by January 2016.

“We got the notice to proceed, but we are asking the Toll Regulatory Board to revise the notice to proceed because we want to extend it to a certain interchange,” Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. chief financial officer Christopher Lizo told reporters over the weekend. MPTC is a unit of MPIC. “Hopefully, we can get it by end of the year and we can start construction by January,” he added.

Lizo said the company planned to spend P2 billion next year for the first segment of the C5 Link project.

He added the company was in talks with two to three local banks to fund the P9-billion expressway project.

The project covers the C5 crossing the South Luzon Expressway and will pass through the Merville Subdivision beside the Ninoy Aquino International Airport before connecting to the Cavitex. The project is expected to be operational by 2019.

MPIC in 2012 signed a P6.77billion financing and cooperation agreement with Cavitex Holdings Inc. that allows MPTC to take 100 percent of Cavitex In-

frastructure.

Under the agreement, Cavitex Holdings will issue a convertible note to MPTC, giving it the option to convert the debt to new, non-voting redeemable preferred shares or, subject to certain approvals and conditions, common shares of Cavitex Infrastructure.

The Metro Pacific Group also operates the North Luzon Expressway and the Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway.

MPTC is the largest toll road operator in the country, operating 60 percent of the country’s 320 kilometers of toll roads.

Five foreign companies earlier expressed interest in teaming up with MPTC for its expressway projects.

Manila North Tollways Corp. president and chief executive Rodrigo Franco said he had ini-

tial talks with five foreign firms during an investment and infrastructure roadshow in the United States in June for possible partnerships. MNTC is a unit of MPTC. “They are looking for investment opportunities in the Philippines and they are interested in rail and roads,” Franco said.

“We are open to partnerships.

We are still trying to figure out if it’s at the MPTC level or at the project level. We still have that option. It could be at the MPTC or it could be at Calax [CaviteLaguna Expressway],” he said.

Metro Pacific earlier said it planned to sell its 20-percent stake in MPTC with an estimated value of P16 billion.

MPIC owns 99.88 percent of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., which in turn owns 71 percent

of MNTC, 46 percent of Tollways Management Corp., 100 percent of Cavitex Infrastructure Corp. and 7.4 percent of Don Muang Tollway Public Co. Ltd. Metro Pacific chairman Manuel Pangilinan earlier said the company was also open to a partnership for the P35.4-billion Cavite Laguna Expressway project.

“If anything, minimum, I suppose, is about 20 percent,” Pangilinan had said, when asked if the company was willing to share a stake in the unit.

MPCala Holdings Inc., a unit of MPIC, which won the Calax project, was searching for a partner to develop the four-lane, 47-kilometer closed-system toll expressway connecting ManilaCavite Expressway and South Luzon Expressway.

IN BRIEF LBP earns P10.27b

STATE-RUN Land Bank of the Philippines registered a net income of P10.27 billion in the first nine months of 2016, up 11 percent from P9.26 billion year-on-year, driven by increased profit from loans and investments.

The profit exceeded the ninemonth income goal of P9 billion by 14 percent.

LandBank president and chief executive Gilda Pico expressed confidence the bank would surpass the 2015 net income target with the aggressive expansion of its lending and investments businesses, and increased revenue through traditional and non-traditional sources.

“We hope to finish 2015 strong with greater focus on strengthening our core business segments and assisting our mandated and priority sectors,” Pico said in a statement.

“Our efforts are geared towards contributing to the government’s goal of promoting sustainable development and financial inclusion, bringing financial services to underserved and unbanked areas,” Pico said.

LandBank’s return on equity for the nine-month period stood at 17.54 percent, while net interest margin was at 3.31 percent, both well above the industry averages.

Julito G. Rada

Cirtex raises P2.2b

LISTED technology company Cirtek Holdings Philippines Corp. successfully raised P2.2 billion from a recently completed share sale despite the prevailing market uncertainty due to global macroeconomic concerns.

Cirtke said in a statement the offering of 110 million shares, consisting of 80 million primary and 30 million in over-allotment stocks priced at steep discount of P20 apiece, was 1.5 times oversubscribed.

The underwriters decided to exercise 30 million shares out of the 40 million shares reserved for over allotment due to the strong demand.

“Cirtek’s follow-on offering successfully attracted both institutional and retail investors, resulting in an oversubscription for the issue. In order to meet the strong demand and to provide aftermarket liquidity, we decided to exercise 30 million shares from the oversubscription option,” said First Metro Investment Corp. president Roberto Juanchito Dispo.

Cirtek plans to use the net proceeds from the primary share sale of P1.6 billion to fund strategic acquisitions, capital expenditures, financial obligations and working capital requirements. Jenniffer B. Austria

Education-MAP partnership. The Department of Education and the Management Association of the Philippines sign an agreement to boost the capabilities of entrepreneurial out-of-school youth. At the signing ceremonies are Education Secretary Armin Luistro, (second from right) and MAP president Francisco del Rosario (second from left). Joining them (from left) are MAP assistant treasurer Benedicta Du-Baladad and DepEd Abot-Alam program manager Gina Estipona. MAP’s Educated Marginalized Entrepreneurs Resource Generation Program will provide assistance to the entrepreneurial poor nationwide, including high school graduates interested to start projects or businesses that have potential for growth.

Benguet: Typhoon Lando caused Itogon sinkhole

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales BENGUET Corp., the oldest mining company, denied that its old mining structures caused the ground to sink in Barangay Virac, Itogon, Benguet province.

“The stand of the company is clear. The existence of its old mining structures did not cause, nor was it contributory to the occurrence of the ground subsidence. Rather, the subsidence was the natural effect of the weakening of the ground due to combination of factors,” Benguet said in a statement.

Part of the ground in Barangay Virac, Itogon town on Oct. 22 sank following the onslaught of typhoon Lando, which swept past northern Luzon.

The sinkhole swallowed six houses and caused the evacuation of about 170 families residing in the area.

Initial speculations in the community pointed to the collapse of Benguet’s old diversion tunnel underneath as the cause of the

ground subsidence.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Benguet’s technical team and representatives from the community immediately conducted a preliminary joint inspection on the company’s underground structures running parallel to the collapsed area, or the the Vegas tunnel built in the 1940s and located above the Old Diversion Tunnels 1 and 2.

Results of preliminary joint inspection discounted the initial claims because the structures were found to be largely intact and that the outlets of the drainage tunnels showed no signs of clogging.

Aside from these two structures, there are no other existing underground workings of the company in the area since it is not an active mining area.

On Oct. 27 and 29, a multipartite assessment team repeated the inspection of ODT 2 and the Vegas tunnel for more detailed investigation on the insistence of the community.

The second investigation found the structures intact, although a damaged wall in ODT 2 of about 11 meters was noted, along with a portion of the road riprap from the surface.

Benguet said the damaged wall in ODT 2 was likely a result of the subsidence.

The results of the further investigation also discovered the presence of small scale mining adits inside ODT 2.

“To avoid further accidents, sand bagging activities and installation of tarpaulin over the affected area was initiated by the company. Also, the limit of the danger zone was confined to 1.1 hectares so that the other families living outside were allowed to return home,” Benguet said.

The MGB in a report on Oct. 30 to the local government unit and the community declared that the collapse of the ground could not be attributed to the diversion tunnels and the Vegas tunnel, whose structural integrity remained whole.

MONDAY: NOVEMBER 9, 2015

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Typhoon victims get bank relief

By Julito G. Rada

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has approved relief measures to help banks and borrowers in areas affected by typhoon Lando to settle their debt in a longer period.

Bangko Sentral said the regulatory and rediscounting relief measures would be extended to banks and non-bank financial institutions with

quasi-banking functions in areas heavily hit by the recent typhoon.

A report by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT NATIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY Invitation to Bid The National Housing Authority (NHA), through the Corporate Budget approved by the NHA Board for the year 2015 intends to apply the sum of the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payment for the following contract: Ref. ABC/ Source Duration Required Work Projects PCAB Description No. of Funds (P) (c.d.) License At least Rehabilitation of Cat.“C” System at 5,279,310.00 and “D” Rehabilitation 2015 Drainage Southville 1 Housing Small of Drainage -11- Project, Brgys.

Corporate 60 & “B” for 153 Marinig and Niyugan, Receipts Irrigation System Cabuyao City, Laguna and Flood Control Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The NHA now invites bids for the above-cited project. Completion of the works is required within the duration herein cited upon receipt of the Notice to Proceed. Bidders should have completed a single contract similar to the project costing at least fifty percent (50%) of the ABC. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

A complete set of Bidding Documents shall be issued only to bidders/authorized official representatives or employees of the bidder who can show proof of Notarized Authority to secure bid documents for the specific project, Official Company ID upon submission of a Letter of Intent (LOI) and upon Cash Payment of non-refundable fee of P5,000.00 at the Office of the NHA-BAC 2 Secretariat, 2nd Floor NHA Main Building, Diliman, Quezon City from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. starting on November 9, 2015. The BAC 2 Secretariat may be contacted at Tel/Fax No. 928-8272.

The NHA will hold a Pre-bid Conference on November 24, 2015, at 9:00 a.m. at the NCR Conference Room, 3rd Floor NHA Main Building, Diliman, Quezon City, which shall be OPEN ONLY to bidders who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

Bids must be delivered at the Operations Center, 3rd Floor NHA Main Building, Diliman, Quezon City not later than 9:00 a.m. on the date specified below.

Schedule of Opening of Bid December 8, 2015 -

Ref. No. 2015-11-153

All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and amount as stated in Bid Data Sheet (BDS). Bid opening shall follow immediately after the deadline of submission of bids at the same venue. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend.

Late bids shall not be accepted.

The NHA reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder/s.

(SGD) VICTOR C. BALBA Chairperson, Bids and Awards Committee 2 (BAC 2) NATIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City (TS-NOV. 9, 2015)

Council identified the affected provinces as Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan in Region 1; Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino in Region 2; Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales in Region 3.

Also included are Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Quezon and Rizal in Region 4-A; Camarines Norte and Catanduanes in Region 5; and Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province in Cordillera Administrative Region.

The Monetary Board, the policy-making body of Bangko Sentral, said for thrift, rural, cooperative banks and NBQBs in the affected areas, it approved the exclusion of outstanding

loans of borrowers from the computation of past due ratios provided these are restructured or given relief.

The 5-percent general loan loss provision was also reduced to 1 percent for restructured loans of borrowers in affected areas.

Other relief measures include the non-imposition of penalties on banks’ legal reserves deficiencies; moratorium on monthly payments due to Bangko Sentral for banks with ongoing rehabilitation programs; non-imposition of monetary penalties for delays in the submission of supervisory reports; and, subject to BSP approval, booking of allowance for probable losses on a staggered basis over a maximum period of five years.

All banks are allowed to provide financial assistance to their officers and employees who were affected by the calamity including those assistance that may not be within the scope of the existing BSP-approved fringe benefit program.

Meanwhile, Bangko Sentral, Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. and the state-run Land Bank of the Philippines agreed to revive the expired Strengthening Program for Cooperative Banks Plus to improve the local banking system.

The program will be available for one year from Sept. 30, 2015 until Sept. 30, 2016. This will be subject to the same terms and conditions of the existing program, unless otherwise jointly amended by the three agencies.

Great customer service is good business I DIAL a customer service number. Then I follow the many phone steps and finally, I get through, only to hear a voice that says “all customer service reps are busy right now. Please try your call later; or stay on the line.” After a long wait, eventually a customer rep gets on the line, I share my concerns and only to be told that a) “Sorry ma’am, we don’t know what the problem is but there is no problem on our side; or b) “Sorry ma’am, that is not allowed by the company; we do not allow exceptions even if I understand your concern”; or c) “Sorry ma’am, our technicians will only be available next week.

Please call us again”; or d)”Sorry ma’am, our office hours are only from 8 am to 5 pm; please call us again tomorrow.” Sounds frustratingly familiar?

Wikipedia defines customer service as “the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase.”

Customer service has long evolved from just a help provided at a desk at the back of the store.

In today’s hyper connected world, customer service goes beyond the agent who answers your call for help. It has grown to include every interaction that a customer has with a product or service. It comprises of phone, email, chat, web forms, and social communications, including self-service support sites. And it happens before, during and after a sale.

In our day-to-day interaction with various products and services, how many of these really deliver great service to us? Per my personal experience, very few.

Destructive to business Bad customer service is destructive to the business. According to Micah Solomon, customer service consultant and author of High Tech, High-Touch Customer Service, “it can kill your reputation and devastate your bottom line.”

Based on US statistics, 75 percent of customers believe it takes too long to reach a live person, 78 percent of customers ended a business relationship due to bad service, 61 percent of customers went to a competitor due to bad service, and 50 percent of customer service agents failed to answer customer questions.

According to American Express, customers are two times more likely to talk about a bad experience to their friends than they are to talk about a good one! And in the US, this bad customer service costs the companies $84 billion per year!

Creates opportunities On the flip side, a positive customer service experience creates a great opportunity for the business. This can be the key to differentiate them from the competition, as 69 percent of customers would recommend a great company to others.

Nine out of 10 customers say that they would pay more just to ensure a good customer experience.

And 70 percent of customers will do business with a company if they resolve a complaint.

So to ensure sustained customer loyalty, consider the following in serving your customers: 1. Provide high-quality products and ser-

CHRISTINE C. DOMINADO

GREEN LIGHT

vices. This is the best way to reduce customer complaints.

2. Give exceptional service. No one will care how good your products or services are if you do a poor job of delivering them. Customers value care and attention and they tend to resent it if this is not in evidence.

3. Remember every second counts because customers hate to wait! In this digital age, expectations of what is timely are really changing. If a company cannot deliver what customers want when they want it, they will move on rather than waste their time.

4. Hire friendly and helpful people at all levels of the organization and continually train them. Hiring people with the right personalities – and not just the right skills – is the first key step in ensuring customers are happy and well-served. Once the right person is hired, he needs to be continually trained on the product or service knowledge so he can effectively answer questions about those products and services; and also be trained on how to effectively deal with real-life situations, such as an angry customer or someone who wants to return a defective product they purchased.

5. Create a customer-centric company. As revealed by Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos, who is the reigning and undisputed leader in overall customer satisfaction, “we don’t focus on the optics of the next quarter; we focus on what is going to be good for customers. I think this aspect of our culture is rare”. All of his departments throughout Amazon are designed to work together to deliver the best customer experience.

Provide amazing service Customers consider good service as being responsive, competent, convenient and personalized. Providing an amazing customer service is the only option if we want our business to thrive for the long term. We need to “walk the talk” when we say that our customers are our # 1 priority. Going the extra mile for our customer wins a customer for life. And that makes good business sense.

Christine C. Dominado teaches Management of Organizations at the Management and Organization Department of the Ramon V. Del Rosario College of Business of De La Salle University. She can be reached at christinedominado@gmail.com.

The views expressed above are her own and does not necessarily reflect the official position of De La Salle University, its administration, and faculty.

M o n D aY : n o V e M b e r 9, 2 0 1 5

WORLD

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

B7

Croatia goes to the polls facing tough problems

In memoriam. A Tanzanian parade band waits at the Remembrance Day ceremony held jointly by the Germans and British at the War Cemetery in Dar es Salaam on November 8. 2015. AFP

ZAGREB—Croatians began voting in a general election Sunday with conservatives aspiring to return to power, as the EU nation faces a wave of migrants and slowly emerges from six years of recession.

Opinion polls predict a tight race between the ruling center-left alliance, led by Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic’s Social Democrats (SDP), and the rival conservative ‘Patriotic Coalition’, in Croatia’s first parliamentary election since it joined the European Union in 2013.

Neither camp is expected to win an outright majority in the 151-seat parliament, making it likely that the government’s make-up will be decided in postelection talks with smaller parties.

The ruling coalition, in power since 2011, has been blamed for failing to re-

Russia, Britain race to fly tourists home

ERRORS & OMISSIONS

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

CAIRO—Moscow and London were ramping up efforts to pull out thousands of stranded tourists from Sharm el-Sheikh on Sunday, after Egypt said it was too early to know whether a bomb brought down a Russian plane.

Britain and the US, as well as international investigators, suspect a bomb exploded on board the Airbus minutes after it took off from the Red Sea resort en route to Saint Petersburg, killing all 224 people on board.

Russia, which lost the most people in the disaster, has stopped all flights to Egypt and Britain has halted air travel to Sharm, while several other countries have warned their nationals not to fly to the resort due to security fears.

Tens of thousands of people have been left stranded for days by the clampdown, which Egyptians fear could deal a heavy blow to their vital tourism industry, already battered by years of unrest.

Egypt has dismissed a claim from Islamic State jihadists that they brought down the plane, and on Saturday the head of its investigative committee said the cause of the crash was still not clear.

“Initial observations... do not allow for identifying the origin of the in-flight break-up” of the aircraft 23 minutes and 14 seconds after it departed from Sharm, Ayman el-Mokkadem said.

“A noise was heard in the last second” on the voice recorder, he said, adding: “A spectral analysis will be carried out by specialized labs in order to identify the nature of this sound.”AFP

form the country’s inefficient public sector or improve the business climate in Croatia, one of the EU’s weakest economies.

But the bloc, campaigning with the slogan ‘Croatia is Growing’, has won back some support amid weak economic growth and the government’s introduction of populist measures, such as a law converting Swiss franc loans into euros to help struggling borrowers.

Career diplomat turned premier Milanovic, 49, also appears to have been boosted by his policy towards refugees transiting through Croatia to Slovenia, by both showing compassion and pledging to defend national interests.

Nearly 350,000 migrants have passed through Croatia since midSeptember on their way to northern Europe, after Hungary closed its border with Serbia. AFP

Republ i c of the P hi l i ppi nes CAV ITE STATE U N IV E R S ITY (C vSU ) Do n Severi no de al as C ampus Indang, cavi te ( 0 4 6 ) 415010/415-0011 415-0012 w w w.cvsu.educ.ph INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO BID

Republic of the Phillippines Department of Health National Capital Regional Office VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER BIDS AND AWARD COMMITTEE

The CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites suppliers/manufacturers/ distributors/contractors to apply for eligibility and to bid for the hereunder project: Name of Project

:

Location

:

Brief Description Approved Budget For the Contract

:

SUPPLY, DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION OF LABORATORY EQUIPMENT RESEARCH CENTER, AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY, CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY, INDANG, CAVITE LABORATORY EQUIPMENT

:

P 5,400,000.00

Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City Telefax No. 294-4625 Email addressvmc_bac@yahoo.com

Prospective bidders should have experience in undertaking a similar project within the last two (2) years with an amount of at least 50% of the proposed project for bidding. The Eligibility Check/Screening as well as the Preliminary Examination of Bids shall use non-discretionary “pass/fail” criteria. Post-qualification of the lowest calculated bid shall be conducted.

INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO BID

All particulars relative to Eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-Bidding Conference(s), Evaluation of Bids, Post-Qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulation (IRR).

LABORATORY AND MEDICAL EQUIPMENT PUBLIC BIDDING NO. 2015-036 Dated December 1, 2015

The complete schedule of activities is listed, as follows:

Activities 1. Issuance of Bid Documents 2. Pre-bid Conference 3. Opening of Bids

Schedule November 6, 2015 to November 25, 2015; 8:00AM – 5:00PM November 12, 2015; 3:00 PM; S.L. Lasap Hall, Administration Building, Cavite State University, Indang, Cavite November 26, 2015; 3:00 PM; S.L. Lasap Hall, Administration Building, Cavite State University, Indang, Cavite

1.

FUNDING SOURCE: The Valenzuela Medical Center (VMC) through INCOME/GAA/GOP intends to apply the amount of Thirteen Million Two Hundred Eighteen Thousand Pesos Only (Php 13,218,000.00), being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) for the provision of public bidding for LABORATORY AND MEDICAL EQUIPMENT . Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at Bid Opening.

2.

The Valenzuela Medical Center now invites sealed Bids from eligible Bidders for laboratory and medical equipment. The description of an eligible Bidder is contained in Section II of the Bidding Documents’ ITB.

3.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criteria as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations Parts A (IRR-A) of Republic Act No. 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act, and is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, 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 and regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to Republic Act 5183 (RA 5183) and subject to Commonwealth Act 138 (CA 138). Only Bids from bidders who pass the eligibility check will be opened. The process for the eligibility check is described in Section II of the Bidding Documents, ITB. The Bidder with the lowest calculated bid (LCB) shall advance to the post-qualification stage in order to finally determine his responsiveness of the bid to the technical and financial requirements of the project.

The contract shall then be awarded to the Lowest Calculated and Responsive Bidder (LCRB) who was determined as such during the post-qualification procedure.

4.

Interested Bidders may obtain further information from Valenzuela Medical Center and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 9:00AM-4:00PM starting November 9, 2015 to December 1, 2015.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee in the amount of 1 Million up-5 Million/ Five Thousand Pesos Only (P5,000.00); and 5 Million up-10 Million/ Ten Thousand Pesos Only (P10,000.00) and Ten Million up (P15,000.00). The method of payment will be in cash. The Bidding Documents shall be received personally by the prospective bidder or his authorized representative.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that Bidders shall pay the nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

6.

The Valenzuela Medical Center will hold a Pre-Bid Conference open to all interested parties on November 16, 2015, 02:00 PM at 4th Floor, Conference Room of Valenzuela Medical Center, Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

7.

Eligibility Check and Bid Opening will be on December 1, 2015. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below.

8.

Bids and eligibility requirements must be delivered to the address below on or before, December 1, 2015 2:00 PM, 4th Floor, Conference Room of Valenzuela Medical Center, Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City. All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Security in the form of Cash, Manager’s Check or Cashier’s Check Bank Draft or Bank Guarantee of two (2%) percent, 5% Surety Bond and Securing Declaration (notarized) of the total amount to bid. Late Bids shall not be accepted.

9.

The Valenzuela Medical Center reserves the right to accept or reject any Bid, and to annul the bidding process and reject all Bids at any time prior to the contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected Bidder or Bidders.

Bid Documents will be available only to prospective bidders upon payment of a non-refundable amount of Ten Thousand Pesos Only (P 10,000.00) to the CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY Cashier.

The CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of the bid.

Approved by: (SGD) GILCHOR P. CUBILLO, PhD BAC Chairman

( T S - N O V. 9 , 2 015 )

Republic of the Philippines CAVITE STATE U N IV E R S ITY (C vS U ) Do n Severi no de al as C ampus Indang, cavi te ( 0 4 6 ) 415010/415-0011 415-0012 w w w.cvsu.educ.ph RE-INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO BID The CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites suppliers/ manufacturers/distributors/contractors to apply for eligibility and to bid for the hereunder project: Name of Project Location Brief Description Approved Budget For the Contract

: PURCHASE OF MINI BUS / COASTER (2nd Posting) : CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY, INDANG, CAVITE : 34 SEATER-MINI BUS / COASTER : P 4,000,000.00

Prospective bidders should have experience in undertaking a similar project within the last two (2) years with an amount of at least 50% of the proposed project for bidding. The Eligibility Check/Screening as well as the Preliminary Examination of Bids shall use non-discretionary “pass/fail” criteria. Post-qualification of the lowest calculated bid shall be conducted.

All particulars relative to Eligibility Statement and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, PreBidding Conference(s), Evaluation of Bids, Post-Qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of R.A. 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulation (IRR).

The complete schedule of activities is listed, as follows: Activities 1. Issuance of Bid Documents 2. Pre-bid Conference 3. Opening of Bids

Schedule November 6, 2015 November 25; 2015; 8:00 – 5:00PM November 12, 2015; 2:00 PM; S.L. Lasap Hall, Administration Building, Cavite State University, Indang, Cavite November 26, 2015; 2:00 PM; S.L. Lasap Hall, Administration Building, Cavite State University, Indang, Cavite

Bid Documents will be available only to prospective bidders upon payment of a non-refundable amount of Five Thousand Pesos Only (P 5,000.00) to the CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY Cashier.

The CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of the bid.

Approved by: ( T S - N O V. 9 , 2 015 )

(SGD) GILCHOR P. CUBILLO, Ph.D. BAC Chairman

(TS-NOV. 9, 2015)

(sgd) DONA D. SALMOS, RN, MAN BAC Chairperson

M O N D AY : N O V E M B E R 9, 2 0 1 5

B8

cEsAR BARRiOquiNtO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

world

Tribute. This combination of file pictures shows French actor Alain Delon on January 7, 2008, and French actress Brigitte Bardot on September 28, 2006, in Paris. On November 8, 2015, Brigitte Bardot pays tribute to Alain Delon in a message for his 80th birthday sent to AFP. AFP

A chillier welcome for migrants Death toll from Romania nightclub fire soars to 43

OSLO—Asylum seekers flowing to Scandinavia are finding chillier welcomes as their numbers surge and far-right parties increasingly assert their influence on immigration policy, analysts say.

BUCHAREST—Two more people succumbed Sunday to their wounds from a horrific nightclub fire in Bucharest that brought down the Romanian government, bringing the death toll up to 43, a hospital official said.

The chief of Floreasca hospital’s plastic surgery department said the victims—a young Romanian woman and a Turkish tourist—died a day after nine other wounded lost their lives, including two who had been transferred to the Netherlands for treatment.

“The next seven days will be the most difficult with regards to treating the wounded,” Health Minister Nicolae Banicioiu said Saturday.

“We welcome any help, any medical teams coming from abroad.”

Romanian media criticized the authorities for failing to transfer some of the wounded to hospitals

Denmark, Norway and Finland—but also Sweden, heretofore especially welcoming to migrants—have begun cutting back the benefits they offer to newcomers while also hardening their asylum policies.

“It seems there’s a certain amount of competition aimed at not offering the most generous social benefits to asylum seekers,” said Asle Toje, a Norwegian international relations expert.

Denmark’s immigration policy has grown tighter since 2001, when the far-right Danish People’s Party began influencing policy-making.

In July, soon after elections made the DPP the country’s second-largest party, Denmark moved to slash benefits to asylum seekers in a bid to reduce the influx.

Under the new rules, which

abroad in time.

“Why has Romania not asked for international help before?”

Gandul daily wrote, adding that the country’s hospitals were struggling to treat more than 140 people wounded in the October 30 tragedy at the Colectiv nightclub.

Eighteen people were transferred abroad on Saturday—eight to Belgium, eight to the Netherlands and two to Austria. Two more will be flown to Britain and Hungary on Sunday, the defense ministry said.

Doctors say some 100 wounded remain hospitalized, among them 44 in critical condition.

The fire broke out when fireworks set off during a rock band’s performance triggered a blaze and a stampede as panicked revelers tried to flee. AFP

came into effect in September, a recently arrived immigrant without children now receives 5,945 kroner (797 euros/$897) per month, compared with the 10,849 kroner they got previously.

The move seems to have had the desired effect, since the number of asylum seekers declined in September from a year earlier while setting records elsewhere in Europe.

Syrians, Afghans and Eritreans are still arriving en masse in Denmark, but they generally move on to destinations considered more hospitable.

“Many of them say that the conditions are better for them in other countries, perhaps Sweden, and so they go there,” said DPP leader Kristian Thulesen Dahl.

The DPP, an indispensable ally of Denmark’s minority liberal gov-

ernment, is doing all it can to make the country less attractive to refugees.

Norway and Finland, both led by governments with anti-immigration elements, are similarly moving to cut back social services and toughen conditions for uniting families and granting citizenship or permanent residency.

“It’s clear that the Nordic countries have generous welfare states, but we must ask ourselves if we should share them with those who come in,” said Sweden’s justice secretary of state, Joran Kallmyr, of the right-wing populist Progress Party.

Norway, an island of prosperity thanks to its hydrocarbons, is becoming unsure of preserving its comfortable lifestyle as oil prices decrease.

Even ultra-liberal Sweden, despite taking in more asylum seekers per capita than any other EU state—expecting around 190,000 this year for a population of under 10 million—has decided to tone down its image of generosity. AFP

Beatles guitar fetches $2.4m at auction WASHINGTON—A guitar beloved by John Lennon for writing Beatles hits such as “She loves you” and “All my loving” sold for a record $2.41 million on Saturday, a US auction house said.

The 1962 J-160E Gibson Acoustic guitar was bought by the famous Beatle in Liverpool in September 1962 for 161 pounds, Julien’s Auctions said.

“John so loved this particular guitar that he would take it home and write songs on it with Paul McCartney,” the auction house said in a release announcing the sale.

Julien’s Auctions said the guitar

went missing during the Beatles’ December 1963 Finsbury Park Christmas Show in London and was lost for over 50 years.

The auction house—which said the sale shattered all records for rock memorabilia—did not provide any details on how or where the guitar resurfaced.

Another item that went under the hammer at the Los Angeles auction house Saturday included the Ed Sullivan drum head, billed as the most famous of the seven known Beatles drop-T logo drum heads and the only one to be featured on a Beatles album jacket.

It sold for $2.125 million.

The other items included Elvis Presley’s 24-carat Gold Leaf Piano that was snapped up for $600,000.

Elvis bought the piano for his mother in 1955 and it was later kept in the music room at the singer’s famous Graceland home.

For their first wedding anniversary, Priscilla, Elvis’s former wife, had the piano adorned with 24-carat gold finish, according to Julien’s.

Separately, a white deerskin leather ensemble once donned by “the King” went for $56,250. AFP

Landmark elections. Myanmar voters queue at a polling center in Yangon on November 8, 2015. Myanmar went to the polls in an historic election that could thrust opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s pro-democracy party into power and pull the country away from the grip of the military. AFP

M O N D AY : N O V E M B E R 9, 2 0 1 5

TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR

BING PAREL A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

BERNADETTE LUNAS

life @ thestandard.com .ph

WRITER

@LIFEatStandard

E AT, DRINK , T R AV EL

LIFE

Media guests indulge in authentic French cuisine in a candle-lit dinner under the starry night of Cavite

C1

The Domaine Restaurant specializes in French-Mediterranean cuisine

THE FRENCH CHRISTMAS EXPERIENCE

BY BERNADETTE LUNAS

W

hen it’s Christmas, Filipinos say “Maligayang Pasko!” while the French greet “Joyeux Noël!” We re-enact the “panunuluyan” of Joseph and the pregnant Virgin Mary searching for lodging, while the French burn the Yule log in case Mary and baby Jesus pass by during the night. And while we indulge in multiple servings of puto bumbong and bibingka, they partake of 13 different kinds of desserts.

We Filipinos love Christmas, and we have several traditions and a long celebration (the longest in the world, they say) to prove that. However, sometimes it’s nice to learn about how other people across the globe celebrate our favorite occasion.

Since many of us are fond of France, from its attractions to its attractive people – the ever-adventurous team of San Miguel Pure Foods Culinary Center had a marvelous idea to celebrate the holidays like how the French do, and tapped the expertise of Le Cordon Bleu Paris-educated chef Robbie Ripalda.

“Having been used to the American Christmas traditions woven into our own Filipino traditions, we wanted to try something new this year and let our guests experience how the French celebrate Christmas,” said SMPFCC culinary services manager Llena Arcenas.

Burning of the Yule log is one of the French Christmas traditions

The San Miguel Pure Foods Culinary Center team. From left: Rene Ruz, KC Jardin, Llena Arcenas, Muny Moreno, Rowena Balanga and John Valley

At the charming The Domaine, Chef Robbie’s destination dining restaurant that specializes in French-Mediterranean cuisine, the SMPFCC, the chef de cuisine and his team whipped up an early French Christmas-themed dinner, complete with all the trappings that transported diners from the outskirts of Silang, Cavite to France.

FRENCH TRADITIONS

Upon arrival, the guests were presented with three chocolate truffles in a small box, three of which had charms inside. Those who had a charm in his or her truffle was named the king or queen of the night.

The pre-dinner activity was taken after the unique French tradition called La Fete des Rois, celebrated every Epiphany or Three Kings on the first Sunday of the new year. In lieu of truffles, the galette des rois, a classic French pastry, is sliced and served among family members wherein small figurines are hidden. Whoever discovers the small charms gets to be the king or queen for the day.

The kings and queens who each got a charm in their sweet treats led the burning of the Yule Log, a practice that is believed to bring good fortune to the family and protection from evil. This also marked the beginning of the banquet or Le Réveillon, the French version of what Filipinos call noche buena.

AUTHENTIC FRENCH CUISINE

For the dinner, Chef Robbie wanted to prepare not just French cuisine but “the real French cuisine.”

“We prepared a really authentic French cuisine you don’t see in Paris, because these are the food that you see when you go outside of Paris,” explained Chef Robbie.

“We offer a different taste from all over the regions of France.”

Using produce grown in Tagaytay and San Miguel food products, Chef Robbie and his team was able to fulfill his vision to cook up an authentic French spread.

The dinner started with delicious hors d’oeuvres of Rosemary Tuiles with Bacon Cream Cheese (Magnolia All Purpose Flour, Magnolia Cream Cheese and Pure Foods Honeycured Bacon), Chive Cream Cheese Profiterols (Magnolia’s Cream Cheese, Gold Butter and All Purpose Flour) and Chicken Rillets with Caramelized Onion (Magnolia Gold Butter, Ibero Olive Oil and Pure Foods Sexy Chix). The pass arounds were washed down with refreshing Orange Lemongrass Mocktail, made with Magnolia Fruit Drink.

The Magnolia All Purpose Flour and Magnolia Gold Butter proved their versatility as Chef Robbie used them to bake Black Olive Brioche, Sesame Country Bread and Soft Wheat Rolls served with three kinds

of butter: Beurre Deux, Beurre au Pesto and Beurre au Epice.

For main entrées, the menu included cold buffet and hot buffet selections in true French countryside fashion. The Pork Trotter and Parsley Terrine, Pate Grand Mere, Freshly Shucked Oysters, Traditional Cassoulet, Ox tail Pot-au-Feu, and Smoked Fish Beignets showcased the potential of Monterey and Pure Foods meat products and other Magnolia and San Miguel food items in creating authentic French meals.

At the carving station, Chef Robbie and his team presented sumptuous meat selections composed of Smoked Jamon Royale with Sauce Maltaise Pomme Dauphine (Jamon Royale, Magnolia Brown Eggs, Gold Butter, All Purpose Flour and Nutri Oil), Chicken Ballotine in Sauce Supreme (Magnolia Chicken, Gold Butter, Brown Eggs, All Purpose Flour and Monterey Pork), and Beef Shank ala Bourguignonne with Red Wine Sauce (Monterey Beef Shank, Purefoods Thick Cut Bacon, Magnolia All Purpose Flour and Gold Butter).

Capping off the night was another French tradition of serving and partaking of 13 desserts or Les Treizes Desserts des Noel. Symbolizing Jesus Christ and his 12 apostles, the sweet treats included Rose Buche de Noel, White Chocolate Passionfruit Buche de Noel, Gingerbread Tartlets with Dark Chocolate Bavarois, Grand Marnier Madeleines, Rose Madeleines, Croquembouche a la Noel, Verrine of Kesong Puti Ice Cream, Verrine of Strawberry Red Velvet Otap Ice Cream, Verrine of Sili con Tsokolate Eh Chocolate Ice Cream, Peanut Butter Nutmeg Chocolate Truffles, Baracco Coffee Chocolate Truffles, Ginger Cardamom Chocolate Truffles and fresh fruits.

“I’m very thankful to the whole team of SMPFCC for giving us more perspective in utilizing our produce and their products,” enthused Chef Robbie.

Chef Robbie Ripalda, owner of The Domaine

Smoked Jamon Royale with Sauce Maltaise Pomme Dauphine

Beef Shank ala Bourguignonne

Chicken Ballotine in Sauce Supreme, Roasted Root Vegetables and Glazed Chestnuts

Traditional Cassoulet

Peanut Butter, Baracco Coffee and Ginger Cardamom Chocolate Truffles

M ONDAY : NOVEM B ER 9, 2015

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

Chef Martin Yan entertained the guests with his impressive knife skills at the recently held Manila tour for his show Taste of Asia

MARTIN YAN’S TASTE OF ASIA NOW AIRING ON AFC

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sian Food Channel’s (AFC) most loved and popular celebrity chef Martin Yan recently held an intimate dinner in Manila to introduce his new show, Martin Yan’s Taste of Asia. His latest show in AFC is currently airing with its first 26-episode series “Taste of Vietnam,” where he explores the landscapes of Vietnam, relishes on its colorful history, and discovers how its people create their best-loved dishes.

“The new show is not just about cooking; it’s about my personal journey to the countries we visited and will visit in Asia.

In Vietnam, what I did was to travel from the mountain, to the planes, to the ocean, Pomelo and Prawn Delight from the North to the South, and we stayed as guests in somebody’s house,” Chef Martin shares. “We worked with restaurant chefs, who live in the mountains. I learned about and other hotel chefs, and learned how they the food they eat, the history, culture, cook their food professionally, but also how lifestyle, arts and craft, food – and this is they do it in the home. So, along the way we what we share on the show – my personal also discover life stories and their personal experience,” says Chef Martin. struggles. Basically, it’s a personal journey During the intimate dinner, he did a live and I travel to shoot real people and learn demonstration and prepared Asian-inspired from them,” he adds. flavors that were an upshot of his visit in Chef Martin beams with excitement as Vietnam: Hot and Sour Pineapple Fish Soup, he narrates the adventures of his Trio of Seafood Fresh Rice Rolls travels in Vietnam. “When with two Dipping Sauces and they cooked, I also learned Chargrilled Chicken over how to cook, not just a bed of mixed greens. watch, but cook,” he He also entertained says. “And I learned not the guests with his just how to prepare the impressive knife skills. dish but also understand He says that his the way they live, like the personal experience while fisherman and the people doing the first part of Taste Char-grilled Spring Chicken over

Trio of Seafood Fresh Rice Rolls with 2 dipping sauces

of Asia was exhaustive and he actually lost about seven-and-a-half pounds in two months. But he states that the journey is a lifelong experience because he knows he may not be able to go back again.

“I want to introduce that to the world,” he adds. Their team is done with “Taste of Vietnam,” and they are still just finishing up “Taste of Malaysia.” The next one will be the “Taste of the Philippines.”

“The Philippines is a very unique country,” he excitedly says. “To me, it’s more international, more global than Thailand, than Vietnam because Vietnam and Thailand are very rich in tradition.

In the Philippines, you have the European influence, Spanish influence, then you have the Chinese influence, as well as the local influence.” He explained that as more and

Sweet Jackfruit in Sago Coconut Milk is the dessert served during the dinner

more Filipinos migrate to different parts of the world and come back home, they also bring certain things to the market, that is why the Philippines is so vibrant.

“Right now the Philippines is growing economically and growing so fast. So, everybody wants to eat, and you have more tourists. The show hopefully will be able to promote all of these, and then hopefully more people from all over the world can come and visit the Philippines,” he adds.

Catch Chef Martin Yan every Friday until the 27th of November every 7pm on AFC. Four episodes will be aired back to back every week. Tastes of Asia’s other country lined up for the show are Malaysia, Philippines, and Taiwan. For more information, visit www. asianfoodchannel.com/celebcheftours.

a bed of mixed greens

MCDONALD’S 2015 COCA-COLA GLASSES: CELEBRATE WITH THE CLASSICS

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he collectible Coca-Cola Glasses are back in McDonald’s!

If you haven’t gotten any glass yet, today is your chance to collect all six. Avail of the limitededition glasses by adding P29 to any McDonald’s meal.

“Through the years, McDonald’s and Coca-Cola remain to be the classic go-to choice of Filipinos. We are proud and happy that customers grew up loving and sharing McDonald’s burgers, French fries, and Coca-Cola with their family and friends,” said McDonald’s Philippines president and CEO Kenneth S. Yang.

The two giant companies continue the tradition of spreading timeless happiness to customers with the 2015 Coca-Cola Glasses. The design

is inspired by the evolution of the iconic Coca-Cola contour bottle and formulated with the original Georgia green color. Each glass is embossed with the Coca-Cola logo and is datestamped, representing the imagery and advertising of the following periods: 1899, 1916, 1955, 1961, 1994, and 2015.

You may avail of this special edition designs all day, including breakfast hours only at McDonald’s restaurants nationwide through Dine-In, DriveThru, or McDelivery via 86-2-86, www.mcdelivery.com.ph, or the McDo PH app. Share your collection at McDonald’s official Facebook page Mcdo.Ph or by tagging @McDo_PH on Twitter and Instagram.

M ONDAY : NOVEM B ER 9, 2015

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

BE COOL, NOT A TOOL:

A Drinker’s Guide to Bar Etiquette we need to be reminded of; a certain sense of decorum to keep in mind.

Here are a few reminders on how to behave in a bar.

TIPPLE TALES

BY ICY MARIÑAS Disclaimer: These tips only apply to "proper" bars – or those with bartenders that have had proper training, not dive bars.

Going to bars is a fun experience, generally (unless you’re there to drown your sorrows, but that’s another column altogether). You can enjoy a night of boozy fun with your friends, significant other, or even in just your own company.

As a bar owner and a bar goer, there have been a few things that I’ve noticed that maybe

THE BAR (OR SOMETHING MORE CLEVER)

Don’t go to a bar when you’re on "water therapy," where you hog the tables and not order anything. Either you’re there to hang out or people watch (This is not a park where you can just go and sit and chat for hours without a care in the world. Do not camp out.) or to be seen in a "hip" or "trendy" place.

The seats have value.

Don’t ask the bar to turn down the music.

Don’t tell them what to play, unless you are in a piano bar. If you want somewhere quiet to chat, go to a coffee house.

THE BARTENDER

Don’t ask the bartender to make your drink stronger. You’re basically teaching or asking the bartender to cheat at work, and he might even get fired for indulging you. Also, there’s a reason why there is that much liquor in your drink. Respect it. You’re just trying to get more booze for free. If you want more liquor, you need to pay for it.

Treat him with respect. Don’t be rude, whistle at him, snap your fingers or wave your arms. The best way to get his attention is by looking him in the eye. A good bartender periodically scans the bar for new guests or for those who need them for another round, the bill, etc., so you will have his attention within a reasonable time.

Don’t chat up the bartender when he is busy. He needs to concentrate when he is pouring, slicing, squeezing, measuring, garnishing the drinks. You’d want his complete attention to your drink, so do the same for others and just chat him up when he’s not so busy.

THE BATHROOM

Oh, the bathroom. Get comfortable, because this will take a while. I have a few gripes about this particular room. Firstly, don’t hold up the bathroom. Alcohol is a diuretic, and that means frequent visits to the loo.

Just do your business as fast, and as hygienic as you can and step out to let the next person use it. This is not the time to check your Twitter or post on Facebook. You know what it feels like to have nature calling (Line 1, hopefully. Oh, God help you if it’s calling on Line 2.), and you keep wishing the person in the stall would hurry up.

For the love of everything holy, please aim in the general direction of the urinal/bowl.

Girls can be really gross, too, so this does not only pertain to the gents. Try not to make the bathroom grosser than it is when you got there. Don’t pee in the sink.

Oh, and I am all for PDA. What with alcohol lowering inhibitions (and standards), it’s normal to feel hot and heavy when inebriated. By all means, flirt and make out. But please keep it like PG 13.

If it gets too steamy, get at room, but not the bathroom.

TIPPING

There’s a reason why the saying “Tipping is not a city in China” is a common joke.

People seem to forget that bar staff rely on tips. Gratuity is also a sign that you appreciate the service that you’ve gotten.

So unless you got really crappy service, leave a tip.

So there you have it. Just a few tips on how to conduct yourself in a bar.

Follow me on Instagram @sanvicentegirl

Limited edition illuminating bottle of Johnnie Walker Red label now available in the Philippines

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re you fond of collecting special whisky bottles? Following the successful launch of Johnnie Walker’s Joy Will Take You Further global campaign, this season of holidays and celebration, Diageo Philippines releases the first ever Johnnie Walker Red Label limited edition bottle.

A good addition to your home bar and an exellent conversation piece when your friends visit, it boasts of a vibrant new “light-up” design that can come to life with any available light source.

The illuminating design and red finish add to the spirit of Johnnie Walker’s global campaign – celebratory and vibrant. A simple

light from your phone can light up the red bottle. Turn the flashlight on your mobile device, put the Johnnie Walker Red Label Limited Edition Bottle on top of your phone (close the room light for full effect), and see how the bottle comes alive.

Johnnie Walker Red Label Limited Edition Bottle is now available on selected outlets and stores nationwide for only P499. Grab a bottle now at Shopwise, S&R, 7-Eleven, and Family Mart branches nationwide.

Follow the instructions as mentioned above on how to illuminate the bottle, when you do, share it on Instagram with the hashtag #LightItUpWithRedLabel.

M O N D AY : N O V E M B E R 9, 2 0 1 5

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

THE LOST CITY MERCURY RISING

BY BOB ZOZOBRADO

Archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu, that Inca mega-structure high up in the Andes Mountains, was a royal estate of Inca nobility, built in the mid-15th Century. But what they cannot explain is why it was abandoned approximately 100 years after its construction. Some theories point to a smallpox epidemic, which killed hundreds of its residents, as the reason. They even go further by saying that none of those who fled the area to escape the epidemic ever came back for fear of being infected by the then-deadly disease. The site was not known to the Spanish conquistadores nor to the outside world.

It was only in 1911, that’s five centuries later, when an American archaeologist from Yale University, Hiram Bingham, together with his team of explorers stumbled upon the mountain city on their way to search for Vilcabamba, the last of the Inca strongholds conquered by the Spaniards.

Bingham was quick to declare Machu Picchu as “The Lost City of the Incas,” but experts argue with this because local peasants knew about the existence of the site. In fact, there is substantial evidence that shows missionaries and some Cuzco explorers reached the site much earlier but kept the discovery to themselves.

Almost 8,000 feet above sea level, Machu Picchu is surrounded by the Urubamba River on its three sides and, almost every morning, is

A breathtaking view of the Inca Wonder of the Modern World PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW.POPSUGAR.COM

The wall of the structures, with perfectly fitting polished and cut stones

Machu Picchu with the early morning mist

PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW.HISTORY.COM

PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW.LINCNET.ORG

covered with cool mist rising from the river. This settlement is between two mountains, with a breathtaking view of two valleys and another mountain behind it.

It has water springs and enough ground to grow food, more than enough for the tribes who lived there. Its hillsides are terraced, used as farmland and as protection from invaders. These terraces also reduce soil erosion, thus protecting the homes therein from landslides.

What makes Machu Picchu awesome is not only its location but also its architecture and the engineering processes that were used in its construction, a craft mastered by the Incas. Houses used mined stones from a nearby quarry.

These were lined up, polished and cut to fit together perfectly, so perfect that not even a blade of grass can go through the joined stones.

This type of architecture was designed by the Incas specifically for this mountain city as it has always been threatened by two natural

disasters – earthquake and torrential rain. Two fault lines are found nearby, so the sturdy walls were made to withstand any type of seismic activity.

As protection from heavy rainfall, the Incas carved terraces on the mountainsides, layered them with stone chips, sand and soil to soak water in, protecting the city from floods.

Since Bingham’s reported “discovery,” tourists have been trooping to Machu Picchu. In 1981, it was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. But what increased its popularity immensely was when it was voted one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World in 2007, an online project of the New7Wonders Foundation.

Although it continues to be Peru’s most visited tourist attraction and the country’s important source of revenue, the site has been hounded by concerns from potential tourists, one of which is their safety. There have been reports of tourist deaths caused by altitude sickness and hiking accidents. In fact,

the local government and UNESCO have been criticized for continuing to allow tourists’ entry, in spite of the risk of earthquakes, landslides, and injury from unstable, decaying structures.

Notwithstanding these concerns, this Wonder of the Modern World is still a tourist magnet because it is awe-inspiring and makes for a perfect antidote for the stress that we, constantly harassed city dwellers, are plagued with.

To get to Machu Picchu, you may choose any of the daily Transpacific flights from Manila to the US, then connect on any daily flight to Lima, the capital of Peru. After a good rest, take any of the more-than-a-dozen daily flights to Cuzco, then connect to a 3.5-hour train ride to Aguas Calientes, the town at the foot of the “Lost City” where you may rest for the night. Explore Machu Picchu the following day so you can fully soak in the splendor of this Inca “wonder.”

The reason why it is advisable to just transit Cuzco and go straight to Aguas Calientes is that the former is

11,000 feet above sea level and this high altitude may cause lowlanders like us to experience headache, nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, shortness of breath, etc. Aguas Calientes is only 8,000 feet above sea level, and such altitude is easier to adapt to. Of course, the natives were quick to offer us coca tea, which is known to be the perfect remedy for any form of altitude sickness.

But then again, even without the high altitude and if you are of the squeamish type, your stomach might still do quarter-turns if you are offered the native delicacy, Cuy, which is roasted guinea pig, shown on this page.

So, if you’ve been wanting to lose your worldly cares and the physical stress that have burdened you all this time, lose yourself in a “lost city” that’s exciting, extraordinary, exotic and exhilarating! Hop on to your Chattanooga Choo Choo to Machu Picchu!

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com

YOUR MONDAY CHUCKLE:

My friends Greg Alvarez, Brigida Aldeguer, Our waiter serving us Cuy, the native delicacy Ditas Lobregat and Almario Balce resting which is roasted guinea pig after our successful climb to the summit

Greg Alvarez triumphantly hurdles the ‘senior’ challenge imposed upon him by an 84-yearold lady tourist who easily made it to the summit

A shopkeeper was dismayed when a store opened next door with a huge sign that said, BEST DEALS!” To make things worse, another store opened on the other side with a huge sign reading “LOWEST PRICES!” He panicked until he thought of a solution – he put up his own sign, bigger that the other two, that read, “MAIN ENTRANCE.”

TAKE A PHOTO WALK TO JAPAN WITH GETGO AND FUJIFILM

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re you a “Juanderer’ who loves taking photos of his travel? Then here’s fantastic news for you – your travel snapshots may just be your ticket to a brand new FujiFilm X-T10 camera and a rewarding photowalk in Japan!

Cebu Pacific through its GetGo rewards program has partnered with FujiFilm Philippines to launch the “I Am a Juanderer” photo challenge – the search for the best travel and lifestyle photo that could grace their new card designs in 2016.

Travellers and photo enthusiasts may submit original travel- and lifestyle- inspired photos along with their reason for traveling through the “I Am A Juanderer” photo

challenge App at GetGo’s official Facebook fanpage (GetGoPH). Just key in your contact details and GetGo membership card number for your entries to qualify. Promo period is until this December 4.

The top three winners of the photo challenge will get a brandnew FujiFilm XT10 camera (grand prize) and FujiFilm XA2 cameras (1st and 2nd runners-up) which they can

use to capture more amazing sights during the international photowalk in Japan with Fuji X ambassadors.

So get going with GetGo and Fuji Film Philippines’ “I Am A Juanderer” photo challenge for that pictureperfect adventure that may just become GetGo’s newest card design.

To avail of the GetGo card, simply visit www.GetGo.com.ph, click JOIN, fill out the application form, and for only a P150 membership fee, have your personalized GetGo card delivered to your doorstep.

For more information, visit www.

GetGo.com.ph, or call +632 71-GETGO (43846). The latest updates are also on GetGoPH’s official pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

M ONDAY : NOV EMBER 9, 2015

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

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Star WarS Fever in PH HeatS uP

F Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu welcomed guests at the recently held Globe event where they announced their partnership with Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Globe Head of Stores and Retail Transformation Joe Caliro dressed as a Jedi, introducing the Star Wars digital connectors that are exclusively available at Globe GEN3 stores

Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu together with Senior Advisor for Consumer Business Group Dan Horan share the stage to reveal the exciting partnership of Globe and Star Wars as part of the telco’s major collaboration with Disney

With the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in December, Filipino fans are abuzz with everything Star Wars, with Disney Southeast Asia partner Globe Telecom offering a complete Star Wars experience in and beyond the cinema The Globe GEN3 store in Greenbelt 4, Makati was decked out in full Star Wars fashion – from games to gadgets – that customers will enjoy

The Globe GEN3 stores carry a wide array of exclusive Star Wars gadgets that customers can purchase such as flash drives, powerbanks, car chargers, and toys such as the BB8 droid and collectible Funk-O-Pop figures.

ans and communities all over the world are gearing up for the much-awaited release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

With a little over a month away before its premiere in the Philippines, the Star Wars fever is definitely heating up with all the social media buzz and on-ground experience that Star Wars fanatics have been raving about.

Leading the pack is the country’s purveyor of the Filipino digital lifestyle Globe Telecom, whose partnership with Disney Southeast Asia allows the leading telco to bring the Star Wars fever to a new level with a series of experiences and offerings in anticipation of the movie premiere this December.

Kicking off the excitement for Star Wars, Globe is transforming its Generation 3 (GEN3) stores nationwide into a Star Wars -themed hub with creative installations, exclusive Star Wars: Battle Pod arcade games, and premium collectible accessories, toys, gadgets up for grabs for all Star Wars fans.

Starting Nov. 4, customers can visit the Globe GEN3 store at Greenbelt 4 in Makati to check out the Star Wars displays, play a few rounds on the Star Wars: Battle Pod, and start an exclusive collection of Star Wars gadgets from the classics to The Force Awakens thematic designs. GEN3’s collection of Star Wars digital connectors and accessories include Darth Vader and Storm Trooper car chargers, Star Wars character flash drives, phone cases and power banks.

“Our collaboration with Disney and its brands such as Star Wars allows us to bring more wonderful experiences to our customers: from exclusive theatrical releases to innovative offerings.

As the Star Wars fever heightens in the Philippines, we want to ensure that we do not just give our customers exclusive access to the premiere but also transport them into the Star Wars galaxy. From arcade games like the Star Wars: Battle Pod available in our GEN3 stores to gadgets and toys such as the BB-8 Droid by Sphero as part of our digital connectors line-up, we want our customers to be part of a complete Star Wars experience with all these offerings,” said Dan Horan, senior advisor for Consumer Business at Globe.

Recently, Globe also announced the availability of the most in-demand Star Wars toy to date, the BB-8 Droid by Sphero, in its GEN3 stores. Through an exclusive deal with the industry-leading robotics toy company Sphero, Globe is the only telco company that carries this product in the country.

Offered at P12,499.75, the BB-8 is iOS and Android-compatible, housed in a durable polycarbonate shell and boasts of a Bluetooth smart BLE connection of up to a 100-feet range.

In May this year, Globe signed a comprehensive and multi-year collaboration with Disney Southeast Asia, giving customers access to video-on-demand, interactive content, theatricals, promotions and other related services across multiple devices. Globe customers will now have access to an array of Disney content offerings including long- and shortform programming, interactive content and games, theatrical releases and retail promotions.

M ONDAY : NOV EMBER 9, 2015

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

DEnniS TRiLLO TO LiE LOW aWhiLE JOSEPh PETER GOnZaLES Dennis Trillo plans to take a break after his currently airing GMA soap opera My Faithful Husband opposite Jennylyn Mercado.

“My role is both physically and emotionally draining,” he avers. “There are so many highly-emotional and tear-jerking scenes. It’s just tiring to cry and get angry on screen in almost every take. I think, of all the characters I’ve done in soaps, this is the most dramatic, which is understandable because of what he’s been through in the story.

“In the last three months, all the scenes I’ve done were intense. They required me to exhibit a wide array of emotions: anger, anxiety, passion… lots! That’s why I feel emotionally drained. I want to

relax and have a time-out first when the program ends before I start taping for my next soap. I might go abroad or go to the beach. I’ve already advised my manager (Popoy Caritativo) regarding this.”

More identified as a serious dramatic actor, the handsome Kapuso opts to do more light stuff on the silver screen this time, like romantic comedies.

“That’s right! My last movie shown was the epic Felix Manalo and it was a straight drama. I’m happy that it did well at the tills but my next completed film is a rom-com called Lakbay2Love in which I’m paired with Solenn Heussaff. It’s a very light vehicle and is intended for a 2016 Valentine playdate.

Remember, I did a similar project with Maja Salvador this year titled She’s Still the One and I’m happy with the turnout.

“Interestingly, Lakbay2Love tackles a sport which I’m very much into at pres-

ent: biking! I can say it’s tailor-made for me in a way.

I enjoyed doing the movie. It’s a breath of fresh air, so to speak. At least, it’s a perfect foil to all the heavy projects I ‘m used to doing.

“As an actor, I want to be versatile. I like to try different roles. Feel-good movies are just perfect to keep my act balanced. Actually, I’ve never done a total romcom yet until Lakbay to Love. That’s why it’s a welcome thing for me. I hope to do more next year!”

About his son Calix, the award-winning star couldn’t believe that he is growing (up) so fast.

“Yes! He is now eight years old. How time flies!

Did you know that he loves basketball at this point? I attend PTA meetings at his school as well.

He stays with his mom (Carlene Aguilar) on weekdays since his school is near her place. It’s only on weekends that he’s with me so I’m always looking forward to it and be able to

spend quality time together,” ends Dennis.

HHHHH Alden Richards is aware of his immense popularity at present. As the other half of the phenomenal AlDub love team, he has touched the hearts of millions.

“Honestly, I’m really overwhelmed with all the support and love the fans are showering me with.

It’s heart-warming and it gladdens me that I am able to entertain them in my own way. But until now, it hasn’t sunk in to me yet what transpired during our Sa Tamang Panahon affair at the Philippine Arena recently. What I know is I’m thankful to all those who went out of their way to see Maine (Mendoza) and I,” he says.

Speaking of Maine, how would he describe their present state off-cam? The public swoons on their onscreen sweetness.

“All I can say is that she is a true person…she’s not a fake! Maine’s not

the showbiz type of a gal.

She’s nice and easy to deal with. We’re in the gettingto-know-each-other stage as of now. I’m looking forward to working with her in more projects, like our movie intended for the upcoming Metro manila Film Festival titled My Pabebe Love headlined by Mr. Vic Sotto and Ms. Ai Ai delas Alas.”

Part of his current fame is being an in-demand product endorser, the latest of which is the oral glutathione Snowcaps.

“I’m just happy of all these positive developments in my career. It’s my eighth endorsement and I’m proud to be chosen for the product. I hope more will come.”

Many call him the hottest male star of the moment.

“It’s nice but to be honest, I’m not after any title.

It’s the kind of person you are that counts. You should always keep your feet on the ground in spite of your triumph,” states Alden.

Dennis Trillo

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza

‘Pangako Sa ‘Yo’ SetS tV ratingS and SoCial media ablaze

V

iewers and netizens nationwide got hooked on Pangako Sa ‘Yo’s Oct. 30 episode that showed an intense confrontation scene where Yna (Kathryn Bernardo) defended Amor (Jodi Sta. Maria) and finally revealed the truth about the businesswoman’s rape years ago.

According to data from Kantar Media, the episode recorded a national TV rating of 34.5 percent versus GMA’s Beautiful Strangers that only got 16.9 percent. It saw Yna finally revealing that Claudia (Angelica Panganiban) and Diego (Bernard Palanca) plotted Amor’s rape so Eduardo (Ian Veneracion) would finally be convinced to leave Amor. Viewers were also glued to the

Pangako Sa 'Yo confrontation scene

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 45 47 48 50 52 56 58 59 64 65 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Fund-raising game 6 Lyric poems 10 River blockers 14 Mgmt.

15 Stead 16 Black, to Donne 17 Ms. Witherspoon 18 “Silent Running” star 19 Thin necktie 20 Cotton and wool 22 More flashy

24 25 26 30 32 33

Jet route Consume Marshal’s badge Back muscles Thole fillers Cowboy star — LaRue Put into law Leaned against Apologize, maybe (2

35 40 42 wds.)

44 Redhead’s secret, maybe

Goals — von Bismarck Flashlight output Moves the puck Gave a holler Park feature Disturb Quit (3 wds.)

Frazzled Show of splendor Get melodramatic — St. Vincent Millay Accurate “Lou Grant” star Hoofed animal Courtesy env.

Unwanted sound

DOWN 1 “Simpsons” kid 2 — fixe 3 Okla. neighbor 4 Key point 5 Eugene or Tip — 6 Of yore 7 Semi engines 8 Always, to Byron 9 Naturally bright 10 Remove wiretaps 11 Shack or mansion 12 Tunnel makers 13 Blow, as a horse

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2015

21 23 26 27 28 29 31 34 36 37 38 39 41 43 46 49 51 52 53 54 55 57 60 61 62 63 66

Soup server Commencement Ex-frosh Mad Hatter guest Hematite yield NFL broadcaster Excuse me!

Call it — — Mil. personnel Fine and liberal Sheepfold Low cards Whittles down Vail competitor Land bridge Skilled persons Greek sea Swung off-course Rust away Ben, of “Bonanza” Moon-based Kashmir cash — — hungry I could ...

Tennille of song Versatile vehicles Paris papa Mouths

story on Oct. 2 that the episode acquired a national TV rating of 36.5 percent versus the rival program’s 16.9 percent.

With the truth now revealed, Eduardo finally left Claudia. Meanwhile, Angelo is convinced that Amor returned to the country to get revenge against his family.

What will now happen to Eduardo and Amor, now that he is determined to make it up to the love of his life for hurting her in the past? How long will Claudia and Diego be able to keep the truth from Angelo? Could Angelo and Yna’s broken relationship be further damaged?

Pangako Sa ’Yo, airs weeknights after FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano on ABS-CBN Primetime Bida.

M ONDAY : NOV EMBER 9, 2015

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

Jennylyn Mercado and Jericho Rosales

Jennylyn Mercado

Jennylyn mercaDo spreaDs Joy, lauGhter, love on christmas Day

J

ennylyn Mercado returns to the big screen to spread joy, laughter and love in Quantum Films’ Metro Manila Film Festival entry, Walang Forever.

Jen was dubbed as last year’s MMFF Darling/Favorite on the strength of the surprise blockbuster romantic-comedy film English Only, Please, where moviegoers came to love her tandem with Derek Ramsay.

The Kapuso actress was also named MMFF best actress for her outstanding performance in the movie directed by Dan Villegas, who won the MMFF best director trophy.

Jen’s winning streak continues with the recent box-office success of the romantic-comedy The PreNup, which paired her with Sam Milby for the first time under the able direction of Jun Lana.

As a fitting follow-up, Quantum Films, MJM Productions, Inc., Tuko Film Productions and Buchi Boy Films cast Jen in another lead role in the MMFF entry Walang Forever.

This time, the actress figures in yet another unique tale of love and romance filled with riotous as well as “kilig” scenes.

The filmfest darling/favorite gets a new leading man in the movie in the person of Jericho Rosales.

In the story, Jen plays an accomplished romantic-comedy writer while Echo is a renowned application and software developer based abroad.

Their story begins with a long distance love-hate relationship which eventually turns sweet and rosy as the events unfold.

Cute. Great chemistry. Undeniable magic on screen. Those are the things that best describe the JenEcho tandem in Walang Forever.

And since the film is titled

from c8

Walang Forever, it will, at best, try to send an important message across to filmgoers.

“The message of the film is walang forever. Forever is how you live each day. When you share it with somebody, it will always be there forever. It’s like the stories in the movies. It will be there forever,” said producer Atty. Joji Alonso.

Jen and Derek’s English Only Please made everyone fall in love with the pair’s odd rapport and chemistry. “WF,” meanwhile, will surely hold audiences in awe with the unique treatment of the story and Villegas’ own style of directing a rom-com.

Appearing as Jen’s mother in the movie is multi-awarded actress Lorna Tolentino, whose husband dumps her for a younger woman.

The film gets ample support from the cast of the Pinoy rock musical Rak of Aegis and stars of ABS-CBN’s On the Wings of Love, led by Jerald Napoles, Nico Antonio, Pepe Herrera, Kim Molina, Cai Cortez and more.

Walang Forever’s initial teaser garnered over three million views and likes immediately after its posting on social media.

For additional updates on the Jen-Echo 2015 MMFF entry, please follow Facebook www. facebook.com/WalangForeverMMFF2015; You Tube:www.youtube.com/user/QuantumFilmsProdn; Twitter: @ Walang4FeverMMFF; and Instagram: @walangforevermovie.

HHHHH Director can’t throw photos of heart Lucky guy, this Sen. Chiz Escudero, for marrying a beauty goddess like Heart Evangelista.

Literally, art director Paula Pangan said Heart is “walang tapon: when she was choosing photos for the beauty book This is Me, Love

Heart Evangelista

Mary Grace Poe

Marie published by Summit Books.

“No wasted outtakes for this beauty! We had a hard time choosing the best photos for @iamhearte, lahat maganda! #ThisIsMeLoveMarie Coming Soon!,” Paula posted in her Instagram account.

This is Me, Love Marie is the first beauty guide from a Filipina. Summit Books released it yesterday.

Said Heart, “The book is like my diary for the last 10 years.

Making the book was like writing in my diary and giving everyone a copy. Thirty years of everything I’ve learned.”

HHHHH Grace feels sentimental with Da KinG’s sonGs Sen. Grace Poe admitted she feels a bit sad when she hears songs his later father, Fernando Poe, Jr. loved dearly.

An instance was when she was at DZMM as a guest, the technician played the song “Kumusta Ka.” “I am really sentimental, especially when I go to the provinces and they play those songs on the local radio stations. Who wouldn’t right?” Grace told Anthony Taberna who asked her how she felt when she hears those songs.

Grace says she is lucky that there’s a lot of things that remind him of his father who died in 2004.

“There are the movies and songs that we can watch and listen to

whenever we want to see him.”

Grace watches regularly Ang Probinsyano on ABS-CBN. The series is based upon the 1997 movie of the same title. Every now and then the production uses FPJ’s voice clips in the series.

HHHHH susan roces still reGal in anG probinsyano The Queen of Philippine Movies, that’s how the movie press called Susan Roces then and up until today she is considered as one.

She proves this in the series Ang Probinsyano on ABS-CBN. Netizens have nothing but praises for Sen. Grace Poe’s mother who plays Lola Flora to Coco Martin’s Ador/Cardo.

Roces amazes Martin’s fans for her natural and effortless acting, especially in the intense confrontation scene with Jaime Fabregas on the truth about Cardo who is

Susan Roces

posing as Ador.

“Grabe. Ms. Susan Roces is really a legendary actress,” @jvpatengaG12 tweeted, one among millions who follow the series on ABS-CBN. “Grabe talaga umarte si Ms Susan Roces, damang dama mo talaga.

Woooooo,” @KylaJoesan tweeted.

Senator Grace Poe is really proud of her mother’s performance in the series.

‘FPJ’s Ang ProbinsiyAno’ is still PH’s most wAtCHed ProgrAm

a

BS-CBN remains to be the most watched TV network in the country among nationwide among urban and rural homes combined last October with an average national audience share of 42 percent vs. rival network

GMA’s 38 percent, according to recent data from Kantar Media.

On primetime (6 p.m to 12 midnight), ABS-CBN hit a whopping 50 percent average audience share nationwide, or a 19-pointlead over GMA 7’s 31 percnt.

The primetime block is the most

important part of the day when most Filipinos watch TV and advertisers put a larger chunk of their investment in to reach more consumers effectively.

Kantar Media uses a nationwide panel size of 2,609 urban and rural homes that represent 100 percent

of the total Philippine TV viewing population, while the other ratings data supplier AGB Nielsen reportedly has only 1,980 homes based solely in urban areas that represent only 57 percent of the Philippine TV viewing population.

Leading the pack of most-

watched programs in the country is the Coco Martin-starrer FPJ’s Ang Probinsiyano with an average national TV rating of 39.4 percent followed by the 2015 remake of Pangako Sa’Yo (33.4 percent) and ABS-CBN’s flagship newscast TV Patrol 32 percent.

M ONDAY : NOV EMBER 9, 2015

C8

ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ Megan Young fights baCk as bella aldaMa ISAH V. RED A new side of Megan Young is set to be unveiled in the Kapuso primetime series Marimar. From portraying the well-loved character of Marimar, Megan offers viewers an interesting twist as she transforms into Bella Aldama.

“Malapit nang mag-transform si Marimar. Siya ay magiging si Bella Aldama na. Ito na rin ang pagsisimula ng paghihiganti niya sa mga Santibañez lalo na kina Sergio (Tom Rodriguez])at at Antonia (Lauren Young),” shares the actress.

Despite being nervous, Megan is very much excited about the changes that will happen to her character. “Medyo kinakabahan ako kasi siyempre napamahal na rin ako sa character ko bilang si Marimar.. Si Marimar kasi tahimik, simple, hindi siya pala-ayos.

Tapos si Bella, may mga mentors na siya, makakapag-aral siya sa ibang bansa, at matututo na siyang manamit ng maayos. She really educated herself para rready na talaga siya sa pagharap kina Sergio at Antonia. Ibang side naman ni Megan ang makikita ng viewers.”

Playing a big part in Marimar’s transformation as Bella Aldama is Kapuso actress-host Solenn Heussaff as Cappuccina Blanchett. Megan shares, “Si Si Solenn isa siyang performer pero image and beauty consultant din siya at kaibigan nina Brenda (Ina Raymundo) at Gustavo (Zoren Legaspi).

Siya ang tutulong kay Marimar na mag-transform. Siya ‘yung mag magtuturo sa akin ng tamang paglalakad, pagsasalita tsaka ‘yung pakikihalubilo sa mga tao.”

In the story, after being revealed that Marimar is the daughter of Gustavo, Marimar gets the chance to pursue her dream of finishing her studies. Brenda even offered her to study in France. Meanwhile, because Inocencia (LJ Reyes) told Mia (Alice Dixson) that Gustavo plans to sue her, Gustavo will not have his chance to tell Mia the truth about Marimar, that she is their long-lost daughter.

Under the direction of Domi-

nic Zapata, Zapata Marimar airs weeknights after 24 Oras on GMA Telebabad.

HHHHH Christmas in november Pagcor habitués will get an advance Christmas treat this month as Casino Filipino fulfills its promise to bring more enterenter tainment to the public.

Catch the alluring Ivy Violan as she takes centerstage on Nov. 11 at Casino Filipino Angeles and on Nov. 14 at Casino FilipiFilipi no Malate. A seasoned performperform er, see for yourself why Ivy rere mains one of the most respected artists in the music industry.

Actor Dante Ponce takes everyone to an enchanted evening of music on Nov. 13 at Casino Filipino Olongapo. Dante is also a regular fixture on teleseryes and commercials.

Get ready to fall in love this NoNo vember while watching the PhilPhil ippines’s one and only bossa nova diva Sitti as a she returns to Pagcor stage on Nov. 19 at Mactan SatelSatel lite. Be inspired while listening to Sitti’s love tunes as she spreads love and happiness to her audience.

The multi-talented trio Misstres, who gained fame in Asia’s Got Talent, will liven the night on Nov. 21 at Casino Filipino Tagaytay as they groove and sing with the right dose of fun and excitement.

The riotous tandem of Jose Manalo and Wally Bayola takes the spotlight at Casino Filipino Pavilion on Nov. 25. The comic Wally and Jose promise a night of pure laughter that will surely knock the audience off their seats.

Sultry actress Rufa Mae Quinto performs ultra hot numbers on Nov.27 at Casino Filipino Cebu.

Joining her onstage is Petite.

The country’s great impersonimperson ator Mr. Willie Nepomuceno will surely draw laughs and awe from the audience on Nov. 28 at Mimosa Satellite.

For inquiries, call the PAGCOR Entertainment Department at (02) 7082046, 526-0337 loc 2401 or 2403. Check and ‘Like’ us on Facebook: www. facebook.com/ pagcor.artists ➜ Continued on C7

Megan Young transforms from a barrio lass to a sophisticated lady in the new episodes of Marimar and will exact vengeance on her previous tormentors - her husband Sergio, mother - in- law and her daughter Antonia