The Standard - 2015 November 15 - Sunday

VOL. XXIX  NO. 276  3 Sections 24 Pages P18  SUNDAY : NOVEMBER 15, 2015  www.thestandard.com.ph  editorial@thestandard.com.ph

I.S. OWNS UP TO ATTACKS IN PARIS

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PH ON RED ALERT TERROR HITS PROMPT AFP, PNP TO BOOST SECURITY FOR APEC SUMMIT

By Francisco Tuyay and Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

SECURITY forces upgraded their alert status from “blue” to “red” for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting in Metro Manila on Nov. 17 to 20 in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris, France where more than 150 people were reported killed.

“The alert status was also raised a day ahead of schedule as a matter of procedure following any international terrorist incident such as this morning’s terrorist attack in Paris,” said Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Col. Restituto Padilla.

Apec security planners are now seriously looking into the Paris incident to ensure security preparations are appropriately upgraded, he said. Full story on Page B4 President Benigno Aquino III met with the Cabinet’s security cluster for an hour and a half on Saturday to plan for any possible disruption.

“The President convened the security cluster in light of the recent developments. President Aquino wanted to ensure that all preparations are in place and all contingencies have been planned for,” said Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte.

Officials who attended the meeting were Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento, National Next page

GUARDING THE SKIES. Philippine Marines check on an anti-aircraft gun deployed near the site of the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Summit for next week. AFP PHOTO

MILITIA BLAMED FOR LUMAD SLAY

By John Paolo Bencito ANOTHER lumad, or tribesman, was killed in Surigao del Sur by Magahat militiamen on suspicion that he was a supporter of the communist New People’s Army, San Miguel town mayor Alvaro Elizalde said Saturday.

The victim was identified as 23-year-old Orlando Rabuca, a watchman employed by San Miguel town to guard the Bulho-on Elementary School, San Miguel Mayor Alvaro Elizalde told the local newspaper Gold Star Daily.

Elizalde said CCTV footage

and witness accounts showed that around 30 armed men in military camouflage uniforms arrived in two white Starex vans at Bulho-on village around 4 a.m. Thursday.

The gunmen warned the villages they would be killed if they support the communist rebels Next page

GROUND PATROL. Police commandos simulate a terrorist attack at the Philippine International Convention Center after the Friday the 13th attacks in Paris, France. AFP PHOTO

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news

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

PH...

From A1

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, National Security Adviser Cesar Garcia and

ANXIETY PITCH. Spectators wait on the pitch of the Stade de France in the Parisian suburb of Seine-Saint Denis after a series of gun attacks in several places in Paris early Saturday morning. AFP PHOTO

aquino condemns attacks in france

By Sara D. Fabunan

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III condemned the terrorist attacks in Paris, France which French President Francois Hollande blamed on the Islamic State.

“Terror and brutality have plunged the City of Light, Paris, into the darkness of horror and grief. The Philippines and its people stand in solidarity with the people of Paris and all of France, in this time of deepest sorrow and the gravest outrage against the perpetrators of these crimes,” Aquino said.

Aquino said the deaths due to the attack on the Bataclan Concert Hall, the vicinity of the Stade de France, and on restaurants in the city center were “atrocities that demand a united voice from the world in condemna-

MILITIA...

From A1

and then shot Rabuca in the head.

They left a warning letter bearing the heading “Magahat Regional Command” before leaving the area.

“I pity the victim,” Gold Star Daily quoted Elizalde as saying. “The P2,000 monthly honorarium the municipal government was paying him as school watchman was not even enough for him what more to his family.”

Elizalde said he immediately called an emergency meeting with officers of the Army’s 2nd Special Forces, led

by Lt. Col. Gaspar Panopio, and asked them to disarm the militia “since it is suspected that the military are the ones arming the Magahat” who are

tion and grief.”

“In our time of need, France and her people stood shoulder to shoulder with the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon ‘Haiyan’. We stand with France now, in the firm belief that the light must never dim in Paris,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs said no Filipino casualty has so far been reported in Friday’s coordinated terrorist attacks in Paris.

“So far there are no reports of Filipinos affected by the incident in Paris.

Our embassy continues to monitor closely the situation and stands ready to extend assistance to Filipinos who may need it,” DFA spokesman Charles Jose said on Saturday.

There are around 48,000 Filipinos in France, according to a 2013 data by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, while more than 10 million are scattered across the globe, making them vulnerable to security threats, calamities and domestic conflicts in their host countries.

Hollande declared a state of emer-

gency following what he described as an unprecedented terrorist attack that was staged days before France was to host a global climate conference.

France, on the other hand, expressed gratitude to the Philippines for its expression of sympathy following last Friday’s deadly attacks that left more than 100 people killed in Paris.

“We are deeply touched by the heartfelt expressions of support in the Philippines extended by President Benigno S. Aquino III, the national and local authorities, the people of the Philippines,” the French Embassy said in a statement.

“France will always fight against extremism and stand for the values of democracy and human rights enshrined in our national motto ‘Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite which was coined in Paris centuries ago,” it said.

“Today we are all Parisians.”

Hollande is set to address parliament on Monday and declared three days of national mourning, the embassy said.

“again creating trouble in my town.”

But Panopio said the military is still investigating the killing and no armed group has claimed responsibility despite the claim of witnesses, including Elizalde, that they even left a letter warning the villagers against supporting the NPA. “We just arrived here in Surigao del Sur from Bohol two weeks ago. We were sent here in Surigao del Sur by higher authorities to arrest three primary suspects in Sitio Han-ayan, Lianga, Surigao del Sur lumad killings, to protect the lumads, and identify and arrest the 20 armed John Does companions of Loloy Tejero, Bobby Tejero and Layno,” Panopio said.

But Panopio said he did not see the letter supposedly left by the Magahats.

Panopio reasoned that his group has

just been deployed in Surigao del Sur, and his troops were part of the augmentation forces sent to Surigao del Sur. Elizalde insisted that he saw the Magahats’ warning letter and that the town’s chief of police was in possession of the letter, in addition to the sworn statements of witnesses.

Elizalde said the execution of Rabuca convinced him that the people who armed these Magahats are “creating monsters they could no longer control.”

Elizalde echoed the view of Surigao del Sur Gov. Johnny Pimentel who insisted that the military organized and armed the Magahats which has since abused their authority and committed atrocities against lumad communities over the past six years.

Philippine National Police chief Director-General Ricardo C. Marquez.

Marquez placed all police units across the country on full alert Saturday morning to ensure availability and operational readiness of police forces to respond to any contingencies.

“Although we have not monitored any specific or direct threat in our homefront, nonetheless, target hardening measures on vital installations, particularly seaports, airports and our rail systems have been further elevated to maximize deterrence against unforeseen events,” Marquez said.

“We have received reports of scare messages circulating through telecom and social media networks warning of purported scenarios and events. These only serve to add to public anxiety that may further lead to hysteria and panic. Please disregard such messages and report immediately to authorities,” he added.

Meanwhile, an antiterrorism strategist, expressing concern over the security of foreign leaders attending the Apec summit amid the Paris attack, underscore the need to deploy police and military personnel in commercial establishment, particularly in places of convergence which may be an alternative target of terrorist attack aside from the Apec venue.

“They should not just put their focus of security in Apec summit event areas, but also in malls, entertainment sites and commercial centers which could be subjected by terrorist attack,” an informed source said without naming his identity.

The attack in Paris by suspected ISIS were launched simultaneously in six different locations mostly in densely converging point of people such as the Bataclan theater (87 killed); Stade de France where unknown number killed; the Boulevard de Charonne restaurant (18 reported killed) two row apartments in Rue dela Fontaine-au-Roi (5 killed) and Rue Alibert (14 killed); and the Boulevard Voltaire (one killed).

“The PNP and AFP extends its sincerest condolences to the families who lost their loved ones,” Padilla said.

Early Saturday, Philippine marines deployed anti-aircraft guns around the main summit venue as police conducted fullscale rehearsal of the visiting leaders’ motorcades to the summit venues and their hotels.

Four days ahead of the Apec summit on Nov. 1819, 2015, military choppers alternately hovered low overhead while naval gunboats patrolled the waters of nearby Manila Bay. “There is no credible threat registered at this time, but let us all be cooperative and vigilant,” President Aquino said in a statement, also expressing solidarity with France after gunmen shouting “Allahu akbar” massacred scores of diners and concert-goers across Paris.

The Philippine military put all their forces on “full alert” Saturday, hours after a similar announcement by the national police.

Filipino security forces conducted a mock terrorist attack and response at the Apec venue Saturday, with about a hundred special forces troops jumping out of a military helicopter and storming the building.

Other members of the security forces lay on the pavement outside the Philippine International Convention Center, acting out the role of bloodied civilian casualties.

Asked about the implications of the Paris attacks on the Apec summit, Foreign Undersecretary Laura del Rosario, a member of the organizing committee, told AFP by text: “Higher security.”

The Philippines has cancelled more than a thousand flights, deployed 18,000 police, and declared public holidays in Manila to ensure a safe and efficient summit, the organizers have said.

Major streets in the usually chaotic capital are being closed to traffic to speed up the shuttling of delegates, with police asking building owners to close their windows to prevent their use by snipers.

The Philippines has a long history of Islamic militancy in a southern region about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) from Manila, although extremists have also carried out deadly attacks in the capital.

Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf gunmen killed more than 100 people when they fire-bombed a ferry on Manila Bay in 2004, while the group regularly kidnaps foreign tourists and bombs churches and shopping malls in the south.

With AFP

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NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

POE HITS ‘YOLANDA’ REHAB WORK

By Joel Zurbano

AFTER criticizing the Aquino administration for its “Band-Aid” solutions to national problems, presidential candidate and Senator Grace Poe urged national and local leaders to heed the lessons of Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ which devastated many parts of the country.

DRY RUN. Security forces conduct a dry run of a security convoy for delegates to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation at the Apec Lane on busy Epifanio delos Santos Avenue in Mandaluyong City. EY ACASIO

marcos eyes free college tuition SENATOR Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday proposed free college education in all the state colleges and universities in the country, saying the government has the capability to provide funding for the tuition of SUC students.

“My proposal is for the government to study the free education in all state colleges and universities because based on our data, the fund needed for it is not that big,” Marcos told reporters at the La Carmela Hotel and Convention Center in Boracay island on Friday.

Marcos said the data of Commission on Higher Education showed that the 547 SUCs in the country are all subsidized by the government, yet students still have to pay tuition fees.

CHED figures also showed that a total of 1.4 million students were enrolled in SUCs for the school year 2013-2014.

Aside from free college education in SUCs, Marcos is also pushing for an increased support for public school

teachers whom he described as a crucial factor in improving the country’s educational system.

Marcos filed the following bills to improve the state of education in the country: Senate Bill 3106 (Public School Teachers’ Salary Upgrading Act) which seeks to raise the compensation of public school teachers from Salary Grade 11 or approximately P18,000 a month to Salary Grade 15 or approximately P25,000 a month.

Senate Bill 2531 (Teachers Education Act of 2010) mandating continuing education for teachers in all levels of education for both private and public schools.

Senate Bill 2532 (First Class Public Schools and Libraries Act of 2010) which seeks to continuously improve and upgrade public schools and libraries across the nation pursuant to the constitutional and statutory mandates of prioritizing education, and Senate Bill 2188 (Moratorium on the Creation or Conversion of State Universities and Colleges Act of 2010) an

act imposing a three-year moratorium on the creation of new state universities and colleges to allow Congress and the Commission on Higher Education time to assess and upgrade existing state colleges and universities to competitive levels.

Marcos also continues to support numerous efforts for the improvement and expansion of educational programs in various parts of the country, including the massive scholarship program that he implemented as governor of Ilocos Norte.

Marcos explained that education is one of the most important service that the government can provide to the people. He said he will work for possible enactment of measures for this purpose in the remaining session days of the Senate.

However, if the current legislative agenda will not be able to accommodate these proposals, Marcos said he would continue to seek for their realization even if he is elected vice president in the 2016 elections. Joel E. Zurbano

CHRISTIAN SERVICE. Senatorial candidate and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez (center), his wife Yedda Romualdez, also a Leyte congressional candidate, and his mother Mrs. Juliette Gomez- Romualdez join party-list candidates Jude Acidre (eighth from right) and Shan Palami (second from right) in seeking spiritual guidance from priests of the Archdiocese of Palo, Leyte, led by Msgr. Alex Opiniano, during a prayer meeting at the Manila Golf and Country Club in Makati City. VER NOVENO

Poe questioned whether the Aquino administration has indeed restored “normalcy” to the 116 towns and cities ravaged by the typhoon in six regions of the country with total damages estimated at P89.59 billion.

Poe also hit the government’s delayed response to the victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda, doubting the government could deliver on its promises in the remaining 8 months of the administration.

“It has been two years since the calamity and yet there is still so much to be accomplished, so many still to be helped,” she said.

Poe noted that the National Housing Authority targeted the construction of 92,554 permanent housing units by 2016.

But of this number, only 17,641 permanent housing units were completed, while the construction of 42,566 permanent housing units is still under way.

However, much work still needs to be done in providing permanent shelter, as many of the displaced families have returned to their homes located in areas, which no longer considered to be safe or classified as No Build Zones.

“The NHA claims that there have been delays in scouting safe areas for suitable resettlement, which was compounded

by the lack of raw materials needed for construction,” Poe said in a statement.

“Both Neda and NHA lament that existing national laws and policies have hindered the acceleration of the rehabilitation process,” she said.

The challenge of securing clearances and permits to construct, plus the tedious bidding process which requires complex documentation, all contributed in slowing down the process, she added.

Poe said accelerating rehabilitation without sacrificing quality is key in bringing back normalcy to the lives of those affected by the disaster.

Poe also recognized the importance of the involvement of civil society organizations in monitoring the progress of implementation of rehabilitation efforts and urged increased transparency in the release and utilization of funds.

Lastly, Poe recommended the establishment of a civilianled agency dedicated to disasters, which will be headed by no less than the President.

The proposed National Disaster and Emergency Management Authority will lead in the formulation of comprehensive plans for all phases of disaster, namely mitigation, preparedness, response, and rehabilitation and reconstruction.

better linkages vs poverty eyed

By Vito Barcelo THE drop in the poverty incidence in La Union is “one of the few bright spots in the country,” Vice President Jejomar Binay said, and vowed a better coordination with local government units to address poverty and hunger and develop job-generating industries in the province.

Binay said his administration will have better coordination with local government units in the province to accelerate tourism and develop job-generating industries in La Union in order to address poverty.

“La Union is known as the surfing capital of Northern Luzon. And in order to accelerate the tourism and business development of La Union and the Ilocos Region we will ensure better coordination with regional tourism councils and hold regular meetings,” he said.

“I am glad that the community in La Union have progressed. It only shows that if the government would focus to address poverty, it can

be done,” Binay said.

Latest records from the National Statistical Coordination Board showed that poverty incidence in La Union dropped from 30.6 percent in 2012 to 18.5 percent in 2014.

The Vice President said the meetings will focus on aligning local land use and development plans with the national government’s to ensure the effective and efficient use of assets and other resources.

“We will consult tourism boards, local government officials, regional department heads, and representatives from non-governmental organizations,” he added. “We will align plans starting with the development of tourism and business sites that can integrate tourism plans from Baguio City and the Cordilleras to La Union and other Ilocos Region destinations.”

Moreover, Binay said his administration will focus on improving agriculture in the region and look into the development of international markets for the products of the Ilocos and the Cordillera regions.

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OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

AID CAN CURB MIGRATION. THE QUESTION IS HOW.

[ EDI TORI A L ]

WARMEST WELCOME

By Christopher Flavelle DEVELOPED countries spend $135 billion a year on foreign aid, on everything from building schools and distributing bed nets to training people how to organize a political party. As Europe’s migration crisis deepens, an uncomfortable question gets harder to ignore: Should rich countries use more of that money to keep people away?

That question is morally fraught. The arrival of an estimated 1 million migrants in the European Union this year—with 1.5 million more projected in 2016—has fueled populism and xenophobia. The suggestion that keeping people out is a worthwhile goal can sound like an endorsement of nativism.

It’s not. Europe should accept migrants: Many of its countries produced similar waves of people dispossessed by World War II. And the European Commission predicts as much as a 0.5 percent boost in gross domestic product from the flood of new arrivals.

Yet the current pace and scale of new arrivals make it hard for cities and towns to care for and integrate them. “This is not general migration,” said Glenn Denning, a professor of international development at Columbia University and a United Nations adviser on food security. “This is unplanned migration, where people are saying, ‘Enough is enough, we’re desperate.’”

Here’s the bigger problem with changing aid spending in response to what’s happening: Some countries have already begun thinking about it, but mostly in ways that aren’t likely to help. Sweden, a paragon of international assistance, has considered slashing its development budget by 60 percent, using the savings to pay for recent arrivals. Another approach is spending money to persuade transit countries in Africa to stop migrants, a practice that could put them into detainment camps.

Cutting spending on long-term development to pay for benefits upon arrival won’t improve the situation in countries migrants leave, said Greg Adams, director of aid effectiveness for Oxfam America.

And funding policing in countries that migrants pass through on their journey

FOREIGN participants to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit this week will soon have a taste of the famous brand of Filipino hospitality.

It’s an honor, really, to be hosting this event. This is an opportunity to show our counterparts that despite our nation’s ills that they no doubt hear or read about in the news, we are still able to put together an event of such magnitude and significance.

And cost, too—imagine, P10 billion, good money that could have been used for other purposes.

This has been decided as far back as three years ago, and now is not the time to whine about spending all that money or even holding the summit here in the first place.

What we can talk about now is how the plan is being implemented with regard to the changes in the lives of ordinary citizens. What we can emphasize is our discomfort at how artificial all this feels.

For instance, punishing traffic along major roads in Metro Manila is a reality we confront every day. Vehicle sales have continued to climb even as there has been no corresponding improvement in road infrastructure. The public transport system has deteriorated.

This week, however, the delegates will see none of our daily woes as students and workers are kept home on vacation. The roads would be able to breathe.

What this tells us is that it is okay to not act on our transport woes because on the days that matter, we can always make our problems disappear.

Another induced disappearance is that of street dwellers who, on less important days, are left to roam our thoroughfares. We do not intend to display our poverty, too, but hiding the poor—specifically, giving them money to spend a few days at some resort on the pretext of a workshop—is hypocritical.

The poor ought to be kept off the streets, not because there are dignitaries coming to whom they might be an eyesore, but because nobody should live under such despicable conditions. Being homeless is not a lifestyle choice—it’s a manifestation of the government’s failure to provide opportunities for the poor to help themselves.

And now we hear that high-speed Internet is available in select places for the benefit of the guests, so they could do their work. Connectivity is not a luxury, even for ordinary people like you and me. Why do we not get it from our oligarch providers on regular days? We realize now, with much bitterness, that they could do so much better when there are guests around.

Does there have to be an Apec summit for the government to realize that its citizens deserve—and demand—to live in a less hostile place? And should we brace ourselves to go back to the gates of hell when the last of the guests have left?

Continued on A6

STRANGELY FAMILIAR

OUTSIDE of the newsdesk, work sometimes takes me to places I would never otherwise think of going to, on my own. I always relish these opportunities. More than the excitement of traveling and seeing new places, it is talking to the people, asking them about their lives and then later on telling their stories that assure me I am doing exactly what I was born to do.

Recently, however, the destination was a place far from foreign.

Regular readers of this column would know that I only moved out of my hometown this year, after living there for more than 39 years. Since we moved to Quezon City in May, however, I have never once returned to the old place —I had no reason to, as I had only a few relatives left there.

So at 4:30 in the morning one Monday, as the taxi I was boarding drove through the familiar road that I used to take every day, I was overcome with a sense of nostalgia.

Suddenly, I was living no longer in Quezon City but back there

There is always a common thread among people everywhere, and when you find it, it’s difficult to feel lost.

in the old neighborhood. It was as if I had just come from a long and exhausting day at the office. Nothing had changed.

It was still dark when I passed

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my usual stop. Everything was just as I had remembered it. The bank at the corner, the queue of tricycles, and even the early-bird workers who wanted to get a good start of the week were awaiting their rides on the highway.

The cab drove further until I reached my destination: A kitchen mass-producing lunches for more than 15,000 school children. The kitchen was managed by a representative of the Ateneo Center for Educational Development but was manned and run by dozens of volunteers—those who haul the supplies, peel and cut the vegetables, cook the rice, put in the condiments, stir the pot and

put the rice and the viands in the lunch boxes.

What do they get out of these nocturnal activities? A steaming cup of coffee, two or three pieces of pandesal—and the satisfying thought that they are helping feed kids who do not get the right nourishment at home. Sometimes, they say, family members question them why they make the sacrifices they do. Imagine being at the kitchen at 2 a.m. They do it, anyway.

Two days later, I spoke again to another group of volunteers.

This time, parents who are a bit more involved in their children’s school affairs more than the av-

erage parent is.

They call themselves Nanay Teachers, but there is one Lola (grandmother) and one Tatay (father) among them. They spoke about how they had been regularly meeting for trainings and workshops on parenting and on helping their child cope with the pressures of school work.

The problems were universal—kids were too lazy to do their homework, would not help around the house, were uncom-

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municative about their schoolwork and their friends.

Because they had inputs from outside, even from experts, and served as each other’s support groups, the parent-teachers soon observed changes in their children and even in themselves. Their children’s study habits improved, they were opening up, and they were getting better grades.

More than this, the parents’ individual self-confidence improved as well. The more ac-

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tive and articulate among them were hand-picked to go to other LGUs and talk to parent-teachers in these areas. They find that wherever you are, parents’ issues were generally the same.

Everybody wants to raise good children, but our methods and temperaments are different. It’s a trial-and-error process, with each child necessitating a different approach.

It was not surprising that I chanced upon somebody I used

to know as a child. One Nanay Teacher was the daughter of my late uncle’s friend. While we caught up briefly on how her parents had been and how both of us had raised families of our own, it dawned on me that this was the natural course of things. We move out, we stay in, we go places— and yet we find something familiar, even something homey, in the strangest of places. We feel some sort of kindredness with people we have never met before, or only

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very vaguely remember.

In the end, it does not matter whether you are somewhere whose nooks and crannies you know so well, or in a strange new place, or a place you thought you had left behind and forgotten altogether.

There is always a common thread among people everywhere, and when you find it, it’s difficult to feel lost. adellechua@gmail.com

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

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OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

AID CAN CURB MIGRATION. THE QUESTION IS HOW.

[ EDI TORI A L ]

WARMEST WELCOME

By Christopher Flavelle DEVELOPED countries spend $135 billion a year on foreign aid, on everything from building schools and distributing bed nets to training people how to organize a political party. As Europe’s migration crisis deepens, an uncomfortable question gets harder to ignore: Should rich countries use more of that money to keep people away?

That question is morally fraught. The arrival of an estimated 1 million migrants in the European Union this year—with 1.5 million more projected in 2016—has fueled populism and xenophobia. The suggestion that keeping people out is a worthwhile goal can sound like an endorsement of nativism.

It’s not. Europe should accept migrants: Many of its countries produced similar waves of people dispossessed by World War II. And the European Commission predicts as much as a 0.5 percent boost in gross domestic product from the flood of new arrivals.

Yet the current pace and scale of new arrivals make it hard for cities and towns to care for and integrate them. “This is not general migration,” said Glenn Denning, a professor of international development at Columbia University and a United Nations adviser on food security. “This is unplanned migration, where people are saying, ‘Enough is enough, we’re desperate.’”

Here’s the bigger problem with changing aid spending in response to what’s happening: Some countries have already begun thinking about it, but mostly in ways that aren’t likely to help. Sweden, a paragon of international assistance, has considered slashing its development budget by 60 percent, using the savings to pay for recent arrivals. Another approach is spending money to persuade transit countries in Africa to stop migrants, a practice that could put them into detainment camps.

Cutting spending on long-term development to pay for benefits upon arrival won’t improve the situation in countries migrants leave, said Greg Adams, director of aid effectiveness for Oxfam America.

And funding policing in countries that migrants pass through on their journey

FOREIGN participants to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit this week will soon have a taste of the famous brand of Filipino hospitality.

It’s an honor, really, to be hosting this event. This is an opportunity to show our counterparts that despite our nation’s ills that they no doubt hear or read about in the news, we are still able to put together an event of such magnitude and significance.

And cost, too—imagine, P10 billion, good money that could have been used for other purposes.

This has been decided as far back as three years ago, and now is not the time to whine about spending all that money or even holding the summit here in the first place.

What we can talk about now is how the plan is being implemented with regard to the changes in the lives of ordinary citizens. What we can emphasize is our discomfort at how artificial all this feels.

For instance, punishing traffic along major roads in Metro Manila is a reality we confront every day. Vehicle sales have continued to climb even as there has been no corresponding improvement in road infrastructure. The public transport system has deteriorated.

This week, however, the delegates will see none of our daily woes as students and workers are kept home on vacation. The roads would be able to breathe.

What this tells us is that it is okay to not act on our transport woes because on the days that matter, we can always make our problems disappear.

Another induced disappearance is that of street dwellers who, on less important days, are left to roam our thoroughfares. We do not intend to display our poverty, too, but hiding the poor—specifically, giving them money to spend a few days at some resort on the pretext of a workshop—is hypocritical.

The poor ought to be kept off the streets, not because there are dignitaries coming to whom they might be an eyesore, but because nobody should live under such despicable conditions. Being homeless is not a lifestyle choice—it’s a manifestation of the government’s failure to provide opportunities for the poor to help themselves.

And now we hear that high-speed Internet is available in select places for the benefit of the guests, so they could do their work. Connectivity is not a luxury, even for ordinary people like you and me. Why do we not get it from our oligarch providers on regular days? We realize now, with much bitterness, that they could do so much better when there are guests around.

Does there have to be an Apec summit for the government to realize that its citizens deserve—and demand—to live in a less hostile place? And should we brace ourselves to go back to the gates of hell when the last of the guests have left?

Continued on A6

STRANGELY FAMILIAR

OUTSIDE of the newsdesk, work sometimes takes me to places I would never otherwise think of going to, on my own. I always relish these opportunities. More than the excitement of traveling and seeing new places, it is talking to the people, asking them about their lives and then later on telling their stories that assure me I am doing exactly what I was born to do.

Recently, however, the destination was a place far from foreign.

Regular readers of this column would know that I only moved out of my hometown this year, after living there for more than 39 years. Since we moved to Quezon City in May, however, I have never once returned to the old place —I had no reason to, as I had only a few relatives left there.

So at 4:30 in the morning one Monday, as the taxi I was boarding drove through the familiar road that I used to take every day, I was overcome with a sense of nostalgia.

Suddenly, I was living no longer in Quezon City but back there

There is always a common thread among people everywhere, and when you find it, it’s difficult to feel lost.

in the old neighborhood. It was as if I had just come from a long and exhausting day at the office. Nothing had changed.

It was still dark when I passed

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my usual stop. Everything was just as I had remembered it. The bank at the corner, the queue of tricycles, and even the early-bird workers who wanted to get a good start of the week were awaiting their rides on the highway.

The cab drove further until I reached my destination: A kitchen mass-producing lunches for more than 15,000 school children. The kitchen was managed by a representative of the Ateneo Center for Educational Development but was manned and run by dozens of volunteers—those who haul the supplies, peel and cut the vegetables, cook the rice, put in the condiments, stir the pot and

put the rice and the viands in the lunch boxes.

What do they get out of these nocturnal activities? A steaming cup of coffee, two or three pieces of pandesal—and the satisfying thought that they are helping feed kids who do not get the right nourishment at home. Sometimes, they say, family members question them why they make the sacrifices they do. Imagine being at the kitchen at 2 a.m. They do it, anyway.

Two days later, I spoke again to another group of volunteers.

This time, parents who are a bit more involved in their children’s school affairs more than the av-

erage parent is.

They call themselves Nanay Teachers, but there is one Lola (grandmother) and one Tatay (father) among them. They spoke about how they had been regularly meeting for trainings and workshops on parenting and on helping their child cope with the pressures of school work.

The problems were universal—kids were too lazy to do their homework, would not help around the house, were uncom-

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municative about their schoolwork and their friends.

Because they had inputs from outside, even from experts, and served as each other’s support groups, the parent-teachers soon observed changes in their children and even in themselves. Their children’s study habits improved, they were opening up, and they were getting better grades.

More than this, the parents’ individual self-confidence improved as well. The more ac-

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tive and articulate among them were hand-picked to go to other LGUs and talk to parent-teachers in these areas. They find that wherever you are, parents’ issues were generally the same.

Everybody wants to raise good children, but our methods and temperaments are different. It’s a trial-and-error process, with each child necessitating a different approach.

It was not surprising that I chanced upon somebody I used

to know as a child. One Nanay Teacher was the daughter of my late uncle’s friend. While we caught up briefly on how her parents had been and how both of us had raised families of our own, it dawned on me that this was the natural course of things. We move out, we stay in, we go places— and yet we find something familiar, even something homey, in the strangest of places. We feel some sort of kindredness with people we have never met before, or only

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very vaguely remember.

In the end, it does not matter whether you are somewhere whose nooks and crannies you know so well, or in a strange new place, or a place you thought you had left behind and forgotten altogether.

There is always a common thread among people everywhere, and when you find it, it’s difficult to feel lost. adellechua@gmail.com

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OPINION

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FIGHTING TO INHALE

By Dessy Sagita PALANGKARAYA—When my boss asked me if I wanted to go cover Southeast Asia’s worst smog disaster in years from ground zero, I was reticent at best.

I regularly complain about the quality of air in Jakarta. Why go to a place where air pollution levels were soaring to up to ten times hazardous levels? Especially when I had asthma as a kid?

The smog that settled over Indonesia and neighboring countries in September was the worst the region had seen in nearly 20 years, leaving more than half a million people sick and nearly two million hectares of forest destroyed.

The haze is caused by fires, which break out to varying degrees each year during the dry season as vast Indonesian plantation lands are illegally cleared by burning. The fires were made worse this season by the El Niño effect, which had prolonged the drought, and my bureau had been writing for weeks about the haze, with Indonesian islands of Kalimantan and Sumatra seemingly the worse affected.

The assignment was to go to Palangkaraya, a city of 240,000 where the haze hit the hardest.

It was after seeing a picture from the city that I finally made up my mind to go. The photo showed an old woman selling pineapples on the side of a street, her face covered only by a thin, dirty cotton mask. Surrounding her was the thick, dark, apocalyptic glow of yellow smoke.

I wondered what forced the woman to stay outside when it was obviously dangerous and scary. Who would care about pineapples when you could not even breathe?

I knew then that I should go as there would be many stories to tell from the stricken city.

The smog had closed the Palangkaraya airport, so our team—me, a photographer and a video journalist—had instead flown into Banjarmasin, a city

in the South Kalimantan province some 200 kilometers away.

As soon as the pilot announced that we would be landing in Banjarmasin, I looked outside the window and saw a thick layer of white fog floating in the air. The hot breeze of the equator and the smell of burning trees welcomed us as we stepped off the plane.

It took us five hours of driving along the potholed-covered road to get to Palangkaraya. On our way, we made a quick stop to visit some evacuees who were forced to leave their homes because they could no longer endure the torment of not being able to breathe.

“This is ridiculous, I am surrounded by forests, why is breathing so difficult,” a young woman named Kartika Sari told me from a shelter in Banjarmasin, where she shared a two-bedroom house with nine other evacuees, all sick children and women.

Kartika fled after her toddler daughter started coughing ferociously. She left behind her husband and her job.

She worried if there would be a job to return to, but she could no longer tolerate the severe headaches, nausea and trouble with breathing that she felt every time she stepped outside her house.

We continued the trip but made a few other stops when we saw some desperate locals trying to fight the peatland fire that was getting close to their home.

About an hour before we arrived in Palangkaraya, we drove along the Tumbang Nusa bridge, the longest bridge in Indonesia that stretches for 10.3 kilometers. All along the sides of the bridge were hectares and hectares of burning peat lands and charred tree stumps.

I was stunned. It was like stepping into a horror movie, with a dirty yellow thick fog covering everything and the air stale, extremely hot and humid. The visibility was probably no more than 50 meters and all cars had turned on their headlights even though it was still midday.

Our team had taken protective goggles and masks for the trip, but I wanted to feel what it would be like to breathe without them, like the people who lived here. I stepped out of the car and tried to breathe as little as possible, but my throat was still burning.

Soon my eyes were burning and I started to gasp for air and to panic. I gave up, ran inside the car, turned on the air conditioning and checked my phone to see the air pollution index.

It was 1,511, almost five times higher than the hazardous level limit. A few days before my trip, the pollution level soared to nearly 3,000, paralyzing the whole town.

Unbelievable, I thought as I looked around me. How could anyone live like this for months? Imagine if you are inside a room with a chimney billowing smoke and you start to cough. Your first instinct would be to get out of the room and gasp, to try to suck in as much fresh air as possible.

It’s sad to think that when it was not polluted by haze, Palangkaraya was known for its clear blue sky, dense tropical forests and several endangered animals including orangutans and gibbons.

What I had seen in Palangkaraya was frustrating. The earth was being destroyed and people were hurting.

They were tired of the fires and tired of the blame. They didn’t know whether the disaster was the fault of the giant palm oil companies, greedy local farmers, or the government’s slow response to prevent the annual occurrence.

They were exhausted and they just wanted it to be over.

When I landed back in Jakarta, I thought to myself about how I used to complain about the capital’s heavilypolluted air, about the fumes from the old buses and the factories.

That night I did something I thought I would never do. I breathed deeply, grateful for Jakarta’s “fresh” air. AFP

People eat breakfast at a roadside stall shrouded in haze in downtown Palangkaraya. AFP

AID... From A5 to Europe—often countries with poor human-rights records—violates the spirit of development. “Helping governments crack down on the rights of people, that’s backwards,” he said.

How, then, can rich nations effectively rethink aid spending in a way that focuses on stemming migration?

First, they can help surrounding countries care for those who leave—thus making them less likely to move on to the West. That may sound obvious, but the UN said that as of the end of August, donor nations had provided just 37 percent of the $4.5 billion it needs to fund aid for Syria’s neighbors. Conflict isn’t alone in pushing people toward Europe. Denning said the next wave of migrants could be fleeing famine in Africa, especially as climate change worsens. “Sixty percent to 70 percent of the population live on farms, living from season to season,” Denning said. “If you had several years of failed crops, I think you would see a similar kind of desperate migration across the Mediterranean that you’re seeing now.”

There are simple steps aid agencies can take to ease the effect of potential crop failures, according to Denning: building better irrigation systems to move water during droughts, more storage facilities to hold surplus crops and roads to transport those crops to areas that needed them.

More acute natural disasters, such as floods or earthquakes, require more than just better infrastructure. “If the interest is in preventing sudden mass flows of people, then pre- and post-crisis intervention is enormously effective,” said Michael Clemens, a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development in Washington.

Clemens cited the example of Haiti’s 2010 earthquake, when a huge of influx of aid prevented what could otherwise have been a wave of people fleeing. “There were a lot of people who just needed water and basic medical care,” he said. “At a very vulnerable time, that’s when you could risk everything and try to go.” The magnitude of assistance made that unnecessary.

Aid agencies won’t always have the bandwidth or money to respond to such disasters. So one way to avert future mass-scale crisis migration is to improve the ability of developing countries manage those events on their own.

“We need to make sure we’re investing more, ahead of time, in the ability of countries to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies,” Adams said.

He pointed to Mexico, whose response to Hurricane Patricia last month was widely praised; El Salvador, which crumbled under Hurricane Mitch in 1998 but has fared better in recent storms; and Bangladesh, which has gotten far better at reducing deaths and destruction caused by cyclones.

Where should all this money come from? One possible source is redirecting spending away from building local democratic institutions. That kind of help is valuable, which is probably why funding for government and civil society is one of the leading categories of foreign aid from both the UK and the US. But it operates on long timelines, and the results aren’t always tangible.

If decisions about development spending were made in the absence of self-interest, then building the institutions of democracy and good government would arguably be the best way to spend development money. But the migration crisis in Europe means that’s no longer the case —if it ever was. The trick will be making sure that money continues to be spent on things that make people’s lives better, rather than just keeping them from leaving their homes or stopping them on their way. Bloomberg

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NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

POWER CO-OP DEAL LINKED TO 2016 POLLS

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative has prodded the National Electrification Administration to approve the power supply agreement guarantee the electric cooperative signed with a power generator.

Omeco director Rodolfo Plopinio raised fears that their province may never attain sufficient electricity supply if the guarantee is not approved in time, a prospect that could impact on the May 2016 elections.

“In the interest of our member consumers, we are hoping that NEA will heed our request. We hope they will approve the guarantee,”

Plopinio said.

He said the guarantee is for Omeco’s power bills to power supplier Emerging Power Corp. estimated at P69 million for 2016.

Emerging Power is putting up a 40-megawatt geothermal facility in the area to address the province’s power needs.

NEA guarantees Omeco’s payment to the supplier, which the mandate of the

agency to support electric cooperatives like Omeco.

NEA is mandated to implement the government’s Rural Electrification Program and is yet to release its guarantee for the power supply agreement with Omeco.

Plopinio said that ever since the PSA agreement was signed in February 2014, they have already agreed to the NEA’s conditions and have completed submitting all documentary requirements for the guarantee.

“We may be facing brownouts here in Occidental Mindoro this Christmas. We have long been suffering due to our power shortage. We were hoping that this project will be the answer to our problems and

we hope that in the coming NEA board meeting, they will heed our request,” he said.

The Omeco director said that apart from brownouts during the holidays, consumers have expressed fears that the lack of reliable electricity may be used to manipulate the conduct and results of the 2016 elections in their province.

Plopinio said that the lack of a PSA guarantee approval is the only impediment in putting an end to their electricity woes.

The National Power Corp. has signed a Universal Charge for Missionary Electrification Subsidy for Omeco.

The subsidy is designed to ensure the delivery of reliable

PROPPING UP. Workers install a giant Apec logo in front of the Cultural Center of the Philippines in preparation for the Apec Summit 2015. MANNY PALMERO

electricity to marginalized areas, and those that are not connected to the main grid.

Occidental Mindoro’s capital town, San Jose, was once dubbed as the “Blackout Capital of the Philippines” due to power outages that last between six to 12 hours a day.

The entire province has endured power outages over the past few years due to inadequate supply coupled with its disconnection from the main grid.

Omeco believes that the power shortage problem has not only affected the daily lives of its consumers, but has also suppressed local business activity thereby impairing economic growth in the province.

PASAY GEARS UP FOR APEC SUMMIT

By Joel E. Zurbano THE city government of Pasay has formed a composite team tasked to secure the vicinity of hotels and other venues where heads of states participating in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting this week will stay.

The team, which will complement the Apec National Organizing Committee, is composed of policemen, rescue teams and members of the Pasay Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office.

Aside from managing the smooth flow of traffic, the team will also monitor emergency situation in strategic areas including the Marriot Hotel area in Villamor; the Heritage Hotel area at the corner of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue and Roxas Boulevard, and the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions near the World Trade Center in Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue.

“The city government has been on 24/7 operations since last week to ensure that the event will be, indeed, a milestone not just for the country, but for the city which will be the focus venue of most of the activities for Apec,” said Mayor Antonino Calixto.

City rescuers are composed of highly trained medics and emergency personnel working on 12-hour rotating shifts augmented by the Pasay Engineering Office’s trucks, payloaders and other heavy equipment in case of search, rescue and retrieval operations.

“We have set in place all necessary measures and mobilized all our resources to assist in the peaceful and safe conduct of this year’s conduct of the Apec,” said city administrator and overall Apec coordinator Dennis Acorda.

Some 22,000 police personnel coming from five districts in Metro Manila will be deployed for the Apec venues concentrated mostly in Pasay.

RED CROSS BUILDS SHELTER FOR AKLANONS MARKING the 2nd year anniversary of Typhoon “Yolanda” (international name Haiyan), leaders and representatives of the Philippine Red Cross and partners, headed by chairman Richard Gordon, led the ceremonial turnover of constructed homes in 13 barangays in New Washington, Aklan.

PRC’s shelter project under its Typhoon Haiyan Recovery Program was able to built 8,885 homes for affected families in Aklan. Red Cross and partners were also able to provide livelihood assistance to 6,671 Aklanon families.

Aside from shelter and livelihood, Red Cross assistance in Aklan includes the repair and rehabilitation of two water and sanitation facilities, six health facilities, and 18 classrooms.

“The Yolanda experience has

transformed the Philippine Red Cross into a full service Red Cross.

No longer is the Philippine Red Cross just a provider of first aid and assistance in the midst of natural calamities and disasters; the PRC has become a partner in providing basic services and continuing assistance in giving back not only what the people have lost but more importantly helping them get back their lives and dignity,” said chairman Gordon.

During the emergency phase of the Red Cross Typhoon Haiyan operations in Aklan, 14,750 families received food items; 19,217 families received non-food items which include plastic mats, blankets, mosquito nets, jerry cans, kitchen sets, hygiene kits, and shelter repair kits; and a total of P7.7 million were disbursed as emergency cash relief; for a total of P85.2 million in aid.

However, work is not over even after two years as the PRC continues to move forward in achieving its commitment to the countless families affected by Typhoon Yolanda.

Aklan was one of the provinces that was hit hardest by Typhoon Yolanda, which left 33,503 people with totally damaged homes and 51,469 with partially damaged houses in the province, according to reports.

“The Philippine Red Cross understands that action without direction is nothing. We, the PRC, pride ourselves in being there at times when people need us most, sharing hope when there doesn’t seem to be any, and providing light when others cannot see the way,” said Gordon. “As long as the PRC lives, we will continue to serve, protect and be of service to the Filipino people.”

VALIANT EFFORT. Navotas residents try to douse water on a portion of a house on fire in Barangay Bagong Barrio, Navotas City. Their efforts prove futile as the blaze has engulfed the entire house. ANDREW RABULAN

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SUNDAY: NOVEMBER 15, 2015

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ABAD DARED: LIVE OFF WORKERS’ SALARY

By Maricel V. Cruz TWO members of the left-leaning Makabayan Bloc on Saturday challenged Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and other proponents of the proposed Salary Standardization Law to live off the salary of government employees from the lowest salary grade.

“We dare Secretary Abad and the proponents of the SSL 2015 to live off the lowest salary grade. Since they are forcing our people to make do with this miniscule salary, perhaps its high time that these unfeeling bureaucrats of the Aquino administration be given a dose of their own medicine,” Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate said.

Zarate, one of the rabid critics of the Aquino administration, described the SSL 2015 embodied in House Bill 6268 as “grossly inequitable, and a distortion of the wage hike.”

The proposed P226-billion fouryear “Salary Standardization Law of 2015” was passed on second reading last Wednesday night after a single hearing by the House committee on appropriations on the same day.

Proponents of the measure said the pay hike shall be carried out in four tranches over four years starting January 2016.

As stated in the proposed measure, the 14th month pay or midyear bonus, in addition to the present year-end bonus or 13th month pay, will account for an 8-percent increase in annual salary. The PBB shall be equivalent to 1 to 2 months basic salary or an 8 to 16 percent increase depending on the employee’s position.

But Zarate said the Palace-backed SSL proposal embodied in House Bill 6268 is lopsided in favor of top executives.

“It is the ordinary workers definitely need a wage hike, because current wages are way below the cost of living.

But they are provided a marginal wage increase from the Malacañang SSL. It is not the president and other top brass who need or deserve more than their current salary,” Zarate said.

Zarate pointed out that a paltry 11.68 percent amounting to P2,068 increase will be received by government employees under Salary Grade 1, which currently receives P9,000.

On the other hand, for government executives, pay increase are 76.96 percent, he said. For the president, in Salary Grade 33, pay increase is at 233.12 percent.

SEAMLESS JOURNEY. Metro Pacific Investments Corp. president

Jose Ma. K. Lim (second from left) leads the unveiling of the Hollywood-inspired NLEX-SCTEX sign, along with Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. president Ramoncito Fernandez, Manila North Tollways Corp. president Rodrigo E. Franco, Pampanga 1st District Rep. Joseller M. Guiao, Bases Conversion and Development Authority chairperson Ma. Aurora Geotina Garcia, BCDA president Arnel Paciano Casanova, and Toll Regulatory Board consultant Alberto Suansing, at the SCTEX entry ramp in Pampanga. The NLEX-SCTEX sign was mounted to signify the seamless journey that these two world-class expressways will soon offer following the recent turnover of SCTEX to MNTC by BCDA. The turnover will enable MNTC to integrate NLEX and SCTEX’s toll collection system, ensuring a faster and more convenient travel for motorists.

FILIPINO IN ‘BALA’ INCIDENT LOSES HK JOB

By Joel E. Zurbano

A FILIPINO worker overseas Gloria Ortinez has lost her job in Hong Kong after suffering the traumatic experience of having to be questioned and be detained for two days by airport officers over the so-called “tanim-bala” (planting-bullet scheme) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The 56-year-old, also known as

Nanay Gloria, was supposed to report for work in Hong Kong Saturday but immigration officials there told her that she had already lost her job.

“Sa Hong Kong immigration unang nalaman ni Nanay Gloria na terminated na sya sa kanyang trabaho. Bagong misyon nila Susan Ople: makausap ang employer o makah-

anap ng panibago within 14 days.

Prayers please for Nanay Glo,” said OFW rights advocate Susan Ople in her Facebook account.

Aside from Ople, Ortinez was also accompanied by her legal counsel Spocky Farolan and Labor Undersecretary Ciriaco Lagunzad upon her return to Hong Kong, where she worked for 13 years.

XMAS PARK.

Young and old alike enjoy a cool night at the Baguio Country Club whose Christmas Park formally opens in celebration of the Yuletide season.

DAVE LEPROZO

Ortinez returned to Hong Kong three days after her case was dismissed by the Pasay City prosecutors office in connection with the bullet allegedly found in her hand-carry bag while she was about to board a connecting flight at the Naia.

A resolution, signed by Prosecutor Nolasco Fernandez Jr., dismissed the charges filed against Ortinez for lack of probable cause.

“Based on the evidence presented, the undersigned notice that the attached photograph depicting one ammunition for carbine rifle and the actual ammunition presented during the inquest proceeding allegedly seized from the respondent is distinctively different from one another, thereby casting reasonable doubt as to the identity of the subject ammunition,” a resolution signed by Fernandez stated.

The resolution also stated that “assuming for the sake of argument

that the ammunition was recovered from her possession, nowhere in the entire statements of the complainants will show that respondent had any intention to possess the subject ammunition.”

“Finally, it is noteworthy that the bullet is a harmless article without the corresponding gun or firearm to fire it.”

Two members of the Aviation Security Group—Careen De Padua and Rommel Ballesteros—were relieved from their post after the bullet that supposedly belonged to Ortinez did not match the one presented before the prosecutors office.

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

Ortinez said she didn’t own the bullet and insisted she was a victim of the so-called tanim-bala scam happening at the airport.

MONTHLY PAY, PERKS FOR MEDALIST COPS A PARTY-LIST lawmaker has proposed the granting of monthly gratuity and privileges to police officers on whom the Congressional Medal of Honor will be bestowed.

In filing House Bill 6069, ACTCIS party-list Rep. Samuel Pagdilao stressed the need for Congress to enact a measure to grant adequate social services and financial rewards for every recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor and their immediate family and dependents.

“These rewards and privileges shall be more than just a mere recognition of their unparalleled acts of bravery and heroism,” Pagdilao, vice chairman of the House committee on public order and safety, said.

Pagdilao, a senatorial candidate, said the measure aims to strengthen the patriotic spirit and nationalistic consciousness, as well as to uplift the

morale of our police force.

Pagdilao said a Congressional Medal of Honor awardee is entitled to a lifetime monthly gratuity of P30,000 which is separate and distinct from any salary or pension which the awardee is currently receiving or will receive from the government of the Philippines.

Under the measure, an awardee shall also have a priority status approval of his or her housing application under existing housing programs of the government.

The awardee shall also be entitled to a 20-percent discount on the purchase of medicine anywhere in the country, as well as from all establishments relative to transportation services, hotels and similar lodging establishment, restaurants, recreation and sport centers, the bill states.

Maricel V. Cruz

SUNDAY: NOVEMBER 15, 2015

Roderick T. dela Cruz EDITOR business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

BUSINESS

B1

Philam Life director for agencies Christopher Cary Casipit (left) and chief marketing officer Jaime Jose Javier Jr. introduce the BalikBayani program to journalists in a news briefing in Makati City.

WHY MOST OFWS REFUSE TO COME HOME PRANCES Jera Fernandes, a nine-year-old student, goes to a good school and receives teddy bear, stuffed toys and pillows from her parents. Despite getting the kind of gifts she wants, Prances says she sometimes feels unloved.

Most of the time, Prances misses her parents. “My mom is a flight attendant. I’m very happy for her because she is traveling. My father also works abroad,” she says.

Prances, in a video interview staged by Philam Life, reveals her true feelings toward her parents. “I am very sad because I cannot see my mother everyday. Sometimes, I feel that she doesn’t love me, but she said she loves me,” she says.

On what she desires most, Prances says: “I wish that my dad could find good work here in the Philippines, and same for my mother.”

Her father, Leopoldo Fernandez, is an architect who has been working in Singapore for 20 years while her mother Arlene has been a flight attendant for 25 years.

Leopoldo, in an interview arranged by Philam Life in Makati City while he is in the country, says he started working in Singapore, right after graduating from college. “The opportunities were there, to find a living and provide our kids a better life,” he says.

Richard Duque, a cruise ship

bartender for 10 years, says he decided to leave the country to provide his children with “the things I never had when I was young.”

“Here in the Philippines, a food server or a bartender’s salary is not enough. Even if I want to go home and work here, I can’t afford to,” he says.

Duque’s 11-year-old son Kian says he is most happy when his family is complete. “I wish that my father could stay here with us, so we are always complete,” Kian says.

Marivic Cortez, a single mother and a cabin steward for five years, says she decided to try her luck abroad, because “my wage here is not enough to raise my two children.”

Her 11-year-old son Timothy James remembers the time he was at the airport. “She was excited to work abroad. She was jubilant. I wish that my mom was truly happy because she got a job,” Timothy James says.

“When she entered the airport, I cried. I felt sad, very sad. I am happy when my mother comes home. I’m happy whenever she is here in the Philippines. I wish she was working here in the

Philippines, so she would not need to go far away,” Timothy James says.

Leopoldo, Arlene, Richard and Marivic are just four among more than 10 million overseas Filipinos who have been separated from their children and families, in search of better income and opportunities in other countries. Like most OFWs, they are not ready to stay home yet.

Nearly 10.2 million Filipinos, or about a tenth of the country’s total population, live or work

or 54 percent considered rehires or repeat OFWs. An OFW research study conducted by Philam Life shows that eight of 10 OFWs are not yet ready to come back permanently to the Philippines.

“We asked them if they are ready to come home? This is the result. Eight out of 10 said no, not yet. Only 18 percent actually said yes. The ones who said yes said it is better to be with their family because they already have a business or

Nearly 10.2 million Filipinos, or about a tenth of the country’s total population, live or work in other parts of the world.

In 2014, they remitted more than $24 billion to the Philippines, supporting their families and the whole economy.

in other parts of the world. In 2014, they remitted more than $24 billion to the Philippines, supporting their families and the whole economy.

Nearly 60 percent of them are migrants, especially in the United States and Canada, while 4.2 million or 40 percent are considered OFWs. Of the 4.2 million OFWs, 2.2 million were deployed in 2013, with 1.2 million

they have enough savings. But the majority or 82 percent said they don’t have enough savings and their kids are still studying,” Philam Life chief marketing officer Jaime Jose Javier Jr. says in a news briefing in Makati City.

Philam Life tapped Taylor Nelson Sofres or TNS, a market research company, to conduct the nationwide study on

OFWs in April 2015. The respondents, with a mean age of 37, were mostly on a two-year contract with an average tenure of 6.5 years working abroad and earning an average of P50,000 a month.

“We have millions of Filipinos out there who were not yet ready to come home. If they come home, they said they would use up whatever savings they have. They are looking at scenario of their children and spouse going to work. That is their situation currently, if they are going to come home now. The bottomline, they were saying they would stay abroad,” says Javier.

Javier says OFWs are very worried and fearful of a lot of things. “These include getting sick, fear of losing their jobs, non-renewal of the contract or having a calamity in the Philippines where their families are. About 54 percent are afraid of getting sick, for themselves and their family,” he says.

He says most OFWs actually save for emergency, retirement, kids’ education and to buy a house. “A big bulk of them save for emergency,” he says.

Javier says the OFW respondents, with average monthly income of P50,000, are saving at a rate of P13,800 a month. “Of the P50,000 a month, they remit half of that to their family. They retain the other half. If you take CONTINUED ON B2

SUNDAY: NOVEMBER 15, 2015

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

Melinda Bernabe (fourth from left) receives a medal after the training. She now operates her own hairstyling and foot spa business in her hometown of Taytay, Palawan.

GIFT OF TRAINING

UPLIFTS 3 INDIVIDUALS

HOPE shines brightest in real-life examples of individuals who remain positive and persevere despite challenging odds.

Three individuals, who persevered despite the challenges and the odds, were able to earn a decent living and uplift their lives and those of their families, thanks to the JPMC Entrepreneurship Education for Community Development, a program of JPMorgan Chase & Co. through the JPMorgan Chase Foundation and Bayan Academy for Social Entrepreneurship and Human Resources Development.

Melinda Bernabe, Edwin Gialolo and Ronnie Boy Flores come from different backgrounds but all share the same aspirations—to help their families by providing for their needs, to get education and employment and to improve their lot.

Through their training at the JPMC EECD, they were able to gain not only education and employment but also the selfconfidence and the hope to move forward in their lives and see themselves in a better light.

Becoming entrepreneur Melinda Bernabe may have once been a shampoo girl in a hair salon, but now, she operates her own hairstyling and foot spa business at her hometown in Taytay, Palawan–the result of her training with JPMC’s EECD. Born to a poor family with five children in a remote area, she was forced to stop going to high school in order to help support them.

While she married young, her husband left her and their two children, forcing her to work in a beauty parlor. “I wanted to work as a beautician when I was young.

It was my dream, but I do not have the means to study,” she said.

So when the opportunity to join

the JPMC EECD came, Melinda grabbed it and decided to study.

For 30 days, she acquired skills by gaining knowledge inside the classroom and experience during their class inside the salon. After her graduation, Melinda took and passed Tesda’s Beauty Care NC II assessment in 2014. She went back to her hometown to start her own small salon, Melinda’s Touch, in front of her house.

Three months after operating Melinda’s Touch, Melinda gained loyal customers and grew her business. With her initial earnings, she was able to purchase equipment and beauty products.

By word of mouth, her number of customers increased.

Now, Melinda earns between P1,000 to P2,500 per week from around 50 regular customers.

With this, she is able to help her parents and also able to provide good education for her children.

“I feel proud as I am able to do what I love doing, and at the same time, I am able to support my family,” Melinda said. Melinda’s Touch also accepts hair and makeup services for wedding events and she occasionally invites her former classmates-beauticians to work with her as her assistants.

Finding road to recovery For Edwin Gialolo of Tacloban City, an elementary drop-out student, typhoon Yolanda was the culprit to the downfall of his family. Losing hope of finding a good life after what happened, he joined the thousands who were offered resettlement in Manila, and left his family in the ravaged city not telling them where he was going to.

Instead, he found himself becoming a street kid, roaming major thoroughfares begging for money and looking for food scraps, almost lured by local crime syndicates into petty theft.

It was the timely rescue by the Center for Community Transformation in Pasay City that saved him from his quagmire. He was

brought to CCT in its shelter in Magdalena, Laguna and the NGO informed his family that he was staying there.

His dorm parents noticed Edwin’s interest in the kitchen particularly on how food is being prepared. CCT, as a partner of Bayan Academy, offered him to join the Cookery NCII community-based training in its Tagaytay Retreat Center.

“I want to become a chef because it is a very in-demand job here in our country and abroad.

It also pays well which will help me and my family. I want to build a home for my family where we can live happily and peacefully,” he said.

Edwin said that after passing the Tesda’s Cookery NC II assessment in 2014, he was inspired to finish his primary education at the CCT Magdalena School while at the same time, he worked as kitchen assistant at CCT Magdalena. “I am thankful to JPMorgan for giving me the chance to learn cooking. I will return with pride and a toque on my head, to show to my parents that something fruitful came from my journey to

Manila,” he said.

Styling for a second chance Ronnie Boy Flores of Baseco, Tondo, Manila used to see himself as a wayward child, rebellious and always in trouble. Living in a depressed community like Baseco where clearly the struggle to lead a decent life is real, Ronnie Boy lived like most of his peers and was a source of disappointment to his family.

A friend told him about the JPMC EECD training. He joined but did not take it seriously at first. “I got encouraged mainly for the free food being given during the sessions, the free uniform and transportation allowance,” he said. “At first, I did not take the training seriously; our instructors often reprimanded me. I am also not confident about myself as I just finished Grade 3. I have difficulty in reading and writing.”

In time, he had a change of heart and started to appreciate the lessons being taught. “I realized the worth of learning the skills so that I could earn money the decent way. I also thought I needed to change and become worthy of my family’s respect.”

Even when he finished and started working, it was an uphill climb. He was offered a job in Reyes Haircutters, one of Bayan Academy’s partner-institutions.

“Though I learned how to cut, put color and perm hair, I wasn’t given immediately those jobs,” he said “At first, I only handled the dust pan and broom for sweeping the customers’ cut hair. In time, he was given more challenging jobs and now he is proud to say that he has handled them well.

He also got a regular job in the salon’s branch at Anonas, Quezon City as a senior haircutter.

Ronnie Boy receives P13,000 monthly income from his salary, commissions and tip. He also received other company benefits required by the government. At present, he is the breadwinner of his family with six siblings.

He was able to send his sister to school and now affords to rent a place with his mother outside Baseco.

Ronnie Boy spoke in behalf of his batchmates during their graduation and left a promise: “I promise to put to good use all the things I have learned in order to achieve for myself and my family. We are leaving this place with your dreams for us – to become successful and uplift our families from poverty. Thank you to Bayan Academy and JPMorgan for believing is us when nobody seems to.”

Helping people For five years now, the JPMorgan Chase Foundation has been supporting the plight of disengaged youth and adults in high need urban communities in the Philippines.

Through the JPMC Entrepreneurship Education for Community Development Program, Bayan Academy is set to train 1,049 individuals by the end of 2015 with the objective of preparing them to become productive.

Roberto Panlilio, JPMorgan Chase Philippines senior country officer, said a productive and financially capable workforce will continue to bring about economic development and progress for the country.

“We remain committed to our corporate responsibility agenda and support efforts to build vibrant communities. This program has also become an opportunity for our employee volunteers to mentor our beneficiaries, share their skills and expertise and extend assistance where they can,” he said.

Edwin Gialolo (left) with his batch mates in a group session. He learned kitchen skills through Center for Community Transformation, Bayan Academy’s partner.

SUNDAY: NOVEMBER 15, 2015

B3

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

INTERNET OF THINGS TO RULE THE FUTURE Fujitsu delves into the human centric innovation to realize business, social value.

BY 2020, it is presumed that the number of things connected to the Internet will reach more than 60 billion. In fact, more than 90 million wearable devices were shipped globally in 2014, up from 54 million the previous year.

These wearable technologies include smartwatches that monitor anything from a person’s heartbeat to his or her lifestyle.

With this leap, innovations were found to deliver new insights which improve our health, communication, business and work progress.

“This is the next generation of the Internet—the Internet of Things,” said Raul Santiago III, president of Fujitsu Philippines Inc. “The world is becoming more linked, forming unparalleled connections between people, businesses, information and processes regardless of where we stand.”

With this multi-layering of connectivity, Santiago said that innovation in a ‘hyperconnected’ world means converging multiple streams of data that range from human to human, human to machine, and machine to machine to create new value.

Santiago said: “Before, innovation was stand-alone and discrete. But now that people, information and infrastructure are streamlined to form the socalled Human Centric Innovation, we can create the connected solutions and services vital in realizing value now and in the future.

The human centric innovation is an approach developed

by Fujitsu in creating business and social value by empowering people with the power of tech-

nology. It creates innovation by putting people in the midst of information and the things around us, the infrastructure of the ‘physical world.’

This approach is linked through the convergence of three principles: human empowerment, creative intelligence and connected infrastructure.

Human empowerment means how one organization connects, empowers and enhances the experience of its people. Creative intelligence focuses on how an organization creates knowledge out of raw information while connected infrastructure puts emphasis on how an organization merges business and social infrastructure with technology.

“People from all walks of life process data in the same way.

We sense, analyze, decide and respond based on first-hand information. The concept behind

the Human Centric approach is no different—it leverages the advantages of digitalization through the same cyclical process,” Santiago said.

“When industry leaders finally grasp how they can apply the human centric innovation to their day-to-day business operations, they will find it easier to adapt to new digital trends without compromising their growth.

We believe that these CEOs can use this approach to create their own roadmaps to a successful future,” he said.

Fujitsu Philippines, one of the largest information technology systems integrators and solutions providers in the Philippines, said this journey towards an innovative roadmap starts with the individuals who are empowered to collaborate with their peers as well as those who are in outside communities.

With the empowerment of these individuals comes the transformation of business models through effective collaboration among people, information and infrastructure. This happens at an enterprise level.

Moving forward, the enterprise can co-create greater value

by shaping digital ecosystems with other organizations in the public service or industry level.

“The accomplishment of these processes forms a human centric intelligent society, which is our vision of a prosperous and sustainable society,” Santiago said.

“Once we help our customers untie the ropes of digitalization through a human-centered approach, we can encourage new ecosystems to form new shared values that the whole society can benefit from.”

Fujitsu aims to improve the technologies of different industries, including healthcare, transportation, food and agriculture, education, smart energy, disaster-resilience and environmental protection. For its part, the IT company will continue to transform businesses while improving people’s lives.

“This is the roadmap we want our customers to take. While we continue to innovate our own technology to fit their needs, we will ensure that the Human Centric Approach will best support their growth regardless of their line of business. We will continue to deliver a competitive platform for the future,” said Santiago.

WHY...

FROM B1

a look at total savings, about P13,800 a month is saved,” he says.

The respondents were asked how much they need to save that will enable them to come home. “On the average, they said if I am able to save P3 million, I will go home,” says Javier.

Javier says at the way they are saving money, mostly in banks, it will take them 18 years, to save up P3 million. “It is just a projection, with no inflation, no interest yet. It is a straightforward calculation of how many months it will take. This is on top of six years they have been out of the country,” he says.

Javier says the results of the survey show that most OFWs are quite knowledgeable about financial instruments, but do not invest in those financial instruments. “They know it, but they don’t avail of it. About 97 percent of them have bank savings account. They are saving at a rate of 15 percent of their income, above the average savings of Filipinos onshore at only 2 percent,” says Javier.

Javier says while most OFWs view properties, jewelry and cars as investments, these assets will have to be liquidated usually at a loss in times of emergencies. He advises OFWs to explore other investment instruments to address their needs and concerns.

Javier says Philam Life understands the needs of OFWs and can help them plan their future.

“If they are able to save at a rate of P13,800 a month, they can actually do a lot. They can create a fund, whether it is for their retirement, for buying a house or for capital for a business. It will take them shorter than 18 years to achieve that,” he says.

“We have committed to provide solutions, plans to help our OFWs achieve their dreams and their goals,” Javier says.

Philam Life director of agencies Christopher Cary Casipit says Philam Life advisors are “going around nationwide, in key cities and even remote areas, to bring the BalikBayani program to OFWs and their families.”

Casipit says BalikBayani is a financial literacy program designed to help OFWs secure their financial future. “Our advocacy is to educate OFWs and their families on financial planning to ensure their sacrifices of working abroad will not go to waste,” he says.

Javier says Philam Life can help OFWs plan their future with their families. “They are out there, they are alone, they know that they left their family behind. Anything can happen to them and their family. So, a lot of times, they are worried.

What we want to do is give them a product so that they can have peace of mind. So whatever happens, their family is secure.

The real desire of an OFW is to come home, as soon as he can,” he says.

Roderick T. dela Cruz

B4

WORLD

HK DRUG LORD GETS DEATH IN INDONESIA AN Indonesian court late on Friday sentenced a Hong Kong drug lord to death for smuggling 860 kilograms (1,900 pounds) of crystal methamphetamine into Indonesia earlier this year.

Wong Chi-ping was caught with several others in January as they coordinated the trafficking of the drugs from Malaysia into Indonesia.

Indonesian authorities had been monitoring Wong, believed to be the kingpin behind the deal, for three years and said that he was part of a major global drug ring.

“Indonesia must fight drugs wholeheartedly and one way to do that is by giving strong punishments,” said presiding judge M. Arifin as he delivered the death sentence in the West Jakarta court.

Indonesia enforces some of the world’s toughest anti-drugs laws and has been stepping up its campaign against narcotics under President Joko Widodo, who is a strong supporter of capital punishment for traffickers.

Widodo has accelerated the death penalty campaign—so far 14 drug convicts have been executed during his presidency, 12 of them foreigners. AFP

This photo shows a flowers and candles left outside of the Carillon bar and Le Petit Cambodge restaurant in the 10th district of Paris, following a series of attacks in and around the city, leaving at least 120 people killed. Le Petit Cambodge, adjacent to the Carillon bar, was the scene of another attack, which killed at least 12 people. AFP

ISLAMIC STATE GROUP CLAIMS PARIS ATTACKS

THE Islamic State jihadist group claimed gun and bomb attacks that left more than 120 people dead in Paris in a statement posted online on Saturday.

It said “eight brothers wearing explosive belts and carrying assault rifles” conducted a “blessed attack on... Crusader France.”

The statement, published in both Arabic and French, threatened further attacks against France “as long as it continues its Crusader campaign.”

It said the targets of Friday’s attacks, which included the national sports stadium and the Bataclan concert hall, “were carefully chosen”.

It said France was guilty of “striking Muslims in the caliphate with their aircraft.”

France is part of a US-led coali-

tion conducting an air war against IS in Syria and Iraq, where IS declared a caliphate last year after seizing swathes of both countries.

It has carried out air strikes in Iraq for more than a year but extended them to Syria in September.

French President Francois Hollande had already blamed IS, calling the coordinated assault an “act of war... committed by a terrorist army, Daesh, against France”, using another term for IS. Meanwhile, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and NATO head Jens Stoltenberg

both said they were “deeply shocked” by the attacks in Paris Friday that have left at least 120 people dead.

European Council President Donald Tusk said he will ensure the G20 summit in Turkey over the weekend will respond to the threat of terrorism as both he and Juncker prepared to represent the European Union at the event.

On his Twitter account, Juncker said: “I am deeply shocked by the events in Paris. We stand in full solidarity with the people of France.”

In a later message to French President Francois Hollande, Juncker, the former prime minister of Luxembourg, said he was “revolted to see that France is at this same moment hit by the most odious terrorism.”

Writing in French, he added: “I think about the victims, the wound-

ed, the rescue (services). I trust the authorities and the French people to overcome this new ordeal together.”

Other members of the European Commission, the executive arm of the 28-nation European Union in Brussels, have also reacted to the attacks.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, also writing in French, tweeted that she “is in the process of following with pain and dread the events in Paris.”

Mogherini, the multi-lingual former Italian foreign minister, added: “Europe is with France and the French people.”

Echoing the commission was Stoltenberg, the NATO secretary general, who said: “I am deeply shocked by the horrific terrorist attacks across Paris tonight. AFP

SUU KYI LANDSLIDE WIN LEAVES MYANMAR ETHNIC PARTIES BEHIND MYANMAR’S diverse ethnic minority parties were counting their losses on Saturday after Aung San Suu Kyi’s pro-democracy party won a landslide victory in historic polls.

Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) has so far scooped 80 percent of elected seats in polls that promise to dramatically redraw the political landscape in a nation stifled for decades under the grip of army rule.

The party sailed past the threshold it needed to secure an absolute parliamentary majority on Friday, giving Suu Kyi and her supporters a massive popular mandate with only a few results still

trickling out on Saturday.

As the results became clear, parties representing Myanmar’s myriad ethnic minority groups emerged as major losers in the vote, taking just ten percent of seats in the combined parliament and losing out to the NLD even in regional legislatures.

“Ethnic parties won very few seats. We did not want to see this but it has happened,” said Aye Maung, chairman of Arakan National Party, who lost his own seat to the NLD in violence-torn western Rakhine state.

He voiced concerns over whether “ethnic voices can be heard” now in the new parliament.

Suu Kyi, 70, has said her

party supports a federal future for Myanmar, where myriad ethnic minority groups have fought decadeslong wars for greater political autonomy.

But she was also criticised in the run-up to the polls for failing to reach out to smaller minority parties.

Thein Sein’s quasi-civilian government has inked ceasefires with a clutch of ethnic armed groups, but several major conflicts continue, including in Shan state on the eastern border, where the military this week launched airstrikes against ethnic rebels even as votes were counted, according to the United Nations. AFP

A couple shelters from the sun under an umbrella as they walk in People’s Park located in front of the Shwegadon Pagoda (center) in Yangon. Aung San Suu Kyi’s opposition on November 13 secured a parliamentary majority from last weekend’s polls that will allow it to elect a president and form a government in a historic shift in power from the army. AFP

S U N D AY : N o v e m B e R 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

B5

WORLD editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Seoul gripped by huge anti-government rally Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of central seoul saturday in a massive protest against the conservative government’s drive for labour reform and state-issued history textbooks.

Police sprayed water on the crowd, estimated to number about 50,000, as some protesters attempted to push through barricades at the rally outside City Hall in central Seoul.

Ahead of the rally, labour unionists scuffled with scores of plainclothes policemen to prevent the arrest of the head of the militant Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), who showed up for a press conference near the protest site.

Labour activists successfully blocked police from arresting KCTU President Han Sang-Kyun, who has been sought for leading outlawed labour strikes last year and May Day protests this year.

“Down with (President) Park Geun-Hye”, the unionists chanted following the scuffles, calling her conservative government “fascist”, an AFP journalist on the scene said.

Authorities said they had mobilised 20,000 riot police for fear that the protest might turn violent.

Organisers of the protest said there would be a march toward the presidential Blue House, a move which is likely to spark a clash with police.

Participants, many of

whom were bused in from across the country, chanted slogans demanding the withdrawal of a government labour policy which KCTU says benefits businesses by keeping wages low and making it easier for companies to fire activists.

They also condemned the opening of protected markets for some agricultural goods and a plan to impose government-issued textbooks on schools starting in 2017.

The textbooks have become a bitter ideological battleground between left and right in South Korea, with critics accusing Park’s administration of seeking to deliberately manipulate and distort the narrative of how the South Korean state was created.

Conservative critics argue that currently the authors are too left-wing, but liberal opponents accuse the government of reverting to a policy used by past authoritarian regimes in South Korea including that of late president Park Chung-Hee, father of the current president.

Saturday’s rally was the largest South Korea has seen since 2008 when the country was hit by waves of protest against the import of US beef. AFP

South Korean protestors stage a large rally against the government outside the City Hall in Seoul. Tens of thousand of people took to the streets in central Seoul in a massive protest against the conservative government’s drive for labour reform and state-issued history textbooks. AFP

AirAsiA crAsh probe result out by nov. 25 InDOneSIA will on november 25 announce the results of an investigation into the AirAsia crash last year that killed 162 people, the committee probing the case said Saturday.

The Airbus A320-200 went down in the Java Sea on December 28 in stormy weather during what was supposed to be a short trip from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore.

“We plan to announce the report on november 25,” Soerjanto Tjahjono, head of Indonesia’s national Transportation Safety Committee, told AFP. In the preliminary report in January, investigators who went through the black boxes discovered that prior to the crash the jet had climbed fast through large storm clouds and that the stall alarms started going off.

They also revealed that Flight QZ8501’s less experienced French co-pilot, Remi Plesel, was flying the plane before it went down, rather than Captain Iriyanto, a former fighter pilot who had around 20,000 hours of flying time.

An investigator at the committee said they finished the final draft of the report and distributed it to several countries for feedback.

Countries which got copies included France, the manufacturer of the aircraft, and the US, which made some of the plane’s components. AFP

irAQ Kurd chief Announces ‘liberAtion’ of sinjAr from is IRAQI Kurdish leader Massud Barzani announced the “liberation” of the town of Sinjar from the Islamic State group on Friday, the latest in a series of setbacks for the jihadists.

The operation was led by the autonomous Kurdish region’s peshmerga forces but also involved fighters from the Yazidi minority, which IS targeted in a brutal campaign of massacres, enslavement and rape.

The offensive cut a key supply line linking jihadistheld areas in Iraq with those in Syria.

Across the border, the Syrian Democratic Forces coalition said it also delivered a blow to IS logistics, announcing that it had driven the jihadists out of Al-Hol, an important village on their Iraq-Syria supply route.

The gains against IS are the latest sign that the jihad-

ist group, which won a series of victories in a stunningly rapid offensive in Iraq last year, is now on the defensive.

In remarks Friday, US President Barack Obama expressed satisfaction with efforts against IS, saying the group’s expansion has been curbed.

“From the start, our goal has been first to contain, and we have contained them,” Obama said.

Barzani, the president of Iraqi Kurdistan, told a news conference near the northern town: “I am here to announce the liberation of Sinjar.”

His remarks also made clear that political conflict over Sinjar would be likely to follow the military battle for the town.

“Sinjar was liberated by the blood of the peshmerga and became part of Kurdistan,” Barzani said.

Flags, celebratory gunfire Baghdad, which has long opposed Kurdistan’s desire to incorporate a swathe of disputed northern territory, is unlikely to welcome that idea. earlier in the day, hundreds of Kurdish fighters, dressed in camouflage uniforms and armed with assault rifles and machineguns, moved into the town on foot, an AFP journalist reported.

Carrying the Kurdish region’s flag, they fired into the air and shouted “Long live the peshmerga!” and “Long live Kurdistan!”

Inside Sinjar, many houses and shops, a petrol station and the local government headquarters had been destroyed.

Burned out cars sat in the streets, while barrels apparently containing explosives had been left behind.

The huge task of clearing Sinjar of bombs planted by

A Kurdish fighter flashes the victory sign in the northern Iraqi town of Sinjar, in the Nineveh Province. Kurdish leader Massud Barzani announced the “liberation” of Sinjar from the Islamic State group in an assault backed by US-led strikes that cut a key jihadist supply line with Syria. The Arabic writing on the helmet reads: “Shengal” the name given to the town by the Kurds. AFP

IS remains, and there is also the possibility of holdout jihadists, who have kept up attacks even after other areas in Iraq were said to have been retaken.

The US-led coalition carried out upwards of 250

strikes in support of the Sinjar operation, killing an estimated more than 200 IS fighters, Colonel Steve Warren, spokesman for the international operation against the jihadists, told a news conference Friday.

IS has suffered multiple setbacks in Syria in recent days, including in Al-Hol, which the Syrian Democratic Forces, a coalition of Arab and Kurdish fighters, announced Friday that it took the day before. AFP

B6

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

SPORTS

REUEL VIDAL EDITOR

sports@thestandard.com.ph

By Homer Vidal

ALMOST everyone predicted Low Profile to rule the 2015 Philracom Ambassador Eduardo Danding Cojuangco Jr. Cup in Naic, Cavite. But few could have seen the dominant, wire-to-wire victory where the horse led from the start and gradually increased its advantage until the finish.

Other horses took turns at taking second and third places. But there was never ever any serious challenge in the race after Low Profile took the lead right at the start.

Low Profile dominated against a strong

LOW PROFILE POSTS WIRE-TO-WIRE VICTORY

field of imported racehorses including Bentley, Eugenie, Oh Oh Seven, Silver Sword and Strong Champion as well as local chargers Messi, Penrith, Pugad Lawin and Tap Dance.

Low Profile exploded out of the starting gate tak-

EAT MY DUST. Low Profile (right) with jockey Mark Alvarez on top kicks up a cloud of dust as it starts to pull away after taking the lead right from the start of the 2015 Philracom Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. Cup in Naic, Cavite. JEFF VENANCIO

ing the lead immediately from the start. Galloping near the inner rail it was challenged early on by quick-starting Strong Champion.

Passing by the Stewards Stand, Low Pro-

Veteran jockey Mark Alvarez breaks into a wide grin after riding Low Profile to victory in the 2015 Philracom Ambassador Eduardo Danding Cojuangco Jr. Cup at the Santa Ana Park in Naic, Cavite. JEFF VENANCIO

file extended its lead to two lengths with Silver Sword now at second and Bentley at third.

After completing 3/4 mile Low Profile increased its lead to about five lengths. Sil-

Republic of the Philippines Office of the President

PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE PDEA Bldg., NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, Barangay Pinyahan

PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE PDEA Bldg., NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, Barangay Pinyahan Quezon City 1100, Philippines www.pdea.gov.ph

INVITATION TO BID

INVITATION TO BID ACQUISITION OF JANITORIAL SERVICES Bid Ref. No. 2015-10

SUPPLY, DELIVERY AND COMMISSIONING OF MILITARY POLICE EQUIPMENT Bid Ref. No. 2015-14 The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), thru its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) with office address at NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, Quezon City invites registered PhilGEPS suppliers to bid for the following item;

Quantity

Item/Description

45 units

Investigative/ Surveillance Kits

Approved Budget for the Contract P 5,570,500.00

Price of Bidding Documents (NonRefundable)

Delivery Period

P 10,000.00

30 Calendar Days

2.

A prospective bidder on each of the projects should have completed within 2010-2014 from the date of submission and receipt of bids, at least one (1) single contract of similar nature amounting to at least 50% of the ABC for the said project.

3.

The Schedule of Bid Activities shall be as follows: Activities Issuance and Availability of Bid Documents Pre-Bid Conference Deadline of Submission and Opening of Bids

Venue

Date/Time

BAC Secretariat c/o Ms. Aroceli E. Sonido or Ms. Aileen B. Del Coro PDEA Compound, NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, 1100 Quezon City

November 13, 2015

Conference Room, PDEA Compound, NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, 1100 Quezon City

November 25, 2015, 3:00 PM

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criteria as specified in the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 9184, otherwise known as “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

5.

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.

Complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders from the PDEABAC Secretariat (see Address Below) and upon payment of non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents, in amount pursuant to the schedule, The Bidding Documents shall be received personally by the prospective Bidder or his duly authorized representative upon presentation of proper identification of document.

The Invitation to Bid and Checklist of Requirements may be downloaded from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and PDEA Website at www.pdea.gov.ph.

7.

For purpose of having a legal personality to raise or submit written queries or clarification in the Pre-Bidding Conference relative to the bid project, Bidder must first pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents on or before the date of Pre-Bidding Conference.

8.

PDEA reserves the right to accept or reject any Bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all Bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected Bidder or Bidders.

9.

Bidders may obtain further information from the PDEA-BAC Secretariat c/o Ms. Aroceli E. Sonido or Ms. Aileen B. Del Coro, at the PDEA Compound, NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, Quezon City from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM only, Mondays to Fridays starting November 13, 2015 at Tel No. (632)920-8082/ (632)927-9702 Loc. 127. However, any queries relative to the contents of the bid documents and the project requirements can only be made by bidders who purchased the bid documents not later than Ten (10) days prior to the Submission and Opening of Bids.

(Sgd.) ASEC. RENE M. ORBE Chairman, Bids & Awards Committee

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), thru its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) with office address at NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, Quezon City intends to apply the sum of TWO MILLION FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY ONE THOUSAND (Php 2,451,000.00) PESOS being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) for the acquisition of Janitorial Services covering the period of January 1 to December 31, 2016; Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the Bid opening and late bids shall not be accepted.

1.

The PDEA - BAC now invites PhilGEPS registered janitorial service providers for the procurement of Janitorial Services. Posting of Janitors at the PDEA National Headquarters, NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, Quezon City and PDEA Academy, Silang Cavite is required within Six (6) working days upon receipt of Contract of Service.

2.

A prospective bidder on each of the projects should have completed within the last Three (3) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, at least one (1) single contract of similar nature amounting to at least 50% of the ABC for the said projects.

3.

Open competitive bidding will be conducted using non-discretionary “pass/fail” criteria as specified in the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 9184, otherwise known as “Government Procurement Reform Act”. All particulars relative to this bidding including Eligibility Checking, Bid Security, Evaluation and Post Qualification Procedures and Award of Contract shall be governed by R.A. No. 9184 and its Revised IRR.

4.

The bidding is open 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.

December 7, 2015, 3:00 PM

4.

6.

to seven lengths. Silver Sword was still at second followed by Tap Dance, Strong Champion, Eugenie and Bentley.

Nearing the far turn, Low Profile finally

Republic of the Philippines Office of the President

Quezon City 1100, Philippines www.pdea.gov.ph

1.

ver Sword and Bentley hung on to second and third places. They were followed by Tap Dance and Eugenie, With just half a mile distance left Low Profile increased its lead

(TS-NOV. 15, 2015)

The Invitation to Bid and Checklist of Requirements may be downloaded from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and PDEA Website at www. pdea.gov.ph. The complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders upon payment of nonrefundable fee indicated below. The Bidding Documents shall be received personally by the prospective Bidder or his duly authorized representative upon presentation of proper identification of document.

For purpose of having a legal personality to raise or submit written queries or clarification in the PreBid Conference relative to these bid projects, Bidder must first pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents on or before the date of Pre-Bid Conference.

5.

The Schedule of Bid Activities shall be as follows: NOMENCLATURE

VENUE

DATE/TIME

1. SALE & ISSUANCE of Bid Documents

BAC Secretariat c/o Ms. Aroceli E. Sonido or Ms. Aileen B. Del Coro PDEA Compound, NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, 1100 Quezon City

8:00 AM to 4:00 PM only, Mondays to Fridays, starting November 13, 2015

2. PRE-BID CONFERENCE (open only to parties who have acquired bid documents) 3. SUBMISSION OPENING OF BIDS

and

Conference Room, PDEA Compound, NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, 1100 Quezon City

Php 5,000.00 November 25, 2015 (11:00 AM) December 7, 2015 (11:00 AM)

6.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the BAC Secretariat c/o Ms. Aroceli E. Sonido or Ms. Aileen B. Del Coro at the PDEA Compound, NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, Quezon City from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM only, Mondays to Fridays starting November 13, 2015 at Tel No. (632)920-8082. However, any queries relative to the contents of the bid documents and the project requirements can only be made by bidders who purchased the bid documents not later than Ten (10) days prior to the Submission and Opening of Bids.

7.

PDEA 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.

(Sgd.) ASEC. RENE M. ORBE Chairman, Bids & Awards Committee

(TS-NOV. 15, 2015)

seemed to be tiring. Silver Sword cut the gap to just five lengths with Tap Dance and Messie moving up fast. As the horses went into the stretch and headed for home Tap Dance and Messie made their run.

Tap Dance grabbed second, five lengths behind with Messie at third.

That was as close as any other horse would get. Seeing the finish line veteran jockey Mark Alvarez whipped Low Profile into a frenzy and the horse seemed to go into another gear while charging forward even faster.

Low Profile finished the race pulling away leading by eight lengths as it crossed the finish line of the 2,000 meter race in two minutes and six seconds.

Following far behind in order were Messie, Tap Dance, Eugenie, Penrith, Silver Sword, Oh Oh Seven, Strong Champion and Bentley.

The 2015 Ambassador Eduardo Danding Cojuangco Jr. Cup offered a total prize money of P2 million.

Low profile added to its winnings of P2,955,220 which was good for fifth place in the top money earners as of Oct. 31. Court of Honour led the winners with P3,716,984.

Others in the top five were Miss Brulay, P3,289,203; Skyway, P3,165,034; and Superv, P3,003,949.

The race itself was held at the beautiful new racecourse at the Saddle & Clubs Leisure Park in Naic, Cavite. The site of the new Santa Ana Park is a bustling recreational community that has enlivened the progressive province of Cavite.

On race days the 65-hectare Santa Ana Park race course comes alive. When dusk falls, the brilliant lights of the track could be seen for miles around as it shines like a beacon inviting people in.

Today, the racecourse is home to about 800 horses housed in the facility consisting of 78 stable building clusters. The track boasts of the most modern race amenities including an equine pool near the stables where horses take a dip to complete their early morning practice regimen.

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

SPORTS

ARMAN ARMERO EDITOR

sports@thestandard.com.ph

By Eddie G. Alinea

THE month of November is a special month for ring idol Manny Pacquiao, because it was during this time of the year that the Pacman accomplished his most improbable feats in boxing.

Consider, it was on Nov. 13 five years ago, that Pacquiao completed his historic eight-division world championship conquest to emerge the only man in boxing history to accomplish the feat.

On that day, before a huge 50,000 plus spectators at the cavernous Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the then 32-year-old Pacman beat Mexican Antonio Margarito black and blue to capture the vacant World Boxing council super-welterweight jewel.

The title win for Pacquiao, then already a recipient of the “Fighter of the Decade” and three Fighter of the Year awards from the Boxing Writers Association of America and from the Ring Magazine, was the latest addition to the Filipino’s belt collections since crowning himself the WBC flyweight titlist in 1998.

Pacquiao took Thai Chatchai Sasakul’s 112-pound crown by knocking out the then defending champion in the eighth round.

The huge victory over the big, hard-hitting Margarito, which, incidentally, forced the Mexican to retire, was actually the Sarangani Congressman’s third for the month of November in his rich collection that includes the the Ring Magazine featherweight plum and the World Boxing Organization welterweight crowns.

It was also in this month, or November 15, 2003 to be exact, when the now senatorial candidate took the 126-pound diadem from Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera.

Six years later, on Nov. 14, 2009, Pacquiao dethroned Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto as the WBO 147-pound kingpin via a 12-round technical knockout annihilation that, incidentally, remained as his last triumph via stoppage.

B7

A NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER FOR PACQUIAO Rounding out Pacquiao’s eight-division championship triumphs are the International Boxing Federation super-bantamweight on a 6thround TKO of Lehlo Ledwaba in 2001, his first under trainer Freddie Roach, WBC super-featherweight at the expense of Juan Manuel Marquez in 2008, WBC lightweight via 9th -round TKO of David Diaz , also in 2008, and International Boxing Orga ni z at ion /R i ng junior-welterweight titles on a 2nd round KO of Ricky Hatton in 2009.

The Kibawe, Bukidnon-born’s last defense of his WBO welterweight title also came in the month

of November when he unanimously decisioned New Yorker former martial arts campaigner Chris Algieri two years ago at the Cottai Arena at the posh Venetian Resort Hotel in Macau.

He lost the title on a questionable decision to American Timothy Bradley in 2012, the same year he was knocked out

by Marquez, but regained the same 22 months later.

Impressive victories over Mexican Hall of Famer to be Barrera, Erik Morales and Marquez earned for the father of five with Saragani Vice Gov. Jinkee the moniker “The Mexicutioner.”

An 8th-round demolition of legend-

ary and Olympic gold medalist Osca DeLa Hoya on December 6, 2008 catapulted the Filipino hero to the pound-for-pound throne.

All throughout his career that started in 1995, Pacquiao has fought 18 current and former world champions—Bradley, Marquez, Mosley, Margarito, Joshua Clottey, Cotto, Hatton, DeLa Hoya, Diaz, Barrera, Jorge Solis, Morales, Oscar Larios, Jorge Julio, Agapito Sanchez, Ledwaba, Medgeon Lu kchaopormasa k and Sasakul.

Counting the WBC International superbantamweight and the WBC super-bantamweight and superfeatherweight crowns

he wore at one time or another, Pacquiao had actually won 10 world titles, again, the most by any fighter in this era.

PADDLING TO GOLDS. Members of the Philippine Dragonboat team brought home a pair of gold medals in the 200 and 500-m race in the recent 2015 Asian Canoe Kayak-Dragonboat Championship in Palembang, Indonesia, The paddlers, who madee a courtesy call to Philippine Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia were accompanied by their mentor Len Escollante and event delegation head Jhonie Go, president of the PhilippineCanoe KayakDragonboat Federation. They are led by Patricia Ann Bustamante-drummer,steerwoman Maribeth Caranto and paddlers Alex Generalo,John Paul Selencio,Fernan Dungan,Hermie Macaranas,Reymart Nevado,Jordan de Guia,Marc John Frias,Jonathan Ruiz,Ojay Fuentes and Marvin Amposta. DANNY SIMON

Republic of the Philippines Office of the President

Republic of the Philippines Office of the President

PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE PDEA Bldg., NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, Barangay Pinyahan

PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE PDEA Bldg., NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, Barangay Pinyahan

Quezon City 1100, Philippines www.pdea.gov.ph

1.

Quezon City 1100, Philippines www.pdea.gov.ph

INVITATION TO BID

INVITATION TO BID

ACQUISITION OF MESSING, DRINKING WATER, AND LAUNDRY SERVICES FOR PDEA DEOBC-08 Bid Ref. Nos. 2015-11, 2015-12, 2015-13

ACQUISITION OF SECURITY GUARD SERVICES Bid Ref. No. 2015-09

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), thru its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) with office address at NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, Quezon City invites registered PhilGEPS suppliers to bid for the following items; ITEM

Item/Description

Approved Budget for the Contract

Price of Bidding Documents (Non-Refundable)

Lot 1

Messing Services

P 3,078,000.00

P 5,000.00

Lot 2

Drinking Water Services Laundry Services

P 144,000.00

P 500.00

P 306,000.00

P 500.00

Lot 3

Delivery Period

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), thru its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) with office address at NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, Quezon City intends to apply the sum of THREE MILLION NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND (Php 3,900,000.00) PESOS being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) for the acquisition of Security Guard Services covering the period of January 1 to December 31, 2016; Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at the Bid opening and late bids shall not be accepted.

1.

The PDEA - BAC now invites bids from eligible bidders who are authorized Agencies for the procurement of Security Guard Services. Posting of Eleven (11) Security Guards which will be deployed at the PDEA National Headquarters, Quezon City, PDEA Academy, Silang, Cavite and PDEA K9 Facility, San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan are required within Seven (7) working days upon receipt of Contract of Service.

Six (6) months

2.

A prospective bidder on each of the projects should have completed within 2010-2014 from the date of submission and receipt of bids, at least one (1) single contract of similar nature amounting to at least 50% of the ABC for the said project..

2.

A prospective bidder on each of the projects should have completed within the last Three (3) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, at least one (1) single contract of similar nature amounting to at least 50% of the ABC for the said projects.

3.

The Schedule of Bid Activities shall be as follows:

3.

Open competitive bidding will be conducted using non-discretionary “pass/fail” criteria as specified in the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 9184, otherwise known as “Government Procurement Reform Act”. All particulars relative to this bidding including Eligibility Checking, Bid Security, Evaluation and Post Qualification Procedures and Award of Contract shall be governed by R.A. No. 9184 and its Revised IRR.

4.

The bidding is open 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.

Activities Issuance and Availability of Bid Documents

Venue

Date/Time

BAC Secretariat c/o Ms. Aroceli E. Sonido or Ms. Aileen B. Del Coro PDEA Compound, NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, 1100 Quezon City

November 13, 2015

Pre-Bid Conference Deadline of Submission and Opening of Bids

Conference Room, PDEA Compound, NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, 1100 Quezon City

November 25, 2015, 2:00 PM

The Invitation to Bid and Checklist of Requirements may be downloaded from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and PDEA Website at www.pdea.gov.ph. The complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders upon payment of nonrefundable fee indicated below. The Bidding Documents shall be received personally by the prospective Bidder or his duly authorized representative upon presentation of proper identification of document.

December 7, 2015, 2:00 PM

4.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criteria as specified in the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 9184, otherwise known as “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

5.

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.

6.

Complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders from the PDEABAC Secretariat (see Address Below) and upon payment of non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents, in amount pursuant to the schedule, The Bidding Documents shall be received personally by the prospective Bidder or his duly authorized representative upon presentation of proper identification of document.

For purpose of having a legal personality to raise or submit written queries or clarification in the Pre-Bid Conference relative to these bid projects, Bidder must first pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents on or before the date of Pre-Bid Conference.

5.

NOMENCLATURE 1. SALE & ISSUANCE of Bid Documents

The Invitation to Bid and Checklist of Requirements may be downloaded from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and PDEA Website at www.pdea.gov.ph.

7.

For purpose of having a legal personality to raise or submit written queries or clarification in the Pre-Bidding Conference relative to the bid project, Bidder must first pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents on or before the date of Pre-Bidding Conference.

8.

PDEA reserves the right to accept or reject any Bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all Bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected Bidder or Bidders.

9.

Bidders may obtain further information from the PDEA-BAC Secretariat c/o Ms. Aroceli E. Sonido or Ms. Aileen B. Del Coro, at the PDEA Compound, NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, Quezon City from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM only, Mondays to Fridays starting November 13, 2015 at Tel No. (632)920-8082/ (632)927-9702 Loc. 127. However, any queries relative to the contents of the bid documents and the project requirements can only be made by bidders who purchased the bid documents not later than Ten (10) days prior to the Submission and Opening of Bids.

(Sgd.) ASEC. RENE M. ORBE Chairman, Bids & Awards Committee

(TS-NOV. 14, 2015)

The Schedule of Bid Activities shall be as follows:

2. PRE-BID CONFERENCE (open only to parties who have acquired bid documents) 3. SUBMISSION and OPENING OF BIDS

VENUE BAC Secretariat c/o Ms. Aroceli E. Sonido or Ms. Aileen B. Del Coro PDEA Compound, NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, 1100 Quezon City

Conference Room, PDEA Compound, NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, 1100 Quezon City

DATE/TIME 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM only, Mondays to Fridays starting November 13, 2015 Php 5,000.00 November 25, 2015 (10:00 AM) December 7, 2015 (10:00 AM)

6.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the BAC Secretariat c/o Ms. Aroceli E. Sonido or Ms. Aileen B. Del Coro at the PDEA Compound, NIA Northside Road, National Government Center, Quezon City from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM only, Mondays to Fridays starting November 13, 2015 at Tel No. (632)920-8082. However, any queries relative to the contents of the bid documents and the project requirements can only be made by bidders who purchased the bid documents not later than Ten (10) days prior to the Submission and Opening of Bids.

7.

PDEA 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.

(Sgd.) ASEC. RENE M. ORBE Chairman, Bids & Awards Committee

(TS-NOV. 14, 2015)

B8

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

RiERA U. MAllARi EDITOR sports@thestandard.com.ph

sports

Fourteen PBA championship trophies won by the Alaska Aces are on display as the Aces celebrated three decades of excellence and integrity as a franchise competing in the Philippine Basketball Association at the Enderun College, Bonifacio Global City.

Alaska Aces team owner Fred Uytengsu explains the importance of winning the right way when the Alaska Aces celebrated three decades of excellence as a franchise competing in the Philippine Basketball Association at the Enderun College, Bonifacio Global City.

AlAskA Aces’ 30 greAtest plAyers in 30-yeAr history

By Reuel Vidal

AlAskA Aces team owner Fred Uytengsu said it may be harder but he wanted his team to win, but only with integrity.

Former Alaska Aces players, from left: Rhoel Gomez, LA Tenorio and Poch Juinio join Alaska VP for Marketing Blen Fernando, Alaska Aces General Manager Dicky Bachmann (center) and the Gomez brothers (Keanu Sean and Arvin Kim) during the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Alaska Aces.

Past and present Alaska Aces big men, from left: Reynel Hugnatan, Sonny Thoss and John Ferriols join the celebration of 30 years of participation in the PBA. With them are front row, from left: Alaska head trainer Gus Vargas, trainer Mike Braga and wife Lyn Braga.

The President and CEO of Alaska Milk explained the importance of winning the right way when the Alaska Aces celebrated three decades of excellence as a franchise competing in the Philippine Basketball Association at the Enderun College, Bonifacio Global City.

Rather than trying to win at all cost Uytengsu said the Aces would rather live up to their responsibility as being role models to the youth.

The highlight of the celebration last Thursday, Nov. 12 was the naming of the 30 greatest Alaska players led by members of the 1996 Grand Slam team which included Jojo Lastimosa, Johnny Abarrientos, Bong Hawkins and Jeff Cariaso.

Also named among the 30 Greatest Alaska players were Rhoel Gomez, Kenneth Duremdes, Rodney Santos, Devin Davis, Ali Peek, Mike Cortez, Yoyoy Villamin, Willie Pearson, Biboy Ravanes, Boy Cabahug, Bong Alvarez, Ricric Marata, Eugene Quilban, Sean Chambers, Poch Juinio, Diamon Simpson, Reynel Hugnatan, Willie Miller, Rossell Ellis, Sonny Thoss, Tony dela Cruz, LA Tenorio, Rob Dozier, Cyrus Baguio, Dondon Hontiveros, Jvee Casio and Calvin Abueva.

The Alaska team owner noted that Alaska has been loyal to its players who display the same loyalty to the team.

“Perhaps even more than our 14 PBA titles, I am

proud of the fact that our success has been achieved with just a few players. Only 154 players have worn the Alaska jersey. That means that our players stay with us for a very long time. Players that have lived up to our core values of teamwork, come in and stay,” said Uytengsu.

The team owner recalled how Alaska first joined the PBA in 1986 and how it has grown over the years to become one of the league’s most storied franchises.

“It has been an incredible journey. When we first started in 1986, our goal was simply to have a basketball team wear the Alaska jersey and augment our formal advertising,” he said.

Uytengsu, then 24 years old, recalled how his father entrusted him with the job of forming and running the basketball franchise that would augment the company’s marketing strategy.

He also cited important numbers to remember.

These included 1,606 games, with 879 wins for a 54.7 winning percentage, 154 players and 53 imports, 28 finals appearances, 14 PBA championships, nine head coaches and six jerseys retired in 30 years as one organization committed to excellence.

“Over the years our goal shifted from just having a team in the league to a desire to win. Back in the ‘80s we did not have the most talented team. In order to win we had to do it with teamwork. That has been one of the hallmarks of the Alaska Aces all these years,” said Uytengsu.

“We espoused the importance of teamwork and respect for one another on the team as the basis for our success. The cliche that there is no I in team is something that resonates with us clearly. We not me.”

Alaska won its first PBA title in 1991. It would go on to win eight more PBA championships including the PBA Grand Slam. For its achievements the team was dubbed the team of the decade.

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

C1

TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR

BING PAREL A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

BERNADETTE LUNAS

life @ thestandard.com .ph

WRITER

@LIFEatStandard

S U NDAY L IF E

LIFE

Vineyards in Helderberg, Stellenbosch

Growing grapes while adhering to environmental sustainability

AN ODE TO WINE, GOOD HOPES, AND A MAN NAMED ALEX DALE

BY BING PAREL

“I

like on the table, when we’re speaking, the light of a bottle of intelligent wine.”

No truer words than Chilean poet Pablo Neruda’s Ode to Wine could, perhaps, capture the enjoyment one gets with good food, good conversation and most of all, good wine. And all these we got to experience at a wine and food pairing event at Planet Grapes (over at Shangri-La Mall along EDSA) with British winemaker Alex Dale as guest.

The founder of The Winery of Good Hope in Stellenbosch in South Africa, Alex has been instrumental in giving South African wines the international recognition they so richly deserve, with discerning wine drinkers in Manila discovering with great pleasure that a lot of South African wines go very well even with the most ordinary comfort food like squid balls, siomai, or even chicharon.

Born into a family of wine merchants and importers in Great Britain, the Oxford-educated Alex was captivated by the great wines of Burgundy while studying French literature at Dijon University in France, and this paved the way for his great fascination with wine making. “I was a young man who

The crew take on a helicopter ride

The Winery of Good Hope founder Alex Dale

Punching down the grapes, a part of the winemaking process

didn’t know what I was doing,” he tells us, referring to his decision to move to South Africa in 1994 – following the historic win of the late Nelson Mandela as the first black president of South Africa – convinced that the diversity of the geology and the climatic conditions particularly in the Stellenbosch region (which resembled those of the Rhone Valley) offered so much potential for wine making.

Along with his drinking buddy Ben Radford, Alex founded The Winery of Good Hope, eventually transforming the Radford Dale into one of the very best wine names in South Africa.

A well built man (who reminded us so much of South African actor Arnold Vosloo), it was fascinating to

Sorting the grapes

hear Alex talk about the good points of the various wines produced by The Winery of Good Hope – for instance The Renaissance of Chenin Blanc 2012, Unoaked Chardonnay 2013, Mountainside Shiraz 2012, Vinum Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 and that “uniquely” South African wine (also known as the “angry grape”) Bush Vine Pinotage 2012 – and why they go so well with Filipino food.

It was, however, his revelation that, while The Winery of Good Hope is a business, the focus is on “wine making with a conscience” that got our attention, especially so when we discovered that many of those he employs in his winery are the “previously disadvantaged people” or what are also known as “people of color.” The employees of The Winery of Good Hope are considered stakeholders, individuals who have important roles in the company – from picking grapes to wine pressing or bottling. Alex established the Land of Hope, a trust that provides funding for education among the children of the workers.

Quoting Nelson Mandela, Alex reiterates that “one cannot build a society with uneducated children.”

While apartheid may have officially ended over two decades ago, social inequality still prevails in South Africa, he lamented. The trust is the wine company’s contribution to the

social development and economic upliftment of the employees, and become a positive instrument that would help children have a brighter future. It goes without saying that a main objective is also to help improve the working conditions of those employed in the agricultural industry in South Africa.

There are several things that make our wines different, the affable man discloses. One, The Winery of Good Hope “questions everything” – meaning they don’t just do things the way they have always been done.

On the contrary, they do whatever is needed to make a wine that speaks for itself and where it’s from. Two, land decides which kind of grape must be grown in a particular terrain, which is why not all the grapes are grown in the property.

For Alex, it’s not a simple matter of growing grapes and turning them into wine – it is hard work, and one that takes into account the care of the land and the people, as seen in the Land of Hope range where 50 percent of gross profit redound to the previously disadvantaged employees and their children. All wines are eco friendly, he adds.

I ask Alex to explain his statement about not entering competitions.

“If I look at the wine producers in the world that I really admire, I cannot think of a single one of them who entered a competition.

Filipino comfort food like squid balls and siomai go well with South African wines

If you want to be the strongest wine, enter a competition. If you want to make cerebral, elegant and sophisticated wines, don’t enter a competition because you will not win. It’s as simple as that. I don’t make wine to enter a competition and if I did, I wouldn’t work the way I did,” he says, referring to the natural process employed to make the excellent wines produced by The Winery of Good Hope – all of which are loved by consumers for their attitude and taste.

Which goes to show that one can drink wine, indeed, with a good conscience.

For good food and “wine without the drama,” log on to planetgrapes.com. ph. To know more about The Winery of Good Hope, you may visit www. thewineryofgoodhope.com.

SUNDAY : NOVEM B ER 15, 2015

C2

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

“Death” guards the gate and tombstones

Jose Geffrey Candido who just graduated from the PMA and Jedi Joby Belmonte

French maid Malu Francisco with Rachel de Guzman

Mayenne Carmona

@LIFEatStandard

The enigmatic setting of the Halloween birthday bash

Ann and Atty. Rene Puno as Cleopatra and Mark Anthony

The “dragon” and Marie Antoinette at Ito Curata’s birthday bash

Ladies in their full regalia- Svenja Wegfahrt, Edwin Medalla, Tina Jacinto, Elaine Rojas-Villar and Noy Anson Ping Sotto, John Arcilla and Valerie Mayor Sotto Manolyne Taylor, Gabriella Wegfahrt and Renee Puno

TALES OF THE PARANORMAL

#INTHEMOMENT

BY FRANCIS DE LEON

China doll Nikki Tang and Barbie doll Sheree Chua

Bob Miller and Lilibeth Campos

Best in Costume awardee Suzette Hahn-Lopez aka “The Peacock”

Sitoy de Guzman as Zorro and March Geriene as a cowboy

Jon Snow is alive – Czarina Ong-Camus, Helen Richardo Luis Puno Ong and Marian Ong-Nuguid

Little Red Riding Hood Happy Halloween The “Son of the Dragon” Victoria Turegun with from Glecy Mojares – Taj Curata Maleficent Tess Schoefer and Marivic Vazquez

Something bizarre happened one Halloween evening. We were on our way to the party hosted by haute couture designer Ito Curata in the grand manor he shares with partner Bob Miller when we found ourselves lost in transition in a dark road leading to the posh subdivision down South. At first, I was not conscious of our unusual state since I knew that the chauffer of my companion is very reliable (he’s hotel-trained after all) and has been to Bob and Ito’s residence on many occasions. We entered the gates of Ayala Alabang already when I noticed that he has led us to unknown territory.

“Where are we?”, this columnist anxiously inquired. I was concerned since the street was strangely shady and narrow. I felt I was in a scene from The Twilight Zone. And then, I sensed something down my spine.

To my dear readers, to set the record straight, this Sunday’s column is not a horror story. When caught in a seemingly “paranormal” situation, everything (with a sigh of relief) can be explained: • I gathered myself and took charge of the situation. I checked Google Maps for our exact location.

Indeed, we were lost and advised the driver to turn back since we entered the wrong gate.

• The car was heavily tinted and the sun visor was up on my side. In perspective, this made the road appear darker.

• The vehicle of Tina Cuevas (my “blooming” companion) is the top of the line. It has a back massage seat feature at the touch of a button.

A Halloween bash with the fun bunch

•

Lastly, to my young readers, please Google “The Twilight Zone.”

By now, I hope I got your complete attention (smile if you agree) with the subplot of this column.

Levity aside, nothing was creepy at all about the Halloween Bash organized by well-loved couturier Ito Curata on the occasion celebrating his 56th birthday.

As a matter of fact, it was an absolutely happy occasion!

On a Saturday night, 60 of Itos friends joined the party and were very game as they all came in their Halloween regalia. To be honest, I felt a little underdressed with my costume compared to the noteworthy outfits (as seen in this column) donned by the guests composed of Manila’s movers and shakers.

I seldom get out of my home to attend a social gathering on the eve of All Saints’ Day. However, this occasion was something close to my heart and I am glad that I decided to go. What welcomed me was a whimsical world filled with the kindest and most beautifully dressed people! Everyone elevated their game as seen in their creative costumes. It was a (happy) sight to behold!

The ever-creative Ito Curata and his son Taj were in similar costumes – in full “dragon” battle gear. They were not waging war, though as both graciously welcomed everyone in their (lavish) lair that was transformed into a fantasy world reminiscent of a (posh) mausoleum.

Mind you, there is nothing freaky about the setting as everything was thematic and on point. From the tombstones and “Death” that welcomed us at the porte-cochère; the “Boo-ffet” of delicious food that filled everyone’s tummies; the flowing wine and bubbly that luxuriously hydrated us; to the endless helpings of hors d’oeuvres; and the giveaways in cute pumpkin containers. Ito Curata really knows how to throw the best parties in town!

If you don’t agree with me, see for yourself as evident in the images captured in this column. He even brought back to life “Heneral Luna” in the flesh!

In the meantime, I could not help but contemplate on “leveling-up” on next year’s Halloween bash.

To moments filled with fun, laughter and endless parties. Cheers to you, Ito Curata!

Follow me on Twitter or Instagram @francis_deleon8.

SUNDAY : NOVEM B ER 15, 2015

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

DuPont Pioneer Lamphun Plant in Chiang Mai, Thailand

HOW A COMPANY’S TRANSFORMATION DRIVES INNOVATION

BY BERNADETTE LUNAS

L

ook around. You might not know it, but DuPont is all around you – in the chair that you’re sitting on, in the clothes that you’re wearing and in the food that you’re eating. It’s everywhere, and yet we don’t know it because those everyday items are not called DuPont, they are called Aeron, Uniqlo and Century Tuna.

Founded in 1802, DuPont is commonly identified as one of the world’s leading chemical companies. “For the first 100 years, we were a gunpowder manufacturer supplying the wars everywhere [during the 19th century],” recalls DuPont Asia-Pacific president Tony Su. But it was only in the beginning of the 20th century that the company got into the chemical business. The business transformation led to the development of various kinds of polymers. In 1935, DuPont came out with Nylon, “probably one of the most famous DuPont products, although it no longer belongs to us,” says Su. In 1938, the company invented Teflon, while in 1962, the elastic fiber Lycra was introduced.

Responsible for body armors, bulletproof vests, helmets and industrial gloves is another DuPont high-strength raw material, Kevlar, invented in 1965. Come 1967, the company introduced Nomex, as an effective racing and firefighting suit for its excellent thermal, chemical and radiation resistance; Corian, a solid surface material used primarily to create sinks and countertops; and Tyvek, a high-density waterproof fiber often used as house wrap in the US but is also utilized as a protective one-piece garment worn by mechanics, laboratory workers and hazmat personnel who don’t need the protection of a full hazmat suit.

“You can see that in the last 80 years, we’re shaping people’s lives,” enthuses Su. In the late ‘90s, the company went into “a very different route” which was focusing

DuPont Asia-Pacific president Tony Su

Industrial gloves made with DuPont Kevlar

on agriculture and nutrition, industrial bioscience and advanced materials. The switch is primarily due to the challenges the world faces today, which are the continuous swell of population, rapid depletion of natural resources and environmental degradation.

“If the population increases, we’re going to continue facing shortage of food supply and pressure for more energy when there is only too much fossil fuel we can depend upon,” laments Su. Drawing upon the company’s 200-yearold core values that focuses on safety and health, environmental stewardship, respect for people and highest ethical behavior, DuPont shifts the steering wheel to address these global concerns.

“We chose [the three sectors] where we think we can do the best solutions to contribute to the customers and to the society,” says Su. And in part, “these sectors will support our company’s growth.”

The last 16 years saw the creation of DuPont’s seeds and agricultural chemicals, food and nutrition products, industrial enzymes and bio based materials, performance materials, consumer electronics, printing and packaging, and safety and protection solutions for construction, military, transportation and industrial sectors.

In a bid to achieve food security, in 1999, DuPont purchased Pioneer Hi-Bred, a large producer of hybrid seed for agriculture in the US. Through hybrid seeds of different crops, DuPont Pioneer ensures profitability and productivity of farmers even when availability of land for farming decreases.

Here in the Philippines, hybrid rice and biotech (bt) corn are already planted and harvested. DuPont Philippines managing director Ramon Abadilla informs that as of 2014, there are about 350,000 Filipino farmers planting bt corn in 5,000 hectares of land.

According to Abadilla, total harvest of farmers planting bt corn doubles to 7-8

DuPont raw materials, including soy protein, sweeteners, emulsifiers, enzymes, probiotics and fiber extracts, among others are used in manufacturing many food products sold and consumed worldwide.

Apeel lidding sealant resins are used in packaged food and non-food items

metric tons per hectare compared to four metric tons/hectare from traditional seeds.

Courtesy of bt corn and its commitment to constant innovation, DuPont was able to invent Sorona in 2001, a renewably sourced soft and stain-resistant fiber used in apparel, residential and automotive carpet, makeup brush, and more.

In 2008, they came out with Rynaxpyr, an environment-friendly insecticide. Helping farmers cope with hot and dry weather condition is Aquamax, a drought-resistant corn seed which was introduced in 2011. In 2012, they launched Plenish, a high-quality soybean oil without transfat. And in 2013, DuPont invented Howaru a probiotic used in food and beverage products and dietary supplements.

In the country, a few of the many DuPont raw materials can be found in a can of Century Tuna (soy protein), in ice cream, cheese and bread (emulsifiers, sweeteners, and fiber extracts, among others), and in Pringles, noodle cups and other packaged food (peelable lidding resin).

“We are a raw product supplier, an upstream business, not an end-user. But if you eat ice cream anywhere in the world, know that there’s a DuPont ingredient in

there,” says DuPont Thailand Innovation Center manager Suntaree Taratikun.

From gunpowder to probiotics and other food products, one can see how DuPont, with its science-based solutions, transformed itself and the world. Its agricultural and nutrition products account for 43 percent or majority of its total sales in 2014 amounting to US$35 billion.

To further drive growth, the company shifts its sights to ASEAN, which is one of the three largest sub-regions in Asia Pacific, as it recently announced the opening of its R&D and business hub in Singapore.

Expected to be fully operational in the second quarter of 2016, the research and business facility will focus on expanding the company’s food business portfolio and developing products that will address customer needs. It’s also expected to support its two other segments: bio-based industrials and advanced materials, according to DuPont ASEAN group managing director Hsing Ho. “For over 200 years, DuPont carried the name as one of the greatest chemical companies in the world. But we don’t call ourselves chemical company anymore. We call ourselves one of the greatest science companies in the world,” ends Su.

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The book’s authors Mark Lewis Higgins and Gino Gonzales

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

Ms. Pilita Corrales singing for the crowd during the event

@LIFEatStandard

Ching Cruz in an Albert Andrada design

Isabel Daza in a vintage terno worn by her late aunt Rio Díaz-Cojuangco

Karylle Yuzon’s terno is designed by another SLIM’s designer Yvonne Tabanao

Of Barongs, Ternos, and Fashionable Filipinos

M

anila Peninsula’s than just a book about the Rigodon Ballroom dress,” says Mark, “it’s really was like a film set of the story of the birth of the Pilipinas: Back to the nation, as we like to say, Future during the launch of because clothing is very much the book Fashionable Filipinas: a mirror of history, and you’ll An Evolution of the Philippine see this in the book.”

National Dress in Photographs CAROTID ARTERY The book features the 1860-1960 at the Manila evolution of what became

BY TATUM ANCHETA Peninsula last November the national dress, which is 10. Old meets new as celebrities, designers, the terno, laid out with studio photographs members of the media, socialites and different during the 1860s until the 1960s. “It’s a personalities walked the red carpet donned fascinating trip through the Victorian era, in their vintage and modern ternos. Everyone two world wars, and past the atomic age wore something borrowed, something new and because the book begins in 1860 and ends something they designed themselves. in 1960,” adds Mark.

It was fun to witness one of the best events The book took two years to create and where people went out of their usual gowns it was supported by the best names in the and played dress up with their versions of fashion and arts industry. “Yes, the Japanese Filipiniana. Nowadays, you’ll only get to have the kimono, the Chinese have the witness events like these during Buwan ng cheongsam, and the Indian have the sari, Wika or special themed events, or the SONA so we Filipinos must have the same reverence (which sometimes gets to be a parade of the for the terno. Doing so will give a sense of worst versions of ternos that ever existed, pride and appreciation for our own,” says Ben remember that yellow green parachute?).

Chan – who published the book under his “I think the terno always evolves but you giant retail chain Bench – during the launch. need to do it intelligently,” says Mark Lewis “I think that every Filipino regardless of Higgins (co-director of Slim’s Fashion & age, status, and generation have something Arts School), as he talks about the new to learn from this book. It is not just for book he co-authored with Gino Gonzales Filipinos’ fashion in the present, but for (scenographer and lecturer at Ateneo de Filipinos of the future,” he adds.

Manila University). “You need to understand During the event, most of the Bench first where it came from before you endorsers wore ternos and barong Tagalog manipulate it in any particular direction,” made by Slim’s Fashion & Arts School student he adds. “Gino and I both work in schools designers. One of the crowd favorites was and we’re both exposed to young students the tuxedo terno of SLIM’s president and and we realized they had no clue about the director Sandy Higgins made by up and terno, it’s becoming forgotten, and it’s the coming designer Nina Gatan. Two of the national dress of the country. And I thought, vintage ternos worthy to highlight is the it was time to re-educate them.” one worn by editor-in-chhief of L’Officiel Fashionable Filipinas is a fresh approach Manila’s Pam Quinones which was used by to the story of the terno; its modern layout the late First Lady Leonila Garcia, wife of appeals to the modern interest of the public, the late president Carlos P. Garcia, and the specially the younger generation. “It’s more terno worn by Silk Cocoon designer Katrina Goulbourn-Feist from the vintage collection of Salvacion Lim Higgins.

Fashionable Filipinas: An Evolution of the Philippine National Dress in Photographs 1860-1960 by Gino Gonzales and Mark Lewis Higgins

Fashionable Filipinas: An Evolution of the Philippine National Dress in Photographs, 18601960 coffee-table book is available at Bench and Dimensione stores. Copies of the book will be donated to the Ayala Foundation for school distribution and the Cultural Center of the Philippines will have the book in its library.

Gretchen Baretto wearing an Inno Sotto

Liz Uy by SLIM’s Hannah Adrias

Sarah Meier in a Vania Romoff creation

Jeannie Goulborn in a Silk Cocoon dress designed by her daughter Katrina Goulbourn-Feist who is wearing a vintage terno by Salvacion Lim Higgins.

Paolo Avelino wearing a barong designed by Mary Camille Angeline Veloso from SLIM’s and Solenn Heusaff in an Ivan Ruiz, also a student Tessa Prieto-Valdes in a from SLIM’s Pablo Mendez terno

Joey Samson in his own creation

Fashion designer Len Cabili in a vintage terno

Eddie Garcia in a Paul Cabral barong

Luis Espiritu wearing a Joey Samson barong

Editor-in-chief of L’Officiel Manila’s Pam Quinones in a vintage terno worn by the former first lady Leonila Garcia, L’Officiel Manila’s publisher Vicky FlorendoMontenegro in a Nina Gatan design, and this editor in an old Santi Obcena dress

Sarah Lahbati wearing SLIM’s Abdul Gaffar Abdullah Dianalan terno and Richard Gutierrez in a barong designed by SLIM’s Banjo Cordero

Noel Manapat in Sandy Higgins wearing a tuxedo a Bea Samson terno by Nina Gatan bespoke barong

Borgy Manotoc Lucy TorresGomez in a terno in his own done by the late design Joe Salazar

Jo Ann Bitagcol wearing a Joey Samson terno

Mark Nicdao wearing a barong

by Mark Heyes

Graham Caygill wearing a Randy Ortiz barong and Dingdong Dantes

by Tria

S UNDAY : NOV EMBER 15, 2015

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

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IloIlo crowd Takes Pambansang bae alden rIchards by surPrIse

T

he highly anticipated Kapuso Fans Day with Alden Richards in Iloilo turned out to be a record-breaking success with approximately 50,000 Kapusong Ilonggo in attendance at the Paseo de Iloilo of Robinsons Place Iloilo on Nov. 6.

Pambansang Bae Alden Richards was left in awe after seeing the number of people who came to the show. “Totoo po bang ganito karami? I did not expect this. I’m still so overwhelmed. To each and every one of you, thank you po!”

The undeniable success of Eat Bulaga’s “Kalyeserye” has been an inspiration to many, and with the high hopes of seeing the other half of the AlDub love team in the flesh, the Ilonggo crowd occupied the venue as early as eight in the morning and waited for their own tamang panahon with the Kapuso star.

Despite the show being pushed a bit later in the evening, the unwavering energy of the audience kept the show at its peak. And as soon as Alden took the stage, the audience’s anticipation broke into a display of excitement and celebration for the man of the hour. Alden performed some of the songs from his latest album Wish I May. GMA’s Head for Regional Strategy and Business Development Division Oliver Amoroso was a witness to what is now regarded as the biggest Kapuso event in the city. “The number of people present during Alden Richards’ Kapuso Fans Day in Iloilo was really unprecedented. But it was definitely a pleasant surprise. We sincerely thank them for their love and support not only to Alden but to the whole GMA Network.”

The crowd near the Robinsons Place Iloilo

Alden Richards waves to his fans in Iloilo

Richards performing to the delight of the crowd

Some 50,000 Ilonggos crowd the street near Robinsons Place Iloilo

Miss Earth 2015 Crystal ClEar in ViEnna

It has been 15 years since Carousel Productions, Inc. launched Miss Earth, a beauty contest that would focus not only on beauty and femininity but, equally important, on an advocacy that its candidates could identify with and be actively involved in.

Recognizing the slow but increasing deterioration of the environment, Miss Earth decided, long before it became a worldwide movement, to make saving the environment its advocacy. Since then it had quickly grown and developed into the biggest and prestigious International Environmental Event channeled through a beauty pageant.

Off to Austria -- Angelia Gabrena Ong during her sendoff at Resortsworld Manila given to her by Carousel Productions.

“We would also like the world to recognize women in this pageant not only as an inspiration of beauty in face and form, but more importantly, as confident, tal-

ented and intellectual individuals who are elected to serve as ‘Environmental Ambassadors’ in their respective countries to enhance environmental awareness and empower women all over the world to be one in this cause,” expressed Lorraine E. Schuck, founder of Miss Earth and executive vice president of Carousel Productions Inc. This year, Miss Earth celebrates its 15th anniversary and will hold its coronation night on Dec. 5, 8 p.m. at the Marx Halle in Vienna, Austria. Ninety candidates- Beauties for a Cause- from all over the world will converge in Vienna starting Nov. 18 to compete for the much-coveted Miss Earth crown.

“There is no better highlight to Miss Earth’s Crystal Year than holding it in Vienna - an eco-friendly city, which we shall also showcase during the show,” exclaimed Ramon Monzon, president and CEO of Carousel Productions Inc. Moreover, the pre-pageant, environ-

mental activities of the delegates all around Austria shall be part of their campaign on “Climate Change” and promoting the 5’R’s – Rethink, Reduce, ReUse, Recycle and Respect – as the key in reducing our carbon footprint. This campaign was introduced

by Austria’s hosting team headed by Sina Schmid and Andreas Siedl of Puls4.

“Every year the commitment to uphold the environmental advocacy grows stronger as evidently seen in the involvement of the participating delegates and this gives me great pleasure in welcoming the new batch of delegates to Vienna, Austria,” says Jamie Herrell, reigning Miss Earth 2014.

In cooperation with Herwig Ursin of Hey-U! Media Group, the pageant goes live on Starworld, Puls4 and telecast in participating countries worldwide. The twohour television special will also feature and highlight the famous eco-tourism spots in Austria, the country’s laudable efforts in sustainable living and climate change.

S UNDAY : NOV EMBER 15, 2015

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

ABS-CBN LAUNChES hD ChANNEL ON CABLE

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BS-CBN becomes the first free-to-air channel to broadcast in HD as it launched ABS-CBN HD, a channel. The audience can now watch their favorite Kapamilya shows in high definition, which comes exclusively with SKY Cable HD Digibox for Sky Cable and Destiny subscribers.

“Kapamilya viewers will feel the emotions and tension that their favorite characters are experiencing in the stories we tell through

our shows, as every little detail is more pronounced in HD. We target to progressively launch all our programs on ABS-CBN in HD by 2016,” said ABS-CBN Broadcast and Free TV head Cory Vidanes.

Kapamilya fans in Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, and San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan can finally watch their ABS-CBN programs in high definition format (HD) on Channel 167, while solid Kapamilya fans in Cebu, Davao, Bacolod, Iloilo, and Baguio enjoy a

better viewing experience of ABSCBN TV shows on Channel 700.

“On its 25th anniversary, Sky is honored to exclusively bring to our subscribers’ homes ABS-CBN HD, providing a superior viewing experience of their most loved teleserye and programs,” said Ray Montinola, chief operating officer of SkyCable.

“This is part of the digitalization of ABS-CBN. This will allow ABSCBN to serve viewers on any viewing platform. We would like to bring

our content within reach of the Filipinos, wherever in the world they may be, whether they are watching it on television or on mobile devices.

This milestone further cements our commitment to excellence to bring not only quality content to our viewers but also a richer and enhanced viewing experience that they truly deserve,” said ABS-CBN’s chief technology officer Mark Lopez.

Kapamilya shows that are already airing in HD are It’s Showtime!, Ningning, Doble Kara, All

of Me, Nasaan ka Nang Kailangan Kita, Pasion De Amor, On The Wings of Love, ASAP20, Maalaala Mo Kaya, Wansapanataym, Pangako Sa’Yo, Mukha, and the widely-successful FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano. Soon to broadcast in HD are Tonight with Boy Abunda and Gandang Gabi Vice.”

The broadcast of the first free-toair channel to air 24/7 on HD started on Oct. 3 during the “Kapamilya Thank You!” tour of It’s Showtime! and ASAP20 in Binan, Laguna.

ShowCaSe of ShoCking SightS and weird CreatureS Nature’s Weirdest Event explores the weirdly remarkable things wildlife has to offer, from bizarre family behaviors of sibling creatures eating one another to a frog developing its young in its mouth to 15 other species and strange takeovers. Definitely, fact can be a lot stranger than fiction. The new series Nature’s Weirdest Event airs 9 p.m. Tuesdays.

And, Tanked returns to dunk viewers into the rowdy, family-owned business of Acrylic Tank Manufacturing (ATM), one of the most successful builders of aquariums. Animal Planet airs the new season of Tanked starting 9 p.m. Fridays.

Animal Planet’s new series Dr. Dee features Dee Thornell, a hero to the animals who caters to a slew of creatures, from sled

Nature’s Wierdest

Tanked

dogs to alpacas to reindeers.

Watch Dr. Dee as she pilots planes, operates four-wheelers and sometimes drives a horse and buggy to reach her patients.

Dr. Dee and her staff handle extreme cases and even more extreme clients unique to the Alaskan frontier. Whether it is a family with a pet bear or a gold miner with a pet rat, no client is off limits at Dr. Dee’s Animal House. The saving airs 10 p.m.

Mondays until Nov. 23.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 82 83 84 86 87 89 93 94 95 96 97 100 102 103 104 108 109

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Lifeboat hoist 6 Tarzan’s transport 10 Pop up 15 Beauty’s companion 20 Protein-building acid 21 Interlaced 22 Finds a tenant 23 Dragon puppet 24 Cow’s feet 25 Emmy or Oscar 26 Twitter 27 Lariat 28 Fragrant shrub 29 Martial art 30 Good seance holder (2 wds.)

32 Sturdy envelope 34 Seize forcibly 36 Tribute in verse 37 Hobgoblin 40 USN rank 41 Blond shade 42 Mineral find 44 Yawn-provoking

48 49 50 53 55 56 58 59 61 63 64 65 66 67 69 70 71 74 75 78 81

Formal vote Sticky fruit “Who loves ya, —” Newsstand Guanabar a Bay port Garage squirter Pay-stub acronym Flakes off Local movie theaters Like some prospects Wahine’s welcome Felt grateful Take back Voice mail unit “Tres —, monsieur!”

Vitality Be gloomy Speaker pro — Robert Urich TV role Longest lasting Honor society letter

110 111 112 113 115 116 117 118 120 121 123 124 125 127 129 131 136 138 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150

Seafood choice Nth deg.

Refs’ cousins Was in front Boss Utter delight Grant foe “Fret” and “worry” (abbr.)

Hearth fuel Bohemian Vast For some time Wee parasite Night watchman Where pews are Prepare shrimp Bat’s navigation system Joule fractions Gerbil or chipmunk “Ulalume” poet Light incense to Pretend to be Outlaw Non-creepy creeper Margarita rim Taiga denizen Hot tub Links goal Deep black “Norma —” Fishing net “Amadeus” subject Moves to rap The best dishes Down the road Half diameters Perch Alpha opposite Enter traffic Model’s need Gambling game Solitude enjoyer Extreme edge No rocket scientist

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2015 151 Welles or Bean 152 To be, to Brutus 153 Davis of “Evening Shade” DOWN 1 Author Roald — 2 Pierre’s “Mine!”

3 Baroque instr.

4 Disgrace 5 Puccini opera 6 Alphabet five 7 Trump ex 8 Brain, maybe 9 Provide capital 10 Foot parts 11 Discuss some more 12 Clumsy 13 Ladder rung 14 Glimpse from afar 15 Tired of it all 16 “Forgot” a letter 17 Jai — 18 In — (as found) 19 Dogsled pullers 21 Kind of hours 31 Family members 33 Herr’s refusal 35 Starfish arm 37 TGIF party request 38 Maurice’s eye 39 Freighter hazard 42 Apply gold leaf 43 Selene’s sister 45 In a suave manner 46 Mortgage, e.g.

47 Going around in circles 49 Like some furs 50 Library sect.

51 Joint problems 52 Moo companion 53 Nancy Drew author 54 Mournful tolls 57 Checked in 58 Afire, in a restaurant

59 60 62 64 66 68 69 71 72 73 76 77 79

Sharp ends Wool sources Police sch.

Between ports Examine a case again Walked purposefully Fasten a rope Dashboard info Gloating cry Wind toy Tinker with Kings and queens Upper house mem.

80 82 85 88 90 91 92 94 98 99 100 101 102 103 105

NFL scores Spiny cactus Beowulf’s drink Mattress part Mutinied ship Tijuana Ms. Not mine A whole lot Hamster’s digs Barge — — Deadly snakes Cowboy shout Mindy’s boarder Earth, in combos Leaf’s rib

106 107 109 111 114 115 116 119 121 122 123 124 126 127

Begrudge Charon’s river Note before la — avis Lockbox document Poor review Rummage sale Teaches an animal Deals with (2 wds.)

Engine part Wild silk Not us Go fly — —!

Kilt wearers

128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 137 139 140 141

Quebec school Demeanors Stallone role Carpet nail Hit the ceiling First orchard?

Guthrie of folk music Koh-i- — diamond Med. plans Goddess of strife Hindu god of fire Hockey feint

S UNDAY : NOV EMBER 15, 2015

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

TRixie MaRisTela is Miss inTeRnaTional Queen 2015 From C8

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Trixie Maristela of the Philippines won Miss International Queen 2015 in Pattaya, Thailand. She is joined by 1st Runner up - Valesca Dominik Ferraz of Brazil and 2nd runner up- Sopida Siriwattananukoon of Thailand.

eigning Miss Gay Manila Trixie Maristela bested 26 transvestites from around the world to win the Miss International Queen 2015 title in the finals held at Tiffany Show Theater in Pattaya, Thailand, Nov. 6.

Maristela, a 29-year-old European Languages graduate of the University of the Philippines and a Viva Artist, made the Filipino gay and trans community proud with her conquest of the biggest transgender beauty pageant in the world after winning the title in GMA-7’s Eat Bulaga’s “Super Sireyna Philippines 2015” contest.

Maristela, looking like a real woman in elegant red gown, broke down in tears after her name was announced winner of the 11th Miss International Queen pageant.

Miss Brazil Valesca Dominik Ferraz and Miss Thailand Sopida Siriwattananukoon were

first and second runners up, respectively. Two other Filipinas, Michelle Binas and Francine Garcia, Super Sireyna Queen of Queens 2013, were also in the Top 10 finalists.

Maristela, who plays the violin, is the second Filipina trans to win the title after Kevin Balot in 2012.

“I am grateful of the opportunity to compete in the Miss International Queen pageant because I believe in its vision to uplift the trans community cause to be accepted without discrimination throughout the world. I want to share this victory (sic) to the Philippine trans community,” said the Viva Artists contract star who was crowned by outgoing Miss International Queen Isabella Santiago of Venezuela. Winners of the Miss International Queen transvestite pageant take home a cash prize of not less than $10,000 plus the option to undergo plastic surgery.

Miss world PhiliPPiNes 2015 the ZeN iNstitute’s aMbassador

H

illarie Danielle Parungao is the country’s representative to the Miss World pageant in Sanya, China on Dec. 19.

A native of Nueva Vizcaya, Hillarie bested 25 candidates and is the first pure Filipina who has ever won the title. She succeeded last year’s winner.

Aside from winning the crown, Hillarie also bagged a number of special awards, including best in swimsuit, best in long gown, best in fashion runway, best in sports challenge and Ms. Zen Institute among others.

Hillarie now joins the long-list of successful beauty queens and other celebrity endorsers who have achieved the results desired in beauty and wellness at The Zen Institute. According to Dr. Mary Jane “MJ” Torres, medical director at The Zen Institute, “We continue to introduce breakthrough products and services, following a protocol-based approach, within the concept

of holistic wellness. Here at The Zen Institute, licensed doctors and wellness consultants perform the medical procedures. Treatments are mostly non-surgical and non-invasive which how Zen is known for- in the industry and the market.”

Miss World Philippines is the national franchise of the Miss World pageant in the Philippines and selects the country’s representative to the said pageant.

The pageant is inspired by the Miss World Ltd.’s slogan “Beauty with a Purpose” and henceforth adopted the theme “Beauty in Giving.” The winner and her court work with charities that benefit children in need and also join movements of supporting women and children’s rights and many more advocacies.

The Zen Institute is located at 69 Scout Rallos St., Tomas Morato, Quezon City (02-4411712/02-412-2528); Ground Floor, Bonifacio Technology Center, 31st St., Corner 2nd Av-

Hillarie Danielle Parungao, Miss World Philippines 2015, is also The Zen Institute's brand ambassador

enue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig (02-8562027); and at the St. Frances Cabrini Medical Center, Maharlika Highway, Bgy. 2, Sto.Tomas, Batangas (+43-778-4811). For more information about The Zen Institute visit www.thezeninstitute.com and like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ZenMedicalSpa

GiorGio Moroder iN MaNila The Godfather of Disco and pioneer of Electronic Dance Music, Gior-

gio Moroder is set to get the Manila crowd dancing to the classic EDM hits on Nov.19 at Valkyrie Nightclub at The Palace, Uptown, Bonifacio Global City. It is presented by MMI Live and Decadance.

Moroder brings us into a 70s and 80s time machine with a modern twist. If you decide to be among the crowd, come in your best retro ensemble and get a chance to win tickets to Madonna’s RebelHeart Tour in Manila in February. Or if you chose to steal the most iconic look of the Queen of Pop channeling that “Material Girl” outfit, then be among the first 20 patrons to enter Valkyrie for free!

The legendary producer and songwriter helped invent disco in the 1970s with Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love”, “Love To Love You, Baby” and “Bad Girls” before conjuring the ’80s synth sound of film scores including Scarface, “Meet Me Half Way,” Top Gun”and “Reach Out” featuring the vocals of Paul Engermann. The song was written as a message of encouragement to the athletes of the 1984 Summer Olympics. “Together In Electric Dreams” sung by the British singer Philip Oakey went on to be more successful than the film of the same title.

“What A Feeling”, sung by Irene Cara from the movie Flashdance, was Moroder’s massive hit that went to no.1 1 on charts worldwide.

Moroder is officially the most veteran DJ in the world and a collaborator of the new Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories with three Oscars, three Golden Globes and four Grammys in addition to recently remixing Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett’s “I Can’t Give You Anything

Poster of Giorgio Moroder gig in Manila

but Love” and Coldplay’s “Midnight.”

Recently, Moroder released his first solo effort in over 30 years with Sony/RCA with contributors like Sia, Charli XCX, Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue and more. His first single, the title track from the album, is bluntly titled “74 Is the New 24”.

Experience what one of the world’s most illustrious musical talents has to offer on Nov. 19, as he will be making this event, The Biggest Disco Party in Manila featuring performances by DJ Boyet Almazan.

Tickets are now available at Valkyrie Nightclub or at SM Tickets (smtickets.com or 470-2222). Doors open at 9:00 pm and tickets will also be available at the venue. For VIP tables and other inquiries, please call Valkyrie Nightclub at (+63)917 6808888.

The Insectibles

Thomas Edison's Secret Lab

New adveNtures oN disCovery Kids Together with the greatest inventor of all time, kids will find out how fun science can be. Unknown to the world, Thomas Edison had a secret lab where he invented a virtual version of himself and a nearlycompleted robot to guide and inspire future generations of young scientists.

The secret lab, Edison’s virtual ego, and his prototype robot remained hidden until a 12-year-old prodigy cracked the secret-coded message that Edison left behind. The young genius and her science club move into the lab and the fun begins, including kids everywhere through a virtual link into their wacky world of discovery.

Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab airs 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Prepare to enter a world of micro proportions with macro adventures when Grandpa’s invention accidentally shrinks both Zak and Grandpa down to the size of insects.

With the aid of one bionic arm and three ‘enhanced’ insect friends Syd, Chowser and Willow, they are the Insectibles, finding themselves facing challenges beyond their wildest dreams. They bravely trek through grass blade forests and fight the evil mecha-mosquito, Adilla, with her daughter, Lidia, her faithful servant, Gnat, and a whole platoon of body-building cockroaches.

Can Zak and Grandpa find a way to un-shrink themselves before Adilla gets to them?

Find out on Discovery Kids’ newest show, The Insectibles, premiering on Nov. 23 and airing 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

C8 A sportsman, Derek Ramsay hosts ToughXRough a military-inspired racing series on TV5

S UNDAY : NOV EMBER 15, 2015

ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ derek rAmsAy

hosts world-Class aCtion on tV5 ISAH V. RED TV5 brings to Pinoy viewers the country’s first world-class Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) series that those hungering for real live action will surely enjoy. A partnership between TV5 network and Tough X Rough Asia made possible the launching of Tough X Rough (TxR), the first international OCR series in the country and the only OCR World Championship Qualifier in Asia.

Tough X Rough is patterned after military-type commando training and includes eight race events – threee short course and four long course, four boot camps and a National Championship, with the over-all winner for male and female individual, as well as top male and female teams, earning a free trip to the coveted OCR World Championships at the Blue Mountain Resort, the largest mountain resort in Ontario, Canada on Oct. 15 and 16.

Being the Philippines’ top sports channel and home of the best sporting events, TV5 is pioneering this newest competitive sport that is taking the world of sports by storm. With its local breakthrough here, Obstacle Race Series (OCR) promises Pinoy sports fans and participants an entirely new level of sports action that will see individuals pushed to their limits and the value of teamwork and sportsmanship in achieving one’s goals no matter how difficult the obstacles may be.

It is more than just a race… it’s about experience, hard work, perseverance, teamwork and the sense of community. Tough and Rough (TxR) will feature a select group of contestants going through grueling tests of individual courage and endurance. The international rules for OCR require competitors to race across various physical challeng-

David Voth brings the ToughXRough franchise to the Philippines

es along the route such as climbing over walls, lifting heavy objects, traversing bodies of water, crawling under barbed wire, and jumping through blazing hoops, etc., that are similar to those used in military training. Races vary both in distance and challenge levels; combining the skills for trail running, road running, and cross country running.

David Voth, the man behind Tough and Rough Asia has 30 years of proven track record in the international sports industry. Among several sports leagues and events to his credit are: Challenge Family Triathlons in the Philippines, F1 Night Race, 1st Youth Olympic Games, iRB Rugby, Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, Net Ball World Championships, WTA, NBA and FINA World Championships in Singapore, and Ironman Triathlon, among others.

Tough X Rough is set to start its exciting and action packed race in January 2016 and will be exclusive to your Kapatid network, with TV5’s very own hunk actor, Derek Ramsay as host.

“I am very excited about Tough X Rough. I’m sure it’s going to be an adventure that sports fans and enthusiasts like me would enjoy,” said Ramsay during the press presentation of the show at the NBA Café Manila at SM Auria.

A sportsman, Ramsay has competed for the Philippines’ National Ultimate Frisbee team and is currently the head ambassador of the Philippine National Beach Football team.

Luchie Cruz-Vadez is the most awarded news personality at the CMMAwards

HHHHH TV5 AwArded BesT News ProgrAm This year’s 37th Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA), one of the most prestigious award giving bodies in the country, gave its highest honors for broadcast journalism to News5, TV5’s news and information arm, citing its Aksyon Prime as Best News Program for 2015, hosted by multiple award-winning journalist, Luchi Cruz-Valdez and veteran reporter Erwin Tulfo. It airs at 6 p.m., Monday to Friday.

CMMA was established by the Archdiocese of Manila, through His Eminence Archbishop Jaime L. Cardinal Sin, in 1978, in observance of the International Social Communication Day and its first awards given out in 1978 and every year thereafter.

In 1980, Pope John Paul II (now Saint John Paul II) graced the awarding ceremonies. Handing out personally the trophies to the winners, he cited the significant place of mass media in today’s society, and its pervasive influence in the lives of the people.

Aside from the top prize in broadcast journalism, TV5 was also cited for its program Reaksyon as Best Talk Show and Kaya (episode on SAF 44) as Best Special Feature. Aksyon Prime news program airs weeknight. It carries the theme “Higit sa Balita Aksyon”,” a motto for its mission to provide viewers with the news and information that they need wherever they may be in the country.

Kaya, on the other hand, is a Saturday evening program that offers in-depth look on stories that affect the lives of Filipinos. It features the gutsy and intrepid reportorial work of veteran journalists Luchi Cruz-Valdes together with DJ Sta. Ana, Patrick Paez, Roby Alampay and Twink Macaraig.

Reaksyon consists of news commentaries aired daily in 30-minute episodes and hosted by News5 head Cruz-Valdes whose 30-year experience in the country’s broadcast journalism field has been recognized both here and abroad. ➜ Continued on C7