The Standard - 2015 November 14 - Saturday

VOL. XXIX  NO. 275  3 Sections 32 Pages P18  SATURDAY : NOVEMBER 14, 2015  www.thestandard.com.ph  editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Palace told ‘Yolanda rites not a wedding’

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OBAMA’S ASIA TOUR TO TACKLE SEA ROW TERRITORIAL disputes will be a “central issue” when US President Barack Obama meets Asian leaders next week, the White House said Thursday, but it played down hopes for a “code of conduct” to ease tensions.

National Security Advisor Susan Rice said territorial claims in the South China Sea—which have put the United States in direct dispute with China—would feature prominently during a trip to the Philippines and Malaysia.

“This will be a central issue of discussion both at the East Asia Summit as well as at the Asean-US Summit [both in Kuala Lumpur] and the other engagements that we have throughout our visit to Asia,” Rice said.

The statement came after the Philippines assured China that rising tensions over territorial disputes in the South China Sea would not be discussed at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Manila next week.

Beijing, along with several other Asian capitals, have a knot of claims to maritime territory.

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New flag. Workers from the National Park Development Committee hoist a new flag at the Rizal Park. The flag will fly for the duration of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting next week. DANNY PATA

Under fire, MIAA okays negotiated CCTV deal

By Joel E. Zurbano and Sandy Araneta AMID a widening scandal over an extortion racket in which bullets are planted in passengers luggage, the Manila International Airport Authority said Friday it would buy P486 million worth of closed-circuit TV cameras under a negotiated con-

tract after two failed biddings.

“Under Republic Act 9184 [Procurement Law], a negotiated mode of procurement may take place after two failed biddings of the standard process,” the MIAA said in a statement.

The three bidders who participated in the latest bidding will be invited to participate in the negotiations, but the specifications—including the instal-

lation of 719 CCTV cameras—will remain the same, the statement added.

MIAA opened the bidding process last year but the exercise was scrubbed following an advisory from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines that the CCTVs should not be wireless so as not to interfere with navigational equipment.

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Military: We didn’t burn ‘lumad’ school

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Apec preparations: More traffic snarls

By Joel E. Zurbano, Sandy Araneta and Francisco Tuyay

THE government on Friday advised the public to avoid areas where they will conduct traffic flow simulations in preparation for the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation summit next week.

Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras said there would be more traffic management dry runs from Saturday to Sunday near various Apec venues.

“There will be practice convoys that will be timing their movements from hotels to certain venues,” Almendras said, after meeting with Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Emerson Carlos on the traffic contingency plans.

The dry runs will include a total closure of Edsa to simulate traffic when a head of state’s convoy passes through the major thoroughfare.

“We may even simulate an Edsa closure on Sunday, meaning there will be a... complete closure of Edsa for a 30-minute window,” Almendras said.

He said ideally, they wanted to be able to welcome and accept each head of state in 42 minutes.

Aside from Edsa, Roxas Boulevard will also be closed to vehicular traffic during the event.

PNP-Highway Patrol Group spokesperson

Supt. Grace Tamayo said 842 HPG officers will be deployed to secure the convoy of the leaders and delegates.

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

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

Pasay City police will deploy at least 1,000 policemen to the SM Mall of Asia for the event.

Pasay police head Senior Supt. Joel Doria said they will provide security for the welcome dinner of the 1,000 delegates including the head of states which is scheduled on Nov. 18 to be held at the MOA Arena.

He said the city government has not issued

any rally permits, and the “no permit, no rally” policy would be strictly implemented.

All permits issued to gun owners to carry their firearms outside of their residence will be suspended, the police said.

PNP chief Ricardo Marquez said the temporary suspension of all Permits to Carry Firearms Outside of Residence would take effect from Nov. 16 to 20 in Metro Manila as part of the security preparations.

“Only the members of the PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other law enforcement agencies who are performing official duties and in agency-prescribed uniforms will be allowed to carry firearms,” Marquez said.

Violators would face criminal charges, carrying penalties of six months and a day to six years and a fine of P10,000, he said.

Some 24,000 police personnel will be deployed in key meeting areas.

At the Philippine International Convention Center alone, a thousand police personnel backed by 100 elite military troops will serve as a second layer of security to support the Presidential Security Group, the main security contingent for foreign leaders.

National Capital Region police chief Director Joel Pagdilao has put Metro Manila under red alert four days ahead of the arrival of foreign dignitaries.

No-sail zone. Navy men watch over Manila Bay, which is now a no-sail zone within 30 yards from the shoreline going seaward in preparation for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting. DANNY PATA

Obama’s...

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But China’s decision to reclaim and build on reefs and other bodies recently prompted the US Navy to send in guided missile destroyer the USS Lassen to within 12 nautical miles of at least one of the artificial islets in the Spratlys chain.

Besides China, the other claimants are the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan, with some of their claims overlapping.

During his trip to the Philippines, Obama will tour a maritime facility, designed to underscore the US commitment to Philippine maritime security, amid talk of a fresh batch of US aid.

Manila recently won the right for a UN panel to hear several territorial disputes

with China. Beijing has so far ignored the proceedings.

Rice said the US view “has always been that these disputes need to be resolved through peaceful, legal means.”

“The establishment of and implementation of a code of conduct agreed among the leaders of the region, the states of the region and, in particular, the claimants would be a positive step forward,” she added.

“But I don’t expect it to be a concrete outcome of this particular visit.”

Last week an Asia-Pacific defense ministers’ meeting in Malaysia ended on a sour note as the United States and China butted heads over whether a final joint statement should mention the South China Sea. Asked why Obama was willing to attend so many Asia summits in short order, senior Obama foreign policy aide Ben

Rhodes said, “When we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu.”

The issue is likely to come up again in bilateral meetings with leaders from Canada, Australia, the Philippines and Malaysia.

During his visit to Malaysia, Obama will also visit a refugee center, to highlight the issue as a “global challenge.”

“There are enormous refugees flows out of Syria into Europe. There are enormous refugee flows in Africa. There are enormous refugee flows in Asia,” said Rhodes.

“Malaysia hosts a very significant population of refugees, including a significant number of Rohingya who have had to leave [Myanmar],” he added.

The Palace on Friday said territorial claims in the South China Sea will take a back seat during the Apec Summit next week.

Under fire...

From A1 Succeeding biddings in August 2014 and February this year were declared failures as bidders were unable to meet certain requirements.

The MIAA on Friday also said that it has no project in which X-ray machines are bundled with CCTVs, in response to reports that it still owed a winning bidder half of the contract amount for the bundle.

The 382 CCTVs installed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport are all fully paid, airport officials said.

Lawmakers earlier suggested that Naia install additional CCTV cameras to catch airport personnel allegedly involved in the tanim-bala scam to extort money from unsuspecting passengers.

The Palace on Friday said it was still awaiting the results of the tanim-bala probe by the National Bureau of Investigation.

“Again, what is important is that the President has already given instructions to these agencies that all operate inside the airport… to take corrective measures to address this particular issue,” said Presidential Deputy Spokesperson Abigail Valte.

“You have to understand that we have several. You have MIAA, you have OTS [Office for Transportation Security], you have PNP [Philippine National Police] Aviation Security Group, you also have DoH [Department of Health] although DoH is largely unaffected by this particular issue,”Valte said.

What is important is that the President has already given instructions for them to take corrective measures to address this particular issue, “ she also said.

Valte also said Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya had apologized to “one lady in particular” who was a victim of the scam.

“I am not sure if it was si Nanay Gloria,” Valte said, referring to Gloria Ortinez, a 56-year-old overseas worker who was stopped at the airport when baggage inspectors found a bullet in her luggage.

Among the measures already taken was the hands-off policy when luggage is being screened, Valte said.

There is also going to be a “last look” bin that will enable passengers to take a last look at their luggage and get rid of any “insertions” before they undergo screening.

Valte said the government is hopeful these measures will be enough.

Also on Friday, lawmakers criticized OTS officials for allowing four Filipinas to slip past X-ray screeners before they reached Hong Kong, where they were arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle in 2.5 kilos of cocaine.

“All the [Apec] member economies are fully aware that it’s an economic forum, such that geopolitical or political concerns usually take the backseat to the economic issues that are discussed in any Leaders’ Retreat,” said Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte, during a press briefing in Malacañang.

She said she did not know if the US would raise the issue, however.

Valte also said she could not be sure if the issue would be discussed in bilateral meetings during the Apec summit.

She added that the government was now preparing for the second round in its arbitration case filed against China before the UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands.

The next round of hearings will be conducted on Nov. 24 to 30 in The Hague.

Andrew Beatty, AFP and Sandy Araneta

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Ready for Apec . Alfredo Diaz, national leader of the Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth program, takes a selfie with members of the National Youth Commission on Friday with the Apec standee in the background. DANNY PATA

LP bets singing different tunes THE standard bearers of the ruling Liberal Party are not on the same page when it comes to their stance on economic reforms.

This became obvious after the party’s candidate for vice president, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo expressed her “openness” to amending the Constitution to relax some of its certain economic provisions, such as that limiting the foreign ownership of land in the country to 40 percent.

“I have nothing against constitutional amendments. However, it has something to be thoroughly discussed in Congress,” Robredo said in a television interview on Friday.

Her running mate, former Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, is vehemently opposed to

constitutional amendments.

“I don’t think our Constitution is our weakest link,” Roxas had told businessmen in Makati on Monday.

“It’s not our stumbling block to economic growth.”

A measure proposing to relax some of the Constitution’s overprotective economic provisions was discussed in Congress after Robredo was elected representative of Camarines Sur. But Robredo said she wouldn’t have voted for the proposal because it had not been discussed thoroughly.

Roxas had earlier said his opposition to amending the Con-

stitution’s economic provisions stemmed from his experience as Trade secretary, when he learned that the problem was not the Constitution but red tape, graft and corruption and the issues in vital government units such as the Bureau of Customs, the Bureau of Immigration, the Bureau of Internal Revenue and local government officials who abused and harassed them.

Roxas and Robredo also disagree on tax reform, where Roxas is against lowering the tax paid by workers but Robredo is in favor of, saying it will greatly benefit workers’ families.

“Tax reform is a social justice issue: those who have less should get more in life,” Robredo said. John Paolo Bencito

Binay condoles with killed judge’s family VICE President Jejomar Binay on Friday condemned the killing of Judge Wilfredo Nieves, the presiding judge of the Malolos RTC Branch 84.

He cited the rising criminality in the Philippines despite the increase in the budget of the Interior Department.

Nieves was shot and killed by unidentified men in Bulacan on Wednesday.

He convicted a notorious carjacker in 2012.

“I condemn this killing in the strongest possible terms,” Binay said.

“Judge Nieves was a committed public servant and an inspiration to those working in the judicial system. I expect our authorities to leave no stone unturned in making sure that the perpetrators are caught and bought to justice.” Vito Barcelo

Romualdez bats for a Duterte presidency DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte will be a “good leader” if he runs and wins the presidency in 2016, senatorial candidate and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said in a statement Friday.

He said Duterte has been a good friend and close to his heart, and that he and the Taclobanons appreciate the fact that the mayor immediately came to the rescue after Super Typhoon “Yolanda” flattened Tacloban City and several oth-

er areas in Eastern Visayas on Nov. 8, 2013, killing over 7,000 people and dislocating hundreds of thousands of others.

After he learned about the extent of Yolanda’s devastation in Tacloban, Duterte immediately sent over engineers, medicines and relief packages.

“I believe Mayor Duterte will be a good [President],” Romualdez told reporters.

Duterte had earlier supported Romualdez’s senatorial run as Romualdez is advocat-

ing the return of compassion in governance to improve the lives of the people especially the poor.

Duterte earlier also urged his growing number of loyalists to support Romualdez.

Romualdez, who is included in the senatorial lineup of the United Nationalist Alliance, is also being supported by presidential candidate Vice President Jejomar Binay and Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Ferdinand Marcos and Grace Poe.

Condolences . Vice President Jejomar Binay condoles with the family of Judge Wilfredo Nieves who was killed by unidentified men in Bulacan on Monday.

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‘Pnoy does not need invite’

By Maricel V. Cruz SENATORIAL candidate and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez on Friday said President Benigno Aquino III did not need an invitation to second anniversary commemoration of Typhoon “Yolanda’’ because he is the Father of the Nation.

Wall of Honor. National Bureau of Investigation Director Virgilio Mendez leads former NBI director Mariano Mison (center), Deputy Director Rafael Ragos and former deputy director Tony Reyes in unveiling a marker on Friday for NBI agents who died in the line of duty. DANNY PATA

Action vs disasters stressed

By Macon Ramos-Araneta A RANKING official of the United Nations underscored the need for positive action and coordination to guard businesses against economic losses from earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones, flooding and other disasters.

During the Top Leaders Forum 2015 at the SMX Convention Center at Mall of Asia in Pasay City, Margareta Wahlström, UN assistant secretary-general for disaster and risk reduction, highlighted the indispensable role of the private sector in disaster resiliency.

Noting that the government cannot build disaster resilient societies alone, Wahlström announced SM Prime Holdings president Hans Sy, the only Filipino member of the UNISDR Private Sector Advisory Council, has been named director of the Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies.

Arise is a worldwide initiative spearhead-

ed by the UN to create more resilient communities. It will provide opportunities for private organizations and business sectors to become members in concerted efforts in addressing the problems brought about by the changing weather patterns.

Due to the massive devastation wrought about by Super Typhoon “Yolanda,’’ the Philippines was the first country in Southeast Asia to join Arise during its launching last Monday in a bid to take positive action to make businesses and communities disaster-resilient.

Sy said the Arise is a big step towards taking positive action to guard not only investments but protect lives in times of disasters.

“The Philippines suffered so much from super Typhoon “Haiyan’’ and we are still trying to recover from its effects. However, we have learned some painful but valuable lessons and we hope that through this initiative, we will be able to make this world a better and safer place for all of us and the

future generations,” he said.

He said SM has been sponsoring such kind of activities to show that businessmen too have conscience.

SM Prime has been hosting the Top Leaders Forum for the past several years.

The forum gathers the CEOs and top managers from the Philippines and the Asian region.

Senator Loren Legarda, chairperson of the Senate Climate Change committee, said the country can ensure economic resilience by reducing disaster risks, letting investors be aware of it, and requiring business investments to take into account disaster risk reduction and management.

Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo presented the government’s different programs in generating risk information and risk assessment in line with the agreements reached during the formulation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in March 2016.

“[President Aquino] does not need an invitation. He’s the President and it is not a wedding,” Romualdez, a lawyer and president of the Philippine Constitution Association, told reporters during the Tinapayan News Forum at Kamuning in Quezon City.

“He is the father of all Filipinos and his presence [in Tacloban City] would show his malasakit [compassion] and concern for Yolanda survivors,” Romualdez added.

Nonetheless, Romualdez maintained that his cousin, Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, extended an invitation to President Aquino to attend the Nov. 8 activities like what they did last year.

“We lost so much during the onslaught of Yolanda. But we never lose our civility, protocol and courtesy to the office he [President Aquino] represents,” Romualdez pointed out.

Romualdez also urged the media to verify diligently the information that Malcañang had provided them during press conferences and briefings in defense of the President’s absence during the Yolanda commemoration.

“I am not saying that you cannot trust them, but the media must carefully verify the accuracy of the information being released to them,” Romualdez said.

Aquino was not in Tacloban City because he was guest of honor at the wedding of Kester Andrew Tan, youngest son of Megaworld chairman Andrew Tan, to Kelsey Cheng at the shrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus in Newport.

Mayor Romualdez earlier disclosed that they invited Aquino last month to the commemoration of the second anniversary of Yolanda onslaught through a letter dated Oct. 27, 2015.

But Malacañang said it did not receive any invitation, which was why Aquino was absent in ceremonies for those who perished in the strongest typhoon in history.

Lawyer named voter educator LAWYER Karen Jimeno recently joined Smartmatic, supplier of the the Commission on Election’s voting machines, as head for voters’ education.

With eight years of teaching experience under her belt, law professor Jimeno will be responsible for the voter education campaign jointly undertaken by Smartmatic and the Comelec.

“We are here to enlighten voters on how the automated elections work, and to increase transparency for the voting process,” Jimeno said, adding that Smartmatic is also assisting Comelec in developing a website for the 2016 Philippine elections.

“The website, which Comelec aims to launch in December, will be loaded with voters education information—news, stepby-step instructions on how to use the vote counting machines, social media feeds, a database of all candidates, and even an online application for media accreditation,” Jimeno said.

In addition, she said, Smartmatic will be supporting Comelec’s voter education roadshows.

Jimeno has started to perform her role as educator for the 2016 Philippine elections.

In a “Bantay Boto” forum organized by students’ organizations and civic-oriented groups, Jimeno spoke along with other invited speakers Senator Koko Pimentel, and representatives from Comelec and Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting.

The forum was held Friday at De La Salle University, where Jimeno discussed the new vote-count machines and the ongoing source code review, among others.

“We want to equip voters and stakeholders with all the knowledge and information they need to meaningfully participate in the 2016 elections,” Jimeno said. “We are taking concrete steps to do this. For instance, we opened the source code for public review more than six months prior to the 2016 elections.”

She added that Smartmatic and Comelec are working hard to encourage the electorate to “go out and vote, secure in the knowledge that their votes will be counted correctly.”

Typhoon assistance. Senatorial candidate and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez speaks before more than 300 village chairmen, town councilors and mayors from Guagua, Floridablanca, Lubao, Porac, Sasmuan and Santa Rita in Pampanga. Romualdez distributed relief goods to more than 5,000 families affected by Typhoon ‘Lando.’ VER NOVENO

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Fake troops blamed for school attack

Ready for the season. Employees

of the Manila Hotel don their Santa Claus outfits during the lighting of the hotel’s Christmas tree at its main lobby Thursday night. LINO SANTOS

By John Paolo Bencito SECURITY forces denied on Friday accusations that they were the ones responsible for the recent burning of another indigenous peoples’ school in Sibagat, Agusan del Sur, claiming that the “soldiers” supposedly involved were fakes.

Poe: Junk David case

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Grace Poe on Friday asked the Commission on Elections to dismiss the complaint filed against her by losing senatorial candidate Rizalito David over her alleged lack of residency when she ran in the 2013 senatorial race.

In her counter-affidavit, the senator stressed she has not wrongfully committed or omitted to do any act to merit this case, and “to evidence further that in exercise of her rights and the performance of her duties, they have acted with justice, given everyone his due and observed honesty and good faith.”

She also asked the Comelec to spare its office the hardship and anxiety of a public trial and asked that the complaint be outrightly dismissed because David is purportedly guilty of willful and deliberate forum shopping.

Poe cited the earlier ruling of the Senate Electoral Tribunal, the sole judge of the qualifications of senators, that her residence qualification as senator can no longer be questioned.

In his complaint, David told the Comelec Poe violated the Omnibus Election Code due to the falsehood on her residency. He argued that since the senator was an American citizen since 2001 up to today, she cannot establish or could have established residence or domicile in the Philippines.

He also noted that Poe’s assertion in her certificate of candidacy for senator was supposedly false because being a foundling, she does not fall under any of the five categories of Philippine citizens under the Constitution. He said the senator was merely moved by an intent or desire to mislead the Filipino electorate.

Through her lawyer, George Erwin Garcia, Poe said the core issue involved in the complaint, also filed against her by David with the SET over her citizenship, is a “logical antecedent and intimately related” to the complaint with the poll body.

She said the SET’s decision will determine if the instant case may proceed since it is the sole judge of the qualifications of the senators.

“We condemn this criminal act committed by these unknown perpetrators. Any school facility should not be an object of any attack. Perpetrators should be made to pay for the crime they committed,” Col. Alexander Macario, commander of the Philippine Army’s 401st Infantry Brigade based in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur said in a statement.

Students and teachers from the Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development said they saw some unidentified men set fire to the teachers’ cottage and a nursery of fruit and hardwood trees at the back of the school at 2 a.m. Thursday.

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

The military claimed that the Army’s 23rd Infantry Battalion only received reports of the incident around 1 p.m. Nov. 12, but human rights groups in the community blamed the 23rd IB. The Eastmincom statement said the initial investigation of the arson “revealed that the perpetrators disguised themselves as soldiers of the 23rd Infantry Battalion.”

Lt. Col. Lynart Castisimo, the battalion commander, claimed he received reports that there were groups who procured Army uniforms and military backpacks in one of tailoring shops in Butuan City earlier.

“It is clear that the uniforms were used by the perpetrators in the burn-

ing of Alcadev cottage. We strongly deny the involvement of our soldiers and we condemn the burning of Alcadev cottage by the lawless bandit group. We will exert our best efforts to help the PNP in the investigation and law enforcement operations in the area,” Castisimo said.

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 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.

Pinoy scientist honored A FILIPINO corn breeder has been feted for his breakthrough work in molecular plant breeding which resulted in a corn breed variety that is now helping 20,000 Filipino farmers throughout the country.

The University of the Philippines in Los Banos’ College of Agriculture Alumni Association honored former professor Peter S. Guzman as its most distinguished alumni for this year for his significant contributions in the development of plant breeding for the local agricultural sector.

A commercial pipeline breeder of Monsanto, Guzman was conferred the Distinguished Alumnus award during the 97th UPLB Loyalty Day and Alumni Homecoming last Oct. 9.

The UPLB Distinguished Alumnus Award recognizes those alumni who excelled in their fields of endeavor, especially those who made an impact in addressing development issues.

In giving the award to Guzman, UPLBCAAA cited his significant

contributions to improving the school’s instruction, research and extension and for his numerous scientific breakthroughs at Monsanto.

At UPLB, Guzman developed a graduate course on the then emerging field of molecular plant breeding, while his extension work included the formulation and implementation of a seed production and distribution program for yellow and white corn varieties, benefitting around 20,000 resource poor farmers in the country.

He also took part in leading the establishment of Monsanto’s Harrisburg Corn Research Station in South Dakota, United States.

“My work with Monsanto allowed me to discover breakthrough solutions that improve the lives of our farmers. This recognition inspires me to further my research on modern agricultural practices to address the pressing problems of food security and sustainability” Guzman said.

Benefit exhibit. Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario (2nd from left) rings the gong

opening the Rotary Club of Makati West’s ‘Alay Sining with a Heart’ exhibit for the benefit of children with congenital heart diseases. Also at the opening were Museum Foundation of the Philippines president Maritess Pineda, Senator Sonny Angara and Rotary International Director Guiller E. Tumangan. MANNY PALMERO

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Palace: Dismissed mayor’s case up to DILG secretary

By Sandy Araneta MALACAÑANG said it would leave to the Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento the case of Palace ally Cagayan de Oro Mayor Oscar Moreno who had been dismissed by the Ombudsman due to grave abuse of authority.

“The DILG is normally deputized or empowered, authorized by the Office of the Ombudsman to carry out its actions. In any case, we will defer to the DILG on the implementation of the said order.

In any case, there are available legal remedies to a party who may want to seek redress against any order of the Office of the Ombudsman,” said deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte.

Cagayan de Oro City Vice Mayor Cesar Ian Acenas took his oath as the new mayor on Thursday, Nov. 12, a week after the Ombudsman dismissed Moreno. Councilor Lourdes Candy Darimbang, meanwhile, was sworn in as vice mayor.

The two were sworn in by Fiscal Abdullah Macagaan af-

ter a lawyer from the regional office of the Interior department served Moreno’s dismissal order.

Moreno, however, continued to hold office at city hall, saying he would file with the Court of Appeals on Friday morning an immediate motion for reconsideration with prayer for temporary restraining order.

On Thursday night, hundreds of employees stayed inside the city hall for a vigil.

Moreno was dismissed from the office after William Guialani, a businessman and former village chief, accused him of grave abuse of authority.

The city government, he alleged, entered into an agreement with Ajinomoto Philippines for a tax settlement.

The mayor said the Ombudsman investigators recommended his dismissal based on his supposed failure to submit his counter-affidavit. But Moreno claims that he actually filed his counter-affidavit.

“They [investigators] missed out my counter-affidavit and that’s a serious miscarriage of justice,” he said during a press conference last week.

Lights and water. A mother and child watch the lanterns and fountains at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

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Seven provinces in drought Metro Manila, 32 others experiencing dry spell

By Rio N. Araja

AT LEAST seven provinces in the country will experience drought until December, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

The weather bureau said drought, defined as three consecutive months of 60-percent reduction in the normal amount of rainfall, is being experienced in Quezon province, Oriental Mindoro, Camarines Norte, Aklan, Antique, North Cotabato and Sarangani.

Meanwhile, a dry spell is characterized by three consecutive months of below normal rainfall condition, or a 21 percent to 60percent reduction in the average rainfall.

Dry spell is now being felt in Metro Manila, the weather bureau added.

Other provinces experiencing dry spell are Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Aurora, Batangas, Laguna, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Romblon, Palawan, Camarines Sur, Masbate and Sorsogon.

Abra, Apayao, Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya, Cavite, Rizal, Catanduanes, Davao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi wil have dry condition.

“Dry condition is defined as two consecutive months of below nor-

mal rainfall condition, or a 20 percent to 60-percent reduction of the average rainfall,” Pagasa said.

In a two-month outlook, the weather systems that would likely affect the country in November are the northeast monsoon, tailend of cold front, easterly wave, intertropical convergence zone, low pressure areas, ridge of high pressure areas, and one or two tropical cyclones that may enter the Philippine area of responsibility with possible tracks over the Visayas and northern Mindanao.

“Pagasa will continue to closely monitor the ongoing strong El

Niño condition and updates shall be issued as appropriate,” Pagasa acting administrator Vicente Malano said.

A strong El Niño is prevailing in the country because of the increasing sea surface temperature of the Pacific Ocean.

It is forecast to intensify before the year ends, which may even last until the second quarter of 2016.

The bureau’s Climate Monitoring chief Anthony Lucero said the prevailing episode could be among the four strongest episodes of El Niño since 1950.

Quezon City court junks case to stop reformed third-party liability program

Creepy. A caretaker of Manila Ocean Park shows the veiled chameleon during the launch of World of Creepy Crawlie. LINO SANTOS

THE Quezon City Regional Trial Court has rejected the petition of Bukluran ng mga Manggawang Umaasa sa Industriya ng Seguro which had filed a petition for temporary restraining order against the program of the Department of Trade and Industry—Land Transportation Office enforcing a Reformed Third Party Liability program.

Earlier this week, RTC Branch 105 presiding Judge Rosa Samson also ordered LTO chief, assistant secretary Alfonso Tan Jr. and BMIS representatives, to submit their position papers in connection with the request for temporary injunction.

The LTO earlier stated that the implementation of RTPL was due to

wide spread overpricing and complaints which they received against the current Compulsory Third Party Liability program.

According to LTO’s spokesman, Jayson Salvador, no one should have just cause to hinder the RCTPL program because of the positive effects to the public and the government will be achieved by this endeavor.

CTPL is a required insurance cover for all motor vehicles, including motorcycles.

Salvador added points for the elimination of bogus insurance agents who controlled the CTPL for so long and the difficulty in claiming the CTPL benefits by the vehicle owners whenever accidents happen.

SAT URDAY : N O V E M B E R 1 4 , 2 0 1 5

A7

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Soldiers nab top Moro bomber in N. Cotabato Pigcawayan, North Cotabato.

He has a P2.3-million bounty for his capture.

THE military said Friday it had arrested the Mentang, a former bomber leader of the Special Operations Group of the of the Moro Islamic LiberaBangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters involved tion Front, was turned over police custody and was in several bombings, killings and wounding of to later presented to the media scores of civilia™ns in 2003 and 2005 in Davao by Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

City at a checkpoint.

The BIFF is a faction of the Abdul Manap Mentang did hicle he was riding was stopped MILF. According to military and not resist arrest when the ve- Wednesday by security forces in

By Florante S. Solmerin

House bet faces disqualification over citizenship

police records, Mentang was a suspect in the twin bombings at the 2003 Sasa Wharf and International Airport in Davao City that killed several persons and wounded scores of people.

Mentang was also tagged by the military and police as culprit in the Feb. 14, 2005 bombing incident at the Davao City Overland Transport Terminal.

Belen fever. Isa Cojuangco Suntay, chairperson of Tarlac heritage Foundation, stands in front of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ grand Belen at Camp Aquino in Tarlac City.

Bulacan mall gives shoppers The Polar Express experience SM CITY Marilao recreates the 1985 classic book of Chris Van Allsburg and Warner Bros hit movie, “The Polar Express” as it recently opened its Christmas centerpiece.

“We want children and adults alike to believe in the magic of Christmas,” mall manager Bernadette Velasco said. “As soon as the train conductor announces “All aboard” and punches children’s tickets the mall goers will experience the magical train ride on board at the 27-meter Polar Express,” she added.

The train goes with the ice at-

traction, Velasco said. “We hope that families will enjoy and find Christmas in SM City Marilao, a different experience.” The Polar Express Train contains a snow playground shipped from Italy.

It is a 12 x 4 meter mobile ice attraction that allows guests to experience winter activities such as snowball making and snowman building.

The snow playground uses highly sophisticated snowmaking machine that freezes potable water for as low as -10 to -15 degrees Celsius while rapidly turning frozen water into small ice crystals or snow-

flakes, it allows customers to interact with simulated snow at below 0 to 3 degree Celsius temperature.

Children and adults alike will definitely enjoy this unique experience as the playground is filled with colorful pails, shovels, and toys to create fun shapes for building snow figures.

Velasco also suggested that visiting patrons should come in multiple layers of clothing, boots, fur-lines, and fleece pullover while others wear thick jacket, gloves, and knee high socks for their snow day fun.

By Ferdie G. Domingo CABANATUAN CITY—A 51-year-old congressional candidate of the Nationalist People’s Coalition in Nueva Ecija is facing a disqualification case for allegedly being an American citizen.

Rosanna V. Vergara, who is running in the third district congressional race, is the subject of the disqualification case in a petition to deny due course and cancel the Certificate of Candidacy filed Thursday with the Commission on Elections central office in Intramuros, Manila.

The petition was filed by Philip Piccio, a registered voter of Barangay Kapitan Pepe Subdivision this city.

Piccio is a known ally of outgoing three-term Gov. Aurelio Umali who is running against Vergara in the third district congressional race.

Umali is a former two-term congressman of the district before becoming governor.

In his petition, Piccio said the disqualification is pursuant to Section 78 of the Omnibus Election Code in relation to Comelec Resolution 9523 which provides for the denial or cancellation of CoC on the ground of false material representation wherein she stated that she is a Filipino.

Piccio said he filed the petition after Vergara indicated in her CoC that she is a registered voter of Barangay Rizdelis in this city in 2003.

He cited that Vergara is a holder of an American passport which she has been using in her numerous travels abroad. He added that based on her travel records, Vergara has been using her US passport as early as Aug. 15, 2002 and as such, it can be safely assumed that she was an American citizen.

“The question is that is Vergara an American or not? Another question is did she apply for Filipino citizenship? If she did not, then she is an American citizen,” Piccio stressed.

The petition stated that Vergara is not a natural-born Filipino and her renunciation of her American citizenship as stated in her CoC did not have the effect of transmitting or conferring upon her the status of a natural-born Filipino, thus making her a stateless person.

Piccio said that under Section 2 of Republic Act 9225 or the Dual Citizenship Law, Vergara needs to file a verified petition for reacquisition of Philippine citizenship before the Bureau of Immigration.

Assuming that Vergara reacquired her Filipino citizenship, the said reacquisition does not retroact to the date of her voter’s registration in 2003.

Piccio also accused Vergara of false representation by stating that she has been a resident of the Philippines for a period of at least 10 years and of Nueva Ecija for more than 21 years.

ANNOUNCEMENT Starting November 16, 2015,SKYmobi’spostpaid mobile internet plan packageswill now be available to Metro Manila customers, even without the requirement of having a SKYcable plan.

SKYmobi plans are as listed below:

Monthly Service Fee (MSF)* • Plan Package • •

• Lock-in Period

SKYmobi Plan 799

SKYmobi Plan 1099

PhP 799

PhP 1099

3GB consumable data allocation per month FREE Pocket WiFi

• •

5GB consumable data allocation per month FREE Pocket WiFi

For users with SKYcable subscriptions, they can watch SKY channels, depending on their SKYcable subscription, on their devices, live as these are being aired, or on demand at their convenience For users without SKYcable subscriptions, they can watch ABS-CBN live as it airs or on demand at their convenience

24 months

In addition, SKYmobisubscribers may register to internet and text add-ons on top of their monthly service fee (MSF): Internet Add-ons: Add-on MobiAdd Surf 30 Mobi Add Surf 299

Price* PhP 30 PhP 299

MB 100 MB 1 GB

Keyword MAS30 MAS299

Validity 30 days

* Rates are VAT inclusive.

To avail: Text <KEYWORD> to 2732. Per DTI-FTEB SPD Permit No.: 10147, series of 2015.

In excess of the monthly data allocation, Php 1 per MB will be charged (or based on add-on SKU if available). Prevailing rates will apply for calls and texts made using your SKYmobi.

Please see website for details.

Apply for SKYmobi through any accredited SKY Agent. Please see flyers for details.

(TS-NOV. 14, 2015)

S AT U R D AY : N O V E M B E R 14 , 2 0 1 5

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

THE LEADERSHIP MYANMAR NEEDS NOW

[ EDI TORI A L ]

FRIENDS UNDER FIRE

Bloomberg editorial

PERHAPS airport manager Jose Angel Honrado never really comprehended what his job entailed, from the beginning. After all, he did not have to do much to deserve it—it sufficed that he was a loyal aide of the President’s late mother and a part of Mr. Benigno Aquino III’s campaign team.

That, and being family.

All this was revealed in Thursday’s Senate hearing of the bullet-planting extortion scam at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Asked what his job was, Honrado said it was to “ensure the smooth flow at the airport.”

Thus, to his mind, Honrado until now does not believe that he carries any responsibility whatsoever for the ingenuity of baggage inspectors who are accused of planting bullets on travelers’ bags so they could extort money from them.

During Thursday’s hearing, overseas Filipino worker Gloria Ortinez relayed her story. On her way to return to her job in Hong Kong, she was stopped because a bullet was found among her things. Possession of bullets is a criminal act in the Philippines.

The 59-year-old domestic was detained for two days at the airport before undergoing an inquest at the Pasay City prosecutor’s office. Charges against her were later dismissed.

Four other victims of the scam told their stories during the hearing; each tale revealed a common pattern—or modus.

Honrado, however, said it was up to the police to go after the erring airport employees, some of whom had already been relieved from their post pending further action.

Honrado’s boss, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, was equally clueless during the hearing. This scam is only the latest among transportation and communication woes that have blown up during his watch.

In all this, the Palace has continued protecting Honrado and Abaya, with spokesmen saying that they still enjoyed the President’s confidence.

His confidence, maybe, but not ours. Malacañang’s style is to wait out this controversy until the next big issue comes along. Alas, it is not far-fetched that the next scandals would come from these same officials who coast along just because they know the President has their back, whatever happens.

AQUINO GOOFS UP AGAIN, THIS TIME ON APEC HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA THE Philippines is this year’s host of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Being the host means accommodating the leaders of dozens of states and their respective delegations. It also means a security nightmare for Philippine authorities, considering that the Apec summit—an assembly of the leaders of about a third of the world’s countries— will be a tempting attraction to

international terrorists, and to some local kidnap-for-ransom bandit groups.

Metropolitan Manila roadways, Edsa in particular, are almost always congested daily. To prevent Apec delegates from getting stuck in the traffic jams of the metropolis (where they can be easy targets for troublemakers), the government declared November 17 to 20 as holidays. Government offices will be closed, and there will be no classes at all levels during that period. Only two of those four days, however, will be holidays for private enterprises.

All international and local air

traffic at the area of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport will be banned for the duration of the summit to give way to aircraft shuttling Apec participants.

Maritime activities in Manila Bay are likewise disallowed during that period. Even the giant mall in the bay area is expected to be closed on November 18.

Road use in proximate cities will also be restricted. Special lanes along Edsa, from Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City, all the way to Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City, will be kept for the exclusive use of Apec participants during the same period.

A9

All the foregoing will require a lot of sacrifice on the part of the Filipino people living in the metropolis and its adjoining areas.

Roxas Boulevard itself will be off-limits to trucks for the duration of the summit.

By the way, the re-routing of vehicles during the Apec conference will not mean less traffic woes for the motorists of Metropolitan Manila. It means that the traffic mess on the alternate roadways motorists will be forced to use, will get worse.

The holidays will not help solve the traffic mess, either.

Only two of the four Apec holidays apply to the private sector. Moreover, shopping malls, restaurants, and entertainment centers make money precisely by

staying open during the holidays.

For the taxpayers, the tab for the Apec summit is expected to reach at least P10 billion.

All the foregoing will require a lot of sacrifice on the part of the Filipino people living in the metropolis and its adjoining areas. For private enterprises, the holidays mean less productivity at the workplace, as well as additional pay for employees who have to work on those days.

While students in the metropolis rejoice at the prospect of an extended pre-

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-

yuletide holiday, parents are upset that the school days this semester, shortened already by chronic bad weather, will have to be reduced even further.

Surely, there must be some benefit to the Filipino people for all the wastage and inconvenience visited upon them by the Apec summit. Why be a part of Apec when nothing worthwhile will emanate from it?

Aside from the expected improvement in trade relations between the Philippines and the other Apec countries, the Apec summit is a rare opportunity for

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

President Benigno Aquino III to discuss with the international community the illegal activities of Communist China in the West Philippine Sea. Since Apec protocol dictates that Aquino and Chinese president Xi Jinping must sit side by side during most parts of the summit, Xi cannot ignore this matter during the entire summit.

Malacañang, however, announced that as insisted upon by Communist China, the Philippines will not include the maritime dispute in the West Philippine Sea in the Apec agenda. Continued on A11

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

BURMESE voters have made one thing clear: They want their next leader to be Aung San Suu Kyi. That means she has to prepare to manage the government, and the military needs to get out of the way.

Although official results have been suspiciously slow in coming, Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy says its internal numbers show the party winning more than 70 percent of the vote nationwide—enough to hold an outright majority in parliament.

For Suu Kyi to become president, however, requires amending theconstitution, something that the military has long resisted. The document currently bars anyone with a foreign spouse or children from serving in the post. (Suu Kyi’s late husband was British, as are her children.) And it reserves a quarter of seats in parliament for uniformed officers—enough to veto any constitutional changes.

Leaving this rule in place will only fuel uncertainty and doubts about Myanmar’s worthiness as an investment destination. Suu Kyi would dominate whomever her party nominates as president, thus creating multiple power centers at the top. And a constant threat of military intervention would reduce confidence in any of the new government’s plans and promises.

To help ensure that the country is at peace and prepared to make economic progress, the Burmese military should also change its approach toward ethnic rebels. More than half of these groups have refused to sign a nationwide ceasefire agreement. They want a greater share of local power and more of the revenues from jade, timber, oil and other natural resources concentrated in ethnic areas.

Last year, some $20 billion of the money from jade, mined mostly in Kachin state, was plundered by groups said to be controlled by former generals and others connected with the military, according to Global Witness. Less than half of the revenues ended up in state coffers.

Continued on A11

POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO Ms. Angsioco’s column will resume soon.

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

S AT U R D AY : N O V E M B E R 14 , 2 0 1 5

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

THE LEADERSHIP MYANMAR NEEDS NOW

[ EDI TORI A L ]

FRIENDS UNDER FIRE

Bloomberg editorial

PERHAPS airport manager Jose Angel Honrado never really comprehended what his job entailed, from the beginning. After all, he did not have to do much to deserve it—it sufficed that he was a loyal aide of the President’s late mother and a part of Mr. Benigno Aquino III’s campaign team.

That, and being family.

All this was revealed in Thursday’s Senate hearing of the bullet-planting extortion scam at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Asked what his job was, Honrado said it was to “ensure the smooth flow at the airport.”

Thus, to his mind, Honrado until now does not believe that he carries any responsibility whatsoever for the ingenuity of baggage inspectors who are accused of planting bullets on travelers’ bags so they could extort money from them.

During Thursday’s hearing, overseas Filipino worker Gloria Ortinez relayed her story. On her way to return to her job in Hong Kong, she was stopped because a bullet was found among her things. Possession of bullets is a criminal act in the Philippines.

The 59-year-old domestic was detained for two days at the airport before undergoing an inquest at the Pasay City prosecutor’s office. Charges against her were later dismissed.

Four other victims of the scam told their stories during the hearing; each tale revealed a common pattern—or modus.

Honrado, however, said it was up to the police to go after the erring airport employees, some of whom had already been relieved from their post pending further action.

Honrado’s boss, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, was equally clueless during the hearing. This scam is only the latest among transportation and communication woes that have blown up during his watch.

In all this, the Palace has continued protecting Honrado and Abaya, with spokesmen saying that they still enjoyed the President’s confidence.

His confidence, maybe, but not ours. Malacañang’s style is to wait out this controversy until the next big issue comes along. Alas, it is not far-fetched that the next scandals would come from these same officials who coast along just because they know the President has their back, whatever happens.

AQUINO GOOFS UP AGAIN, THIS TIME ON APEC HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA THE Philippines is this year’s host of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Being the host means accommodating the leaders of dozens of states and their respective delegations. It also means a security nightmare for Philippine authorities, considering that the Apec summit—an assembly of the leaders of about a third of the world’s countries— will be a tempting attraction to

international terrorists, and to some local kidnap-for-ransom bandit groups.

Metropolitan Manila roadways, Edsa in particular, are almost always congested daily. To prevent Apec delegates from getting stuck in the traffic jams of the metropolis (where they can be easy targets for troublemakers), the government declared November 17 to 20 as holidays. Government offices will be closed, and there will be no classes at all levels during that period. Only two of those four days, however, will be holidays for private enterprises.

All international and local air

traffic at the area of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport will be banned for the duration of the summit to give way to aircraft shuttling Apec participants.

Maritime activities in Manila Bay are likewise disallowed during that period. Even the giant mall in the bay area is expected to be closed on November 18.

Road use in proximate cities will also be restricted. Special lanes along Edsa, from Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City, all the way to Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City, will be kept for the exclusive use of Apec participants during the same period.

A9

All the foregoing will require a lot of sacrifice on the part of the Filipino people living in the metropolis and its adjoining areas.

Roxas Boulevard itself will be off-limits to trucks for the duration of the summit.

By the way, the re-routing of vehicles during the Apec conference will not mean less traffic woes for the motorists of Metropolitan Manila. It means that the traffic mess on the alternate roadways motorists will be forced to use, will get worse.

The holidays will not help solve the traffic mess, either.

Only two of the four Apec holidays apply to the private sector. Moreover, shopping malls, restaurants, and entertainment centers make money precisely by

staying open during the holidays.

For the taxpayers, the tab for the Apec summit is expected to reach at least P10 billion.

All the foregoing will require a lot of sacrifice on the part of the Filipino people living in the metropolis and its adjoining areas. For private enterprises, the holidays mean less productivity at the workplace, as well as additional pay for employees who have to work on those days.

While students in the metropolis rejoice at the prospect of an extended pre-

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-

yuletide holiday, parents are upset that the school days this semester, shortened already by chronic bad weather, will have to be reduced even further.

Surely, there must be some benefit to the Filipino people for all the wastage and inconvenience visited upon them by the Apec summit. Why be a part of Apec when nothing worthwhile will emanate from it?

Aside from the expected improvement in trade relations between the Philippines and the other Apec countries, the Apec summit is a rare opportunity for

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

President Benigno Aquino III to discuss with the international community the illegal activities of Communist China in the West Philippine Sea. Since Apec protocol dictates that Aquino and Chinese president Xi Jinping must sit side by side during most parts of the summit, Xi cannot ignore this matter during the entire summit.

Malacañang, however, announced that as insisted upon by Communist China, the Philippines will not include the maritime dispute in the West Philippine Sea in the Apec agenda. Continued on A11

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

BURMESE voters have made one thing clear: They want their next leader to be Aung San Suu Kyi. That means she has to prepare to manage the government, and the military needs to get out of the way.

Although official results have been suspiciously slow in coming, Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy says its internal numbers show the party winning more than 70 percent of the vote nationwide—enough to hold an outright majority in parliament.

For Suu Kyi to become president, however, requires amending theconstitution, something that the military has long resisted. The document currently bars anyone with a foreign spouse or children from serving in the post. (Suu Kyi’s late husband was British, as are her children.) And it reserves a quarter of seats in parliament for uniformed officers—enough to veto any constitutional changes.

Leaving this rule in place will only fuel uncertainty and doubts about Myanmar’s worthiness as an investment destination. Suu Kyi would dominate whomever her party nominates as president, thus creating multiple power centers at the top. And a constant threat of military intervention would reduce confidence in any of the new government’s plans and promises.

To help ensure that the country is at peace and prepared to make economic progress, the Burmese military should also change its approach toward ethnic rebels. More than half of these groups have refused to sign a nationwide ceasefire agreement. They want a greater share of local power and more of the revenues from jade, timber, oil and other natural resources concentrated in ethnic areas.

Last year, some $20 billion of the money from jade, mined mostly in Kachin state, was plundered by groups said to be controlled by former generals and others connected with the military, according to Global Witness. Less than half of the revenues ended up in state coffers.

Continued on A11

POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO Ms. Angsioco’s column will resume soon.

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

S AT U R D AY : N O V E M B E R 14 , 2 0 1 5

A10

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

DECLARING THE EDCA CONSTITUTIONAL BACK­ BENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN WHEN logic is involved, then we could say that a misconstruction of it could be said as plain stupidity. There is no school to correct stupidity just as one who is unschooled cannot be called stupid if he is able to put his logic in order.

In its lowest category, it simply means common sense. But when we take ignorance as an issue, certainly it would require an extra effort to learn much that there are complicated problems beyond using one’s coconut to understand it.

There is no school to correct stupidity just as one who is unschooled cannot be called stupid if he is able to put his logic in order.

Acknowledging this dilemma, our lawmakers devised a method on how to construct and interpret the laws they want obeyed. Among lawyers, they call this as “statutory construction”, which in substance is more of logic, and than in knowing what the law ought to be. Since they know that somehow many of us would one way or the other not be able to understand the laws, they came out with a maxim which says, “Ignorance of the law excuses no one from compliance therewith” or in Latin ignorantia legis nenimen excusat.

I am appalled because one could sense the stupidity of those who drafted the 1987 Constitution that if concurred by the

Supreme Court could make the members of that august chamber doubly stupid. In fact, the political sycophants of Mrs. Aquino continue to regale their stupidity. To make my point, Section 4 of Article XVIII of the Constitution states to quote, “All existing treaties or international agreements which have not been ratified shall not be renewed or extended without the concurrence of at least two-thirds of all the members of the Senate.”

In this particular instance, the military bases agreement by whatever the parties would like to denote, like calling it Visiting Forces Agreement or Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, is a treaty that needs to be ratified by the Senate.

It is the rule in our system of government that have been adopted and incorporated in the 1935, 1973 and in the present 1987 Constitutions. That rule is premised that all treaties or international agreements, including the present EDCA, simply need to be ratified by the Senate.

The problem is not really about the ratification process but that the Constitution went stray to state in Section 25, Article XVIII, to quote: “After the expiration in 1991 of the Agreement between the Republic of the Philippines and the Untied States of America concerning Military Bases, troops or facilities shall not be allowed in the Philippines except under a treaty duly concurred by the Senate, and when Congress so requires, ratified by a majority of the votes cast by the people in a national referendum held for that purpose, and recognized as a treaty by the other contracting State.” (underscoring supplied) The phrase “and recognized as a treaty by the other contracting State” is an added requirement that it must be ratified by the US Senate to be called a treaty. As we desperately try to rectify our illogical thinking, the other party is rubbing insult by treating the agree-

EAGLE EYES DEAN TONY LA VIÑA

HUMAN RIGHTS ASPECTS OF POE CASE

WHETHER it is the Senate Electoral Tribunal, the Commission on Elections or the Supreme Court deciding the Poe disqualification cases, there are interesting and important legal issues that will have to be resolved. Is a foundling a citizen of the Philippines?

Is he or she a natural-born citizen? Is a Filipino who renounces his or her Filipino citizenship and subsequently reacquires it still a natural born citizen? Do you count the number of years of residence in the Philippines starting from when that person physically returned with her family (in the case of Poe, 2005) or when she became a dual citizen (Poe did this in 2006)? Is a statement in one’s Certificate of Candidacy for senator binding even if it was made in error?

There are no yes or no, black or white answers, to these questions. There is the text of the 1987 Constitution, statutory construction, international law and precedent to be considered. There are also important ethical and political considerations that need to be taken into account.

In an article published online, I argued that what is at stake in one of the main issues in the Poe disqualification cases is the status of millions of other Filipinos who were born with parents unknown and those foundlings who

will be born in the future.

Since natural-born citizenship is a requirement for many offices—not just the president, but nearly 100 elective and appointive positions are exclusive to natural born citizens— a ruling that foundlings are not natural-born citizens will result in depriving these foundlings an opportunity to serve in those offices. Congress can even expand this list to other officials if it so desires although that could be questioned for being unconstitutional.

I also argued that there is no middle ground between declaring Poe to be a natural-born citizen or classifying her and all foundlings as stateless citizens. Lawyer Estrella Elamparo, who is one of those who filed the case against Poe, was emphatic when she told reporters: “She is at best presumed Filipino, but definitely not natural-born. Legally, she is stateless.”

In my view, if foundlings are considered citizens, they can only be considered natural-born citizens. Foundlings cannot be considered naturalized citizens because naturalization requires an explicit procedure required by law. Naturalization is a procedure specifically provided by law based on an application process. Naturalization can happen through ad-

ministrative, judicial, and legislative means. It is not and never has been automatically conferred.

A ruling that foundlings are stateless has very serious consequences. This is not just about running for political office or being appointed to a high position in government, but of the basic human rights which require citizenship for them to be bestowed and exercised. A stateless person has only the barest of human rights; many civil and political rights are denied such person.

This is why last week eight pro-foundling groups—Kaisahang Buhay Foundation, Parenting Foundation of the Philippines, Child Justice League, House of Refuge Foundation Inc., Association of Child Caring Agencies of the Philippines, Ateneo Human Rights Center of the Ateneo School School of Law, Norfil Foundation and Cribs Foundation— placed full-page ads in the Inquirer and Philippine Star. Signed by their presidents or executive directors, the statement warned about the impact of a Poe ruling on millions of Filipinos.

“God forbid the current doctors, lawyers, accountants and architects, who happen to be foundlings at birth be stripped of their licenses, because of the short sightedness

of a narrow-minded few,” according to the these reputable and nonpartisan groups. They pointed out that such a decision would violate the rights of foundlings under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, an international agreement we have ratified.

Such a decision would also violate the constitutional right of foundlings to equal protection.

I have written in this column before that, as a signatory to the CRC, the Philippines must comply with its provisions that a State Party shall ensure the implementation of the inalienable right to a nationality in accordance with its national law and its obligations under other international instruments, in particular where the child would otherwise be stateless.

The Philippine law on citizenship must thus be read in incorporation of this provision of the CRC and the recognized international principle on the right to a nationality of every human being, especially of a child. It must be read against engendering statelessness of the child or of any human being found in the Philippines who possess no proof of nationality other than the fact that he or she was found in the Philippines.

Continued on A11

ment they forced upon us as an executive agreement to get away with the required ratification by the US Congress. That means the US is not officially committed to come to our defense as what it agreed to defend its Nato allies. Since the agreement is only signed by the US President, it follows that US commitment to this country is merely a matter of policy that may be observed by a particular US President, and not a treaty obligation. On that level, US can choose whom to consider as our enemy.

Invariably, if the Philippines is attacked and it is not in the interest of the US to defend us, it may choose not come to our defense, they not being automatically obligated us by a treaty.

Paradoxically, if the US is

attacked, we are automatically obligated to come to their defense even if in truth it was the US that is the aggressor state, and even if the country to which the US is at war is not our enemy because, in the words of Claro M. Recto of our canine devotion, “we ratified our agreement with them as a treaty”.

The illogical constitutional commissioners that framed the illogical provision are now caught in their own game of stupidity.

Our Senate cannot ratify what is essentially banned or not allowed. To uphold one portion of that provision could effectively impair the other, or to put it bluntly, make the more important aspect, which is prohibitory, redundant, or worst, an oxymoron. If the supposed

treaty, not otherwise ratified by the US Congress, wherein the stationing of foreign troops or the building of facilities in a military base is banned or is not allowed by the Constitution, no amount of ratification will make that agreement legal and constitutional.

To say otherwise is to make ourselves hilariously stupid because it means that we have completely mixed up our logic. We need not even know the constitution to understand what it wants to convey.

When the US refused to ratify the agreement and in lieu, considered it as a mere executive agreement, in truth, it rejected the agreement. There is no treaty ipso facto so to speak, for the Supreme Court to uphold as valid and constitutional. Second, since the treaty was

not ratified by the other party, as far as we are concerned, that treaty should have automatically been considered abrogated without any act on our part to declare or make it official. That again is logic.

Our negotiators should have been more circumspect to understand the sequence and consequence of a treaty-making process. The Philippines should have immediately treated the decision of the US as an act rejecting Edca, or to treat the agreement as one that was not perfected.

Rather, we proceeded in ratifying it despite the fact that the other party refused to ratify it, and now this government is pestering the Supreme Court to declare it valid and constitutional.

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OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

THE WRONG WAY FOR CHINA TO TAKE OFF American, Asian, and African countries that recognize safety-certification CHINA’S grown tired of being a Chinese low-tech manufacturer of things standards. (Chinese state media that other people design. So it’s has trumpeted the purchase of throwing money and resources three aircraft by the Republic of the Congo.) Last fall one leading at an industrial upgrade.

On Tuesday, the government analyst concluded: “We do not proudly announced one of the consider the ARJ21 to be a fruits of that effort: The coun- viable commercial project.”

That’s not what China entry’s first indigenously designed passenger jet, the 90-seat ARJ21, visioned when the plane was will be delivered to state-owned conceived in 2002. The ARJ21 Chengdu Airlines by year’s end. was supposed to compete in the There’s just one problem. Of the market for passenger jets with roughly 350 additional ARJ21s fewer than 100 seats—currenton order, almost all are slated ly dominated by Embraer and for another Chinese state-owned Bombardier—and to jumpstart airline or leasing company. In- an aircraft manufacturing sector ternational airlines don’t appear that would eventually challenge Boeing and Airbus. Passenger terribly interested.

It’s hard to blame them. growth numbers provided inAfter 13 years of development, centive. Boeing expects China and probably billions in costs will need 5,580 new planes (the development costs have over the next two decades as it never been disclosed), the grows into the world’s largest ARJ21 remains heavier, slower, commercial aviation market.

So what’s gone wrong? First, and less fuel-efficient than its competition. Even worse, while China’s large, captive marit won’t be certified by the US ket of state-controlled airlines Federal Aviation Authority, offers a commercial safety net, meaning it can only fly in it’s also dampened the incentive China and the handful of South to innovate. Why worry about

By Adam Minter

Aquino...From A9 As an excuse, the Aquino administration cited the arbitration case between Manila and Beijing currently pending in the international arbitration court in The Netherlands.

Aquino may not realize it but he gave up an obvious advantage the Philippines had over Communist China by removing the maritime issue from the talks. Likewise, the excuse tendered by Aquino is lame and untenable.

Since Apec is mainly about international trade and business, Apec should at least take up the issue in the West Philippine Sea, particularly Beijing’s insistence that al-

most all of the South China Sea is Chinese territory. To allow Communist China to get away with its self-serving nine-dash line scheme in redrawing the map in this part of the Asia-Pacific rim is to allow Beijing to choke the most vital sea lane in this part of the globe. That should spell very bad times for international trade, and enough worry for Apec countries.

It must be emphasized that Beijing is very conscious of its international image. Putting Communist Chinese bullying in East and South East Asian sea lanes in the Apec spotlight, even for a week, should soften the stubborn stance of Beijing.

Aquino’s predilection for sac-

Declaring...From A10 In fact, the Supreme Court need not even examine every sinew of the provisions of the Constitution to find a loophole they could use to validate and justify Edca, but merely ask themselves whether the agreement that is being presented is indeed a treaty or in the first place, whether there exists a treaty

The leadership...From A9 Stability should be the priority for Suu Kyi and the NLD, too, as they prepare to take charge of government.

During the election campaign, elements in the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party dangerously fanned anti-Muslim fervor. While the NLD dodged this explosive subject before the vote, party leaders now need to speak out against such demagoguery, especially the hate-infused rhetoric coming from

demanding foreign buyers when the government can ensure that the plane is purchased in respectable numbers at home?

Second, China decided to dive straight into building a complete plane, using imported or at least foreign-designed components. That’s the same approach Xiaomi used to develop a Chinese competitor to the iPhone. Indeed, Atlantic correspondent James Fallows has called the ARJ21’s larger cousin, the C919, a “huge flying counterpart to the iPhone.”

That might work well for products that have refresh cycles measured in months, such as smartphones. But if you’re building a jet, it’s a recipe for instant obsolescence. Even the newest, most innovative components can quickly become outmoded if delays occur, as they have repeatedly with the ARJ21 and its inexperienced design teams.

Most importantly, in its rush to build a jet, China chose to base the design for the ARJ21 on the 1960s-era DC9 and reportedly has used tooling left

rificing the national interest in favor of his undisclosed, private agenda once again prevailed when Manila removed this vital issue from the Apec discussions.

The mere pendency of the arbitration case between Manila and Beijing in Holland is not a valid ground to keep mum about Communist Chinese aggression in the sea lanes of East and South East Asia. For the record, Beijing refuses to participate in that case, and insists on ventilating its position through propaganda heralded in its state-controlled media agencies, and in the international news media. If Beijing is confronted by world opinion,

behind in China by McDonnell Douglas in the 1990s to build it. That means engineers have packed relatively new technologies into a heavy, old design, with predictably disappointing results.

China would’ve been better off following the path chosen by Japan, which launched its first indigenous passenger jet in 40 years, the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), on Wednesday. Unlike the ARJ21, the Japanese plane is a high-tech, fuel-efficient marvel with more than 400 orders, the vast majority of which are international. Also unlike the ARJ21, the jet will almost certainly be certified to fly in the US and most of the rest of the world.

The success and credibility of the MRJ has much to do with the fact that Mitsubishi has for years been an innovative manufacturer of aircraft parts, including hightech composite wings for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, as well as a collaborator with top aircraft manufacturers around the world. During the height of the 787 development program, some 22,000 Japanese worked on ele-

particularly condemnation from countries which have an economic interest in keeping those sea lanes open, Beijing will likely shut up on its hollow political rhetoric, which has no purpose other than to confuse the issues.

Since the Philippines has no military muscle to sustain it in a war with Communist China, and considering that Secretary Voltaire Gazmin’s Department of National Defense is largely a hollow structure plagued with accusations of corruption, Aquino has no choice but to use every international venue to put a stop to Beijing’s bullying.

That opportunity was given to Aquino by the coming Apec summit, but he squandered it.

ments of the cutting-edge plane.

These experiences gave Mitsubishi several advantages. Engineers familiar with making lightweight, fuel-efficient, composite components were quickly able to build a state-of-the-art airframe for the MRJ. Furthermore, Mitsubishi’s experience working with manufacturers and regulators in other countries has smoothed the FAA certification process. Unlike China, which expects regulators to bend, Mitsubishi just opened an office in Seattle to navigate regulatory issues and provide support to North American buyers.

The MRJ’s success should serve as a cautionary tale to any Chinese official who thinks bottomless funding, a will to succeed, and a large domestic market are all that’s needed to create innovative products.

Just as often, they result in an unproductive misallocation of Chinese resources and energy.

The ARJ21 might someday be viewed as an important waypoint on China’s aviation adventure. For now, it’s little more than a flight delay. Bloomberg

Human...From A10

Philippine law does not state that foundlings are not Filipino citizens. Why should we therefore postulate the contrary, in violation of our commitment under the CRC to implement our laws in a manner that would avoid statelessness of a child?

This is especially sound and reasonable under the incorporation doctrine of the 1987 Constitution—where we adopt the generally accepted principles of international law as part of the law of the land (Article 2, Section 2)—since the fundamental law itself has no provision that categorically states the contrary, that foundlings are not considered Philippine citizens.

To therefore say that a foundling cannot be considered a Philippine citizen is a violation of a child’s and a human being’s basic and inalienable human right to bear a nationality from birth. To say that a foundling cannot be considered a Philippine citizen just because his or her parents are not known is to arbitrarifor the court to decide. ers simply stated that all treaties need ly deprive a human being of his or her If only we stood firm to the constitu- to be ratified by the respective parties’ inalienable right to a nationality from tional mandate of banning all military Congress or parliament, or that they birth. Clearly, the law on citizenship canbases in the country, we would not now did not insert what we call in the ver- not be interpreted in such a manner as to produce such an absurd and on its face undergo the humiliation of having to nacular as “kolatilya,” we would not be unjust conclusion of law. make a fool of ourselves to make valid Moreover, not only foundlings will be and constitutional what is patently dis- cracking our skull to make logical what affected but their families too, including allowed. After all, it takes two to tango is obviously is illogical. their adoptive parents and relatives where to conclude a treaty. Besides, if only they have in fact been adopted. And for rpkapunan@gmail.com the clumsy constitutional commissionsure, as I pointed out in my online article, such a decision would have a chilling effect on adoption as foreign or stateless some radical Buddhist monks. sponsibility—whether or not she is al- children cannot be adopted under presFinding a pathway to citizenship lowed to become president—to finally ent law. Adoptive parents also would be for the country’s oppressed Rohingya groom a strong deputy and a team of deterred from adopting foundlings beMuslims won’t be the new parliament’s capable technocratic leaders, perhaps cause of the complications involved with respect to their legal status. first priority. But neither can lawmak- drawn from the talented Burmese In sum, it is not just the political future ers ignore the issue forever: Smugglers diaspora. Myanmar’s toughest eco- of Grace Poe that is at stake in this issue arereportedly preparing to launch nomic reforms still lie ahead: A vital of the status of the foundlings. The humore boatloads of Rohingya refugees investment law awaits passage. Trade man rights of millions of Filipinos are on for Malaysia and Thailand; another ex- costs must be brought down if manu- the balance. The same can be said of the other issue against her—the alleged lack odus would reignite tensions with both facturers are to benefit from Myan- of residency. A decision on that issue will neighbors. Only Suu Kyi has the moral mar’s low wages. A proper banking affect million of Filipinos in the global authority to confront such deeply in- sector needs to be developed. Money diaspora. I will write about that next.

grained prejudices.

Sunday’s vote also gives her the re-

has to be poured into infrastructure and education.

Facebook: Dean Tony La Vina Twitter: tonylavs

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sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Phelps beaten in Minneapolis race Michael Phelps suffered a rare defeat on Thursday in the 100m butterfly final at the Minneapolis swim meet as he continues his preparations towards the 2016 Olympics.

Thieves hunted for stealing boxing belts ByRonnieNathanielsz POLICe are hunting for thieves who stole six priceless world championship belts, from the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York.

The World Boxing Council reports that the break in happened at 2:45 am of last Thursday.

The thieves smashed stands, stealing four world championship belts from the legendary welterweight and middleweight divisions of Carmen Basilio. They also stole two belts of middleweight champion Tony Zale.

This is the first burglary in 25 years of existence of the Hall of Fame.

Police are keeping a keen lookout for the memorabilia, as there could be attempts to sell them on the black market.

The WBC website stated that the main target of the thieves appears to have been Carmen Basilio, who was born in Canastota, New York. Carmen’s legendary achievements which included a victory over Sugar Ray Robinson, motivated the population of the town to create the international Hall of Fame.

The Police Department in coordination with the museum have distributed images of the stolen belts.

MINNEAPOLIS - Michael Phelps swims in the 200 meter freestyle final at the Arena Pro Swim Series on November 12, 2015 at Jean K. Freeman Aquatics Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. AFP

Rejected by Jets, Ryan makes triumphant return Rex Ryan made his homecoming a victorious one Thursday as the Buffalo Bills roared to a 19-point second half lead, then held on to beat his former New York Jets 22-17.

Ryan became head coach of the Jets in 2009 and led them to two AFC Championship games before being fired at the end of the 2014 NFL season.

Ryan had played down his return to the Jet’s MetLife Stadium heading into Thursday’s contest, but afterwards he opened up about his feelings.

“Pretty satisfying,” he said.

“Now I can talk the truth. This thing is kind of like being dumped by some girl you had the hots for.

That is what it feels like.

“You move on and every now and then they call you back and

they can’t get you back.”

Ryan jogged out of the tunnel to a chorus of boos from the crowd just prior to kickoff.

The boos grew a little louder a few minutes later, when the captains—including Bills linebacker IK enemkpali, who was released by the Jets after slugging quarterback Geno Smith in a locker room altercation August 12—went to midfield for the coin toss.

“He never talked to us about how he previously coached the Jets,” said Bills running back LeSean McCoy, who gained 112 yards on 19 carries. “He made it more a division game—a mustwin type of game where there would be a hostile environment here in New York.”

The Jets staged a furious late

rally but they couldn’t catch the Bills, who won their second game in a row to improve to 5-4 and moved into the thick of the AFC wild card race in their first year with Ryan at the helm.

The Jets, who dropped to 5-4, have lost three of their last four.

The Bills led 12-3 at the half, and extended the lead to 22-3 in the first seven minutes of the third quarter when quarterback Tyrod Taylor threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to running back Karlos Williams, and kicker Dan Carpenter booted a 29-yard field goal.

But the Jets pulled within five on a pair of touchdown passes by quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, including a 31-yarder to wide receiver eric Decker midway through the fourth quarter.

The most decorated medallist in Olympic history was beaten into third place behind winner Giles Smith and San Condorelli in second.

Phelps clocked 52.99 sec, far slower than the 50.45 which he produced at last year’s US Swimming Championships, the fastest time over the distance in 2015.

Phelps, winner of a record 18 Olympic gold medals, told Sports Illustrated this week he has rediscovered his zest for swimming after initially retiring following the 2012 London Games.

After an arrest for drink-driving in Baltimore in 2014 he checked himself into rehab and decided to return to Olympic competition.

He has not drunk alcohol since his arrest, and has vowed not to drink until after the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro next August.

“Haven’t had a single sip and will not have a sip,” Phelps told Sports Illustrated. “You’re going to see a different me than you saw in any of the other Olympics.”

In other races in Minneapolis on Thursday, US prodigy Katie Ledecky dominated her compatriot Missy Franklin to win the 200m freestyle.

Ledecky came home in 1min 55.37sec, more than a second ahead of Franklin, who clocked 1:56.73.

Allison Smith was third with 1:57.28.

Paulino to fight Darchinyan in Sydney CRIS Paulino, a 22 year old Filipino southpaw will fight three division world champion Vic Darchinyan in Sydney, Australia on December 18 while undefeated Markquil Salvana will clash with hard-hitting unbeaten Australian Jason Moloney for the vacant WBA Oceania super bantamweight title on December 2 in Melbourne.

The 24 year old Moloney is 4-0 with all four wins coming by way of knockouts.

Among his victims were Filipinos Danilo

Gabisay who lost y a 5th round TKO last August 19 and Alvin Bais who was stopped in a 3rd round TKO last March 6.

Well known Australian promoter Peter Maniatis told the New Standard/ boxingmirror.com “we wanted an undefeated boxer for Moloney and Salvana fits the bill as he is 9-0 and its on a big Danny Green vs Komnni Konrad card on PPV Main event in Australia so we expect a great fight and a test for Moloney.”

Maniatis said Darchinyan will face “tough and talent-

ed” Cris Paulino, a 22 year old with a record of 14-2 with 4 knockouts who is coming off a 10th round KO loss to Japan’s Koki eto in a Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation title fight last November 26, 2014 in Tokyo.

Paulino’s only other loss was an 11th round TO to rugged Ardin Diale in a clash for the Philippine flyweight crown on April 26, 2013 after which he won four fights in a row. He is ranked No. 12 super flyweight by the Philippine Games and Amusements Board in its September ratings.

Ronnie Nathanielsz

Philweb Corp. Vice President and lawyer Cliburn Anthony Orbe (2nd from left) receives his trophy and cash prize from chess organizer Joselito Dormintorio of DAR (left0 during the awarding ceremony of the 1st Executive Professional Rapid Chess Championship held at Larry and Mau Restaurant in Eton Centris Mall EDSA,Quezon City last weekend. Also in phot is a representative from Larry and Mau (3rd from left) and chief arbiter Alex Dinoy.

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sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Tour Finals to stay in London until 2018

The report on corruption and money-laundering within the international athletics body is distributed to journalists prior to a press conference in Geneva Just 270 days out from the start of the 2016 Rio Olympics, an independent commission set up by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) released its findings into a scandal already viewed as more damaging than the corruption crisis engulfing world football governing body FIFA. AFP

Park grabs one shot lead at Ochoa golf tilt Park In-Bee showed no signs of the hand injury that forced her to pull out of last week’s China event by shooting a 68 in the opening round of the Lorena Ochoa Invitational.

South korea’s Park withdrew from the Blue Bay tournament in Hainan Island because of pain in her left hand from a cyst.

“Yeah, I was a little bit worried about not practising for a few days, but I had a good day today,” said Park, who shot four-under Thursday for a one-shot lead in the LPGa’s next to last event on the season in Mexico City.

The 27-year-old Park is aiming to take top honours for the LPGa season and to do that she needs to regain the number one ranking from New Zealand’s Lydia ko.

Park also is chasing ko for the Player of the Year award, the Vare Trophy (low scoring average) and for the most money won on the Tour this season. ko is not playing this week. She returns next week at the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida.

THE aTP World Tour Finals will remain in London until 2018, the event’s chief Chris kermode revealed on Thursday.

With the latest edition of the prestigious seasonending tournament set to get underway on Sunday, aTP chief executive kermode confirmed a deal had been agreed for London to play host to the world’s top eight players for three more years.

Since first staging the Tour Finals in 2009, the 02 arena in south-east London has proved a huge hit with both the players and the fans who have flocked to fill its 20,000-capacity for the eight-day run each year.

The alternatives were taking the event to asia, where it has been held before in Shanghai, or moving it elsewhere in Europe, but the economic and sporting success of the event in London persuaded the aTP to keep the tournament by the banks of the river Thames.

“We are delighted to have reached an agreement which will see the tournament celebrate its 10th successive year in London in 2018,” kermode said at the Tour Finals draw in City Hall.

“The tournament has been a spectacular success since moving to the O2 in 2009, generating record crowds, incredible atmospheres and a soaring worldwide TV audience which broke the 100 million mark for the first time last year.”

Russia faces exile as IAAF decides doping charges Russia could be cast into exile by world athletics chiefs who meet Friday determined to make a stand over “state-sponsored” doping with exclusion from the 2016 Olympics a potential long-term consequence for Moscow.

Sebastian Coe, the recentlyelected president of the International association of athletics Federations (IaaF), will preside over a conference call of the body’s 26 members at around 1800GMT. a simple majority is all that will be needed to confirm a suspension for russia who were accused of widespread doping by an independent commission set up by the World anti-Doping agency (WaDa) in a report which has shaken track and field, one of the Olympic Games’ flagship attractions.

The 335-page report also blasted russian officials for blackmailing athletes to cover up positive tests as well as destroying test samples. although russian officials are expected to offer an olive branch by admitting to some cases of cheating, the IaaF is under huge pressure to take strong action less than a year out from the rio Olympics.

Of the 26 members on the IaaF Council, nine are European.

“Europe will support Sebastian Coe. We have full confidence in

him. We are all on the same page,” Svein arne Hansen, the president of European athletics, told Britain’s Daily Telegraph.

However, one leading IaaF council member, legendary Ukraine pole-vaulter Sergei Bubka who lost out to Coe in the race for the organisation’s top job, warned that it would be wrong to punish innocent athletes for the transgressions of others. “all those involved, officials, managers or coaches, must pay the price,” Bubka told the aIPS world sports journalists association.

“But ordinary athletes, those who have nothing to do with this matter, should not have to miss a single competition.”

- ‘No Olympic boycott’ -The IaaF, he said, needed to live up to its responsibilities as an important player on the world sports stage but it must take it “case by case, person by person.”

On Thursday, russia sent a formal reply to the allegations ahead of Friday’s meeting. acting president of russia’s athletics federation Vadim Zelichenok said that it had produced the response “in such a way as to try to prove our innocence”.

“How many pages is it? One or 100, it’s not important,” he added.

In another development, russia’s Olympic Committee president alexander Zhukov flew into Lausanne in Switzerland Thursday evening for talks with International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach, r-Sport reported.

The fallout from the WaDa report’s damning conclusions reached as far up as russian President Vladimir Putin who ordered officials to launch their own internal investigation and cooperate with international anti-doping authorities.

Topacio misses Olympic qualifier TraP shooter Hagen alexander Topacio missed an Olympic qualifying slot after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has stripped the ongoing asian Shooting Championship of its status as a qualifying tournament. according to reports, Topacio accumulated a national record setting 122 points for a silver medal in last weekend in kuwait.

This would have earned him a berth in the Olympics, but not after controversy hounded the staging of the competition. reports reaching the Philippine Olympic Committee said the contro-

versy arose after kuwait denied a visa to shooting official Yair Davidovich of Israel, Davidovich was supposed to supervise the event which was supposed to be held here from November 1-12.

The IOC executive board then revoked the qualification status of the tournament after getting a request from the International Sports Shooting Federation (ISSF).

The suspension was also meted because kuwait National Olympic Committee is currently suspended by the IOC due to government interference.

Because of this, Topacio, an Olympic scholar shooter earned so much self-confidence which he can bank on when he continue his hunt for the rio slot next year in other competitions.

He is set to join a qualifier in Europe and the PreOlympic in rio.

Topacio beat some 50 tough shooters including World and Olympic medalists from kuwait and China before posting his highest finish ever in an asian competition.

He had a perfect 15 in the semis which him to the finals, where he lost to a South korean.

A handout photo released by Fixer-Argentina of former English footballer David Beckham (back row-L) posing with children from the 1-11-14 shantytown in Buenos Aires on November 9, 2015. Beckham is in Argentina to film a documentary about football. AFP

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

5 share lead; Laylo stuns Russian GM FIVE players, four of them grandmasters, emerged locked in a five-way tie for the lead as the drive for the title continues to heat up going into the homestretch of the 2015 Philippine International Chess Championship at the Subic Peninsular Hotel, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority in Olongapo City.

Standings after seven rounds (Open Division)— Demchenko (RUS), Gupta (IND), Shomoev (RUS), Lin (CHI), Deepan (IND) 5.0, Zubov (UKR), Savchenko (RUS), Sunilduth Lyna (IND), Laylo (PHI), Lu (CHI) 4.5, Sivuk (UKR), Belous (RUS), Torre (PHI) Mozharov (RUS), Antonio (PHI) 4.0, Nolte (PHI), Smirnov (RUS), Puranik (IND), Bersamina (PHI), Kotanjian (ARM) 3.5, Nguyen (VIE), Sean (INA), Abelgas (PHI), Ranola (PHI),

Bitoon (PHI), Gotel (PHI), Docena 3.0, Dimakiling 2.5.

Challenger Division (after six rounds)—Mendoza, Salgados 5.0, Morado, Mirano K., Rapanot 4.5, Diaz, Evangelista, Mirano J., Alora, Medina 4.0, Aviles, Bagamasbad, Salcedo 3.5, Miciano, Lim, Doroy, Pidor, Marimla, Bernardo, Ricano 3.0, Polao, Pradas, Romero, Cerezo, Bautista 2.5, Morsalim M., Fagon, Alidani, Graspela, Morsalim S., Vicente 2.0.

Russian GMs Anton Demchenko and Anton Shomoev, Indian GMs Abhijeet Gupta and Chakkravarthy Deepan and International Master Chen Lin of China ended up tied with five points each following a series of reversals and draws in the 6th round late Thursday and the 7th round early Friday.

Demchenko defeatede Ukranian GM Vitaly Sivuk in the 6th round, but settled for a draw against Lin in the seventh to earn a piece of the lead, while top seed Gupta was upset by no. 9 seed Shomoev in the sixth and settled for a draw against Deepan in the 7th.

Shomoev’s win over Gupta and his drawn game with Sunilduth Lyna in the 7th allowed him to tie for the lead.

Deepan also had a similar record of a win (against Chi-

nese GM Shanglei Lu) and a draw (against Gupta) in the 6th and 7th rounds, while Lin, who was tied with Gupta after five rounds, settled for successive draws in the previous two rounds.

As the matches in the top four boards in the 7th round all ended in draws, Filipino GM Darwin Laylo and Russian GM Vladimir Belous posted impressive victories to stay in the hunt for the top $5,000 cash prize in the tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Puregold, Asian United Bank and Burlington Socks.

Laylo, the no. 17 seed, stunned third seed Russian GM in 41 moves of a SlavIndian, his second win in a

row after beating unrated local bet Michael Gotel in the 6th round, to bring his total to 4.5 points in a tie with no. 2 seed GM Alexander Zubov of Ukraine, GM Boris Savchenko of Russia, Sunilduth Lyna and China’s Lu. Behind them are the five-man group with four points led by Russians GM Vladimir Belous and Mikhail Mozharov and Filipino GMs Eugene Torre and Antonio.

Belous, the no. 6 seed, scored a mild upset against Lu in 44 moves employing the Kingside Fianchetto of the Zukertort Opening, while Mozharov outplayed Vietnamese GM Duc Hoa Nguyen in 32 moves of the Kalashnikov Variation of the Sicilian.

The 18th seed Torre, meanwhile, agreed to a draw with Ukraine’s Sivuk after 57 push-

es of the Bogo Indian (Gruenfeld Variation), while Antonio downed NM Roel Abelgas in 40 moves of his pet opening, the Caro-Kann (Two Knights Attack, Mindeno Variation).

In the Challenger Division, Woman Internatonal Master Shania Mae Mendoza and Lennon Hart Salgados turned back their respective opponents to forge a two-way tie for the lead after six rounds.

Mendoza, a many-time age-group champion, outsteadied Jeth Romy Morado after 78 moves of a Queen’s Gambit Chigorin, while Salgados, seeded 4th here, crushed Christopher Diaz in 37 moves of a Pirc Defense.

Morado’s loss dropped him in a three-way tie for the third to fifth places with Kevin Mirano, and top seed Alfredo Rapanot.

Yemen crushes PH’s World Cup bid, 1-0

By Peter Atencio

Yemeni player Tawfik Ali (2nd from left) battles for ball possession against PH Azkals’ Sato Daisuke in one of the highlights of the qualiying match for the 2018 World Cup at the RMSC football field. Yemen won, 1-0, AFP

Donaire doing well in sparring, says dad

By Ronnie Nathanielsz FORMER five division world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire did really well when sparring six rounds against Fidel Navarette of Indiana yesterday.

Nonito’s father/trainer “Dodong” D onaire told the New Standard/boxingmirror.com that his son “aparred really well and it was a great showing” adding that he was “very happy with what I saw.”

He said Donaire showed “speed, power, everything and was smart inside the ring. He doesn’t want to get hit which is our game plan, similar to Floyd Mayweather Jr.” “Dodong” Donaire said “our game plan is not to get hit a lot. You can’t avoid getting hit all the time but the

idea is to minimize it.”

Team Donaire returns to Las Vegas tomorrow and will continue training there.

He said the press conference was held in a casino and there were not so many people there but it was good.

WBO president Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel and Top Rank’s Carl Moretti were in attendance.

At the press conference Donaire said “My goal is to get back on top. I am refocused for what I must do in the ring," said Donaire. That's why this fight in Puerto Rico is so important for me and my boxing career. I am reading a book called The Power of Habits. It is about getting rid of bad habits and instead using good habits each and every day. It all restarts for me on Dec. 11."

YEMEN banked on a late strike from Ahmed Al-Saron to end the Philippine Azkals’ faltering bid for a chance to squeeze into the third round in the qualifying match for the 2016 FIFA World Cup. Al-Sarori scored the dagger in the 82nd minute after the Azkals failed to score a goal despite several attempts before their home crowd at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

The Azkals fell to 2-1-3 windraw-loss.

Later, team manager Dan Palami said one of the attempted goals by the Azkals should had been counted.

“I thought that the ball was in already in one of those near goals,” said Palami, who nevertheless lauded the Azkals for not showing complacency.

Yemen team coach Amin AlSunaini also praised the Azkals for their disciplined play.

“They were disciplined that’s why they had good chances to

score,” he said.

The Azkals’ loss boosted the chances of North Korea and Uzbekistan of entering the third round, after the Uzbeks beat North Korea, 3-1, in a simultaneous encounter in Tashkent.

The Philippines stepped up their offense in the last 45 minutes but the Yemenis were able to prevent the Azkals from scoring.

Jerry Lucena attempted a header in the 56th minute that kissed the post had the crowd roaring, but goalkeeper Mohamed Ebrahim Ali Ayasi cleared it off.

In the 66th, minute, the Azkals had another chance when Martin Steuble kicked a shot, but Yemeni defenders Amada, Ahmed, Mohammed Al-Zubairi got in the way moments before the ball was able to touch the back of the net.

“Every time they went inside the box, they were dangerous,” said Azkals coach Thomas Dooley.

The Azkals now eyes an automatic slot in the third round of the AFC Asian Cup.

Golf ace.

Angelo Que of the Philippines will see action in the US $1 milllion Resorts World Manila Masters to be held at the Manila Southwoods Gold and Country Club starting next week.

Que will try to end a five-year slump in the Asian Tour.

S AT U R DAY : N 0 V E M B E R 14 , 2 0 1 5

A15

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

LOTTO RESULTS 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 4 DIGITS 00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

Bulldogs eye crucial win vs Tamaraws

By Peter Atencio

Aldrech Ramos (no, 1) of Mahindra Enforcers defends against Sean Anthony (no. 10) of NLEX Road Warriors in mid-air in one of the highlights of their game Friday night. The Enforcers won, 103-93.

Mahindra rips NLEX, 103-93, for first-ever PH Cup victory

By Jeric Lopez

NINO Canaleta and Aldrech Ramos torched their former team as Mahindra stunned the NLEX Road Warriors, 103-93, for its first-ever win in the 2015 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Philsports Arena last night.

Canaleta and Ramos, who were us in this game,’’ said Mahindra both traded by NLEX in the off- deputy coach Chito Victolero. season to Mahindra, combined “We hope that we can carry this for 28 points, scoring 14 apiece to win and this momentum in our lead Mahindra to its first win after next games. This is very positive for us.’’ three losses.

Kyle Pascual, LA The Road Warriors Game Today (Lucena City) 5 p.m. • Talk ‘N Text vs. Star Revilla and Mark Yee dropped two in a row provided the needed support for after a 2-0 start for a 2-2 card.

“It feels so good that we fi- Mahindra as they all scored in nally got our first win here in the twin-digits as well. Pascual also tournament. It’s kind of inciden- had 14 markers off the bench tal pa that their (NLEX) former while Revilla had 13 and Yee 11, players are the ones pa that led also as a reserve.

Playing with a sense of urgency, Mahindra came out of the gates firing as it worked its way towards a sizeable double-digit lead at away at the end of the first period, 26-16.

The Enforcers extended their lead to 17 points twice in the middle of the second before the Road Warriors ended the first half with a 15-6 blitz to inch within just eight, 51-43, at halftime.

But the more determined Mahindra just won’t allow NLEX to completely impose a threat as it restored a double-digit lead by the end of the third, 74-60.

In the final frame, it was all about sealing the victory for the Enforcers as they blew the game wide open behind a 17-10 run en route to their largest lead of the game at 91-70 with just 5:45 left after a three-point play from rookie Bradwyn Guinto.

Exemplary performance INSIDE SPORTS RONNIE NATHANIELSZ

THE Alaska Aces celebrated their 30th season in the Philippine Basketball Association with a team dinner at the Enderun College along Campus Avenue on McKinley Hill, Fort Bonifacio on Thursday.

We were eagerly looking forward to the occasion for an opportunity to congratulate the team for its exemplary performance through the years and the innate class that it has shown in victory or defeat.

The Alaska Aces have been a tribute to the PBA whose adherence to principles and rules and regulations has been questioned from time to time.

A stand-alone team surrounded by conglomerates that have spread their ownership to multi-faceted ownership investments, the Aces have stood their ground behind principles of ownership that do not allow for the wheeling and dealing that undermines the integrity of the league which is glaringly manifested in some of the player trades that violate intrinsic rules and regulations designed to even out the playing field.

Yet through it all the Alaska management has stood tall in its desire to project an image of fair play and sportsmanship and to abide by the values and virtues that should set sports apart from most other endeavors.

When Alaska has won championships it's because they deserved to. And when on occasions they lost, even if they didn’t deserve to, they took their setbacks with a dignified approach that reflects in remarkable fashion the kind of leadership shown by its anchor, Mr. Fred Uytengsu.

His steadfast commitment to the rules under

Mahindra overcame a sensational performance from NLEX’s ageless wonder Asi Taulava, who exploded with a game-high 31 points and nine rebounds.

As of this writing, two hot teams are figuring in a heated tiff as league-leading Rain or Shine is doing its best to keep its solo lead up top against streaking GlobalPort.

The Painters (3-0) will remain unscathed if they win and will keep the top spot for themselves alone but if the Batang Pier (2-1) wins and pulls off the upset, Rain or Shine, San Miguel, Alaska and GlobalPort will figure in a fourway tie for first place.

Meanwhile, a heavyweight clash between Talk ‘N Text (2-1) and Star (2-2) takes place in Lucena City at 5 p.m. as the PBA goes back on the road for this out of town presentation.

which the games should be played and the league should be run, shines like a beacon at times in the dark nights of despair in the midst of all that is wrong.

Fred Uytengsu has his moments of weakness when carried away by the sometimes seriously questionable calls that go against his team and in favor of the more popular teams.

But his actions can be forgiven as those of a gentleman who desires to see players and teams judged on their merits and what they do right—or wrong—in playing the game we all love with an incredible passion.

We must confess that there have been times when we have taken issue with Mr. Uytengsu but it was

DEFENDING chamGames Saturday pion National Univer(MOA Arena) sity faces a must-win 2 p.m. Ateneo vs UE situation when it clash- 4 p.m. NU vs FEU es with league-leading and last year’s runner-up Far Eastern University in their 4 p.m. match today in the78th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

The Bulldogs, who are locked in a twoway tie for fourth with the De La Salle Green Archers at 6-7 (win-loss), need to win to keep their Final Four bid alive and beat the Archers in the race for the no. 4 spot.

The Green Archers will be playing the Tamaraws on Wednesday to strengthen their own bid for the no. 4 spot.

Coach Eric Altamirano said the burden is on the Bulldogs to see to it that they they will be up to the challenge against the Tamaraws.

He also cited Gelo Alolino’s huge role in providing the leadership to his teammates.

“I know it’s a big responsibility but he (Alolino) is living up to it,” Altamirano said.

The veteran Alolino scored a career-high 26 points in the Bulldogs’ victory over the University of the Philippines Maroons, 7569, last week.

Still, Altamirano said that his other players must also step up.

“May mga times din naman na other players naman, sila naman ’yung mainit.

Magkakataon lang din siguro na dumarating ’yung chance,” he said.

In the 2 p.m. match, Ateneo clashes with University of East in a no-bearing contest.

Meanwhile, the junior basketball games begin today with a four-game bill at the Blue Eagles gym, with defending champion Ateneo taking on La Salle-Zobel at 11 a.m., and NU taking on Adamson at 9 a.m.

Last season’s Finals MVP Jolo Mendoza, Batang Gilas mainstays Gian Mamuyac and Shaun Ildefonso will be the vital cogs for Ateneo, which defeated NNU for the crown.

never with the intention to embarrass him but rather to try and get him to effectively live with the times and the cultural weaknesses that sometimes creep into Philippine sports, perhaps unintentionally.

If there is one gentleman who has through the 30 seasons in the PBA set an example of decency on a consistent basis that individual must surely be Fred Uytengsu.

His players have shown a remarkable adherence to the spirit of fiercely competitive basketball and in the process have enhanced the integrity of the game in the PBA. We sincerely regret our inability to share in the tribute to a team that truly

deserves our remembering for the manner they continue to play the game and live up to the fundamental principles that must surely be the bedrock of any sporting endeavor.

30 years doesn’t seem such a long time. But it’s a time that basketball fans had an opportunity to watch a team that has been a sterling example and a tribute to the men who play the game and those in the Alaska management who mold the character and the values that the Aces play and live by.

Our sincere congratulations to Fred Uytengsu and his charming wife and his son who seems destined to follow in his illustrious father’s footsteps.

S AT U R DAY : N O V E M B E R 14 , 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

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors celebrate after making a basket in a recent game for the team’s ninth win. On Thursday, Curry scored 46 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves to lead the Warriors to a franchise best start 10-0 card. AFP

Curry shines as Warriors move to franchise best STEPHEN Curry scored 46 points as the Golden State Warriors parlayed the perfect start to the season into the best in franchise history with a 129-116 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday.

Curry scored 21 of his game high total in the first quarter as Golden State improved to a franchise-best 10-0, surpassing the 196061 Warriors who opened at 9-0. That Warrior side was led by the legendary Wilt Chamberlain when the club was based in Philadelphia.

It also marked Curry’s third 40 point game of the young season, as the Warriors have picked up right where they left off last year when they won their first NBA

Phelps beaten in Minneapolis race TURN TO A12

championship in 40 years.

It didn’t take long for Curry to heat up Thursday as he had 25 points at halftime, and the Warriors looked like they were going to run away with the game early at the Target Center arena in Minneapolis.

Curry said they are trying to take it game by game and not think about repeating as champions.

“I don’t want to talk about chasing record seasons and all that,” he said. “That would

be nice, but you can’t fast forward to April right now. We got to stay in the moment.

When April comes around we hope to be best versions of ourselves and ready to go.”

He said the secret to the Warriors’ success is their ability to know what each other is doing on the floor.

“We don’t call many plays.

It is just reads and the flow of the offense. We keep our turnovers down, stay aggressive and take open shots and knock them down,” he said.

And Curry hit his share, shooting 15-of-25 from the field, including eight-of-13 from beyond the arc for Golden State, the lone remaining unbeaten team in the NBA.

Curry had been held to under 30 points in three consecutive games heading into Thursday’s contest after averaging 35.5 points in his first six games.

Guard Andrew Wiggins led Minnesota with 19 points.

Center Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds, and reserve forward Shabazz Muhammad added 16 points.

The Timberwolves are a surprising 4-0 on the road this season, but it has been a different story at home where they are now 0-4.

In Miami, with Dwyane Wade out due to a family matter, the Miami Heat turned to one of their other all-stars from their back-to-

Yemen crushes PH’s World Cup bid TURN TO A14

back championship seasons.

Forward Chris Bosh scored 25 points, and the Heat defeated the Utah Jazz 92-91 at the AmericanAirlines Arena.

Guard Tyler Johnson hit a jump shot with 38.1 seconds remaining to get the Heat’s lead up to 88-84 after Jazz guard Alec Burks sank a layup to trim the deficit to two.

Johnson also hit a layup on the Heat’s earlier possession.

Bosh, who finished with eight rebounds and four assists, had a key block on a layup attempt by Burks with 19.9 seconds remaining.

He shot nine-for-18, showing versatility on offense with jumpers, post play and drives to the basket.AFP

Araneta re-elected PFF head

By Peter Atencio THE Philippine Football Federation will continue to push with its plan to conduct and promote professional football nationwide in 2017.

Mariano “Nonng” Araneta Jr., who was re-elected for a new four-year mandate as president of PFF in the election during the association’s 12th Congress at Sheraton Hotel, Manila yesterday, said the board is set to details of the plan soon.

“The board will tackle that. This is a big task for the board,” Araneta said.

The establishment of a professional football league in the country was based on a study made by a task force which was formed three years ago. Araneta said the teams which will be eventualy formed should be community-based.

Initially, the PFF plans to accept ten teams for the national league’s inaugural year.

The establishment of the new league is among the many plans which the PFF outlined following the elections, which also also saw Mlang, North Cotabato mayor Joselito Pinol named as vice president, and educator Ma. Lalaine Sarmiento chosen as women’s sector representative.

B1

SATURDAY: NOVEMBER 14, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

Agriculture posts flat growth PSe comPoSite index Closing November 13, 2015

8000 7700 7400 7100 6800 6500

6,897.77 12.05

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing NOVEMBER 13, 2015 43.50 44.60 45.40

P47.050

46.20

CLOSE

47.00

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

FARM and fishery production barely grew 0.04 percent in the third quarter, still an improvement from the 2.9-percent contraction a year ago, as the growth in livestock, poultry and fisheries sectors made up for the decline in crop production, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Friday.

The figure brought the average growth of the agriculture sector in the first three quarters to 0.65 percent, faster than the 0.33-percent expansion registered in the same period last year. Agriculture accounts for around 14 percent of the gross domestic product of the Philippines.

Data from PSA showed total value of agriculture production in

the third quarter reached P335.9 billion at current prices, lower by 3.23 percent than P347.2 billion in 2014, mainly because of the drop in farmgate prices.

The crops subsector, which accounted for almost half of the total production, declined 4.84 percent in the third quarter, because of the impact of the El Niño dry

spell on palay (unmilled rice) and corn production.

Palay production shrank 15.7 percent in the third quarter to 2.6 million metric tons from 3.02 million MT a year ago.

“Significant reductions were noted in the volume of production, harvest areas and yield as a result of unrealized plantings due to inadequate irrigation water, late occurrence of rains and some areas being left in-fallow,” said PSA. Typhoons Egay and Ineng also damaged farms in Cordillera, Cagayan Valley and Western Visayas.

Corn production dropped 1.7 percent in the third quarter to 2.4 million MT from 2.44 million MT in the third quarter of 2014.

The drop in corn production was due to the insufficient water supply in Bicol region, Western

Visayas, Central Visayas, Davao region and Caraga.

Coconut production went down by 0.25 percent from 3.94 million MT in the third quarter last year to 3.93 million MT in the third quarter this year, as most of the coconut producing provinces was affected by typhoon Ruby.

Sugarcane production plummeted 41.81 percent to 893,000 MT in the third quarter from 1.53 million MT last year due to the dry spell that affected Negros Oriental province, the main sugar production area.

Meanwhile, the livestock sector grew 3.25 percent in the third quarter this year, on good production of carabao, cattle and hog. The poultry sector increased 8.76 percent in the third quarter, on high production of chicken and duck.

HIGH P47.100 LOW P46.950 AVERAGE P47.032 VOLUME 704.800M

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

oPriceS il P today

P24.55-P28.00 Diesel P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, November 13, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

46.9930

Japan

Yen

0.008161

0.3835

UK

Pound

1.523400

71.5891

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129034

6.0637

Switzerland

Franc

0.999800

46.9836

Canada

Dollar

0.753012

35.3863

Singapore

Dollar

0.704821

33.1217

Australia

Dollar

0.710682

33.3971

Bahrain

Dinar

2.657666

124.8917

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266660

12.5312

Brunei

Dollar

0.702346

33.0053

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000074

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.027863

1.3094

UAE

Dirham

0.272279

12.7952

Euro

Euro

1.081800

50.8370

Korea

Won

0.000863

0.0406

China

Yuan

0.157006

7.3782

India

Rupee

0.015142

0.7116

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.229358

10.7782

New Zealand

Dollar

0.652784

Taiwan

Dollar

0.030553

30.6763 1.4358 Source: PDS Bridge

‘Executive of the Year.’ Alliance Global Group Inc. chairman Andrew Tan is recognized as the Global Filipino Executive of the Year during the Asia CEO Awards 2015 held at the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Newport City. Receiving the award on his behalf is son, Kevin Tan (middle).

The awards cited Alliance Global’s role in nation-building and bringing Filipino excellence in the global arena through its companies Megaworld, Emperador and Travellers International. Also shown are PLDT first vice president Jovy Hernandez (left) and executive vice president Eric Alberto, who both presented the award.

Toyota, Mitsubishi vying for new automotive incentives

By Othel V. Campos TOYOTA Motor Philippines Corp. or Mitsubishi Motor Philippines Corp., the two dominant players in the local automotive industry, may enjoy incentives on two car models under the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy program if a third participating car manufacturer fails to meet the requirements.

The Board of Investments said the government might have to

reopen the application period to accept another model from participating car manufacturers.

“If there won’t be a third PCM, we can reopen the application to have a second model for the same PCM,” BoI executive director Corieh Halili-Dichosa told reporters at the sidelines of a forum at the Manila Peninsula Hotel.

A third automotive company wants to join the program but cannot commit to reach the volume required on any of its com-

mercial vehicles to qualify for the program.

Instead, it proposed the assembly of trucks to take the place of another passenger car model. Dichosa, however, said the executive order on CARS was specific on passenger cars models only.

“But I’m not privy to their talks with the BoI. If they say they can come up with the volume, there must be some ways that the BoI may consider their proposal,” she said.

The BoI is set to release the implementing rules and regulations on the CARS program anytime next week as it finalizes a joint administrative order with the Finance ans Budget Departments.

The administrative order will define the kinds of incentives that will be given to participating car manufacturers and the responsibilities of concerned agencies involved in the program.

“What the BoI wants is to finish the JAO first before we release

the IRR. [The order] will trigger whatever is needed to craft the internal procedures,” said Dichosa.

The program requires all qualified companies to produce at least 600,000 units during the life of the program.

CARS offers P27 billion worth of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to support new investments in new parts making capability and to encourage large scale production in vehicle assembly, as well as exports to other markets.

SATURDAY: NOVEMBER 14, 2015

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Friday, November 13, 2015

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low 7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 17 30.45 10.4 2.6 1.01 100 1.46 30.5 91.5 57 180 1700 124 47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 148 20.6 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 31.8 109 20.75 15.3 9.4 0.98 241 79 3.95 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 5.28 1.3 26 2.17 0.59 59.2 30.05 2.16 7.39 3.4 3.35 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 4.92 1455 7.5 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 1.39 156 0.710 0.435 10.5 1.99 41.4 5.6 5.59 1.44 1.97 1.48

STOCKS

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 2.79 2.55 49.25 47.75 101.50 99.45 84.65 83.05 39.85 39.6 2.48 2.48 15.68 15.4 19.18 19.06 7.70 7.52 1.63 1.63 0.500 0.475 81.9 79.95 0.95 0.95 18.00 17.80 52.70 51.90 33.05 32.5 137.1 136 1550.00 1550.00 57.00 56.60 INDUSTRIAL 35.9 Aboitiz Power Corp.

40.4 41.2 40 1.11 Agrinurture Inc. 2.29 2.25 2.06 1.01 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 0.88 0.88 0.83 1.86 Alsons Cons.

1.59 1.57 1.56 7.92 Asiabest Group 11 11 10.5 32 C. Azuc De Tarlac 95.00 95.00 95.00 15.32 Century Food 17.98 18.36 17.7 10.08 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 21.45 21.65 20.8 29.15 Concepcion 43.8 41.4 41.2 1.5 Crown Asia 2.46 2.46 2.34 1.5 Da Vinci Capital 1.55 1.53 1.4 10.72 Del Monte 10.22 10.2 10 9.55 DNL Industries Inc. 9.230 9.190 9 9.04 Emperador 9.09 9.13 9.01 6.02 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 6.05 6.01 5.88 8.86 EEI 6.03 6.00 5.50 20.2 First Gen Corp.

23 23.4 22.75 71.5 First Holdings ‘A’ 69.15 69.15 68.7 13.86 Ginebra San Miguel Inc. 11.80 11.80 11.80 13.24 Holcim Philippines Inc. 14.46 14.62 14.00 5.34 Integ. Micro-Electronics 6.04 6.11 5.99 2.100 2.560 2.080 0.395 Ionics Inc 173 Jollibee Foods Corp.

204.00 203.80 199.90 LBC Express 12.5 12.5 11.74 34.1 Liberty Flour 42.00 42.00 42.00 2.3 LMG Chemicals 1.99 1.95 1.95 1.63 Mabuhay Vinyl 3.01 3.01 3.01 23.35 Manila Water Co. Inc. 23.95 24.05 23.75 17.3 Maxs Group 23 25.2 22.85 5.88 Megawide 6.34 6.2 6.03 250.2 Mla. Elect. Co `A’ 325.00 310.00 291.40 3.87 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 4.16 4.14 4.1 8.45 Petron Corporation 7.99 7.90 7.63 3 Phil H2O 3.4 3.4 3.4 10.04 Phinma Corporation 11.40 11.96 11.92 3.03 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 3.69 3.69 3.65 1.95 Phoenix Semiconductor 2.01 2.00 1.94 1 Pryce Corp. `A’ 2.45 2.45 2.35 4.02 RFM Corporation 4.12 4.19 4.12 161 San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ 134 135 133 1.55 Splash Corporation 2.2 2.24 2.2 0.138 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.150 0.151 0.148 1.02 TKC Steel Corp.

1.07 1.07 0.99 2.09 Trans-Asia Oil 2.05 2.08 2.04 152 Universal Robina 201.2 203 199.9 4.28 Victorias Milling 4.6 4.54 4.54 0.640 Vitarich Corp.

0.67 0.67 0.64 10.02 Vivant Corp.

23.00 22.50 22.50 1.2 Vulcan Ind’l.

1.23 1.24 1.16 HOLDING FIRMS 0.44 Abacus Cons. `A’ 0.390 0.390 0.385 48.1 Aboitiz Equity 56.8000 57.3000 55.9000 20.85 Alliance Global Inc. 17.82 18.00 17.20 1.6 Anglo Holdings A 1.08 1.08 1.04 6.62 Anscor `A’ 6.35 6.40 6.40 0.23 ATN Holdings A 0.255 0.275 0.248 0.23 ATN Holdings B 0.270 0.28 0.250 634.5 Ayala Corp `A’ 729 759 729.5 7.390 Cosco Capital 7.38 7.46 7.3 12.8 DMCI Holdings 12.88 13.18 12.84 2.6 F&J Prince ‘A’ 4.92 4.7 4.7 2.26 Filinvest Dev. Corp.

3.95 3.90 3.90 837 GT Capital 1323 1326 1309 5.3 House of Inv. 5.60 6.00 5.55 49.55 JG Summit Holdings 71.30 71.30 69.95 4.84 Lopez Holdings Corp.

7.35 7.3 7.14 0.59 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 0.73 0.75 0.71 12 LT Group 13.88 14 13.6 0.580 Mabuhay Holdings `A’ 0.51 0.51 0.51 4.2 Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. 5.25 5.31 5.16 4.5 Minerales Industrias Corp. 9.58 9.6 9.51 0.030 Pacifica `A’ 0.0340 0.0340 0.0310 1.23 Prime Media Hldg 1.400 1.350 1.220 0.550 Prime Orion 1.900 1.910 1.800 2.26 Republic Glass ‘A’ 2.5 2.5 2.5 59.3 San Miguel Corp `A’ 47.00 49.50 46.25 1.5 Seafront `A’ 2.68 2.95 2.68 751 SM Investments Inc. 854.50 875.00 845.00 1.13 Solid Group Inc. 1.18 1.18 1.17 0.93 South China Res. Inc. 0.75 0.79 0.75 80 Top Frontier 77.600 77.500 76.050 0.211 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.3250 0.3250 0.3200 0.179 Wellex Industries 0.2180 0.2180 0.2170 PROPERTY 6.74 8990 HLDG 7.040 7.050 6.880 0.65 A. Brown Co., Inc. 0.87 0.88 0.81 30.05 Ayala Land `B’ 33.850 34.200 33.300 3.36 Belle Corp. `A’ 3.17 3.35 3.17 4.96 Cebu Holdings 5.1 5.12 5.1 0.79 Century Property 0.59 0.59 0.57 1.1 City & Land Dev. 0.91 0.92 0.91 0.97 Cityland Dev. `A’ 1.03 1.01 1.00 2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.97 12.02 19.6 6.12 1.02 0.225 78 0.9 17.8 62 41 118.2 1200 59

AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. COL Financial Eastwest Bank Filipino Fund Inc. I-Remit Inc. MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

PB Bank Phil. National Bank RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank

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

SHARES 10,267,115 74,837,459 361,775,658 177,308,932 139,133,230 554,910,565 1,322,449,389

2.7 49.25 100.00 85.40 39.85 2.39 15.58 19.18 7.55 1.63 0.500 80.7 0.96 17.90 52.35 32.9 138 1559.00 57.00

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Change Volume

Trade/Buying

2.79 49.25 101.50 84.10 39.6 2.48 15.68 19.08 7.70 1.63 0.495 80.05 0.95 18.00 51.90 32.6 137 1550.00 57.00

3.33 0.00 1.50 -1.52 -0.63 3.77 0.64 -0.52 1.99 0.00 -1.00 -0.81 -1.04 0.56 -0.86 -0.91 -0.72 -0.58 0.00

46,000 908,900 3,005,660 1,775,550 25,400 2,000 16,000 99,000 1,000 24,000 500,000 3,232,230 255,000 160,900 13,470 70,700 123,350 5 7,450

40.9 2.09 0.88 1.57 11 95.00 18.32 20.85 41.2 2.39 1.5 10.18 9.120 9.09 5.95 5.50 23 69 11.80 14.62 6.04 2.550 200.00 12.5 42.00 1.95 3.01 23.9 22.85 6.2 300.00 4.1 7.70 3.4 11.92 3.65 1.94 2.44 4.17 134.5 2.2 0.148 1.07 2.05 202.4 4.54 0.65 22.50 1.23

1.24 -8.73 0.00 -1.26 0.00 0.00 1.89 -2.80 -5.94 -2.85 -3.23 -0.39 -1.19 0.00 -1.65 -8.79 0.00 -0.22 0.00 1.11 0.00 21.43 -1.96 0.00 0.00 -2.01 0.00 -0.21 -0.65 -2.21 -7.69 -1.44 -3.63 0.00 4.56 -1.08 -3.48 -0.41 1.21 0.37 0.00 -1.33 0.00 0.00 0.60 -1.30 -2.99 -2.17 0.00

1,047,000 395,000 70,000 191,000 200 20 308,700 565,100 9,400 1,044,000 968,000 1,400 3,067,800 4,203,000 6,648,300 3,756,600 1,181,600 303,980 100 165,400 834,900 24,231,000 250,680 27,600 100 16,000 1,000 1,441,600 1,827,800 4,100 4,460,530 3,368,000 3,376,000 2,000 14,600 244,000 823,000 400,000 669,000 48,460 538,000 980,000 249,000 1,299,000 2,887,780 16,000 1,137,000 2,000 236,000

0.390 57.0000 17.82 1.04 6.40 0.250 0.250 759 7.4 13.18 4.7 3.90 1326 5.56 70.40 7.3 0.72 13.88 0.51 5.31 9.57 0.0320 1.220 1.840 2.5 49.50 2.95 848.50 1.17 0.75 76.050 0.3250 0.2170

0.00 0.35 0.00 -3.70 0.79 -1.96 -7.41 4.12 0.27 2.33 -4.47 -1.27 0.23 -0.71 -1.26 -0.68 -1.37 0.00 0.00 1.14 -0.10 -5.88 -12.86 -3.16 0.00 5.32 10.07 -0.70 -0.85 0.00 -2.00 0.00 -0.46

1,380,000 1,292,470 23,966.50 7,543,500 -39,937,466.00 169,000 30,200 4,870,000 40,000 381,880 86,835,395.00 3,216,600 20,351,297.00 1,354,300 239,278.00 12,000 10,000 86,720 -63,701,735.00 12,500 13,900.00 2,463,790 -14,050,028.50 1,368,800 -1,538,909.00 450,000 17,030,100 14,510,132.00 103,000 17,482,600 13,096,317.00 2,635,200 -114,840.00 292,800,000 368,000.00 54,000 3,698,000 20,420.00 28,000 749,100 5,469,140.00 12,000 172,510 -111,113,535.00 309,000 200,000 23,290 -359,379.00 980,000 700,000

7.040 0.81 33.400 3.35 5.1 0.57 0.92 1.00

0.00 -6.90 -1.33 5.68 0.00 -3.39 1.10 -2.91

2,845,900 3,894,000 8,337,300 767,000 32,838,200 3,201,000 51,000 46,000

608,885.00 39,536,703 18,838,961.00 -78,400.00 -798,814.00 -3,840.00 -86,253,063.00 -522,821.50 543,245 8,303,570.00 -7,750.00 -10,428,405.00 158,190.00 -56,600.00

879,616.00 187,650.00 -61,865 -42,240.00 -248,080.00 -4,080.00 -1,875,957.00 -12,929,472.00 -6,844,376.00 -6,839,806.00 -4,622,815.00 -4,229,917.50 -1,180.00 2,009,406.00 2,947,498.00 -570,860.00 1,083,340.00

-1,116,410.00 -3,223,430.00 -527,903,268.00 -65,990.00 14,557,938.00 -36,500.00 2,569,060.00 -236,946.00 -55,000.00 1,797,360.00 96,727,857.00 72,640.00 45,000.00 -23,600.00

5,309,462.00 86,000.00 -20,360,040.00 1,510,070.00 -167,315,190.00 -411,730.00 -27,300.00 -46,100.00

52 Weeks

Previous

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

0.083 0.415 2.4 0.83 0.188 1.15 1.42 1.27 4.13 0.090 0.39 2.69 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 3.38 0.83 5.73

10.5 66 1.09 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 12.3 2.6 7.67 2720 8.41 1.97 119.5 7 12.5 0.017 0.8200 2.2800 12.28 3.32 3.2 95.5 2.46 15.2 0.62 1.040 6.41 4 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1

1.97 35.2 0.63 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 10.14 1.6 4.8 1600 5.95 1.23 102.6 3.01 8.72 0.011 0.041 1.200 6.5 1.91 1.95 3.1 1.8 6 0.335 0.37 3 2.28 79 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55

STOCKS

Close

Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

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

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

11.6 0.85 2.95 10 0.490 1.9

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

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

Discovery World DFNN Inc. Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ IPeople Inc. `A’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Island Info ISM Communications Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Macroasia Corp.

Manila Broadcasting Manila Jockey Melco Crown MG Holdings NOW Corp.

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

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

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

1.14 Yehey

0.0098 5.45 17.24 0.330 12.7 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.440 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 1.030 3.06 0.020 0.021 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9

0.0043 1.72 6.47 0.236 6.5 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.2160 0.013 0.014 3.240 18.96 2.11 0.365 1.54 0.012 0.013 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67

70 120

33 ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

101.5 First Gen G FPH Pref C 480 GLOBE PREF P 5.88 GMA Holdings Inc. 6.5 Leisure and Resort 101 MWIDE PREF 1011 PF Pref 2 74.5 SMC Preferred B 75 SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F

515 8.21 12.28 111 1047 78.95 84.8

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

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

TA Petroleum

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 779,489,991.59 2,532,340,087.532 1,399,782,696.86 1,574,136,374.84 935,713,535.255 76,301,997.045 7,371,941,486.422

FINANCIAL 1,539.90 (down) 5.08 INDUSTRIAL 11,096.98 (down) 130.28 HOLDING FIRMS 6,545.93 (up) 33.83 PROPERTY 2,890.05 (down) 23.05 SERVICES 1,538.75 (down) 13.07 MINING & OIL 11,044.47 (down) 143.49 PSEI 6,897.77 (down) 12.05 All Shares Index 3,978.30 (down) 28.78 Gainers: 52; Losers: 118; Unchanged: 46; Total: 216

Close

0.142 0.475 22.2 0.880 0.163 1.15 1.70 1.22 4.42 0.083 0.4150 8.48 30.00 1.46 3.09 21.25 0.74 7.72 0.900 5.570

0.145 0.139 0.139 0.475 0.465 0.470 24.05 22.35 22.75 0.850 0.850 0.850 0.164 0.164 0.164 1.17 1.12 1.12 1.72 1.68 1.68 1.23 1.12 1.20 4.51 4.37 4.37 0.085 0.085 0.085 0.4050 0.4050 0.4050 8.49 8.4 8.49 32.10 30.25 30.50 1.49 1.47 1.47 3.15 3.02 3.15 21.25 20.80 21.10 0.74 0.73 0.74 3.9 3.88 3.89 0.920 0.900 0.900 5.500 5.250 5.370 SERVICES 7.8 7.81 7.14 7.2 64.5 64.5 63 63.55 0.550 0.550 0.540 0.550 5.03 5.27 5.03 5.10 0.0540 0.0530 0.0510 0.0520 3.68 3.74 3.6 3.69 86.3 86.75 84 84.9 9.51 9.92 9.92 9.92 1.8 1.66 1.66 1.66 5.99 5.90 5.85 5.85 2032 2096 2006 2096 7.37 7.28 7.00 7.12 1.24 1.25 1.20 1.25 69.7 69.7 67.6 68.25 4.72 3.80 3.80 3.80 11.42 11.42 11.42 11.42 0.010 0.011 0.010 0.011 0.177 0.174 0.172 0.172 1.3800 1.4000 1.3700 1.3700 8.96 9.00 8.77 8.77 4.47 4.57 4.40 4.46 2.30 2.30 2.30 2.30 29.50 30.00 29.00 30.00 2 2 1.99 2 3.6 3.6 3.46 3.47 0.260 0.270 0.260 0.270 0.680 0.720 0.630 0.670 4.65 4.65 4.55 4.65 2.8 2.99 2.99 2.99 109.00 109.00 105.00 105.00 20.30 20.30 20.05 20.20 1972.00 2020.00 1970.00 1970.00 0.570 0.560 0.540 0.540 1.000 1.010 0.990 1.000 33.10 33.15 31.25 31.25 70.90 70.85 67.00 69.00 6.19 6.20 5.78 5.84 4.25 4.25 3.89 3.91 0.440 0.45 0.435 0.435 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 4.15 4.03 3.85 3.85 0.310 0.330 0.320 0.330 4.250 4.280 4.110 4.110 MINING & OIL 0.0049 0.0051 0.0049 0.0050 2.10 2.19 2.08 2.19 5.15 5.14 4.93 4.93 0.212 0.211 0.211 0.211 6.0000 5.7 5.7 5.7000 0.72 0.72 0.68 0.68 0.64 0.65 0.64 0.64 8.40 8.45 7.75 7.75 0.83 0.83 0.80 0.81 0.295 0.295 0.290 0.295 0.192 0.190 0.188 0.190 0.201 0.201 0.201 0.201 0.0100 0.0110 0.0100 0.0110 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.012 2.65 2.65 2.5 2.59 7.42 7.28 6.95 6.96 2.93 2.96 2.84 2.89 0.5800 0.5800 0.5800 0.5800 1.4500 1.4100 1.4000 1.4000 0.0110 0.0110 0.0100 0.0110 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 5.14 5.150 5.020 5.03 1.48 1.480 1.390 1.42 0.0130 0.0130 0.0120 0.0130 136.00 136.50 133.40 136.50 2.33 2.35 2.3 2.33 PREFERRED 66 65.9 63.1 64.8 120 116.2 116.2 116.2 500 500 500 500 519.5 519 519 519 7.1 7.24 7.05 7.24 1.13 1.12 1.12 1.12 109 109.5 109 109.5 1035 1030 1030 1030 82 81 81 81 83 83.5 82 82 79.05 79.2 79.05 79.2 79.2 79.25 79 79.25 80.25 80.35 80.3 80.35 WARRANTS & BONDS 2.750 2.900 2.680 2.690 SME 4.49 4.33 3.72 4 2.68 2.84 2.68 2.84 17.24 17.2 16.5 16.7 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 113 113.9 112.5 112.8

T op g ainerS STOCKS

Low

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

-2.11 -1.05 2.48 -3.41 0.61 -2.61 -1.18 -1.64 -1.13 2.41 -2.41 0.12 1.67 0.68 1.94 -0.71 0.00 -49.61 0.00 -3.59

48,270,000 2,070,000 4,261,600 15,000 10,000 6,506,000 6,969,000 1,901,000 16,708,000 10,000 10,000 13,800 20,629,900 206,000 18,000 10,327,800 755,000 500 844,000 5,091,500

298,520.00 151,650.00 22,866,290.00

-7.69 -1.47 0.00 1.39 -3.70 0.27 -1.62 4.31 -7.78 -2.34 3.15 -3.39 0.81 -2.08 -19.49 0.00 10.00 -2.82 -0.72 -2.12 -0.22 0.00 1.69 0.00 -3.61 3.85 -1.47 0.00 6.79 -3.67 -0.49 -0.10 -5.26 0.00 -5.59 -2.68 -5.65 -8.00 -1.14 0.00 -7.23 6.45 -3.29

547,000 35,390 2,155,000 4,737,400 38,420,000 3,143,000 1,187,060 100 5,000 57,000 24,855 159,000 84,000 844,620 1,000 40,000 2,400,000 550,000 880,000 240,500 1,418,000 49,000 2,200 21,000 1,888,000 129,600 14,531,000 12,000 9,000 480 33,800 104,555 1,051,000 3,843,000 2,138,400 1,315,610 7,319,400 27,783,000 6,000,000 21,000 1,243,000 1,300,000 80,000

74,500.00

2.04 4.29 -4.27 -0.47 -5.00 -5.56 0.00 -7.74 -2.41 0.00 -1.04 0.00 10.00 0.00 -2.26 -6.20 -1.37 0.00 -3.45 0.00 0.00 -2.14 -4.05 0.00 0.37 0.00

494,000,000 122,500.00 118,000 866,700 -2,695,354.00 10,000 100 456,000 4,140.00 459,000 1,200 7,912,000 1,235,970.00 50,000 41,000 280,000 1,900,000 200,000 243,000 73,000.00 3,056,300 -1,220,437.00 39,000 61,000 19,000 22,300,000 2,000,000 256,700 -603,293.00 673,000 -70,600.00 19,200,000 274,180 -23,289,627.00 21,000

-1.82 -3.17 0.00 -0.10 1.97 -0.88 0.46 -0.48 -1.22 -1.20 0.19 0.06 0.12

39,070 760 2,000 10 3,100 306,000 8,810 2,200 290 18,330 47,200 9,150 38,100

-2.18

137,000

-10.91 5.97 -3.13

24,000 3,000 4,147,200

289,718.00

-0.18

41,840

-73,125.00

-805,500.00 4,871,200.00 15,722,870.00 58,980.00 -317,591,110.00 -35,559,825.00

-5,350,897.00

-825,000.00 -386,956.00 252,000.00 8,665,917.50

-8,616,910.00 37,200.00 -5,410,086.00

375,540.00 -9,400.00

-1,412,850.00 -23,200.00 -2,990.00 29,720.00 -384,860.00 -35,518,815.00 -98,450.00 -377,430.00 -29,288,445.00 -12,615,473.00 179,250.00 -23,671,030.00 -514,000.00 645,780.00 -29,250.00

565,391.00

-21,150.00

451,725.00 -96,360.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Ionics Inc

2.550

21.43

Starmalls

3.89

-49.61

Seafront `A'

2.95

10.07

Imperial Res. `A'

3.80

-19.49

IP E-Game Ventures Inc.

0.011

10.00

Prime Media Hldg

1.220

-12.86

Manila Mining `A'

0.0110

10.00

Alterra Capital

4

-10.91

Paxys Inc.

2.99

6.79

EEI

5.50

-8.79

Waterfront Phils.

0.330

6.45

Agrinurture Inc.

2.09

-8.73

Makati Fin. Corp.

2.84

5.97

SSI Group

3.91

-8.00

Belle Corp. `A'

3.35

5.68

Discovery World

1.66

-7.78

San Miguel Corp `A'

49.50

5.32

Dizon

7.75

-7.74

Phinma Corporation

11.92

4.56

Mla. Elect. Co `A'

300.00

-7.69

SATURDAY: NOVEMBER 14, 2015

B3

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

DMCI expects 56% rise in nickel output

By Alena Mae S. Flores

DMCI Mining Corp., a wholly-owned unit of DMCI Holdings Inc., said Friday it plans to increase nickel ore shipments by 56 percent year-on-year to 2.5 million wet metric tons in 2016 amid a strong demand.

The company said it expected total shipments to reach 1.6 million WMT this year, up from 900,000 WMT in 2014.

DMCI Mining recorded a net income of P643 million in nine months to September this year, lower than the P840-million profit it booked in the same period last year due to weak global ore prices.

“There is continued softening of ore prices because of weak global demand and high metal inventories. We are keeping a tight control over our costs to keep our pricing competitive,” DMCI Mining vice president for business development Tulsi Das Reyes told reporters.

The Consunji-owned firm allocated P300 million for capital ex-

penditures this year, which will be used to acquire heavy equipment for mining preparations.

DMCI Mining also budgeted the same amount for 2016 to sustain its equipment purchases and production ramp-up.

“We expect 2016 to be challenging given the market conditions.

But we are optimistic that our efficiency measures, coupled with the prolonged El Niño-induced dry season will allow us to boost our production and shipment levels next year,” Reyes said.

Ore prices of high grade coal dropped by almost half from $68 per ton to $35 a ton, but DMCI said the average effect for the company was only $8, because it was shipping different grades of

nickel ore.

DMCI Mining was established in 2007 to engage in ore and mineral mining and exploration.

The company uses open pit technique to extract nickel, chromite and iron laterite for direct shipping to China and Japan.

“We export majority to China, mostly to steel plants and traders,” Reyes said.

The company operates mines in Sta. Cruz and Candelaria, Zambales. In October 2012, DMCI Mining also has a majority stake in Toledo Mining Corp., which operates the Berong mine in Palawan.

DMCI also acquired a stake in ENK Plc, which owns the Acoje mine in Zambales.

PH-Britain relations.

British Chamber of Commerce Philippines chairman Christopher Nelson (right) meets Sir David Amess, chairman of the AllParty Parliamentary Group at the Parliament Estate in London. Nelson was invited at the Parliament meeting with Sir Amess, who is known for his high recognition of the Philippines.

The two discussed valuable progress and improvements of the British and Philippine bilateral relations.

Asia United Bank’s net income drops 25% to P1.2b

By Julito G. Rada ASIA United Bank, the financial arm of the Rebisco group of companies, said Friday net income in the first nine months fell 25 percent to P1.2 billion from P1.6 billion a year ago, because of lower trading and investment gains this year.

Continuing its strategy of reducing its trading portfolio and strengthening its core business, net interest income increased 16 percent to P3.5 billion during the period. But income from trading and investment dropped 27 percent, AUB said in a disclosure to the stock exchange.

Loans and receivables grew 32.8 percent in the nine-month period to P86.4 billion from P65.1 billion a year ago. Corporate

and consumer lending increased 41 percent and 19 percent, respectively.

AUB, which is among the top 20 banks in the Philippines, had an asset size of P141.1 billion as of end-September. Sustained deposit-generation campaigns boosted the bank’s total deposits to P95.2 billion, up 28.7 percent year-on-year.

AUB total consolidated distribution network stood at 228 branches as of end-September.

Meanwhile, AUB cut short the offer period of its unsecured subordinated Tier 2 notes qualifying as Basel 3-compliant capital due to oversubscription from retail and institutional investors.

Originally scheduled to run until Nov. 16, the offer period closed

on Nov. 13. The Tier 2 notes were priced near the low end of the initial pricing range at 5.625 percent per annum.

The issue date is set for Nov. 25, 2015. The notes have a maturity of 10 years, with a call option exercisable by the bank after five years and three months.

BDO Capital and Investment Corp. and Deutsche Bank AG, Manila Branch acted as joint lead arrangers, joint book runners and selling agents for the transaction.

Multinational Investment Bancorporation was also designated as selling agent and market maker, while AUB acted as limited selling agent for the transaction.

Proceeds from the offering will be used to strengthen AUB’s capital base and its capital adequacy

to comply with the requirements of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Having a stronger capital base is important in supporting our ambition to become one of the top ten leading banks in the Philippines, AUB president Abraham Co said in a statement.

AUB was formed by Filipino industrialists and Taiwanese banks, namely Republic Biscuit Corp., Lambda Holdings, China United Trust & Investment Corp., China Development Industrial Bank, Magis Equity Ventures and other individuals.

The Monetary Board of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas granted the bank the licenses to operate as a commercial bank on Sept.

25, 1997. Bank operations commenced on Oct. 31, 1997.

Market declines; Ayala, RLC rise STOCKS fell for the eighth straight day, dragging the benchmark index to a five-week low, as falling commodities’ prices stoked fears over the global outlook.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, shed 12 points, or 0.2 percent, to close at 6,897.77 Friday.

The gauge was also down 4.6 percent since the start of the year.

The heavier index, representing all shares, lost 28 points, or 0.7 percent, to settle at 3,978.30, on a value turnover of P7.4 billion.

Losers outnumbered gainers, 118 to 52, while 46 issues were unchanged.

Seven of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, with Ayala Corp. climbing 4.1 percent to P759. Developer Double Dragon Properties Inc. advanced 2.5 percent to P22.75, while Robinsons Land Corp. gained 1.7 percent to P30.50.

BDO Unibank Inc., the largest lender, rose 1.5 percent to P101.50.

Infrastructure conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. gained 1.1 percent to P5.31. Universal Robina Corp. added 0.6 percent to close at P202.40, while GT Capital Holdings Inc., the investment company of tycoon George Ty, rose 0.2 percent to P1,326.

Meanwhile, Asian markets tracked hefty losses in Europe and New York. European and US shares ended deep in the red Thursday, with weak earnings reports compounding a slide in the price of oil and other commodities that suggest the world economy is struggling.

The black gold tumbled Thursday after the US Department of Energy said commercial inventories last week surged more than expected, indicating weak demand. That came after a separate report by the American Petroleum Institute Tuesday showed inventories jumped by six million barrels.

Prices have halved since peaking above $100 in June last year, hit by tepid demand in a weak global economy, and a supply glut in the face of near-record output levels.

In Asian trade US benchmark West Texas Intermediate was down 22 cents and Brent was two cents higher. On Thursday WTI ended $1.18 a barrel down and Brent sank $1.75.

Adding to the pain is a growth slowdown in China, the world’s biggest energy user, which has also impacted on other commodities such as copper and iron ore.

Among Asian energy firms, Sydney-listed miner BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto gave up almost two percent while Origin was seven percent lower.

And in Hong Kong struggling mining giant Glencore tumbled seven percent in the afternoon, following a 7.6 percent slump in its London-listed shares. Sinopec’s Shanghai-listed stock lost 2.1 percent while Inpex in Tokyo shed 1.8 percent. With Bloomberg, AFP

SATURDAY: NOVEMBER 14, 2015

B4

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

IN BRIEF

CEB nets P3.56b THE operator of Cebu Pacific and

Cebgo said Friday net profit soared 71 percent to P3.56 billion in the first nine months of 2015 from P2.08 billion yearon-year on higher passenger revenues and lower jet fuel prices.

Cebu Air Inc. said Friday revenues rose 10 percent to P42.26 billion from P38.45 billion on year.

Passenger revenues contributed P32.13 billion, up 8 from last year’s P29.73 billon, while cargo revenues amounted to P2.49 billion, up 10 percent.

The company attributed the higher sales to the 9-percent gainh in passenger volume to 13.652 million from 12.530 million in 2014, driven by the increased number of flights in 2015.

The number of flights grew 9.8 percent year-on-year as the group added more aircraft to its fleet, including the acquisition of wide-body Airbus A330 aircraft with a configuration of more than 400 all-economy class seats.

The number of aircraft increased from 51 as of September 30, 2014 to 55 this year.

The slight decrease in average fares by 0.8 percent to P2,353 for the nine months ending September from P2,372 on year year partially offset the increase in revenues. Darwin G. Amojelar

Italpinas at P3.60 GREEN builder Italpinas Development Corp. pegged the final offering price for its planned initial public offering at P3.60 apiece, which will enable it to raise as much as P207.42 million in proceeds.

The final price is 14.3 percent lower than the initial indicative price of P4.20 apiece.

Italpinas is offering 57.66 million shares, representing 26 percent of the company’s total outstanding capital stock. The company will be listed under the SME Board of the Philippine Stock Exchange.

The offering period is set from Nov. 23 to Nov. 27, while the listing date is scheduled on Dec. 7.

Italpinas plans to use proceeds from the IPO to finance capital expenditures for new projects, land banking, acquisitions and repayment of existing loans.

The company hired Unicapital Inc. as the underwriter for the maiden share sale.

Italpinas, incorporated in 2009, has already completed the first tower of its first project, the twin-tower Primavera Residences in Cagayan de Oro City.

The company said it planned to acquire land in Lipa, Batangas; Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental; and Iloilo province. Jenniffer B. Austria

SSI earns P115.3m SSI Group Inc., the country’s largest

specialty store retailer owned by the Tantoco family, said net income in the third quarter of the year fell 38 percent to P115.3 million from P187 million year-on-year as expense grew faster than revenues.

SSI said in a filing with the Philippine Stock Exchange third-quarter revenues amounted to P3.87 billion, up 15 percent from P3.37 billion on year.

Operating expenses rose 17 percent to P3.53 billion from P3.01 billion in the same period in 2014.

Despite the lower third quarter net income, SSI’s net profit for the first nine months of the year was still up 4 percent at P701 million from P673.5 million in 2014.

SSI Group’s revenues stood at P11.8 billion during the first nine months of the year, up 17 percent on year, driven by new stores added to the group’s network.

SSI Group as of end-September operated 781 specialty stores covering over 143,000 square meters.

It added 58 new stores and 9,857 square meters this year.

“Despite a more competitive environment in the third quarter, the group was able to post strong sales growth during the period,” SSI Group president Anton Huang said. Jenniffer B. Austria

S.THE Luzon trade show South Luzon Events Managers

and Suppliers Association Inc. invited the public to join the gathering of event service providers, managers and suppliers inS outh Luzon at the 1st “ALL Events Expo 2015: Happiness Festival” on November 13 to 15, 2015 at CityMall-Anabu in Imus, Cavite.

The three-day event will feature the dynamic business of events management in the South Luzon area, with booth exhibits, workshop, forum on TESDA Events Management Services NC Level III Certification, and the official launch of SLEMSA Inc. Contact 0905853-5456/0998-5626601, or email SLEMSAph@gmail.com and get ready to interact wity partners, suppliers and event stakeholders from South Luzon and Manila.

Apec partner. PLDT Smart SME Nation, the small- and medium-enterprise arm of digital and technology company Philippine Long Distance

Telephone Co., signs a partnership agreement with the Apec Business Advisory Council 2015 to host the Apec SME Summit in the Philippines. Signing the agreement (from left) are first vice president and head of PLDT Smart SME Nation Kat Luna Abelarde, PLDT executive vice president and ePLDT president and chief executive Eric Alberto, ABAC 2015 chairperson Doris Magsaysay-Ho and ABAC 2015 executive director Catherine Maceda.

LT Group’s net profit jumps 88% to P4.71b

By Jenniffer B. Austria

LT Group Inc., the listed holding company of beer and tobacco tycoon Lucio Tan, booked a net income of P4.71 billion in the first nine months of 2015, up 88 percent from P2.5 billion year-on-year, on the stronger performance of core units.

LT Group told the stock exchange banking unit Philippine National Bank contributed 59 percent to the total income at P2.78 billion, followed by Asia Brewery Inc. with a 15 percent share or P693 million.

LT Group is mainly engaged in

banking, real estate, tobacco and liquor businesses.

The tobacco business added P523 million or 11 percent to the total profit while liquor unit Tanduay Distillers Inc. accounted for P337 million or seven percent.

The group’s property arm un-

der Eton Properties Philippines Inc. accounted for three percent at P196 million.

Net earnings from the 20.17 percent equity stake in Victorias Milling Co Inc. contributed P172 million or four percent of total.

While illicit trade continues to adversely affect the overall profitability of the cigarette business, LT Group said its tobacco unit registered a 13-percent increase in net income in the first nine months of the year to P525 million from P464 million in 2014.

Tanduay Distillers booked a net income of P337 million in the nine-month period, a turnaround from a loss of P83 million in the same period last year. Revenues, however, were relatively

flat, as the slightly lower sales volume were partially offset by higher prices.

Eton’s earnings in the first nine months of 2015 amounted to P197 million, a significant improvement over the P65 million reported in the same period a year ago.

“Rental income continues to account for a significant portion of earnings, with all five existing BPO office buildings fully leased out. Eton plans to increase its portfolio of office buildings,” LT Group said.

Net income of Asia Brewery, meanwhile, declined 13 percent to P797 million from P694 million as the intense competition in the beverage market affected volumes and margins.

Alliance Global’s income down; Filinvest nets P4.9b CONGLOMERATES Alliance Global Group Inc. and Filinvest Development Corp. posted mixed results in the first nine months of the year, their respective financial reports filed with the Philippine Stock Exchange show Friday.

Alliance Global, which is into real estate, liquor, gaming and quick service restaurant, said net income attributable to parent equity holder fell 7.3 percent to P10.6 billion from P11.43 billion yer-onyear.

Filinvest Development posted a 32-percent increase in nine-month net income to P4.9 billion, after realizing revenues from the power

business.

The conglomerate said in a disclosure to the stock exchange while robust sales were seen across all subsidiaries, the power business under FDC Utilities Inc. registered sales from its independent power producer administrator contracts on the 40-megawatt United Leyte Geothermal Power Plant and the 100-MW Apo Geothermal Power Plant.

Filinvest Development expects its power subsidiary to be a significant contributor to the group’s financial results once the 405-MW coal power plant in Misamis Oriental is completed by 2016.

Alliance Global’s ninemonth operating revenues, meanwhile, increased 11 percent to P99.58 billion from P89.52 billion on year.

Alliance Global said revenues from sale of goods, including real estate, alcoholic beverages and snack products, rose 28 percent following the 47-percent increase in sales of consumer goods and an 11.8-percent rise in real estate sales.

Sales from services, such as gaming, hotel, quick-service restaurants, rentals and cinemas remained flat despite record-high rental income due to challenges faced by the gaming operations.

“The group’s financial performance continues to be compelling despite challenges faced by the gaming industry. We are strengthening the building blocks of sustained profitability and shareholder value in the long term,” Alliance Global president and chief operating officer Kingson Sian said.

The conglomerate still expects all the business segments to increase revenues and bring positive profits.

Alliance Global said property unit Megaworld Corp. was aggressively building more townships and already reached the target of 20 this year. Jenniffer B. Austria

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cEsar BarriOquiNtO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

world

Training. French Air commandos attend an “Exfiltration” training session at a military camp in Captieux, southwestern France, on November 4, 2015. Each French pilot flying over war zones is given training in surviving in hostile environments and dealing with being held and interrogated in the event their aircraft is brought down. AFP

‘Jihadi John’ target of US strike WASHINGTON—The US military conducted an air strike in Syria targeting “Jihadi John,” the masked Islamic State militant with a British accent seen in grisly videos executing Western hostages, the Pentagon said.

Spokesman Peter Cook did not specify whether Mohammed Emwazi had been killed, saying in a statement that “we are assessing the results of tonight’s operation and will provide additional information as and where appropriate.”

The Pentagon said the Thursday air strike took place in Raqa, the Islamic State group’s de facto Syrian capital.

“Emwazi, a British citizen, participated in the videos showing the murders of US journalists Steven Sotloff and James Foley, US aid worker Abdul-Rahman Kassig, British aid workers David Haines and Alan Henning, Japanese journalist Kenji

Goto, and a number of other hostages,” the Pentagon said.

CNN and the Washington Post, citing officials, reported that Emwazi was targeted by a drone.

In Britain, Prime Minister David Cameron’s office said he would make a statement later on Friday.

“We have been working hand in glove with the Americans to defeat ISIL (another name for IS) and to hunt down those murdering hostages,” a spokesman said.

“The prime minister has said before that tracking down these brutal murderers was a top priority.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human

Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group, said four people were killed in a strike in Raqa late on Thursday.

“The car was hit in the center of town, near the municipality building,” Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

He said sources described one of those killed as a “senior British member of the group”.

Emwazi, a London computer programmer, was born in Kuwait to a stateless family of Iraqi origin. His parents moved to Britain in 1993 after their hopes of obtaining Kuwaiti citizenship were quashed.

Dubbed “Jihadi John” by British and US media, he first appeared in a video in August of 2014 showing the beheading of Foley, a 40-yearold American freelance journalist who had been missing since he was seized in Syria in November 2012.

The video of the beheading, titled “A Message to America,” sparked worldwide revulsion.

In it, IS declares that Foley was killed because President Barack Obama ordered air strikes against the group in northern Iraq.

Foley is seen kneeling on the ground, dressed in an orange outfit that resembles those worn by prisoners held at the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay. Emwazi is dressed entirely in black and wears a mask.

Two weeks later, Foley’s fellow US hostage Steven Sotloff was killed in the same manner, again on camera and by the same executioner with a British accent.

Sotloff’s mother, Shirley Sotloff, told NBC News following word of Thursday’s strike that she had not been informed about it and that,

even if Emwazi had been killed, “it doesn’t bring my son back.”

“Who knows if he’s gone,” NBC News quoted her as saying. “I don’t think there will ever be closure.”

On November 16, IS said it had executed Peter Kassig, a 26-year-old US aid worker kidnapped in Syria in October 2013, again as a warning to Washington.

“Jihadi John” was six years old when his family moved to London.

He grew up in North Kensington, a leafy middle-class area where a network of Islamist extremists was uncovered in recent years.

As a child he was a fan of Manchester United football club and the band S Club 7, according to a 1996 school year book published

by The Sun tabloid. He later went on to study information technology at the University of Westminster. AFP

Report: IS murdering Yazidis in Iraq

WASHINGTON—The Islamic State group is committing genocide against Iraq’s Yazidi community, the US Holocaust Memorial Museum said in a report Thursday based on harrowing interviews detailing rape, torture and murder.

A Kurdish-speaking minority mostly based around Sinjar mountain in northern Iraq, the Yazidis are neither Arabs nor Muslims and have a unique faith the militants consider to be heretical and polytheistic.

When in the summer of 2014 the jihadists made an unexpected push into parts of northern

Iraq, many Yazidis were massacred and abducted.

Tens of thousands scrambled up Mount Sinjar in a panic and remained stranded there for days with no food or water.

“The crime of genocide is ongoing against the Yazidi population as women and children who have been kidnapped in large numbers remain enslaved by their captors,” said Cameron Hudson, director of the museum’s Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide, which authored the report.

The center conducted a two-week trip to the northern Iraqi province of

Nineveh in September to learn about atrocities that took place there, assess the current situation and understand future risks to minorities and other civilians in the region.

“We didn’t just see the intent” to commit genocide, “we actually saw acts representing that intent,” said Naomi Kikoler, deputy director of the center, who traveled to Iraq to do the interviews.

“We also saw statements from the Islamic State and their various propaganda outlets explaining and affirming their actions being taken in accordance with their extremist ideology.” AFP

In attendance. Silicon Valley Ballet dancers attend the Cocktails & Couture luxury event at Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California. AFP

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WORLD

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Training for school shootings LEVITTOWN, United States—”Active shooter, active shooter!” comes the announcement over the megaphone, brutally interrupting a typical morning at Harry S Truman High School in Levittown, Pennsylvania.

Stress kicks in immediately. In seconds, tables are turned over and rammed up against the door to barricade the classroom. The shooter cannot enter.

The flurry of activity is just an exercise but one repeated across the country in hundreds of American school districts.

After a scourge of shootings have killed dozens in schools and colleges, training programs have been set up to help teachers react quickly to the invasion of a shooter on campus.

This morning, around 30 adults gather in the library to listen to a trainer reel off statistics and advice, before splitting into small groups to

take part in practice drills in unused classrooms.

Barricade the door with tables and chairs. Disperse within the room.

Look for an escape route. And if the shooter comes in, create a disturbance or throw whatever you can to cause a distraction.

“There are more options than sit and wait,” says trainer Michael Kimball, a former police officer who says most shootings only last a few minutes and often end before the police turn up.

The two-day training, organized by local and regional authorities, costs $595 per person.

It is geared towards teachers and school support staff as well as fire

fighters, police and other security professionals, all concerned about being prepared in the event of the worst.

Former police officer Greg Crane, whose wife used to be an elementary school principal, set up the training after the 1999 Columbine massacre. It is called ALICE, which stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate.

The institute says it has trained more than a million people in 2,600 school districts, 600 universities, 2,300 law enforcement agencies, 700 businesses and 500 health care facilities.

Those who take part are told how to react, handle stress, know their environment and how a shooter behaves psychologically.

“When you train you learn to win,” Kimball told them, explaining that a shooter believes he is all powerful but that’s not necessarily so.

“If you take the control from them, they have nothing else,” he said.

Those taking part in the training in Levittown are confronted with six possible scenarios, including a shooter invading the school and a student whipping out a firearm in class.

The scenes, which unfold after a megaphone announcement, play out very quickly as if in real life,

followed by a debriefing where laughter chases away the stress.

“We are teaching them life skills, we are teaching them common sense... to help to mitigate losses and injuries when there is a violent intruder or violent killer,” Kimball told AFP. Success is a question of making the situation harder for the shooters to “slow them down” when each second counts.

“The most important thing... is for you to be proactive for your own safety,” Kimball explains.

In the classroom, the participants play along, barricading themselves when a shooter barges in. On another occasion, they jump on the fake shooter in order to stop him.

Mike McHugh, a special education teacher for disabled teenagers, is planning to adapt the training for his students.

“It’s kind of scary, but we are going to practice, building a barricade, seeing whether we can get out of the window,” he said, adding that he would have to go through it several times given the challenges that his students face.

“We have fire drills, we have lockdown drills, we have hurricane drills, we have tornado drills,” he said. AFp

Republic of the Philippines DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Region V (Bicol) Division of Catanduanes San Roque, Virac Catanduanes INVITATION TO BID PROCUREMENT OF INTERNET CONNECTION SERVICES 1. The DepEd, Division of Catanduanes, through the General Appropriation Act (GAA)CY 2015 intends to apply the sum of Two Million Five Hundred Sixty Five Thousand Pesos Only (Php2,565,000.00),being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Procurement of Internet Connection Service. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2. The DepEd, Division of Catanduanesnow invites bids for the Procurement of Internet Connection Service. Bidders should have completed, within three (3) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II Instruction to Bidders.

Name of Project : Approved Budget for the Contract : Location :

Procurement of Internet Connection Service Php2,565,000.00 30 Secondary Schools, 20 Central Elem.

Schools and Division Office (Connecting the schools to the Division Office)

3. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

4. Interested bidders may obtain further information from DepEd, Division ofCatanduanes, BAC Secretariat and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 PM. 5. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from November 14, 2015 to December 7, 2015 from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos Only (Php5,000.00).

pet portrait. Hollywood couple Jesse Metcalfe, Cara Santana and their pups Shepherd and Dexter pose for

6. The DepEd, Division of Catanduaneswill hold a Pre-Bid Conference on November 23,2015 at _9:00 A.M.atthe office of the Assistant SchoolsDivision Superintendent, which shall be open to all interested parties.

Suu Kyi’s party wins Myanmar elections

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before December 7, 2015 at 2:00 PM at DO Conference Hall C. 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 7, 2015 at 2:00 PM at the DO Conference Hall C. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8. Prior to Bid Opening, representative of bidders should present and submit to the BAC a Special Power of Attorney stating the detailed activities which he/she will perform relative to the bidding at hand.

9. The DepEd, Division of Catanduanes, reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

10. For further information, please refer to: Mr. Miguel C. Ogalinola Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee DepEd, Division Office, Virac, Catanduanes CP No. 09214701435 (SGD) MIGUEL C. OGALINOLA BAC Chairman ( T S - N O V. 14 , 2 015 )

the first ‘Pet Portrait with Santa’ of the season at the Beverly Center in Los Angeles, California. AFp

YANGON—Aung San Suu Kyi’s party secured a landslide election victory in Myanmar on Friday, propelling the pro-democracy movement to power after a 25-year struggle against authoritarian rule.

It promises a new dawn for a country asphyxiated by half a century of army rule that battered the economy and repressed its people.

In a reflection of rapid changes that have swept the country, confirmation of the win came five years to the day since Suu Kyi was released from house arrest by the military.

She has now led her National League for Democracy party to a massive popular mandate with more than 80 percent of seats going to the movement.

The NLD on Friday sailed through the twothirds majority it needs to rule, claiming 364 parliamentary seats with a number of results yet to be declared.

The election has won praise from observers for its smooth, peaceful passing, in a country where violence and repression has normally met democratic milestones.

“We have been ready to form a new government for many years,” party spokesman Nyan Win told AFP, greeting the result.

Suu Kyi, 70, has not spoken to the party faithful since Monday.

In Yangon there were no immediate signs of celebration after the party figurehead urged restraint from supporters, aware of the threat of a backlash in a country where the army’s writ remains large.

Under Myanmar’s complex political system, the NLD will also have to wait until March next year for the transfer of power.

That gap has left some party loyalists nervous at the potential for political chicanery by an army establishment that wields substantial power, despite its chastening at the polls. AFp

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PROPERTY jdlacsamana@gmail.com

JOEL D. L ACSAMANA EDITOR

B7

inveStorS are taking notice. Local skilled manpower, and an ideal environment that the IT-BPO industry needs. Buildings like Five E-com easily provide these.

Surviving the big one. DATEM Inc. recently partnered with Empire East to build the 8th Rochester tower, a project which uses the former’s pre-cast concrete wall technology, to withstand most disasters. Of course, there is never a guarantee how structures will fare after a massive natural disaster, though large shock absorbers, strong foundation pads that isolate buildings from the ground, and other key technologies help explain why medium- and high-rise structures remain standing in more advanced countries. DATEM Inc. complies with the most stringent standards to ensure quality of construction work. At the topping off ceremony of Empire East 8th Rochester Tower were (from left to right): Engr. Gerry Sulit, DATEM Inc. area manager and Arch.

Lesley Espiritu-Villanueva, DATEM Inc. business development manager.

flexing SM’S infra MuScle. At the launch of Five E-Com were (from left to right) : Jojo Gajitos, vice president and country director, Xerox; Patrick Lim, FSL and Associates; David Rafael, senior vice president, SM Prime Commercial Properties; Henry Sy Jr., chairman, SM Prime Holdings; and David Zaballero, president, Arquitectonica.

iconic edifice unveiled at Moa

S

M Prime launched last week the Five E-com Center, a 15-level building that is part of a master-planned e-commerce hub by SM Prime at the Mall of Asia Complex in Manila.

Previously opened centers in the complex are One E-Com (launched in 2008) and the Two E-Com Center (unveiled in 2012). The FiveEcom Center has a gross floor area of 126,907 square meters, and a leasable area of some 88,000 square meters.

The growth of the infotech-business process outsourcing (IT-BPO) industry has led to an increase in demand for office spaces. Narrowing the demand and supply gap prompted SM Prime Holdings, Inc. to develop the Five E-com Center.

“The Philippines provides a competitive and desirable landscape for companies,” said Dave Ra-

fael, senior vice president of SM Prime Holdings.

Rafael said the Five E-Com Center is already 95% occupied, with high-profile tenants such as Telstra, Teletech, Vestas, Tupperware, Klaveness and Xerox.

Designed by Miami-based architectural firm Arquitectonica, FiveE-Com provides a working environment that includes lifestyle opportunities for employees. It houses Prism Plaza, a podium area that combines a landscaped deck, pond, and retail spaces.

“We want to create a self-sustaining community for office workers so we designed Five E-Com in a way that it also provides for the daily needs of employees for food, supplies, and relaxation spots of workers,” Rafael said.

SM Prime Holdings Inc. is the property subsidiary of listed conglomerate SM Investments Corp.

SportS tower partnerShip. Real estate developer New San Jose Builders, Inc. recently tied up with Gatessoft Corporation to beef up Victoria Sports Tower’s scalable software solutions for hospitality. Victoria Sports Tower, a four-building residential property at EDSA South Triangle, Quezon City, is NSJB’s’ latest hotel and leisure project. It is set to open on December 15. The development will house what is billed as the country’s biggest indoor sports and social club. At the inking of the Victoria Sports and Gatessoft Corporation partnership were (from left): New San Jose Builders’ SVP Leo Barrosa; EVP Lorie Urcia; Victoria Sports membership affairs manager Mischa Cruz; and Gatessoft’s chief evangelist Paris Murray.

property expo at MegaMall The 2nd Property Expo Philippines kicks off today, and will run till tomorrow at the Megatrade Hall, SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City. Mediacom Solutions Inc., in partnership with Lamudi Philippines and MyProperty, is staging the show. Some of the country’s top property developers like Camella, Lumina, Picar Development, Robinsons Land, Avida, SMDC, DMCI, ProFriends and Megaworld will showcase their products, as well as real estate service suppliers, such as Asiana Design System, Ambertronics, Becken Trading and Rider Levett Bucknail. The Expo will also feature talks by industry experts including Andy Manalac, chairman of the National Real Estate Association; Jacqueline van de Ende, managing director of Lamudi Philippines; and DigitalFilipino founder, Janette Toral.

higlanderS. After two decades, Tagaytay Highlands has maintained its edge as one of the country’s premier mountain resorts, offering a variety of themed residential developments, luxury condominiums, and signature log cabin homes. Tagaytay Highlands continues to mark its place in the industry with its premium residential communities i.e. Sycamore Heights, Aspenhills, the Woodridge Place, Katsura and Yume, Fairfield, and Nob Hill. Tagaytay Highlands is a leisure development of the SM Group of Companies.

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B8

JOEL D. L ACSAMANA EDITOR jdlacsamana@gmail.com

PROPERTY Flawed public transport, housing policies blamed For mm traFFic mess

no Brainer.

Use rail to move people, deliver goods.

(conclusion)

By Joel d. lacsaMana

at a recent high level transport forum in Makati city, prominent government and private sector think tanks agreed that traffic congestion in Metro Manila is a symptom of the real problem: lack of urban transportation.

Organized by the Stratbase Albert Del Rosario (ADR) Institute and CitizenWatch Philippines, the discussion centered on what the government, primarily the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), its attached agencies, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and LRT/MRT operators, and real estate and property industry, had accomplished under the present administration to enhance public transport, and what else needs to be done.

The forum, entitled “Greater Manila Transport Infrastructure Solutions: Thinking Beyond EDSA”, was held at the Philamlife Tower Club in Makati City.

Opined public transport expert Rene Santiago, the government has been rolling out vehicular reduction programs, road expansion and road building, flyovers, U-turn slots, yellow boxes, bus lanes, etc. “Nothing works because we’re attacking a symptom: traffic congestion,” he said. “We have not addressed the real issue: urban transportation.”

Leading the urban transportation solutions that the forum addressed was using rail to transport people, and goods. Most of the participants concurred that much work needs

to be done to improve the efficiency of the current state of the country’s transport infrastructure, particularly its railway system.

Some observers at the closeddoor forum suggested a more real estate-driven solution to reduce the burden on the country’s transport systems: move people rather than vehicles. This would involve hard decisions by the government and real estate sector to initiate decent rental housing in the city, rather than the current slow-paced roll-out of housing affordable to poor and middle class employees at the city’s outskirts. This way, people could walk, or take a short transit ride to work. The formula they proposed : “more affordable housing in the right places = less traffic congestion.”

“Most of the housing in our employment centers (the CBDs of Makati, BGC, Eastwood, Cubao, Ortigas, etc.) are currently expensive high-rise condos,” said one participant from the property sector who declined to be identified.

“Most of the housing immediately adjacent are expensive, low-density single family housing. It is the harassed factory worker and ‘salary-man’, the ordinary office employee, who could really save time and money if they could live near these work centers. But it is only

the rich who can afford to live near where they work.”

Mixed-incoMe housing Real estate representatives at the forum, pointed out that income segregation in the Philippines’ megacities like Metro Manila, are most visible around CBDs where rich subdivisions are surrounded by slum or slum-like settlements.

A participant involved in socialized housing said workers who can least afford to live so far away trade off better housing for the convenience of living near work.

“Landowners in these small strips of land aren’t compelled to improve their properties because the demand for even sub-standard housing is so high,” he said. “ Meanwhile, rent control depresses the market for apartments that rent for P10,000 or below.”

He suggested that to make megacities work for everyone, neighborhoods in and around the country’s employment centers should have higher densities and taller buildings, and these should provide mixed-income housing. new Model The developer suggested expanding housing supply and expanding affordable housing in

specific locations. This means building more housing for poor and middle-income families in the right places which will, in turn, help reduce slums, and alleviate traffic congestion.

“One place we can start is with the sale of large pieces of government land,” he said. “There is no reason why we can’t impose a provision for affordable and mixed-income housing to any land sold by the government to private developers.”

The pending sale of Camp Aguinaldo, strategically located next to the Santolan MRT station, would be an appropriate demonstration, he proposed.

The redevelopment of the QC Central Business District would also provide an opportunity if the city needs mixed-income housing on site. cargo Movers not culprit of traffic Meanwhile, government authorities blamed the huge volume of cargo containers in major roads as a major cause of traffic congestion, though a representative of large shipyard operator thought otherwise.

“There are no cargo container trucks using EDSA to deliver goods from south to north so truck

operators should not be blamed for the snail pace traffic condition,” a representative of a multinational shipyard operator said.

“The lack of connectivity to Manila ports is causing truck operators to lose a lot of money due to traffic condition. It is no brainer that the solution is to establish a railway to deliver the goods by taking advantage of the existing PNR rail tracks,” he said .

“With traffic congestion going to get worse in Metro Manila, shippers/locators could opt to bypass Metro Manila by using the rail system to transport their goods while at the same time truckers can still provide their services when moving the goods from the inland container terminals to the end destination of the goods, or the other way around,” he said.

Santiago said he sees the feasibility of reviving the rail connectivity of economic zones and ports as a potential component of long-term solutions to the congestion problem. “It may be time to consider moving or developing new export processing zones near the railway line with the objective of using the rail system to transport the goods coming from, or going to these export processing zones,” he said.

southern hospitality. The Ascott Limited, one of the world’s largest residence owner-operators, is upping its presence in the Philippines with the completion Somerset Alabang Manila.

LBL Prime Properties Incorporated recently forged a contract with Ascott to manage the serviced residence. Set to open in 2016, the 150-unit development will be the first Ascott serviced residence in the South, in Filinvest, Alabang. Somerset Alabang Manila offers a choice of studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments. Said Arthur Gindap, Ascott Limited’s regional general manager for Philippines and Thailand (5th from left with LBL Properties officers): “Ascott’s entry in the South is part of an ongoing expansion to cater to expatriates and business travellers from the business process outsourcing, call center, engineering and construction companies in the Alabang district.

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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 WRITER

life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

P OP CU LT U RE

LIFE

C1

Century City Mall celebrates its second Christmas with red, gold, white and green holiday decors, delightful treats and fun-filled activities for mallgoers of all ages.

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS AT CENTURY CITY MALL

BY BERNADETTE LUNAS

T

he one-year-old Century City Mall may be modern, but it sure knows how to celebrate Christmas the good old fashioned way that Filipinos love – with loads of fun! Celebrating its second Yuletide season, the world-class shopping and entertainment complex has prepared an array of delightful surprises for mallgoers of all ages.

For this year, Century City Mall is spruced up with red, gold, white and green holiday decors – complete with bright lights and shiny ornaments. Mallgoers shopping and dining in the spacious Atrium on the fourth floor will truly feel the Yuletide spirit as the “main” Christmas Tree, adorned with all things sparkly and flanked by Santa Claus' reindeers, stands tall amid shops and restaurants.

And while Filipinos are happy with one pine tree, the mall spreads out a cluster of small Christmas trees on the ground floor,

where every Sunday of November and December, kids can meet Santa and check whether they're on his naughty or nice list.

Century City Mall has created a lot more activities and surprises for kids, because as Century Properties Group chief operating officer Marco Antonio puts it, “Christmas is for the children.”

Every weekend of November and December, children and their parents can join the interactive game Happy Reindeer Hunt. A story unfolds around each reindeer or group of reindeers in the form of small signages. These signages are actually clues to the weekly riddle, and the first 20 kids to answer this will bring home an adorable Century City Mall reindeer stuffed toy.

On December 1, another modern attraction is opening at the mall. The Future Park, the country's first digital interactive playground, is sure to engage kids and kids-at-heart with immersive and creative technologies from

Reindeers flank the Christmas trees housed in life-sized gift frames scattered on the ground floor

Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the Philippines. Antonio assures that the young and adult guests will get to enjoy a range of challenging games and activities in the state-of-the-art recreation area.

Tickets for Future Park are now available on Ticketworld and at the mall.

After its successful first run, the Century City Mall once again hangs mistletoes around as it brings back the Kiss and Tell promo. The mechanics are pretty simple: kiss a loved one (or a stranger!) under the huge mistletoe located at the designated kiss and tell photo booth, take a creative selfie or groupie, and post it on social media; don't forget to tag @centurycitymallph. Winners will get free cinema tickets that they can use to watch Spectre or other movies screened at the mall's cozy premier cinemas.

Foodies who are always on the lookout for new food concepts and cuisines to try or give to loved ones, are invited to check out the Picky Palates Weekend Market at the 2nd and 3rd floor al fresco area. It's open every Friday to Sunday from November to December.

Because we Filipinos love to shop, shoppers are in for a treat, too. “Plan your Christmas shopping in advance as the Shopaholic Promo returns this year,” invites Antonio.

Running for two weekends (Nov. 28 to 29 and Dec. 5 to 6), the promotion gives shoppers more rewards every time they shop. For every P10,000 single or accumulated purchases at any of the mall's outlets, the true-blue shopaholics can claim P2,000 worth of Century City Mall gift certificates that they can use next year.

“This is the best value Christmas shopping you will ever get in town, because it's a shopping promo that keeps on giving,” enthuses Antonio.

If you're the 100th shopper to enter the mall or the 100th cinema ticket buyer for the day, Century City Mall will give you a surprise gift. This Gift Giveaway is happening today until December 25.

Kids can meet and greet Santa Claus in his favoite spot beside the Christmas trees every Sunday of November and December

And since it's the season of giving, patrons are encouraged to donate old toys and school supplies for the less fortunate kids. Drop your donations at Chibi Momo and in return, a free item awaits each kind donor.

Shop, dine and be merry this holiday season at Century City Mall located at Kalayaan Avenue cor. Salamanca Street, Makati City.

For more information, call the mall's concierge at (02) 705-6200.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

Hello, Darkness, My Old Friend Depression is not drama. It is a serious condition that must not be taken for granted.

Nowadays, more and more people are bravely talking about their depression, in hopes that mental health be given more serious and adequate attention in our country.

Wala kaming sayad. Wala kaming tama. We have depression, and it’s a disease, not drama.

Nichole Dizon-Austria, makeup artist:

#COFFEEWITHKAI

“I have never spoken about having it, because people think that depression is a joke, that it is some sort of overreaction. It is not. If I can have it my way, I would gladly take sadness over depression. Nobody wants to feel so little and worthless.”

BY KAI MAGSANOC

“I am terrified by this dark thing that sleeps in me.” – Sylvia Plath It manifests itself as a lack of energy, a severe lack of energy that four cups of coffee or four shots of espresso can’t fix. It is an emptiness so deep that forcing myself to do simple things I would do every day – from getting out of bed, to bathing, to getting dressed – would be painful.

It is a pain so pronounced that it would manifest itself as a hole in the middle of my stomach, something I would fill with food in hopes that it would fill up and I would feel better again.

But it won’t fill up, and I won’t feel better.

The thought of stepping out of the house would terrify me, even if it’s just to go to the convenience store at the first floor of our condo. I wouldn’t want anyone to see me. I want to be invisible and just vanish.

This thought would be comforting and would bring some peace – and, sometimes, thoughts of suicide.

This is my depression.

Along with this is a pain in the chest I could only describe as if someone was stepping on it. The more I try to breathe deeply, the more the invisible foot steps on it, as if disallowing me from breathing.

With it are thoughts of worry, thoughts of all the things I have to accomplish because I

Julian Mauricio, entertainment journalist:

“Please treat suicide attempts or even threats of suicide seriously… Depressed people may lean on you from time to time, and you may find it draining. Back away if you need to recharge, but don’t leave them, even if they give you reasons to.” am a mother and a journalist. I have a child to support, editors to report to, stories to submit, a living to make. But these thoughts only paralyze me.

This is my anxiety.

My depression and anxiety go hand in hand. I have had moments of brilliance because of them, and I have had moments of destruction because of them. I have let people down and lost opportunities because of them, no matter how hard I tried to cope.

I cannot manage them on my own. When I did, I would get to the point where I’d be disoriented and unable to make my mind work. I would end up staring at my hands for hours, or staying in bed all day, in the dark.

The world would turn without me, and I would let it.

It was in 2011 when I learned to accept depression and anxiety as part of how I roll.

When I had my job interview to become the first Life and Style and Entertainment editor of Rappler, I disclosed my condition to managing editor Glenda Gloria, who did not take them against me.

When I had an attack, I would tell her honestly.

She never gave me unsolicited advice. When I needed to talk or to cry she would patiently listen.

She acknowledged it and never downplayed it.

She never pretended to know what it was like.

I learned to ask help from the right people.

I went to Dr. Paul Lee, a psychiatrist at the Philippine Children’s Medical Center, who understood how much I disliked medication.

Our consultations doubled as talk therapy sessions. He would listen as I went through my triggers and sorted out my thoughts.

Maureen Manuel, PR practitioner:

“Depression is not predictable. It just comes.

It is a personal fight. If someone is sad or lonely, please be there for that individual.

They need someone to help them feel secure.

It’s easier said than done but it is manageable.”

Edgar Callos, freelance production manager and events planner: “People with depression are not freaks. We can still be high functioning and we can still be competent. In the first two years of my depression, I thought I was worthless. I am an athlete and a fitness aficionado, and they help me get out of episodes.”

Let me know what’s on your mind. Email coffeewithkai@gmail.com and let’s get that coffee, shall we? Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @kaimagsanoc.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

BUSINESS AND PLEASURE COMBINED As you’re reading this, I’m running a r o u n d McKinley West in Taguig making sure everything is THE GIST where they

BY ED BIADO should be in preparation for the fun run that will take place in the evening. I’m doing this because I’m one of the project heads of the event, which has been four months in the making. I probably haven’t slept in two days – I’m cranky, bitchy and impatient.

As with any event, tensions are high and proverbial fires have to be put out on the spot. Plan A never works, so you must be prepared with about half a dozen contingencies. Events agencies may not be responsible for ending world poverty and hunger, but we are given the daunting task of making sure that all stakeholders are happy and they leave the venue after the event safe and unharmed.

That’s not easy. Every event is a security risk and logistical nightmare. But we still do it – I still do it because I love it. I love my job, even if I never clock out at 6 p.m. My meetings would end at 10:00 p.m. if I’m lucky; 3:00 a.m. if I’m not. Pulling all-nighters and working on weekends are part of the job description.

Did I know from the start that this was what I was signing up for? Hell to the N-O! I thought it would be glamorous and all I’d have to do is walk around with a clipboard and talk to people through the comm set attached to my head. I had no idea that there are months of planning and troubleshooting and budgeting and building stuff. (I was idealistic, okay?!) But do I regret being an events guy? Of course not... Like I said, I love my job.

I actually enjoy the all-nighters and the endless meetings because the people I work with are also my friends. Most of our meetings would happen at coffee shops and restaurants, which means that the environment is relaxed and we can easily glide from work-related discussions to personal conversations when we feel our brains getting fried.

My job doesn’t allow for work-life balance.

Instead, it offers something more valuable:

work-life blend. It’s a classic case of mixing business with pleasure, but on a grand scale.

Work-life blend has gone from obscure to trendy to necessary in just a few short years because of technology.

Before mobile phones and email, “work” and “life” were separate entities. Back then, we refused to acknowledge work as a part of life. It was just something that we did from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. to earn money so that we could fund our lives. They rarely intersected, much less blended. The only time employees truly socialized with one another was at Christmas parties and the once-a-year company outings. (Even the term “company outing” sounded so corporate. Now, they’re called team-building and they’re meant to truly bring people together and recognize the individual as part of a cohesive team.)

But because we’re connected to the Internet all the time and our mobile phones make sure we’re always within reach, gone are the days when clients have to wait until the next

FROM ROADS W TO T-SHIRTS

Victory Liner tees are designed by Brent Sabas of Ang Illustrador ng Kabataan

business day to call you on the company landline. As work invades our dinner tables and bedrooms, it only makes sense that we bring those tables and beds to the office – figuratively of course. Since we’ve practically lost our official “me time” at night, we have to find ways to carve them into our hectic days. And we need the help and blessing of our employers to do it.

According to work/life satisfaction guru Jones Loflin, work-life blend has three tenets.

Writing at LinkedIn Pulse, he listed them down as follows: flexibility, focusing on outcomes, and encouraging collaboration.

Flexibility pertains to seamless transition between work and personal time. It provides for opportunities to recharge by being able to get away when needed, and not being bound by strict schedules. Meanwhile, being outcome-oriented means it’s quality (of work) over quantity (of time spent in the office). It’s a productivity-based scheme that maximizes the employees’ “creative energies” and allows them to take part in their

hen it comes to long journeys to the countryside by public bus, Victory Liner has been the top of the mind choice of many Filipinos. For the past 70 years, the bus company has been transporting people to their destinations, and today, it’s the passengers’ turn to take the iconic Victory Liner bus wherever they go.

Being the number one choice of many passengers going to Pangasinan or Baguio, Victory Liner is included in local retail giant Bench’s #LoveLocal campaign, which celebrates popular local brands that are deeply ingrained in popular Filipino culture.

“Victory Liner has been in the industry for 70 years, and it has stood the test of time,” explained Bench brand marketing assistant vice president Dale Dela Cruz, on why the bus company was shortlisted. “Brands come and go but Victory Liner stayed true to its vision of providing quality transport service to the Filipino people.” #LoveLocal coincides with the clothing company’s 28th anniversary. The campaign kicked off with the launch of a book featuring celebrities sharing their passions, adoration and pride for our culture.

Part of this campaign is a special edition line of graphic tee highlighting these local brands. A slew of homegrown artists were commissioned to render

respective “life events.” Finally, collaboration talks about being able to have productive relationships with coworkers that can only be had by working together on projects and not isolating each member and forcing them to work on their own.

“By rethinking balance and seeking to blend, not only will we feel less guilty about them mixing together, but we will find ourselves more realistically able to have both working for us,” offer Success.com’s Dan Gregory and Kieran Flanagan.

Work-life blend is not difficult. It’s simply a matter of not thinking of the office as “the office,” where you have to be at the most extreme side of professionalism. Work-life balance is a more casual and worker-friendly approach to getting things done and finding solutions to maximize productivity without sacrificing personal needs and inclinations, thus yielding the most positive of results.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @EdBiado

their creative interpretation of a particular icon.

For Victory Liner, Brent Sabas of Ang Illustrador ng Kabataan was in charge of immortalizing the bus company on these collaboration shirts.

The design had Victory Liner buses taking on different forms that convey its numerous destinations. “Life is a journey that allows you to feel different emotions along the way,” shared Sabas. “While on board the Victory Liner, you know that you’re safe and cared for so you can open up your senses and feel every bit of your adventure without worries.”

For their part, the Victory Liner management is excited to know that another wholly-owned Filipino company shares the same commitment they have, not only in boosting fellow local businesses but also to provide excellent services to their customers.

“This is a very noble project. As a local brand, we like projects that support nationalistic ideals,” stated Victory Liner vice president for treasury and marketitng Marivic Del Pilar.

The Victory Liner #LoveLocal shirts are available at Bench outlets in Glorietta, Trinoma, Alabang Town Center, SM Megamall, SM North Edsa, SM Aura, Powerplant Mall, Shangri-La Mall, Newport City, Century Mall, Ayala Cebu and SM Lanang Davao.

S AT U R D AY : N O V E M B E R 14 , 2 0 1 5

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

Red and bright Anne Kamatis plushies

Pan Talong plush veggies for little kids

Plush and Play/Batang Bayani Int’l. founder Fabien Courteille is happy that the GK community was able to launch the first Filipino inspired stuffed toys at Toy Kingdom SM Megamall

PLUSH AND PLAY WITH THE FIRST FILIPINO INSPIRED PLUSH TOYS The fun and green calamansi aka Karla Mansi reminds us how important Vitamin C is to our health

Tiny Mang Gustin plush toys are perfect as gifts

Meet Fili Pinya, the cuddly pineapple that’s good for the heart

Huggable and round Buko Martin is one famous coconut

I

f you’re planning on giving soft, huggable stuffed toys to your nephews and nieces, tiny tots and even your adult friends for this Christmas or even during ordinary days when you just feel like giving out a cute, cuddly thing, then your money will be well spent with Buko Martin, Manny Pakwan, Jessica Saging, Fili Pinya, Pan Talong, Anne Kamatis, Karla Mansi and Mang Gustin. They’re the first batch of Filipino inspired plush toys from Plush and Play, now available at Toy Kingdom at SM Megamall.

“Hand-stitched with love, stuffed with dreams,” Plush and Play toys are unique creations that are handcrafted and homemade by hard working and skilled mothers from Gawad Kalinga communities.

The lovable toys were borne out of a vision by Frenchman Fabien Courteille, Plush and Play/Batang Bayani Int’l. Inc. founder and Gawad Kalinga board member, “to create the proudly Filipino toy that comes wit h stories, Filipino values and Filipino names.

What we want to do is to inspire the new generation of young Filipino and if we can do that, at the Jessica Saging in big and mini fun sizes

Gawad Kalinga celebrity supporters LJ Moreno-Alapag and Danica Sotto-Pingris

same time we want to restore as much as feasible the livelihood of our mothers in Bulacan and all over the countryside.”

The social enterprise, which saw its beginning from the Gawad Kalinga–Enchanted Farm in Angat, Bulacan, showcases the creative genius and excellent skills of poor artisans. It also aims to restore the Filipino seamstresses’ livelihood and pride in their craftsmanship.

The Plush and Play toys delight the young and old alike while providing a sustainable livelihood for families in the countryside. Plus, these plushies also encourage imaginative play that stimulate children’s’ creativity the Filipino way.

“What makes us different is that we try to bring in something that is more than a toy,” says Courteille.

The GK visionaries. Plush and Play/Batang Bayani Int’l. founder Fabien Courteille with Gawad Kalinga founder Tony Meloto

Apart from being affordable and uniquely Filipino, the idea of creating locally themed veggies and fruits into huggable toys serves as another fun way of introducing to kids the importance of these nutritious foods to one’s health hence making Plush and Play the perfect gifts for the Holiday season and beyond.

Gawad Kalinga Founder Tony Meloto expressed the hopes of the

Toy Kingdom SAVP-Marketing Bernie Ma Mon Luk-Chua and Toy Kingdom Customer Service-Operations Lei Sia during the launch of Plush and Play at SM Megamall

plush and play team that more toys made by Filipinos will be made available in Toy Kingdom to show the world that Filipinos can make world class toys.

Get your own huggable Plush and Play pals today at Toy Kingdom SM Megamall.

SAT URDAY : NOV EMBER 14, 2015

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

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McJim Dreams Get Real Season Champ Apple Delleva touches the crowd with her very emotional rendition of “Kunin Mo Na Ang Lahat Sa Akin”

Apple DellevA wins ‘MCJiM DreAMers Get reAl’ seAson 2

W

ith their aspirations for stardom at stake, McJim Dreams Get Real Talent Search’s Top Six battled it out in an epic finale where power belter Apple Delleva from Cabuyao, Laguna emerged as this season’s champion on Nov. 9, at the Music Museum.

Considered the biggest threat in the competition by other contestants, Delleva showed why she deserved the title with her powerful rendition of Angeline Quinto’s “Kunin Mo Na Ang Lahat Sa Akin” and a strong yet emotional cover of Yeng Constantino’s hit “Ikaw.”

“I feel very and happy and thankful! We have different genres and we have different things to offer so it’s really hard to predict who will win, but I just gave my all and it all paid off,” says the 19-year-old communication student at University of Perpetual Help in Las Piñas.

Delleva is no stranger to singing competitions after representing the Philippines in Karaoke World Championships 2014 in Stockholm, Sweden and landing a semi-finals spot at GMA 7’s popular show, Bet Sa Kantahan.

With her latest win and with the help of McJim, she hopes she would make it big in the music industry and be everyone’s “apple” of the eye.

Through Dreams Get Real Talent Search, gentlemen’s brand McJim Classic Leather affirmed its image as an advocate for fresh new Filipino talents and Original Pilipino Music (OPM).

After launching the careers of some of the most in-demand acts today, like vocal trio JBK, pop-rock band Fifth Dynamics, and Neo Domingo, McJim continues to enliven the local music by giving aspiring artists the opportunity to kick-start their own musical journeys.

“The six last acts gave us an extraordinary and mind blowing show. Each

one of them levelled up so we had a hard time choosing who should the competition, but we feel that Apple is the readiest among the six—she has the pipes, the presence, and she knows how to work a crowd,” says Chris Cahilig, Dreams Get Real project head.

“But, we wish other contestants well and we hope that they learned something in this competition that they can use to kick-start their careers.”

Delivering their best performances ever in a concert-like finale, the other finalists—Carmella Ravanilla and Zsarina Concepcion from Rizal, Erickson Malabanan from Batangas, Micah Llona from Taguig, and Trix Casauay from Caloocan—left it all on stage with their performances that showed their vocal talent, star quality, and character.

Despite losing the competition, the five other artists showed their support for the eventual winner and were still thankful for the experience. For the 18-year-old Concepcion, being thrown into the company of talented people who share a passion for singing—and learning from them in the process—is such a big deal already.

Delleva, the newest grand champion of Dreams Get Real: The Search for the Next OPM Star, bagged a full album and music video grant; P100,000 in cash prize from McJim Classic Leather; artist marketing support; and a talent management contract.

“We are in good hands with McJim. During the competition, we never felt that we are competing against each other because McJim made us feel that we are a family,” says Delleva. “Expect more from me because McJim will give me a platform to be a recording artist.”

Like the official McJim classic leather facebook page at www.facebook. com/OfficialMcJIM and be updated on all future events of the brand.

From left,Dreams Get Real Project Head Chris Cahilig, Apple Delleva, McJim Sales Manager Nelson Bergado,and 1:43 member Anjo Resurreccion

Power belter Apple Delleva is named as the newest champion of McJim Dreams Get Real Talent Search

From left, McJim Sales Manager Nelson Bergado, McJim Dreamers Erickson Malabanan and Zsarina Concecion, and Project Head Chris Cahilig

SAT URDAY : NOV EMBER 14, 2015

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

PhOtOS By JOy aRgUiL

Snoopy ChriStmaS village

With fellow contestants during the Bb. Pilipinas pageant Miss Globe 2015 Ann Colis, Miss International finalist Janicel Lubina and Bb. Piliinas-International Christi Lynn McGarry at her send off at Gateway Mall

ROgELiE CataCUtan Off tO POLanD

Bb. Pilipinas-Supranational 2015 Rogelie Catacutan is flies to Krynica-Zdroj, Poland to compete against more than 80 beauties from all over the world in the 7th Miss Supranational pageant at Hall of Sports on Dec.4.

Catacutan, a 24-year-old Nursing graduate and former Cebu Hotel desk officer, will be the fourth Bb. Pilipinas beauty to compete this year after Miss Globe 2015 winner Ann Lorraine Colis, Miss Grand International 2015 third runner up Parul Shah and Miss International 2015 Best Dresser and Top 10 finalist Janicel Lubina. The Amlan, Negros Oriental born, Cebu-based, former Miss Casino and Reyna ng Aliwan winner, fervently wished that she could bring the Miss Supranational crown as a fitting Christmas gift for her countrymen.

Miss Supranational, fast turning to be Europe’s most coveted pageant, includes tours, presentations, competitions, photo

PhOtOS By JOy aRgUiL

Rogelie Catacutan flies to Poland for the Miss Supranational pageant on Dec. 4

shoots, interviews which will start with the contestants’ participation at the Warsaw Moto Show 2015 at Warsaw Expo International Exhibition and Congress Centre on Nov. 20 to 22.

All viewers will meet the lovely contestants during the special

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 38

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Kind of film 5 Sounds of fright 10 Act worried 14 Camembert’s kin 15 Storm warning 16 Donald Duck nephew 17 Utopia 18 Indy 500 entrant 19 “Fancy” singer

20 22 24 25 26 29 33 34 36 37

Go on the lam (3 wds.)

Daedalus’ son Unseal, poetically LP speeds Dairy-case buy Pilot’s flap Nail-groomer NE state Detective’s cry Literary miscellany

39 40 41 42 44 47 48 49 50 53 58 59 61 62 63 64 65 66 67

Diet guru Jenny — Skip stones Hitchcock’s title Bering Sea birds Laissez- — Fez danglers Crazes Sock it — —!

Copper source Floored Drops like a rock Verne captain Melanges Classical face Not a repro.

Exudes moisture Baja boy Crashing — Leif’s language Failing that

DOWN 1 Driver with a handle 2 Pakistan’s language 3 Mortgage 4 On-air acknowledgment 5 Loft 6 Jai — 7 Splinter group 8 Opposite of post9 Banding

ball with ambassadors and the national costumes show.

Catacutan will be aiming for the Philippines’ second title after Mutya Johanna Datul’s title conquest in 2013, considered the golden year of the Philippines in international pageant. Miss India Asha Bhat will crown her successor during the Finals show featuring a magnificent production of the Polish company Nowa Scena.

Catacutan started her pageant career at the early age of seven winning in school and city competitions. She moved to Cebu when she matriculated in college, then got into modeling before joining the Miss Cebu contest in 2010, Miss World Philippines 2011 and finally the Bb. Pilipinas search in 2015. It was all luck, strong faith in God and belief in herself that she said made her win the title, revealing that she joined the Miss Casino contest to use the prize money for the Bb. Pilipinas competition.

– EtOn B. COnCEPCiOn

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2015

10 11 12 13 21 23 25 26 27 28 30 31 32 34 35 38 42 43 45 46 47 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 60

Expression Violinist Leopold — Philippine island Young falcon Grand Ole — 950, to Livy Sari sporters Nutritional supplement “— vincit amor” Neutral and first Pie-chart lines Maureen of the screen Ponytail sites Jar for oil Wood for floors Relax a little (2 wds.)

MacDonald’s place Flowerlike fish Henchman Job-ad letters Hair foam Door opener Prefix for dynamic Giant slain by Odin Gangplank locale Prunes a hedge Like Mr. Hyde Catches some rays Wild plum Sign before Virgo

Snoopy and Charlie Brown welcomed mall patrons at SM Fairview on Nov.8 when the Snoopy Christmas Village officially opened leading to the holiday celebrations.

In display are familiar and endearing places that hark back to the series of comic strips and television series where Snoopy and Charlie Brown along with friends hang out together to make fond and fun memories.

Gracing the occasion too are celebrity couple Richard Gutierrez and Sarah Lahbati with their son Zion. In attendance too is Baste, the very adorable young talent discovered by the phenomenal noontime show Eat Bulaga.

The SM Foundation and its charitable works opened the Snoopy Christmas Village to

Snoopy display at SM Fairview

encourage children to dream big especially this holiday season just like Snoopy and Charlie Brown! Additionally, the Snoopy Christmas Village will serve as a venue to promote goodwill in this season of giving by voluntarily donating gifts to those who need it most.

Charlie Brown & Snoopy with child star Baste from Eat Bulaga show

Richard Gutierrez, Sarah Lahbati,Zion and Baste at SM Fairview

SAT URDAY : NOV EMBER 14, 2015

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

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I-Witness hosts Howie Severino, Sandra Aguinaldo, Kara David, and Jay Taruc present the show's 16th anniversary edition tonight

‘i-Witness’ celebrates 16th anniVersary

W

ho would have thought this would happen?

This November, I-Witness celebrates its 16th anniversary and with it comes an ambitious endeavor from the producers of the show.

For the first time in the history of I-Witness, the four hosts – Howie Severino, Kara David, Jay Taruc, and Sandra Aguinaldo – come together in one episode to bring viewers stories of unsung Filipino heroes in Dubai.

Dubai is the commercial, banking and tourist hub of the United Arab Emirates, the second-biggest Arab world economy after Saudi Arabia. Therefore, it is no wonder that OFWs flock there to seek good fortune.

For a country that has more oil reserves than fresh water, Sandra experiences the water adventures that UAE has to offer, she gets to meet the Filipino workers in Wadi, the wild water theme park in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. She also discovers that the arid, water-scarce U.A.E. is doing its best to provide fresh water to its citizens by producing desalinated water.

Howie’s penchant for skateboarding gets him to encounter young Filipino skateboarders doing their routine in a park. He also meets other youth currently studying in Filipino schools. Helping their own country is not far from the student’s agenda but for now they have to settle in a foreign country.

For Kara, entrusting her safety to the only Filipino desert safari driver in the sand dunes of U.A.E. is one experience she will treasure. As she gets to know him inside the SUV, while rolling down the treacherous sand terrain, she begins to admire his tenacity in

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driving as well as the sacrifices he made to feed his family.

And lastly, Jay gets a treat from fellow Filipino broadcasters in the only Filipino radio station in Dubai. They let him get a try to host his “own” radio program!

With fellow I-Witness hosts as his guests, he realizes that it takes guts to entertain radio listeners.

I-Witness airs Saturday, after Celebrity Bluff on GMA-7.

HHHHH Michael V.’s creatiVe Writing Workshop discoVers neW Writers Michael V.’s Creative Writing Workshop held its culmination activity on Nov. 7.

The Kapuso ace comedian together with GMA Senior Vice President for Entertainment TV Lilybeth G. Rasonable; Vice President for Entertainment TV, Marivin T. Arayata; and Assistant Vice President for Entertainment TV Janine Piad-Nacar gave the participants special awards and citations. Also present in the event were the program managers and creative team of GMA Entertainment TV. The workshop, which ran for five weeks, was definitely a fun-filled experience for the top 20 participants. Not only they tackled narrative, gag and sketch writing, but they likewise had the pleasure to work with Michael V. and GMA Entertainment TV’s Creative Team composed of Caesar Cosme, Mon Roco, Joseph Balboa, Chito Francisco, Sen Que, and Jojo Nones.

Fellow Kapuso personalities also gave support to the workshop as they shared insights and experiences. Making the event a meaningful learning opportunity for the aspiring writers were the participation of Directors Uro

Workshop participants with Lilybeth Rasonable, Marivin Arayata and Michael V Kapuso ace comedian Michael V.

GMA SVP for ETV Lilybeth Rasonable, VP for ETV Marivin Arayata, and Kapuso ace comedian Michael V.

dela Cruz and Dominic Zapata, Kapuso artists Sef Cadayona, Chariz Solomon, Isko Salvador, Betong Sumaya, and Carmi Martin plus the Chairman of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), Atty. Eugenio “Toto” Villareal.

HHHHH Mother lily’s grandson Weds long-tiMe gF Regal Entertainment’s Lily Monteverde and daughter Roselle are waxing emotional as Keith Teo, the latter’s son, weds girlfriend of four years Winni Wang in a lovely beach ceremony in Boracay today.

Keith, 32, is one of Mother

Lily’s seven grandchildren. He is a cum laude with a degree in Law at Boston University. He also has a Master of Law from UC Hastings.

Winni, meanwhile, is a doctor-pharmacist. She and Keith practically grew up in the US where they met through a mutual friend.

A beach lover, this explains why the couple chose to exchange “I do’s” in the pristine island.

Several showbiz luminaries in the list of principal sponsors including Antonio Tuviera and Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto, Peter Coyiuto and Charo Santos-Concio, lawyer Alfred Alex Cruz III and Sen. Loren Legarda, Jose Javier Reyes and Cristina Tan Ng, Jose “Chito” Roño Jr. and Comm. Leonida Bayani Ortiz, Kenneth Yang and Cory Vidanes.

“The excitement is the same as when I was getting married. It’s also the same as when my four children got married. Inaasikaso ko ang lahat ng bagay. I’m so eager to be a great-grandmother.

Pero iba ang sa apo. It’s so emotional, so sentimental,” said the Regal matriarch, who also shared that she took care of Keith when he was a little boy.

Roselle has this to say about her son, “He’s thoughtful and caring.

When Keith was a kid, every time he saw my mom smoking, he would take away the cigarette and put it off.

“When my mom was operated on (for lung cancer a few years ago), Keith came home from the States and took a break from his work to check on his grandma.”

Keith and Winni will fly back to San Francisco, California, after their honeymoon.

HHHHH My FaithFul husband bids adieu GMA Network’s My Faithful Hus-

band tackled the infidelity of the wife and how the faithful husband faced his biggest challenge in life.

The most controversial drama on GMA Telebabad provided a different view of marriage, since the series braved all double standards and undermine all biases.

And as the series came to an end last Friday, Jennylyn Mercado and Dennis Trillo shared what they experienced while doing this intriguing show. The two award-winning actors believed that this had been the heaviest drama that they had done.

According to Dennis, “Sa dami ng pinagdaanan ng pamilya nina Emman at Mel, isa ito sa mga pinaka-challenging gawin dahil heavy drama talaga siya kumpara sa mga dati na naming nagawa.

Nakakatuwa na pinagkakatiwala nila sa akin yung role ng pagiging faithful. Iba’t ibang klaseng roles at hindi pare-pareho at paulit-ulit na istorya at kwento ang ginagawa ko.”

Meanwhile, Jennylyn portrayed a different character in the series.

“For a change hindi naman ako masyadong mabait tapos ‘yung character ko rito ay palaban at independent. Masaya ako kasi maganda yung kinalabasan ng show at sinubaybayan kami.”

Both Kapuso actors agreed that they had a great time with all their co-stars and co-workers. Jennylyn and Dennis also expressed their happiness and sincerest gratitude for being able to work with Joyce Bernal. “Dennis and I feel blessed na nabigyan ako ng opportunity na makatrabaho si Direk Joyce. First time namin siyang nakatrabaho at naging sobrang gaan sa set. Kasama namin siya, makipagbiruan at nakita namin kung gaano siya ka-tutok sa mga artists niya, emotion wise and acting wise,” Jennylyn said.

SAT URDAY : NOV EMBER 14, 2015

C8

ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ It’s ChrIstmas on Gma network

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ISAH V. RED GMA Network welcomes the most-awaited season with the premiere of the “MaGMAhalan Tayo Ngayong Pasko” Christmas campaign on its primetime newscast 24 Oras last Thursday.

The message of love takes center stage in the Kapuso community as well-loved Kapuso artists and trusted News and Public Affairs personalities come together with viewers in a happy, heartfelt celebration of the season.

Cesar Cosme, who helmed the project, says that the message imparted by the video is about “genuine and pure love,” much like that of a child.

Christmas is truly the season for loving one another and the Network’s message is to spread the love this Holiday Season.

One with the Network’s message of love are GMA’s best and brightest stars including Dingdong Dantes, Marian Rivera, AiAi de las Alas, Lovi Poe, Heart Evangelista, Michael V, Willie Revillame, Dennis Trillo, Tom Rodriguez, Megan Young, Carla Abellana, Barbie Forteza, Bianca Umali, Miguel Tanfelix, Andre Paras, Ruru Madrid, Gabbi Garcia, and German Moreno.

They are joined by Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon leading Dabarkads, with the phenomenal love team of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza, together with Lola Nidora, Lola Tidora and Lola Tinidora.

Also featured are GMA’s formidable News and Public Affairs team Mel Tiangco, Mike Enriquez, Jessica Soho, Vicky Morales, Arnold Clavio and Howie Severino.

With heartwarming scenes full of traditions and the sharing of the gifts of love and laughter among those we care about the most, the 2015 GMA Christmas station ID shows a holiday that is truly Pinoy, and truly Kapuso.

And as the countdown to Christmas continues, the station with a heart hopes that Kapuso viewers worldwide hear the message – “MaGMAhalan Tayo Ngayong Pasko.”

This year, the Christmas station ID theme song was sung by Pambansang Bae Alden Richards; with lyrics written by Brian James Camaya and Clare Yee, and music composed by Simon Tan. ➜ Continued on C7

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1 Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza 2 Megan Young, Rafael Rosell, Carla Abellana and Tom Rodriguez 3 Katrina Halili, Kuh Ledesma, Manilyn Reynes and AiAi delas Alas 4 Mike Pekto Nacua, Ryan Agoncillo, Direk Cesar Cosme, Michael V, and Rocco Nacino 5 Alden Richards 6 Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes 7 Dennis Trillo 8 Heart Evangelista and Lovi Poe 9 Miguel Tanfelix, Enzo Pineda, Andre Paras and Joyce Ching 10 Willie Revillame