The Standard - 2015 November 13 - Friday

VOL. XXIX NO. 274 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 frIday : NOVEMBEr 13, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Tribunal condemns Bulacan judge’s slay

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senATors roAsT nAiA’s honrADo

By Macon Ramos-araneta

MANILA International Airport Authority general manager Jose Angel Honrado got a dressing down from Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Thursday for washing his hands of the widening “tanim bala” extortion mess and any other problems at the airport.

After Honrado told the Senate Blue Ribbon hearing that he had no control and supervision over the baggage inspectors accused of planting bullets on travelers to extort money from them, Marcos pressed the airport manager: “What then is your job?”

Honrado replied, “To ensure the smooth flow at the airport.”

But Marcos said bullet planting was not conducive to a smooth flow at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

“What is then your job if you simply ignore these incidents, or those arrested with guns or firecrackers? When you go to work in the morning, what do you do?” Marcos asked.

“What if there was a terrorist who was able to sneak in the airport during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit? What’s your standard operating procedures for this?” he added.

Honrado insisted, however, that the incidents fell under the jurisdiction of

the Philippine National Police, and it was the PNP that must file charges against those arrested at the airport. The Office of Transportation Security, on the other hand, has supervision over the passengers.

Before grilling Honrado on his functions at the airport, Marcos asked him when he first heard about the case of Gloria Ortinez, the Hong Kong-bound Filipino worker who was stopped when a bullet that she denied owning was found in her luggage.

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Testimony. Alleged bullet-planting victims Gloria Ortinez and Lane Michael White take their oath before the Senate hearing on Thursday on the alleged bullet-planting scam at the airport in Manila. Lino SanToS

Another school for lumad kids torched

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Putin, Widodo decide to skip Apec summit

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin and Indonesian President Joko Widodo have pulled out from the Asia Pacific Economic Conference Leaders’ Meeting in

Manila next week.

Reports from the Kremlin said Thursday that Putin will be represented instead

by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

“I can confirm that the prime minister will represent Russia at the Apec sum-

mit in Manila,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

“From the viewpoint of optimization of schedules of the top leadership of the country, the president has made a decision not to go that far together with the premier for one to two days,”

he said.

Peskov said the decision was to send Medvedev anyway because the prime minister had a series of meetings planned in the region.

Earlier, the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed Next page

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Armed men torch 2nd school for lumad kids

By John Paolo Bencito

ANOTHER school for indigenous people in Agusan del Sur province was torched by men believed to be under the command of the Army’s 23rd Infantry Battalion, reports from the rights group Karapatan said Thursday.

Students and teachers from the Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development said they saw the unidentified men set fire to the teachers’ cottage and a nursery of fruit and hardwood trees at the back of it.

Destroyed along with the school’s demo farm were books, school supplies, a sewing machine, rice stocks, a generator and audiovisual equipment.

Human rights groups in the community blamed the 23rd IB, which has responsibility for the area.

Tribal leaders who went to the site said residents reported the men asked them repeatedly why they shouldn’t burn the school, given that it “causes trouble in the community.”

“This is the height of impudence. The BS Aquino regime continues to ignore the public uproar over the lumad killings and the resounding call to pull out the military troops from the lumad communities in Mindanao and to dismantle the AFP-backed paramilitary groups. It has instead given the military carte blanche to go on a rampage against the people in remote villages,” said Karapatan

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Honrado said he could not remember the date, but said he heard about her after she underwent an inquest at the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office after two days of detention at the airport.

Honrado said that while he learned about most cases at the end of the day, he was not aware of Ortinez’s arrest by OTS personnel.

Criticized for his ignorance, Honrado said he had no command and control over the OTS or the 21 other agencies operating at the airport.

“If you have no control over agencies in the airport, what’s your job? You don’t have the command and control. You cannot coordinate without command and control. So you’re saying now, you have no command and control in the airport?” Marcos asked.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano contradicted Honrado’s assertion, saying the MIAA was mandated to provide general supervision and overall coordination of all government agencies operating at the airport.

“You have general supervision…. There should be one person in charge,” Cayetano said.

At the same hearing, Marcos took Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya to task for doing a “sloppy job” as DoTC secretary, and for defending Honrado, who was equally remiss in his job.

Marcos also said he was surprised Abaya could not answer queries that involved important figures that should be in his

secretary-general Cristina Palabay.

The school in Agusan del Sur is second branch of the agricultural learning center for indigenous people in Mindanao called the lumad, to come under attack.

In September, a teacher from the school in Lianga was killed and left in a classroom while two other lumad leaders were executed in front of terrified villagers.

Palabay said that extrajudicial killings continue, with new cases in Talaingod town, Davao del Norte and in Cabanglasan, Bukidnon being investigated.

Datu Manliro Landahay, a council member of the organization that runs lumad schools in Davao, was killed Nov. 7 by armed men identified as Donato Salangani and Maninggo Salangani, members of the Alamara paramilitary group of Alambi Salangani, under the command of the 68th IB. On Oct. 27, in Bukidnon, Mankombete Mariano, 48, was shot and then hacked to death by Manlumakad Bocalas, a member of Dela Mance group attached to the 8th IB. Mariano’s 10-year-old grandchild survived the shooting, but saw how his grandfather was hacked in the head, in the left shoulder and left thigh, Karapatan said.

On Thursday, the military questioned the legitimacy and results of an independent investigation of the lumad killings in Mindanao supported by church-led groups, likening the probe to a New People’s Army “kangaroo court.”

The military also insisted that it was the communist NPA rebels who were behind the killing spree against lumad in Mindanao.

“The 4th Infantry Division again challenges the mandate of this alleged International Fact Finding Mission as well as the validity and legality of its supposed find-

head, like the number of OTS personnel.

Senator Grace Poe, who had earlier called for Abaya’s resignation over a host of problems at his department, said the airport leadership must use common sense and show compassion in cases where travelers were victimized by the bullet planting syndicate.

She also wanted to know how the airport would help those who lost their jobs because their flights were delayed as a result of the scam.

Abaya told the senators that the government would help Ortinez get her job back if she is found innocent.

Ortinez was about to take a connecting flight from Laoag Airport to Hong Kong on Oct. 25 when she was apprehended.

The Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the case against Ortinez on Wednesday for lack of probable cause.

At the same Senate hearing, Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Acosta said anybody who will be found in possession of a bullet has no criminal liability if it cannot be proven that there was an intent to possess or use it to hurt others.

During the four-hour hearing, five victims of the bullet planting scam detailed their ordeals at the airport.

American missionary Lane Michael White said they came to the Philippines on Sept. 17 to put up a church on Coron Island, Palawan. He was with his father Ryan and stepmother Eloisa. They all stayed in a hotel and went to Naia Terminal 4 the next day, where a bullet was found in his bag.

He denied knowing about the bullet that security person-

ings. In this case, we find the accusers acting as investigators and eventually presiding as judge, similar to an NPA kangaroo court,” Lt. Col. Rey Pasco of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division said in a statement sent to The Standard.

“We are firm that the NPA and their allied legal organizations are the primary cause of conflict among the lumad and led to their killing. The NPA want complete domination over the IP communities, and their ancestral domain being a source of their manpower and resources for their armed violence. Let us free all lumad from being victims,” he added.

At the House of Representatives, a Manobo leader presented by the military and who identified himself as Jumar Bucales told a congressional inquiry that Emerito Samarca, the executive director of the Alcadev, was killed for “poisoning the minds” of the indigenous people.

“He poisoned the people. That is the reason, because the graduates of Alcadev go to the movement,” Bucales told North Cotabato Rep. Nancy Catamco, herself a Manobo, who chairs the House Committee on IP Communities.

Catamco had earlier accused lumad who fled their homes in terror of being “manipulated” by communist rebels and their front organizations.

She also echoed the military’s accusation that the schools set up by the tribes and non-government organizations teach their students to support the rebels.

Leftist lawmakers snubbed the hearing.

“How can the lumad [evacuees] expect an impartial hearing in an atmosphere where Representative Catamco is the principal accuser, witness and the judge rolled into one,” Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate said.

nel said was discovered by the X-ray machine.

Eloisa told the senators that a certain SPO2 Clarin told her to ask Lane to admit ownership of the bullet, and pay P30,000 to make the case go away. She was also told that if the case reached the police, the amount would be P80,000.

Two members of the Aviation Security Group—Careen De Padua and Rommel Ballesteros—were relieved from their post after the bullet in the investigation report did not match with the one presented to the prosecutors office.

Her lawyer said she did not own the bullet and was a victim of the tanim-bala scam.

Earlier, the same office ordered the release of 12 others arrested at the Naia with bullets in their luggage, citing the lack of probable cause.

In Manila, another possible victim, Luisito Solitario, was ordered released from detention after Prosecutor Edward Togonon found insufficient evidence against him.

Solitario was placed under detention after he was caught carrying a bag with a bullet while he was about to board a boat at the Manila seaport.

“There is a need to subject the recovered bullet to ballistic examination and/or fingerprint lifting to determine its real source and/or owner. Without that, evidence would be insufficient to indict the respondent,” the order said.

On Wednesday, Lane asked the Pasay City regional trial court to dismiss the illegal possession of ammunition case against him.

White’s legal counsel Ernesto Arellano said his client was a

victim of the bullet planting scheme.

Arellano said security personnel Maria Elma Cena and Marvin Garcia scanned the baggage of White on the X-ray machine several times until they found a .22 caliber ammunition from its pocket.

“Garcia brought the baggage to the X-ray machine and found a bullet after he used his bare hands [to inspect it],” he said.

Arellano said it was impossible for his client to pass through Florida’s military public airport, Jacksonville Airport, if he had a bullet inside his baggage.

A party-list lawmaker, Angkla Rep. Jesulito Manalo on Thursday called for the designation of special prosecutors at the airport to deal with the bullet planting scam.

The Palace rebuked Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte when he criticized the government’s way of handling the tanim-bala scam at the Naia.

Duterte had called on President Benigno Aquino III to take swift action against the problem.

“All that is being done by the government at the moment is to make the law against this to be as effective as possible,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. “We note that there was a law passed by Congress in 2013, which implements a stricter law or policies against arms and ammunition; and this is the basis for implementing security procedures in airports and seaports in the country,” he added. With Joel E. Zurbano, Rey E. Requejo, Maricel V. Cruz and Sandy Araneta

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that Widodo backed out of the summit at the last minute because of “domestic concerns.”

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Laura del Rosario did not say what these concerns were.

The Jakarta Post reported that Vice President Jusuf Kalla will attend the summit in Widodo’s place.

Without Putin and Widodo, 18 heads of state from the Apec member economies are exected to arrive in Manila for next week’s summit.

President Benigno Aquino III ordered last-minute changes to the security arrangements Thursday.

He also ordered the organizing council of the Apec Economic Leaders’ Meeting to fine-tune the security arrangements for the leaders arriving next week.

Marciano Paynor Jr., director general of the Apec 2015 National Organizing Council, said they will immediately implement the President’s instructions after he personally inspected the different venues to be used for the summit conference.

Paynor said Aquino was very concerned about the security plan for the Apec leaders and their delegations.

“He saw a lot that needed to be changed. We are implementing it. The President is very concerned “We appeal to the public who will be inconvenienced, we should bear in mind that we are the host of this important event, they are our guests, so we must give them what is due to them,” Paynor said.

On Tuesday, Aquino conducted an inspection of the various venues to be used for the Apec summit on Nov. 18 to 19, including the Philippine International Convention Center where the AELM will be held.

Aquino also inspected the Mall of Asia Arena, where the Philippines will host a welcome dinner for state leaders and their delegation—as well as Terminals 1, 2, and 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City, where the state leaders will arrive and depart.

Almost 1,000 policemen are set to be deployed at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City for next week’s meetings, a PNP official said on Thursday.

Sr. Supt. Joel Doria, Pasay Chief of Police said 478 PNP personnel under Task Force MoA will provide security for the welcome dinner of some 1,000 delegates including the heads of states on Nov. 18 at the MoA Arena.

He said the 478 police personnel will be deployed near MOA starting Friday.

On Nov. 18, an additional 466 PNP personnel from the different district offices of the NCRPO will be deployed in all entry points of MoA .

He noted that the city government of Pasay has not issued any permit for rallies, and a “no permit, no rally” rule will be strictly implemented.

PNP-Highway Patrol Group Spokesperson Supt.

Grace Tamayo said that 842 highway patrol police will be deployed to secure the convoy of the leaders and delegates of the 21 member-economies participating in the Apec Leaders’ Meeting.

Tamayo said that 300 men will augment the Presidential Security Group in guarding the heads of state, while 282 HPG personnel will join forces with the Police Security Protection Group for the security of ministers and other foreign delegates and around 227 will be deployed in Edsa, where there will be special lanes for the Apec delegates.

She noted that the primary duty of the HPG during the Apec week is the route and convoy security along Edsa and in Roxas Boulevard.

Each leader will have an escort of four motorcycles and two mobile patrol cars from HPG, apart from the security vehicles from other agencies.

Manila Bay will be patrolled by the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, a Hamilton-class cutter that will implement a no-sail policy.

Paynor said as part of the tight security measures, windows in buildings along Roxas Boulevard must be closed, describing this as “basic security practice worldwide.”

He added that road closures in parts of Metro Manila will speed up the shuttling of Apec leaders and delegates to the summit and related meetings.

“There is no doubt that many of us will be inconvenienced but it is part of the hosting,” Paynor said.

Local governments have also designated certain areas for protest actions, he added.

Presidents Barack Obama of the United States, Xi Jinping of China and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are among the heads of state coming to the Philippines for the Apec Summit.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines earlier issued notices to airmen setting restrictions on aircraft operating at the Naia effective Nov. 17 at 6 a.m. and lasting until Nov. 20, 7 p.m.

These include a bar on general aviation within 40 nautical miles of Naia covering the PICC. There will also be a nofly zone within two nautical miles from the PICC from Nov. 17 to Nov. 20.

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Palace backs Roxas’ No Cha-cha AN official said Thursday Malacañang is not worried that foreign investors’ enthusiasm will be dampened after Liberal Party standard-bearer Manuel Roxas II told a forum he was not likely to give priority to constitutional reform should he be elected President.

Apec lane. Road barriers for the Apec lane are lined up on Edsa and Shaw on Thursday in preparation for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Manila. JAnsen RomeRo

Binay slams efforts to defame his family THE camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay on Thursday denounced his opponents’ efforts to tarnish the reputation of the Binay family by using the Anti-Money Laundering Council in filing a civil forfeiture case against his family.

“Despite a legal prohibition, the Anti-Money Laundering Council intends to file a civil forfeiture case against Vice President Binay and his family,” Binay spokesman Rico Quicho said.

“We have been informed that a last-ditch effort will be made to again harass and tarnish the good name of the vice president and his

family using yet again another government agency, the AMLC,” Quicho said.

“This involves the filing of a civil forfeiture despite a clear legal prohibition against such acts during the election period. This provision was included in the Anti-Money Laundering Act precisely to prevent abusing the powers of AMLC for political harassment.”

Binay on Thursday also said the lack of access to clean and potable water by millions of Filipino households is a sign of worsening poverty in the country.

He said that as of 2010, 16 percent of Filipino households lacked access to clean

and potable water, noting the government data that 1,353 villages from 455 municipalities still had no access to clean water.

“Lack of clean and potable water is a sign of worsening poverty,” Binay said in his speech during the regional convention of the Southern Tagalog Association of Water Districts.

Section 16 of the AMLA says “No case for money laundering may be filed against and no assets shall be frozen, attached or forfeited to the prejudice of a candidate for an electoral office during an election period.”

“The AMLC already has a

reputation for being a highly partisan government agency directed to attack and discredit opponents even if it contravenes its own rules and existing laws protecting the rights of individuals,” Quicho said.

“Once again, the rule of law and Constitutional rights will be discarded and ignored just to prevent the vice president from pursuing his dream to address poverty, hunger and unemployment, and introduce efficiency, competence and compassion in government.

“And once again, the vice president will be more than ready to face his accusers in a court of law.” Vito Barcelo

“Foreign investors look at the big picture: PH’s good governance and sound management of macro economic fundamentals in stable and predictable investment environment,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a text message to reporters.

“All of these may be sustained through the continuity of Daang Matuwid,” he said.

Roxas said Monday he would not give priority to amending the Constitution, which is said to be overprotective of the Philippine economy, should he become President.

“I don’t think that our Constitution is our weakest link. It’s not our stumbling block to economic growth,” he said.

The LP’s vice presidential candidate, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, on Thursday said she remained optimistic and willing to fight against all odds despite running low on campaign funds.

“My belief is that if we show that we are doing a great job, help will ultimately come. I remain optimistic despite the many upheavals ahead,” Robredo told reporters in Pangasinan.

The widow of the late In-

terior Secretary and Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo admitted she is running low in campaign funds, but President Benigno Aquino III had assured her that the ruling party would take care of her.

Roxas noted that the Philippines’ economic growth averaged six percent in the past few years without having to amend the Constitution.

This was not the same for the previous administration but it had not been the Constitution that was holding the country back, he said. It was the graft and corruption.

Roxas said that when he was Trade secretary he never met a businessman or businesswoman who said he or she would not invest in the Philippines because of its Constitution.

What they complained to him about were red tape, graft and corruption, the Bureau of Customs, the Bureau of Immigration, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and local government officials who harassed them.

Roxas said such problems would continue to exist whether or not the Constitution was amended. sandy Araneta and John Paolo Bencito

Poe: Comelec has no say in case SENATOR Grace Poe said Thursday the Commission on Elections has no jurisdiction over a petition questioning her qualification to run for President in next year’s elections.

Instead, she said, it is the Department of Justice that has jurisdiction on the case—and in particular the issue on her citizenship.

“The DoJ and not this Honorable Commission has primary jurisdiction to revoke the Bureau of Immigration’s July 18, 2006 Order [that] found Respondent presumptively a former natural-born Filipino and approved her petition for reacquisition of [her] natural-born Filipino citizenship,” Poe said.

She was referring to Immigration’s order saying she was a former citizen of the Philippines, having been born to Filipino parents, and is presumed to be a natural-born Philippine

citizen.

Poe on Thursday also said the DNA tests that were supposed to resolve the issue on her citizenship were part of her opponents’ diversionary tactics to frustrate her candidacy.

“What I’m fighting for her is to have the opportunity to serve,” she said.

She said she was running for President to fulfill the dream of her father, the late actor Fernando Poe Jr. who lost the 2004 presidential election. Her camp claims her father was cheated by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who won that election.

Poe also said the massive graft and corruption under the Aquino administration was among the main causes of unemployment in the country.

She quoted a recent survey

by Social Weather Stations that said the unemployment rate in the third quarter was 23.7 percent, which repre-

sented more than 10 million Filipinos.

“There is incongruity between economic growth and unemployment,” Poe said.

Poe said Immigration’s order on her citizenship could only be revoked by the Justice Department upon a substantive finding of fraud, misrepresentation or concealment on the part of the applicant.

“Evidently, the DoJ has the primary jurisdiction or the power to ‘make the initial decision’ to rule whether [my] reacquisition of Filipino citizenship as evidenced by the July 18, 2006 Order was valid,” she said.Her camp said any petition against her should be lodged before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal and filed only if she is proclaimed President of the Philippines. sara susanne D. Fabunan and macon Ramos-Araneta

Apec critic. Activist protests against the Apec meeting in front of the US Embassy in Manila on Thursday. DAnny PAtA

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Palace to study Binay Jr. decision

By Sandy Araneta MalacaÑang said it will conduct a “thorough study” of the decision of the Supreme court upholding an earlier ruling of the court of appeals stopping the first suspension order issued against dismissed Makati city Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. “We need to study first the decision because there are several important issues here. We should not solely rely on what was reported in the news,” communications Secretary Herminio coloma Jr. said.

“Just like in all the decisions made by the Supreme court, this must undergo a thorough study. The Supreme court made a decision on this, so we must first understand what was the basis for their decision and what are the legal implications on similar issues,” coloma added.

The high court upheld the ca’s use of the condonation doctrine, a common defense invoked by elected officials in evading liabilities for acts committed in their previous terms in office, but only for the specific incident.

It struck down the condonation doctrine, which the magistrates said was “vague,” for use in future cases. “as can be seen from this discourse, it was a doctrine adopted from one class of US rulings way back in 1959 and thus, out of touch from and now rendered obsolete by the current legal regime. It is high time for this court to abandon the condonation doctrine,” the court said.

Bad deal? Members of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan show copies of a petition they filed Thursday before the Supreme Court to stop the implementation of the LRT 1 Concession Agreement. The petition asked the Court to declare the P65-billion deal as disadvantageous to the public and a violation of the Constitution. DANNY PATA

High court condemns Bulacan judge’s slay

By Rey E. Requejo, Sandy Araneta and Florante Solmerin The Supreme Court condemned the murder of Malolos Regional Trial Court Judge Wilfredo Nieves as local officials and fraternity brothers raised a P2million bounty for any information that would lead to the arrest of the killers.

“The court condemns in the strongest terms the killing of Judge nieves and calls on the authorities concerned to take all necessary steps with all deliberate speed to do justice for Judge nieves by fully investigating his killing,” the Supreme court said in a statement.

The Sc justices, led by chief Justice Ma. lourdes Sereno, expressed their “outrage and sadness” over the killing.

Malacañang, for its part, said the government will do everything possible to arrest the suspects.

“The killers of Judge nieves are

being tracked as the police and the government are determined to bring them to the bar of justice,” communications Secretary Herminio coloma Jr. said.

“We recall that Judge nieves was responsible for the speedy trial of a high-profile carnapping case, which resulted in the conviction of known carnapping suspects. We condemn this act of violence,” coloma said. court administrator Midas Marquez said based on court records, nieves handled sensitive criminal cases, including the case against car theft syndicate head Raymond Dominguez, whom he convicted in 2012.

Investigators said they are looking at these cases to determine the

motive of the killing, adding that nieves did not receive any death threat prior to his murder. coloma said the government will work closely with the judiciary if they have suggestions as to how to ensure the safety of court officials.

“The government, through its security agencies, are willing to work with the judiciary in determining what are the appropriate measures for ensuring the security of our court officials,” coloma said. nieves was shot several times Wednesday afternoon by men on board a white Toyota Innova while he was driving his dark gray Toyota Fortuner along Macarthur Highway in Barangay Tikay.

Suit vs LRT deal filed

By Rey E. Requejo

Crash drill. Rescuers in hazmat suits take pretend victims out of a dummy crashed airplane during Crash Rescue Exercise 2015 at the Aviation Support Industrial Area inside the MIAA Complex in Pasay City on Thursday. The exercise aims to test airport disaster preparedness and to identify and correct the problems in command, communication alerting and coordination during such emergencies.

DANNY PATA

THE Supreme court has been asked to stop the implementation of the P65billion concession agreement for the cavite Extension Project between the Department of Transportation and communications and light Rail Manila corp. for being grossly disadvantageous to the government.

The Bagong alyansang Makabayan represented by its secretary general Renato M. Reyes Jr., Bayan Muna Rep. neri colmenares, commuter group Train Riders network, courage president Ferdinand gaite, Riles convenor Sammy Malunes, light Rail Transit authority employee Ma. Kristina cassion and scientists’ group agham secretary general Feny cosico sought the issuance of a temporary restraining order, and subsequently to declare the concession agreement invalid for its failure to comply with provisions of the constitution and other existing laws.

“We are filing this petition on behalf

of other thousands of daily lRT commuters as well as the Filipino taxpayers who will shoulder the ill-effects of the contract for the next three decades.

The contract is loaded with sovereign guarantees that are contrary to law and detrimental to the people. The aquino government, through the DoTc, negotiated a lopsided contract that will place us deep in debt,” Reyes said in a statement.

The concession agreement covers the privatization of the operation and maintenance of the current lRT line 1 as well as the construction and extension of the existing lRT line 1 from 20.7 kilometers to 32.4 kilometers by providing trains originating from the end of Baclaran, traversing the municipalities of Parañaque and las Piñas, and ending in Bacoor, cavite.

The petitioners lamented that respondents DoTc, lRTc and lRMc, violate the right of the people to information on matters of public concern under Section 28, article II of the 1987 constitution.

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Rare meet for PH, China leaders

By Vito Barcelo President Benigno Aquino iii and Chinese President Xi Jinping, whose countries are embroiled in a territorial dispute in the West Philippine sea/ south China sea, will be seated together during the gathering of world leaders in Manila, according to the organizers of the Asia-Pacific economic Cooperation in Manila.

Apec national organizing council head Ambassador marciano Paynor Jr. said it is a customary seating arrangement that the two leaders will have a chance to meet briefly and have an opportunity to exchange pleasantries.

Paynor said that the Aquino-Xi meeting is possible due to the so-called troika, “a normal practice among Apec economies” hosting the summit.

“This practice allows this seating arrangement. The leader of the host economy sits in the middle, and on his either side would be the leaders of the previous and future hosts. china hosted the Apec Summit in november 2014, so that would mean Xi would sit beside Aquino in this troika.

Paynor, however, said that there is no scheduled bilateral meeting between Aquino and Xi, but he did not discount the possibility of an unprepared encounter similar to what happened at the sidelines of the Apec summit in Beijing in november 2014. in that rare meeting, china and the Philippines have called for a normalization of ties, more importantly trade relations, amid territorial disputes.

Both leaders tried to avoid discussing the sea row, but relations remain estranged, with china repeatedly asking the Philippines to drop its arbitration case that seeks to invalidate Beijing’s massive sea claims.

DFA spokesperson charles Jose said that the Philippines will not withdraw the arbitration case it filed against china over territorial dispute in the South china Sea, despite chinese Foreign minister Wang Yi’s pronouncement that the Philippine’s legal action has hurt ties with china.

Jose said that the Philippines is determined to reach a final ruling on its case against china, filed before the Permanent court of Arbitration in The netherlands.

“Arbitration, which is a universally recognized dispute settlement mechanism in international law, including the United nations convention on the law of the Sea, is a peaceful and enduring solution to the overlapping maritime claims in the South china Sea. We are determined to pursue the arbitration case to its logical conclusion,” Jose said. meanwhile, a group that call themselves movement and Alliance against china’s Aggression on monday prodded President Benigno Aquino to reconsider his decision, on china’s urging, not to put on table china’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea during the Apec Summit 2015.

Paying back. Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez distributes relief goods to more than 3,000 families affected by recent Typhoon ‘Lando’ at Brgy. San Pedro in San Simon, Pampanga. Romualdez, senatorial candidate, says his donation is a gesture of compassion and paying back the people of Pampanga who also helped Yolanda victims in Leyte. Ver NoVeNo

CCT for job creation pushed

By Maricel V. Cruz HOUSe independent Bloc leader and leyte rep. Ferdinand martin romualdez on Thursday urged the Aquino administration to utilize for job creation the huge chunk of the proposed P62.35-billion conditional cash Transfer or the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program under next year’s P3.002-trillion national budget instead of using the funds to hide homeless families in metro manila from the eyes of world leaders during the Asia-Pacific economic cooperation next week. romualdez, a lawyer and president of the Philippine constitution Association, said the government should cease from implementing band-aid solutions to various problems in the country especially in addressing poverty.

“This is the problem when there is a knee-jerk reaction to a par-

ticular situation. Poverty can be best addressed if the government will provide skills training and livelihood program,” said romualdez in response to the provision in modified conditional cash Transfer for Homeless Street Families providing for P4,000 as rental aid to homeless families in metro manila, which according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development has been practiced since three years ago. romualdez said the government should use the ccT funds in a manner that the beneficiaries will learn to stand on their own and enhance the resources given them to improve their lives. “let us teach our people how to catch fish and not to continuously depend on government’s resources through the ccT. it is the primary duty of the state to ensure that quality and decent jobs are given to Filipi-

nos. The need for livelihood and jobs are the real concerns now and this is a long-term solution to address the widespread poverty,” romualdez pointed out. romualdez expressed dismay at the government which has been criticized for hiding homeless people during international events, such as the ApecSummit next week.

Social Welfare Secretary corazon Soliman had earlier explained that the mccT-HSF is an expansion of the 4Ps, which provides a complete package of assistance to street families, including responsive shelter program, access to social services, and economic opportunities for the improvement of their living conditions.

Soliman said a total of 4,071 families have been registered in the program and part of the mccT-HSF is the “reach out” to street dwellers to assess them for possible inclusion in the program.

INC case dismissal likely—expert

Speak up. The Movement and Alliance to Resist China Aggression led by former Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez (center) holds a placard calling on Apec leaders to ‘Speak Up’ on the West Philippine Sea issue and discuss it during the Apec summit of leaders.

Golez was guest at the media forum at Serye Restaurant in Quezon City Memorial Circle.

MANNY PALMero

A criminAl defense expert on Thursday foresees the dismissal of the criminal complaint for “harassment, illegal detention, threats and coercion” filed by exiglesia ni cristo minister isaias Samson against officials of the inc, which is currently awaiting resolution by the Department of Justice.

“As i suspected, the case against the inc leadership is weak and will most likely lead to the dismissal of the case against the inc leadership,” said veteran and respected lawyer Sigfrid Fortun, who in an earlier statement pointed out that the complaint filed by Samson suffered from glaring legal infirmities.

According to Fortun, the complaint, which was published online by several news services, “contains flowery prose that make for a good read.”

“However, there may have been a failure to pinpoint the ultimate facts that establish probable cause for the criminal offenses mr. Samson was complaining about. That’s what’s vital for their case to prosper,” Fortun explained.

The seasoned litigator noted that there were numerous allegations regarding the taking of cellphones and computers from Samson and his family members, “but the curious thing is no charges for theft or robbery were made—most likely because none of these articles belonged to the Samsons.”

There were likewise allegations of inc officials misappropriating money but there wasn’t any criminal complaint for estafa, Fortun added.

“Among other things, there was a complaint for ‘harassment,’ which is not even defined as a crime in the revised Penal code,” stressed the UP-trained lawyer.

Fortun also said the term “house arrest” was liberally used in the complaint, “yet any decent competent lawyer will tell you that no order of arrest can be issued by private individuals. Only the state can have a party arrested.” “if i noticed these issues, then no doubt the lawyers prosecutors in the DoJ have likewise spotted them as well—and they will have no choice but to dismiss the case.”

f r i d ay : n o v e m b e r 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

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news

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Militants lose amparo bid

By Rey E. Requejo

The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition for the issuance of writs of amparo and habeas data filed by the group led by Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate against President Benigno Aquino III. During its en banc session on Tuesday, the SC resolved to dismiss the petition for lack of merit.

“The Court found no basis to issue the two writs prayed for,” SC spokesman Theodore Te said in a media briefing.

The case arose from the petition filed by Zarate, Gabriela Women’s party-list

Rep. Emmerenciana “Emmie” De Jesus, former Anakpawis party-list Rep. Rafael Mariano, former Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teddy Casiño, Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay, Sr. Mary Francis Anover, Rev. Irma Balaba of the National Council of Churches, Children’s Rehabilitation Center executive

director Dr. Jacquiline Ruiz and the heirs of the late Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran where they complained that the military and police tagged them as members of “communist front organizations.”

According to them, they were included by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in a “rogues” gallery of photographs presented to the complainants of kidnapping and trafficking in persons filed by certain members of the lumad community following the displacement of some 1, 300 members of the Manobo tribe from Talaingod, Davao

del Norte in April last year.

They said the displacement of the members of the Manobo community was due to the military operations in the area where they were living adding that the AFP blamed militant groups and the New Peoples Army for the displacement.

The petitioners also claimed that their inclusion in the supposed “rogues gallery” indicates that they have been the subject of state surveillance in violation of their rights, as protected by the writ of amparo.

Named respondent in the petition is the President in his capacity as CommanderIn-Chief, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, AFP Chief

of Staff General Hernando Irriberri, PNP chief, Director General Ricardo Marquez, Army Chief Major General Eduardo Ano, Eastern Mindanao Command Chief, lt. General Aurelio Baladad and CIDG Chief, Chief Supt. Victor Deona.

The SC, however, junked the petitioners’ arguments and ruled to dismiss their petition.

“In the present petition, petitioners fail to show how their right to privacy is violated given that the information contained in the rogues’ gallery is only their photographs, their names, and their position in their respective orga-

nizations,” the SC stressed.

“All these data are of public knowledge, and are readily accessible to anyone as petitioners are known personalities,” the SC said.

A writ of amparo is a remedy available to any person whose right to life, liberty, and security has been violated or is threatened with violation by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee, or of a private individual or entity while a writ of habeas data protects a person’s right to control information especially when the information against the person was illegally obtained.

‘Apec-hosting fund better spent for Yolanda rehab’

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan THE P10-BIllIoN budget for the Philippine hosting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation should have gone to the rehabiliation of yolanda-ravaged areas and to the climate mitigation efforts of the country, said Red Constantino of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities.

In an informal talks after a meeting in the Climate Vulnerable Forum Sherpa Senior officials, Constantino told reporters that the Philippines could have opted out of its Apec-hosting job right after the worst storm in history battered the Visayas, particularly leyte and Samar. “or we could have scaled (the preparations) down,” he added.

Constantino participated in the Climate Vulnerable Forum Sherpa Senior officials Meeting, a conference of 20 countries most vulnerable to climate change held in Manila earlier this week.

These countries are pushing for their collective commitment on climate change before the Paris talks in December.

The November 2013 super typhoon affected 16 million people, displaced 4.1 million, and killed 6,300, with more than a thousand still missing although remains have continued to be found two years after. It also destroyed 1.1 million houses.

In response, the government allocated P167 billion over the three-year rehabilitation program from 2014 to 2016. As of June 30 this year, the government has released P89 billion in shelter and other rehabilitation programs for yolanda-hit areas.

In contrast, the government allocated P10 billion for the year-long hosting of the Apec meetings.

At least 47 meetings shall have been held before the big event on Nov. 17-19 when the Philippines takes the limelight in hosting the huge trading bloc, composed of 21 economies in the Pacific Rim. Twenty-one leaders, including from powerful nations like the United States, Russia, Japan, and China, will come to the Philippines to tackle economic issues in the Asia-Pacific region.

At the same time, Constantino asked if the Philippines has already allocated money for the Paris talks and for the actual mitigation and adaptation efforts against climate disruption.

River revival. San Miguel Brewery Inc. launches the largest vetiver grass water project on Tullahan River, in Valenzuela City

to help control flood and prevent soil erosion. The project is one of the highlights of the 125th anniversary celebration of San Miguel Corp. ANDREW RABULAN

Car importer charged with P445-m tax evasion THE Bureau of Internal Revenue on Thursday filed before the Department of Justice a P445.7million tax evasion case against an importer based in Bulacan.

BIR Commissioner Kim Henares said in a press conference that the agency charged Alexander Evangelista legarda with “willful attempt to evade or defeat tax” and “deliberate failure to file his Income Tax Return (ITR) for taxable years 2013 and 2014,” all in

violation of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997. legarda is the sole proprietor of Zone lane Trading located in San Ildefonso, Bulacan and engaged in the business of importing motor vehicles, motor parts and other miscellaneous items.

Henares said that the case against legarda was prompted by a series of Tax Watch ads published in broadsheets by the

Department of Finance and the Bureau of Customs to highlight questionable practices of some importers.

Customs certified that the total importations made by Zone lane reached P323.35 million in 2013 and P485.80 million in 2014.

Probers found that the respondent had regularly made importations amounting to hundreds of millions of pesos without declaring any income or source of in-

come from 2013 to 2014.

The BIR established that the underdeclared income of legarda was P323.35 million in 2013 and P485.80 million in 2014.

Henares said that as a result of his acts and omissions, legarda was assessed an estimated total income tax liability in the sum of P445.70 million, inclusive of surcharges and interests, such as P190.51 million in 2013 and P255.19 million in 2014. PNA

Maynilad taps wastewater manager

Global coalition. City mayors join hands during the global compact of mayors in a show of commitment to the global coalition of city leaders to address climate change. JANSEN ROMERO

MAyNIlAD Water Services Inc. has enlisted Black & Veatch to shape the future of wastewater management for more than 9 million people across Metro Manila in the Philippines.

“We are assisting Maynilad in crafting wastewater design standards and guidelines for them to effectively implement their wastewater roadmap.

Having the right standards in place ensures consistency and efficiency to enable Maynilad to progressively expand Metro Manila’s wastewater service coverage as cost effectively as possible,” said Tse yau Shing, project director at Black & Veatch.

Black & Veatch will tailor for

Maynilad a set of guidelines and performance standards for its sewage collection network and treatment systems. The company will draw upon decades of experience in designing and building world-class water and wastewater treatment facilities in Singapore, Hong Kong and other densely populated urban centers throughout the world.

“Black & Veatch will help us benchmark against best practices from Asia and globally. The work will help us focus first on our nearterm expansion objectives, without losing sight over the longer term of being able to upgrade the assets to more advanced systems,” said

yolanda lucas, head of Program Management Division of Maynilad.

The scope of work for the project includes developing specifications for construction, testing and commissioning as well as design guidelines and standards. Water experts from PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency, will share Singapore’s experience and provide technical advice to Black & Veatch for the project. The project is expected to end by mid-2016.

Maynilad is the water and wastewater services provider for 17 cities and municipalities in the West Zone of Metro Manila. Its concession has recently been extended to 2025.

F R I D AY : N O V E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

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NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Integrated Bar slams slaying of RTC judge

By Orlan Mauricio

To the rescue. A farmer from Tuba, Benguet lets his farm land rejuvenate by allowing wild plants to replenish depleted nutrients in the soil. DAVID CHAN

Police arrest couple about to sell kidnapped infant

By Florante S. Solmerin

POLICE rescued Wednesday evening the threemonth-old baby of a cigarette vendor from Cebu and subsequently arrested the couple who kidnapped and intended to sell the infant inside Cuyos Compound, Barangay Tayud, Liloan, Cebu.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director Chief Superintendent Victor Deona said the rescue operation was led by CIDG-Region 7 director Senior Supt. Marlon Tabaya.

In his report, Tabaya identified

the arrested couple as Mary Jane Carizon and her live-in partner Michael Petiluna.

“During the conduct of interview, Carizon admitted the crime and has the plan to eventually sell and dispose the

baby to possible clients for the purpose of raising money for the treatment of her daughter. On the contrary, Senior Supt. Tabaya said that based on witnesses’ account, suspect’s daughter was already dead,” CIDG public information officer Chief Inspector Elizabeth Jasmin said.

On Nov. 2, Maricel Enriquez, mother of the kidnapped baby, sought the help of the police to locate her baby and arrest Carizon.

“Her intense desire to find her daughter was successful,” Jasmin said.

Carizon took the baby in the vicinity of South Bus Terminal, N. Bacalso Avenue in Cebu City.

According to Tabaya’s official report, Carizon asked Enriquez if she could hold the baby while Enriquez was busy tending to her customers. Enriquez agreed —until she discovered that her child and the suspect were already gone.

She said the suspects are now in custody of CIDG-Region 7 facing charges for violation of RPC Article 267 (Kidnapping) as amended by RA 1084.

MALOLOS CITY—The Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Central Luzon has issued a statement condemning the killing and called on authorities to leave no stone unturned to get the killers of Bulacan Regional Trial Court Judge Wilfredo Nieves.

IBP-Central Luzon Gov. Jose “Peng” dela Rama Jr. said: “We strongly condemn this act of cowardice and treachery. He was a good man and loyal to his profession. Lawyers and judges must be protected under our laws.

Members of the bar and bench must always be vigilant at all times.”

Meanwhile, Bulacan police are now investigating the whereabouts of a silver Toyota Innova and a gray Hyundai Tucson used by the hired assassins of Nieves.

Sr. Supt. Ferdinand O. Divina, Bulacan police provincial director, said they are offering a cash reward of P2 million to anyone who could provide information leading to the arrests of the suspects.

Nieves, presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court (Branch 84), was on his way home Wednesday afternoon when the assassins shot at the Toyota Fortuner he was driving.

The incident took place at a stoplight along McArthur Highway in front of the Bulacan Industrial Park in Barangay Tikay here.

Divina also formed a special investigation task group to solve the murder of Nieves in the shortest possible time. The reward money was pitched in by friends and relatives of the victim, he said.

Nieves left his chamber at the Bulacan Hall of Justice at the capitol compound past 4 p.m.

Police said the hired killers might have tailed Nieves car when it left the premises of the Bulacan RTC and after it stopped at the junction.

The gunmen alighted from their vehicle aided by a motorcycleriding tandem, one of whom also joined the shooting.

Nieves died on the spot from bullet wounds in the forehead, neck and body.

3 E. Visayas bays positive for red tide

By Mel Caspe THREE bays in Eastern Visayas remain positive for paralytic shellfish poisoning, popularly known as red tide.

Latest laboratory reports of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources dated Nov. 12, 2015 revealed that all types of shellfish and acetes sp. or alamang gathered from Carigara Bay in Leyte and Cambatutay Bay in Tarangnan, Samar are not safe for human consumption.

The public is advised to refrain from eating, harvesting, marketing and buying shellfishes and acetes sp. from Carigara Bay and Cambatutay Bay until such time that the toxicity level has gone down below the

regulatory level.

The same is true with Irong-Irong Bay in Catbalogan, Samar which is also positive for toxic microorganisms.

But fish, squid, shrimps and crabs are safe for human consumption provided they are fresh, washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking.

BFAR regional director Juan D. Albaladejo, in a press release, identified areas free from red tide, namely Cancabato bay in Tacloban City, Leyte; San Pedro bay which is located along the shores of Palo and Tanauan, Leyte; Babatngon waters, Ormoc bay, Sogod bay in Southern Leyte; Villareal bay in Villareal, Samar; Maqueda bay in Jiabong Samar and Matarinao bay in Eastern Samar.

New law. Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Mujiv Hataman signs the law creating the Regional Darul Ifta, which will be responsible for the issuance of legal opinions pertaining to Muslim personal laws. OMAR MANGORSI

F R I D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

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OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

PURISIMA’S CONFIDENCE GAME

[ EDI TORI A L ]

RECORD CAR SALES AND TRAFFIC CAR sales in the Philippines are posting new records and one can just imagine their direct impact on Metro Manila traffic.

Vehicle sales jumped 29 percent in October this year to a record 28,667 units from 22,278 units in the same month last year. The October sales also topped the record sales of 27,045 units in September.

The October figure brought total sales in the first 10 months of 2015 to 234,951 units or 22 percent higher than 192,005 units in the same period last year. Car manufacturers and assemblers, thus, are on track to achieve their sales target of 310,000 units in 2015.

Vehicle sales in the Philippines are expected to sustain the current surge amid a growing economy. But the vehicle explosion will compound the traffic problem, especially in the metropolis and suburban areas.

The correlation between the exponential growth of vehicle sales in the Philippines and traffic should not be lost on the country’s economic planners and managers. Automotive sales are just starting to rev up. They will surge and surpass records month after month as the economy grows and the middle class expands.

Economic planners and line agencies, especially the Department of Transportation and Communications and the Department of Public Works and Highways, must see the urgency of building more roads in and around the metropolis to catch up with increasing vehicle sales.

For one, the bidding process should be sped up and the attendant rightof-way problems surrounding the construction of new railways, toll roads and skyways must be resolved more forcefully.

The government should also appoint a more competent transportation secretary to oversee the construction of railways and roads. No new road or railway infrastructure has been built under the Aquino administration despite the pressing need of commuters.

The gridlock in Metro Manila will continue and worsen until additional roads and alternative modes of transportation are built. Vehicle sales, in the meantime, will sustain their surge and clog the roads more.

THE HOMELESS ‘LIFESTYLE’ LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES CORAZON “Dinky” Soliman, whose department gets regularly raked over the coals when it attempts to perform its job of giving relief to victims of calamities or hiding the poor when foreign dignitaries come a-visiting, has done it again. Soliman didn’t even mess up her multicolored hair when she told a television interviewer that she cannot hide the homeless, espe-

cially those who refuse to leave the streets because that is their chosen “lifestyle.”

Soliman explained that her Department of Social Welfare and Development has been working to take the homeless off the streets because most of them don’t actually want to be without homes. The others who remain do so because it is “a lifestyle that they already have.”

And DSWD has been conducting seminars and reorientation programs for these people, coinciding strangely with the arrival of foreign heads of state, since 2013 as a sort of social engineering experiment. “The

social preparation for behavior change is [the] more challenging [part of our job],” she said.

Officials have reported that DSWD and other government authorities have already taken some 20,000 homeless people away from the streets to save them from the dangers of being exposed. Given enough visiting heads of state, I have no doubt that Soliman will be able to remove every homeless person from Metro Manila, to “reorient” them like she did those who were living in the streets during the Pope’s visit at a provincial resort.

What Soliman never did suf-

A9

Unless all that hair dye has already leaked into her brain, Soliman should never say that some people choose to be homeless.

ficiently explain was why the regular roundup of homeless people always coincides with the arrival of big-time visitors.

And why, if they’ve already been reoriented, they return to the streets that they have come to call their home when those visitors leave.

The simple answer, if you ignore Soliman’s social reengineering blather, is that not enough has been done for the poor, which is why they “choose” to live on the street.

This is upheld by survey after survey which has found that more than half of Filipinos consider themselves impoverished, even under a government that declared that it would eliminate both poverty and corruption under its term.

And Soliman, unless all that hair dye on her head has already leaked into her brain, should never say that there are just some people who choose to be homeless. Some people just don’t have any place else to live—except when some big kahuna arrives, and Dinky and her minions take them away for temporary “reorientation” sessions somewhere far, far away. *** If all goes well during the hosting of the Apec summit next week, it will most likely be because of the efforts of

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-

a man whom President Noynoy Aquino can’t even stand to be in the same room with. And Ambassador Mariano “Jun” Paynor, who holds the post of director general of the national organizing council for Apec 2015, probably won’t mind not being in the spotlight after the event is successfully held—unlike all other government officials from Aquino on down.

It’s true that Paynor, a former military officer and a career diplomat who was once our ambassador to Israel, is someone who is not in the good graces

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of the current occupant of Malacañang Palace, for reasons that have nothing whatsoever to do with his experience and competence. But because Paynor was also the show-runner of Apec 1996 in Subic (the only other time the Philippines hosted the summit) and the main organizer of the visit of Pope Francis to Manila last January, there was really no one else that the government could trust to do the work of acting as the main man of next week’s meeting of 21 world leaders.

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 a two-hour lunch interview with Department of Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima last Wednesday. He told me a good story. So in the interest of fair play, I write about it.

One of the stark lessons Purisima learned from the Enron debacle and the destruction of the giant accountancy company Arthur Andersen in 2001 is the primordial value of confidence.

Enron was the biggest audit failure in history and until last year the biggest corporate bankruptcy in the US. Andersen was represented in the Philippines by SyCip Gorres Velayo and Co. which Purisima headed at that time as chairman and managing partner, from 1999 to 2004.

Ironically, the demise of Enron and Andersen could have been avoided had the former done what its outside crisis managers (which handled the epic Tylenol disaster) had recommended— admit the wrongdoing and shut down its Texas operations. The Texas unit, which accounted for half of Enron profits, resisted the plan, thinking the inevitable could still be stopped. The result was a massive loss of confidence in and credibility by both Enron and Andersen.

Confidence and credibility. Those two mantras were clear in Purisima’s mind in 2009 and into early 2010 when it became clear Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III was going to be elected President. “I am not a finance person,” Noynoy told his friend and adviser, one of the most prominent CPAs in the land, “so I will be counting on you.”

The President-elect wanted Purisima to lead his economic team. “He [Aquino] empowered me,” Purisima recalls.

The new President asked the Northwestern University Kellog School of Management MBA: “What are we going to do?”

Readily, Purisima thought of one word to describe his game plan—confidence, which stated differently, is exactly Aquino’s slogan—Matuwid na Daan.

Purisima had to inspire confidence from three groups of stakeholders—in the government, among investors, and among the people. That is what the Finance chief calls the virtuous-cycle strategy. To restore confidence in the government and in the country, the government must raise revenues, tighten or rationalize its expenditures, and put order in borrowings, here and abroad.

The government had to gain the confidence of the financial markets. That meant fiscal discipline and it must be done quickly, “in six months,” relates Purisima. The target reduction in government deficit was from 3.9 percent of Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

F R I D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ

PURISIMA’S CONFIDENCE GAME

[ EDI TORI A L ]

RECORD CAR SALES AND TRAFFIC CAR sales in the Philippines are posting new records and one can just imagine their direct impact on Metro Manila traffic.

Vehicle sales jumped 29 percent in October this year to a record 28,667 units from 22,278 units in the same month last year. The October sales also topped the record sales of 27,045 units in September.

The October figure brought total sales in the first 10 months of 2015 to 234,951 units or 22 percent higher than 192,005 units in the same period last year. Car manufacturers and assemblers, thus, are on track to achieve their sales target of 310,000 units in 2015.

Vehicle sales in the Philippines are expected to sustain the current surge amid a growing economy. But the vehicle explosion will compound the traffic problem, especially in the metropolis and suburban areas.

The correlation between the exponential growth of vehicle sales in the Philippines and traffic should not be lost on the country’s economic planners and managers. Automotive sales are just starting to rev up. They will surge and surpass records month after month as the economy grows and the middle class expands.

Economic planners and line agencies, especially the Department of Transportation and Communications and the Department of Public Works and Highways, must see the urgency of building more roads in and around the metropolis to catch up with increasing vehicle sales.

For one, the bidding process should be sped up and the attendant rightof-way problems surrounding the construction of new railways, toll roads and skyways must be resolved more forcefully.

The government should also appoint a more competent transportation secretary to oversee the construction of railways and roads. No new road or railway infrastructure has been built under the Aquino administration despite the pressing need of commuters.

The gridlock in Metro Manila will continue and worsen until additional roads and alternative modes of transportation are built. Vehicle sales, in the meantime, will sustain their surge and clog the roads more.

THE HOMELESS ‘LIFESTYLE’ LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES CORAZON “Dinky” Soliman, whose department gets regularly raked over the coals when it attempts to perform its job of giving relief to victims of calamities or hiding the poor when foreign dignitaries come a-visiting, has done it again. Soliman didn’t even mess up her multicolored hair when she told a television interviewer that she cannot hide the homeless, espe-

cially those who refuse to leave the streets because that is their chosen “lifestyle.”

Soliman explained that her Department of Social Welfare and Development has been working to take the homeless off the streets because most of them don’t actually want to be without homes. The others who remain do so because it is “a lifestyle that they already have.”

And DSWD has been conducting seminars and reorientation programs for these people, coinciding strangely with the arrival of foreign heads of state, since 2013 as a sort of social engineering experiment. “The

social preparation for behavior change is [the] more challenging [part of our job],” she said.

Officials have reported that DSWD and other government authorities have already taken some 20,000 homeless people away from the streets to save them from the dangers of being exposed. Given enough visiting heads of state, I have no doubt that Soliman will be able to remove every homeless person from Metro Manila, to “reorient” them like she did those who were living in the streets during the Pope’s visit at a provincial resort.

What Soliman never did suf-

A9

Unless all that hair dye has already leaked into her brain, Soliman should never say that some people choose to be homeless.

ficiently explain was why the regular roundup of homeless people always coincides with the arrival of big-time visitors.

And why, if they’ve already been reoriented, they return to the streets that they have come to call their home when those visitors leave.

The simple answer, if you ignore Soliman’s social reengineering blather, is that not enough has been done for the poor, which is why they “choose” to live on the street.

This is upheld by survey after survey which has found that more than half of Filipinos consider themselves impoverished, even under a government that declared that it would eliminate both poverty and corruption under its term.

And Soliman, unless all that hair dye on her head has already leaked into her brain, should never say that there are just some people who choose to be homeless. Some people just don’t have any place else to live—except when some big kahuna arrives, and Dinky and her minions take them away for temporary “reorientation” sessions somewhere far, far away. *** If all goes well during the hosting of the Apec summit next week, it will most likely be because of the efforts of

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-

a man whom President Noynoy Aquino can’t even stand to be in the same room with. And Ambassador Mariano “Jun” Paynor, who holds the post of director general of the national organizing council for Apec 2015, probably won’t mind not being in the spotlight after the event is successfully held—unlike all other government officials from Aquino on down.

It’s true that Paynor, a former military officer and a career diplomat who was once our ambassador to Israel, is someone who is not in the good graces

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

of the current occupant of Malacañang Palace, for reasons that have nothing whatsoever to do with his experience and competence. But because Paynor was also the show-runner of Apec 1996 in Subic (the only other time the Philippines hosted the summit) and the main organizer of the visit of Pope Francis to Manila last January, there was really no one else that the government could trust to do the work of acting as the main man of next week’s meeting of 21 world leaders.

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 a two-hour lunch interview with Department of Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima last Wednesday. He told me a good story. So in the interest of fair play, I write about it.

One of the stark lessons Purisima learned from the Enron debacle and the destruction of the giant accountancy company Arthur Andersen in 2001 is the primordial value of confidence.

Enron was the biggest audit failure in history and until last year the biggest corporate bankruptcy in the US. Andersen was represented in the Philippines by SyCip Gorres Velayo and Co. which Purisima headed at that time as chairman and managing partner, from 1999 to 2004.

Ironically, the demise of Enron and Andersen could have been avoided had the former done what its outside crisis managers (which handled the epic Tylenol disaster) had recommended— admit the wrongdoing and shut down its Texas operations. The Texas unit, which accounted for half of Enron profits, resisted the plan, thinking the inevitable could still be stopped. The result was a massive loss of confidence in and credibility by both Enron and Andersen.

Confidence and credibility. Those two mantras were clear in Purisima’s mind in 2009 and into early 2010 when it became clear Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III was going to be elected President. “I am not a finance person,” Noynoy told his friend and adviser, one of the most prominent CPAs in the land, “so I will be counting on you.”

The President-elect wanted Purisima to lead his economic team. “He [Aquino] empowered me,” Purisima recalls.

The new President asked the Northwestern University Kellog School of Management MBA: “What are we going to do?”

Readily, Purisima thought of one word to describe his game plan—confidence, which stated differently, is exactly Aquino’s slogan—Matuwid na Daan.

Purisima had to inspire confidence from three groups of stakeholders—in the government, among investors, and among the people. That is what the Finance chief calls the virtuous-cycle strategy. To restore confidence in the government and in the country, the government must raise revenues, tighten or rationalize its expenditures, and put order in borrowings, here and abroad.

The government had to gain the confidence of the financial markets. That meant fiscal discipline and it must be done quickly, “in six months,” relates Purisima. The target reduction in government deficit was from 3.9 percent of Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

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OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OVERREACHING REGULATION PENSEES FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN AQUINO LAWS, constitutions especially, go by a particular rule of construction: Each term has a legally distinct meaning. Iteration and embellishment are not traits of legal draftsmanship. And so when the Constitution says of the State that it shall “exercise reasonable regulation and supervision” of all educational institutions, there are at least three significant points made: first, “regulation” is modified by “reasonable”; second, the word “control” which is frequently used in administrative contexts is deliberately excluded; third, the clause on the State’s supervisory authority is appended to a section that recognizes the complementary roles of public and private educations. Article XIV’s liberal provisions on education contrast starkly with the rigid regulatory authority that the Commission on Higher

The State is directed by the Constitution to take into consideration regional and sectoral needs in respect to education.

Education, partly through congressional fiat, has bestowed on itself. Apart from the frequently-discoursed provision on academic freedom, there are provisions providing for indigenous systems of learning, independent study and self-learning programs. All these items are, in CHEd’s scheme of things, “peripherals,” because it apparently has not disabused itself from the notion that it “controls” educational institutions!

Its CHED Memorandum Orders (CMOs) virtually render nugatory the entire concept of “academic freedom,” prescribing subjects that should be taken, who should teach and what requirements are exacted

The homeless... From A9 Because Paynor is also very much identified with both the Ramos and the Arroyo administrations, Aquino is not really comfortable with the head Apec organizer. So instead of dealing directly with Paynor, as previous Presidents have, Aquino has chosen to put another layer between

BRAGGING INSTEAD OF LEARNING

BY MONDAY, our hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting in Metro Manila would become very obvious—not because we would be seeing in person the superstar world leaders of the 21 Apec economies—but because we would be experiencing more orderly traffic conditions in the metropolis.

Throughout Metro Manila, PNoy closed all government offices and schools from Tuesday until Friday, and private sector companies on Wednesday and Thursday. He also banned trucks on major roads, and allowed only a few airplanes to fly in our skies by canceling a thousand local and international flights.

For a country like ours where more than half of the population is poor, such hosting is very expensive. These closures, bans and cancellations, however, are not much to fuss about when compared to what the dragon Chinese government did when it hosted the Apec meetings last year in Beijing.

To spare the delegates from inhaling its usual Beijing smog, it limited the number of running vehicles by employing the oddeven scheme in plate numbers, suspended industrial factories that emit pollutants in the air, and halted work at construction sites that create dusts. It even banned outdoor barbecues.

We remember that when we hosted the Apec meetings in 1996, nobody’s daily routines were disrupted. Then President Fidel Ramos simply held the Leaders’ Meeting inside the Subic Freeport.

In fact, he also suggested that we use for this year’s venue the nearby Clark Freeport.

Because of its proximity to Metro Manila, the embassies of the Apec countries could easily support their delegations with little disruption and greater efficiency.

But beyond the disruptive effects, his suggestion was justified for valid reasons.

It would highlight the Clark Freeport/Airport and Subic Freeport/Seaport as our most dynamic economic platform;

domestic reform.”

To PNoy’s economic team, these are familiar words that merely rephrased the National Economic and Development Authority’s description of Philippine Development Plan 20112016 as a “framework of inclusive growth, which is high growth that is sustained, generates mass employment, and reduces poverty.”

The choice of this theme should enable us to learn more about how other Apec member economies have addressed their poverty problems, and not as an invitation to brag about our insignificant achievements concerning inclusive growth.

After all, the other Apec economies—which account for 40 percent of the world’s population, 54 percent of world GDP, and 47 percent of world trade —have almost eradicated their peoples’ poverty.

Our economy might have grown impressively in terms of its recent gross domestic products, but this is a type of growth that has neither generated mass employment nor reduced poverty.

The best that the President could do for our poor, it seems, is to hide them away in a sea resort for a week as what his social welfare secretary did when Pope Francis visited us early this year.

PNoy can’t brag about our conditional cash transfer program to poor families that doles out a maximum of P1,400 per month, monthly social pension to indigent senior citizens of P500, or about our social security pensions that average P3,169.

Instead, he should learn from the other Apec leaders how they are implementing these programs.

What if—in the week of the Apec Leaders’ Meeting—PNoy signs into law the P2,000 pension increase? That would be bragging of which he must support with a systematic increase in contributions.

And what if—in that same week—he also lowers the income tax rates? That would be super bragging of which we wouldn’t mind.

of students. Really, educational institutions, especially colleges and universities, have only themselves to blame. Higher educational institutions have only themselves to blame, because they ought to be the first line of defense of academic freedom.

Where higher education institutions stand by the academic freedom that is guaranteed them by the Constitution to repulse the unreasonableness of overreaching regulation, the CHED is then respectfully bur firmly nudged towards a becoming reticence.

In most creditable universities under less dictatorial regulatory schemes, students are free to structure their own courses.

Not in our country, where a list of subjects required for each level is set forth by CHED, with only a few spaces left for what it calls “electives.” The doctoral program is largely classroom work in the Philippines, although the PhD in fact be a research degree. What we have rather in our benighted land are students sitting through boring classes in compliance with required “classroom hours,” submitting sophomoric dissertations that involve paltry research designs and then receiving the PhD with very little independent study and research initiative to show for it.

This is possible because degreegranting is “rules-based.”

In one interesting case, University of the Philippines v. Civil Service Commission (2001), the Supreme Court rebuffed the Civil Service Commission’s attempt to cause the dismissal of a UP professor who had supposedly transgressed civil service rules. The High Court made the salutary pronouncement that not even in the guise of enforcing civil service rules would the Commission be allowed to trump the academic freedom of the university.

There is one more point about state universities and colleges.

These are instrumentalities of state created by distinct charters—legislative acts—each, with its own governing board. In the past, the Commission on Higher Education respected the autonomy of these state-created institutions. That SUCs comply with minimum standards is guaranteed by the position of the chairman of the CHED as ex officio chairman of the governing boards of SUCs. Apparently, that has not been enough for CHED, however. It has virtually assimilated the entire SUC system into its sphere of influence, in large measure because of acquiescence

on the part of SUC administrators, and temerity on the part of the academic communities. Why does UP manage to resist CHED importuning?

Not really because of its charter alone, because in respect to charter, most SUCs have similar charters. It is rather because UP’s academic community staunchly resists any at-

tempts at “annexation.” Why is it so important that SUCs maintain their autonomy? The Constitution suggests the answer: The State is directed by the Constitution to take into consideration regional and sectoral needs in respect to education. State universities are statutorily created to be able to respond to the prime demand of

“accessibility” and to tailor their programs and curricula accordingly, and this is frustrated by a rigid regulatory scheme that insists that all don a straitjacket of a plethora of rules and regulations.

him and the former ambassador, in the person of Secretary to the Cabinet Rene Almendras—the President’s former Ateneo classmate and one of his closest friends.

Paynor, a member of the highprofile Class of 1971 of the Philippine Military Academy (to which both Senator Gregorio Honasan and former Senator Panfilo Lacson also belong), doesn’t really

mind. His job, as he sees it, is to make sure that no hitches happen during the hosting of the summit despite the challenges that holding it in chaotic, traffic-clogged Metro Manila entails.

But ever since Aquino signed the order three years ago formalizing the Philippines’ hosting duties, there was really no other choice for the person to run the

Apec show but Paynor. And the low-key Paynor, who was also given job of overall coordinator of the Pope’s visit as a sort of dry run for next week’s summit, knew that he still had to prove himself to his skeptical President.

But everyone involved in the preparations for the Apec summit already knows that Paynor was going to land the job. And in spite

of the challenges posed by a Manila hosting, the arriving foreign delegations who knew him from 1996 have been reassured, as well.

But before the credit-grabbing for a successful hosting job starts in earnest by the end of next week, here’s what you should know: Jun Paynor is the real show-runner, even if he will be the last to take credit for a job well done.

FILIPINO PENSIONER HORACE TEMPLO accelerate the completion of the NLEX-SLEX cross-corridors and the North Rail system; and open up new areas in Central Luzon for job-generation, livelihood, agro-industry, etc.

But Metro Manila was chosen instead because it is the only place that can accommodate the 10,000 delegates who are expected to attend during that week.

Moreover, we also heard that organizers decided to hold the Leaders’ Meeting in Manila “to give in to the security concerns raised by the various governments.”

These security concerns surprised us because we never thought that security was ever a problem inside Clark Freeport.

What if it existed in Metro Manila, could it easily be contained?

Aside from not seeing our usual traffic jams, we would neither see our homeless poor loitering, begging and sleeping along Roxas Boulevard. That is, if PNoy’s bureaucrats succeed in concealing them from view of the delegates.

The media—newspapers, radio and television—might cooperate and keep to a minimum level their criticisms against PNoy’s government in addressing our day-to-day problems, but the militant progressive blocs could even intensify their protests.

Unknown to most of us, the official preparations for these Apec activities started three years ago.

Without admitting our high poverty incidence, our national organizing committee was able to make “Building inclusive economies, Building a better world” as this year’s theme.

At the domestic or national level, “the inclusive growth strategy of each member-economy is to create employment opportunities and jobs, integrate the majority of the population into the economic and social mainstream, and alleviate poverty through good governance and

rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@yahoo.com

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OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO “WE CANNOT fight a war with saliva,” said Minority Leader Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, adding the talkative ones should be holding the guns when the invaders come. Enrile was taking issue with his arch-enemy Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago who sponsored a Senate resolution insisting the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement the Philippines signed with the United States in April 2014 must be submitted to the Senate for ratification.

Santiago, an independent presidential candidate, was able to muster 15 senators to sign the resolution. Senator Antonio Trillanes voted against the resolution as he agreed with Malacañang that Edca is not a treaty but an executive agreement. Edca, an enhancement of the already-existing Visiting Forces Agreement, gives US troops wider access to Philippine military bases like Subic for its warships to dock and refuel, aside from allowing the Americans to store ammunitions and weapons.

Purisima’s... From A9 the Gross Domestic Product to just 2 percent, a cut of almost half. Also to be reduced, substantially, was the debt to GDP ratio, which in 2009 was at 54.8 percent of GDP. Thanks to Purisima’s and his team’s Herculean efforts, the Department of Finance achieved its objectives and even exceeded his ambitious targets.

Today, the deficit-to-GDP ratio hovers at 0.6 percent (0.2 percent in October 2015), down dramatically from 3.7 percent in 2009, while the debt-to-GDP ratio is 44.9 percent as of June 2015, less than half of the value of economic output.

Purisima also reduced debts denominated in foreign currencies (as a percentage of GDP), from 38.4 percent in 2009 to 27.3 percent by end-2014. By June 2015, the ratio was 25.7

NOT A SPITTING WAR Enrile, one of three senators who abstained from the voting, said the issue is best left to the Supreme Court where it has been elevated. The former defense secretary said the Philippines with its limited military capability cannot stand up to China’s navy and therefore has to sign a defense agreement and align itself with a Pacific power like the United States. This is why Enrile was sorely missed in the Senate during his more than a year in detention. He is the only one who can stand up to spitfire Santiago’s scathing remarks that intimidate the other senators into a committee on silence.

“It is the government’s responsibility to maintain the security of the state and sign military agreements with any country that can boost the Philippine military which is the weakest in Asia,“ Enrile pointed out.

The Senate sparring over Edca came even as the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation meeting agreed not to discuss the contentious South China Sea dispute during the conference. But Enrile expressed the view that not raising China’s

encroachment in the West Philippine Sea issue during Apec would be a lost opportunity.

Although not on the Apec agenda, President Benigno Aquino III and US President Barack Obama will have a meeting at the sidelines possibly to discuss the rising tension in the South China Sea. Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are among the world leaders coming for the Apec summit hosted by Manila. There are speculations Xi and Aquino might also hold a meeting when Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi came days ahead of Apec to meet with his counterpart, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario.

Foreign ministers don’t meet just to discuss details of an international conference. That is best left at the ministerial level. Did they discuss the talking points of a possible closeddoor meeting between Xi and Aquino?

Beijing could be rethinking its hard-line stance in the South China Sea territorial dispute after its setback from the ruling of the Hague international arbitration court that

it has jurisdiction over the case filed by Manila contesting China’s nine-dash line. The Hague court will take up oral arguments in the case on Nov. 24 to 30 with or without China’s participation in proceedings held under the mandate of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Kim Henares hikes collections Commissioner Kim Henares is the smiling face of the Bureau of Internal Revenue. But Henares has more reasons to be smiling these days. Her tax collections from the so-called sin products like tobacco and alcohol rose by 16 percent or more than P91 billion from January to end of September. The excise tax from alcohol and tobacco exceeded the P78.4 billion collected during the same period last year.

There was apprehension after the passage by Congress of a higher tax on sin products that government tax revenues would suffer as a result of the higher cost of alcohol and cigarettes. But the contrary happened as smokers and drinkers simply switched to lower-priced products that

were just as good in quality.

Tax from cigarette alone accounted for P61.4 billion—an increase from P51.18 billion last year. Revenues from fermented alcohol and spirits combined summed up to P29.7 billion, up from P17.8 billion for the same nine-month period last year. A sizable part of earnings from sin products are earmarked for health care services of the country’s poor.

What this increase in BIR revenues attests to is Kim Henares’ dogged determination to collect taxes and the willingness of the sin products manufacturers to pay the right amount of taxes. This also augurs well for the BIR which is looking at a P1.64-trillion revenue including an estimated P140-billion taxes from alcohol and tobacco, including minerals and motor vehicles.

Mighty Corporation, a cigarette maker for the past 70 years, was the first to install close circuit television in its manufacturing plant in compliance with the BIR’s requirement to prevent pilferage of products that could end up in illegal sale without the necessary tax stamps.

percent. The move proved a brilliant one as the peso has devalued.

Bankrupt Greece has a deficit to GDP ratio of over 9 percent and debt to GDP ratio of 177 percent, meaning its debts are 1.8 times its GDP. The significant reductions, along with complementary reforms, improved the Philippines’ credit standing. Today, the country is investment grade—a first in history. The Philippines actually received 22 positive credit rating actions since Aquino took over. Fourteen of those were upgrades, since 2010.

The positive upgrades and the investment grade ratings mean lower borrowing cost, from abroad and locally.

Consequently, the 91-day treasury bill rate (a benchmark interest rate) went down from 4.19 percent average in 2009 to a historic low of 0.32 percent in

2013, before correcting to 1.24 percent by end-2014 and to 1.77 percent average by September this year.

Lending rates likewise collapsed, from an average of 4.44 percent in 2009 to as low as 1.43 percent by end-2014 and as low as 1.10 percent in January 2015, before surging to the current 3.92 percent due to the gradual hardening of interest rates in the United States.

Still, Secretary Purisima estimates, Filipino consumers have saved some P41 billion on their consumer, car and housing loans, due to the dramatic lowering of interest rates since 2009. The government itself reduced its debt service payments (interest and principal yearly), from P689.8 billion in 2010, P722.8 billion in 2011 and P729.8 billion in 2012 to just P515 billion by 2014.

Says Purisima: “Most people

would be surprised at the concrete benefits of improved confidence in our country. These gains reach and are felt at the household level—which is why we have every reason to protect these gains.”

The restoration of confidence brought in investments.

Net foreign direct investments ballooned from $1.07 billion in 2010 to $6.2 billion in 2014.

Net investments, which was negative $896 million in 2009 (meaning the Philippines invested more abroad than the investments that came in), negative in the year 2010 by $11.49 billion, in 2011 by $5.3 billion, and in 2012 by $6.748 billion, turned positive $2.23 billion in 2013 and a whopping $10.5 billion net inflow in 2014.

The overall impact has been unbridled economic dynamism.

Under Aquino, the size of the economy has expanded from

P8.026 trillion value of GDP in 2009 to P12.642 trillion GDP by 2014, an expansion of 58 percent in six years.

Economic growth, as measured by GDP growth per year from 2010 to 2014, has averaged 6.24 percent in the past six years. The economy grew in real terms by 7.6 percent in 2010, 3.7 percent in 2011, 6.7 percent in 2012, 7.1 percent in 2013, and by 6.1 percent in 2014. GDP is to grow less than 6 percent this year 2015, the slowest rate since 2011.

The world has taken notice of the seminal work of Purisima’s work as secretary of finance and as Aquino’s leading economic manager. He has won the Finance Minister of the Year award five times in the past five years, given by various groups and publications.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Mavs win grudge match with Clippers DALLAS—The Dallas Mavericks won their grudge match against the Los Angeles Clippers in DeAndre Jordan’s first match in Dallas since reneging on a summer free agent deal which would have seen him leave the Clippers for Texas.

DeAndre Jordan (left) of the Los Angeles Clippers reacts during play against the Dallas Mavericks in the first half at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The Mavericks won, 118-108. AFP

Jordan, who was loudly booed and jeered all night, was restricted to just nine points in a 118-108 victory for the Mavericks.

German legend Dirk Nowitzki stole the show for the home side, pouring on 31 points.

The power forward made 11-of-14 shots from the field, including a banked three-pointer with 1:05 left to play which gave the Mavericks a 113-108 lead.

“We showed some character coming out here tonight and just fighting, fighting for this crowd,” Nowitzki said.

“Obviously, there was a lot of hype in the air, but we tried to stay cool and play our game,” Nowitzki added, referring to the Jordan saga.

“When we keep moving the ball, we’re tough to guard.”

In Los Angeles, Stephen

Gonzales, Molina banner Legazpi tennis roster ACTION in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group tennis tournament shifts to Legazpi City starting today with Jennard Gonzales and Kurt Angelo Molina heading the huge field vying for titles in various divisions at the DPWH-RES Tennis Club in Albay.

Gonzales, one of the rising stars from the host city, and Molina from Daet, hope to build some momentum with a strong start but remain wary of their chances against a strong field out to gain honors and ranking points in the

four-day tournament sponsored

by Palawan Pawnshop and hosted by Nards Gonzales, president of DPWH-RES Tennis Club.

Jan Harold Trillanes, from Iriga, is also expected to contend for the crown along with Naga City’s Nolan Gagalac and Jolo Basa, Ryan Taller and Kevin Madrid from Tabaco City, and Ligao City’s JC Gonzales, Jumari Gonzales and Kate Prianes.

Also tipped to crowd the favorites for top honors in the event, presented by Technifibre, are Glydel Guevarra, Patricia Cor-

poral and Nica Alanis from Iriga City, and Paolo Samson, Oswald Hernandez from Camalig, Albay.

“This tournament is a big boost not only to youth tennis here but to local sports as well and we thank Palawan Pawnshop for including Legazpi City in its calendar of events,” said Rep. Al Francis Bichara, who also cited the positive response of all the tennis federations in Albay that guarantees the successful staging of the tournament sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association headed by president and

Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez.

“Palawan Pawnshop has been providing tournaments for our young and aspiring players, especially in the countryside,” said Palawan Pawnshop COO Bobby Castro. “This tournament will surely help promote and develop the sport and inspire young players from Albay to achieve a higher level of play.”

For details, call Bobby Mangunay, PPS-PEPP organizer and sports program development director at 0915-4046464.

Rivera, Moreno, Santos rule slalom’s 11th leg ESTEFANO Rivera of Tough Gear Racing bagged the production and overall best time of the day, beating his brother Milo Rivera and rival Dr. Peewee Mendiola for the first time in the 2015 RACE Motorsports National Slalom Series at the Robinsons Nova Market.

Estefano Rivera timed 47.42, while his brother Milo placed second with a 47.62, thereby increasing his lead in the overall standings over Dr. Mendiola, who clocked 47.86.

Jevoy Moreno of Auto Fastion came in fourth, while Paul Santos of Team Big Chill placed fifth.

Moreno also grabbed the Front Wheel best time, while Santos won the novice best clocking of 50.08, followed by Dion Ortiz with a time of 50.58.

The 2015 National Slalom Series is sponsored by Shell He-

lix Motor Oils, Federal Tyres, Outlast Battery, Starbright Body Kits, Auto Transporter, Robinsons Nova Market and media partners Stoplight TV, Inside Motoring, DZRJ-Am, Pinoy Speed sa mga Pahayagan, Spin.Ph Sports Interactive Network and C! Magazine.

All events are sanctioned and affiliated by the Automobile Association of the Philippines.

The 12th and final leg for the year will be on Dec. 6 at Robinsons Starmills Pampanga and the Slalom Invitational on Nov. 15 at Robinsons Calasiao Pangasinan.

The 2015 Championship Awards Night will be held on Dec. 20 at Kowloon House West Avenue.

For details, contact Bing Bang Dulce at 09178119337 or 09228165344, or email racemo-

Estefano Rivera of Tough Gear Racing makes his move as he grabs the production and overall best clocking for the first time in the series.

torsportsclub@yahoo.com.

All event pictures can be viewed at the Facebook page of racemotorsportsclub.

Some of the official results: Novice Stock: 1st Miguel Reyes

61.04; 2nd Paul Castro 67.50 Novice Modified A: 1st Dion Ortiz 52.16 Novice Modified B: 1st Paolo Santos 50.08; 2nd Dion Ortiz 50.58

Curry scored 28 points as the unbeaten Golden State Warriors defeat the Memphis Grizzlies 10084, equalling a 55-year-old franchise record for the best start to a season in history.

The Warriors victory took the reigning NBA Champions to 9-0, emulating the feat of the 19601961 side featuring the legendary Wilt Chamberlain when the franchise was based in Philadelphia.

It was another chastening night for the Grizzlies, who were run ragged by the Warriors last week during a 119-69 defeat.

Curry, who had been averaging more than 32 points per game prior to Wednesday’s clash, added to his season haul with another sparkling contribution, taking the game away from Memphis with a 17-point blitz in the third quarter.

Iloilo teams bag Passerelle, SBP cage titles IT WAS an all-Iloilo show as Ateneo de Iloilo and Sun Yat Sen High School of Iloilo won the SBP and Passerelle division championships at the Visayas Regional Finals of the BEST SBP Passerelle Twin Tournament 2015 backed by Milo.

Ateneo de Iloilo overcame the never-say-die University of the Visayas, 42-35, to bag the SBP title for the second year in a row, while Sun Yat Sen upended Bacolod Tay Tung High School, 71-58, to grab the Passerelle division championship.

Ateneo de Iloilo went to the duo of John Vicencio and Ian Espinosa to fend off a fighting UV side.

Vicencio then canned two free throws to ensure the win with six ticks left. Vicencio led Ateneo de Iloilo including 11 in the third quarter. Espinosa added 10.

In the game for third place, St. John’s Institute dumped Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion of Roxas, 63-24.

In the game for third place, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu trashed the College of St. John Roxas, 65-23.

Ateneo de Iloilo and Sun Yat Sen will represent the Visayas at the national finals of the tournament which will be held in Baguio Dec. 5 to 6.

Mindanao is represented by Ateneo de Davao in both divisions, while the NCR champions are Adamson University (Passerelle) and La Salle Greenhills (SBP).

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Tayao Cabrera makes podium in Singapore

Seaoil karter Gabe Tayao Cabrera scoots home to a third-place finish in the KF1 Circuit in Singapore. Inset

shows the Philippines’ no. 1 karter displaying the national flag.

FRESH from his podium win two weeks ago as the highest-placed Filipino in the Asian Karting Series in Thailand, Seaoil karter Gabriel Tayao Cabrera recently blazed the track at the KF1 Circuit in Singapore, where he was the only Filipino senior driving at the country’s newest track for the first time.

Debuting as Energy Corse Asia Racing team’s newest driver, the 15-year-old karter became the first-ever Filipino to bag a podium finish at the X30 Challenge, where he placed a respectable 3rd runner-up finish.

“Within two days, I had to master a new track, adjust to driving a new brand of chassis and use new type of engine.

Many doubted I would get a podium win, especially since I was also 6 kilos overweight. I could have had a shot at getting the top spot but unfortunately was caught in between several

karters at the start of the final race.

Nevertheless, I’m glad I was able to prove skeptics wrong by consistently clocking times close to the pole sitter throughout the race. I credit my team director Josh Hunt, tuner Greg Dicker, mechanics Joesefilo Bariquit and Ericson Abaja who all made sure my kart was in tiptop shape,” said Tayao Cabrera.

Backed by Gold’s Gym, DC, Media Magic and RS Design, Tayao Cabrera was initially regarded as an underdog since he was one of the three youngest drivers in the series’ most formidable grid of senior champions, some of who are actively racing in Europe.

“It took some time to get Gabe to drive for our brand. Knowing his long list of karting titles, it is nice to have an experienced hand like him to show how good the Energy

Putin orders action on scandal MOSCOW—President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia must “do everything” to eradicate doping, ordering an inquiry into allegations of major drug abuse in athletics days before the country risks being barred from next year’s Olympics.

Moscow is scrambling to respond to a bombshell World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report released this week that alleged systematic doping in Russian athletics, including by suggesting a foreign specialist could take over its discredited testing laboratory.

Athletics’ world governing body, the IAAF, has given Russia until Friday to come up with answers

to the allegations, and Putin met sports chiefs in Sochi, the Black Sea home of the 2014 Winter Olympics, ahead of the deadline.

The stakes could not be higher for Russia, which risks being excluded from the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio over damning allegations of corruption and “state-sponsored” doping.

“We must do everything

in Russia to rid ourselves of this problem,” Putin said in footage shown on Russian television of the meeting -ironically called to discuss the country’s preparations for Rio 2016.

“We must carry out our own internal inquiry,” he said, telling sports officials to show “the most open and professional cooperation with international anti-doping authorities”.

“This problem does not exist only in Russia, but if our foreign colleagues have questions, we must answer them,” he said.

It is the first time Putin, himself an avid sportsman, has commented publicly on the charges levelled by an independent commis-

sion chaired by WADA’s Dick Pound, which have rocked the flagship Olympics sport.

Putin echoed a plea by Russia’s Olympic Committee not to sacrifice the dreams of clean competitors, saying there should not be collective punishment.

“If someone breaks the rules on doping, the responsibility should be individual,” the Kremlin leader said.

“Athletes who have never touched doping should not pay for those who have transgressed.”

- ‘Defiling Russia’s image’ As the doping storm has developed during the week,

Russian officials have given conflicting responses.

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko on Wednesday lashed out at the claims, saying they were an attempt to “defile the image” of the country and arguing that excluding Russia from the Olympics would be to get rid of a “major competitor”.

But Mikhail Butov, the Russian athletics federation’s secretary general and one of the 27 council members of the IAAF who will meet on Friday, conceded that doping was an issue.

“We are conscious of the problem that we’ve got.

We’ve got a problem with doping,” he admitted to the BBC. AFP

NCR, Southern Luzon dispute Shakey’s crown NATIONAL Capital Region and Southern Luzon thwarted their respective rivals and came away with a pair of straight-set victories yesterday to seal a showdown for the Shakey’s Girls’ Volleyball League Season 13 national crown at the Cuneta Astrodome.

The Big City bets got back at last year’s finals tormentor Western Visayas with a 25-22, 25-19 victory while Southern Luzon, represented by the De La Salle-Lipa spikers, held off Southern Mindanao, 25-22, 25-23, in the Final Four of the league sponsored by long-time volleyball patron Shakey’s.

Southern Luzon, which stunned NCR in a dramatic decider, 25-22, 23-25, 3230, last Tuesday, and the host team were disputing the championship at presstime.

NCR, represented by regional champion National U, clobbered Central Visayas, 25-16, 25-17, to finish second to Southern Luzon in Pool B with a 2-1 card. Southern Luzon took the top spot with a 3-0 slate.

Western Visayas, composed of Central Philippine U players, also defeated tbe Davao City National High side of Southern Mindanao, 25-15, 25-10, to gain the top seeding in Pool A via sweep with Southern Mindanao, composed of Davao City National High School players, settling for second with a 2-1 mark.

Eastern Visayas finished third in Pool A with a 1-2 record after a tough 25-23, 19-25, 26-24 victory over Northern Luzon while Central Visayas swept Northern Mindanao, 25-17, 25-19, to place third in Pool B of the event organized

by Metro Sports headed by Freddie Infante and backed by Asics, Mikasa and My Phone.

In the crossover semis, the Lady Bullpups of NCR, starring Faith Nisperos, Jasmine Nabor, Thea Gagate and setter Joyme Cagande, took control early then held off the Western Visayas’ crew headed by Princess Ann Robles, Claudine Troncoso and Julie Ann Robles’ rallies to pound out the straight-set victory

Western Visayas fires away a kill against NCR’s Nicole Magsarile (18) and Faith Nisperos (11) during their semifinal duel in the Shakey’s Girls’ Volley League national finals at the Astrodome.

100 national athletes join Financial Literacy gab OVER A HUNDRED national athletes participated in their Financial Literacy module for the Philippine Sports Commission’s Personality Enhancement Program for Sports on Nov 3 and 6.

The athletes representing Athletics, Cycling, Diving, Fencing, Judo, Karatedo, Muay, Pencak Silat, Petanque, Rowing, Sailing, Sepak Takraw, Synchronized Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Triathlon, Water Polo, Weightlifting and Wrestling availed of the twoday module conducted

by Pesos And Sense’s Aya Laraya.

The PEP’s module on financial literacy covered the fundamentals of goal setting, budgeting and saving, and investing.

PSC Chairman Ricardo “Richie” Garcia personally thanked the participants for attending their first of three PEP modules.

“Their attendance signifies their awareness on the importance of saving and using their hardearned allowances and incentives wisely,” said Garcia.

PSC Commissioner and PEP Project Director Wigberto “Iggy” Clavecilla likewise appreciated the various national sports associations’ support for their athletes to grasp the basics of personal finance.

Republic of the Philippines Republic of the DEPARTMENT OFPhilippines EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF(Bicol) EDUCATION Region V Region V (Bicol) Division of Catanduanes Division of Catanduanes Virac, Catanduanes Virac, Catanduanes

A14

INVITATION TO BID INVITATION TO BID

1.

1.

2.

2.

FOOD AND ACCOMODATION FOOD AND ACCOMODATION Division Training on Early Language Literacy and Division Training on Early Language Numeracy Program on Literacy and Numeracy on DecemberProgram 8 -17, 2015 December 8 -17, 2015

The DepED, Division of Catanduanes, through the GAA CY 2015 intends to apply the sumDivision of Four Nine Hundred Thousand Pesos Only The DepED, ofMillion Catanduanes, throughThirty the GAA CY 2015 intends to (Php being the Nine Approved Budget for Thousand the Contract (ABC) to apply 4,930,000.00) the sum of Four Million Hundred Thirty Pesos Only payments under the contract for the Food and Accommodation in connection (Php 4,930,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to with theconduct of the Division Training on Early Language Literacy and payments under the contract for the Food and Accommodation in connection Numeracy Program.

Bids received in excess the ABC shall be Literacy automatically with theconduct of the Division Training onofEarly Language and rejected at bid opening.Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically Numeracy Program. rejected at bid opening.

The DepEd, Division of Catanduanesnow invites bids for Food and Accommodation in connection with the conduct of the bids Division on The DepEd, Division of Catanduanesnow invites for Training Food and Early Language Literacy and Numeracy Program.

Completion the workon is Accommodation in connection with the conduct of the DivisionofTraining required ten (10) days.

Bidders have Program. completed,Completion within five (5) years from Early Language Literacy andshould Numeracy of the work is the date of and receipt of bids, contract similar the(5) Project.

The required tensubmission (10) days. Bidders should haveacompleted, withintofive years from description of an eligible is contained in thea Bidding in the date of submission and receipt of bids, contractDocuments, similar to theparticularly Project. The Section II – Instructions description of an eligibletoisBidders. contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly in Section II – Instructions to Bidders.

Number of Approved Budget for the

Cluster Cluster 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9

District District Virac North Virac North Virac South ViracWest South Viga Pandan West Viga West Pandan West San Andres West Caramoran San AndresSouth West Caramoran South Bagamanoc North/South Panganiban Bagamanoc North/South Panganiban Baras North/South Caramoran North Baras North/South Caramoran North Gigmoto PandanEast Gigmoto Viga East PandanEast VigaAndres East East San San San Miguel AndresNorth East San Miguel Miguel North North San Bato East/West San Miguel North Bato East/West TOTAL

TOTAL

Participant Number of Participant 54 pax 54 pax 55 pax 55 pax 55 pax 55 pax 54 pax 54 pax 55 pax 55 pax 55 pax 55 pax

Contract (ABC) Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) Php540,000.00 Php540,000.00 550,000.00 550,000.00 550,000.00 550,000.00 540, 000.00 540, 000.00 550,000.00 550,000.00 550,000.00 550,000.00

55 pax 55 pax

550,000.00 550,000.00

52 pax 52 pax 58 pax 58 pax 493 493

520,000.00 520,000.00 580,000.00 580,000.00 Php4, 930,000.00 Php4, 930,000.00

Description Description Breakfast (6:00-7:00 AM), Lunch (11:45 AM-12:15 PM), Dinner (6-7 PM), Snacks –AM (9:30-10 AM) andAM), Snacks - PM (3:00 – 3:30 AM) Accommodation for 10 Breakfast (6:00-7:00 Lunch (11:45 AM-12:15 PM),and Dinner (6-7 PM), Snacks days 8 -17,AM) 2015) –AM (Dec (9:30-10 and Snacks - PM (3:00 – 3:30 AM) and Accommodation for 10 days (Dec 8 -17, 2015) Day 0 –Dinner only Day 10 ––Dinner BreakfastonlySnacks – Lunch – Snacks – Dinner Day 21 – Breakfast- Snacks – Lunch – Snacks -–Dinner Dinner Day 32 – Breakfast- Snacks – Lunch – Snacks - Dinner Day 43 – Breakfast- Snacks – Lunch – Snacks - Dinner Day 54 – Breakfast- Snacks – Lunch – Snacks - Dinner Day 65 – Breakfast- Snacks – Lunch – Snacks - Dinner Day 76 – Breakfast- Snacks – Lunch – Snacks - Dinner Day 87 – Breakfast- Snacks – Lunch – Snacks - Dinner Day 98 – Breakfast- Snacks – Lunch – Snacks - Dinner Day 10 Breakfast-Snacks Snacks––Lunch Lunch––Snacks Snacks- Dinner 9 ––BreakfastDay 10 – Breakfast- Snacks – Lunch – Snacks Additional provision: Over-flowing coffee during the seminar, free midnight snacks for the Trainers and oneOver-flowing (1) room for the trainers Additional provision: coffee during the seminar, free midnight snacks for the Trainers and one (1) room for the trainers Specifications for Training Venues and Accommodation Specifications for Training Venues and Accommodation I. LOGISTICAL REQUIREMENTS I. LOGISTICAL REQUIREMENTS A. 1. LCD Projector (at least 2) least A. 2.

1. Microphone/lapel LCD Projector (at (at least 2) 2 per class) 3. for LCD 2. Table Microphone/lapel (at least 2 per class) 4.

3. Trainer’s Table for table LCD (placed infront of the class) 5. (good 55-60 infront pax) of the class) 4. Chairs Trainer’s tablefor (placed 6.

Whiteboard 5. Chairs (good for 55-60 pax) 7.

Sound System 6. Whiteboard 8.

7. Audio SoundConverter System 8. Audio Converter B. 1. Air-conditioned/well-ventilated session hall comfort rooms B. 2.

1. With Air-conditioned/well-ventilated session hall 2. With comfort rooms II. ROOM ACCOMODATION II. ROOM ACCOMODATION 1. 3-4 persons per room 2.

Rooms 1. Comfort 3-4 persons per room 3.

2. Air-conditioned Comfort Roomsroom 3. Air-conditioned room III. MESS HALL III. MESS HALL 1. With sufficient number of dining tables with skirting 2.

1. With sufficient number of chairs dining tables with skirting 3. and well-ventilated 2. Clean With sufficient number of chairs 4.

3. Well-lighted Clean and well-ventilated 5. to or the training/session hall 4. Adjacent Well-lighted 5. Adjacent to or the training/session hall 3.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested bidders Office set of the Administrative Officer Vfrom the address below and upon 3. from A complete of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested bidders payment of aofnonrefundable fee for Officer BiddingVfrom Documents in the below amount of upon One from Office the Administrative the address and Thousand Only (Php fee 1,000) each Documents cluster. payment ofPesos a nonrefundable for for Bidding in the amount of One Thousand Pesos Only (Php 1,000) for each cluster.

4.

The DepED, Division of Catanduaneswill hold a Pre-Bid Conference 2015,at9:00 PM at the Office of athePre-Bid Assistant Schools 4. onNovember The DepED, 20, Division of Catanduaneswill hold Conference Division Superintendent, which be Office open toofallthe interested parties who onNovember 20, 2015,at9:00 PMshall at the Assistant Schools have purchased the Bidding Documents.

Division Superintendent, which shall be open to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

5.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before December 3, 2015 at Division Office Hallon C.orAllbefore bids must be accompanied 5. 9:00 Bids AM mustatbe delivered to theConference address below December 3, 2015 at by a bid in any of theConference acceptable forms themust amount stated in ITB 9:00 AMsecurity at Division Office Hall C.and All in bids be accompanied Clause by a bid18. security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bid opening shall be on December 3, 2015 at 9:00 AM.Bids will be opened in the of thebe bidders’ representative choose to attend the address Bid presence opening shall on December 3, 2015who at 9:00 AM.Bids willatbe opened in below.

Late bids shall not be representative accepted. the presence of the bidders’ who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

6.

Prior to Bid Opening, representative of bidders should present and submit to the BAC Powerrepresentative of Attorney of stating theshould detailed activities 6.

Prior atoSpecial Bid Opening, bidders present andwhich submithe/she to the will relative to the bidding at hand.

BACperform a Special Power of Attorney stating the detailed activities which he/she will perform relative to the bidding at hand.

7.

TheDepEd, Division of Catanduanes, reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul Division the bidding and to reject all bids at any prior contract 7.

TheDepEd, of process, Catanduanes, reserves the right totime accept ortoreject any award, without thereby incurring liability to the bidder bidders bid, to annul the bidding process,any and to reject all affected bids at any timeorprior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders 8.

For further information, please refer to: 8.

For further information, please refer to: MIGUEL C. OGALINOLA Chairman, and Awards Committee MIGUEL C.Bids OGALINOLA DepEd, Division Office, Virac, Catanduanes Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee CP No. 09214701435 DepEd, Division Office, Virac, Catanduanes CP No. 09214701435 (SGD) MIGUEL C. OGALINOLA BAC CHAIRMAN (SGD) MIGUEL C. OGALINOLA ( T S - N O V. 13 , 2 015 )

( T S - N O V. 13 , 2 015 )

F R I DAY : N O V E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

BAC CHAIRMAN

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

3 FIBA bid winners known by Jan. 11 THE Philippines and nine other countries seeking to hold one of three Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in July next year will have to wait until Jan. 11 to find out which three bids have been favored by the International Basketball Federation with the hosting rights.

This after the FIBA Executive Committee, citing “technical reasons” and nothing else specific, informed the national federations of all 10 countries that it “will not be able to make a decision on the Hosts of the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments on 23 November as previously communicated.”

The letter of communication addressed to the presidents and secretary generals of the national federations of Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Iran, Israel, Italy, Mexico,

Serbia, Turkey and the Philippines was signed by FIBA secretary-general Patrick Baumann.

FIBA left three windows open for entry to the Olympic Games in Rio d Janeiro in August 2016 by announcing that three OQTs will be simultaneously held in July, with the winners gaining passage to the quadrennial sports conclave.

Putting behind the Philippine team’s loss to China in the final of the recent FIBA Asia Championship—the Olympic qualifier in the region—the Samahang Bas-

ketbol ng Pilipinas, through its president Manny V. Pangilinan, moved to have one of the OQTs staged in Manila, sending all bidding requirements to FIBA’s Geneva headquarters on the appointed Nov. 11 deadline.

As a consequence of FIBA postponing its decision on the winning rights until Jan. 19, 2016, the OQT Draw Ceremony inevitably has also been rescheduled from Nov. 24, 2015 to Jan. 26, 2016.

“You will get confirmation of the programme very soon,” said Baumann, who apologized for the “short-notice information.”

While the Nov. 11 zero hour for the submission of the Bidding Files was left as it is, FIBA extended the deadline for the bidders “to provide the bank guarantees” to January 11 at the latest.

Lady Bulldogs near finals

Future net champs. The year-round and nation-wide Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis Championship Series, an initiative of sportsman/businessman Jean Henri Lhuillier, President/CEO of the sponsoring company, has been going through the years in terms of additional legs and the recognition given to it by parents and young tennis players in the provinces. Through this series, young provincial talents are able to hone their skills and Lhuillier expects to see future national champions emerge from these ranks. Photo shows the different age-group winners in the last leg held in Cabadbaran City, supported by Dunlop as the official ball and the local government unit, headed by Mayor dale Corvera.

Republic of the Philippines Republic the PRESIDENT Philippines OFFICE OFofTHE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC Notice is hereby given to the public that the Commission on Notice is hereby given to the that theAffairs Commission on Higher Education through the public International Staff will Higher Education the International Affairs Staff will conduct a National through Public Hearing on the Policy Framework conduct a National Public Hearing on theHigher PolicyEducation Framework on the Internationalization of Philippine to on held the Internationalization of Philippine Higher Education to be at the National Institute of Physics, University of the be held at theDiliman, National Institute of on Physics, University the Philippines, Quezon City 24 November 2015offrom Philippines, Diliman, 8:oo AM to 5:oo PM. Quezon City on 24 November 2015 from 8:oo AM to 5:oo PM. The soft copy of the draft can be accessed at www.ched.gov.ph.

The soft copy of the draft can be accessed at www.ched.gov.ph.

Presidents/heads/chairpersons/directors of higher education Presidents/heads/chairpersons/directors of higher as education institutions or their duly authorized representatives, well as institutions or their duly authorized representatives, as well as CHED regional directors, are hereby invited to participate.

CHED regional directors, are hereby invited to participate.

For the purpose of logistical efficiency, representation is limited Forone the(1) purpose efficiency, is limited to person of perlogistical institution.

Food willrepresentation be provided during the to one (1) person per institution. Food will be provided during the activity. activity.

Participants must confirm their attendance with the IAS through Participants mustand/or confirmias@ched.gov.ph their attendance with through (02) 441.0750 on the or IAS before 16 (02) 441.0750 November 2015.and/or ias@ched.gov.ph on or before 16 November 2015.

MINELLA C. ALARCON, Ph.D. MINELLA C. ALARCON, Ph.D. Commissioner Commissioner Officer-in-Charge Officer-in-Charge Office of the Chairperson Office of the Chairperson 04 November 2015 04 November 2015 Higher Education Development Center Buildhg, C.P. Garcia Ave., UP Campus, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines Web Site: www.ched.qov.ph Tel. Nos. 441-1177 ,441-1168, 441-1172, 441-1143, 441-1173,355,3895, 441-1216 Higher Education Development Center Buildhg,4418910.

C.P. Garcia Ave., UP Campus,441-1169.

Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines 441-0750.

988-0002.

441-1170441-1220.441-6995.

441-1235 Web Site: www.ched.qov.ph Tel. Nos. 441-1177 ,441-1168, 441-1172, 441-1143, 441-1173,355,3895, 441-1216 (TS-NOV. 13, 2015 441-0750. 988-0002. 441-1170- 4418910. 441-1220.441-6995. 441-1169. 441-1235

(TS-NOV. 13, 2015

REIGNING titlist National University routed University of the Philippines, 8739, Wednesday to move to just one win away from an outright Finals stint in the UAAP Season 78 women’s basketball tournament at the Blue Eagle gym.

Afril Bernardino had another solid outing, as the last season’s MVP finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds and four assists, while Shelley Gupilan added 15 points as the Lady Bulldogs extended their winning run to 13 games and 29 since last season.

Camille Claro delivered the key baskets down the stretch as De La Salle, bracing for its muchanticipated rematch with NU, hacked out a 63-58 victory over Ateneo.

The Lady Archers rose to 12-1 and will seek to derail the Lady Bulldogs’ bid for another doubleround elimination round sweep on Sunday at the Katipunan venue.

Ara Abaca came through with 16 points, Alyanna Vergara had 14 points and Ana Castillo had a doubledouble effort of 10 points and 10 rebounds for La Salle, which won 12 straight after dropping its season opener to NU. University of the East and University of Santo Tomas, meanwhile, zeroed in for the third semifinal berth after prevailing over their respective foes.

Ruthlaine Tacula shot 20 points, while Eunique Chan added 12 points and 15 rebounds as the Lady Warriors crushed Adamson University, 67-42, while Candice Magdaluyo came through with 17 points while Bettina Penaflor chipped in 14 points and 12 rebounds as the Tigresses downed also-ran Far Eastern University, 66-53.

F R I DAY : N O V E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Donaire to spar in Puerto Rico today

By Ronnie Nathanielsz FIVE-DIVISION world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” will spar later today in Puerto Rico on the eve of his press conference to formally announce his World Boxing Organization super bantamweight title fight against tough Mexican Cesar Juarez, who is ranked No.1, one slot ahead of Nonito.

Team Donaire arrived in Puerto Rico sometime around 11 a.m., which was almost midnight in Manila.

His father/trainer Dodong Donaire told The Standard/ boxingmirror.com that Nonito would spar later in the day with Fidel Navarette of Highland, Indiana, with whom he has been sparring in Las Vegas.

“Nonito is doing fine. He is good,” Dodong said.

The commitment of Donaire could be gauged by the fact that he brought in his sparring partner Navarette and that they would spar later today.

His father/trainer described Navarette as “tough and a little

Chinese, Indian bets share lead in PH chessfest SUBIC—International Master Chen Lin of China toppled Russian Grandmaster Vladimir Belous in the fifth round to climb into a two-way tie for the lead with top seed Abijheet Gupta of India halfway into the 2015 Philippine International Chess Championship at the Subic Peninsular Hotel here in Olongapo City.

Standings after five rounds (Open Division)—Gupta (IND), Lin (CHI) 4.0, Demchenko (RUS), Zubov (UKR), Sivuk (UKR), Shomoev (RUS), Lu (CHI), Deepan (IND) 3.5, Nguyen (VIE), Sinulduth (IND), Savchenko (RUS), Nolte (PH), Abelgas (PH), 3.0, Torre (PH), Laylo (PH), Antonio (PH), Smirnov (RUS), Bitoon (PH), Ranola (PH), Bersamina (PH), Gotel (PH) 2.5, Mosharov (RUS), Sean (INA), Kotanjian (ARM), Pascua (PH), Rohan (IND) 2.0, Puranik (IND), Frayna (PH), Dimakiling (PH) 1.5.

Challenger Division (after four rounds)—Mirano K., Salgados, Morado, Mendoza 3.5 points, Alora, Miciano, Aviles, Mirano J., Diaz 3.0, Pradas, Rapanot, Salcedo, Ricana 2.5, Evangelista, Lim, Pidor, Marimla, Doroy, Medina, Morsalim S., 2.0, Bagamasbad, Morsalim M., Bernardo, Graspela, Cerezo 1.5.

The 27-year-old, 10th-ranked Lin, one of the highest-rated IMs in the world with an Elo rating of 2520, outplayed the no. 6 seed Belous in 50 moves of the Anglo-Slav Variation of the English Opening to bring his total to four points in a tie with Gupta at the top.

Gupta, the 2008 World Junior chess champion, sustained his win streak by outlasting erstwhile co-leader GM Anton Demchenko of Russia in a marathon 105 moves of a Sicilian at the top board.

The other Chinese bet, GM Shanglei Lu, also gained headway following a 30move dismantling of Filipino IM Yves

Ranola in the Anglo-Dutch Variation of the English Opening to improve to 3.5 in a tie with no. 2 seed Ukranian GM Alexander Zubov, fellow Ukranian GM Vitaly Sivuk, GM Anton Shomoev of Russia and GM Chakkravarthy Deepan of India.

Lin will take on Zubov while Gupta battles Russia’s Shomoev in the sixth round late Thursday.

Local campaginers IM Rolando Nolte and National Master Roel Abelgas, meanwhile, managed to keep the Filipinos’ bid on track by beating their higher-rated opponents and improve their score to 3.0 in a tie with three other foreign bets in the tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, the Philippine Olympic Committee, Puregold, Asian united Bank and Burlington Socks.

The 23rd-ranked Nolte, who topped the Selangor Open held in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia last May, upended GM Mikhail Mosharov, the no. 7 seed, after 50 moves of the Spanish Game of the Ruy Lopez opening, while former PCU-Dasmarinas standout and 30th seed Abelgas turned back no. 20 IM Wishand Cuhendi Sean of Indonesia after 47 moves of a Kingside Fianchetto of the Indian Game.

Also with three points are Vietnamese GM Doc Hoa Nguyen, GM Narayanan Sinulduth Lyna of India and GM Boris Savchenko of Russia.

Lady Slammers score 7th win

By Peter Atencio A SIZZLING second-set attack did it for the Philips Gold Lady Slammers yesterday in the Philippine Super Liga Women’s Grand Prix 2015 Women’s Volleyball Tournament at the Arena in San Juan.

The Lady Slammers took control after unleashing a pivotal 9-0 run in the second set, setting them up for a 25-22, 25-14, 25-23 stopping of the Cignal HD Spikers.

Bojana Todorovic pow-

Games Saturday (La Salle-Lipa) 1 p.m. Petron vs Foton 3 p.m. Meralco vs RC Cola

ered the Lady Slammers to the top spot in the standings with 19 hits, making 18 of them on attacks.

The Lady Slammers picked up their seventh win in nine games and are now ahead of the Petron Blaze Spikers (6-2).

A pair of drop shots from Lindsay Dowd and an ace from Michelle Gumabao allowed Philips Gold

and is coming off a 12-round unanimous decision win over Juan Carlos Sanchez Jr. in a clash for the vacant WBO International title last July 25 after he dropped Sanchez Jr. in the 10th round.

However, Juarez lost by a majority decision to Hugo Partida in a WBC FECARBOX Interim title fight on Feb. 2, 2013.

Partida was same fighter, who was dropped three times in the opening round by undefeated Prince Albert Pagara on June 21, 2014 in a battle for the IBF Intercontinental super bantamweight title.

bit taller and he gave Nonito good work to make sure he is in shape and he is about 70 percent right now. Nonito cannot relax against Juarez because he has power, too, and he is coming to fight. “ The trainer underscored the fact that Nonito is a different fighter from the recent past, pointing out that “he is really fast this time, handspeed, legs are there. That’s why I am looking forward to a showdown with Vasily Lomachenko, but we have to finish this job first.”

The 24-year-old Juarez has a record of 17-3 with 13 knockouts

to shatter a 5-all deadlock and move far ahead with a 9-0 blast.

“We expected this. The girls were confident because we prepared against them,” said Philips coach Francis Vicente.

The Lady Slammers handily took the first set following a spike from Todorovic and an error at the net by Cherry Vivas, 25-22.

Amanda Anderson and Neome Mullenberg led Cignal with 14 and 13 points.

They have a 6-3 slate in third.

SCN FORM NO. 1 (R.A. NO. 9139)

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON NATURALIZATION IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF VAN ARNOLD UY CHUNG to be naturalized as Filipino citizen pursuant to Republic Act No. 9139.

x-------------------------- x

SCN CASE NO. 000607

PETITION Pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 9139, petitioner hereby submits a petition for naturalization to become a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines and respectfully declares: 1. My full name is Van Arnold Uy Chung , but I have also been known since childhood as N.A. or I have been judicially authorized to use the alias name(s) N.A. .

2. My present place of residence is 1679 Tayuman St., Sta. Cruz City/Municipality of Manila, Province of and all my former places of residence are (please indicate periods of residence) 40 West Point Cubao, Quezon City (since birth until 1996) 3. I was born on 13 June 1973, in Quezon City, Philippines.

I have been a resident of the Philippines since birth. At present, I am a citizen or subject of People’s Republic of China.

4. My father's name is Valentino Chung and he was born on 02 January 1949, in Manila. He is a citizen or subject of People’s Republic of China. My mother's name is Lydia Ng Uy Poot and she was born on 01 June 1953 in Caloocan. She is a citizen or subject of People’s Republic of China.

5. My trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is businessman and from which I derive an average annual income of P10,122,471.22, inclusive of bonuses, commissions and allowances. My wife's/husband's trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is businesswoman and from which she derives an average annual income of P 10,122,471.22.

(Where the above does not apply): I am exempt from the requirement of lucrative trade or occupation and from submitting income tax returns for the past three (3) years because I am a college degree holder [please state (1) degree obtained: N.A., (2) name of school: N.A. and (3) years graduated: N.A.] who cannot practice my profession (the practice of which requires a government licensure examination) by reason of my citizenship.

6. My civil status is married , I was married on 30 April 1998 in Caloocan City. My wife's/husband's name is Angelina O. Delos Santos and she/he was born on 02 Jan. 1975 in Manila . She/he is a citizen or subject of Philippines and presently resides at 1679 Tayuman St., Sta. Cruz, Manila .

7. I am legally separated from my spouse; my marriage was annulled, per decree of legal separation/annulment dated N.A. granted by N.A.. (please indicate the particular court which granted the same). I am a widower/widow and my spouse died on N.A. in N.A..

8. I have two (2) child/children, whose names, dates and places of birth and residences are as follows:

Name Date of Birth Place of Birth Residence 1679 Tayuman St., Sta. Gian Gabriel 21 Feb. 1997 Manila Gian Timothy 19 Apr. 2002

Cruz, Manila

Manila

same as above

9. I received my primary and secondary education from the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality:

Name of School

Place of School

Dates of Study

Philippine Cultural High School Philippine Cultural High School University of Santo Tomas

Manila

1983-1988

Highest Grade Completed Elementary

Manila

1988-1992

High School

Manila

1992-1997

Fourth Year

10. I am able to read, write and speak Filipino and/or any of the following dialects of the Philippines: 11. I have enrolled my minor children of school age in the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philipine History, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality:

Name of Child Gian Timothy

Name and Place of School UNO High School, Manila

Date of Enrollment June 2015

12. I shall never be a public charge. I am of good moral character.

I believe in the principles underlying the Philippine Constitution.

I have conducted myself in a proper and irreproachable manner during the entire period of my residence in the Philippines in my relations with the constituted government as well as with the community in which I am living. I mingled socially with Filipinos and have evinced a sincere desire to learn and embrace the customs, traditions and ideals of the Filipino people. I have all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications under Republic Act No. 9139.

LOTTO RESULTS

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

I am not opposed to organized government or affiliated with any association or group of persons who uphold and teach doctrines opposing all organized governments. I am not defending or teaching the necessity or propriety of violence, personal assault or assassination for the success and predominance of one's ideas.

I am not a polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy.

I have not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude.

I am not suffering from mental alienation or from any incurable contagious disease. The country of which I am a citizen or subject is not at war with the Philippines and grants to Filipinos the right to be naturalized citizens or subjects thereof.

13. It is my true and honest intention to become a citizen of the Philippines and to renounce absolutely and forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, and, particularly, to People’s Republic of China of which at this time I am a citizen or subject. I will reside continuously in the Philippines from the date of the filing of this petition up to the time of my admission to Philippine citizenship.

14. My character witnesses are Mr. Alfonso Delos Santos and Ms. Alota Ong both Filipino citizens, of legal age, and residing at 1679 Tayuman St., Sta. Cruz, Manila and 914 T. Alonzo St., Sta. Cruz, Manila respectively, who have executed sworn statements attached hereto in support of my instant petition, together with: (a) brief biographical data about themselves; (b) detailed statements on the dates they first came to know me, the circumstances of our initial acquaintance and the reasons and extent of our continuing familiarity; and (c) the number of times they have acted as character witnesses in other petitions for naturalization.

15. Attached hereto as annexes and made part of this petition are the duplicate originals or certified photocopies of the following documents (please check the appropriate box): [ / ] a. Petitioner's birth certificate [ / ] b. Petitioner's alien certificate of registration (ACR) [ / ] c. Petitioner's native-born certificate of residence (NBCR) [ / ] d. Petitioner's marriage certificate, if married [ ] e. Death certificate of his/her spouse, if widowed [ ] f. Court decree annulling his/her marriage or granting legal separation, if such was the fact [ / ] g. Birth certificates of petitioner's minor children [ ] h. ACRs of petitioner's minor children [ ] i. NBCRs of petitioner's minor children [ / ] j. Affidavits of financial capacity by the petitioner, duly supported by bank certifications, passbooks, stock certificates, or proof of ownership of other properties [ / ] k. Affidavits of at least two (2) credible witnesses who must be Filipino citizens of good reputation in petitioner's place of residence [ / ] l. Medical certificate from a government hospital stating that petitioner is not suffering from mental alienation or a user of prohibited drugs or otherwise a drug dependent and that he/she is not afflicted with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), or any incurable contagious disease. [ / ] m. School diploma and transcript of records of the petitioner from the school/s he or she attended in the Philippines [ / ] n. Certifications stating that petitioner's minor children are enrolled in public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the DECS, where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality [ ] o. Petitioner's income tax returns for the past three years [ ] p. Petitioner's receipts of payment of income tax for the past three years 16. Other documents submitted by the petitioner in support of his/her petition: 2014 Income Tax Return 2013 Income Tax Return 2012 Income Tax Return Drug Test Report Psychiatric Report Barangay Clearance NBI Clearance Police Clearance

Laboratory Report (HIV Test) Regional Trial Court Clearance Metropolitan Trial Court Clearance Office of the City Prosecutor Clearance Affidavit of Loss Form 137-Elementary Form 137-Elementary Certification (Philippine Cultural College) PRAYER

WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed that petitioner be conferred Philippine citizenship pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No, 9139.

Dated at Makati City, Metro Manila, this day

of

, 20

.

VAN ARNOLD UY CHUNG Name and Signature of Petitioner Address: A 1679 Tayuman St., Sta. Cruz, Manila Telephone Number:0918-927-7853 Number: 7853

Right Thumbmark of Petitioner Petitioner's signature and right thumbmark

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) CITY/MUNICIPALITY OF PASIG) S.S. I, VAN ARNOLD UY CHUNG of legal age and a resident of 1679 Tayuman St., Sta. Cruz, Manila, after being duly sworn, depose and say that I am the petitioner herein, that I have read the foregoing petition and know the foregoing petition and known the contents thereof, and that the same is true of my own knowledge.

VAN ARNOLD UY CHUNG Name ame and Signature of Petitioner SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me at Pasig City this 28th day of September, 2015.

DOC. No. 349 PAGE No. 71 BOOK No. I SERIES OF 2015

(TS-NOV. 13, 20, 27, 2015)

MARK ERWIN C. CASTILLO NOTARY OTARY PUBLIC-CITY OF PASIG Appointment No. 196 (2015-2016) valid until 31 December 2016 Roll of Attorneys No. 61821 IBP No. 983033-Manila IV PTR No. 380235 o1 January 2015 City of Pasig MCLE Compliance No.-Governing Board Order 1, s-2008

F R I DAY : N O V E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 5

A16

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 New leader.

Players of Philips Gold celebrate after scoring a point against Cignal in the Philippine Super Liga Women’s Grand Prix 2015 Women’s Volleyball Tournament at The Arena. The Lady Slammers won, 25-22, 25-14, 25-23, for their seventh win in nine games and are now ahead of Petron (6-2). (Story on A15) ROMAN PROSPERO

Painters seek 4 straight win th

By Jeric Lopez

LEAGUE-LEADING Rain or Shine aims to extend its rousing start as it shoots for a fourth straight victory in the resumption of the 2015 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup. However, this won’t be an easy task for the Elasto Painters (3-0) as they will be tested by a streaking and confident GlobalPort (2-1) at 7 p.m. in the main event at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City today.

In the appetizer, NLEX (2-1) tries to get back on track when it squares off with still winless Mahindra (0-3) in the 4:15 p.m. opener.

Despite missing the services of superstar Paul Lee due to injury, Rain or Shine is showing the entire league its firepower as it is still playing at a high-level en route to this undefeated start.

Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao explained why his squad is enjoying this dazzling start.

“The guys are putting on a good effort in helping each oth-

7 col x 10 cm

How do you want your news served today? www.thestandard.com.ph

er out, that’s why we’re having a good start,’’ said Guiao. “Nagtutulungan talaga kami in the absence of Paul (Lee) and we’re hoping to keep this up.’’

The Elasto Painters were in a beast mode when they dealt defending champion San Miguel Beer a 99-84 beating last week in a battle of powerhouses.

But Rain or Shine needs to be wary of the dynamic three-guard combo of GlobalPort stars Terrence Romeo, Stanley Pringle and Joseph Yeo. That triumvirate is responsible for the Batang Pier’s two-win run, showcasing effective scoring and playmaking abilities. They were vital in GlobalPort’s 105-91 over-

time victory over Barako Bull last Sunday.

Batang Pier coach Pido Jarencio even emphasized the importance of this meeting with Rain or Shine.

“Importante sa amin itong game versus Rain or Shine. May mission itong team to win and we’re taking it one day at a time,’’ he said. “Maganda iyong preparation namin for this game against Rain or Shine kasi we got tested in our last game.’’

Currently, GlobalPort is tied with the Road Warriors and Talk ‘N Text at fourth place and a third straight win will allow the Batang Pier to tie Alaska, San Miguel Beer and Rain or Shine at

Games Friday (Philsports Arena, Pasig City) 4:15 p.m. • NLEX vs. Mahindra 7 p.m. • Rain or Shine vs. GlobalPort

the top of the heap.

The Road Warriors can do the same thing should they triumph over Mahindra.

Following its 2-0 start, NLEX’s streak was snapped last Sunday when it bowed to Star, 97-95, in a tight game.

The Road Warriors will be favored against the Enforcers, who are yet to win a game after three tries.

Mahindra was tripped by the Aces, 98-94, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates last week.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

B1

FRIDAY: NOVEMBER 13, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

Apec finance network.

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation delegates, led by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima (center in white), gather at Dusit Hotel, Makati City, for the launch of the Financial Infrastructure Development Network, a multi-sectoral body that aims to push for initiatives and policies meant to make credit and other financial services more accessible to micro, small, and medium enterprises. FIDN members include governments from Apec member-economies, the business sector represented by the Apec Business Advisory Council and development partners led by the International Finance Corp. of the World Bank Group.

San Miguel ready to construct MRT 7

By Darwin G. Amojelar

SAN Miguel Corp. said Thursday it is ready to start by the first quarter of 2016 the construction of the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 that will link Quezon City and San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan.

San Miguel president Ramon Ang said unit Universal LRT Corp. already hired a contractor and suppliers and would submit the financial closing for the project to the government next month.

“I think we are ready to submit the financial closing of MRT 7 to DoTC [Department of Transportation and Communications] by December. It’s all set. We already have contractor and suppliers,” Ang said.

San Miguel, through unit

San Miguel Holdings Corp., is a majority-owner of Universal LRT Corp., the proponent of the $1.55-billion MRT 7 project. San Miguel finalized a deal to acquire 51 percent of Universal LRT in October 2010.

Construction of MRT 7 has been delayed for more than six years, because of the proponent’s failure to secure a performance undertaking from the Finance Department.

A performance undertaking is a requirement for financial clo-

sure of a project that would be financed by official development assistance.

The performance undertaking represents a financial guarantee and recognition of the obligation of the Philippine government through the Transportation Department under the concession agreement, particularly the remittance of semi-annual amortization payment in favor of ULC. ULC received the performance undertaking for the MRT7 project from the government in October 2014.

The issuance of the performance undertaking triggered the obligation of ULC to achieve financial closing within 18 months from the date of receipt of the PU. Ang said the financial closure was expected in December 2015, which would pave the way for the start of the project’s construction.

MRT 7 involves the construction of a 22.8-kilometer rail system from North Avenue at the corner of Edsa in Quezon City, passing through Commonwealth Avenue, Regalado Avenue and Quirino Highway up to the proposed intermodal transportation terminal in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan. The project will cover 14 stations.

It also includes the construction of a 22-kilometer road that will connect to North Luzon Expressway near the Bocaue exit.

The railway is expected to serve some 2 million commuters in the northern parts of Quezon and Caloocan cities and the towns of Bulacan province.

ULC also plans to develop 900,000 square meters of commercial space in San Jose del Monte throughout the concession period.

BSP keeps interest rates steady amid low inflation

By Julito G. Rada THE Monetary Board, the policy-making body of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, on Thursday kept the benchmark borrowing and lending rates unchanged for the ninth time since October last year, amid a low-inflation environment.

Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said key policy rates were kept at 4 percent for overnight borrowing and 6 percent for overnight lending.

The special deposit accounts and reserve requirement ratios were also left untouched “The Monetary Board’s decision is based on its assessment of inflation dynamics and the risks to the inflation outlook over the policy horizon. Latest baseline

forecasts continue to indicate that inflation could settle below the target range of 2 to 4 percent for 2015,” Tetangco said.

“However, notwithstanding the recent low inflation readings, inflation is projected to return steadily to a path consistent with the inflation target for 2016 to 2017, given the foreseen adverse weather conditions and the pending petitions for utility rate increases,” Tetangco said.

While China and Singapore have eased monetary policy in recent weeks to boost flagging growth, many emerging nations in Southeast Asia are holding fire to support currencies that are vulnerable to capital outflows should US rates rise. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen and her colleagues have signaled that a

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

rate increase at their December meeting was on the table, and the peso slumped to a six-year low this week.

“The concern is: what sort of volatility will the Fed action create?” Gundy Cahyadi, an economist at DBS Group Holdings Ltd. in Singapore, said before the BSP decision. “Central banks will play a cautious approach and in the Philippines, there is no urgent need to move interest rates for now. While there isn’t a huge risk of capital outflows, the peso is playing catch up with the weakness of regional currencies.”

Tetangco said inflation expectations remained anchored within the inflation target band. The Monetary Board also considered the risks to the inflation outlook

to be broadly balanced.

Tetangco said potential upside pressures could come from the impact of protracted El Niño dry weather conditions on food prices and utility rates. Downside risks could arise from possible slower-than-expected global economic activity.

“The Monetary Board also observed that domestic demand conditions have stayed firm, as business and consumer sentiment continue to be buoyant and domestic liquidity remains adequate. In addition, the Monetary Board noted that the challenging external environment and uneven growth prospects in advanced and key emerging economies supported a steady policy setting,” Tetangco said.

PSe comPoSite index Closing November 12, 2015

8000 7700 7400 7100 6800 6500

6,909.82 73.90

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing NOVEMBER 12, 2015 43.50 44.60 45.40

P46.980

46.20

CLOSE

47.00

HIGH P46.880 LOW P47.110 AVERAGE P46.993 VOLUME 964.500M

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 Thursday, November 12, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

47.1310

Japan

Yen

0.008140

0.3836

UK

Pound

1.521600

71.7145

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129022

6.0809

Switzerland

Franc

0.994926

46.8919

Canada

Dollar

0.754091

35.5411

Singapore

Dollar

0.704722

33.2143

Australia

Dollar

0.705617

33.2564

Bahrain

Dinar

2.659433

125.3417

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266681

12.5689

Brunei

Dollar

0.702247

33.0976

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000074

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.027894

1.3147

UAE

Dirham

0.272309

12.8342

Euro

Euro

1.074100

50.6234

Korea

Won

0.000865

0.0408

China

Yuan

0.157072

7.4030

India

Rupee

0.015139

0.7135

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.229358

10.8099

New Zealand

Dollar

0.655480

30.8934

Taiwan

Dollar

0.030574

1.4410 Source: PDS Bridge

FRIDAY: NOVEMBER 13, 2015

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Thursday, November 12, 2015

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low 7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 4.2 17 30.45 10.4 2.6 1.01 100 30.5 75 91.5 57 180 124 3.26 47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 20.6 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 2.89 31.8 109 15.3 9.4 0.98 241 4 33.9 90 13.26 293 5.25 12.98 6.75 15 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 238 3.28 0.315 2.18 2.65 234 1.3 2.17 0.59 59.2 30.05 7.39 3.4 3.35 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 3.68 4.92 0.66 1455 76 9.25 0.85 17.3 0.71 5.53 6.55 0.0670 2.31 1.61 2.99 84.9 3.5 974 1.66 1.39 390 156 0.710 0.435 0.510 10.5 1.99 41.4 5.6

STOCKS

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 2.7 2.7 49.25 47.4 102.00 100.00 85.50 84.40 40.2 39.85 2.51 2.39 1.70 1.55 15.6 15.58 19.24 19.16 7.55 7.55 1.65 1.62 0.530 0.500 85 80.7 18.00 17.80 23.50 23.50 52.75 52.35 33.1 32 138.9 137 57.00 56.95 3 3 INDUSTRIAL 35.9 Aboitiz Power Corp.

41 41.3 40.4 1.11 Agrinurture Inc. 1.9 2.29 1.89 1.01 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 0.85 0.88 0.88 1.86 Alsons Cons.

1.57 1.6 1.57 7.92 Asiabest Group 11 11 10.28 15.32 Century Food 18 18 17.7 10.08 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 21.3 21.7 20.65 29.15 Concepcion 44 44 42.75 1.5 Crown Asia 2.48 2.5 2.4 1.5 Da Vinci Capital 1.58 1.63 1.5 10.72 Del Monte 9.98 10.22 9.9 9.55 DNL Industries Inc. 9.000 9.300 9.03 9.04 Emperador 8.98 9.15 8.81 6.02 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 6.05 6.18 5.88 8.86 EEI 5.97 6.11 5.70 1.06 Euro-Med Lab 1.8 1.79 1.69 20.2 First Gen Corp.

23 23.7 22.9 71.5 First Holdings ‘A’ 68.15 71 68.15 13.24 Holcim Philippines Inc. 14.40 14.46 14.20 5.34 Integ. Micro-Electronics 6.19 6.15 6.02 0.395 Ionics Inc 2.100 2.250 2.060 204.00 204.60 203.20 173 Jollibee Foods Corp.

LBC Express 12.5 12.5 12.5 1.63 Mabuhay Vinyl 3.01 3.05 3.01 23.35 Manila Water Co. Inc. 23.95 24.05 23.9 17.3 Maxs Group 23 23.7 22.9 5.88 Megawide 6.37 6.37 6.34 250.2 Mla. Elect. Co `A’ 343.80 343.20 319.00 3.87 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 4.14 4.18 4.14 8.45 Petron Corporation 8.05 8.18 7.98 3 Phil H2O 3.6 3.4 3.2 10.04 Phinma Corporation 11.96 11.40 11.40 3.03 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 3.70 3.69 3.69 1.95 Phoenix Semiconductor 1.99 2.05 1.99 1 Pryce Corp. `A’ 2.38 2.45 2.36 4.02 RFM Corporation 4.12 4.13 4.12 161 San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ 131.8 134 133 1.55 Splash Corporation 2.16 2.23 2.15 0.138 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.148 0.154 0.149 1.02 TKC Steel Corp.

1.14 1.12 1.07 2.09 Trans-Asia Oil 2.09 2.15 2.05 152 Universal Robina 201 205 201 0.640 Vitarich Corp.

0.67 0.67 0.67 Vulcan Ind’l.

1.20 1.25 1.19 1.2 HOLDING FIRMS 0.44 Abacus Cons. `A’ 0.390 0.400 0.390 48.1 Aboitiz Equity 56.6000 56.8500 56.0000 20.85 Alliance Global Inc. 18.20 18.40 17.82 6.62 Anscor `A’ 6.40 6.50 6.35 0.23 ATN Holdings A 0.255 0.265 0.255 0.23 ATN Holdings B 0.250 0.27 0.250 634.5 Ayala Corp `A’ 749 770 729 7.390 Cosco Capital 7.34 7.39 7.3 12.8 DMCI Holdings 13.18 13.48 12.88 2.6 F&J Prince ‘A’ 4.5 5.68 4.76 1.15 F&J Prince ‘B’ 4.5 5.24 5 2.26 Filinvest Dev. Corp.

3.60 3.95 3.95 0.152 Forum Pacific 0.250 0.240 0.223 837 GT Capital 1323 1360 1323 49.55 JG Summit Holdings 71.70 73.55 71.30 4.84 Lopez Holdings Corp.

7.27 7.4 7.1 0.59 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 0.75 0.75 0.73 12 LT Group 13.88 14.08 13.8 0.580 Mabuhay Holdings `A’ 0.52 0.52 0.51 4.2 Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. 5.25 5.35 5.2 4.5 Minerales Industrias Corp. 9.5 9.64 9.45 0.0340 0.030 Pacifica `A’ 0.0400 0.0430 1.23 Prime Media Hldg 1.400 1.440 1.400 0.550 Prime Orion 1.910 1.920 1.900 2.26 Republic Glass ‘A’ 2.7 2.6 2.5 59.3 San Miguel Corp `A’ 47.70 47.50 46.80 1.5 Seafront `A’ 2.69 2.69 2.68 751 SM Investments Inc. 854.50 872.00 854.00 1.13 Solid Group Inc. 1.19 1.20 1.16 0.93 South China Res. Inc. 0.75 0.75 0.75 170 Transgrid 161.00 161.00 160.00 80 Top Frontier 77.350 78.000 77.300 0.211 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.3300 0.3300 0.3250 0.179 Wellex Industries 0.2290 0.2180 0.2180 0.310 Zeus Holdings 0.280 0.280 0.255 PROPERTY 6.74 8990 HLDG 6.730 7.070 6.730 0.65 A. Brown Co., Inc. 0.87 0.94 0.85 30.05 Ayala Land `B’ 34.800 35.500 33.850 3.36 Belle Corp. `A’ 3.14 3.21 3.14 2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.97 1.68 12.02 19.6 6.12 1.02 0.225 78 17.8 58 62 41 118.2 59 2.65

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

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

SHARES 6,589,691 80,787,854 1,242,091,896 366,066,509 103,474,447 1,141,874,442 2,947,019,249

2.7 49.2 100.50 84.35 39.95 2.50 1.57 15.6 19.18 7.52 1.63 0.500 84.5 18.00 23.50 52.35 32 136.1 56.70 3.01

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

2.7 49.25 100.00 85.40 39.85 2.39 1.70 15.58 19.18 7.55 1.63 0.500 80.7 17.90 23.50 52.35 32.9 138 57.00 3

0.00 0.10 -0.50 1.24 -0.25 -4.40 8.28 -0.13 0.00 0.40 0.00 0.00 -4.50 -0.56 0.00 0.00 2.81 1.40 0.53 -0.33

4,000 36,000 2,019,790 1,814,730 31,300 6,000 17,000 1,200 17,200 1,000 10,000 677,000 1,550,770 77,700 5,000 4,700 79,600 167,480 65,900 3,000

40.4 2.29 0.88 1.59 11 17.98 21.45 43.8 2.46 1.55 10.22 9.230 9.09 6.05 6.03 1.69 23 69.15 14.46 6.04 2.100 204.00 12.5 3.01 23.95 23 6.34 325.00 4.16 7.99 3.4 11.40 3.69 2.01 2.45 4.12 134 2.2 0.150 1.07 2.05 201.2 0.67 1.23

-1.46 20.53 3.53 1.27 0.00 -0.11 0.70 -0.45 -0.81 -1.90 2.40 2.56 1.22 0.00 1.01 -6.11 0.00 1.47 0.42 -2.42 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.47 -5.47 0.48 -0.75 -5.56 -4.68 -0.27 1.01 2.94 0.00 1.67 2.04 1.35 -6.14 -1.91 0.10 0.00 2.50

7,886,900 1,174,000 3,000 136,000 1,600 178,100 2,392,100 44,300 663,000 1,805,000 10,000 4,229,000 4,550,000 19,051,000 275,700 8,000 3,253,300 327,930 75,100 349,200 9,895,000 529,750 26,200 10,000 6,806,600 915,000 11,800 773,790 5,223,000 656,100 24,000 500 1,000 241,000 67,000 350,000 3,630 734,000 4,690,000 51,000 437,000 1,547,260 513,000 677,000

0.390 56.8000 17.82 6.35 0.255 0.270 729 7.38 12.88 4.92 5.24 3.95 0.245 1323 71.30 7.35 0.73 13.88 0.51 5.25 9.58 0.0340 1.400 1.900 2.5 47.00 2.68 854.50 1.18 0.75 160.00 77.600 0.3250 0.2180 0.280

0.00 0.35 -2.09 -0.78 0.00 8.00 -2.67 0.54 -2.28 9.33 16.44 9.72 -2.00 0.00 -0.56 1.10 -2.67 0.00 -1.92 0.00 0.84 -15.00 0.00 -0.52 -7.41 -1.47 -0.37 0.00 -0.84 0.00 -0.62 0.32 -1.52 -4.80 0.00

370,000 2,059,700 886,858.50 2,640,200 -3,250,562.00 15,500 200,000 140,000 288,250 -74,126,500.00 779,700 3,664,652.00 5,352,700 -14,635,446.00 290,000 14,000 -50,750.00 1,000 30,000 140,900 -25,336,805.00 1,520,720 9,053,127.00 4,251,300 -1,841,636.00 34,000 8,097,100 22,700,760.00 480,000 21,940,800 -19,790,098.00 1,933,600 1,183,300,000 389,800.00 95,000 2,634,000 10,000 508,700 -11,443,180.00 21,000 225,490 -162,712,155.00 163,000 30,000 150 8,050.00 620 -25,567.00 820,000 560,000 310,000 13,750.00

7.040 0.87 33.850 3.17

4.61 0.00 -2.73 0.96

2,204,500 6,699,000 4,099,000 579,000

826,695.00 9,945,396 69,156,589.50 -3,955.00

-122,830.00

-34,090,302.50 117,500.00 -178,710.00 -399,460 2,063,859.00

-198,359,085.00 -81,760.00 1,760.00 630,836.00 4,004,535.00 277,775 -24,500.00 4,991,870.00 35,895,266.00 -24,454,292.00 -753,598.00 -6,830,680.00 6,876,212.00 1,013,810.00 484,000.00 -427,820.00 65,489,446.00 14,251,250.00 -1,031,860.00 115,182,142.00 1,582,900.00 1,291,335.00

9,800.00 803,440.00 -53,600.00

-1,050.00 22,577,296.00 -134,000.00

2,104,726.00 -17,400.00 -41,501,750.00 554,020.00

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low 5.59 1.44 1.97 0.201 0.69 10.96 0.97 0.305 2.22 2.1 1.8 5.94 0.180 0.72 8.54 31.8 2.29 21.35 1.06 7.56 1.62 8.59

4.96 0.79 1.1 0.083 0.415 2.4 0.83 0.188 1.15 1.42 1.27 4.13 0.090 0.39 2.69 22.15 1.6 15.08 0.69 3.38 0.83 5.73

10.5 66 1.09 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 12.3 2.6 7.67 4 1700 2720 8.41 1.97 119.5 0.8200 2.2800 12.28 3.32 2.53 3.2 95.5 1 2.46 15.2 0.62 1.040 22.8 6.41 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1

1.97 35.2 0.63 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 10.14 1.6 4.8 2.58 830 1600 5.95 1.23 102.6 0.041 1.200 6.5 1.91 1.01 1.95 3.1 0.650 1.8 6 0.335 0.37 14.54 3 79 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55

STOCKS

Close

Cebu Holdings Century Property City & Land Dev. Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

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

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

11.6 0.85 2.95 10 0.490 1.9

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

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

Discovery World DFNN Inc. Easy Call “Common” FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Island Info ISM Communications Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

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

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Phil. Seven Corp.

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

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

1.14 Yehey

0.0098 5.45 17.24 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.440 0.022 8.2 49.2 4.27 0.020 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9

0.0043 1.72 6.47 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.2160 0.013 3.240 18.96 2.11 0.012 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67

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

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

TA Petroleum

70 553 515 8.21 111 1060 78.95

33 490 480 5.88 101 997 74.5

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F

6.98

0.8900 LR Warrant

15 12.88

3.5 5.95

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

Alterra Capital Makati Fin. Corp.

Xurpas

High

VALUE 519,765,488.38 1,639,168,084.384 1,393,513,712.462 1,873,135,179.16 92,965,0426.42 65,007,791.771 6,517,945,455.576

FINANCIAL 1,544.98 (down) 9.09 INDUSTRIAL 11,227.26 (down) 62.46 HOLDING FIRMS 6,512.10 (down) 43.97 PROPERTY 2,913.10 (down) 66.57 SERVICES 1,551.82 (down) 4.97 MINING & OIL 11,187.96 (up) 38.20 PSEI 6,909.82 (down) 73.90 All Shares Index 4,007.08 (down) 31.95 Gainers:76; Losers: 78; Unchanged: 50; Total: 204

Close

5.1 0.57 0.92 0.124 0.480 20.75 0.880 0.164 1.14 1.65 1.27 4.42 0.083 0.4050 8.41 30.65 1.48 22.00 0.74 7.73 0.920 5.640

5.1 5.1 5.1 0.59 0.57 0.59 0.92 0.91 0.91 0.143 0.125 0.142 0.480 0.470 0.475 22.25 20.85 22.2 0.880 0.880 0.880 0.163 0.163 0.163 1.17 1.14 1.15 1.71 1.68 1.70 1.26 1.22 1.22 4.52 4.42 4.42 0.083 0.080 0.083 0.4150 0.4100 0.4150 8.48 8.48 8.48 30.65 29.60 30.00 1.49 1.46 1.46 21.90 21.25 21.25 0.74 0.74 0.74 7.72 7.38 7.72 0.930 0.900 0.900 5.680 5.450 5.570 SERVICES 7.6 8 7.6 7.8 64.5 66 64.3 64.5 0.560 0.570 0.550 0.550 5.25 5.40 5.03 5.03 0.0520 0.0540 0.0520 0.0540 3.56 3.73 3.48 3.68 86.4 87.4 86.2 86.3 9.51 9.51 9.51 9.51 1.66 1.86 1.8 1.8 5.90 5.99 5.90 5.99 3.86 2.83 2.83 2.83 910 960 960 960 2084 2138 2032 2032 7.34 7.38 7.30 7.37 1.22 1.25 1.23 1.24 68 70.2 69 69.7 0.174 0.177 0.172 0.177 1.3900 1.4000 1.3800 1.3800 8.96 8.99 8.88 8.96 4.58 4.98 4.40 4.47 1.15 1.15 1.15 1.15 2.30 2.20 2.30 2.20 29.90 29.50 23.20 29.50 0.620 0.610 0.600 0.600 2 2 2 2 3.64 3.65 3.59 3.6 0.260 0.260 0.255 0.260 0.700 0.780 0.680 0.680 18.1 18 18 18 4.58 4.79 4.65 4.65 109.00 109.30 109.00 109.00 20.10 20.30 19.90 20.30 1970.00 2040.00 1972.00 1972.00 0.570 0.570 0.550 0.570 1.000 1.030 1.000 1.000 34.00 33.90 33.00 33.10 71.00 71.00 70.85 70.90 6.15 6.40 6.18 6.19 4.50 4.57 4.25 4.25 0.455 0.46 0.440 0.440 1.5 1.71 1.5 1.5 4.25 4.24 4 4.15 0.300 0.310 0.300 0.310 4.290 4.000 4.250 4.080 MINING & OIL 0.0048 0.0052 0.0049 0.0049 2.07 2.13 2.10 2.10 5.15 5.25 5.15 5.15 0.68 0.73 0.7 0.72 0.67 0.67 0.64 0.64 8.50 8.45 8.10 8.40 0.83 0.86 0.83 0.83 0.300 0.300 0.290 0.295 0.189 0.192 0.187 0.192 0.201 0.201 0.201 0.201 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 2.62 2.73 2.62 2.65 7.26 7.47 7.2 7.42 2.88 2.96 2.6 2.93 0.0110 0.0110 0.0100 0.0110 3.88 3.99 3.83 3.99 5.03 5.150 5.100 5.14 1.45 1.480 1.450 1.48 0.0130 0.0130 0.0120 0.0130 137.00 136.90 133.40 136.00 2.3 2.34 2.31 2.33 PREFERRED 64 66 64 66 520 519.5 519.5 519.5 519.5 519.5 519.5 519.5 7.25 7.23 7.1 7.1 109.5 109 109 109 1050 1065 1060 1065 79 82 81 82 79.2 79.2 79.2 79.2 80.15 80.25 80.2 80.25 WARRANTS & BONDS 2.710 2.750 2.710 2.750 SME 4.5 5.3 4.41 4.49 2.75 2.75 2.68 2.68 17.12 17.46 17.1 17.24 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 114.1 115.3 113 113

T op g ainerS STOCKS

Low

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

0.00 3.51 -1.09 14.52 -1.04 6.99 0.00 -0.61 0.88 3.03 -3.94 0.00 0.00 2.47 0.83 -2.12 -1.35 -3.41 0.00 -0.13 -2.17 -1.24

5,200 1,748,000 36,000 75,040,000 1,600,000 5,974,000 1,000 400,000 2,175,000 19,482,000 915,000 30,140,000 210,000 30,000 4,000 4,253,000 203,000 31,364,700 470,000 10,500 416,000 2,755,000

2.63 0.00 -1.79 -4.19 3.85 3.37 -0.12 0.00 8.43 1.53 -26.68 5.49 -2.50 0.41 1.64 2.50 1.72 -0.72 0.00 -2.40 0.00 4.55 -1.34 -3.23 0.00 -1.10 0.00 -2.86 -0.55 1.53 0.00 1.00 0.10 0.00 0.00 -2.65 -0.14 0.65 -5.56 -3.30 0.00 -2.35 3.33 4.17

123,900 9,730 118,000 9,373,200 6,700,000 940,000 168,530 2,000 15,000 43,000 1,000 1,000 89,310 118,400 99,000 1,261,120 1,020,000 1,315,000 97,000 11,044,000 10,000 19,000 400 10,000 10,000 9,721,000 210,000 10,763,000 41,000 25,000 33,750 785,900 109,805 24,000 8,669,000 2,104,900 429,820 1,342,700 12,358,000 16,160,000 5,000 1,300,000 530,000 899,000

2.08 1.45 0.00 5.88 -4.48 -1.18 0.00 -1.67 1.59 0.00 0.00 1.15 2.20 1.74 0.00 2.84 2.19 2.07 0.00 -0.73 1.30

1,090,000,000 5,600.00 21,000 68,100 -52,455.00 554,000 -700.00 394,000 2,400 5,015,000 -17,350.00 500,000 2,200,000 360,000 10,000,000 60,000 2,570,300 -2,651,354.00 19,000 600,000 13,000 -23,280.00 62,500 17,012.00 90,000 29,000,000 246,820 -3,581,727.00 80,000 88,860.00

3.13 -0.10 0.00 -2.07 -0.46 1.43 3.80 0.00 0.12

89,490 2,500 5,000 98,600 200 880 4,930 12,680 26,670

4,921,540.00

1.48

170,000

5,440.00

-0.22 -2.55 0.70

731,000 16,000 5,372,300

23,361,634.00

-0.96

13,170

-165,890.00 -55,400.00 4,750.00 -20,040,335.00 -384,430.00 9,798,020.00 -13,175,730.00

-44,441,885.00 181,836,630.00

1,312,643.00

-14,437,405.00 -53,000.00 3,247,927.50 -19,020.00

960,000.00 -129,941,180.00 2,984,321.50 26,880.00 5,610.00

3,512,220.00 -24,020.00 1,800.00 -61,193.00 -247,815.00 12,355,590.00 -1,140.00 476,710.00 -43,270,010.00 -12,989,539.50 -578,993.00 -14,946,040.00 -1,974,750.00 -166,130.00

-106,500.00

-802,112.50

32,760.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Agrinurture Inc.

2.29

20.53

Easy Call "Common"

2.83

-26.68

F&J Prince 'B'

5.24

16.44

Pacifica `A'

0.0340

-15.00

Crown Equities Inc.

0.142

14.52

Republic Glass 'A'

2.5

-7.41

Filinvest Dev. Corp.

3.95

9.72

TKC Steel Corp.

1.07

-6.14

F&J Prince 'A'

4.92

9.33

Euro-Med Lab

1.69

-6.11

Discovery World

1.8

8.43

Phil H2O

3.4

-5.56

Bright Kindle Resources

1.70

8.28

SSI Group

4.25

-5.56

ATN Holdings B

0.270

8.00

Mla. Elect. Co `A'

325.00

-5.47

Double Dragon

22.2

6.99

Wellex Industries

0.2180

-4.80

Century Peak Metals Hldgs

0.72

5.88

Phinma Corporation

11.40

-4.68

FRIDAY: NOVEMBER 13, 2015

B3

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

Inclusion IT IS mid-November in Metro Manila. On Edsa, the Metro’s main thoroughfare, orange barriers line the lanes meant to prioritize delegates for the 2015 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings. This week, the first of the many meetings among leaders of the 21 member-economies of Apec begin. The theme for Apec 2015 is “Building Inclusive Economies, Building a Better World.”

The APEC 2015 meetings come on the heels of the release of the World Bank’s 2016 Doing Business report, in which the Philippines drops 6 ranks from 97 to 103 (of 188 economies).

Focusing on small Apec 2015 focuses on four key priorities: (a) enhancing the regional economic integration agenda, (b) fostering small and medium enterprises’ participation in regional and global markets, (c) investing in human capital development, and (d) building sustainable and resilient economies.

The heart of the Apec 2015 theme lies in that all-important word: inclusive.

This theme, of course, must be understood within the reality of Apec’s identity as well as current realities.

Like similar organizations, Apec essentially exists to further economic growth of its member-economies through trade and investment liberalization and regional economic integration. Within this essential theme of economic growth, the 2015 theme injects inclusion. In fact, the priority of fostering the participation of small and medium enterprises in regional and global markets is precisely about inclusion.

In September of this year in Iloilo, Apec once again affirmed its efforts to ensure that not only large enterprises benefit from Apec efforts. In Iloilo in September, Apec noted that micro, small and medium enterprises make up over 97 percent of all enterprises and over 70 percent of jobs in Apec.

The thrust towards building sustainable and resilient economies is an acknowledgment that the region’s growth is challenged by disasters, both natural and man-made.

The goal of inclusive growth is particularly nuanced for emerging economies such as the Philippines. Emerging economies are often at the forefront of economic growth. In fact, the Philippines is one of the fastest growing countries in the world, growing double the world average in the period from 2010 to 2014. However, inequity and widespread poverty continues to plague the country.

MSMEs are a particular focus for emerging markets for two reasons. First, every large global enterprise began its life as an MSME. A vibrant MSME sector means that there are many opportunities for those with innovative ideas and entrepreneurial drive to spur growth. Second, MSMEs are indelibly linked to the disadvantaged. A vibrant MSME sector means more jobs for those whom large enterprises would likely pass over.

Enterprise In fact, entrepreneurship is, in general, seen as a key engine for growth for all economies. This explains why one of this current Philippine administration’s key metrics has been the World Bank’s Ease of Doing business measures.

The general theory is that a country that eases business activity is more likely to encourage business investments and hence, higher growth. From the 2011 through the 2015 rankings, the Philippines gained 53 steps in the Doing Business rankings, ending 2015 at 95 (using old methodology) among 189 economies. When the country’s National Competitiveness Council reported the results of the 2015 rankings, it pointed out that the Philippines was number 5 in the Asean. Of course, to those who truly understand this, that ranking was not anything to provoke celebration. In the 2015 rankings, the Philippines was outranked by Singapore (1 worldwide), Malaysia (18), Thailand (26), and even Vietnam (78). In the 2016 rankings, Brunei overtook the Philippines.

In the most recent rankings (2016 report), the Philippines slid to 103 of 188 countries. The country slide in rankings from 2015 to 2016 in virtually every measure except for getting electricity, in which we advanced from rank 21 to 19. The worst slide was for the measure starting a business, where we sank from rank of 157 (never stellar) to 165. The country does particularly badly in the measures of: protecting minority investors (rank 155), enforcing contracts (140), paying taxes (rank 126), registering property (112), and getting credit (112).

CNN reported that Roberto Galang of the International Finance Corp. pointed out that up to 36 tax payments need to be made in any one year. This is only one matter. Imagine then having to manage a small enterprise and having to deal with all of the compliance requirements of this government.

Reality check The reality, of course, is that economic inclusion is about ease of accessing opportunities. There are certain basics—adequate and relatively free basic education, access to health services and basic infrastructure among them. We already know that, except possibly for health, we lag in many of these basics.

Our government does not invest enough in infrastructure. Among our comparators in the region, we have the worst broadband speeds.

Large companies can spread the compliance burden of running a business over a large revenue base. MSMEs cannot. It is MSMEs that are most disadvantaged by the high cost of doing business. This is simple truth.

Interestingly, the Philippine National Competitiveness Council, on its official site, points out methodological changes in the last five years which, it says, makes the doing business measures “confusing and unreliable” for measuring change. One wonders, of course, why these changes did not make the measures “confusing and unreliable” in the years when there where changes but the country’s rankings rose. Notably the Council points to the reduction of the steps and time to set up a business from 16 steps and 34 days to the current 6 steps and 8 days. Someone might wish to remind the Council that there was a time when the country’s aim for the time required to start up a business was one day – which is the world best practice standard.

Yes, of course, it is good that we have had improvements. However, the entire point of comparative rankings is to show what is feasible. Competitiveness is, after all, about comparisons.

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

Asean recognition. Members of the Asean Business Advisory Council Philippines recognize 17 Filipino companies that will vie for the regional Asean Business Awards in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia this month.

The council is led by (front row, second from left) SM Investments Corp. vice chairman Teresita Sy-Coson, Philippine Long distance Telephone Co. chairman Manuel Pangilinan and Interior Basics Export Corp. president Jay Yuvallos (front row, far right). Joining them are PCCI Conference chairman Benedicto Yujuico (front row, far left) and PCCI president Alfredo Yao (front row, second from right).

Bourse approves 3 IPOs worth P26.6b

By Jenniffer B. Austria

THE Philippines Stock Exchange approved three initial public offerings worth P26.6 billion as companies continue to raise funds through the stock market amid volatile market conditions.

The approved IPOs were those of construction firms D.M. Wenceslao & Associates Inc. (P21.7 billion) and Datem Inc. (P4.65 billion) and property developer Italpinas Development Corp (P242 million).

The three companies all plan to list their with the PSE net month.

Italpinas will be the first among the three companies to conduct the offering, according to a posting on the PSE Web site.

Italpinas scheduled the offering period from Nov. 23 to Nov. 27 and tentatively set the listing on

Dec. 7.

Italpinas is selling 57.622 million shares at a price of up to P4.20 apiece.

Datem set its offering period from Nov. 24 to Dec. 1 and the listing date tentatively on Dec. 8.

Datem is offering 286.12 million shares plus 42.92 million shares to cover over-allotment at a price of up to P14.15 apiece.

Datem will have public float of 15 percent and a market capitalization of P27 billion after the initial offering.

D.M. Wenceslao scheduled its public offering from Dec. 4 to

Dec. 10 and the listing date tentatively on Dec. 17.

D.M. Wenceslao is offering 429.17 million primary shares plus 64.375 million in over-allotment option shares at a price of up to P44 apiece.

The exchange so far has approved six IPOs this year, still below the target of 10.

Two—Crown Asia Chemicals and SBS Corp.—have already been listed while Metro Retail Stores Group Inc. is currently in the midst of selling itsshares.

More IPO applications are still pending with the exchange. These are Philstocks Financial Inc., Gweilo Corp., Philippine Primark Properties, TVI Resource Development (Philippines) Inc. and Pointwest Technologies Corp.

The PSE earlier said expected another P100 billion worth of capital-raising activities through the equities market over the nearterm period.

Stock market extends slump for 7th day THE stock market fell for the seventh straight day Thursday, weighed down by down by the specter of a US rate hike next month.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index sank 73.90 points, or 1.1 percent, to P6,909.82 on a value turnover of P6.5 billion. Losers and gainers were even at 77 each, while 50 issues were unchanged.

SM Prime Holdings Inc. of retail tycoon Henry Sy Sr., the biggest integrated property company, dropped 3.4 percent to P21.25, while Manila Electric Co., the largest retailer of electricity, tumbled 5.5 percent to P325 on profit-taking.

Conglomerate Ayala Corp. declined 2.7 percent to P729, while unit Globe Telecom Inc., the second-biggest telecommunications

firm, lost 2.5 percent to P2,032.

Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-largest lender in terms of assets, sank 4.5 percent to P80.70.

Hong Kong, meanwhile, was the stand-out stock market Thursday after five days of losses while Asian traders await a speech from Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen hoping for clues about US interest rates.

Australia’s dollar put on more than one percent against the greenback thanks to a surprise drop in the country’s jobless rate but a recent rally in some other emerging currencies petered out.

The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong surged more than two percent, having given up three percent in the past five outings.

Internet giant and market heavyweight Tencent led the charge after posting record profit for July-September, while IT firm Lenovo surged more than four percent on better-than-forecast earnings.

Most Chinese firms listed in the city were also up, with the index that tracks such firms climbing for the first time in four days on hopes Beijing will introduce new measures to boost the mainland economy.

Traders will be keeping a close watch on Yellen’s comments later Thursday as bets on a December rate hike increase following Friday’s forecast-beating US jobs report that reinforced recent data showing the world’s biggest economy is picking up.

FRIDAY: NOVEMBER 13, 2015

B4

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

IN BRIEF

Ayala’s income rises 72% CONGLOMERATE Ayala Corp. said net income jumped 72 percent in the third quarter to P7.3 billion, on sustained earnings of its telecommunications, real estate and banking units.

The strong-third quarter earnings boosted the conglomerate’s nine-month profit to P17.7 billion, up 26 percent from a year ago.

Given the conglomerate’s financial performance in the first nine months, Ayala Corp. said it was on track to hit the P20-billion net income target this year.

“Our growth trajectory remains strong as we continue to be optimistic about the overall domestic environment,” Ayala Corp. president and chief operating officer Fernando Zobel de Ayala said.

Ayala Corp. said the solid performance was underpinned by the strong double-digit growth in equity earnings contribution from business units, which reached P21.4 billion, up 14 percent from a year earlier.

Real estate arm Ayala Land Inc. earlier reported a 19-percent increase in nine-month net income to P12.8 billion while banking unit Bank of the Philippine Islands registered a net income of P13.8 billion, or 8 percent higher than the previous year. Jenniffer B. Austria

Apec pursues inclusive business THE Philippines’ push for the concept of “inclusive business” in its hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation has spread to industrialized economies including the powerful Group of Twenty.

International Finance Corp. global head for inclusive business Eriko Ishikawa said in a news briefing Thursday that members of the G20 agreed to come up with a platform for inclusive business.

“G20 will come up with a platform for IB within the week,” she said, during a briefing that set the tone for the high-level dialogue held at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City.

She said the high-level group already came up with its own definition of inclusive business, that would be its guidance in adopting inclusive business models.

Trade undersecretary Adrian Cristobal Jr. said Peru, next year’s host of Apec Summit, agreed to continue promoting inclusive business as a major agenda. The Philippines introduced IB to Apec this year.

“Everything in IB is still under discussion. It is important we identify and maybe tweak some measures that will help promote and strengthen IB for companies that are already into this. The continuity of this as a business model plan by APEC will hasten the development of IB in the region,” Cristobal said. Othel V. Campos

Megaworld’s profit drops 56% to P8.4b

By Jenniffer B. Austria

MEGAWORLD Corp., the property unit of tycoon Andrew Tan, said Thursday net income fell 56 percent in the first three quarters to P8.35 billion from P19 billion a year ago, in the absence of large non-recurring gains this year.

The company said minus the P11.62-billion one-time gains posted in 2014, core profit in the nine-month period rose 12.5 percent this year, driven by the expansion of integrated urban townships across the country.

Megaworld said in a disclosure to the stock exchange consolidated revenues grew 10.9 percent in the JanuarySeptember period to P33.53 billion from last year’s P30.24‐billion.

The property firm said the rental business was the fastest growing segment in the first nine months, rising by 24 percent to P6.44 billion from P5.20 billion in the same period last year.

“While we have been successful in our aggressive expansion of our townships across the country, it is time to further build on our recurring income portfolio. We are currently building more office towers and more malls and commercial spaces

in all of our townships. We are certain in reaching our rental income target of P9 billion this year,“ Megaworld chief finance officer Francis Canuto said.

Megaworld’s residential sales continued its growth trajectory, with real estate sales rising 11.5 percent to P20.5 billion.

Megaworld launched five new townships this year, including the 31-hectare Westside City at the Entertainment City in Parañaque City near Manila Bay, the 170-hectare Sta. Barbara Heights in Iloilo and the 35.6‐hectare mixed use development in Pampanga.

It also launched the 53-hectare Northill Gateway and the 34-hectare The Upper East, both in Negros Occidental.

The company will end the year with 20 townships. “Our 20 townships become a testament of our company’s continuing commitment to help build the country. We will continue to build communities that make living, working and playing more convenient and exciting to Filipinos,” Canuto said.

Meanwhile, Emperador Inc., the liquor unit of Alliance Global Inc., the investment company of Tan, said net income grew 3 percent in nine months to P4.7 billion from P4.56 billion recorded in the same period last year.

Nine-month revenues increased 45 percent to P28.86 billion from P19.56 billion, boosted by foreign operations.

“Our company is sowing the seeds of future growth while maintaining its dominance in the local liquor industry,” Emperador president Winston Co said.

French firm explores PH ENGIE Philippines, the local unit of French energy company Engie (formerly GDF Suez), is looking at power generation investments in the country, including liquefied natural gas.

“Engie is a major global player in power generation, and also all along the gas value chain. We have expertise and experience in all LNG domains such as infrastructures, portfolio management, trading and shipping. There is no reason why we would not look closely at gas or LNG in the Philippines,” Engie Philippines chief executive Przemek Lupa said.

Lupa said the company had “strong ambitions in power generation in the Philippines” but it was Engie’s stance “not to develop any coal-based projects going forward.”

He said Engie was keen on investing in the Philippines because of its strong fundamentals and the growing energy demand.

“We believe that the Philippines, with its abundant local talent, young population and growing economy, presents good investment opportunities for our group,” Lupa said.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Metro Pacific earns P7.8b METRO Pacific Investments Corp., the flagship unit of Hong Kong’s First Pacific Co. Ltd., said Thursday net income in the first nine months climbed 30-percent year-on-year, as all core businesses reported strong growth.

Metro Pacific president and chief executive Jose Ma. Lim said earnings and the company’s ability to finance infrastructure investments would have been stronger, if the company had been able to get the much-delayed tariff adjustments for water and toll businesses.

Metro Pacific’s net income in the nine-month period reached P7.8 billion, up from P6 billion a year ago. Core net income also grew 28 percent to P8.2 billion from P6.5 billion in the same period last year.

“We are struggling uphill in toll roads and water against regulators who won’t follow the rules they agreed to themselves. It is no wonder that investment in our great country is lagging behind its needs,” Lim said.

Metro Pacific said the rise in core net income was due mainly to strong traffic growth on all the roads held by Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., increased shareholding in Manila North Tollways Corp. and growth in billed volume of Maynilad Water Services Inc. Jenniffer B. Austria

PLDT supports Apec meetings PHILIPPINE Long Distance Telephone Co. is boosting connectivity at several venues for the high-level Asia-Pacific Economic Council meetings, including the Economic Leaders’ Meeting that will be held in Metro Manila next week.

PLDT has installed facilities to provide up to 8.5 gigabits per second of Internet connectivity and voice solutions needed in major conference venues and host hotels for the 8,000 delegates expected to attend the Apec meetings.

The Philippine International Convention Center complex, where the important meetings will be hosted, has been provisioned with 3 Gbps of fiber connectivity and 100 units of carrier-grade access points to provide seamless delivery of Wi-Fi connectivity for all guests.

The World Trade Center, which serves as the press center for local and international media, has also been connected with an I-Gate service that will serve the connection requirements of the different organizations covering the different conferences.

“We are one with the government in ensuring the success of these important dialogues, and in demonstrating the country’s readiness to host a major conference like the Apec.

We have ensured that our facilities in the Apec venues will support the connectivity requirements of the conference delegates,” said PLDT president and chief executive Napoleon Nazareno.

Global Gateway Development Corp., a company backed by Kuwaiti investors, breaks ground for The AeroPark Campus as a part of its 177-hectare Global Gateway Logistics City in Clark Freeport. Shown during the groundbreaking ceremony are (from third left) GGDC president Michael Russell, Clark International Airport Corp. president and chief executive Emigdio Tanjuatco III, Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, Kuwait Ambassador Waleed Ahmad Al-Kandari, Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda and GGDC chief executive Mark Williams. With them are officials of various companies involved in the development of the AeroPark Campus that will feature 142,000 square meters of retail and office space. RENDY ISIP

$150-m AeroPark set to rise in Clark zone

By Rendy Isip GLOBAL Gateway Development Corp., a company backed by Kuwaiti investors, plans to generate at least 300,000 jobs over the next 10 years in Clark Freeport Zone, as it started the construction of AeroPark Campus as a part of the 177-hectare Global Gateway Logistics City.

GGDC chief executive Mark Williams said GGLC would consist of a town center, business park, logistics park and the AeroPark Campus. Quadrant 1, the first phase of AeroPark Campus, will involve the construction of office buildings with a combined floor area of 142,000 square meters, as well as retail establishments worth a total of $150 million. GGDC is the local operating unit of KGL Investment Company of Kuwait.

“Imagine, there will be over 300,000 empowered consumers who will inject their income back into this regional economy, creating an ever growing dynamic cycle of growth and prosperity.

This land will also house over 5.8 million square meters of perimeter office and logistics space along with supporting retail, hotel and residential properties,” Williams said.

“Above all, it will reinforce the status of Central Luzon as an emerging economic hotspot in both the Philippines and in Asia,” he said.

GGDC president Micheal Russell said the project was designed for optimal fitout for office and business processing outsourcing clients. “Additionally, each building has two floors of retail to service tenants, nearby locators and the local community. Building redundancy/ resiliency measures will include: the use

of N+1 backup power utilizing prime generators and onsite storage of fuel, gas and water to operate continuously for several days,” Russell said.

He said construction of Quadrant 1 would begin by mid-November and was expected to be finished by May 2017.

The AeroPark Campus will occupy 27 hectares of land at the GGLC area, located beside the world-class The Medical City Clark, which was also developed by GGDC. Russel said GGDC tapped leading architectural and engineering firms as well as consultancies and leading contractors to design and build the project. “Clark Freeport Zone is now recognized as one of the top 100 outsourcing destinations in the world, and it is a great honor to serve the Filipinos by building this multi-million project,” Russell said.

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CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Thailand returns rescued orangutans BANGKOK—A group of smuggled orangutans were returned from Thailand to Indonesia on Thursday, following years of diplomatic wrangling over who will care for them after the majority were discovered abandoned on a roadside.

Previous Thai governments sought compensation from Indonesia for the cost of housing and treating the 14 apes, but the junta government in Bangkok recently waived those demands and pushed ahead with the repatriation.

Indonesia sent a C130 aircraft to collect the animals, who were loaded in metal crates onto the plane before taking off from a military airport on the northern outskirts of Bangkok earlier Thursday.

They are expected to arrive in Jakarta at around 0800 GMT, a wildlife official involved in the operation told AFP. “Special care has been taken to ensure that the orangutans are ready to travel,” added Tuenchai Noochdumrong, director of Thailand’s wildlife conservation office, in a statement.

In Jakarta, preparations were under way to greet the returning animals.

“They will be greatly welcomed by the Indonesian government once they arrive back home. It is a homecoming,” Indonesian environment spokesman Eka W Sugiri told AFP, adding the government was very serious about the conservation of orangutans.

Orangutans are native to the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra but they are often illegally smuggled throughout Southeast Asia, either for private zoos or as pets.

The 14 apes, who are traveling to Indonesia with their Thai keeper, will be taken to a safari park in West Java for checks before being reintroduced to the wild, said the Indonesian spokesman.

He added that officials still needed to determine whether the apes came from Borneo or Sumatra.

Despite their reputation as gentle animals, orangutans are not suitable pets. One Thai man lost a finger when one of the rescued apes bit it off.

“It happened [a] long time ago, not during the preparation of this repatriation,” a wildlife official told AFP. AFP

WORLD Police torture still rife in China, says Amnesty BEIJING—The torture of suspects in police detention is widespread in China, Amnesty International said Thursday, citing interviews with nearly 40 lawyers, some of whom said they themselves had been beaten while attempting to protect their clients.

Premiere. Actress Julia Roberts attends the Premiere of STX Entertainment’s “Secret In Their Eyes” at the Hammer Museum on November 11, 2015, in Westwood, California. AFP

Suspects received electric shocks, were punched, kicked, hit with shoes or bottles filled with water, denied sleep and locked in iron chairs forcing them into painful postures for hours on end, the rights group said.

The report, echoing findings by journalists and other rights groups, comes a week before China’s record is set to be scrutinized by the United Nations’ anti-torture committee.

It cited official data as saying that China’s top prosecutorial body received at least 1,321 reports of “extracting confession through torture” from 2008 to the first half of 2015.

But just 279 individuals were convicted of the offense over the same period, the British-based group added.

“For the police, obtaining a confession is still the easiest way to secure a conviction,” said Amnesty researcher Patrick Poon.

“The government seems more concerned about the potential embarrassment wrongful convictions can cause than about curbing torture in detention,” he added.

Fewer than 20 percent of criminal suspects in China have access to lawyers, the group said, making abuses harder to prevent.

Some lawyers representing activists or members of banned religious groups have themselves ended up being tortured, it added.

Beijing lawyer Yu Wensheng said his wrists were shackled behind his back with painfully tight handcuffs during a near 100-day detention in 2014.

“My hands were swollen and I felt so much pain that I didn’t want to live. The police officers repeatedly yanked the handcuffs and I would scream,” Amnesty cited him as saying.

The group mostly spoke to attorneys who specialize in sensitive rights cases, and who the ruling Communist Party see as political opponents.

Of the 37 lawyers the group interviewed, 10 experienced torture or other ill-treatment themselves in incidents dating back to 2010.

Courts regularly admit evidence that has allegedly been extracted by torture, the group said, citing a sample of 590 cases in which allegations of torture were made—with the “confessions” excluded in just

Apple apologizes after students are ejected from store SYDNEY—An Apple manager has apologized to six teenagers of African descent after staff kicked them out of an Australian store citing concerns they “might steal something”, with a video of the incident going viral on Facebook.

The video, recorded by one of the students from Maribyrnong College in the southern city of Melbourne, has been viewed almost 60,000 times after it was posted on Facebook on Tuesday with the caption “simply racism”.

“These guys [security guards] are just a bit

worried about your presence in our store,” an Apple employee at the Highpoint Shopping Center store is heard saying in the footage.

“They are just worried you might steal something.”

When one of the high school students asked why they would steal something, the employee said, “end of discussion, I need to ask you to leave our store”.

Apple Australia confirmed to AFP Thursday that the store’s manager had apologized to the students and their school principal Nick Scott when they returned to

the shopping center on Wednesday.

Scott said it was not the first time his students, who were at the mall dressed in school uniform, were treated in such a manner.

“They were just six kids standing around a table looking at phones,” Scott told Melbourne’s Herald Sun newspaper.

“But if you speak to these kids they say they have experienced this before.

“At Highpoint [shopping mall] two weeks ago they asked to try out some self-propelled scooter and the guy told them, ‘No,

you can’t, legally I can’t let you try it out’.

“They walked away and turned around and another kid was using it.”

Scott told AFP some of the six boys were born in Australia, and had parents who were migrants or refugees. The school itself is located in one of the poorest and most multicultural suburbs in Melbourne, he added.

Scott said he accompanied the students to the store as they were worried, as buyers of Apple products, that they would be banned from the store. AFP

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WORLD

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Talks on Syria to decide its future BEIRUT—The talks on the Syrian conflict in Vienna this weekend will focus on deciding which opposition groups should negotiate with President Bashar al-Assad’s regime and which should be designated as terrorists, sources said Wednesday.

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ERRATUM

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CURRENT QUARTER FROM TO

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Medco Holdings, Inc. TO ALL STOCKHOLDERS: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting of Medco Holdings, Inc. will be held on December 15, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. at Brasserie 21, 21st Floor, Security Bank Centre, 6776 Ayala Avenue, Makati City.

Only stockholders of record in the books of the Corporation at the close of business on November 12, 2015 (record date) will be entitled to vote at the meeting. Please bring some form of identification, such as passport, driver’s license or company I.D. in order to facilitate registration, which will start at 9:00 a.m.

(Sgd.) Dionisio E. Carpio, Jr. Corporate Information Officer 31/F, Rufino Pacific Tower 6784 Ayala Ave., Makati City 811-0465 to 66, 840-3549 (fax) (TS-NOV. 13, 2015)

In Classified Ads section must be brought to our attention the very day the advertisement is published.

We will not be responsible for any incorrect ads not reported to us immediately.

The discussions will bring together around 20 countries and international bodies to hammer out a road map for peace to end Syria’s more than four-year civil war, and diplomats said working level talks are set to begin in advance on Thursday.

Western officials have already dismissed a Moscow-authored political reform plan touted for the meeting—the second in Vienna in less than a month— saying it does not clarify what will happen to Assad.

Previous attempts to end the civil war, which has killed more than 250,000 people and forced millions from their homes, have stumbled over his fate. The West insists he must go, while Russia and Iran support the regime.

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict have gathered pace since Russia launched air strikes in Syria in late September.

Moscow said they are aimed at stopping terrorists in the country, but Western powers have accused Russia of trying to help Assad’s forces and the intervention has further soured already tense relations between the two sides.

Jordanian King Abdullah II on Wednesday criticized the “Cold War mentality” that has hampered previous negotiations involving Russia and the West, saying Moscow is a key player in

Republic of the Philippines

talks to clinch a political solution to the Syrian crisis.

“Working together in Syria allows us to build a block to be able to cope. We must do so together, we help each other. We need to be synchronized,” he said in an interview with television channel Euronews.

A Western source in Beirut told AFP the talks would aim for broad international agreement on opposition representatives to discuss a political transition with Assad’s regime.

“Each country will be able to submit names which will then have to be reduced to between 20 and 25 people to be divided into two commissions, one on political reforms and the other on security,” the source told AFP. A European diplomat said an international preparatory commission will start work Thursday on pulling together the opposition lists, and which should be classified as “terrorist” organizations.

The distinction has been a source of contention between Assad supporters, such as Russia and Iran, and opposition backers in the West and the Arab world.

Russia has submitted a 38-person list, including three former heads of the exiled opposition National Coalition and its current president, Khaled al-Khoja, according to the Western source.

Saudi Arabia had put forward 20 names and Egypt 10, the source said.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif echoed the sentiment, agreeing in a phone call the talks are not a “substitute for negotiations between Syrians,” according to a statement from Moscow.

Neither representatives of the Syrian regime nor opposition groups are expected to attend this stage of the dialogue, and a member of the National Coalition criticized the process.

“Each state wants to send its representatives in the name of the Syrian opposition,” said Samir Nachar.

“It’s regrettable that the choice does not represent the interests of the Syrian people, and this process will not lead to a settlement of the Syrian crisis,” he said.

The United States and its European and Arab allies are demanding that Assad be forced to step down during the transition of power, but Iran and Russia disagree.

Western diplomats have dismissed the Russian plan, presented nearly two weeks ago, with one UN Security Council diplomat describing it as as “back-ofthe-envelope stuff ” and “not the answer”. AFP

Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE

Roxas Boulevard Corner Pablo Ocampo, Sr. Street Manila 1004

Roxas Boulevard Corner Pablo Ocampo, Sr. Street Manila 1004

INVITATION TO BID FOR THE DOF 6TH FLOOR OFFICE RENOVATION (osec-phase 2)

INVITATION TO BID FOR THE DOF 4TH FLOOR OFFICE RENOVATION (LAO OFFICE)

1.

The Department of Finance (DOF), through the General Appropriations Act for CY 2015, intends to apply the sum of FOURTEEN MILLION SIX HUNDERED FORTY FOUR THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED EIGHTY FIVE PESOS (PhP14,644,485.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the DOF 6th Floor Office Renovation (OSEC-PHASE 2).

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

1.

The Department of Finance (DOF), through the General Appropriations Act for CY 2015, intends to apply the sum of ONE MILLION FIFTY ONE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED TWENTY PESOS (PhP 1,051,920.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the DOF 4th Floor Office Renovation (LAO Office). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2.

The DOF, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), now invites Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) registered contractors to apply for eligibility and to bid for the bids for the DOF 6th Floor Office Renovation (OSEC-Phase 2). Completion of the Works is ninety (90) calendar days. Bidders with valid PCAB License: Small B License Category C and D should have completed a contract similar to the Project which is equivalent to 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.

2.

The DOF, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), now invites Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) registered contractors to apply for eligibility and to bid for the bids for the DOF 4th Floor Office Renovation (LAO Office). Completion of the Works is thirty (30) calendar days. Bidders with valid PCAB License: Small B License Category C and D should have completed a contract similar to the Project which is equivalent to 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 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

3.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Revised 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.

3.

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.

4.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the BAC Secretariat and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hours.

4.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the BAC Secretariat and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hours.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on November 13, 2015 from the BAC Secretariat, General Services Division 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex P. Ocampo Sr., Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand Pesos (PhP 25,000.00).

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on November 13, 2015 from the BAC Secretariat, General Services Division 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex P. Ocampo Sr., Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos (PhP 5,000.00).

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the DOF website, provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

6.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the DOF website, provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

The DOF will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on November 23, 2015, 10:00 a.m. at the DFG Conference Room, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

6.

The DOF will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on November 23, 2015, 11:00 a.m. at the DFG Conference Room, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

Bids must be delivered to the BAC Secretariat, General Services Division 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex P. Ocampo Sr., Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila on or before December 8, 2015 at 9:45 a.m. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

7.

Bids must be delivered to the BAC Secretariat, General Services Division 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex P. Ocampo Sr., Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila on or before December 8, 2015 at 9:45 a.m. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bid Opening shall be on December 8, 2015, 11:00 a.m. at the DFG Conference Room, 4th Floor, DOF Building. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidder’s representatives who choose to attend at the address below.

Bid Opening shall be on December 8, 2015, 10:00 a.m. at the DFG Conference Room, 4th Floor, DOF Building. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidder’s representatives who choose to attend at the address below.

“LATE BIDS SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED.”

“LATE BIDS SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED.” 8.

ACTIVITIES Advertisement/Posting of Invitation to Bid Issuance and Availability of Bid Documents Pre-Bid Conference Request for Clarification Issuance of Supplemental Bid Bulletin Deadline for Submission of Bids Opening of Bids 9.

8.

The schedule of bidding activities are as follows:

The DOF reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

9.

10.

10. For further information, please refer to:

SCHEDULE November 13, 2015 November 13, 2015 November 23, 2015, 11:00 a.m.

November 28, 2015 (thru Email) December 1, 2015 December 8, 2015, 9:45 a.m.

December 8, 2015, 11:00 a.m.

The DOF reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: Lilia R. Tan, Head- BAC Secretariat Department of Finance BAC Secretariat, General Services Division 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex P. Ocampo Sr., Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila Telephone N.: 526-8475 Telefax No.: 525-4227 Email Address: ltan@dof.gov.ph/mepajuelas@gmail.com

Lilia R. Tan, Head- BAC Secretariat Department of Finance BAC Secretariat, General Services Division 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex P. Ocampo Sr., Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila Telephone N.: 526-8475 Telefax No.: 525-4227 Email Address: ltan@dof.gov.ph/mepajuelas@gmail.com

(TS-NOV. 13, 2015)

The schedule of bidding activities are as follows:

ACTIVITIES Advertisement/Posting of Invitation to Bid Issuance and Availability of Bid Documents Pre-Bid Conference Request for Clarification Issuance of Supplemental Bid Bulletin Deadline for Submission of Bids Opening of Bids

SCHEDULE November 13, 2015 November 13, 2015 November 23, 2015, 10:00 a.m.

November 28, 2015 (thru Email) December 1, 2015 December 8, 2015, 9:45 a.m.

December 8, 2015, 10:00 a.m.

(SGD) GIL S. BELTRAN Undersecretary and DOF-BAC Chairman

(TS-NOV. 13, 2015)

(SGD) GIL S. BELTRAN Undersecretary and DOF-BAC Chairman

Defensive Ma slams critics of summit T A I P E I — Ta i w a n’s President Ma Ying-jeou has hit back at opponents who have accused him of selling out by holding a historic summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Ma said he had not shied away from referring to Taiwan as the Republic of China, its official name, which China does not recognize.

“I stated it so clearly,” he told broadcaster TVBS in an interview aired on Wednesday.

“No one in history has said it before to the mainland’s leader, so I feel I fulfilled my duty as Taiwan’s president.”

The meeting in Singapore on Saturday was the first between leaders of the two sides since their acrimonious split in 1949 at the end of the Chinese civil war.

Although it is a selfruling democracy with a fierce sense of its own identity, Taiwan has never formally declared independence from Beijing, which sees it as a renegade province to be reunified with the mainland, and by force if necessary. AFP

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MOTORING

RAMON L. TOMELDAN EDITOR

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Text and photos by Dino Ray V. Directo III

NAVIGATOUR Manila, the exclusive distributor of Segway, has made another addition to its latest line of personal mobility gadgets that promise fun on two wheels.

With members of the media, representatives of the Tourism industry and the private sector, Navigatour aims to innovate local tourism with their electronic personal transporters as they presented the Ninebot Limited or “Ninebot”, a personal electronic transportation device.

Ninebot Limited became the world’s leading provider of personal electronic transportation after its procurement of Segway last April and a capital infusion of $80 million to jumpstart the brand.

Both Ninebot and Segway will continue to operate under their existing brand names.

“This strategic combination is a milestone for both Ninebot and Segway. It creates a development opportunity for the short-distance transportation industry, which the combined company will lead by widely applying a series of technologies, such as electric driving, mobile internet and humancomputer interaction, on future products,” says Lufeng Gao, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ninebot.

“We are confident that this combination will help promote the development of

short-distance transportation as well as the growth in the mobile robotics platform industry. As a result of these two well-known brands joining forces, we will be able to provide more convenient and greener solutions,” Gao stresses.

Launched were the Ninebot Elite, a 21kg personal transporter, slightly smaller than the Segway and comes equipped with a 670Wh battery pack than allows it to travel at 45 kilometers per hour. Next was the NinebotOne, an intelligent and fashionable personal transporter that can be controlled by a cellphone App; and the P40,000 Ninebot Mini, which can be ridden and controlled by leg movement. “Compared to the Segway, the Ninebot Mini has a learning curve and usually takes a few minutes before you get com-

FUN ON 2 WHEELS

The Ninebot is easy to use and runs on rechargeable batteries

fortable with it,” explains George Apacible, managing partner and COO of Navigatour Manila.

Ninebot’s acquisition of Segway will enable the brand to provide more intelligent and valuable products

FASTLANE

to our customers by way of a more expansive research and development program.

We are confident in our

future, and we believe that the country is ready for this technology,” explains Apacible.

Isuzu PH makes history

By Dino Ray Directo III

Gear up for the trails with Overland GET TOUGH and rough it up in the jungle trails with an off road gear designed to take on the punishment of Mother Nature. You won’t find a more thoroughly designed and manufactured vehicle protection system than Overland’s line of front, rear and side bumper protection. Engineering a bull bar requires careful consideration of a number of factors to ensure it properly serves its purpose. Factors such as vehicle design, crush rate, air bag deployment, approach angles, accessory fitment, strength, weight and aesthetics are accessed in every Overland bumper before it enters production.

Overland designs are engineered by people who are active 4-wheelers know first-hand the demands made on protection equipment. Overland 4x4

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bumpers are designed to minimize vehicle damage and keep you moving. The standard Bull Bar replaces the front bumper completely with a robust steel bumper designed specifically for each application. Jim does not endorse a “one size fits all” approach to design Overland makes it their business to protect your SUV from the harsh elements of the off-road environment.

Specially engineered and designed Grille guards and brush guards add protection and rugged looks to the front of your vehicle. Bull bars and light bars add good looks without over-powering the front of your vehicle. Most are made from heavy gauge steel tubing grille guards provides the ultimate custom appearance. Shown here is a Nissan Navara in Overland trim.

Bikers and babes whoop it up at the Shell Advance debut.

Shell adds new flavor to Biketoberfest SHELL Advance Motorcycle Oils’ debut as a sponsor of Biketoberfest 2015 brought new flavor to the annual festival of local motorbikers with its surprises to riders who trooped to the event at the Cebu IT Park.

The Shell Advance booth displayed 4T AX7 Scooter and other Shell lubricant variants for modern 4-stroke motorcycles in new labels and treated visitors to an unforgettable encounter with celebrity ambassador Daiana Menezes. The beautiful Brazilian model left bikers awe-struck and happy as she greeted and handed them prizes.

A product presentation also made Shell Advance’s revolutionary manufacturing process called Pureplus Technology and Shell Active Cleansing Technol-

ogy worth remembering among riders seeking the best engine oil for their two-wheeled machines.

The product is used in Ducatis racing in MotoGP, the premier motorcycle race in the world. Ducati is Shell’s technical partner in the racing event lending Shell Advance that reputation as a race-bred oil.

Shell Advance’s first participation in the Biketoberfest added excitement to the two-day event that kicked off with a parade of bikers clubs. Also part of the fanfare were games and presentations by sponsors and a contest on the Best Bikerbabe and loudest engine on the first day.

Fireworks and a concert capped Day One. Day Two featured another round of product presentations and prize raffles by sponsors.

THE local unit of Japanese carmaker Isuzu has achieved quite a feat in its history by breaching the 200,000-sales barrier last October and thus capping its 18 years in the Philippine market.

Records show that since its establishment in 1996, Isuzu Philippines has sold a total of 201,777 units as of October 2015, driven by the ever-reliable flagship model Isuzu Crosswind bannering.

Introduced in the market in 2001, the Isuzu Crosswind has been a constant mover in the market.

Some 13 years after being introduced up to October this year, it has already sold 85,308 units across all variants.For its first year in the market alone, it has already sold a total of 5,423 units. The biggest sale for the well-loved Crosswind AUV was made in 2003, wherein IPC has rolled out 8,901 units.

IPC’s second muchappreciated vehicle in their line-up is the Isuzu D-Max pickup, delivering 29,115units after being launched in the Philippine market in 2003 making it one of the most-loved in its segment, with sales continuing to grow.

The third best-selling model for IPC are the NSeries light-duty trucks, selling 22,170 units, with its biggest sales tally in 2014 with 2,358 units rolled out. The Isuzu Hi la nder— Crossw ind ’s predecessor—placed fourth in IPC’s success chart, despite being available in the Philippines for only five years starting 1997, the Hilander sold 17,434 units.

Meanwhile, the Isuzu mu-X-after being launched late last year—is starting to create waves in the local automotive scene after it has reached the 10,000unit mark in October.

Launched September last year, the Isuzu mu-X replaced the equally-loved Isuzu Alterra and easily became one of the prime movers for IPC’s sales for this year.

IPC president Hajime Koso, for his part, expressed his sincerest gratitude for the continued trust and confidence of the Filipinos on their brand.

He said that the Filipino’s core values are similar to that of their company. ‘‘Hard work, dedication, diligence: These best describes the Filipinos. These same set of values is what makes Isuzu successful in this country,’’ he said.

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RAMON L. TOMELDAN EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

MOTORING Takahiro Hachigo, President and CEO of Honda Corporation presents the Clarity FCV

ELECTRIC DREAMS II

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY DINO RAY V. DIRECTO III

C The Clarity comes equipped with its own charger

Honda’s futuristic urban transporter

LEAN and electric. That hopefully will be the future of mobility gauging from the concept cars that have been put on display during the 44th staging of the Tokyo Motor Show.

As one of the front runners of this year’s TMS, Honda utilized its global brand slogan - The Power of Dreams as a booth concept to showcase its wide range of products which includes innovative mobility items to make life easier as well as racing machines that pursue excellence in driving performance.

With the Honda NSX and the new Civic Type taking center stage, Honda’s all new Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) enters the production mode and is the first commercially available sedan with the entire fuel cell power train consolidated under the hood. This layout , Honda engineers say, has enabled Honda to provide a full cabin package that can comfortably accommodate five adults. During the press briefing last week at the TMS sidelines, Toshio Kuwahara, president and GM of Honda Cars Philippines Inc, revealed that the FCV has a cruising range of 700kms and enough grunt to provide an exhilarating experience behind the wheel due to the highoutput electric motor. The FCV’s external power feeding inverter allows it to function as a mobile power plant that generates and provides electricity to a community in case of a power outage. Just plug your house into the FCV and it becomes your mobile generator. Honda has just given new meaning to the plug-and- play norm.

Other innovative mobility vehicles at the Honda booth were the Wander Stand, a concept designed to pursue the joy of freedom and mobility; and the Honda Project 2&4 powered by RC213V, a design concept that fuses the values of two and four wheel mobility. Both concept cars debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show last September. “We are driven by the Power of Dreams, and we will continue to create new mobility and offer dream inspiring products for the global market for them to experience the joy of freedom, environment friendly mobility in a clean and green society,” says Kuwahara. At hindsight, the “Power of Dreams” is all about electric cars.

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TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR

BING PAREL

A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

BERNADETTE LUNAS

life @ thestandard.com .ph

WRITER

@LIFEatStandard

ST Y L E & BE AU T Y

LIFE

Runway behind the scenes

MANILA WELCOMES FIRST COACH STORE

BY CAL TAVERA

I Metallic Coach Swagger 27 in gold

Patchwork Leather Prairie Satchel in black

Print Leather Leo Corner Zip Wallet in Wild Beast

n 1941, Coach originated as a family business in Manhattan, commanding a staff of six leatherworkers working on products made out of baseball glove leather. People thought it was ridiculous to use the leather for bags until they experienced how long lasting it was and how soft it became over time. Seventyfour years later, the brand has evolved into a leading modern luxury powerhouse, with a global presence in over 450 stores in North America, 500 locations in Asia and over 30 in Europe.

L ast S eptember, the Philippines became part of their history and welcomed the first store of Coach Inc. at Manila’s premium shopping district, Rustan’s in Shangri-la Plaza Mall.

The interiors, conceptualized

by Coach Executive Director Stuart Vevers and Studio Sofield, represents the exciting, new direction of the brand’s transformation by balancing the element of sophistication and playfulness and experimenting with premium finishes and contrasting textures.

For decades, C oach experienced success through a category they created called affordable luxury which many have tried to copy. Today, they

are still pushing boundaries with innovative ideas that are creating waves in the fashion industry.

This year, Coach ran their first runway in the New York Fashion Week which captured a lot of attention from both the fashion press and consumers.

President and CEO of Coach SEA and Oceania Andrew Stanleick, who attended the launch in Manila, shares, “Three years ago, I met with our CEO Victor Luis about his dream to transform Coach. We brought in Stuart Vevers and redefined modern luxury.” Stuart Vevers had the goal of creating unique luxury and something different

Coach Rustan’s Shangri-la

for Coach. Along with the company, they wanted to create something refined yet playful.

The company factored in a new consumer in their advertising campaigns, a

young consumer from a new generation. Three elements they focused on for the evolution of the brand were the product designs, store environment and the advertising direction.

Continued on C4

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

Binibining Pilipinas Universe 2010 Venus Raj walks down the runway

T

@LIFEatStandard

Fashion designer Jo Rubio with his creations

A Jo Rubio bridal gown

The first annual Tadhana 2015 at The Manila Hotel

he Manila Hotel’s new Fiesta Pavilion celebrated with Wedding Essentials Magazine the first annual Tadhana 2015, which coincided with the magazine’s 11th anniversary celebration last October 21.

The festivity started with a bridal exhibit featuring some of the best wedding suppliers in the country. The evening affair then kicked off with the magazine’s launch of its new look and design, while the guests were treated to a five-course Filipinianainspired menu prepared by the talented chefs of The Manila Hotel.

Wedding Essentials Magazine’s Annual Real Wedding issue featured some of the country’s inspiring and unique weddings with 30 real couples and their inspirational stories of love that perseveres and conquers all. The Tadhana 2015 fashion show featured the creations of some of the country’s most

The Manila Hotel team: (from left) Gerhard Doll, resident manager; Atty. Joey Lina, president; Nian Liwanag-Rigor, AVP for PR & Corporate Communications; Natalie Torres-Ramirez, Vintage cars on display at the driveway of The Manila Hotel AVP for Sales and Christoph Kuch, director of Food & Beverage

men and women who plan to tie the knot in the future. Our various wedding packages provide guests with character and sophistication on their red letter days,” says Gerhard Doll, resident manager of The Manila Hotel.

For more than a century now, the Grand Dame has been a witness to grand and elegant balls and social functions. The 11th anniversary of Wedding Essentials was a spectacular event to everyone as it was held at the grand and opulent Fiesta Pavilion.

Truly, The Manila Hotel’s proud stature as the Philippines’ premier choice venue for small intimate gatherings to the grandest celebrations remains unparalleled.

talented designers like Ryan Madamba, Michael Leyva, Pepsi Herrera, and Jo Rubio while The Manila Philharmonic Orchestra serenaded guests with classic Filipino songs as the muses walked down the runway.

For more information on The Manila Hotel, call 527 0011, visit www.manila-hotel.com. ph or follow their Facebook account at The Manila Hotel, @ManilaHotel on Twitter and @manila_hotel on Instagram.

“The new ballroom is a perfect balance between the old and the new, the traditional and the progressive. It reaffirms that The Manila Hotel will live on and will create new and warm memories for generations to come especially to

WHERE GIRLS COME OUT AS PRINCESSES

W

hen you’re feeling down and weary, sometimes a little pickme-up is all you need. It could be a glass of wine or a weekend trip abroad – whatever floats your boat.

For actress Angelu de Leon, one of the simple things that has significant impact on her state of mind is having her nails done.

“I love to do my nails. It’s one of my things,” she begins.

Whenever she gets a manicure and pedicure “at least every two weeks,” she says she feels like she’s losing weight. “I can only go as long as one month, but that feels dreadful already. I feel like my hands and feet are so heavy” shares Angelu.

Thus, it was as if somebody made one of Angelu’s dreams come true when one of her friends offered her a nail spa and salon business partnership. “It’s what I have always wanted. I guess it’s every girl’s dream to have a salon, if not a dress shop.”

About three months ago, Angelu, along with 13 of her friends and business partners

BY BERNADETTE LUNAS

– that include Chef Rosebud Benitez-Velasco, Phoemela Baranda, Fitz Pabalan, Vivien Cabrera Ramirez, Tin Soriano-Corpus and Jonnah Nubla – opened the ultra-chic The Makeover Lounge located on the ground floor of 81 Xavier Residences in Greenhills, San Juan.

TML offers a basic range of nail services, foot spa and hand spa, body massage, waxing and threading, eyelash extension/retouch/ removal, facial, blow dry, and makeup for girls of all ages, and couples, too.

“For now, we want to focus on the basic services for women who go to salons,” says Chef Rosebud, adding that they are always on the lookout for new trends and innovations in the services they offer.

“We want all our services to be perfected first instead of offering a lot but they’re badly done,” Angelu seconds.

The modestly sized salon exudes a laid back, feminine feel with its all white with touches of blue and pink interiors. The partners wanted their first branch to look chic, girly and fun.

“The moment they (clients) enter, we want

Partners in beauty. Seven of the 14 partners of The Makeover Lounge. From left: Vivien Cabrera Ramirez, Fitz Pabalan, Angelu De Leon Rivera, Rosebud Benitez-Velasco, Phoemela Baranda, Tin Soriano-Corpus and Jonnah Nubla.

Get your nails done while relaxing in one of these fully-automated massage chairs imported abroad

them to say, ‘Wow, I would feel beautiful and be beautiful here!’,” shares Chef Rosebud.

But besides attracting customer in the area, the TML partners in beauty want a steady stream of clients who would always come back.

And what would make first time guests return for a second or more session?

“Aside from our services and our trained aestheticians, one of our best come-ons is our massage chairs,” enthuses Angelu.

TML currently has six fully-automated massage chairs imported abroad that clients can operate. While they’re having Express Manicure (P120) plus Upgrade Polish (P100) or getting a Signature Foot Spa (P550), guests can sit back and truly relax while the massage rollers ease their back aches.

The nail spa and salon also has two private rooms, one for waxing (prices range from P150 to P550), eyebrow threading (P110) and massage (P220 to P500); and the other one for hair and makeup (starts at P2,000).

Ms. World Philippines 2015 Hillarie Danielle Parungao gets an Express Manicure

The Makeover Lounge is located at 81 Xavier Residences, Xavier St., Greenhills, San Juan. It’s open Monday to Thursday (11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.) and Friday to Sunday (11 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.).

Visit its Facebook page The Makeover Lounge or its Instagram account @themakeoverloungeph for more information and promo deals.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

LADY RUSTAN Evening Clutch Bag with Rhinestone in Gold

ECHO DESIGN Grey Floral Scarf

LADY RUSTAN Shoulder Bag in Red

LADY RUSTAN Evening Clutch Bag in Blue

IVANKA TRUMP Turnberry Crossbody Quartz

HAVE YOURSELF A FASHIONABLE CHRISTMAS

EMILIO PUCCI Shoulder Bag in Black

A

MAJORICA Isla Collection Brown Leather Cord Bracelet

LOEWE knot keyring Primary Red

re you done listing down your gift list for the special “she” in your life? Or if you’re the special “she” who might need pampering for some holiday shopping spree, head on to Rustan’s for some Christmas inspired fashion.

The sophisticated modern woman has always been the inspiration for Rustan’s specially curated pieces for the holiday season. From luxurious couture to ready-to-wear wardrobe, you can find pieces for women who enjoy fine elegant things. From jewelry, bags, purses, scarves, and other accessories, make sure you add a Christmas statement to your holiday wardrobe while still staying stylish and elegant.

No two women are alike, so if you’re shopping for your mom, girlfriend, BFF, sister, or lover, there’s something for every woman’s personality – fun and bubbly, posh and sophisticated, minimal and elegant, glam and extravagant. Go red red red with pieces from Christian Louboutin,

or shop for elegant purses from Ivanka Trump; colorful bags from Emilio Pucci; bags and accessories from Loewe; fun and playful Mundi purses; festive scarves from Echo Design and Jill by Jojie Lloren; or go glam with jewelry from Adolfo Dominguez, Lafayette 148 New York, Natori, Alexandre de Paris, Majorica; also browse through the many pieces for day time to evening wear from Lady Rustan.

Christmas is one of the most anticipated holiday seasons and Rustan’s has prepared for the festivities from its home to wardrobe offerings. Get ready with your pick and get inspiration from the finest collection in their stores today. Surely, anyone who receives a box wrapped in Rustan’s iconic monogrammed paper will have smiles all throughout the holiday season.

JILL BY JOJIE LLOREN Printed Scarf in Black and Grey

ECHO DESIGN Turquoise Floral Scarf

MUNDI Owl Coin Purse

Rustan’s is located at Ayala Center Makati, Shangri-La Plaza, Alabang Town Center, Gateway Mall Araneta Center, and Ayala Center Cebu.

MUNDI Strawberry Coin Purse

LOLA CASADEMUNT Adjustable Silver Cuff Bracelet

LOEWE Flamenco Micro Petal Bag

LAFAYETTE 148 NEW YORK Long Crystal Necklace

ALEXANDRE DE PARIS Bora Bristle Brush with Pince Vendome Set

NATORI Horn Geo Earrings

ADOLFO DOMINGUEZ Tubular Chain Necklace

CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN Riviera Clutch EMILIO PUCCI Cosmetic Case in Black

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

SHADOW PLAY Women often tell me how they don’t have the time to put makeup on in the morning before heading to work or at night POP-UP BEAUTY when they’re

BY JIGS MAYUGA about to hit town.

They claim that all they’re capable of doing is to swipe on some lipstick straight from the tube and they’re good to go. Which is why ladies who are always in a rush to get ready and are just too busy to do a

full face before stepping out the door often ask me about how to do a five to 10 minute face. It can be time-consuming and this holds especially true when it comes to eye shadow application.

I have to admit, creating the perfect smoky eye with powder shadow takes time, entails precise application and involves the use of brushes to deposit even color. Well, gone are those days. Eye shadow sticks and pencils have been around for quite a while and have slowly gained popularity in recent years because of its convenience, portability and ease of use. I haven’t really been a fan of this product in the past because of the softness of the cream color, which tends to crease especially if you have oily lids.

Newer formulas that I’ve tried are now waterproof and dry to a powder finish that stays put for hours. They’re handy and smaller in size than a huge eye shadow palette so you can just throw them into your purse. Plus, you don’t need to pack and use a bunch of brushes to apply the pigment on your lids. All you have to do is smear the shadow on your eyelids direct from the tip of the pencil and just blend the edges with your fingers. Now who says eye shadow is so difficult to apply?

With these six eye shadow sticks that we tested, creating an eye design for your next date has never been easier.

K-PALETTE Essence in Shadow Liner in Brown Black X Camel Brown, Beauty Bar

MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Matic Waterproof Glide On Eyeshadow in I-90,

If you’re a fan of K-Palette’s Real-Lasting Liquid Eyeliners, then you are in for a treat with their newest double-duty pencil.

One side is their iconic and waterproof liner in Brown Black. The opposite side is a beauty essence infused eye shadow in Camel Brown that can be applied all over the lids and on the outer corners of the eyes using a sponge tip applicator.

Comes in four colors and is very handy if you’re on the go and would like to bring a smaller makeup kit.

Greenbelt Aqua Matic is a waterproof and smudge-proof eye shadow that comes in an automatic retractable pencil. Its integrated sharpener tip assures you a perfect point every time you use this product.

This iridescent purple is perfect for creating a smooth wash of color along the lash line or all over the lids to create a metallic violet base.

Mix with a vivid yellow like I-30 in the inner corner of the eye to rock an ‘80s vibe for an evening of dancing.

ARTDECO Long-Lasting Eyeshadow Stick 42, Beauty Bar

This waterproof shadow stick from Artdeco is a shimmery white shade that adds instant glamour and highlights to your peepers. Apply the shadow evenly on the lids and blend quickly as it sets completely upon drying.

Thanks to volatile silicone and the optimal balance between oils and waxes, the eye shadow does not settle in the folds of the eyelids. This product is paraben-, mineral oil- and fragrance-free and is suitable for those with sensitive eyes.

ESTEE LAUDER Magic Smoky Powder Shadow Stick in Pink Charcoal, Rustan’s The smoky eye made simple by Estee Lauder. A transformative shadow pencil that acts like a pressed eye shadow. These brilliant shadow sticks smolder with fabulous finishes in matte, satin and shimmer. Simply glide the stick across lash lines to use as a smoky liner or delicately blend with fingers in a swirling motion to transform into a luxurious, powdery eye shadow. I like using a combination of the matte Burnt Black pencil with the Pink Charcoal shade for a strong yet feminine finish.

CLINIQUE Chubby Stick Shadow Tint For Eyes in Massive Midnight, SM Aura If you’re a fan of the brand’s Chubby Stick Lip Balms, then you will definitely love Clinique’s Shadow Tint for Eyes. These extra-thick, twist-up pencils (yes, no need to sharpen!) are perfectly shaped to shade your lids with a wash of creamy, lightweight color that is buildable to an intense hue when applied in layers. Use multiple pencils to create contours and highlights in different colors.

Long wearing too!

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Iced Mocha,

SM Megamall Nyx’s top-selling eye pencil combines the convenience of an eyeliner and eye shadow in one awesome product. This formula glides smoothly onto the lids and stays put all day.

The pencil can also be used as an eye shadow base to prime your lids for powder eye shadow if you’d like to go for an intense effect or would like your powder shadow to last longer.

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @jigsmayuga

MANILA WELCOMES FIRST COACH STORE From C1

Andrew reveals, “We created interiors that were very different from the past. We used to do white boxes and other brands have followed that so we changed it up. We elevated the space to be more inviting so the consumer will feel at home; it will not be intimidating at all. You won’t see burly men in black suits that will scare off customers. That’s not Coach.”

The ambiance of this 100-square-meter store took inspiration from the brand’s roots which lie in New York City. The glass blocks, for example, is a reference to the New York City subway. Reclaimed pinewood and custom made wool carpeting were also incorporated to create that homey feel.

For the 2015 Fall-Winter collection, expect a twist on the American originals which pays tribute to the past and collaborates the ideas of the future. Here, just like the interiors, the fashion is inspired by home. The New York attitude speaks

volumes in their new line of bags and clothing line. Look out for the fresh and edgy silhouette in their must-have bag line called the Coach Swagger, a modern yet elegant family of structured bags dressed in rich, pebbled leather that represents downtown New York City. The three-way Coach Swagger is adjustable and flexible, giving the buyer several options on how to wear it. The presence of color blocking brings about a playful element to the line.

This season also sees the launch of Coach’s new iconic print in “Wild Beast,” a collection that represents New York’s urban street style through its line of bags and accessories dolled up with the popular and timeless animal print. As of now, the store in Manila will feature an array of women’s bags, small leather goods and accessories.

In the upcoming months, the store hopes to include men’s fashion and more readyto-wear items.

In the Philippines, Coach is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc., a member of SSI Group, Inc., and is located at Rustan’s Shangri-La. Visit www.ssilife. com.ph for more information.

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SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

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Jiggy Manicad and Pia Arcangel of 24 Oras Weekend

Cmm aWardS honorS kapuSo ShoWS

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From C8

station ID “May Pag-Asa” (Best Station ID); and the weekly news magazine program, Brigada (Best News Magazine). Meanwhile, special citations were given to GMA7’s primetime weekend newscast 24 Oras Weekend (News Program) and GMA News TV’s Investigative Documentaries (News Magazine).

Also besting other entries in its category was GMA’s well-loved family sitcom Pepito Manaloto (Best Comedy Program).

GMA’s flagship AM radio station Super Radyo DZBB 594 was awarded in the Radio category for its morning newscast Super Balita sa Umaga Nationwide (Best News Program).

Furthermore, the Network’s

sales and marketing arm GMA Marketing and Productions, Inc., in partnership with Cebuana Lhuillier, garnered the top prize in the Advertising category for the 2014 GMA Christmas Short Film, Happiest Pinoy: Winston (Best TV Ad – Branded).

The prestigious Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) recognizes students, professionals, and organizations that made use of mass communication in promoting Christian values among Filipinos.

HHHHH Who amonG StarStruCk hopeFulS Will Go home toniGht? And then there were 10. But tonight, at the end of the show at 6:30 p.m.

Analyn Barro

Avery Paraiso

Arra San Agustin

Jay Arcilla

Liezel Lopez

Kevin Sagra

MA Network was recognized for its values-oriented programs and special projects at the 37th Catholic Mass Media Awards held on Nov. 4.

GMA News and Public Affairs remains the most trusted source of news and information, garnering several awards in the Television category. These include GMA’s special coverage of the Papal Visit, “Ang People’s Pope sa Pilipinas” (Best Special Event Coverage); the first Bayaniserye on Philippine primetime, Ilustrado (Best Drama Series/Program); the multi-awarded documentary program, I-Witness (Best Adult Educational/Cultural Program); GMA News TV’s

Alden Richards as Jose Rizal in Ilustrado

only nine will remain. Who among the 10 hopefuls will go home and who will remain for another week.

Last week, James Teng was voted out and tearfully thanked those who supported him until his last day in the search.

Kevin Sagra, who I think has the makings of a matinee idol, if his admirers would continue voting him to be safe, was also in the bottom two last week. And I thought, he’d be sent home. Luckily, he scored higher than Teng.

The remaining 10 hopefuls whose knees may be wobbling in anticipation of the results tonigh

include Analyn Barro, Kevin Sagra, Arra San Agustin, Elyson de Dios, Jay Arcilla, Liezel Lopez, Ayra Mariano, Klea Pineda, Migo Adecer, and Avery Paraiso.

By the way I saw Kevin Sagra in last Sunday’s episode of Ismol Family. Though his role was briefer than brief, he registered well on camera. I hope the public would take a closer look at him.

Last Sunday, the remaining 10 had a mall show at the Fairview Terraces. I heard the crowd was big and it made all of the hopefuls forget that one of them would leave tonight.

Elyson de Dios

Ayra Mariano

Klea Pineda

Migo Adecer

F RIDAY : NOV EMBER 13, 2015

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

PeOPle BaEBy BaStE

...aRE taLking aBOUt

Many say that the three-year-old kid that plays the role of Alden Richard’s nephew in “Kalyeserye” is fortunate enough because of AlDub’s massive success. But we would have to dissent, Baeby Baste or Sebastian Benedict in real life is not just ridiculously cute but a natural talent as well. At his very young age, he hams it up on the camera like a pro. That made him the most popular kid on TV today.

EnCantaDia

If Pangako Sa’Yo is the television drama that deserved a remake, this GMA-7 original fantasy, on the other hand, is the best chance for local TV to rekindle viewers’ interest in fantasy shows. We wouldn’t mind watching Encantadia, which a decade ago introduced us to characters that we still remember up to this day. We bet, the rival station would instantly come up with a program to be pitted against it.

CyRUS ViLLanUEVa

The characters in 2005 Encantadia

...aRE nOt taLking aBOUt

The 19-year-old Fil-Aussie is stepping up his game in the Australian version of The X- Factor. After receiving the longest standing ovation given to a contestant this season, Cyrus has just proven that he’s determined to win public votes by performing another rather difficult song while playing the piano. That paid off since he’s now part of the Top 4 and just like what the judges say, “He’s a force to reckon with.”

DaniEL PaDiLLa

So, the Kapamilya actor has just revealed which color he’s going to support in the next year’s elections. In a viral video, DJ is seen asking presidential candidate Mar Roxas some questions about the latter’s platform. Instead of earning admiration, DJ earned flak even from his loyal followers. This is a hint that they want DJ out of politics, but then again, they can only do so much when the “mother” of the star interferes.

Daniel Padilla with Mar Roxas

LiZ Uy Liz Uy

The celebrity stylist has just a filed an 11-million peso libel and slander suit against gossip blogger Mike Lim (Fashion Pulis). Though we don’t tolerate gossiping and irresponsible blogging, we thought Lim just pointed out Liz Uy’s blunder as a “fashion guru” and a celebrity stylist. And to save her face, she chooses this legal route. You see, this battle is more of calming an offended ego really.

aSaP 20

How is the Sunday musical show doing? That’s both a question and a statement of concern. With its 8.8 percent TV ratings on Sunday, while its rival show registered 20 percent, ASAP 20 is definitely in big trouble. The Kapamilya musical show didn’t even enter the Top 10 list of the most watched programs during the weekends. Obviously, the program on the other pond is “mas masaya.”

Cast of ASAP 20

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 48 50 52 54 58 62 63 64 67 68

The Na in NaCl Allots Swing to and fro Rough canoes Duds Japanese immigrant Nerdy Obliged to Bearings “The Little Mermaid” Caviar Bachelor’s party Realty deal Sock grps.

17 21

DOWN 1 Screams and shouts 2 Ice cream and root beer 3 Churchill Downs event 4 Reverberating 5 Neon or nitrogen 6 Same old grind 7 Hairy twin 8 Gull relatives 9 Varnish and shellac, e.g.

10 Beasts of burden 11 Green fruit 12 Enters data 15 Fig-filled treat

44 46 49 51

69 70 71 72

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Country addr.

4 Everglades wader 9 Guthrie’s genre 13 Malt beverage 14 Reason 15 Undeliverable mail 16 Polaris (2 wds.)

18 Bad guys 19 Beyond the pale 20 Disentangles 22 In vogue

25 26 28 32 35 37 38 40 42 43 45 47

Plops down Lethargy Cashmere kin Low-lying island Fall colors Audacity Foreign visitors?

Ballroom dance Apply caulking Main force Asian capital — day now

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015

23 24 27 29 30 31 32 33 34 36 39 41

53 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 65 66

Painted tinware Sportscaster — Ryan Deceive with charm Luau numbers Ran in neutral Survey finding Dreaded czar Count on Young wolves Huge hairstyle — be surprised!

Bore Testing the air Language with clicks Spring blooms Easy to read Put a dent in Nothing special (hyph.)

Piano part Commandeer Quartet member Fries and slaw Shaggy flowers No future — — One-time Queens ballpark Positive Pedro’s aunt Da or ja

Bea alonzo shares Beauty from every angle

W

hen Bea Alonzo, popular and beautiful TV-movie actress, ventures out of the country, she makes it a point to document the places she visits. Be it a stroll along Arc de Triomphe, a rendezvous at the Eiffel Tower in romantic Paris, or a getaway in endlessly fascinating Japan. The one stylish accessory that Bea doesn’t leave her hotel room without is her Fujifilm X-A2.

Way before she was tapped to endorse Fujifilm Philippines, Bea already caught the attention of the executives of the well-known photographic brand.

During her frequent travels, the budding social media expert would post Instagram-worthy photos shot with her very own Fujifilm X-A2, which she herself purchased. The photos were a big hit with Bea’s followers and industry friends that they started quizzing her about the camera she was using.

Whether serious photo professional looking for a variety of settings or globetrotting shutterbugs and the social media-savvy who just want to share the enviable moment via automatic setting, the Fujifilm X-A2 will never cease to amaze.

Your photos would make them wish that they were in your shoes and make them want to own one. From the perfect skin tone selfie, to the deepest hues of the sky or the calming sea, the X-A2 allows users to take Instagram perfect pictures that your friends will drool over.

More compact, capable, and user-friendly, Fujifilm Mirrorless cameras are the future of photography and can outperform DSLRs in form and function. Bea’s “bring everyday” camera, the X-A2 takes advantage of Fujifilm’s leadership in mirrorless technology resulting in color superiority and much talked about picture quality.

For social media mavens like Bea, the Fujifilm X-A2 is the best everyday accessory. Be it selfies, landscapes, macro shots, lowlight party shots, or flash photography, the X-A2 allows users to document important moments perfectly with superb image quality. The X-A2 comes with a

Bea Alonzo documents her travels using Fujifilm X-A2

Portrait Enhancer or Selfie mode which brings out your best physical features.

The Fujifilm X-A2 clearly and brightly captures faces even under strong backlit or dark conditions. Also when shooting macro shots in dim lighting, this smart flash prevents the washout of the subject and background. It makes Bea Alonzo’s peaches-and-cream complexion look smoother and more ravishing. Another important feature is the i-Flash which automatically delivers the ideal amount of flash for every scene, even at lowlight, the vibrant colors of your surroundings burst to life as well. For food shoots, at extreme close-up, dishes look more appetizing and expertly-shot at that. When you’re ready to share your photos, you can easily highlight up to 30 images in your camera and wirelessly transfer them from your smartphone to post immediately.

And just in case you still need it, the X-A2 also has evolved Film Simulation or advanced filter settings, allowing users to instantly capture brilliant images of their picture-perfect vacation and saving you the trouble of tedious photo editing.

A thing of beauty in itself and available in myriad of colors, the X-A2 doesn’t only help Bea capture the best vacation or travel memory, it also fits perfectly into her full-packed, whirlwind schedule.

“I am never too busy, however, to notice the beauty that surrounds me. Or the interesting faces, the eye-catching stuff and make me want to capture them. All I need to do is dig into my bag and take snaps of it and show beauty from every angle, as many as I wish,” says the lovely, effervescent Bea. “And for those memories that I want to share and preserve in nostalgic and heartwarming way, I have instax Mini 70,” she adds.

When her workload allows her some free time, Bea seizes the opportunity to go on a trek or explore the world, always with her reliable, stylish “accessory.’’

Fujifilm’s 80-year history and expertise in photographic film manufacturing allows her to enjoy her youth & fame to the fullest and share ‘beauty from every angle,” perfectly, flawlessly.

F RIDAY : NOV EMBER 13, 2015

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

From ‘haranista’ to recording artist

“W

ala na akong narinig. Wala na akong nakikita.

Everything happened so fast.” Jason Dy still needs time to process the biggest moment of his life. The The Voice of the Philippines Season 2 champion had his eyes set on being the artist he has been dreaming to be for a long time – and it has finally come true.

Performing came naturally for Jason, imitating and singing along to music videos on TV as young as four years old. When he reached seven, he started attending voice lessons and has become the go-to guy for all school performances. But it was a challenge to continue the dream growing up. Juggling school, music, and his dreams of being a chef, his side jobs, singing for demos and the harana service, was one way to keep the fire burning. Little did he know that these would be a great training ground for an opportunity and change his life.

Jason was a big a fan of the US reality show. “Na-excite talaga ako sa concept and winish ko talaga na magkaron ng Philippine version.”

As soon as The Voice of the Philippines opened its doors for aspiring singers, Jason was of course there to audition, but he didn’t make the cut. “I expected a little bit na sana makapasok man lang kahit blinds.”

Season 2 gave him new hope but it was a long road to the blinds. “Di ako nag-expect this time para ‘di na ako ma-disappoint.” His patience paid off when he finally got the callback of a lifetime.

“Okay na ko sa Top 4. Pero may hunger pa rin (to win).” Just when Jason was about to give up, he gathered his strength from his mother.

As soon as she flew home from Singapore to support Jason, everything fell into place. The guidance and trust of Coach Sarah Geronimo also kept him going, saving him countless times when votes weren’t enough to keep him in the competition. “Picking coach (Sarah) was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made…she took a chance on me,” and was well worth the good fight to the finish line.

Jason’s aspirations are now

within reach. He has a new house, a new car, P2 million, travel, music, and business packages, plus record deal with MCA Music.

He even impressed David Foster with his vocal skills during an impromptu performance during the composer/ producer’s concert Now, he is a certified recording artist with the release of his self-titled debut album, which he classified as Pinoy R&B. It features “Caught In That Feeling” (written

by American songwriter Roxanne Seeman - best known for her songs for Billie Hughes, Philip Bailey, The Jacksons, The Sisters of Mercy, Bette Midler, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Jacky Cheung) which was released in March 2015 and the latest track “Milagro”, composed by Jungee Marcelo (the hitmaker behind the songs “Ako Na Lang” by Zia Quizon, “Nasa Sa ‘Yo Na Ang Lahat” by Daniel Padilla and Lyca Gairanod’s “Puede Nang Mangarap”).

His fans, the Dyfenders, can also listen to Jason’s original songs “I Am Something” and “2 Have U”. Aside from “Caught In That Feeling”, Seeman also co-wrote two more songs for his debut album: “When You Hear This Song” (with Daniel Nitt) and “Turn Out The Night” (with Ivo Moring and Dominic Messinger). The album also includes “My Bad” (Allan Eshuijs and Greg Ogan), “Walang Iwanan” (Soc Villanueva), “Break My Heart (Some More)” (Soc Villanueva and Kennard Faraon) and the acoustic version of “Caught In That Feeling”. It has also a bonus track- “OMG”, the full-recorded version of his performance from “The Voice of the Philippines”.

“My goal for this album is to show different facets of my musicality. I explored different musical stylistics in terms of production and songwriting because I wanted to create songs that are different from each other and can stand on their own, and at the same time be cohesive with other tracks. There’s something for everyone on this album. Whether you are optimistically in love or going through a crippling heartbreak, I’m sure you’ll find a song that will speak to you,” Jason said.

The Voice grand champion Jason Dy is now a full-fledged recording artist

All he wants to do right now is to give back to all the supporters by holding a major solo concert and a show in his birthplace, Butuan City soon.

“Yun lang naman yung goal ko eh. Yung meron lang umikot.” Filipinos all over the world have already turned to listen to more of Jason Dy. He has become the champion of anyone who has ever dreamed big.

The talent and heart he has shown in The Voice has proven that the road to success is clearly paved for him.

“All I ever wanted was for my music to be heard and for people to listen to what I have to say,” Jason said.

“Jason Dy”, the album is now out in CDs at Astroplus and Astrovision outlets nationwide. It can now be streamed via Spinnr, Apple Music, Spotify, VEVO,

Deezer and Guvera. The album is also available for digital download via Spinnr and iTunes.

For bookings and inquiries, please contact Sammy Samaniego at (632) 9162504 local 107, (0920) 9682991, (0917) 8565174 or email sammy. samaniego@umusic.com or mcabookings@umusic.com. For more information about Jason Dy, log on to www.facebook.com/mcamusic.

John TravolTa reTurns To baddie role

i John Travolta stars in Criminal Activities

n an ex-classmate’s funeral, one mentions to the others inside information on a stock that is a guaranteed lock to make them instant millionaires. Unfortunately, the deal goes south along with their investment. Things go from bad to worse: one of them borrowed his share of the money from a mobster.

Directed by Oscar-nominated actor Jackie Earle Haley with a solid cast that includes Michael Pitt, Rebecca Da Costa, Dan Stevens, Rob Brown, Christopher Abbott and Travis Aaron Wade, Criminal Activities is an unpredictable, mind-blowing action thriller that

marks Haley’s directorial debut.

Asked in recent interviews on how he came to helm the movie, Haley shares that “It really came out of the blue. I got a call from the producer, who is married to my manager. He really felt like I could direct it. He sent me the script and said he would understand if I didn’t respond to it. So, I read it and loved it. I was super excited about it. I called him back within three hours and was like, “I’m in!” When John Travolta agreed to come on board, we were off and running.”

Criminal Activities opens on Nov. 25 from OctoArts Films International.

F RIDAY : NOV EMBER 13, 2015

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

Ken Chan

The beauTiful TransformaTion of ‘Destiny Rose’ Today ISAH V. RED GMA Network’s Afternoon Prime series Destiny Rose airs the most beautiful transformation on Philippine TV. And all eyes are on multi-talented actor Ken Chan as he finally breathes life to Destiny Rose, his most challenging role to date.

After touching the hearts of the audience as Joey Flores Vergara, the Kapuso actor will definitely continue to endear the viewers and further showcase his versatility as he now steps into the character of Destiny Rose, a transsexual who fulfils her dreams into becoming a renowned writer and a full-fledged woman.

For Ken, venturing into this type of role is not an easy task. “Mahirap itong gawin. Hindi siya biro, physically and emotionally, hindi ganun kadali ang pinagdadaanan ko as Destiny Rose. Marami akong prosesong pinagdaanan. I did a lot of workshops and I researched about transwomen, about girls, how they move, talk, communicate, sing, and everything else about women,” he shares.

However, despite the challenge, he also feels happy and excited because he is able to do what he loves and be able to entertain the viewers at the same time. “Nang nakuha ko na at nahulma ko na si Destiny Rose, natuwa ako at na-overwhelm sa nakikita ko sa sarili ko. Na-appreciate ko kung gaano kaganda, kung gaano ka-sexy, na-appreciate ko siya, kasi hindi ko pa naman naranasan maging babae, magkilos babae. Ngayon sabi ko ang sarap ng pakiramdam na nagagawa ko ito, na kaya kong gawin, kasi artista ako and it’s my duty and work para i-entertain ang viewers, masaya ako at excited akong makita at mapanood ito ng mga tao.”

This new and beautiful chapter in the story of Destiny Rose begins this afternoon after Buena Familia on GMA Afternoon Prime.

HHHHH Rachelle ann Go is the new voice of GMa Pinoy tv Taking a break from her role as Fantine in the London staging of the critically-acclaimed Les Mis-

erables, Rachelle Ann Go recently returned to the Philippines to record the theme song for GMA Pinoy TV’s station ID, which premiered worldwide on Nov. 8.

GMA Pinoy TV is the flagship international channel of GMA Network, and is available in numerous countries across the globe. Just recently, GMA Pinoy TV, along with GMA International’s two other channels, GMA Life TV and GMA News TV International, were made available to more countries in Europe through its launch on Lyca TV, the television service from Lycamobile, the biggest mobile service provider, which operates in various European countries.

Currently celebrating its 10th year anniversary dubbed #Sampuso, GMA International continues to serve the Filipino people outside the country by making them feel closer to home through quality content and services.

GMA International, which manages the operations and distribution of GMA’s overseas channels, chose Rachelle Ann to breathe new life to their already existing theme song. “We strongly recommended Rachelle Ann Go to do the vocals for our new station ID. We believe her youth, talent, hard work and current global stature will be an inspiration to all our viewers around the world,” says GMA International AVP and Head of Programming Cheri Domingo.

According to Rachelle Ann, having the heart and soul is important in everything, and that is why she always feels proud of being a Kapuso. “Ako as an artist kasi, importante talaga yung puso eh. Puso sa pag awit, sa lahat ng bagay.You’ll see the sincerity when you have the heart, when you put your heart in everything,” she says. “I love being a part of GMA Pinoy TV and GMA in general because of the tag line kasi ‘andon, mararamdaman mo lahat when you say Kapuso,” she further expresses.

Finally, she thanks all the subscribers of GMA Pinoy TV, as well as her supporters. “Maraming, maraming salamat po sa lahat ng sumusuporta sa akin, and to all GMA Pinoy TV subscribers, thank you for your support, for being with me and for being my family abroad.” ➜ continued on c5

Rachelle Ann Go