The Standard - 2015 November 30 - Monday

VOL. XXIX NO. 291 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 MONday : NOVEMBER 30, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Miriam on top in Facebook polling

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4 jihAdist cAMps For isis recruits

By Francisco Tuyay

FOREIGN jihadists linked to the Islamic State have established four training camps in the forested ridges of Mindanao to train Filipino militants who are being recruited as fighters for the terrorist group, a government source privy to anti-terror operations told The Standard Sunday.

The training camps are located in Sarangani, Cararao in Lanao province, Barangay Tanum in Patikul, Sulu, and Palembang in Sultan Kudarat, where student recruits are being trained for military operations.

On Saturday, the Palace said there was “no credible threat” to the Philippines from foreign jihadists.

The recruitment of young fight-

ers, mostly students, surfaced following the death of 22-year-old Datu Mongakang Dilangalen, nephew of former Maguindanao representative Digs Dilangalen on Friday in Palembang, Sultan Kudarat.

The young Dilangalen was with 50 militants led by the Indonesian terrorist Ibrahim Ali Sucipto who engaged security forces in a fourhour gun battle on the outskirts of

Palembang town. Sucipto and seven others were killed in the firefight.

“That’s how we knew there was an ongoing recruitment operation,” said Capt. Joan Petinglay, spokeswoman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division.

The Dilangalen family identified Mongakang—known as Mongs— from a photo of the bodies of the Next page

Clearing operation. Marines secure the alleged ISIS-influenced camp that they captured last week after killing at least eight jihadists in a firefight in the area. Mark Navales

Aquino attends climate meeting

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‘Duterte stands for order, not violence’

By Macon ramos-araneta and Christine F. Herrera DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte stands for order, not violence, his running mate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said Sunday.

Cayetano’s statement came as Duterte promised to kill up to 100,000 criminals and stamp out criminal-

ity during his first 100 days if he is elected president, and create a lucrative market for funeral parlors nationwide.

Responding to reporters who asked if summary executions of criminals would continue under his presidency, Duterte said: “Put up a funeral parlor—just not a high-end one.”

Duterte told Manila-based reporters

to go around his city at night and assured them no criminal would bother them—or they would pay the price.

Cayetano on Sunday was responding to criticism from his opponent for the vice presidency, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo of the ruling Liberal Party, who said they were able to develop Naga City the same Next page

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Aquino leaves for climate meet

By Sandy Araneta

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III left for Paris Sunday to attend the 21st Conference of Parties, where he will lead the meeting of 20 developing countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

In a press briefing at the airport before his departure, Aquino said the upcoming climate talks in Paris present an opportunity for world leaders to take collective action after failing to reach a consensus at the 2009 climate change conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Aquino is also scheduled to fly to Italy and the Vatican for working visits, after the trip to France.

Aside from leading the meeting of developing countries in the “Climate Vulnerable Forum,” Aquino said he will also share with world leaders the Philippines’ experience in responding to and recovering from natural disasters in recent years.

The President’s statement comes amid criticism of the slow pace of his adminis-

tration’s efforts to bring relief and rehabilitation to the victims of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan) in 2013, which left more than 6,000 people dead and devastated Eastern Visayas.

Aquino will be among 147 world leaders expected to participate in the COP21, which will be held in Le Bourget in the suburb of Paris, from Nov. 30 until Dec. 11.

In addition to participating in the climate change conference, Aquino said he will also meet with business groups in Paris to encourage investors to set up business in the Philippines.

He said he would also extend the country’s sympathies to France following the Nov. 13 terror attacks in Paris that left more than 100 people dead.

Following the climate talks in Paris, Aquino will fly to Rome, Italy to meet with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Matteo Renzi for the signing of agreements aimed at improving the livelihood of Filipino workers.

Aquino will also touch base with the Rome-based Filipino community to know their concerns.

From Rome, the President and his delegation will head to Vatican City to pay a reciprocal visit to Pope Francis, who was in the Philippines from Jan. 15 to 19.

Aquino will also witness the unveiling and the blessing of a mosaic sculpture of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, and will meet with Filipino priests and religious at the Vatican.

Earlier, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the Philippines has been chosen to lead the developing countries’ forum that was organized way back in 2009.

Senator Loren Legarda on Sunday warned that the country would experience more extreme weather conditions if nations represented in the Paris conference do not agree to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

“The Philippines cannot afford failure of the Paris talks,” said Legarda, chair of the Senate committee on climate change.

She said the Philippines has all the reasons to ensure that a legally binding and universal climate agreement is achieved in the 2015 Paris Climate Conference.

She said that a new study done by the Asian Development Bank entitled “Global Increase in Climate-Related Disasters” looked at disasters from 1970 to 2013 and observed that if carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere continued to rise, natural hazard-prone countries like the Philippines will be hit hard.

The ADB study suggests that climate ac-

tion needs to be a central component of national plans.

According to Vinod Thomas, co-author of the study and director general of the ADB’s Independent Evaluation, “Policymakers and economic advisors have long held the view that climate action is a drain on economic growth. But the reality is opposite: the vast damage from climate-related disasters is an increasing obstacle to economic growth and well-being.”

On the eve of the COP21, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan joined protesters in Rajah Sulaiman Plaza calling for climate justice and for holding accountable the world’s worst polluters. The group also assailed the Aquino government for its “carbon hypocrisy” in relation to climate change.

Carrying streamers calling for the banning of coal plants and large-scale foreign mining in the Philippines, Bayan called President Aquino as a protector of climate polluters.

“Aquino likes to talk big in gatherings abroad but his track record is appalling when it comes to climate issues. His administration has pushed for the increased use of dirty coal plants, where nearly 70 percent of the expected new capacity in power generation will be coming from coal-fired power plants,” said Bayan Secretary General Renato M. Reyes, Jr. With Macon Ramos-Araneta

4 jihadist...

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Close watch. An Indonesian jihadist lies dead in an ISIS camp that Marines secured last week after killing him and at least seven other jihadists. MARk NAvAleS

‘Duterte...

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way Duterte improved Davao without the mayor’s brand of leadership.

She warned that Duterte’s message of violence during the campaign would be dangerous.

Duterte said just as Robredo disapproves of his leadership style, he feels the same toward her own leadership brand.

“I do not also subscribe to the style of her leadership. She does not like me, I do not like her. So no problem,” the mayor said.

Cayetano said Robredo was wrong to compare Davao City with Naga.

“With all due respect to Representative Leni, I think she is wide off the mark on this one. Davao’s crime volume is way below that of Naga or Metro Manila, which are currently at alarming levels. This despite Davao City being bigger compared to Metro Manila and Naga, and home to a diverse population composed of Christians, Muslims, other ethnic groups and groups of opposing ideologies,” Cayetano said.

“Instead of attacking Mayor Duterte, let’s duly recognize his accomplishments, learn and find ways how his success can be replicated in other cities,” Cayetano added.

Cayetano noted that many of those who are moved by Mayor Duterte’s leadership are inspired by his achievements in pro-

moting peace and good governance.

“They are certainly not advocates of violence as many of them are in fact victims of crime,” Cayetano said.

“What they want is a leader with bold solutions and swift action, a leader that will restore order, rule of law and equality. This is what Mayor Duterte and his brand of leadership bring,” he said.

To effectively address the issue of rising criminality, Cayetano called for an end to “pointless political bickering” and instead work collectively in making the Philippines a safe place for Filipinos.

“Let us not resort to demolition. Let’s just work together in making our country safe for our people. This country needs a brave solution and swift action. It’s not easy to avert criminality and arrest criminals, but Mayor Duterte did this. He can also do this in the whole country,” he added.

Hours after he filed his Certificate of Candidacy for president through his lawyer at the Commission on Elections, Duterte faced House reporters and admitted he has a “dark side” as a leader and is known for being a womanizer as well as a killer of criminals.

“In my first 100 days in office, I will simultaneously deal with criminality and graft and corruption,” Duterte declared.

“I will not try to look clean here. I have my dark side, the usual—women, killing, they are but normal. I am the mayor here, I engage them in gunfights. I really kill them.”

He brushed aside accusations of violating the human rights of suspects.

“That’s their concern. I don’t care if they file cases against me. For as long as my people are safe, I don’t mind the legal cases,” he said.

In 2012, a Commission on Human Rights investigation found probable cause to recommend that the Office of the Ombudsman file murder charges against Duterte.

But the Ombudsman limited its investigation to police officers linked to the summary killings and found 21of them only guilty of “simple neglect of duty.”

On Sunday, senatorial candidate and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said Duterte exhibited the compassion or malasakit that Filipinos wanted from their leaders.

“I am one with Mayor Duterte in pushing transparency and accountability in public service that will truly care and genuinely serve the poorest of the poor. Let us bring back compassion to public service and the discipline in obeying the law to bring about peace and order. These are my commitments to Duterte and the Filipino people,” Romualdez said.

Romualdez, president of Lakas-CMD, thanked Duterte for choosing him as one of the guest candidates for senator of the PDPLaban, Duterte’s party.

“I am deeply humbled and honored for the support to us by Mayor Duterte,” Romualdez, a former chairman of the House committee on ethics, said.

slain militants, but refused to accept that he was a member of the terrorist group Ansar Khilafa Philippines.

The three other slain members of the AKP, according to the military, were Abdul Hali, Tatuh Sumail and Kira Sabiwang, all residents of Palembang town. It was still unknown where AKP leader Mohammad Jaafar Maguid was.

Bai Princess Dilangalen Piang Abdulrakman said they knew that Mongs was leaving for General Santos City last June.

The outskirts of General Santos City and its border with Sarangani serves as the operational base of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter leader Basit Usman, who was also instrumental in the formation of Ansar Khilafa Sarangani, which later became the AKP. The intelligence source said the training camp in Sultan Kudarat was adjacent to the area where Sucipto was killed.

“The Cararao complex in Lanao has long been established as training ground by the Jemaah Islamiya through the partnership of AKP self-proclaimed leader Mohammad Jaafar Maguid and Sucipto,” the source said.

The Sarangani camp, the source said, was being used as a staging ground for kidnapping operations against potential targets by the Tanum Group, composed of Abu Sayyaf bandits led by Mohammad Askali.

The Tanum Group was believed responsible for the abduction of three foreigners—two Canadians and Norwegian and a Filipina at a resort in Samal Island in Davao province.

On Saturday, military and police agents arrested one of the Abu Sayyaf bandits reportedly involved in the series of kidnappings in Malaysia and Tawi-Tawi, when he was involved in a car accident in Panamao, Jolo, in Sulu.

Gen. Alan Arrojado, chief of the Joint Task Force in Sulu, identified the ASG militant as Kadaffy Kamsa who was arrested at a hospital in Asturias, Jolo. He was charged with illegal possession of firearms and reckless imprudence resulting in physical injury.

Kamsa is being guarded for possible retaliatory action by the ASG. Arrojado said Kamsa was with two other ASG members Badong Kamsa and Nixon Manda, who were able to escape from the scene of accident.

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Duterte not surprised by defections from LP DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said Sunday he was not surprised that many stalwarts from the ruling Liberal Party were deserting its standard-bearer Manuel Roxas II because Roxas was a “hard-sell.”

"It is a reflection of the situation there," Duterte said in a radio interview in Davao City.

"Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Compostela Valley, Davao Occidental and Davao City used to be one big political unit. Region 11 used to be a part of Davao province whose capital is Davao City, so it does not really surprise me."

But Duterte said he was incapable of offering political machinery or financial support to the LP officials who were shifting to his camp.

He made his statement even as Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexie Nograles said Duterte's leading the surveys in the National Capital Region at 34 percent was a “protest vote” by the metropolis’ voters. He said the voters were “dismayed” by the performance of the Aquino administration.

Nograles, who is seeking his third and last term and is running unopposed in the first district of Davao, said the voters in the NCR preferred Duterte as they were looking for the “exact opposite” of Roxas.

Nograles said Metro Manila’s voters were frustrated at the way the Aquino administration handled the SAF 44 massacre, the Yolanda relief and rehabilitation operations, the Metro Rail Transit mess, the traffic woes and the case of the bullet-planting syndicate at the airport.

Christopher Lawrence Go, Duterte’s executive assistant, on Sunday confirmed he will be announced as the standard bearer of the Partido Demokratiko ng PilipinasLaban ng Demokratikong Pilipino at the Century Park Ho-

tel in Manila today, Monday.

Among those who reportedly have abandoned Roxas’ camp were former Tagum City mayor Rey Uy and congressional candidate Antonio Floirendo Jr. “No matter how we campaign for Roxas, the people will still go for Duterte. We should consider that reality,” Uy said.

“I hope [Roxas] will appreciate my honesty because I don’t want to be accused of being dishonest and I don’t want to betray the LP. “Yes, I tried hard, but Digong’s [Duterte’s] iron leadership and his [stance] on illegal drugs abuse [as well as] graft and corruption [fit] the leadership that we need.

Of course, this is a once-ina-lifetime opportunity for Mindanao to represent our country.”

Another regional party stalwart, Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario, said Duterte’s entry to the presidential campaign would change the manner Mindanao would vote for the 2016 presidential derby.

“How else could it affect the Mindanao vote but towards an upward direction. After all, Mayor Digong is the mayor of Davao City and is a Mindanaoan,” Del Rosario said.

“I would imagine so. It would change the equation here in Mindanao. It’s given, especially here in Region 11 because if [Duterte] would run, the whole region would vote for Digong.”

Duterte has warned his political party PDP-Laban to accept his apparent running mate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano from the Nacionalista Party.

“PDP-Laban should also accept my running mate.

Remove Alan and I’ll withdraw from the race,” Duterte told reporters in Davao. John Paolo Bencito and christine F. herrera

Off to Europe. President Benigno Aquino III delivers a statement before his departure for Europe for the conference on climate change and his official visit to Italy and the Holy See. Malacañang PhOtO BurEau

Santiago is top choice in social media polling SENATOR Miriam Defensor Santiago on Sunday said social media had led to an extraordinary change in voting attitude among Filipinos because she had emerged as the netizens’ top choice for president in a Facebook-based poll.

“Social media is the key to winning the 2016 elections,” said Santiago who is running for president in 2016 under the People’s Reform Party.

She said traditional politicians could always pay for advertisements or even pre-election surveys, but no amount of money could silence Filipinos on social media,” Santiago said.

The latest results of the survey on Facebook page Pinoy History showed that 48.36 percent of the respondents want Santiago as president in 2016 despite the fact that she is the only presidential aspirant who has yet to

release campaign ads.

The bets bombarding the media with ads tailed Santiago: Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, 42.35 percent; former Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, 3.86 percent; Senator Grace Poe, 2.15 percent; and Vice President Jejomar Binay, 1.28 percent.

The group behind the survey claims the results show “the real score of candidates in the upcoming presidential elections” according to the 40-million media uses in the Philippines.

Since announcing her presidential bid in October, Santiago has not tapped the traditional media—radio, television or print—for ads in deference to election laws that intended to limit the campaign period to Feb. 9 up to May 7.

In the 2009 case of Peñera v. Commission on Elections, the Supreme Court ruled that the offense of premature campaigning has been decriminalized by R.A. 8436, or the New Poll Automation Law, as amended.

To reject the Peñera doctrine, Santiago has filed Senate Bill 2445, or the Anti-Premature Campaigning Bill, which seeks to prohibit candidates and even prospective candidates from campaigning a year before the elections.

“A protracted campaign period corrupts elected officials because it allows them to spend more and more money for ads. They are bound to steal that money back when they are in office,” Santiago said.

“In addition, sincere but poor candidates always lose their chance to serve the public to richer and more popular candidates. In the absence of a law that will break this cycle, social media is the equalizer.”

Despite not having ads, Santiago has consistently topped the online pre-election surveys. In a recent survey on the official Facebook fan page of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Santiago was chosen by some 64 percent of 135,622 respondents. Macon ramos-araneta

Binay vows to develop Mindanao

ready for Monday. A caretaker of the Bonifacio Shrine in Cavite cleans his bronze statue for today’s commemoration of what would have been his 152nd birth anniversary.

Danny Pata

VICE President Jejomar Binay on Sunday vowed to develop Mindanao with increased government spending for social services and more infrastructure, a bigger share of national taxes for local governments, and more foreign investors in agriculture and power.

In a speech at the Kusog Mindanaw’s Presidential Forum in Davao City, Binay said Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao, both in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, belonged to the poorest provinces.

To ease poverty in Mindanao, he said, his administration would start by allocating a higher share of the internal revenue allotment or IRA for the poor municipalities there if he won the presidency.

“We shall endeavor to give

the poorer third- to fifth-class municipalities a bigger share of the IRA,” Binay said.

“At present, the 34-percent shared by close to 1,500 municipalities is not sufficient to finance economic activities and social services in the countryside, especially municipalities that are IRAdependent.”

Binay also said his administration would strive to create a business environment that will attract investors in agriculture and manufacturing and generate more jobs in these sectors.

“These sectors absorb lowskilled and less-educated workers,” he said, noting that the majority of Mindanaoans were subsistence farmers and landless laborers.

According to the World Bank, Mindanao’s unemployment rate is 5.3 percent

compared to Luzon’s 8.5 percent, but underemployment is higher in Mindanao at 21 percent compared to Luzon’s 18 percent.

Mindanao’s formal sector is also small and skewed towards the Davao region at 15 percent and Northern Mindanao at 25 percent.

Moreover, manufacturing is very small and agriculture, despite being the dominant sector, is the least productive.

“We will promote cacao, coffee and coconut since these crops give Mindanao a competitive advantage. We will undertake an aggressive expansion of rural infrastructure and improvement of supply chain and logistics,” Binay said.

He also vowed to invest more in social services under his presidency. Macon ramos-araneta

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‘Bonifacio was first president’

By John Paolo Bencito

AHEAD of the 152nd anniversary of his birth today, Andres Bonifacio is the subject of an online petition that seeks to recognize him as the first president of the Philippines instead of Emilio Aguinaldo.

The petition in the online social platform change.org started by De La Salle University professor and historian Michael Charleston Chua has generated over 4,500 signatures.

The petition to declare Bonifacio, revered as the “Supremo ng Katipunan” is aimed at “giving justice to the man who fathered the Filipino Nation.”

“To recognize Bonifacio’s presidency is to recognize the first manifestation of a government of national unity in the Philippines which even-

tually led to the birth of the First Constitutional Democratic Republic in Asia, the Republica Filipina, led by General Emilio Aguinaldo,” read the online petition.

The board of the National Historical Institute, in a unanimous ruling last July 7, 1994, declared that the petition to grant a state funeral for Andres Bonifacio as the head of the Filipino Nation or State cannot be fully granted because it “necessarily reverses the verdict of death by an Aguinaldo-constituted judicial process a century ago against the

Bonifacio brothers.”

“The reversal by a contemporary non-judicial act of private entities can no longer change what happened in the past,” NHI said.

Historians also argued that Bonifacio should not be made president because that would require a revision of textbooks that might confuse schoolchildren.

Earlier, a resolution from the Makabayan bloc of lawmakers to recognize Bonifacio as the first Philippine president was filed in Congress.

Reps. Luzviminda Ilagan and Emmerenciana de Jesus (Gabriela partylist), Neri Colmenares and Carlos Zarate (Bayan Muna), Antonio Tinio (Act), Fernando Hicap (Anakpawis) and Terry Ridon (Kabataan) filed House Resolution 651 seeking to recognize Bonifacio as the country’s first president and urging President Be-

nigno Aquino Jr. to institute, through the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education, measures to disseminate what they said was a historical fact in history books.

They said original and authentic documents of the Philippine Revolution against Spain attested to by historians of note such as Milagros Guerrero, Emmanuel Encarnacion and Ramon Villegas said Bonifacio founded the first national government of the Philippines and served as its president from Aug. 24, 1896 until his tragic death on May 10, 1897.

The lawmakers said the August 1896 transformation of the Katipunan into a revolutionary government and the ensuing election of Bonifacio to the presidency were also confirmed by Pio Valenzuela in his testimony before Spanish authorities upon his surrender on Sept. 2, 1896.

Groupie with lanterns. University of the Philippines students pose in front of the newly installed Christmas lanterns at the Diliman campus, part of an installation art piece by sculptor Toym Imao. JANSEN ROMERO

Escudero: Promote rights of bikers

By Macon Araneta IN THE wake of the World Health Organization finding that 53 percent of vehicular accident fatalities in the Philippines were riding motorcycles, Sen. Francis Escudero urged the government to utilize the road users’ tax to mount a massive campaign to promote the motorcycle riders’ rights.

The WHO said in its Global Status Report on Road Safety for 2015 that riders of two- or threewheel vehicles topped the list of road user deaths in the Philippines in 2013.

According to the study based on the 2013 Traffic Accident Recording and Analysis System of the Department of Public Works and Highways, pedestrians made up 19 percent of the road user deaths; drivers of four-wheel cars and light vehicles, 14 percent, and their passengers, 11 percent; and cyclists, 2 percent.

In the study, the WHO estimated the road user deaths in the Philippines at 10,379.

Escudero said the campaign should promote road courtesy, emphasizing that motorcycle riders are not inferior to those who use four-wheel vehicles.

“We have to remind our motorists to respect the rights of their fellow motorists, especially motorcycle riders,” said Escudero.

“At the same time, we also have to educate motorcycle riders to respect their fellow motorists’ rights by not weaving in and out of the lanes. The riders also have to be warned against risktaking behavior, like riding without protective gear or under the influence of alcohol,” he added.

High-def CCTV for airport pushed A LAWMAKER has proposed the installation of high-definition closed-circuit surveillance cameras in baggage scanning areas of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and all other airports nationwide to prevent illegal activities involving airport security personnel.

Rep. Mark A. Villar of Las Piñas City filed House Bill 6243 or the proposed Luggage Surveillance Act of 2015 to stop alleged incidents of bullet-planting and extortion by security personnel which have sowed fear among tourists and local residents.

“These incidents are truly inimical to our tourism industry and to the national economy. We can utilize technology to our advantage, especially in protecting people and in preventing undesirable incidents from happening,” Villar said.

Villar pointed out that the use of high-definition CCTV cameras will also be an added security measure against unlawful schemes that have not yet been anticipated.

“The use of closed-circuit television system cameras in public places and in business establishments has proven to be useful in identifying and catching offenders, and in preventing crimes from happening due to the fear of being caught,” Villar said.

The measure requires the installation of HD cameras in all baggage checking areas in airport terminals.

These cameras shall be online 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Video recordings should also be kept for a period not less than 60 days after being taken.

Fake bomb. Bomb experts from the Manila police inspect a ‘grenade’ thrown at the crowd gathered outside the University of Santo Tomas on España, Manila on Sunday, during the holding of the bar examinations. DANNY PATA

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Ilocanos’ bets. Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos (right) and senatorial candidates Ferdinand Martin Romualdez (left) and Susana Ople watch the performance of the different municipalities of Ilocos Norte during street-dance competition of the 5th Tan-Ok Ni Ilocano (The Festival of Festivals ) held at President Ferdinand Marcos Stadium in Laoag City. VER NOVENO

‘Feesbook’ to cut red tape proposed

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SINCE the government will collect around P40 billion from “fees and charges” for permits and licenses next year, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto wants to publish them online in the form of “Feesbook” The cost and time needed to get the documents should also be detailed on the Feesbook account, Recto said.

It should be explained on Feesbook “how much and how long” it would take a citizen to secure permits and licenses, the senator said.

A Feesbook, he added, could also reduce red tape, which, according to a World Bank report issued last October, cost the country P140 billion in opportunity losses annually.

While some agencies have posted the cost of documents they issue on their websites, Recto noted that there is still “no unified sourcebook” as to

the schedule of fees agencies are charging for their services.

“The measure of a transparent government is the ease by which citizens get services from the government, especially documents that must be paid for,” he said.

According to Recto, the “Feesbook” must contain the name of the employees and the location of offices from where the desired document will be applied for, processed and paid.

“It could be a portal for online ‘shopping’ of documents, a virtual tour of the offices where it can be secured, and with a Google map on how to get there if physical appearance is re-

quired in applying for a document,” he said.

“But if all of these can be transacted online, without compromising the authenticity of both the applicant and the permit applied for, then all the better,” Recto said.

The senator reiterated his call for a “Feesbook” as government income from fees and charges is expected to reach P40 billion this year, up from the P36.4-billion goal this year.

He described the P40 billion as a “conservative minimum” as it only includes fees and charges considered as non-tax revenues and does not count payments for licenses classified as taxes, such as car registration fees.

The latter, officially called Motor Vehicle User’s Charge, will bring in P14.5 billion to the national coffers next year.

Total non-tax revenue collection target for 2016 is P151.5 billion, which is P6.1 billion bigger than this year’s.

Justice clears way for tax bill okay provides that “the State shall promote a just ang dynamic social order that THE Department of Justice has will ensure the prosperity and inexpressed no objection to the pas- dependence of the nation and free sage by Congress of the proposed the people from poverty through Tax Incentives Management and policies that provide adequate social Transparency Act, which enhances services, promote full employment, a transparency and accountability in rising standard of living and an imthe grant and administration of tax proved quality of life for all.”

The proposed law requires all incentives to business entities and registered business entities to corporations.

In a legal opinion released Fri- electronically file their annual tax day, the DoJ gave its approval to the returns and pay their tax liabilienactment of Timta under Senate ties with the Bureau of Internal Bill No. 2669 and House Bill No. Revenue every year and to sub5831 that were both approved by mit a complete annual tax incentives report of their income-based Congress earlier this year.

“The passage of the enrolled bill tax exemptions, value-added tax will promote transparency and ac- and duty exemptions, deductions, countability in granting tax incen- credits or exclusions from the tax tives for registered business enti- to their respective IPAs. The IPAs, in turn, will submit the ties administered by Investment annual report to the BIR. Promotion Agencies and will enIn the same law, the Department able the government to monitor, review and analyze the economic of Finance is tasked to maintain a impact of such incentives,” the Jus- single database of reports submittice department said, in an opinion ted by the BIR and Bureau of Cussigned by DoJ Undersecretary Em- toms for monitoring and analysis of tax incentives. The DoF is also manuel Caparas.

The DoJ said the country would required to submit to the Departreap the benefits from this measure ment of Budget and Management that will be consistent with Article 2, the aggregate data also for moniSection 9 of the Constitution which toring purpose.

By Rey E. Requejo

Rights advocacy groups take up cudgels for foundlings like Poe CHILDREN’S rights advocacy groups on Sunday lambasted those who “seek to marginalize foundlings,” saying abandoned children should not be denied of the basic right to have a nationality and the aspiration to serve the country.

Lawyer Arpee Santiago,

director of the Ateneo Law School‘s Human Rights Center, said that “a foundling need not do anything to acquire his or her citizenship. Thus, falls under their requirement of the Constitution.”

“This interpretation is consistent with the best interest of the child under the Conven-

tion on the Rights of the Child and the Statelessness Convention,” Santiago said.

Celia Capadocia-Yangco, former Undersecretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, also said that in her 45 years of working as a civil servant and career executive service

officer in the DSWD, she never had any doubts regarding the citizenship of foundlings as the Philippine Constitution upholds the rights of all children.

“I have known that the right to Philippine citizenship is a fundamental human right of all children, found-

lings included,” CapadociaYangco, who was also once DSWD acting secretary, said in a statement.

“All children did not ask to be born. But once born, they have the right to a name, a nationality, a family, and to all other rights that will redound to their full development as

human beings,” she said.

The citizenship of a foundling was placed under scrutiny when Rizalito David, a defeated 2013 senatorial candidate, filed a disqualification case against Senator Grace Poe before the Senate Electoral Tribunal.

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Senate sets aside P6.7b for seniors’ health perks

By Joel E. Zurbano The Senate has approved the allocation of P6.78 billion to cover the Philhealth benefits of 2.8 million senior citizens in the country, Senator Ralph Recto said on Saturday.

Senators also approved the inclusion in the P3-trillion 2016 national budget of P7.5 billion required to grant P6,000 annual aid to 1,182,914 indigent elders. The funding complies with Republic Act 10645, which is authored by Recto and makes mandatory the automatic Philhealth membership of senior citizens.

In a statement, Recto said the

P6.78 billion for the medical insurance of senior citizens is part of the P43.8 billion the government will spend in 2016 for insurance premiums of 18.24 million poor households.

The law stated that there is no need for elders to present a Philhealth card, but only a valid identification card proving his or her identity and age, to

avail themselves of PhiIhealth benefits. of the 6.3 million senior citizens in the country, an estimated 2.8 million are neither Philhealth members, nor dependents of Philhealth members.

The P6.8-billion allocation will pay for the health insurance of those not presently captured by any of Philhealth coverage schemes.

Recto said on the government’s Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens Program, the 2016 funding of P7.51 billion is P1.54 billion bigger than the P5.96 billion this year.

The P1.54-billion increase would fund the enrolment of

an additional 243,332 seniors, whose numbers will increase to 1,182,914 from this year’s 939,609.

“We are promoting the idea that all indigent seniors 60 years old and above must be covered by the proposed allocation. The policy is No Senior Left Behind,” Recto said.

Recto said the Senate has a good track record in expanding the coverage of social protection programs. he cited the 2015 budget of the senior pension program, which was originally pegged at P4.76 billion but which the Senate successfully raised to P5.96 billion, “by cutting the fat in the budget and rechanneling it to good programs.”

Groupie. Senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. and former members of Kabataang Barangay whoop it up at the Universidad de Manila during the 40th Kabataang Barangay anniversary. The young Marcos bats for a strong youth organization that will respond to the need of every Filipino.

DANNY PATA

‘Lottery abolition bad for charity office’

By Rio Araja A CAUSe-oRIeNTeD group on Sunday said the abolition of Small Town Lottery would do more harm than good to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes office since the charity agency relies on such gaming scheme to generate funds that provide the poor with the much-needed medical assistance.

Benjamin Peralta of the Filipino Alliance for Transparency and empowerment Inc. said the STL has raked in millions of pesos to the PCSo’s coffers, and that its abolition would be a great disservice to the public, particularly the marginalized sector.

Peralta wondered what prompted PCSo Chairman erineo Maliksi to even consider the STL abolition.

Peralta raised concern that the STL might be replaced by another gaming scheme to be operated by vested interest.

According to Peralta, while Maliksi is a respectable public servant, he must explain why he would prefer to replace the STL with another gaming operation. he said they were taken aback when the PCSo chief announced the agency had no more funds.

Because of the rift within the PCSo, the group claimed social workers have been demoralized over claims that some beneficiaries were given preferential treatment. he, however, said there are poor patients who have been actually taken to hospitals that are adequately equipped with facilities for rare diseases.

PH-Israel group seeks water plan to ease El Niño impact The Philippines is wasting too much water and if Israel could have 10 percent of the water we waste that would bolster to a large extent Israel’s food production.

This was aired by Israeli members of the Philippines-Israel Business association of which investor-agriculturist Gonzalo Catan Jr., executive vice president of Mapecon Green Charcoal Philippines Inc., and his wife, the former Nancy Russel, are members.

Catan finds it appalling that the country has so much water brought by strong rain but can’t have enough of it when the dry season comes resulting in heavy losses on agricultural products worth billions of pesos.

The country gets too much water during rainy season but not enough for irrigation come summer, he said, adding the rain is intended for the farms, not for the sea.

This wouldn’t be the scenario if we

had an effective water management program. With government assistance, farmers can put up water impounding mini dams like what they have in some parts of the Cordillera region where small impounding dams mitigate the effects of drought on crops.

During dry season, Cordillera has minimal damage on crops because of availability of water from impounding projects at strategic portions of river systems and small dams constructed with the help of government agencies. This ensures continuous supply of irrigation water at the height of drought.

Water Management, according to Catan, is practice in different countries. When he visited Taiwan, for instance, he observed many water impounding dams. every day he saw water tankers delivering water to different farms.

Numbers game. A man places his bet for Small Town Lottery in Manila on Sunday, Nov. 29. The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office operates STL but PCSO chairman Erineo Maliksi wants the scheme scrapped. EY ACASIO

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

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NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Ceza exec says banned imported cars intact

By Brenda Jocson

It’s the drive. A couple is headed home to the mountains of Sarangani province. SONNY ESPIRITU

Ex-Antique governor, son face plunder before Ombudsman

By Rio N. Araja FORMER Antique Gov. Exequiel Javier and his son, Antique Rep. Paulo Everardo Javier, are facing a plunder complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman by two local journalists in connection with alleged anomalous projects in the province amounting to P500 million.

Wilson Geronimo of Voice FM radio and Modesto Montano, a freelance broadcaster, charged the two Javiers and seven others of plunder over alleged rigged bidding of infrastructure projects, overpriced purchases and other serious violations of the procurement law based on the findings of the Commission on Audit.

The complainants said the Javiers must be held criminally

liable for violation of Republic Act 7080 or the Plunder Law and administratively accountable for non-feasance, malfeasance, dishonesty and grave misconduct.

“Ex-governor [Exequiel] Javier, in conspiracy with, and with the indispensable complicity of his co-respondents herein, purposely and systematically orchestrated the massive raid, diversion and/or misuse of the funds of the Prov-

ince of Antique as found by the Commission on Audit,” the complaint read.

Also named as co-accused were provincial administrator and bids and awards committee chairman Efren Esclavilla, BAC secretariat head and provincial general services officer Antonio de la Vega, BAC vice chairman and assistant provincial engineer Ireneo Varono, BAC member Fortunato Fabila Jr. and Ana Maria Moscoso.

Private individuals—Norberto Fedelicio and Nestor Kho Yute— owners of construction firms Settlers Builders and NK Enterprise, respectively, were implicated.

Based on the complaint, P500 million of government funds was plundered by the respondents during the term of the older Javier as governor from year 2000 until he

was ordered removed from office by the Commission on Elections on Feb. 2, 2015.

Javier was removed from his post for the suspension of a mayor in the 2013 election.

Based on the 2015 audit memorandum, P500 million worth of infrastructure projects were awarded to Settlers Builders and NK Enterprise with rigged biddings and with the two construction firms having no proven financial capacity to carry out the projects.

The complainants averred the construction firms, suspected to be fronts of the older Javier, bagged the various infrastructure projects.

Geronimo and Montano said Settlers Builders and NK Enterprise were ineligible as the concerned contracts for the projects were way beyond their net financial contracting capacity.

SANTA ANA, Cagayan—Cagayan Economic Zone Authority officials have denied reports of imported used high-end cars impounded at Port Irene here being sneaked out of the port and into Mindanao.

Sources who refused to be identified claim that some of the high-end cars were hidden inside closed container vans and then hauled to the Manila pier via the Cagayan-Ilocos or Cagayan-Nueva Ecija routes.

They were then shipped to a port somewhere in Mindanao where their registration is believed to be processed.

But Joyce Marie JimeCalimag, Ceza public relations chief, said: “The allegations are nothing but malicious and libelous talk aimed at besmirching the reputation of the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport and government agencies,” Calimag said.

The imported vehicles from Japan which will have to undergo conversion from right-hand to lef-hand drive include Honda Fit and Toyota BB subcompacts; Toyota MR2 Spyder convertibles and Nissan Fairlady Z and Mercedes Benz SL200 sedans; Toyota Alphard and Hi-Ace vans; and Toyota Land Cruisers and Mitsubishi Pajeros, and Hyundai Starex vans and other units from South Korea.

She said other government agencies involved in monitoring and supervising importation and exportation operations in the Cagayan free port are the Bureau of Customs, the Land Transportation Office and the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

Thus, for any irregularity, these agencies can be held accountable because monitoring and supervision by these agencies begin from the moment the commodity arrives at the Cagayan free port until it is turned over to another jurisdiction, she added.

‘Peace boats’ to help Samar fisherfolk recover from Yolanda

By Mel Caspe LOCAL fisherfolk from three Eastern Samar towns, who were among the victims of SuperTyphoon “Yolanda’’ (Haiyan) in 2013, recently received a total of 63 so-called peace boats, a joint project of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and the Agencia Española Cooperacion International para el Desarrollo (AECID or Spanish Aid).

The peace boats are called BangKapayapaan.

“We know that the Yolanda experience can never meet our imagination, how hard it was for you, but we are here to extend the kind of help you deserve. We are here to strengthen and build relationships in our pursuit of peace and prosperity,” said OPAPP secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles during the turnover ceremony

held in the town of Hernani, Eastern Samar.

The 63 boats comprise the latest batch turned over to the Yolanda-devastated fishing communities in Samar Island under the joint OPAPP-AECID project. The Boat and Net Livelihood Project or ‘‘BangKapayapaan,’’ was conceptualized after Yolanda hit vast parts of the country in November 2013.

The project should benefit 400 fisherfolk from selected coastal communities. Each “peace boat” comes complete with gear, fishnet and engine.

Recipients of the boats were identified through case studies and assessments made by their respective Municipal Social Welfare and Development offices. The communities were identified based on the number of coastal barangays per municipality, and the number of actual fishers severely affected.

Starting point. Members of the Peace Caravan begin their journey in Semirara and end in Malacañang.

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

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opinion

ADELLE chuA editoR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

rody ‘do dirty’ BacK channel aleJandRo del RosaRio

[ EDI TORI A L ]

What is oWed us NEWLY minted presidential candidate Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte says he is not in favor of lowering the income tax rates because his administration will need money to repair an ailing economy left behind by President Aquino.

The candor is commendable, particularly in the heat of an election campaign, but this makes Duterte no different from the standard bearer of the ruling Liberal Party, Manuel Roxas II, who has steadfastly maintained the line of President Aquino, that funds are needed to pursue the government’s various programs, including infrastructure and social programs.

When Duterte says that people complain about being taxed to death because the services they deserve are hard to come by and are not seen or felt, he is only half-correct.

Basic public services that any decent government should provide to its people—efficient transportation, education, law and order, health—are things that are owed us, regardless of who is president. People are complaining not just because they are not receiving these services, but because working men and women pay an inordinately high proportion of their salaries in taxes.

At the minimum, candidates Duterte and Roxas should at least acknowledge that based on several studies, including one by the Tax Management Association of the Philippines, Filipinos already pay the highest taxes in Southeast Asia.

At the minimum, candidates Duterte and Roxas should acknowledge that carving out one-third of the salary from the breadwinner of a middle-class family is excessive.

If candidate Duterte had done his homework, he would have realized that Filipino taxpayers do not enjoy the services that are owed them because this government has been glacially slow in spending on infrastructure. One needs only consider the unfinished flyover leading to and from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to realize what is wrong. The construction was supposed to have been completed in time for the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation summit that Manila hosted earlier this month, but was held back, among other things, by the government’s failure to address right-of-way issues.

The project has been held back, not by lack of funds, but by sheer incompetence.

University of the Philippines economist and former Budget secretary Benjamin Diokno observes that this administration has been wary of spending because a rising deficit might cause a downgrade in the country’s standing among international ratings agencies.

In 2014, for example, the Aquino government targeted a budget deficit of P266.2 billion or 2 percent of gross domestic product, but had an actual deficit of only P73.1 billion, or 0.6 percent of GDP. The lower deficit, Diokno noted, was not the result of higher revenues or prudent spending, but incompetence and poor budget planning.

Duterte says he needs money to pursue all these infrastructure projects that the country needs. But adequate funding, if we are to go by the constant rise in the national budget, is not the problem. The problem is incompetence and corruption that siphon funds away from the infrastructure and services that are owed us.

Any reasonable candidate for president in 2016 must act on the basis that the government owes us two things—better public services and tax relief. Just promising one without the other is simply unacceptable.

Advent: CelebrAtion And sobriety pensées fR. Ranhilio callangan aquino There is the future, and there is the Future. Deciding on an out-of-town trip two weeks from today is planning the future. Of this future, calendars and planners are relevant. One calculates. But there is depth to being human, a depth that philosophers and theologians at various times have spoken of

as “the soul,” because I ask, as at one time or the other we all do, what, ultimately, the sense might be in taking up space on earth for sixty, seventy or some years, and then going, it seems, the way of all flesh: death and decay. It is no longer activities about which one is concerned when being thoughtful about the FUTUre. It is rather worth, value and meaning about which one asks. And while one expects what one can mark on calendars, the future to which our smartphones alert us when we enter our ap-

pointments in our digital calendars, in respect to the question emanating from the human soul about ultimate worth and value, one can only hope. expectation is utterly inappropriate!

That is the joy of Advent, and it is a pity that not too much attention is given the season other than to go through it as the apparently necessary prelude to Christmas, like one cannot enjoy the romantic passages played by the french horn in Tchaikovsky’s 6th symphony, without the initial, almost in-

We can never reconcile ourselves with ultimate meaninglessness.

audible bars of the bassoon.

What marks the season is the joy of hope. It is a privilege to be able to hope for so often have we been told by sage and fool alike that hoping is futile. heidegger was farthest from rallying humankind to the revival of religion when, in the Der spiegel interview he gave

A9

that centered on the question of technology, he said that “only a god can save us.” But what so on point in his reflections was that, by ourselves, we are using, manipulating, technology-driven beings who thrive by functioning: the functioning of things, and our constant maneuvers by which reduce

others to functions, we children of the 20th and 21st centuries, and something very much more than a shift in gears—something as apocalyptic as the advent of god, or the advent of his absence—may allow for that tectonic upheaval from the reduction of all things to function and usefulness.

Advent, as we celebrate it in the Church, is farthest from a loathing of our finiteness and our morality. It is joy in the time that existence is and the history that humankind is all about. exuberance is tempered by sobriety,

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City.

Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial), 832-5546, (Advertising), 832-

and that is why its liturgical color is purple, because all we have this side of reality is bareness: the bareness of an elderly woman well beyond childbearing years, and the bareness of a young girl of marriagable age (‘almaparthenos-virgo) who has “not yet known man.” The Future is never ours to determine for ourselves and when we allow Mary to articulate our despondency by asking: “how is this possible? ...It is impossible” then the heavenly messenger—not some echo of our own petty thoughts, but a voice

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

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

from the absolute Other, assures us that the holy spirit, power of which we are absolutely incapable but so graciously granted us, of which we certainly are not the agents, will make all the difference.

But Advent is no mere invitation to the rarefied atmosphere of abstraction and speculation. It has to do with our deepest fears, as well as our deepest longings.

We can never reconcile ourselves with ultimate Continued on A10

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

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

There’s “Dirty harry” and there’s “rody Do Dirty.”

We are not saying Davao City Mayor rodrigo Duterte is going to be a dirty president if and when he wins the presidency. By his own words, Duterte said he will fatten the fish by dumping all the bodies of criminals in Manila Bay. There’s a law against pollution and dirtying the waters of the bay.

Duterte knows what makes a good sound bite but environmentalists and human rights advocates will surely go after the tough-talking mayor who’s not shy about how he has cleaned up his city of criminals using extreme measures.

Metro Manilans who are sick and tired of being victims of criminals are looking at Duterte as the new sheriff in town.

This explains Duterte’s high favorable rating in Metro Manila in the last social Weather stations survey.

It’s not known whether daughter sarah who can throw a mean punch will be named deputy sheriff; she could be first lady as Duterte has admitted to having two wives. That could pose a household management problem in Malacañang.

But first, Duterte must overtake Grace Poe and Mar roxas in the poll surveys before we can seriously think about his protocol problem. It’s Grace Poe who’s ahead in the surveys who has to decide whether husband Neil Llamanzares should already renounce his American citizenship if he wants to become first gentleman.

The bigger questions is this: how will the Commission on elections decide the residency/citizenship disqualification case against Poe? Will it allow Duterte to substitute for Martin Dino as PDPLaban presidential candidate? While they are separate issues, the two cases are inextricably linked in that they have a bearing on the outcome of the 2016 presidential race.

Will Comelec chief Andres Bautista get the word from Malacañang on how to decide the two cases? The Palace itself could be in a bind. Disqualifying Grace Poe may not necessarily mean her votes would go to Mar. They could shift to Duterte if the latter is allowed to run by the Comelec. so let’s not be surprised if the Comelec in an en banc decision rules Grace unqualified and Duterte’s substitution too late—and also because Dino himself is a nuisance candidate who filed his CoC only to step aside for his boss.

Mar roxas is a hard sell to voters.

With the ruling Liberal Party’s resources and political machinery, he should have already at least tied Grace Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

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

A8

opinion

ADELLE chuA editoR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

rody ‘do dirty’ BacK channel aleJandRo del RosaRio

[ EDI TORI A L ]

What is oWed us NEWLY minted presidential candidate Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte says he is not in favor of lowering the income tax rates because his administration will need money to repair an ailing economy left behind by President Aquino.

The candor is commendable, particularly in the heat of an election campaign, but this makes Duterte no different from the standard bearer of the ruling Liberal Party, Manuel Roxas II, who has steadfastly maintained the line of President Aquino, that funds are needed to pursue the government’s various programs, including infrastructure and social programs.

When Duterte says that people complain about being taxed to death because the services they deserve are hard to come by and are not seen or felt, he is only half-correct.

Basic public services that any decent government should provide to its people—efficient transportation, education, law and order, health—are things that are owed us, regardless of who is president. People are complaining not just because they are not receiving these services, but because working men and women pay an inordinately high proportion of their salaries in taxes.

At the minimum, candidates Duterte and Roxas should at least acknowledge that based on several studies, including one by the Tax Management Association of the Philippines, Filipinos already pay the highest taxes in Southeast Asia.

At the minimum, candidates Duterte and Roxas should acknowledge that carving out one-third of the salary from the breadwinner of a middle-class family is excessive.

If candidate Duterte had done his homework, he would have realized that Filipino taxpayers do not enjoy the services that are owed them because this government has been glacially slow in spending on infrastructure. One needs only consider the unfinished flyover leading to and from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to realize what is wrong. The construction was supposed to have been completed in time for the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation summit that Manila hosted earlier this month, but was held back, among other things, by the government’s failure to address right-of-way issues.

The project has been held back, not by lack of funds, but by sheer incompetence.

University of the Philippines economist and former Budget secretary Benjamin Diokno observes that this administration has been wary of spending because a rising deficit might cause a downgrade in the country’s standing among international ratings agencies.

In 2014, for example, the Aquino government targeted a budget deficit of P266.2 billion or 2 percent of gross domestic product, but had an actual deficit of only P73.1 billion, or 0.6 percent of GDP. The lower deficit, Diokno noted, was not the result of higher revenues or prudent spending, but incompetence and poor budget planning.

Duterte says he needs money to pursue all these infrastructure projects that the country needs. But adequate funding, if we are to go by the constant rise in the national budget, is not the problem. The problem is incompetence and corruption that siphon funds away from the infrastructure and services that are owed us.

Any reasonable candidate for president in 2016 must act on the basis that the government owes us two things—better public services and tax relief. Just promising one without the other is simply unacceptable.

Advent: CelebrAtion And sobriety pensées fR. Ranhilio callangan aquino There is the future, and there is the Future. Deciding on an out-of-town trip two weeks from today is planning the future. Of this future, calendars and planners are relevant. One calculates. But there is depth to being human, a depth that philosophers and theologians at various times have spoken of

as “the soul,” because I ask, as at one time or the other we all do, what, ultimately, the sense might be in taking up space on earth for sixty, seventy or some years, and then going, it seems, the way of all flesh: death and decay. It is no longer activities about which one is concerned when being thoughtful about the FUTUre. It is rather worth, value and meaning about which one asks. And while one expects what one can mark on calendars, the future to which our smartphones alert us when we enter our ap-

pointments in our digital calendars, in respect to the question emanating from the human soul about ultimate worth and value, one can only hope. expectation is utterly inappropriate!

That is the joy of Advent, and it is a pity that not too much attention is given the season other than to go through it as the apparently necessary prelude to Christmas, like one cannot enjoy the romantic passages played by the french horn in Tchaikovsky’s 6th symphony, without the initial, almost in-

We can never reconcile ourselves with ultimate meaninglessness.

audible bars of the bassoon.

What marks the season is the joy of hope. It is a privilege to be able to hope for so often have we been told by sage and fool alike that hoping is futile. heidegger was farthest from rallying humankind to the revival of religion when, in the Der spiegel interview he gave

A9

that centered on the question of technology, he said that “only a god can save us.” But what so on point in his reflections was that, by ourselves, we are using, manipulating, technology-driven beings who thrive by functioning: the functioning of things, and our constant maneuvers by which reduce

others to functions, we children of the 20th and 21st centuries, and something very much more than a shift in gears—something as apocalyptic as the advent of god, or the advent of his absence—may allow for that tectonic upheaval from the reduction of all things to function and usefulness.

Advent, as we celebrate it in the Church, is farthest from a loathing of our finiteness and our morality. It is joy in the time that existence is and the history that humankind is all about. exuberance is tempered by sobriety,

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City.

Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial), 832-5546, (Advertising), 832-

and that is why its liturgical color is purple, because all we have this side of reality is bareness: the bareness of an elderly woman well beyond childbearing years, and the bareness of a young girl of marriagable age (‘almaparthenos-virgo) who has “not yet known man.” The Future is never ours to determine for ourselves and when we allow Mary to articulate our despondency by asking: “how is this possible? ...It is impossible” then the heavenly messenger—not some echo of our own petty thoughts, but a voice

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

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

from the absolute Other, assures us that the holy spirit, power of which we are absolutely incapable but so graciously granted us, of which we certainly are not the agents, will make all the difference.

But Advent is no mere invitation to the rarefied atmosphere of abstraction and speculation. It has to do with our deepest fears, as well as our deepest longings.

We can never reconcile ourselves with ultimate Continued on A10

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

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

There’s “Dirty harry” and there’s “rody Do Dirty.”

We are not saying Davao City Mayor rodrigo Duterte is going to be a dirty president if and when he wins the presidency. By his own words, Duterte said he will fatten the fish by dumping all the bodies of criminals in Manila Bay. There’s a law against pollution and dirtying the waters of the bay.

Duterte knows what makes a good sound bite but environmentalists and human rights advocates will surely go after the tough-talking mayor who’s not shy about how he has cleaned up his city of criminals using extreme measures.

Metro Manilans who are sick and tired of being victims of criminals are looking at Duterte as the new sheriff in town.

This explains Duterte’s high favorable rating in Metro Manila in the last social Weather stations survey.

It’s not known whether daughter sarah who can throw a mean punch will be named deputy sheriff; she could be first lady as Duterte has admitted to having two wives. That could pose a household management problem in Malacañang.

But first, Duterte must overtake Grace Poe and Mar roxas in the poll surveys before we can seriously think about his protocol problem. It’s Grace Poe who’s ahead in the surveys who has to decide whether husband Neil Llamanzares should already renounce his American citizenship if he wants to become first gentleman.

The bigger questions is this: how will the Commission on elections decide the residency/citizenship disqualification case against Poe? Will it allow Duterte to substitute for Martin Dino as PDPLaban presidential candidate? While they are separate issues, the two cases are inextricably linked in that they have a bearing on the outcome of the 2016 presidential race.

Will Comelec chief Andres Bautista get the word from Malacañang on how to decide the two cases? The Palace itself could be in a bind. Disqualifying Grace Poe may not necessarily mean her votes would go to Mar. They could shift to Duterte if the latter is allowed to run by the Comelec. so let’s not be surprised if the Comelec in an en banc decision rules Grace unqualified and Duterte’s substitution too late—and also because Dino himself is a nuisance candidate who filed his CoC only to step aside for his boss.

Mar roxas is a hard sell to voters.

With the ruling Liberal Party’s resources and political machinery, he should have already at least tied Grace Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

A10 A hope for chAnge ouT of ThE RodRIGo duterte’s entry into the presibox dential race felt like riTA liNDA an adrenaline rush for many. Suddenly, V. jimENo the game became exciting and colorful. Here is a man who has never before held a national elective post, whose name is synonymous with toughness, and who does not pretend to be charming or solicitous. The messages he delivers are not hard sell; rather, they are the reverse. He essentially says, for instance, that if you are happy with how government is now being run, do not vote for him.

The exchange of messages in social media since his declaration has been upbeat. I initially thought months ago that support for him would be confined to Mindanao and the Cebuano-speaking population but soon realized that in Metro Manila, a good proportion from various social classes, that is, from the common tao consisting of taxi drivers, vendors, salon staff, etc., up to the middle and upper classes of society, go for duterte.

What makes him tick? Here is my two cents’ worth.

People are tired of traditional politicians who promise and never deliver. He, in turn, is known for having made davao the peaceful, progressive and livable city that it is. People have become nauseated with catchy slogans that are, in reality, just that. They are sick of candidates who go out and make a show of loving people but in reality desire only to enrich themselves in power. They are tired of corruption, criminality and poverty. They see in duterte a president who, for a change, is a strongman with good intentions, like People are tired of Lee Kuan Yew of traditional politicians Singapore. They see hope that the prob- who promise and never lem of corruption deliver. and rising criminality, especially those related to drugs, will somehow be eliminated. Too, people who back Grace Poe, now the frontrunner, are scared that she would be disqualified and they’d be left with no other choice as the other names lack promise and genuine concern for the lot of the Filipinos. With duterte’s entry into the race, they see a viable alternative.

As for me, what makes him promising as a leader is his reputation for delivering what he commits to do. He said that to eliminate corruption he will raise the salaries of government workers especially the police, the military personnel, the teachers, among others. He also promised to transform our system of government into one of federalism. This concept may sound nebulous to many but this is what our country has long needed to progress. Federalism is nothing more than decentralization of powers of government. Instead of the unitary presidential system which we have had for 28 years now—concentrating power in the president—the better option is the federal system. Regions will be given a better chance to develop and determine for themselves their destiny since their own revenues will remain with them, giving only a smaller share to the national government. Local governments will therefore have the chance to focus their resources on what they believe they need most: be it more schools, more roads, more health facilities, etc. As it is now, the regions far from imperial Manila and whose local leaders have no close ties with the Palace and Congress remain poor and undeveloped. duterte presents a hope for change.

Expectedly, there will be moves to disqualify him on technical grounds as he is substituting for Martin diño who filed a Certificate of Candidacy as president but allegedly wrote that he was running for mayor of Pasay City. There will likewise be attempts to discredit and smear him by claiming that he is a human rights violator with links to death squads in davao that punish criminals. In my mind, the better policy to take is to let

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

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

A bloAted bureAucrAcy THE next president should put our bureaucracy on a diet, and by that I mean, lest I be misconstrued, subjecting the galaxy of offices to a slimming regimen.

I am not calling for the mass distribution of pink slips to ordinary workers. What I am for is a serious study to reorganize the government to make it more efficient.

And by government, I refer not to national agencies alone, but to political subdivisions, which have been multiplying like amoeba.

The last time the United States admitted a state into the union was in 1959, when Hawaii became the 50th star on the Stars and Stripes.

At that time—56 years and seven presidents ago—Cotabato was one province—so were davao, Surigao.

Today, Cotabato has been cut up into five, from Pacman’s Sarangani to Maguindanao of the backhoe ignominy.

Surigao has been carved up into three, with dinagat cleaved away from Norte, for political reasons, allegedly.

And davao? Well, first it was halved, then quartered, now it has a newborn fifth offspring, which goes by the name of davao occidental (to add to its oriental, Norte, Sur, thus completing the wind vane pointers, and Compostela Valley).

And how many towns does occidental have? A grand total of five. Not that I am saying that the occidental 5 do not deserve a Capitol—and all the offices therein—of their own. In fact, population-wise, davao occidental is bigger than at least eight provinces, and economically robust than at least 20.

The newbie province merely complied with the laws. Their province was not an edict from a king, but a rules-based creation.

If that’s the case, then it is time to revamp the rules, and reverse the creeping Balkanization of our country.

So agenda no.1 of Malacañang’s next tenant should be the shrinking of the number of our political subdivisions.

At present, we have a bifurcated Congress, with 24 senators duplicating the job of 297 congressmen,

ADVENT... From A9 meaninglessness. And so it is that discourse on the absolute Future is not unintelligible oracular hinting.

It is given us in the apocalyptic vision of what is nevertheless an quotidian challenge: the hungry,

PlumbliNE PAsTor APollo quiboloy making it a bipolar institution sometimes, 81 provinces, 114 cities, 1,496 towns, 42,028 barangays, and one regional government on its death throes.

As a result we have to stage elections every 1,000 days to refill the natural bloat of these offices.

Next May, more than 18,000 positions are at stake: the president and the spare tire, 12 senators, 297 congressmen, 81 governors and 81 vice governors, 772 provincial board members.

Also in the ballot are 144 city mayors and 144 vice mayors; and 1,496 town mayors and the same number of deputies; and 11,924 city town and town council seats.

The count and the cost of both money and human lives, however, do not end there.

There will be an october sequel to the May polls, this time for about 672,000-plus barangay posts: 42,208 chairmen, 294,196 barangay councilmen, and, because we train our politicos young, the same number of SK seats.

We have created a 700,000 -strong elected officialdom because the standard solution to bring government closer to the people then was more representation and to let a hundred local governments bloom.

Fifty years ago, a governor visiting a mountain barrio might do that on horseback after traveling for hours in a “six-by-six” on a muddy logging road, the telegram bearing the details of his sortie sent weeks in advance.

This was the age of the snail mail, when the fastest form of communication was transmitted in Morse code, and a 40 kph crawl in macadamized road bordered on overspeeding.

So provinces were broken up, and towns subdivided, spawning in the process a political class whose job contract we renew every three years in an exercise that costs us billions.

Supporting them burns a large hole in the taxpayer’s pocket. one the thirsty, the naked, the lonesome and what my response as well as yours has been. It is an apocalyptic vision that establishes the link between the challenges of the present and the absoluteness of the incalculable Future.

And the response of hope is most

the electorate decide who they want to lead them. Sovereignty, after all, as expressed in the Constitution resides in the people and all powers emanate from them. *** The Filipino consumers must be the most patient lot in the planet. They live with the deteriorating or permanently poor service of the major telecommunications networks without as much as raising a howl. In the past several months, it has become increasingly difficult to make calls and if one succeeds in getting through, calls get dropped. Internet services which we pay for, perform only at a fraction of their promised capacity. A

study concludes that reducing by just one the membership of all the local sanggunians will result in savings of about P4 billion annually.

But in this age of Skype and Twitter, when both the vehicular and information highways make for fast movement of people, trade and ideas, the “too big to govern” card which has been used in the past to break up provinces, carve new towns, create new regions no longer holds credence.

Technology has shrunk the world we live in. Places are now crisscrossed by roads, and dotted with Wi-Fi hotspots.

Voters are Facebook friends with the usual suspects who buy their votes. one can be a Saudi, and still poke his mayor, or text his councilor for a favor.

Besides, big land areas and large populations have never been a hindrance to governance. davao City embraces 2,443 square kilometers, almost as big as Tarlac province, yet its sheer size has never been invoked as a reason to break it up into manageable pieces. Puerto Princesa at 2,381 square kilometers has never been adjudged as too vast to be administered effectively.

So, if we want to economize and convert payroll into public services, then we should study the possibility of merging provinces, cities, towns, barangays If mergers in the world of business are the route to organizational efficiency and cost reduction, I don’t see why this can’t be applicable in governance.

If one town which has a population of 90,000 can be governed well by one mayor, then why can’t four contiguous towns with an combined population of 80,000 not be consolidated into one? Imagine the overhead which can be saved. or why can’t five present provinces which are the offspring of one be not merged anew and in the process do away with five sets of provincial officials?

I will be the first to caution against doing this abruptly. But if there’s one study which will recommend a reorganization that will take effect say, in 25 or 35 years, then I would say that it is reasonable. certainly not “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die” but “Let it be done to me according to Your Word.” rannie_aquino@sanbeda.edu.ph rannie_aquino@csu.edu.ph rannie_aquino@yahoo.com

Filipino-American lawyer who visited the Philippines recently as a balikbayan egged me to gather as many complainants as possible to file a class suit against a network. He complained that the load of the pre-paid SIM card he bought with UNLI feature would run out very quickly. And having spoken to many other users with the same complaint, he wondered how Globe and Smart can get away with it. Something like this would immediately merit a class suit in the US, he said.

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

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OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

The poliTics of wine AFTER the October 16 suspense, my good friend Mike Diño, a businessman who also acts as our point man for the Duterte “campaign” in Cebu, invited the Davao City mayor to the birthday celebration of his uncle, a Hong Kong retiree.

Mike and I, along with some other friends and relatives of his, make this birthday almost an annual “hegira” because his uncle serves excellent food— and the best wines.

Duterte agreed, so we could all relax, perhaps even to discuss whether he would finally run for the presidency of the land. But a week before what was to be a weekend trip, the mayor’s trusted aide, Bong Go called if we could go earlier as Duterte wanted to be back on Thursday, the 26th. So Tuesday the 24th, we were in Hong Kong. With the mayor and Bong were other friends, Bebot Alvarez of Davao del Norte, Fred Lim of Bicol, my longtime friend and compadre Bingbong Medialdea, as well as Rolly Macasaet, whom I first met during the Erap campaign of 1998 and has remained a friend since.

Just before he announced his decision to place his presidential run “on the table” in Iloilo on the 21st, Bong told us that the mayor also invited Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano and some of his close staff to join us in Hong Kong. It was supposed

to be “bonding time” before Duterte files his Certificate of Candidacy, ostensibly on December 10.

On Wednesday night, while waiting at the hotel lobby before proceeding to Spring Deer in Kowloon for a sumptuous dinner hosted by Mike Diño’s uncle, a GMA-7 correspondent suddenly appeared. Some OFWs had earlier informed GMA’s resident reporter, Azon Cañete, who herself assists the OFW community there, that they had sighted the mayor in the island. So we invited her and her husband to join us for dinner.

The interview followed, where Cañete asked the mayor about his choice for vice-presidential team-mate. The answer was quick: “Si Alan Peter, kaya nga bitbit ko pa dito sa Hong Kong.” Later that night, the mayor asked Alan to also be his spokesman in the meantime, at least before the campaign started.

After a further bonding session that lasted until past one of Thursday morning, we were still uncertain about exactly when Duterte would file that much-awaited CoC, though all of us hoped it wouldn’t be another “photo-finish”. Bingbong and Fred whispered to me that the CoC and other needed documents were all finished even before the flight to Hong

RODY... From A9

snag with the car plates and drivers licenses at the Land Transportation Office—two other government agencies directly under his supervision.

The presidential race is so muddled with Poe’s citizenship problem, Binay’s corruption charges, Roxas’s burden of the Aquino baggage and now. whether Duterte can still run as a substitute candidate. This is why the crowded vice presidential race among Leni Robredo, Chiz Escudero, Bongbong Marcos, Gringo Honasan,

Poe for the lead. We can’t really blame Mar. He chose to bear PNoy’s “krus na daan” instead of presenting the people his own vision of the presidency.

The people of Leyte can’t forgive him for mishandling the relief work for Typhoon “Yolanda’’ survivors. They can’t also forget Mar for giving us Joseph Emilio Abaya, who as DoTC secretary is responsible for the messed-up maintenance of the Metro Railway Transit and the

#failocracy

Kong. I stayed behind, along with Mike, because we wanted to attend the Friday night bash of his uncle. Anyway, we were certain Duterte was on his road to destiny, which was all that mattered.

When to file was not as important an issue as the decision to file.

While having lunch with Mike on Friday noon at a newly opened Spanish tapas joint in Wan Chai which my daughter earlier “discovered,” the messages from Davao and Manila came in. Duterte withdrew his candidacy for re-election as Davao City mayor, along with his substitute, Inday Sara, and a few minutes later, Bingbong Medialdea, as his attorney-infact, along with another friend, his partner Lorrie Ata, filed the mayor’s CoC for president before the Comelec just a few minutes later.

That night, we began opening Uncle Diño’s wines in his huge Victoria mid-level flat.

Mike’s brother, Alan brought with him some dear friends, including the actor Jomari Yllana who told me he was running for councilor in Parañaque, and forthwith Alan

and Mike got him to campaign for Duterte. Also with us was chanteuse Rada, the granddaughter of another legendary movie actor, Lolita Rodriguez, who sang beautifully for Uncle Diño.

Then the acclaimed Filipino wine connoisseur Manny Osmeña arrived, and I got fascinated with his narratives about the different vintages and origins of wine. Before Manny O came in, Mike and I were tasting (downing is perhaps a more accurate term) glasses of Mayer, the red that Obama supposedly served Xi Jinping when he visited the White House because the Napa Valley vineyard was already owned by a Chinese businessman. We also tried earlier an Ornellaia 2006 and a Chateau Latour that I thought was “too old” for my taste. Manny O was a bit livid when a “corked” Grand Vin de Chateau Lafite 1985. “Sayang,” he rued.

When my daughter wondered if there was some white wine which she preferred, Manny O came up with a perfectly chilled Premier Cru Meursault Gouttes D’or 2006, and started teaching us how to sniff wine from the glass, and then appreciate good white, imagining and sensing the different tastes that go with it. The Meursault was definitely excellent.

Looking at me, Manny O

said, “Your dad is a tactician, and if I know him, he is beginning to compare wines with politicians”. We all had a good laugh at that. At which time, Mike took out a Staglin which Manny O derided as “too New World” and not to his liking.

Still, we tried it, and indeed, even if it was one of Obama’s favorite American wines, the Staglin was no match with the Meursault. It was spirited, giving the tongue an instantly pleasing “shock”, but as you savored the Staglin, you conclude that the Meursault was far more “passionate” and excellent in all respects.

Remembering Manny O’s allusion to presidential candidates, I identified which presidential wannabe was similar to the American Staglin, who was like the “corked” Chateau Latour, properly aged “sana,” “pero nasira ang lasa,” and which candidate was like the Meursault.

Now which one would best represent the other two candidates, which in the latest Pulse Asia NCR survey ranked fourth and fifth, behind Duterte, who topped at 34, Poe who was second at 26, and Binay, who scored 22 ponts?

Someone at another table quipped: “Yung isa, parang tubig, hindi wine. Walang lasa.”

And the other? Nobody could answer. Neither could I.

Antonio Trillanes and Alan Peter Cayetano bears watching.

Cayetano, almost adrift without a presidential candidate to latch on to, suddenly found his flickering ambition revived with Duterte deciding to run and picking him as VP teammate.

With the presidential candidates kept busy with their own survival, no one has spoken out on the South China Sea territorial dispute and its implications on the country’s national security and economic well being.

Are some of them being bank-

rolled by Tsinoy taipans with strong ties to Beijing? *** Someone who has spoken out against China’s policies and human rights violations is Anastacia Lin, Canada’s entry to the Miss World beauty pageant already being held in Sanya, Hainan. Miss Lin, of Chinese descent (born in China but moved to Canada as a teenager} is a vocal critic of Chinese repression of dissidents.

“Why is China afraid of me, a mere beauty contestant?” asked

a visibly upset Lin who was about to board a connecting flight from Hong Kong to Hainan but was told by a Chinese official she would be barred from entering even if she had been issued a visa by a Chinese consulate in Canada.

The answer, Miss Lin, is you might say the wrong things China doesn’t want the world to hear on live global telecast during the interview portion of the five finalists. From what we saw of Miss Lin on TV, she could land in the final five.

SO I See LItO banaYO

chong ardivilla

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sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Warriors improve to 18-0 start OAKLAND—Stephen Curry scored 19 points in Golden State’s NBA-record 18th straight win at the start of a season, but what he didn’t do against the Sacramento Kings was just as important to the defending champion Warriors.

Curry, the league’s reigning Most Valuable Player and its leading scorer this season with an average of 32.6 points, played less than 30 minutes in the 120-101 victory Saturday night (Sunday morning Manila time) and took only seven shots - all but one in the first quarter. ‘’I’m sure Steph doesn’t like it,’’ Warriors interim head coach Luke Walton said. ‘’But the coaching staff and the training staff, we’re thrilled to get him that rest.’’

Curry, who scored 17 pf his points in the first quarter, said he understood it made sense for him to sit out the entire fourth period of the blowout with the Warriors about to

embark on a two-week, seven-game road trip. ‘’Any time you can stay fresh and do it in winning fashion, it’s fun,’’ Curry said. ‘’Obviously, I like to play.’’

Draymond Green had his second straight triple-double and the Warriors, who led by 10 points at halftime, opened the third quarter with a 27-8 run that included four 3-pointers by Brandon Rush to build their lead to 29 points. The Kings didn’t get within 21 points again until the final minute of the game.

Green had 13 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists. Rush scored 16 points and Klay Thompson added 15 for the Warriors.

Rudy Gay scored 20 points for Sacramento, which fell to 6-12. ‘’They’re on a magic carpet ride right now. They’re playing great,’’ Gay told reporters. ‘’They’re just playing well right now. They’re moving the ball and everybody’s shooting the ball. Their defense is great. You hate to be on the losing side of it, but it’s impressive.’’

The Warriors’ 22nd straight regular-season victory - a streak that includes four wins at the end of last season - tied the 2007-08 Houston Rockets for the third-longest such streak in NBA history, trailing only the 33 straight by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers and 27 in a row by the 2012-13 Miami Heat.

Curry hit three 3-pointers in the opening period while scoring more than half of Golden State’s 30 points.

The Warriors trailed until the final six

seconds of that quarter, but quickly took control in the second period against a Kings team missing leading scorer DeMarcus Cousins.

Green became the first Warriors player with back-to-back triple-doubles since Wilt Chamberlain in 1964.

A night earlier, he had 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 135-116 win at Phoenix. He signed a five-year, $82 million contract with the Warriors in July. ‘’He got a huge contract this summer and he came back a better player. He’s playing at an All-Star level right now,’’ Walton said.

Golden State won its 28th straight regular-season home game (a streak that also began last season), becoming the 10th NBA team to accomplish that feat and the first since the 199697 Chicago Bulls, who won 32 in a row at home en route to their second of three straight league titles.

Fury vows to follow Ali’s lead DüSSELDORF, Germany—Britain’s Tyson Fury has vowed to be “the most charismatic champion since Muhammad Ali” after delivering on his promise to dethrone Wladimir Klitschko and become the new world heavyweight champion.

“I always said what I would do and I delivered. I didn’t have this confidence for nothing,” beamed Fury, 27, after his unanimous points win ended Klitschko’s run of 19 consecutive defences.

The new champion celebrated his victory by singing Aerosmith’s “Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” in the ring, which he dedicated to his wife, Paris.

“In the name of Jesus Christ Amen ... We invaded Dusseldorf tonight,” said the deeply religious Fury.

“I felt a lot more love from them (his fans) then I felt for him (Klitschko) from his.

Fury was awarded the fight in Duesseldorf 115112, 115-112 and 116-111 by the judges on Saturday as Klitschko’s reign as world champion was ended after nine years, six months. AFP

Trotter captures Phinma jr title PLDT Home Ultera’s Gretchel Soltones (6) tries to power the volleyball past Army’s solid net defense with Aby Maraño (4) and Tina Salak (7) putting up a double block during the opener of their title series for the Shakey’s V-League Season 12 Reinforced Conference crown at The Arena.

Valdez leads PLDT Home Ultera past Army Lady Troopers PLDT HOME ULTERA blew three match points in the decider but battled back from one point down in a wild finish to snatch a 16-25, 20-25, 26-24, 29-27, 18-16 victory over Army Saturday and move within a win from capturing the Shakey’s V-League Season 12 Reinforced Conference crown at The Arena in San Juan City.

Home Ultera coach Roger Gorayeb went to his local aces after their imports failed to blend well with their brand of play. Alyssa Valdez, Gretchel Soltones, Aiza Pontillas, Roces, Charo Soriano, setter Rubie de Leon and libero Lizlee Ann Pantone responded to rally past the Lady Troopers.

Home Ultera coach Roger Gorayeb kept Valdez, suiting up for the first time this conference, out of the game in the first set but the Open and Collegiate Conference MVP still went on to topscore with 25 hits, including 22 attack points, while Soltones wound up with 12 markers and Pontillas had 11 hits.

“She’s an integral part of this team and she showed it in this game,” said Gorayeb of Valdez.

The Ultra Fast Hitters slowed down a bit after

grabbing a 14-11 lead in the fifth frame, committing a net violation and getting blocked twice while yielding two attack points with only a point to show off Honey Tubino’s service error that saw the Lady Troopers, who blew a 2-1 set lead and 21-16 cushion in the fourth, grab a 1615 edge.

But the Ultra Fast Hitters proved steadier in a nerve-wracking finish, forcing a tie on an Army net violation and regaining the lead on the last of a slew of Sue Roces’ running attacks before clinching the thrilling two-hour, seven-minute victory on Army’s Joanne Bunag’s faulty hit that went wide.

That gave Home Ultera a 1-0 lead in their bestof-three series for the crown in the season-ending conference of the league sponsored by Shakey’s with the Open Conference champions hoping to wrap it all up in Game Two next Sunday.

Imports Victoria Hurtt scored eight points while Sareea Freeman had five markers, both in three sets, although Gorayeb tapped the latter in the latter part of the fifth frame.

“We’re still have a hard time adjusting with our imports and vice versa,” said Gorayeb.

“But the good thing was the locals stepped us.”

It was a sorry setback for Army, which looked ready to turn what was expected to be a fiercely-fought duel between the two fancied teams in the league presented by PLDT Home Ultera and backed by Mikasa and Accel by pouncing on Home Ultera’s listless start to sweep the first two sets in emphatic fashions.

It was also Army’s first setback this conference after a sweep of the elims and the elims, including a 25-23, 23-25, 25-11, 19-25, 15-13 victory over Home Ultera last Oct. 25.

Former MVP Jovelyn Gonzaga fired 19 hits while Tubino and Aby Maraño scored 16 and 15 points, respectively, for the Lady Troopers.

Despite losing the third frame in a close finish, Army, runner-up to absentee Cagayan Valley here last year, still moved threateningly close to wrapping up the match when it surged to a 21-16 lead in the fourth.

JAMES Kent Trotter rallied to upend Week 1 champion Naoki Tajima, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, and snare the boys’ crown while Ayumi Hirata overpowered Satoko Sueno, 6-3, 6-2, to capture the girls’ title in the PSCPhinma International Juniors Tennis Championships Week 2 at the Rizal Memorial Tennis Center yesterday.

Trotter, who got back at Week 1 quarterfinal tormentor and No. 2 Yeongseok Jeong with a 7-5, 6-3 win in last Saturday’s semis, recovered from a first set setback with a tough win in the second frame then pounced on Tajima’s miscues in the decider to hack out the victory worth 40 ITF points in the all-Japanese finale.

Hirata, who didn’t see action in last week’s Grade 4 ITF tournament sponsored by Phinma Group of Companies and the Philippine Sports Commission last week, dominated Sueno from start to finish to complete her romp in the event sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association headed by president and Paranaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez with Wannait Srirasa of Thailand as ITF supervisor and Loida Mallare as tournament director.

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sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Britain’s Tyson Fury (right) connects with a left straight against Wldimir Kltschko. Fury dethroned Klitschko in a 12-round decision to become world heavyweight champion. AFP

Klitschko bows to Tyson’s fury

By Ronnie nathanielsz

BRITAIN’S Tyson Fury delivered on his promise to shock the world by beating long-reigning world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko handily to win the WBO, IBF and WBA titles in what Sky Sports described as “an inspired display.”

All three judges had Fury the winner with scorecards of 116111 and two tallies of 115-112 as he ended the reign of boxing’s most dominant heavyweight of the 21st century in the ESPRIT arena in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Fury was light-footed and danced around on his toes but didn’t land any brutal shots against Klitschko who gave away three inches in height to the 6’9” Fury.

Fury was penalized a point but it made no difference as he forced Klitschko to unsuccessfully chase him for most of the rounds.

Despite the skirmishes over the gloves and a soft ring canvas, Fury remained focused in the chaos all week leading up to the fight and as Sky Sports reported “he appeared totally at home when it truly mattered.”

Fury pelted the champion with verbal tirades before, during and immediately after the national anthems - then continued the insults as he dashed out of his corner,circling away from Klitschko’s powerful right hand and peppering him from the outside.

Fury landed the first mean-

ingful blow with a left hook as Klitschko backed up, midway through the second. While there was little between them, Fury had visibly settled into his surroundings quicker.

He switched to southpaw, performed an Ali shuffle and even showboated with his hands behind his back.

Klitschko never flinched and stalked his foe but he failed to land even one solid right hand which was his best weapon.

An accidental clash of heads opened up a cut under Klitschko’s left eye and Fury immediately went after the champion and connected with a right.

A second cut above the same eye appeared to spark Klitschko who connected with a solid right in the ninth round but Fury shook it off and called for more. As they became embroiled in close quarters, Klitschko briefly and bizarrely turned his back, drawing an eye-catching left hook.

Villanueva beats Mexican to win Super Fly crown

By Ronnie nathanielsz KING Arthur Villanueva’s promised knockout of Mexican challenger Victor “Spock” Mendez did not materialize but the ALA Gym fighter did enough to capture the vacant WBC International super flyweight title with a split decision victory over tough Mexican Victor “Spock” Mendez at the Hoops Dome in Lapu Lapu City on Saturday night.

In a ten round non-title bout two-time world flyweight title challenger Milan Melindo benefited from what seemed like a questionable call when he too won by a split decision over 19-year-old Mexican substitute Victor Olivo a late replacement for “Divino” Fontes who was diagnosed with Dengue and had to be pulled out days before the fight which resulted in the original title showdown being downgraded to a ten round non-title bout.

Melindo struggled all night long against the Mexican youngster who used quick combinations and danced in and out of

trouble. The sluggish Melindo was cut on the bridge of his nose and was bleeding in the final round.

Probably realizing he was behind on points Melindo dug deep in round eight and nine and stormed back with a vengeance to hurt Olivo who somehow weathered the onslaught and came back in the tenth Judge Edward Ligas scored the fight for Olivo 96-94 while Richard Olalia and Salven Lagumbay turned in identical 96-94 scorecards for Melindo much to the disappointment of Oliva and his handlers while the crowd gave the Mexican a round of applause for his gutsy showing against the veteran Melindo.

Atty. Ed Tolentino and this commentator who covered the “Pinoy Pride 34” fight card for the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN both had Olivo the winner 96-94.

Olivo clearly benefited from sparring with WBO/WBA flyweight champion Juan Franisco Estrada who had beaten Melindo in a title fight in Macau.

Ayo faces new challenge at La Salle

By Peter atencio NEW challenges await coach Aldin Ayo when he starts handling the La Salle Green Archers beginning today.

Ayo said this after he made his farewell to the Letran Knights squad which he steered to the 91st National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball crown.

“Wala akong masasabi tungkol sa team hangga’t hindi ko pa sila nakikita. Pero, nasa personal-

ity ko naman iyun ng everytime may ginagawa ako, I treat it as if I have nothing to lose. So, this is a big risk to my career. This is a big gamble,” said Ayo. Sources said Ayo won’t be bringing any of the team’s assistant coaches with him to the Green Archers camp, which retained its assistant coaches Siot Tanquincen and Paulo Sauler.

On the other hand, Letran’s team B coach Nap Garcia, and junior coach Raymond Tiongco will stay on as the Knights’ in-

terim coaches.

Ayo talked about his reasons for quitting as coach of the Knights during a victory party and thanksgiving gathering held at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran campus in Intramuros.

School officials led by Rev. Fr. Clarence Victor C. Marquez O.P. said they were saddened by his decision told the a gathering of students and alumni and informed the community that they are letting Ayo go unconditionally.

Filipino King Arthur Villanueva’s hands are raised in triumph after he beat Mexican challenger Victor “Spock” Mendez to capture the vacant WBC International super flyweight title with a split decision victory.

Dong Secuya

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK m o n day : n o v e m b e r 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

BUT BLAZE SPIKERS EYE EQUALIZER

Tornadoes seek Superliga tiara Game Today (Cuneta Astrodome) 4 p.m. -- Petron vs Foton

Tigers force deciding game. Far Eastern University Tamaraw Monbert Arong and Santo Tomas Growling Tiger Marvin Lee fight for ball control in the Game 2 of the 78th UAAP Finals. The Tigers won, 62-56, to set up a deciding third game. EY ACASIO

La Salle, Xavier crowned jungolf champs LA Salle Zobel stamped its class over rival Ateneo in Aspirants’ 1, while Xavier dominated Aspirants’ 2 in the ICTSI-JGFP InterSchool golf tournament in various courses recently.

With Ira Alido at the helm, La Salle Zobel came through with its best effort of 149 points at Eastridge to wind up with a 568, far ahead of Ateneo, which finished at 539 after pooling 139.

Alido sizzled with 55 points and drew support from Jolo Magcalayo and Francis Lanuza, who had 49 and 45, respectively.

Teammates Marc Nolasco (41) and Chad

Lazaro (30) did not count.

Ateneo was composed of Riggs Illescas, Maio Castaneda, Migo Roque, Rico Lloyd and Miles Conding.

Sean Young, Jet Ang, Jacob Chua and Emilio Carpio joined hands to give the Aspirans’ 2 title to Xavier in the multi-division tourney backed by the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. Foundation and also sponsored by the Philippine Golf Foundation, Philippine Airlines, Golf Depot and Inquirer Gilf The Xavier squad amassed 282 points, including a final-day output of 74 at Valley to

finish 28 points clear of Ateneo’s Kirk Dela Torre, Simon Cruz, Dominic Villamor and Yuan Arbatin.

Ateneo 2 placed third.

Alido and Magcalayo took the top two positions in the Aspirants’ 1 individual, while Zachary Castro of Bloomfield Academy and Vince Tiamsic of Casa Real Montessori were the top finishers in Aspirants 2.

The National Finals will be played on Jan 18 and 19, 2016 at Orchard with the Top 3 individuals and Top 3 teams per division disputing the championship in all divisions.

Arellano tossers start title-retention bid REIGNING champion Arellano University opens its title defense as it faces off with Letran in today’s start of the 91st NCAA women’s volleyball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.

CJ Rosario is expected to spearhead the Lady Chiefs’ back-to-back championship bid as they play in the second

of a heavy five-game bill behind the 9 a.m. showdown between the Emilio Aguinaldo Lady Generals and the San Beda Lionesses.

“Hopefully, we could have a successful title repeat,” said Arellano coach Obet Javier in Filipino.

Backstopped by Rosario and Menchie Tubiera, Arellano

downed a gritty, Roger Gorayeb-mentored San Sebastian side, 25-23, 25-19, 26-24, to secure its first-ever volleyball title in the NCAA. Also scheduled to play in the inaugurals are Perpetual Help against San Sebastian, Lyceum of the Philippines Universityversus Mapua and St. Benilde against Jose Rizal.

Meanwhile, defending men’s champion Emilio Aguinaldo likewise starts its back-to-back title campaign as it tackles San Beda at 8 a.m. Tuesday.

Relying on Howard Mojica, the Generals overcame the St. Benilde Blazers, 25-21, 23-25,l 25-19, 25-20, to also claim their first men’s crown last season.

FOTON tries to end Petron’s domination of the Philippine Superliga today when it goes for a sweep of the best-of-three PSL Grand Prix championship series that will change the complexion of the premier volleyball league’s future.

Opening serve at the Cuneta Astrodome is at 4 p.m. with the Tornadoes tipped to go all out to formally nail their first crown in this prestigious inter-club tourney presented by Asics and backed by Milo with Senoh, Mikasa and Mueller as technical partners and TV5 as official broadcaster.

Powered by the towering frontline of American imports Lindsay Stalzer and Katie Messing, together with national team mainstay Jaja Santiago, the Tornadoes started out slow before making a blistering run in the second round to gain the right to challenge top seed Philips Gold in the do-or-die semifinals.

The Tornadoes went on to shock the Lady Slammers in a classic five-set duel to advance to the finals against the Blaze Spikers, who are billed as the league’s most fluid and strongest team with their seasoned players and vast winning experience.

In the finals, the Tornadoes blossomed from good to great.

After dropping the opening set, Foton banked on its airtight net defense, near-flawless reception and furious attacks to dominate Petron in the second and third sets. In the fourth, the vaunted Blaze Spikers completely collapsed, giving the Tornadoes a 14-25, 25-21, 25-19, 2522 win, much to the excitement of the large, boisterous crowd that trooped to the venue to witness the country’s best and prettiest lady spikers in action.

Despite the masterful triumph, Foton coach Villet Ponce-de Leon vowed not let their guard down.

“The job is not yet done. We’re not yet ready to relax,” said Ponce-de Leon, who interestingly guided the Blaze Spikers in their first few conferences in the league. “We’re just one win away. If we need to double our effort in Game 2, we will gladly do it.”

“What we have is a magical season. We were down at the start, but we regrouped and overcame all the obstacles. We just have to keep on working because fairy tales do come true.”

The Blaze Spikers, for their part, are not yet ready to throw in the towel.

In fact, Petron coach George Pascua stressed that they will still employ the same game plan, but will be more focused and will have keen attention to details.

“Same pa din and plano, we just have to lessen our unforced errors and those small things that doomed our chances in Game 1,” said Pascua, who will bank anew on the prowess of Dindin Manabat, Aby Marano, Ces Molina, Rachel Anne Daquis and Brazilian import Rupia Inck with Erika Adachi serving as their leader.

“Yes, Foton has a very tall frontline, but I know we can neutralize it similar to what we did in the first set of Game 1. The team promised to do its best, I told them that it doesn’t matter how we start, what matters most is how we will finish (the series).”

Murray poised to end Britain’s drought GHENT—Andy Murray can end Britain’s 79-year-long wait for a 10th Davis Cup title by defeating David Goffin of Belgium in Ghent on Sunday.

The 28-year-old Scot has already restored British tennis pride with his US Open triumph in 2012 -- the first Grand Slam title for a British player since Fred Perry in 1936 -- and his momentous Wimbledon victory the following year, again the first for a Brit since Perry in 1936.

He also became the first

British winner of Olympics singles gold in 2012, but a Davis Cup clincher on Sunday, with Britain already 2-1 ahead, would have a special resonance given the unique nature of the team competition.

Murray has been something of a one-man show in the Davis Cup this year, taking full advantage of the absence of elite players Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

He has won all 10 rub-

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

bers he has played in - seven singles and three doubles as Britain has powered past heavyweights United States, France and Australia en route to a surprise final against upstarts Belgium.

A win against Goffin in the first of Sunday’s reverse singles would make him just the third player -- after John McEnroe and Mats Wilander -- to win eight singles ties in a single calendar year since the Davis Cup World Group was started in 1981. AFP

Induction. Officers of the Philippine Basketball Association Press Corps are inducted into office by PBA Chairman Robert Non (third from right). They are joined by PBA Commissioner Chito Narvasa (left) and PBA CEO Chito Salud (right).

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

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Jones captures Aussie Open title SYDNEY—Matt Jones followed in the footsteps of boyhood idol Greg Norman by winning the Australian Open Sunday, holding off the challenge of world number one Jordan Spieth and former champion Adam Scott.

Australia’s Jones, 35, fought back from a horror start to his final round, dropping three shots in his opening two holes and also taking a triple bogey at the ninth, to win by a stroke The Sydney-born player regrouped to post a final round two-over-par 73 and claim the honours with an eight-underpar 276 total.

Spieth missed a 15-foot eagle putt at the last that would have sent the event into a play-off, with his 71 ensuring a share of second place at seven-under-par with Australia’s Scott (65), who won in 2009.

“I am just so happy to have my name on this trophy and it is something I have thought about since I first met Greg (Norman) when I was six years of age,” said

Jones, ranked 81 in the world.

“I tried hard not to think about that this week and you never know what sort of day you can have on the golf course as we saw with what happened over my front nine.

“But to have my name on this trophy with the likes of (Jack) Nicklaus, (Jack) Newton, (Greg) Norman and so many greats of this game is a dream come true for me knowing now I am an Australian Open winner.”

Jones’s victory earned him a place in next July’s Open Championship at Royal Troon.

However, it was a tense last few minutes as defending champion Spieth attempted to force a playoff, but his eagle putt slid by the hole with the two-time major winner ending with a birdie.

He was gracious in defeat, singing the praises of his good friend.

“I would have been pretty excited to be in a play-off with Matt as that would have added to this week as the crowds have just been unbelievable and much bigger than last year,” said Spieth.

“But for Matt to win is well deserved.”

Spieth now heads to his second tournament defence in succession and Thursday’s Tiger Woodshosted Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.

At the conclusion of that tournament, he will take a month-long break before resuming competition at the Tournament of Champions at Maui in Hawaii in January. AFP Australia’s Matt Jones reacts on the way to winning the Australian Open golf tournament in Sydney. Jones won the tournament by one stroke. AFP

Good karma for Bad Girl LOCKER ROOM RANDY CALUAG JUJEATH “Bad Girl” Nagaowa was just being honest when a picture of her and the World International Boxing Association belt she won in Macau circulated in social media.

She had no idea that a simple post on Facebook by a friend, would grab her wide public attention.

Nagaowa was the same lady boxing champion, whose belt was taxed by the Bureau of Customs, which came under fire from netizens and the sports community.

Nagaowa’s case was all the more magnified as the BOC, at the time, was pushing for the opening of all balikbayan boxes sent by Filipinos abroad for their relatives in the Philippines. The plan drew the ire of OFWs and was eventually dropped.

According to the Tariff and Customs Codes of the Philippines, badges, cups, trophies and other articles won

by Filipino athletes are exempted from customs tax and duties.

In utter disregard of this particular law, the Customs staff still proceeded to collect tax and customs duties on Nagaowa’s belt. It just showed how our government people’s lack of the knowhow in running the affairs of the agency where they are employed.

As netizens continued to bombard the BOC, commissioner Bert Lina promised to refund the amount paid

by Nagaowa for the belt. And few weeks later, the BOC office in Baguio

informed Nagaowa that a cheque, representing her tax refund, was ready for pick-up.

To the surprise of her friends and supporters, Nagaowa refused to receive the refund. Instead, her manager, Brico Santig, personally raised the amount and gave it as an additional incentive.

“When my story about the belt came out on Facebook, it was not my intention to personally gain from it. Initially, it was just for fun. But I thought, the Filipinos should know how athletes like me are treated,” Nagaowa, told this corner during an interview over DZSR Sports Radio’s Fightnews Hour.

“So I and my manager decided not to accept the refund na parang pampalubag-loob (just to please us).” *** Nagaowa, in stark contrast to her nickname Bad Girl, is actually a good girl who dreams big but has simple needs.

“Jujeath actually wanted to go into hiding because she was constantly sought by media for interviews. She wanted to put down her Facebook page and she put her cellphone off for a week. She did not want this kind of attention,” said Santig.

Nagaowa and her manager did not intend to make a circus out the fighter’s case and begged off from attending invitations from Congress. There was a resolution filed by Alay Buhay Partylist Rep. Wes Gatchalian seeking a review the BOC policy on imposing taxes on awards and trophies by Filipino athletes, who won in international competitions.

Earlier, Santig and Nagaowa, received an invitation from Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., Chairman of the Commit-

tee on Games and Amusement, for a meeting at Congress in Quezon City to discuss the incident.

“We really appreciate the concerns given by politicians to Nagaowa’s case, we have an existing law to protect our athletes so maybe we just need to enforce that law. Jujeath has no agenda when a friend posted on Facebook, and she intends to remain simple and without much media fanfare,” added Santig, who also has International Boxing Organization flyweight champ Rey Loreto under his stable. *** For her good-natured demeanor, Nagaowa continues to receive a shower of blessings.

She will have the chance to win another world championship belt as she takes on Japanese champion Nao Ikeyama for the WBO Female Atomweight title on Dec. 19 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

What makes her fight so significant is that it’s the first time that Sri Lanka will be holding a world boxing title fight. No less than Sri Lanka president Maithripala Sirisena is supporting the event.

The Sri Lankan chief executive also hopes that this championship bout would pave the way for the establishment of a boxing commission in his country. But that’s another story.

Nagaowa has bowed to give more pride to her country and is now in the thick of preparations under coach Joven Jorda at the Highland Boxing Gym in La Trinidad Benguet This time though, she hopes to bring the trophy home with her and not get taxed again.

QC swimmer is games’ most outstanding athlete CEBU CITY—Miguel Barreto of Quezon City emerged as the most outstanding athlete in the games after scooping six gold medals, while Brent Valelo of Caloocan City clinched victory in duathlon Sunday in the 2015 POC-PSC Batang Pinoy National Finals.

Barreto, a 12-year-old swimmer from Angelicum College, punctuated his golden feat with a win in the boys’ 12-under 100-meter butterfly in one minute and 7.99 seconds. `He’s got the potential to swim for the national team,’’ said national coach Archimedes Lim after Barreto also won the 400m freestyle, 400m individual medley, 50m fly, 200m fly and the 4x50m medley relay with older brother Rafael Barreto.

Fishing out five golds in the pool, Rafael Barreto is the country’s top bet in freestyle events in the 39th Southeast Asia Age Group Swimming Championship scheduled Dec. 4-6 in Danang, Vietnam.

Lim said Barreto will join 28 other Filipino tankers supported by the Philippine Swimming Inc. and PSC in the meet, where the Philippines got four silver medals last year in Singapore.

Regular Fil-Am golf starts; Southwoods defends crown BAGUIO CITY—Games start today in the higher flight of the 66th Fil-Am Golf Invitational Championship after the second ceremonial tee off on Sunday at the Baguio Country Club and Camp John Hay golf courses, even as the Fil-Am executive committee signed the sponsorship contract with San Miguel which is the title

presenter of the longest and biggest amateur golf tournament in the country.

Games start for flights A, B, D and E in the regular competitions with eight teams each seeing action in the Fil and Am divisions in flights A and B, while 12 each are enlisted in the lower flights.

“This is a very competi-

tive Fil-Am, the toughest in years,” earlier said co-chair Tim Allen and this proved true in the first week of competition where the Senior’s Fil-Championship went down the wire and San Miguel – Northern Cement won only through countback.

This is also expected in the

regular division, where the Championship flights have the most participants in years and with three or four teams expected to vie for the title.

Most eager is the San Miguel – Northern Cement, which hopes to stop defending champion Manila Southwoods --a difficult task assessed Eddie Bagtas.

Joining Barreto, who also topped the boys’ 13-15 100m free, 50m fly, 50m free, 100m fly, in Danang are potential medalists Raissa Gavino, Xiandi Chua, Andrea Miguel Pogiongko and Miguel Karlo Barlisan.

Also snaring five golds was Raven Faith Alcoseba of Cebu province while Aubrey Bermejo of Iligan City sparkled with three golds in the girls’ 12-under 400m, 200m and 100m free.

Alcoseba, a 13-year-old from Talisay City Science High School, won the 400m free, 400m IM, 200m backstroke, 100m back and the 200m IM, where she broke the Palarong Pambansa record in the elementary level early this year in Tagum City.

After defeating two-time champion Yuan Chiongbian in triathlon, the 15-year-old Valelo nosed out Chiongbian in the three-kilometer run, 12km bike and 2km run event held in Danao City.

Valelo of Caloocan City Science and Technology High School clocked 38 minutes and seven seconds, with Chiongbian but reached the finish line first. John Caleb Barlin settled for the bronze medal in 38:10 after placing second in triathlon on Saturday.

LOTTO RESULTS

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CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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M O N DAY : N O V E M B E R 3 0 , 2 0 1 5 RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

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

sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS

GlobalPort’s Billy Mamaril (right) attempts a medium-range jumper against Blackwater’s James Sena in a PBA Philippine Cup game won by the Batang Pier, 120-105, on Sunday.

GlobalPort halts 2-game slide

By Jeric Lopez

BADLY in need of a victory that will put its bid back on track, GlobalPort flexed its muscles from start to finish to steamroll Blackwater, 120-105, and snap a two-game losing streak in the 2015 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday.

The 1-2 backcourt punch of stars Terrence Romeo and Stanley Pringle struck again and resumed their scoring ways as their high-octane offense once again showed the way for the Batang Pier.

Romeo was sensational all game with his game-high 26 points to go with six rebounds, while Pringle added 17 markers.

Though heading in fresh from a

Games Wednesday (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 4:15 p.m. - GlobalPort vs. NLEX 7 p.m. - Mahindra vs. San Miguel two-game slide, the Batang Pier came out with a lot of aggression to seize control of the contest and never look back.

GlobalPort started out firing and

GOLDEN STATE GOES 18-0

took an immediate 36-27 lead at the end of one. From that point forward, the Batang Pier held on until the final buzzer and shut down all threats that Blackwater presented. ‘’It was a total team effort. Our record was even, so we really needed to win this game,’’ said GlobalPort coach Pido Jarencio. ‘’Our players played really well.’’

Romeo and Pringle got plenty of help from Doug Kramer (15 points), Joseph Yeo (14) and Rico Maierhofer (13).

After the high-scoring first half, the Batang Pier were ahead by 15 at 69-54 and took good care of their lead the rest of the way.

The win pushed the Batang Pier in a three-way tie for fifth place with Barangay Ginebra and NLEX on similar 4-3 records.

The woeful Elite lost their fourth

straight and slipped further to 1-6 at 11th place. Blackwater now needs to win all of its four remaining games to have a good shot at making it to next round.

The Batang Pier withstood a careergame from Carlo Lastimosa, who led Blackwater and all scorers as well with his game-high 31 points, 21 of which came in the first half.

However, that wasn’t nearly enough for the Elite as they continued their slump.

The largest lead of the Batang Pier stood at 17 points, 120-103, just before the final tally was settled.

The scores: Globalport 120 -- Romeo 26, Pringle 17, Kramer 15, Yeo 14, Maierhofer 13, Washington 8, Jensen 6, Semerad 5, Sumang 5, Paniamogan 3, Taha 2, Uyloan 0.

JONES IS AUSSIE OPEN CHAMP

TURN TO A12 TURN TO A15

Bullpups remain unbeaten THE National University Bulldpups drew big baskets from four key players and swamped University of the East, 89-33, to stay unbeaten after five games in the 78th University Athletic Association of the Philippines junior basketball tournament at the Blue Eagle gym in Quezon City.

John Lloyd Clemente made 18 points for the Bullpups, who took charge in the first period with a 14-0 run.

Muhammad Sarip, Karl Penano and Neil Tolentino added 14, 12 and 10 points, respectively, for NU’s cause as it moved away, 32-4, at the end of the initial 10 minutes.

La Salle-Zobel kept its grip on second spot following 67-55 smothering of the Far Eastern University Baby Tamaraws.

The Junior Archers have a 4-1 record in second spot, a position which they share with the Ateneo Blue Eaglets.

Jolo Mendoza unloaded 19 points for the Blue Eaglets as they stopped University of the Philippines Integrated School, 74-67. Peter Atencio

MONDAY: NOVEMBER 30, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

B1

Black Friday.

NEW YORK— Shoppers walk out of Uniqlo on 666 5th Ave. in New York City on Black Friday, November 27, 2015. Although Black Friday sales are expected to be strong, many shoppers are opting to buy online or retailers are offering year round sales and other incentives that are expected to ease crowds.

AFP

PSe comPoSite index Closing November 27, 2015

8000 7700 7400 7100 6800 6500

6,927.07 136.18

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing NOVEMBER 27, 2015 43.50 44.60 45.40

P47.145

46.20

CLOSE

47.00

HIGH P47.120 LOW P47.200 AVERAGE P47.168 VOLUME 470.500M

P487.00-P682.00 LPG/11-kg tank P35.15-P42.40 Unleaded Gasoline

oPriceS il P today

P25.03-P28.48 Diesel P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene

Auto sales growth may slacken in ’16

By Othel V. Campos

AUTOMOTIVE sales growth in 2016 may slow down to 5 percent to 10 percent after surging 20 percent in 2015.

A senior official of one of the bigger Philippine automotive companies said industry growth might probably “correct” after a fast growth recorded this year.

“There will still be growth, only slower. If you are to review updates, all [data] show that prospects are still good for the next year. A relatively-controlled inflation rate, stable interest rates for auto loans and the continued growth of remittances and the BPO sector provide good signs of growth,” he said.

The automotive industry sector will likely hit the full-year target of 310,000 units before the end of December. Industry sales and

target include vehicle imports of authorized car distributor.

The official said the 20-percent sales increase this year was impressive, noting that almost all automotive companies had been registering record performances, especially those with local assembly operations.

Trucks and smaller cars are expected to sustain their sales growth in the next few years, fueled by the construction boom and the expansion of personal transport services like Uber and Grab.

The new law on vehicles prohibiting trucks 15 years and older to ply the roads would also boost

sales if strictly implemented, the official said.

He added Filipinos were now capable of buying brand new vehicle models with increasing gross domestic product per capita of $2,900.

“A study says that motorization of a country will kick in once a GDP per capita of $2,500 is achieved. We are now at $2,900, this means that the country now has more people capable of buying new cars. Our purchasing power will still grow,” he said.

Incoming new models are expected to increase the appetite of car buyers.

Vehicle sales jumped 28.7 percent to a record 28,667 units in October from 22,278 units sold a year ago.

The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and Truck Manufacturers

Association said earlier October topped September’s record sales of 27,045 units by 5.9 percent.

The latest figure brought total vehicle sales in the first 10 months to 234,951 units, or 22 percent higher than 192,005 units sold in the same period in 2014.

“The progress of the economy bodes well for the auto industry.

More people can now purchase cars and with relative ease,” said Campi president Rommel Gutierrez earlier.

“With attractive financing options coupled with new model introductions to match customer needs, cars are definitely appealing to new buyers. We are confident to meet our forecast for 2015,” he said.

Gutierrez said given the 10-month tally, the industry was expected to hit its sales target of 310,000 units for 2015.

$90t needed to address climate change—Purisima

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, November 27, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

United States

Dollar

1.000000

47.0690

Japan

Yen

0.008157

0.3839

UK

Pound

1.510100

71.0789

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129029

6.0733

Switzerland

Franc

0.977231

45.9973

Canada

Dollar

0.752445

35.4168

Singapore

Dollar

0.710328

33.4344

Australia

Dollar

0.722909

34.0266

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655478

124.9907

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266489

12.5434

Brunei

Dollar

0.707814

33.3161

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000073

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.027972

1.3166

UAE

Dirham

0.272279

12.8159

Euro

Euro

1.061000

49.9402

Korea

Won

0.000871

0.0410

China

Yuan

0.156504

7.3665

India

Rupee

0.015024

0.7072

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.237135

11.1617

New Zealand

Dollar

0.656685

30.9095

Taiwan

Dollar

0.030740

THE Philippines and 19 other countries that comprise the Vulnerable Twenty, or V20, need at least $90 trillion in infrastructure investments by 2030 to address the pressing issue of climate change.

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisma, who chairs the V20, said in a letter addressed to developed countries the $90 trillion worth of infrastructure investments would be needed to prevent the global climate from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius.

The 2015 Paris Climate Conference, for the first time in over 20 years of UN negotiations,

1.4469 Source: PDS Bridge

aims to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on climate, with the goal of keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius.

“Even at current global warming of less than one degree Celsius, we already suffer increasingly dangerous life-claiming storms, floods, drought and many other climate-related shocks. Warming of 2 degrees or more could call into question the very survival of a number of our low-lying island nations,” Purisima said in the letter.

“Our vulnerable nations are advocating instead for keeping warming to a minimum and support the more ambitious but

still feasible target of below 1.5 degrees Celsius, itself requiring even more aggressive action,” Purisima said.

Purisima earlier mentioned several proposals to the developed countries during the Climate Ministerial Meeting in Lima, Peru. These proposals included carbon tax, airline tax/jet fuel tax and green bonds.

Purisima, on behalf of V20, also suggested a financial transaction tax, or domestic taxes on environmentally harmful products; the creation of a sovereign climate risk pooling mechanism; and improving access to climate finance by streamlining processes and supporting institutional

readiness and administrative capabilities of developing countries.

“We are convinced that the V20 also has its role to play in helping to unlock the full potential of climate finance as we look to a new international partnership for moving our efforts forward,” Purisima said.

“In particular, we think steps can be taken to enable our economies to benefit from $20 billion in new and additional climate finance by 2020, drawing from international, regional and domestic sources, and leveraging maximum levels of private finance towards ambitious, 1.5 degrees Celsius-consistent climate actions,” he said.

MONDAY: NOVEMBER 30, 2015

B2

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

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Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

42 4.24 0.84 1.5 10.86 17.2 95 20.35 41.8 2.5 1.4 11 9.400 9.15 6.20 4.54 1.67 22.5 66.1 11.98 14.52 5.84 2.120 201.00 12.5 42.00 1.9 3.5 40.90 24.5 22.5 6.35 305.80 3.92 3.6 7.46 3.17 11.32 3.70 1.72 2.3 4.21 5.97 133 3.69 2.25 0.148 1.10 2.12 202 4.72 0.65 23.00 1.11

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

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

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Minerales Industrias Corp.

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

0.390 56.6000 17.70 6.40 0.240 0.237 743 7.48 13.48 6.44 6.6 4.10 0.230 1265 5.50 70.75 7.5 0.73 14.9 0.51 5.24 9.95 0.0300 1.470 1.770 2.7 46.80 2.70 845.00 1.18 0.72 75.000 0.2950 0.2100 0.270

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Arthaland Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ Cebu Holdings Centennial City City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

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

7.050 0.82 1.090 0.210 33.850 3.18 5.1 0.56 0.91 1.07 0.127 0.465 23.9 0.880 0.164 1.06 1.78 1.18 4.00

Value

FINANCIAL 43,100.00 71,850,960.00 1,346,756,411 1,410,648,237.50 5,741,155.00 22,050.00 2,010,920.00 7,992.00 3,271,010.00 4,811,814.00 323,905 13,000 173,750.00 1,095,600.00 958,150.00 1,201,586,654.00 300,270.00 4,832,104.00 228,185.00 9,068,132.00 10,300.00 6,793,156.00 21,987,535 440,476,051.00 797,025.00 42,356,418.50 1,644,000.00 INDUSTRIAL 22,832,200 965,492,345.00 16,100,000 65,264,130.00 318,000 256,220.00 2,505,000 3,790,600.00 7,900 82,362.00 572,300 10,000,798 200 18,710.00 5,009,900 103,176,455.00 828,900 34,813,030 14,301,000 36,040,880.00 1,269,000 1,803,560.00 150,600 1,604,700.00 55,919,700 526,215,274.00 45,145,100 411,582,847.00 85,567,200 529,079,348.00 14,079,700 50,956,361.00 11,000 18,370.00 9,148,800 208,647,120.00 1,443,650 97,742,678.50 100 1,198.00 223,300 3,295,676.00 738,800 4,306,218.00 10,359,000 22,339,710.00 5,072,820 1,039,299,611.00 106,800 1,333,936.00 4,900 206,700.00 72,000 139,500.00 89,000 334,670.00 1,100 42,770.00 30,578,500 749,931,720.00 5,088,200 115,124,350.00 2,278,800 14,332,254.00 1,669,750 507,149,896.00 13,000 51,080.00 6,015,000 23,140,770.00 4,760,500 36,429,250.00 52,000 164,860.00 11,700 136,268.00 361,000 1,346,080.00 2,459,000 4,379,330.00 4,991,000 11,255,770.00 2,466,000 10,351,150.00 10,100 57,699.00 58,250 7,750,696.00 73,000 247,420.00 1,037,000 2,336,270.00 48,790,000 7,057,950.00 283,000 300,810.00 1,705,000 3,597,890.00 13,441,370 2,719,995,469.00 6,721,000 30,381,470.00 1,056,000 686,040.00 500 11,500.00 1,764,000 1,975,410.00 HOLDING FIRMS 9,830,000 3,791,200.00 18,295,640 1,045,192,647.50 29,141,000 522,063,234.00 80,400 510,596.00 2,420,000 580,980.00 830,000 198,940.00 2,059,380 1,546,813,765.00 20,258,400 152,149,291.00 55,922,300 765,316,932.00 3,835,600 25,756,792.00 288,700 1,974,083.00 560,000 2,382,690.00 310,000 71,740.00 711,400 914,448,690.00 35,000 195,000.00 13,186,920 949,075,814.50 26,392,000 204,023,097.00 684,000 481,310.00 20,603,900 301,497,360.00 2,000 1,020.00 165,957,100 876,884,935.00 11,533,000 113,578,581.00 180,000,000 5,474,300.00 142,000 192,490.00 3,051,000 5,426,620.00 24,000 64,010.00 1,658,600 77,885,575.00 5,000 12,300.00 1,380,390 1,189,760,140.00 452,000 533,830.00 71,000 50,870.00 3,112,120 235,096,874.00 10,580,000 3,218,650.00 3,390,000 729,830.00 1,220,000 323,900.00 PROPERTY 1,594,600 11,469,983.00 6,252,000 5,235,420.00 264,000 292,880.00 120,000 25,200.00 48,028,500 1,649,271,420.00 5,096,000 16,259,510.00 23,900 121,466.00 11,264,000 6,441,770.00 6,725,000 6,113,330.00 118,000 124,000.00 37,550,000 4,865,340.00 8,130,000 3,776,850.00 16,895,600 402,743,690.00 2,941,000 2,501,930.00 380,000 62,330.00 9,900,000 10,560,290.00 122,065,000 222,434,360.00 451,000 540,010.00 16,000 63,480.00 16,000 1,591,500 13,249,590 16,524,830 146,600 9,000 1,440,000 900 215,200 253,600 42,100 20,000 100,000 1,470 2,050,000 14,869,370 321,000 273,000 9,900 175,380 100 23,100 696,100 3,292,600 530 743,150 548,000

NOVEMBER 16-20, 2015STOCKS Close Volume Value 2.55 49.2 99.25 86.75 39.4

27,000 55,300 7,538,490 6,415,050 128,500

69,430.00 2,706,965.00 749,826,641 544,157,707.00 5,076,595.00

1.57

66,000

105,440.00

15.6 18.92 7.70 0.65 1.60 750.00 0.490 81.1 0.97 18.00

11,300 266,600 1,100 20,000 96,000 110 580,000 6,864,290 212,000 226,400

175,830.00 5,036,788.00 8,464 13,000 154,510.00 82,500.00 277,600.00 550,750,975.50 200,570.00 4,063,962.00

51.90 104 296 33 136 1535.00 56.90

291,530 1,140 1,580 139,400 836,410 155 54,740

14,837,106.00 112,320.00 468,074.00 4,495,355 111,963,012.00 237,825.00 3,113,803.00

42 3.41 0.84 1.54 10.98 17.6

8,679,800 5,367,435 57,000 862,000 2,600 1,303,000

359,780,450.00 33,864,460.00 47,880.00 1,335,090.00 27,264.00 23,090,744

20.75 41 2.4 1.47 9.94 9.500 9.10 5.85 5.53 1.71 22.2 68.8 11.88 14.62 5.88 2.370 200.00 12.66 42.00 2.03 3.69 41.00 24 22.8 6.3 297.80 4.00 3.96 7.77 3.17 11.80 3.69 1.83 2.35 4.28 6 134 3.5 2.3 0.148 1.17 2.10 198 4.7 0.66

4,112,100 506,600 1,290,000 2,904,000 31,300 14,703,100 13,829,100 42,074,900 1,523,400 6,000 5,849,200 1,090,720 36,200 221,500 828,100 18,959,000 1,403,980 48,100 1,900 45,000 88,000 5,200 7,447,000 721,800 2,684,900 1,869,060 5,000 5,496,000 2,314,500 44,000 8,200 206,000 3,138,000 468,000 862,000 16,600 143,450 88,000 1,775,000 4,480,000 116,000 571,000 4,143,070 2,000 1,414,000

85,098,275.00 20,809,755 3,025,420.00 4,399,460.00 309,183.00 135,533,412.00 125,327,819.00 244,039,812.00 8,446,200.00 10,260.00 130,082,085.00 74,870,152.50 427,178.00 3,222,594.00 4,874,199.00 46,077,920.00 275,279,651.00 599,486.00 76,600.00 90,950.00 309,010.00 199,470.00 178,768,845.00 16,301,470.00 16,933,565.00 554,583,278.00 20,000.00 22,360,650.00 17,736,566.00 140,430.00 96,904.00 753,500.00 5,904,180.00 1,102,710.00 3,623,330.00 92,355.00 19,191,596.00 310,590.00 3,994,790.00 662,920.00 124,990.00 1,182,700.00 822,050,230.00 9,240.00 894,180.00

1.16

352,000

414,400.00

0.405 57.8500 17.90 6.33 0.245 0.246 756 7.59 13.00 5.6

8,180,000 5,261,400 8,980,000 12,400 7,430,000 230,000 869,370 9,060,400 27,772,200 201,000

3,157,450.00 296,883,633.50 158,292,862.00 79,002.00 1,781,930.00 57,460.00 651,827,185.00 67,917,583.00 360,068,120.00 1,077,340.00

4.26 0.260 1286 6.00 69.90 7.74 0.73 13.98 0.53 5.3 9.72 0.0310 1.460 1.790

1,244,000 770,000 462,165 418,000 5,602,330 15,133,000 197,000 10,576,000 1,027,000 71,497,700 6,951,100 342,400,000 511,000 12,007,000

5,161,670.00 197,550.00 596,069,235.00 2,268,741.00 383,841,674.00 112,365,797.00 141,870.00 148,076,864.00 523,970.00 374,307,299.00 67,006,304.00 10,547,900.00 671,690.00 21,201,410.00

48.00 2.70 862.00 1.22 0.75 76.400 0.3200 0.2180 0.300

640,400 41,000 669,220 83,000 786,000 3,700 7,370,000 8,540,000 1,380,000

30,725,735.00 109,920.00 564,844,685.00 97,800.00 575,260.00 282,314.50 2,343,700.00 1,849,330.00 399,200.00

7.330 0.84 1.160 0.209 35.200 3.2 5.08 0.58 0.92 1.05 0.138 0.465 23 0.850 0.165 1.09 1.77 1.22

2,208,200 13,919,000 121,000 300,000 18,383,100 3,758,000 11,300 10,503,000 6,000 118,000 16,300,000 3,200,000 5,040,400 207,000 1,560,000 7,677,000 80,706,000 190,000

15,823,377.00 11,783,730.00 144,200.00 62,610.00 626,409,375.00 11,846,850.00 57,410.00 5,978,790.00 5,520.00 118,100.00 2,208,470.00 1,488,450.00 114,872,015.00 176,050.00 256,130.00 8,363,560.00 142,269,220.00 231,780.00

STOCKS

NOVEMBER 23-27, 2015 Close Volume

Megaworld Prop.

MRC Allied Ind. Phil. Estates Corp.

Phil. Realty `A’ Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry Primex Corp.

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

4.44 0.079 0.2490 0.4000 19.50 8.69 30.15 1.42 3.23 21.50 0.75 6.3 0.900 5.320

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

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

Discovery World DFNN Inc. Easy Call “Common” FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ IPeople Inc. `A’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown Metro Retail MG Holdings NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

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

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

SSI Group STI Holdings Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Yehey

7.34 63.45 1.16 0.510 11.98 27 5.22 0.0430 3.49 83.5 9.92 1.65 5.79 3.28 950 2000 7.19 21.50 1.26 73.5 4.22 11.2 0.010 0.170 1.4000 2.12 8.99 4.30 1.15 29.90 0.570 2.01 3.34 3.82 0.250 0.640 18 4.60 9.44 107.80 20.90 2050.00 0.470 0.960 34.40 72.15 5.54 4.05 0.410 3.9 0.345 4.260

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

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

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

TA Petroleum United Paragon

0.0049 2.05 4.14 0.210 5.7100 0.69 0.61 8.03 0.76 0.300 0.186 0.200 0.0100 0.012 2.16 6.54 2.93 0.5600 1.4300 0.0100 0.0100 3.55 5.00 1.41 0.0120 136.00 2.27 0.0075

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

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

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

63 525 524 116.1 519.5 6.95 1.12 109 1055 1073 1020 79.05 83 79.4 80 80.7 2.7

Leisure & Resort Warr.

2.650

Alterra Capital Makati Fin. Corp.

Xurpas

3.5 2.63 16.06

First Metro ETF

113

NOVEMBER 16-20, 2015STOCKS Close Volume Value

Value

134,786,000 611,712,170.00 8,470,000 676,910.00 1,480,000 377,100.00 190,000 79,550.00 300 5,850.00 1,517,300 13,134,972.00 163,765,900 4,966,272,800.00 682,090 840,770.00 44,000 139,390.00 86,239,900 1,861,437,775.00 1,967,000 1,453,200.00 37,200 285,254.00 7,073,000 6,803,750.00 18,238,700 98,391,206.00 SERVICES 555,400 4,018,721.00 114,160 7,317,973.00 235,000 282,260.00 9,282,000 4,782,240.00 400 4,792.00 200 5,400 12,464,900 66,582,648.00 101,100,000 4,571,200.00 726,000 2,545,780.00 2,081,670 175,123,646.00 2,200 21,788.00 7,000 11,600 479,800 2,678,082.00 32,000 115,600.00 2,390 2,274,600.00 491,370 981,781,185 275,000 1,926,198.00 176,200 3,788,300 1,072,000 1,392,160.00 8,570,660 627,777,890.50 2,000 8,430 19,700 222,334.00 17,900,000 181,300.00 1,100,000 189,820.00 835,000 1,162,870.00 62,000 126,720.00 223,809 2,067,333.00 5,211,000 21,838,600.00 4,000 4,600.00 5,800 136,870.00 441,000 248,440.00 53,000 106,130.00 7,777,000 27,383,100.00 308,320,000 1,275,117,400.00 1,030,000 261,800.00 19,836,000 13,137,530.00 15,000 267,494.00 17,000 79,640 560,200 5,291,712.00 224,370 22,772,384.00 355,000 7,261,983.00 1,169,755 2,382,929,540.00 3,238,000 1,587,740.00 39,523,000 38,748,610.00 11,954,800 410,302,550.00 2,133,470 150,681,934.00 7,363,000 40,605,341.00 70,283,000 283,541,450.00 21,910,000 9,016,750.00 3,145,000 12,476,970.00 500,000 165,100.00 1,408,000 6,145,540.00 MINING & OIL 365,000,000 1,757,000.00 98,000 204,890.00 10,067,000 42,937,710.00 980,000 205,820.00 100 571.00 516,000 342,600.00 496,000 306,250.00 30,500 241,362.00 93,333,000 71,016,600.00 3,880,000 1,090,800.00 5,380,000 1,005,330.00 980,000 196,350.00 290,900,000 3,186,900.00 900,000 10,200.00 3,597,000 7,818,240.00 27,346,200 180,347,683.00 336,000 969,750.00 10,000 5,600.00 380,000 509,980.00 94,400,000 961,800.00 1,000,000 10,000.00 59,000 207,840.00 550,200 2,744,106.00 4,852,000 6,739,230.00 195,200,000 2,276,600.00 2,983,000 406,299,618.00 721,000 1,614,650.00 24,000,000 179,600.00 PREFERRED 536,040 34,319,822.00 18,195 9,291,300.00 68,380 35,899,500 14,960 1,737,694.00 2,030 1,054,450.00 22,000 154,599.00 62,000 221,050 4,040 439,918.00 3,000 3,165,000.00 2,290 2,452,810.00 8,680 8,866,580.00 2,500 197,100.00 88,720 7,339,265.00 2,112,710 167,728,512.00 117,510 9,395,761.00 2,180,280 176,258,193.00 9,000 22,300.00 WARRANTS & BONDS 211,000 558,170.00 SME 353,000 1,164,610.00 63,000 164,600.00 4,949,500 80,562,312.00 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 146,230 16,751,442.00

4.49 0.082 0.2700 0.4050

53,734,000 1,640,000 1,220,000 50,000

237,645,110.00 133,400.00 312,300.00 20,250.00

8.45 30.60 1.47 3.2 20.90 0.74 7.89 0.900 5.390

286,100 36,525,100 327,000 4,000 35,683,000 1,919,000 27,000 1,785,000 9,142,600

2,417,166.00 1,109,729,365.00 479,790.00 12,710.00 731,649,807.00 1,401,570.00 188,046.00 1,547,720.00 48,358,080.00

7.29 64 1.12 0.550 11.8

525,200 98,860 110,000 675,000 400

3,741,542.00 6,237,596.00 128,600.00 373,290.00 4,720.00

5.11 0.0490 3.55 84.4

18,696,000 101,010,000 7,643,000 1,092,650

94,107,490.00 4,994,540.00 27,923,380.00 91,530,531.50

5.90 2.95 978 2000 7.39

118,000 1,000 1,120 309,425 727,100

667,185.00 2,950.00 1,075,060.00 619,678,960 5,359,025.00

1.26 71

276,000 4,393,230

343,680.00 297,613,481.50

11.4 0.011 0.174 1.4100 2 8.98 4.32

43,300 200,000 2,400,000 1,120,000 81,000 788,400 3,364,000

494,368.00 2,200.00 412,210.00 1,524,490.00 163,850.00 7,053,632.00 14,520,440.00

24.00 0.590 2 3.65 3.99 0.260 0.680 17.92 4.52 9.47 100.00 20.00 2000.00 0.540 1.000 32.55 69.95 5.54 3.76 0.430 4 0.325 4.130

600 146,000 20,002 17,664,000 4.49 510,000 16,032,000 9,100 53,000 13,600 55,500 137,100 400,010 4,498,000 27,234,000 6,882,100 369,090 15,498,400 110,040,000 11,860,000 2,065,000 290,000 159,000

13,900.00 85,700.00 73,000.00 63,631,300.00 4.00 128,950.00 10,822,820.00 163,348.00 240,890 124,061.00 5,551,258.00 2,723,514.00 793,734,835.00 2,295,990.00 27,102,810.00 219,450,330.00 34,740,241.50 86,803,547.00 396,927,790.00 5,092,750.00 7,999,010.00 97,500.00 656,800.00

0.0050 2.20 4.78 0.210 5.7000 0.65 0.64 8.04 0.79 0.295 0.188 0.204 0.0100 0.012 2.36 6.73 3 0.5600 1.4400 0.0110

348,000,000 462,000 532,000 2,050,000 200 1,578,000 1,101,000 44,400 15,586,000 130,000 9,000,000 2,670,000 302,400,000 11,300,000 1,223,000 5,430,200 2,430,000 20,000 152,000 3,700,000

1,709,100.00 1,015,670.00 2,591,090.00 430,500.00 1,140.00 1,020,390.00 695,000.00 357,546.00 12,348,010.00 38,250.00 1,677,700.00 536,850.00 3,324,900.00 135,300.00 2,926,290.00 36,897,389.00 7,296,570.00 11,220.00 210,340.00 37,100.00

3.60 5.00 1.44 0.0120 134.80 2.33

56,000 1,222,200 847,000 216,700,000 774,920 161,000

200,680.00 6,133,046.00 1,186,590.00 2,509,600.00 104,557,645.00 368,590.00

64 515 525 117 520 7.25

194,870 2,220 4,680 950 260 105,100

12,326,333.00 1,152,940.00 2,467,000 110,438.00 135,190.00 756,831.00

109 1050

45,080 150

4,913,720.00 157,700.00

1020 85 83.5 79.05 79.9 80.5 2.79

5,050 15,100 158,350 45,700 67,400 120,000 2,000

5,155,910.00 1,282,300.00 13,043,525.00 3,612,623.00 5,374,295.00 9,638,609.50 5,580.00

2.650

1,104,000

2,931,020.00

3.61 2.84 16.5

205,000 11,000 6,730,800

820,270.00 31,220.00 110,187,326.00

113.2

110,190

12,330,387.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining Metro Retail Manila Mining `A’ Philodrill Corp. `A’ Pacifica `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Robinson’s Land `B’ Megaworld Prop.

Filinvest Land,Inc. Boulevard Holdings

VOLUME 365,000,000 308,320,000 290,900,000 195,200,000 180,000,000 165,957,100 163,765,900 134,786,000 122,065,000 101,100,000

STOCKS Robinson’s Land `B’ Universal Robina PLDT Common SM Prime Holdings Ayala Land `B’ Ayala Corp `A’ Bank of PI Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Metro Retail Metrobank

VALUE 4,966,272,800.00 2,719,995,469.00 2,382,929,540.00 1,861,437,775.00 1,649,271,420.00 1,546,813,765.00 1,410,648,237.50 1,346,756,411 1,275,117,400.00 1,201,586,654.00

MONDAY: NOVEMBER 30, 2015

B3

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

D.M. Wenceslao defers IPO

By Jenniffer B. Austria

Caktiong receives Rolex watch gift IT WAS only supposed to be special stockholders’ meeting to approve a senior management stock option and incentive plan aimed at rewarding hardworking and dedicated employees of fastfood giant Jollibee Foods Corp.

However, it was Jollibee chairman Tony Tan Caktiong who received a unexpected gift from a of longtime board director of the company— retired Supreme Court chief justice Artemio Panganiban.

Panganiban, before giving the gift, explained that the Jollibee chairman should be acclaimed for the successful Apec CEO Summit 2015 which Tan Caktiong headed.

At the same time, Panganiban expressed gratitude to Tan Caktiong for inviting him to attend the prestigious Apec CEO Summit, where world leaders like US President Barack Obama spoke.

So what was the gift? Panganiban and his wife gave Tan Caktiong the latest model of Rolex watch. Jenniffer B. Austria

SEC ignores deadline

The Securities and Exchange Commission did not succumb to pressures, even when it was given a Nov. 27 deadline to approve the merger of Philippine Stock Exchange and Philippine Dealing Systems Holdings Corp.

“Who has a deadline? We don’t have a deadline,” a top official of the SEC said, when asked about the Nov. 27 deadline for the PSE to close the acquisition of a majority stake in PDS, which operates the fixed-income market. SEC needs to approve the transaction first.

The SEC official was apparently irked by strong pressures on the corporate regulator, which was asked to approve PSE’s acquisition of majority interest in PDS Holdings before Nov. 27. Even if the deadline lapsed, PSE could obviously seek an extension for the closing of the transaction.

To date, PSE signed share purchase agreements with four shareholders of PDS Holdings, including the Bankers Association of the Philippines, the Finex Research and Development Foundation Inc., Whistler Technology Services Inc. and Insular Investment Corp.

The four shareholders have a combined ownership in PDS of 40.06 percent, on top of PSE’s existing stake of 20.98 percent.

Aside from seeking for an extension for the transaction, PSE also considers the possibility of putting up its own depository, if the planned buyout of PDS Holdings fails to get regulatory approval.

The transaction aims to consolidate the equities and fixed-income exchanges. It will also allow PSE to own Philippine Depository and Trust Corp. which serves as the depository for equities and fixed-income securities. In 2013, the SEC granted the Securities Clearing Corporation of the Philippines, a fully-owned subsidiary of PSE, a provisional license to operate a securities depository. Jenniffer B. Austria

PROPERTY and construction company D.M. Wenceslao & Associates Inc. said it deferred to 2016 the planned P12.3-billion initial public offering, originally scheduled next month.

“After due consideration of the proposed IPO timeline, where the listing of D.M. Wenceslao & Associates Inc. will be very close to the year-end holidays, the company has decided to defer the launch of the IPO to next year,” D.M. Wenceslao chief executive Delfin Angelo Wenceslao said in a letter to the Philippine Stock Exchange.

D.M. Wenceslao is the second company that rescheduled its planned IPO this year.

Property and construction firm Datem Inc. earlier decided to move its market debut “due to the uncertainty in the capital markets prevailing at the time of pricing.”

“The company recognizes that pursuing the transaction under such an abstruse investment environment may not be beneficial to the company, the investing public and the Philippine capital markets as a whole,” Datem said.

The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index last week fell below the 7,000 level, on slower-than-expected GDP growth and month-end portfolio rebalancing.

Meanwhile, Italpinas Development Corp., a property firm that is also conducting IPO, reported strong demand for shares.

Italpinas, which is raising as much as P207.4 million, said total applications by local small

investors already exceeded the 10-percent allocation of 5,763,000 shares.

“We expect the LSI allocation to be oversubscribed. In this event, we will follow the stated procedures in the prospectus and undertake a balloting of the received applications to cover the LSI allocation of 5,763,000 shares,” it said.

D.M. Wenceslao on Thursday said it reduced the maximum offer price for the IPO to P25 per share from an initial price of P44 apiece.

D.M. Wenceslao, according to the latest offer term sheet submitted to the stock exchange, is selling up to 429 million in primary common shares. Selling shareholder Wendel Holdings Inc. granted the underwriters an option to sell another 64.375 million in secondary shares to cover over-allotment.

The company plans to sell at least 70 percent of the offer shares to foreign investors and the balance to local buyers and trading participants.

SMG-Propel partnership.

Starcom MediaVest Group Philippines teams up with Propel Manila and Rich Media Manila to strengthen digital and content capabilities, moving closer to consumer habits in the evolving media landscape. Shown formalizing the partnership are SMG chief executive Leah Besa-Jimenez and Proper Media founder and chief executive JC Valenzuela.

Financial firms swapping CEOs

Several financial companies are losing top officials and recruiting new ones, amid intensifying competition in the banking and insurance sectors.

It started when Mayo Jose Ongsingco retired as president and chief operating officer of The Insular Life Assurance Co., the largest Filipino-owned life insurance company, in May 2015. He was replaced by Mona Lisa de la Cruz at Insular Life.

Recently, First Metro Investment Corp., the investment banking arm of the Metrobank Group, announced the appointment of Ongsingco as its new adviser to the board of directors.

In October, First Metro announced the retirement of Roberto Juanchito Dispo as president and chief executive. He will be replaced by Rabboni Francis Arjonillo, the former head of treasury and investment banking division of Land Bank of the Philippines effective Jan. 1, 2016.

Meanwhile, Philippine Bank of Communications former president and chief executive Nina Aguas was named the new chief executive of Insular Life, while Union Bank of the Philippines president and chief operating officer Victor Valdepeñas was appointed the new chairman of Insular Life, in place of Vicente Ayllón who is retiring in January 2016.

Aguas was replaced by Henry Uy and later by Patricia May Siy as the president and chief executive of PBCom. There is no word yet on who will replace Valdepeñas at Union Bank, but the Aboitizled lender recently named Citi Philippines treasury head John Cary Ong as transaction banking center head with the rank of senior vice president, effective Jan. 10, 2016. Jose Ortiz remains the chairman and chief executive of Union Bank. Roderick T. dela Cruz

Stock market likely to move sideways STOCKS are expected to move sideways in this shortened trading week, as investors look overseas for guidance.

“The local market will see a shortened trading week as Monday will be closed for holiday.

Lacking any catalysts in the near term, investors will likely take cue from developments overseas [this] week,” RCBC Securities said.

Analysts said the Philippine Stock Exchange index’s failure to stay above the 7,000-point level last week suggested the market would trade within a range of 6,800 to 7,000, with a bias to test the 6,800 level.

“From a technical framework, the 30-day moving average at 7,070 has proven to be a robust resistance area, with the index heading towards 6,870. In case pessimism over China becomes short-lived,

there could be opportunistic buying that might aid the market towards year-end window-dressing,” F. Yap Securities investment trader Jason Escartin said.

Investors will monitor this week the release of November inflation rate figure, which could accelerate due to higher power rates.

The PSEi, the 30-company benchmark, fell 0.8 percent to close at 6,927.07 on Friday, while the broader all-share index declined 0.1 percent to settle at 3,996.91.

The market started the week strong, as it awaited the release of the third-quarter GDP figures.

With GDP growth coming in at 6 percent, slightly below analysts’ prediction, coupled with regionwide decline in equities after authorities from China cracked down on brokerages, the PSEi

ended below the 7,000 level.

The PSEi was also down 4.9 percent since the start of the year.

Mining and oil, (-1.15 percent), property (-1.14 percent), holding firms (-0.87 percent) and financial (-0.96 percent) posted week-onweek decline, while services and industrial sectors gained 1.92 percent and 1.15 percent, respectively.

Foreign investors were net sellers last week by P2.7 billion, as overseas selling reached P25.5 billion, while foreign buying amounted to P22.76 billion. As of end-November, foreign investors were net sellers by P56 billion.

Top gainers last week were F&J Prince Holdings, which climbed 26 percent to P6.60; Manila Broadcasting Co., which gained 25 percent to P29.90; and AgriNurture Inc., which advanced 24 percent to P4.24. Jenniffer B. Austria

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PAL flies to Cairns, Auckland

By Darwin G Amojelar

PHILIPPINE Airlines is set to mount flights to New Zealand by next month, targeting Filipinos working in Auckland and Australia.

The airline, owned by tobacco tycoon Lucio Tan, said the four times a week service to Auckland via Cairns in Australia will start on December 2.

“The route will stimulate passenger traffic along three travel streams—Manila-Cairns, Manila-Auckland as well as CairnsAuckland. The new service allows Philippine Airlines to cater to the travel needs of business and leisure travelers and showcase its distinct brand of service marked by Filipino warmth, charm and hospitality,” PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista said.

“Filipinos residing in New Zealand will find the new service as their convenient link to their home country,” he said.

The Manila-Cairns-Auckland service will utilize the 156-seater Airbus 320, flying every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Auckland Airport, the largest and busiest airport in New Zealand is the second largest in Australasia.

PAL’s first foray into New Zealand provides a most convenient route for the more than 44,000 Filipinos residing in New Zealand to visit home, while allowing Auckland and Cairns residents to discover Manila or connect to PAL’s 30 domestic and 39 in-

ternational destinations.

Cairns and Auckland will become PAL’s 37th and 38th international points respectively, while Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, set to be launched on Dec 18, will be its 39th international destination.

Records show passenger travel from the Philippines to New Zealand increased 9.4 percent over the last five years, while the New Zealand to the Philippines travel grew 11.6 percent over the same period.

The stopover in Cairns will enable Kiwis to visit northern Australia while those from Cairns can find a lot to explore at Auckland.

PAL is offering an introductory fare of US$880 for a roundtrip, economy class and $2,700 for business class on the Manila-Auckland route; $705 for economy class and $2,044 for business class for a roundtrip Auckland-Manila route. Roundtrip fare for Auckland to Cairns, Australia starts at $378 for economy class and $1,658 for business class; roundtrip Cairns-Auckland route at $368 for economy class and $1,832 for business class; roundtrip CairnsManila at $523 for economy class and $2,452 for business class; and roundtrip Manila-Cairns at $1,200 for economy class and $2,950 for business class.

Isuzu offers alternative plan to get CARS perks

By Othel V. Campos ISUZU Philippine Corp. has offered an alternative form of compliance to the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy program that approximates the value of the required volume of vehicles under the plan.

Isuzu senior vice president Arthur Balmadrid said over the weekend the company was looking at ways to qualify for the program through a mixed commercial vehicle platform, placing the value of the vehicle as a leverage instead of the volume, which the CARS program requires.

“Our proposal if that volume can be smaller but more or less of the same value. Our commercial vehicles are worth almost 10 times that of a small passenger car. So for every 30,000 passenger car units required by the program per year we can approximate at least 3,000 commercial vehicles,” he said at the opening of the Isuzu Off-Road Fest at the Bonifacio Global City.

He conceded the company could produce the mandatory volume that would qualify the company for incentives under the new automotive program.

The company rued the stringent rules the government is asking from car companies in order to be eligible for a set of incentives.

“We were there right from the start when the government is drafting the program. We provided inputs and data that were difficult to extract. We believe we are qualified, in every way, to enroll in the program until the volume requirement came up,” said Balmadrid.

Executive Order 182 or the CARS program provides as much as P27 billion worth of time-bound incentives to three car manufacturers that are willing to put-up investments to produce 200,000 units of passenger cars each, or a total of 600,000 units within six years.

Isuzu said it was willing to put investments to increase production in order to land the third and last slot under the program, on the assumption that the first two would be Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. and Mitsubishi Motor Philippine Corp.

Century Park tree. Century Park Hotel officially welcomes the yuletide season with the lighting of its lofty 20-feet-tall Christmas tree on November 25, 2015 at the newly-renovated Atrium Lounge.

Shown at the ceremony are (from left) Carmen Tan, wife of Dr. Lucio Tan (center), and daughter Irene Tan-Luy. Guests were visually treated with an elegant Christmas tree and serenaded by the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra.

LTO’s new circular order slammed THE Insurance Commission asked the Land Transportation Office to justify a directive regulating the compulsory third-party liability insurance of motor vehicle owners.

The IC, in a letter addressed to LTO Assistant Secretary Alfonso Tan dated Nov. 24, said the new directive could contravene existing laws and regulations relating to CTPL Insurance and insurance companies.

“LTO is requested to explain the reason behind or justification for requiring administrators to issue the CTPL and authorizing the same to regulate the issuance of CTPL,” Deputy Insurance Commissioner Dorothy Calimag said in the letter.

“The Insurance Commission must continue to exercise regulatory supervision over insurance companies and insurance agents,” she said.

The IC also called LTO’s attention over the “cartelized monopoly” of the CTPL insurance, restraint of trade and unfair competition among insurance agents.

“The LTO is requested explain how the CTPL will ensure that insurance companies who are not accredited as administrators will nevertheless be able to participate in the CTPL business, within the bounds of law,” the letter read.

“Another issue raised is that the creation of administrator in effect limits those that can actually sell CTPL policies in contravention of their certificates of authority,” Calimag added.

The copy of the letter was given to reporters over the weekend.

The LTO issued MC 20151975 early this month, mandating the implementation of reformed CTPL insurance system.

The circular said the issuance of CTPL insurance policies and administration of payment and settlement would be assigned only to insurance pools, administered by national administrators.

The administrators will issue and settle CTPL to motor vehicle owners to ensure the legitimate insurance cover-

age of motor vehicle owners, proper payment and remittance of taxes and expeditious settlement of claims.

The CTPL insurance policy is a requirement before any motor vehicle can be registered with LTO to protect the general public from accidents.

The Philippine Insurers and Reinsurers Association said LTO’s move was “a cartel that would monopolize issuance of insurance” to motor vehicle owners.

“Our members recognize that the LTO does not have the legal right to regulate insurance business in any way since such power and responsibility reside only in the Insurance Commission under the revised Insurance Code,” PIRA president Michael Rellosa said.

The LTO issued the new circular following the complaints from motorists about fixers selling insurance policies without presenting proof they are licensed by the Insurance Commission. Gabrielle H. Binaday

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

Cigarette sales to fall–PMFTC

By Gabrielle Binaday

THE new chief executive of Philip Morris and Fortune Tobacco Corp. expects industry sales to decline following the implementation of a graphic health warning on cigarette packs.

PMFTC president Roman Militsyn told reporters last week sales would drop but the industry would survive.

“With graphic health warnings as a regulatory measure, we expect there is an impact on the industry as experienced by other countries,” Militsyn said at the sidelines of the 9th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards in Pasay City.

“We expect some decline [on sales] but we also believe that the industry will continue to be there and that is a good potential in terms of the profitable growth of the industry going forward,” Militsyn added.

He said while some people had become conscious of their health, other adults were still smoking.

Militsyn also said the implementation

of the sin tax gave the tobacco industry “a good predictability.”

“We think that it is a good roadmap for the fiscal environment for the industry going forward,” he said.

Militsyn said the review of the sin tax law next year had allowed the company to work with the government and other industry players in reducing illicit trade in the country.

“I think what is important while the sin tax law continues to roll out and tax continues to increase, we have to make sure that illicit trade particularly contraband and counterfeit will remain under control, and that’s where we continue to work with the government agencies with the whole industry trying to make sure that illicit trade overall is under control,” he said.

The London-based Oxford Economics released a report in September, showing that one in every five cigarettes were illicit consumption in 2014 and cost the government around P22.5 billion in foregone revenue.

Domestic illicit trade, according to Oxford, are cigarettes that are manufactured by the trademark holder, but are illegally sold and consumed in the same market, without the payment of excise taxes and value-added tax.

ADP expansion. ADP Philippines Inc., a leading global provider of human capital

management and business process outsourcing, inaugurates its expansion in Aeon Centre, Alabang. With more than 1,000 capacity, ADP’s new offices at the Aeon Centre in Filinvest, Alabang, Muntinlupa City bring the total capacity in the Philippines close to 4,000 associates, including the current site at the Glorietta 2 Corporate Center in Makati City. Shown at the inaugural rite are (from left) Tina Tromiczak, division vice president for global operations and print services of ADP; Josep Elias, VP and general manager, ADP Philippines; Debbie Dyson, corporate VP for client experience, ADP; and Cris Mirador, senior director for shared services, ADP Philippines.

Meralco firming up coal talks

By Alena Mae S. Flores MERALCO PowerGen Corp., a unit of Manila Electric Co., plans to firm up negotiations with a prospective partner for the $2 billion, 1,200-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Atimonan, Quezon province.

Meralco president Oscar Reyes said talks were ongoing with “a number of parties but we are not yet in the position to discuss whom we are talking to.”

Reyes said the joint venture partner should be “very well established.” “We will focus on who would be the best partner for Atimonan.”

Meralco chairman Manuel Pangilinan earlier said Meralco PowerGen could build the project on its own, although a joint venture partner would help spread the risks.

“From purely financial perspective, we don’t need a partner but it’s big, 1,200-

MW, costing $2 billion, so [we should] spread the risk,” Pangilinan said.

“For Atimonan, we may need foreign partner so long as Meralco has majority stake,” he said.

Meralco PowerGen senior vice president Angelito Lantin said the company had received environmental compliance certificate of the Atimonan project. The engineering, procurement and construction tender processes have started, with the company expecting responses by the end of 2015.

Meralco PowerGen will select the preferred EPC contractor for the Atimonan project by mid 2016 with construction to follow.

“Early works target to start early 2016 such as access road and resettlement site construction. Target completion of unit 1 is late 2020,” Lantin said.

An evening with Richard Quest (third from left), CNN’s foremost international business correspondent and host of Quest Means Business & CNN Business Traveller who was in Manila for the APEC CEO Summit. With him are (from left) Mon Isberto, head, public and regulatory affairs, PLDT-Smart; Kat Luna-Abelarde, head, Small and Medium Enterprise Group PLDT SMART SME Nation; Manny Pangilinan; this columnist; Luigi Nunez, Philippine Licensee-CNN; Sally Young, executive director of CNN; Sunita Rajan, vice president for Asia Pacific-CNN. At the back is Ricky Vargas, president and CEO of Maynilad Water Services

Quest in Manila I RECENTLY had the chance—more of the honor, as I am a huge fan—to have dinner with the Richard Quest of CNN International together with our Philex chairman, First Pacific managing director and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan (“MVP”), Maynilad president and CEO Ricky Vargas, PLDT-SMART Public Affairs head Mon Isberto, and PLDTSMART SME Nation head Kat LunaAbelarde. Richard was in town for the APEC CEO Summit last November 1819. We all know him, of course, as CNN’s international business correspondent and host of the highly popular Quest Means Business and the CNN Business Traveller.

Richard came across as a very engaging, intelligent and bespoke fellow who was passionate about aviation (but hates helicopters!). I was surprised to know that, for a well-travelled man, it was his first time in Manila. He was able to do a quick hop to Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro, but he’d rather see much more of the country as the reputation of its beauty preceded his trip here. He will soon launch his book on the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines

In a discussion with CNN top international business correspondent Richard Quest

Flight 370 that mysteriously disappeared during flight last March 8, 2014.

Together with MVP, we discussed a whole range of topics at dinner like the Philippine economy, the Group’s business interests, the APEC, ASEAN integration and the coming elections both in the US and the Philippines. Off-the-cuff and offthe-record, of course, as this was not official business and the mood was relaxed and informal.

One thing that left an indelible impression of his wit was when he said, “When you think of Paris, you think of the Eiffel Tower; when you think of London, you think of the Big Ben… When you think of Manila, you think of leaving Manila… (dramatic pause) … to visit its beautiful islands!”

PLDT boss Manny Pangilinan with Richard Quest

Richard Quest flanked by Mon Isberto and Manny Pangilinan

Quest with Luigi Nuñez, this columnist and Kat Luna-Abelarde

MONDAY: NOVEMBER 30, 2015

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BUSINESS business@manilastandardtoday.com extrastory2000@gmail.com

Q4 growth seen rising to 6.3% Urban mobility realities: the end of vehicle ownership era?

THE recently concluded Apec Summit practically paralyzed BEATRIZ KAAMIÑOMetro Manila motorists as traffic TSCHOEPKE authorities blocked Edsa, Roxas Boulevard, Macapagal Avenue and other streets leading to the major summit venues such as the PICC, MOA, Shangri-la Hotel and World Trade Center. This metropolis of 12 million people or more was brought to a standstill, and such a phenomenon happens here and in other megacities of the world where traffic planning and mobility systems are lacking, where sustainable city planning and development are wanting and where concepts of a city in the future that offer solutions to urbanization problems are non-existent.

These and other concerns of the so-called “smart city” debate were the topics discussed in a seminar held in Bandung and Jakarta, Indonesia, on Sept. 15 to 17, 2015, and participated in by about 70 experts composed of academicians, scientists, entrepreneurs, business leaders, researchers and consultants. Organized by the Alumni Technical University Berlin of Indonesia (boasting of 2,000 members), in cooperation with the Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst, the seminar tackled issues on “smart cities” in Asia and in Europe and highlighted not only sustainable urban development and mobility but also energy-efficient solutions.

One of the more interesting themes discussed was what lessons can be learned from urban mobility realities such as when the flow of traffic, say, in Edsa, completely stops. Most, if not all of us, may have experienced this elsewhere in the world such as in Jakarta, Berlin, Shanghai, Bangkok, Los Angeles, New York and Mexico City.

Prof. Dirk Heinrichs from the Institute of Transport Research of the German Aerospace Centre said that urbanization could affect mobility (the activity of people and goods in space, traffic being the more visible one). Urbanization, he emphasized, would mean an increasing population in cities, the consequences of which are changing land use and highly dense city centers. According to the 2014 report by the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs, the physical expansion of urban settlement areas has already outpaced population increase. The report also stated that about half of the world’s population is in cities and will increase to two-thirds by 2030. The growth areas are mostly in Asia and Africa as well as in already highly urbanized world regions.

On mobility trends, Prof. Heinrichs showed the results of case studies done in Santiago de Chile, Paris, Vienna, Tokyo and Singapore by the European Transport Research Procedia. In Tokyo, for example, there was a change from 1998, when cars were the main mode of transportation (37 percent), to 2008, when more people used public transportation such as railways and subways (41 percent). The reasons for these are the changing preferences of the riding public, increasing costs of car use and regulation, as well as the availability of alternative modes of transportation. Similarly, in Vienna and some other cities in Austria, the growing use of public transportation from 34 percent in 2001 to 37 percent in 2013 showed the shifting values of the population. Austrians now prefer public transportation due to its reliability, frequency and punctuality, but more interestingly because of its greater speed and lower costs than using cars. Additionally, improvements from the supply side, such as frequency of rides, easy fare/tariff systems, car use regulations and parking facilities within the inner city, and availability of information and communication technology with regard to travel information, influence the shifting preferences of motorists.

Cycling and walking are also experiencing a rebirth in Europe, but are still deemed as pioneering in other parts of the world. According to the SenStadtUm: Berliner Verkehr in Zahlen study in 2010, cycling’s share as a mode of transportation is growing in most cities across Europe. In Berlin alone, 1.5 million bicycle trips per day were recorded in 2009. And the number is increasing. Bicycle riders apparently enjoy a positive image: that of being intelligent, voluntarily taking a smart decision, and delivering a socio-political message. This is a widespread standpoint especially among those from higher-income groups with strong formal educational background.

Another new development in mobility is the commercial car- and bicycle-sharing. In its annual report in 2015, the Bundesverband CarSharing e.V. stated that in Germany, there’s a tenfold increase in membership of car-sharing (“Car to Go”) since 2004, and a twofold increase in membership since 2012. Although too early to confirm, the report said there is an indication that car-sharing may complement existing forms of car ownership and use of vehicles. Could this signal the end of vehicle ownership?

What can we learn from these urban mobility realities? First, according to Prof. Heinrichs, information and communication technology presents an enabling role, but overcoming barriers in terms of access to such technology should be seriously considered. Second, smart mobility technology needs to be embedded into clear objectives, be they organizational, regulatory and physical (infrastructure) integration.

Last, but not least, there is a potential for automated driving for public transportation.

GREEN LIGHT

Dr. Beatriz Kaamiño-Tschoepke teaches Management Principles and Dynamics, and Human Resources and Organizational Behavior at the Ramon V. Del Rosario College of Business of De La Salle University. She is a professional trainer on Intercultural Management and is consultant to various companies in intercultural communication, business development and international marketing. She may be reached at cibmworks@gmail.com.

The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of De La Salle University, its faculty and administrators.

By Julito G. Rada

GROSS domestic product growth is expected to accelerate to 6.3 percent in the fourth quarter from 6 percent in the third quarter, the research division of US financial giant Citi said over the weekend.

Citi Research, however, warned that economic expansion could slow down again in 2016 due to lower public investments and uncertainties in the global markets.

Citi said the economy overall would likely grow 5.8 percent this year, slightly faster than its previous estimate of 5.6 percent.

“We updated our fourth-quarter 2015 GDP forecast to 6.3 percent year-on-year for 2015 growth of 5.8 percent [from 5.6 percent] while retaining a slower 2016 outlook of 5.1 percent [previously 4.8 percent],” Citi Research said.

“Domestic demand theme will continue to prevail in a less than stellar 2016 with HH [household] consumption leading the way. Election spending peaks in the first quarter of 2016 but windfall remittance gains with Philippine peso veering to 48.50 [against the US dollar] would

prime demand,” it said.

Citi Research said the risk of slower growth momentum next year would come from government in transition that would cause ongoing public investments to slow down sharply post-elections; and offshore developments, led by tightening global rates, uncertain China/emerging markets recovery and unfamiliarity with the new government’s policy agenda that could curtail private investments.

“From nearly 7 percent this year, domestic demand may ease to 5.4 percent in 2016 with ongoing PPP project implementation as the key anti-cyclical growth catalyst in play,” Citi Research said.

The National Economic and Development Authority said last week the 6-percent growth in the third quarter was “certainly an encouraging sign of a steadily grow-

ing economy.”

The third-quarter growth was an improvement from the 5.8-percent expansion in the second quarter and from 5.5 percent in the third quarter in 2014. Growth in the first nine months of 2015 averaged 5.6 percent.

Neda officials said a 6-percent full-year growth was very much likely this year, given the better prospects for the fourth quarter.

The third-quarter expansion made the Philippines one of the fastest-growing major Asian economies. The country’s GDP growth was the third fastest after China’s 6.9 percent and Vietnam’s 6.8 percent.

Strong domestic demand fueled output growth, led by significant improvements in government spending and household consumption.

“For the first nine months alone, the average government final consumption expenditure has already reached 7.2 percent, a lofty leap from last year’s contraction of 0.2 for the same period, and a 2014 full-year rate of 1.7 percent. This simply shows that the government is proving successful in its efforts to overcome the spending bottlenecks that hampered growth in the first semester,” Neda said.

IPNAP officers. The Infant and Pediatric Nutrition Association of the Philippines introduces its newly

elected directors for 2015-2016 during the association’s general membership meeting in Makati City. Shown are (from left) Wyeth Nutrition general manager Eugene David, Mead Johnson Nutrition president and chief executive Alberto Marrero, Abbott Nutrition general manager Jana Mihaylova, IPNAP president and Alaska Milk Corp. president and chief executive Wilfred Stephen Uytengsu and Nestle Philippines chairman and chief executive Jacques Reber.

Valdepeñas named Insular chairman THE Insular Life Assurance Company Ltd. said its board elected Victor Valdepeñas as the new chairman, replacing Vicente Ayllón who is retiring effective Jan. 24, 2016.

Ayllón will take on the role of chairman emeritus up to Dec. 31, 2016, as a support to the transition. Ayllón exercised visionary leadership, steering the institution through transition from a stock to a mutual company, diversified into allied financial services and remained a formidable force in the life insurance industry.

“I will be retiring from this company which I have served, cherished, and loved during the last 60 years of my life. Through the help of all the trustees, officers, employees and sales force, we have

Ayllón

Valdepeñas

brought this company to its eminent position of being the largest Filipino life insurance company. It is now time for me to transfer the rein and stewardship of Insular Life to the next leaders who will chart its new course and bring it to even greater heights,” Ayllón said.

Through Ayllon’s leadership beginning 1977, Insular Life grew tremendously in terms of assets from P0.7 billion in 1977 to P104.4

billion as of end of 2014 based on audited financial statements. Net worth of the company was at its highest at P25.7 billion. Today, Insular Life is the parent company of allied financial services Insular Health Care Inc., Insular Investment Corp. and Home Credit Mutual Building & Loan Corp. It is also affiliated with Mapfre Insular Insurance Corp., its non-life insurance arm.

Ayllón has been a moving force in the Philippine life insurance industry, having set up the Philippine Life Insurance Association and served as its first president.

He served for many years as director of the Insurance Institute for Asia and the Pacific, member of the Philippine Insurance Institute and the Philippine Insurer’s Club.

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CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

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HK’s dolphins disappearing HONG KONG—As Hong Kong seeks to expand its international airport and with a major new bridge project under way, campaigners warn that the dwindling number of much-loved pink dolphins in surrounding waters may disappear altogether.

Conservationists say their repeated concerns have fallen on deaf ears, with what they describe as a “rapid” decline of the mammal in the past few decades.

The Chinese white dolphin—popularly known as the pink dolphin due to its pale pink coloring—draws scores of tourists daily to the waters north of Hong Kong’s Lantau island.

It also became Hong Kong’s official mascot for the handover ceremony in 1997, when Britain returned the territory to China.

But despite the affection felt towards the

dolphin, campaigners say there may soon be none left.

The proposed construction of a third runway at Hong Kong’s busy Chek Lap Kok airport could be the nail in the coffin, they say.

“We think that if that project goes ahead, then it will probably drive the dolphin away from Hong Kong waters,” said Samuel Hung, chairman of the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society, who has been going out to sea at least twice a week to monitor dolphin activity for almost 20 years.

“In some ways it seems like we are pushing them closer and closer to the edge of the cliff and if we’re making that final push, they will be gone forever. I think now is the time to get our act together.”

Hung says there are only around 60 dolphins left in Hong Kong waters—a drop from 158 in 2003.

“The dolphin decline is caused by a number of factors, including overfishing and environmental pollution... but I think the major contribution is coming from the increase

of high-speed ferry traffic,” Hung said.

The dolphins have either gone to neighboring Chinese waters or may have died off, says Hung.

Dolphin habitats have also been affected by the ongoing construction of a 50-kilometer bridge connecting Hong Kong to the gambling enclave of Macau.

The bridge looms on the horizon behind the village of Tai O, on the western tip of Lantau island, from where dozens of dolphin tours go out daily.

“Since the construction of the bridge in 2012 the situation has worsened,” says Hung, who blames land reclamation encroaching on dolphin habitats and continuing construction creating disturbance.

The WWF recently placed volunteers on the dolphin-spotting boats to tell tourists about the problems the animals are facing.

“Pollution is quite serious in the air and water... We worry about the marine life being affected,” said Hong Kong bank worker Yeung Ka-yan, 30, after taking a short boat trip.

Francis’ perilous CAR trip is next

Day’s end. A Sri Lankan man cycles at sunset in Colombo on November 28, 2015. AFP

‘Post’ is expected to lose its independence further HONG KONG—Chinese Internet tycoon Jack Ma’s mooted buyout of Hong Kong’s struggling South China Morning Post could see the paper prosper from his Midas touch, analysts say, but also further erode its independence and with it the city’s press freedoms.

The once globally renowned paper was founded in 1903 and has long given international readers an insider’s perspective on Hong Kong and the mainland, providing a window on events from the Mao era to China’s 1980s economic awakening and the 1997 handover.

But profits and sales have evaporated, hit by an industry-wide plunge in advertising revenue and unable to deal with the transition to the digital age.

Readers’ trust has also dipped as a more pro-Beijing editorial policy has not gone unnoticed in a city that saw tens of thousands take to the streets last year to protest against mainland interference.

Ma, the founder of Chinese e-commerce behemoth Alibaba, is in talks to buy a stake in the paper’s publisher, a source familiar with the potential deal told AFP, with discussions reported to be at an advanced stage.

“I think it’s a smart move for Jack Ma,” said financial analyst Jackson Wong.

“He has tons of cash and he knows how to run a business in China very well.”

Links with Alibaba would also give the paper a necessary boost in terms of its online platform, added Wong, associate director for Simsen Financial Group.

Ma founded Alibaba in 1999 and under his stewardship it has become China’s biggest e-commerce company, operating consumer-to-consumer platform Taobao, which is estimated to hold more than 90 percent of the mainland market.

It has also branched out, buying ChinaVision Media in 2014 and renaming it Alibaba Pictures, today China’s biggest film company, which produced this year’s blockbuster “Mission: Impossible—Rogue Nation”.

And it is developing a video and TV streaming service similar to Netflix.

Ma is now looking to move into traditional news, joining the likes of fellow Internet tycoon and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos who bought the Washington Post in 2013.

But there are concerns that under Ma’s ownership, the paper’s editorial independence will continue to be stripped away—a process that observers say began under current owner Malaysian billionaire Robert Kuok. AFP

ENTEBBE—Pope Francis headed Sunday to conflict-ridden Central African Republic, the most dangerous destination of his three-nation Africa tour, after euphoric celebrations in his honor in Uganda and Kenya.

Thousands of believers, many from neighboring countries, are expected to pour into CAR’s capital Bangui to see the 78-year-old pontiff, and workers have been busily repairing potholes and sprucing up the cathedral square for the visit.

Rights groups in CAR, one of Africa’s poorest and most unstable countries, hope the Argentinian pope will address the religious violence that has raged for more than two years.

Stalls have sprung up across the capital selling everything from Vatican flags to paper crowns to welcome the pope.

“We are very pleased to see the pope,” said Fidele Nodjindorom who lives in a camp for people displaced by the conflict that the pope is due to visit.

“He knows that things have happened in our country and maybe he has come to ask God to save us.”

The pontiff wrapped up his two-day visit to Uganda, flying out at around 0645 GMT Sunday, a day after huge crowds celebrated as Francis honored Christians martyred for the faith on the second leg of his first trip to Africa, which he dubbed “the continent of hope”. AFP

Manila

Standard

“We were a little disappointed,” added her boyfriend, a 26-year-old chef from Taiwan, after failing to spot any dolphins -- a scenario that could become all too common in the years ahead if conservationists’ fears are realized.

Tourist boat operator Wong Yung-kan, who was born in Tai O and has lived most of his life there, said residents used to dislike the dolphins because they ate catch from fishermen’s nets, when fishing was the village’s most important trade.

“Now the fishing industry has reduced in size, we have had to change our line of work from fishing to taking tourists out on boats to see dolphins,” said Wong, 67.

Dolphin-watching accounts for 10 percent of Tai O’s tourism business.

“Of course we want them to remain here... the tourists will be happier and we’ll be happier as well,” adds Wong.

Unlike conservationists, he says he is optimistic for the dolphins’ future—but if the worst happens, villagers will adapt as they did before. AFP

Republic of the Philippines PAMBANSANG PANGASIWAAN NG PATUBIG

TODAY

(National Irrigation Administration) UPPER PAMPANGA RIVER INTEGRATED IRRIGATION SYSTEM DIVISION III Maharlika Highway, Cabanatuan City 3100 Tel. No. (044) 463-1346

INVITATION TO BID NO. UPRIIS-DIII-2014CF The National Irrigation Administration, Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems (NIA-UPRIIS) Division III, Maharlika Highway, Cabanatuan City, through the CY 2014 Calamity Fund funded projects under N.E. Congressional District I & III intends to apply the hereunder Approved Budgets for the Contract to payment of the corresponding contract below. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

1.

a. b. c. d. e. f.

Contract ID Contract Name Location Scope of Works ABC Contract Duration

: : : : : :

DIII-2014-CF-01 Repair of Damaged Irrigation Facilities @ Aliaga Aliaga, N.E. Gabion Works, Earthworks and Steelgates 3,395,402.80 90 cal. Days

2.

a. b. c. d. e. f.

Contract ID Contract Name Location : Scope of Works ABC : Contract Duration

: :

DIII-2014-CF-02 Repair of Damaged Irrigation Facilities @ DC-2 Natividad & Cabanatuan City, N.E. Gabion Works and Earthworks 7,520,000.00 120 cal. days

: :

The National Irrigation Administration, Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems (NIA-UPRIIS) Division III Office now invites bids for the above-named project. Bidder should have experience in undertaking a similar project within the last two (2) years with an amount of at least 50% of the proposed project. The description of an eligible bidders is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly in Section II. Instruction to Bidders.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorship, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (70%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

Interested bidder may obtain further information from UPRIIS-Division III Office, Cabanatuan City and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below December 2, 2015 to December 18, 2015 from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm and December 21, 2015 from 8:00 am – 10:00 am for contract ID DIII2014-CF-01 & DIII-2014-CF-02.

A complete set of Bidding Documents (BD’s) may be purchased by the interested Bidders from the address below upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount shown below: CONTRACT ID NOS.

AMOUNT

DIII-2014-CF-01

Php 5,000.00

DIII-2014-CF-02

Php 10,000.00

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) www.philgepsgov.ph and the website of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) www.niagov.ph provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

The Pre-Bid Conference to be held at the Conference Room, NIA-UPRIIS Division III, Cabanatuan City at 2:00 pm, December 8, 2015 shall open to all interested parties. Bids must be delivered to the address below. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable form and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

The significant times and deadlines of procurement activities are shown below: ACTIVITIES

CONTRACT ID NOS. DATE AND TIME DIII-2014-CF-01 & December 2 -18, 8:00 am – 5:00am DIII-2014-CF-02 December 21, 2015, 10:00 am 2. Deadline for payment of Bid Docs, Reciepts and DIII-2014-CF-01 & December 21, 2015, 12:00 nn Submission of Bids DIII-2014-CF-02 DIII-2014-CF-01 & 3. Opening of Bids December 21, 2015, 2:00 pm DIII-2014-CF-02 1. Issuance of Bidding Documents

Prospective Bidder shall submit their duly accompanied forms as specified in the BD’s in two (2) separate sealed bid envelopes to the BAC Chairman. The first envelope shall contain the technical component of the bid, including the eligibility requirements. The second envelope shall contain the financial component of the bid. Contract will be awarded to the Lowest Calculated Responsive Bid as determined in the bid evaluation and post-qualification.

The NIA-UPRIIS Division III Office, Cabanatuan City, reserve 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.

Submit your bids and for further information refer to: JOSE ARIEL G. DOMINGO BAC Chairman NIA-UPRIIS Division III Maharlika Highway, Cabanatuan City 3100 (SGD.) JOSE ARIEL G. DOMINGO Chief, Operations & Maintenance Section Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee Noted by:

(TS-NOV. 30, 2015)

(SGD) JOSELITO A. MANGUNAY Division Manager, NIA-UPRIIS Division III

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CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

WORLD

Healing ceremony. International indigenous leaders gather to perform chants, songs, dances and poetry in a square opposite the Bataclan concert hall on November 29 in Paris as part of a healing ceremony to connect the November 13 Paris attacks and the climate crisis. AFP

Pressure over climate change Japan warned against whaling in Antarctic SYDNEY—Environmental activist group Sea Shepherd warned Japan on Sunday against resuming “research” whaling in the Antarctic and called on the Australian government to intervene.

After a decade of harassment

by Sea Shepherd, Japan was forced to abandon its 2014-15 Southern Ocean hunt after the International Court of Justice said the annual expedition was a commercial activity masquerading as research.

But on Saturday Japanese media reported that it would start again next year, despite a call by global regulators for more evidence that the expeditions have a scientific purpose.

“The pristine waters of the Southern Ocean are once again under threat from poachers,” said Sea Shepherd chief executive

Alex Cornelissen.

“We would like to remind the Japanese government that the whales of the Southern Ocean are protected by international law, by Australian law and by Sea Shepherd.

“As such, any violation of the sanctity of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary or the Australian Whale Sanctuary will be regarded as a criminal act.”

During the suspension of Japan’s whale hunt, Sea Shepherd has been targeting the catching of rare Antarctic and Patagonian toothfish in the Southern Ocean.

Its main ship, the Steve Irwin, is docked in Melbourne and the group did not say whether it would once again chase the Japanese whalers. The Yomiuri Shimbun and other media said the Japanese fleet could depart possibly by the end of December. AFP

SYDNEY—Tens of thousands marched across Australia Sunday on a third day of worldwide rallies as pressure mounts on global leaders to strike a pact on cutting greenhouse gases at crucial talks in still-shaken Paris.

Some 150 leaders including US President Barack Obama, China’s Xi Jinping, India’s Narendra Modi, and Russia’s Vladimir Putin will attend the start Monday of the UN conference, tasked with reaching the first truly universal climate pact.

The goal is to limit average global warming to two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), perhaps less, over pre-Industrial Revolution levels by curbing fossil fuel emissions blamed for climate change.

Rallies demanding curbs to carbon pollution have been growing since Friday, with marches across Australia Sunday kickstarting a final day of peoplepowered protest.

Similar events were planned for Rio de Janeiro, New York and Mexico City, while 1,000 braved rain in Seoul, with scientists warning of super storms, drought and rising sea levels swamping vast areas if concrete action is not taken.

“There is no Planet B,” said one placard in Sydney where 45,000 people converged, while another read: “Solidarity on a global scale”.

“There’s nothing more important that I can be doing at the moment than addressing climate change,” said

Kate Charlesworth, a doctor and Sydney mother.

“In 10 years’ time our children are going to say, ‘Mum, did you know about this? What was everyone doing?”

A large protest in Melbourne on Friday kick-started the global campaign, with rallies on Saturday from New Zealand to the Philippines, Bangladesh, Japan, South Africa and Britain.

A march of some 5,000 people in Adelaide on Sunday focused on the global impact which climate change has on health, food security and development, particularly among the world’s poorest.

“Those who did the least to cause the problem are feeling the impacts first and hardest, like our sisters and brothers in the Pacific,” said Judee Adams, a community campaigner with Oxfam.

Many low-lying Pacific nations such as Kiribati, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands fear they could disappear beneath the waves completely as sea levels rise.

The message to curb global warming and help poor countries deal with climate change was hammered home by religious leaders in Paris, who delivered petitions with almost 1.8 million signatures from people around the world.

In the past week the UN’s weather body said the average global temperature for the year 2015 is set to rise one degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels, halfway towards the Paris conference’s attempted limit.

And analysts say voluntary carbon-curbing pledges submitted by nations to bolster the Paris pact, even if fully adhered to, put Earth on track for warming of three degrees C. AFP

Colorado shooter spoke of ‘no more baby parts’ WASHINGTON—A suspected shooter reportedly spoke of “no more baby parts” after his arrest following a five-hour siege of a family planning clinic in Colorado Springs that left three people dead, including a police officer.

Details began to emerge Saturday about what may have driven the suspect, Robert Lewis Dear, 57, to enter the Planned Parenthood clinic with a high-powered rifle on Friday and fire on police and civil-

ians outside the building.

The clinic performs abortions— a highly emotive and divisive issue in America.

NBC News, citing two law enforcement officials, said that when questioned after his arrest Dear mentioned “no more baby parts” in reference to Planned Parenthood.

The agency came under intense scrutiny earlier this year over videos purportedly showing that it

was involved in trafficking fetal organs and tissue—allegations that it has vehemently denied.

Dear also mentioned President Barack Obama, so the sources told NBC that it was unclear whether he targeted the clinic because of abortions.

However for Vicki Cowart, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Rocky Mountains, the connection was clear.

“Eyewitnesses confirm” that

Dear “was motivated by opposition to safe and legal abortion,” Cowart said.

“This is an appalling act of violence targeting access to health care and terrorizing skilled and dedicated health care professionals.”

Reacting to the shooting, Obama made an impassioned call for tighter controls on military-style weapons.

“This is not normal. We can’t let it become normal,” a frustrated

Obama said.

“If we truly care about this ... then we have to do something about the easy accessibility of weapons of war on our streets to people who have no business wielding them.

“Enough is enough.”

Planned Parenthood—a major provider of women’s health services that receives funding from the government—offers preventive checkups, contraceptives and abortions. AFP

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TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR

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

BERNADETTE LUNAS

life @ thestandard.com .ph

WRITER

@LIFEatStandard

E AT, DRINK , T R AV EL

LIFE

Overlooking the beach side and the cliff is the Azure Beach Club

CRIMSON RESORT AND SPA MACTAN: OF SANDS, SEA AND SUDS

F

or years, Crimson Resort and Spa in Mactan has always been one of the top destination hotels in Cebu – a multi-awarded resort that guests and staff alike are proud of. Nestled in a six-hectare beach resort, it has 40 luxurious private villas with individual plunge pools and 250 guest rooms perfect for those who are tired of the usual high-rise hotel set-up.

This year marks their 5th anniversary and celebration of the many recognitions that the hotel has earned over the years.

This year alone, Crimson has been recognized by World Luxury Hotel Awards as the country winner for the Luxury Beach Resort category and Continent Winner for Luxury Thallaso and Spa. It has been a mainstay recommended property in Conde Nast Johansen since 2013, and a finalist of the recent Reader’s Choice Award.

“I’ve seen the resort progress nicely; we’ve seen the business volume increase and our service ratings and the awards that we

Crimson Mactan’s Resort Manager Kristofer Quadros

receive every year inspire us to do more,” says Crimson Mactan’s Resort Manager Kristofer Quadros. “We spend a lot of time focusing on the three – good food, beverage and ambiance – and we constantly bear in mind that we have to keep the history aspect and keep the products forever fresh and relevant,” he adds.

Along with the 5th year celebration is the anniversary of Azure Beach Club, the successful additional venue to the hotel that is perched at the tip of the beachside cliff. The venue offers a beachside experience that overlooks the sky and the sea while enjoying an ice cold cocktail on a hot afternoon or under the starry skyline at night.

On evenings, the Rock Bar in Azure resembles the Sky Bar Rooftop at Lebua in Bangkok, only it is perched on a cliff and not a high rise and the vastness of the ocean adds to the allure of the place.

Aside from the luxurious amenities of the hotel, the great offering comes from the three major food and beverage options: Saffron Café, the all-day dining restaurant offering international

Every Saturday enjoy the foam party in the infinity pool

cuisine with a view of the infinity pool and lush gardens outdoor; Tempo restaurant on the lobby level which is more seafood inspired; and the Azure Beach Club restaurant overlooking the beach that offers modern Asian cuisine with a lot of influences from Japanese, Indonesian, Malaysian, and Indian cuisine.

“We are very glad because one of our best chefs here is Filipino and has worked in New York, Hong Kong, and Indonesia and he spearheads the food (options) in Azure. We also have a Swiss executive chef who has been around the globe and was part of the Burj Al Arab pre-opening team and we are fortunate to have him here because he is very knowledgeable, and his Western inspired dishes are just fantastic,” shares Quadros.

One of the best amenities of the hotel is its Aum Spa, the Balineseinspired spa heralded as Agoda. com’s top eight most outstanding hotel spas. “It is isolated from the main building and it has its own pool where people go to meditate, relax or do their yoga starting early morning,” says Quadros. The invigorating treatments are performed by licensed specialists that are internationally trained.

The water activities are what attract the kids and adventure seekers – sail boat, jet ski, scuba diving, parasailing, and snorkeling in the beautiful marine sanctuary where corals are blossoming. Every Saturday people can enjoy the

Fresh salads are made in front of you at the Azure Restaurant

One of the signature amenities of the hotel is Aum Spa

foam party by the infinity pool and revel in the soapsuds with family and friends.

As for the future plans of the hotel, “We are looking into opening a secondary swimming pool that would come with another pool bar. This will be near the parking lot so that it is closer to the entrance. We are also mindful of attracting and entertaining our family and our young guests so we are creating the amusement center for the kids, which should be operational by June of next year. Apart from that we are also working on renovating our Tempo restaurant,” Quadros discloses.

Guests come from different parts of the globe and one thing that people always remember is the hospitality of the staff.

They check on your villa every morning and afternoon to see if you need anything without being called. They will happily assist you and leave whatever they are doing when you need them for something. Dine in one of the restaurants and your service staff will be so observant of your needs that if you didn’t touch your drink

Relax by the beach front as mouthwatering cocktails and refreshments are served to you by their attentive staff

for a long time they will come to ask if there is something wrong or if they can offer you something else. One thing you always hear when you say thank you is, “It was my pleasure.”

Crimson Resort and Spa in Mactan is managed by Chroma Hospitality, the Philippine based Hospitality Management Company of Filinvest Development Corporation. For bookings and other information visit www.crimsonhotel.com.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

How to Taste Coffee Like a Professional: Cupping with Costa Coffee’s Master Taster

BY PATRICIA ROMUALDEZ

C

osta Coffee, the UK’s Number 1 coffee chain, uses just one blend for its espresso-based drinks: the smooth, round, and rich Mocha Italia.

Originally created by the Costa Brothers when they started selling their premium coffee to local caterers in 1971, its exact components are a closely guarded secret.

It’s up to one man to make sure that today’s exclusive blend retains the same perfect balance of sweetness and acidity that the original had more than 40 years ago.

Master Taster Gennaro Pelliccia is so key to Costa’s operations and quality control that his tongue was famously insured by Lloyd’s of London for £10 million. Why is the blend so important? “No single origin will give you the complexity or roundness required of the espresso blend,” he says. “We blend because we want to mix the characteristics of the beans.” Part of his job is to personally sample each batch of raw beans at Costa’s London Roastery in Old Paradise Street before they are roasted and sent to stores around the world.

Master Gennaro recently visited the Costa Coffee BGC branch to conduct an

Photos courtesy of Costa Coffee Philippines' Facebook page

exclusive Masterclass during which he talked about what makes great coffee, led a lively cupping session, and even helped guests create their own Costa Coffee drinks.

We began the class by quickly inhaling the scent of three cups of freshly roasted and ground coffee beans from different countries. We were asked to describe the characteristics of each aroma. The rich and nutty Colombia beans were the most recognizable to the class. Kenya was citrus-like and enzymatic, and Indonesia was deep, dark, and earthy.

When we finished evaluating the aroma of the dry coffee, we carefully poured hot water (over 90 degrees Celsius) into the cups. “Wet every single ground,” advised Master Gennaro. We waited four minutes for the saturated coffee grounds to settle. A thick crust of grounds slowly appeared at the surface of each cup.

Then it was time to “crack the crust.” We broke the crusty surfaces with cupping spoons and allowed the grinds to sink while putting our noses close to the cups to take in the rich aromas released into the air.

Experience F a truly Pinoy Christmas with Pan de Manila

Pan de Manila’s colorful Christmas packs featuring the artwork of JC Roxas

ilipinos love to celebrate, and the most festive season is easily Christmas with all the food laid out on the table.

But to many Filipinos, the essence of Christmas is always spending time with the family, usually capped with reunions.

Pan de Manila, the country’s favorite bread chain, brings the essence of family and home in a most important holiday with its 2015 Pinoy Pasko Christmas paper bags that feature the work of a young but dynamic artist, Jude Christopher “JC” Roxas.

This year’s featured artwork by the 23-year-old illustrator and animator from Zamboanga Sibugay is inspired by family reunions and get-togethers which are very close to the heart of many Filipinos.

For the main artwork, the tree is used as a prominent symbol because this is “where kids make bases for tagu-taguan, where farmers

After cracking the crust, we used two cupping spoons for the surprisingly challenging task of slowly skimming the remaining grounds from the surface without disturbing the grinds at the bottom of the cups. It took several attempts to clear the surface (pros can do this by skimming the surface with spoons just twice, as Master Gennaro demonstrated).

rest while eating their home-made lunches, where families enjoy the shade in every picnic.”

The vibrant colors and catchy details will fascinate buyers when they take home the new paper bags designed by JC. “Some of the notable Pusong Pinoy traditions that I included are typical street and home scenes that are very much alive during the holidays, homecomings and even comical ones like the ninong hiding from the inaanak,” JC added.

CELEBRATING FILIPINO TRADITIONS Singing Christmas carols is part of the Pinoy Yuletide tradition that’s why Pan de Manila highlights this in the tagline, “Himig ng Pasko / ay mas masaya / kung may pan de sal / at ang buong pamilya ay sama-sama.”

Pan de Manila’s yearly tradition of coming up with Filipino art-inspired

It was finally time to taste the coffee samples. This was not something that could be accomplished quietly. “Spray the inside of your mouth with the coffee,” instructed Master Gennaro.

Coating the back of the nasal passages and throat with coffee is the best way to fully explore the aromas and taste. We dipped our spoons into the liquid, took loud and sharp slurps from each cup, and rotated tastes as the coffee cooled.

After the noisy slurping and swilling (and spitting, for some), we wrote down our tasting notes and discussed the aftertaste and finish.

The cupping session was a fun and fascinating way to refine the palate by evaluating the taste and aroma of coffee in its different stages. Even without a mental library of tasting notes to tap to creatively describe flavors and scents, it was still worthwhile to note the distinguishable characteristics that were easily observed in the different samples of single origin beans.

And now I appreciate all the work that goes into selecting the elements that make the perfect cup.

Zamboanga-based artist Jude Christopher “JC” Roxas is the featured artist of Pan de Manila’s Christmas paper bag design this 2015

Christmas paper bags and collaterals has been going on since 2008. Some of the artists featured included Robert Alejandro, Jovan Benito, Amador Barquilla, Albert Magsumbol, Larry Memije, Rina AlbertLlamas, Joel Chua and Dante Hipolito. The theme will also be featured in Pan de Manila’s Christmas Gift Pack items – in boxes that contain specialty spreads

and palaman as well as Pan de Manila’s Bread Box that contains an assortment of specialty breads.

Visit your neighborhood Pan de Manila which is open 24/7 in convenient locations in Metro Manila, North and South Luzon and Cebu, Iloilo and Bacolod. To keep updated with the latest news and promos, visit our Facebook and Instagram page: pandemanilaofficial.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

Kicking off the 2015 Hong Kong Winterfest is the magical Sparkling BVLGARI Roman Holiday at Statue Square, set to light up Central

T

WINTER WONDERLAND IN HONG KONG FOR THE HOLIDAYS

hose looking for a cool weather getaway to enjoy the holiday season would find Hong Kong perfect, with temperatures reaching below 15°C. An array of entertaining activities guaranteed to create an enjoyable and memorable holiday await families with the 2015 Hong Kong WinterFest that kicks off this December 4.

Magic will be in the air with the Sparkling BVLGARI Roman Holiday at Statue Square that will light up Central with a large, jewel-like Serpenti light-art installation, inspired by the ancient Roman and Greek symbol for wisdom and strength. A special collaboration between the Hong Kong Tourism Board and Bvlgari, the centerpiece is made up of 50,000 LED lights that illuminate the serpent’s body – which took six months to build and another two months to install.

Five minutes away from Statue Square is the Observation Wheel, where visitors can take a 15-minute ride on a luxury gondola and enjoy an unobstructed view of the iconic Victoria Harbour and skyscrapers decorated with glittering lights lining both Kowloon and Hong Kong Island.

Families will also enjoy a Star Ferry ride, rated as one of Tripadvisor’s “Top 10 Must-See Destinations in Hong Kong,” for excellent views of Victoria Harbour, Victoria Peak and the Hong Kong skyline. And when the clock strikes eight, passengers will get to witness a middle-

S

of-the-harbor view of the Symphony of Lights show where 44 buildings around the harbor perform a colorful and musically synchronized 13-minute display.

After alighting at Tsim Sha Tsui, visitors will get an enthralling treat with the Hong Kong Pulse 3D Light Show at the Open Piazza of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

Get transported behind-the-scenes to Santa’s office where his elf helpers are busy organizing Christmas wishes and letters to spread that perfect festive cheer.

Harbour City has also partnered with Hong Kong Disneyland for Disney’s 10th anniversary celebration, transforming the Ocean Terminal Forecourt into a “Happily Ever After” Christmas Avenue, complete with a giant golden starry tree and Frozen window displays. Kids will enjoy celebrating the festive occasion with Disney characters like Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Queen Elsa, Buzz Lightyear and more.

Next on the list is a five-minute walk to 1881 Heritage, the former headquarters of the Hong Kong Marine Police, and where the Grand Piazza transforms into a 13-meter high gothic cathedral-like ice palace with a majestic ice-skating rink where kids and adults alike can spin to their hearts’ delight.

Usher in a wonderful year at the highly anticipated New Year Countdown Celebrations on December 31, and join locals and visitors as they gather to watch the pyro-musical show and fireworks

The Hong Kong Pulse 3D Light Show at the Open Piazza of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre

Join locals and visitors as they gather to watch the pyromusical show and fireworks right on the stroke of midnight at the highly anticipated New Year Countdown Celebrations on December 31

right at the stroke of midnight. Vantage points include the waterfront along Tsim Sha Tsui; the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Open Piazza and Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade; West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade; New Central Harbourfront; the promenade at the Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai and the areas around Central Piers No. 9 and 10.

Visitors who want a complete look at beautifully decked out Hong Kong can hop on either The Big Bus Night Tour or Open-top Bus Starry Night to enjoy the winter-themed citywide decorations and glittering skyscrapers while on the road. For more information on the 2015 Hong Kong WinterFest, log on to www.

DiscoverHongKong.com/winterfest.

Give a Gift of Giving

till rummaging for ideas on what to give your loved ones for the holidays?

How about a gift that transcends beyond the person you are giving it to? In the spirit of the holiday season, Rustan’s Supermarket is marking its 45th anniversary with a commemorative wine that serves as an instrument to help a child and his/her family.

For every purchase of the special commemorative Mouton Cadet Baron Philippe de Rothschild wine from Bordeaux, you get to provide a basket of food for a child’s family through

MovEd. MoveEd is an organization that provides quality pre-school education to more than 400 children in underserved communities across Metro Manila and Bicol. The organization also provides supplementary workshops and nutritional programs to promote valuable childhood developmental care.

This Christmas, give the gift of sharing.

Mouton Cadet Baron Philippe de Rothschild bottle is specially packed for Rustan’s Supermarket for only P1,545.

Limited bottles will be available to shoppers in all stores until December 7 only.

For more info, visit www.rustansfresh. com. Rustan’s Supermarkets are located at Makati Area: Glorietta, Greenbelt 1, Paseo de Magallanes, Alphaland Makati Place, Paseo Center, Century City Mall, San Antonio Plaza. North Area: Shangri-La Plaza, Gateway Mall, Katipunan, Tomas Morato, P.Guevarra, Corinthian Hills, Village Center Antipolo. South Area: Ayala Alabang Village, Evia Lifestyle Center. Cebu: Oakridge Business Park, Ayala Center, Arcenas Estate. CDO: Ayala Centrio Mall. Also visit Marketplace by Rustan’s at Rockwell Powerplant Mall and Central Square Bonifacio High Street.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

The famous Spanish Steps and Piazza di Spagna, with its daily crowd of tourists

Carlos took this closeup of St. Peter’s Basilica showing the Pope’s balcony

THE ETERNAL CITY MERCURY RISING

BY BOB ZOZOBRADO

I am aware of the popular myth describing how Rome got its name – a she-wolf nurtured and raised the twin brothers, Romulus and Remus, who grew up strong and brave and decided to build a city.

During an argument, Romulus killed his twin, and named after himself the city they built.

But, what I was more interested in was why Rome is called The Eternal City.

So when I visited, I made it a point to get answers from some residents I had befriended, our tour guide, the taxi driver who spoke good English, and a Filipino priest who is assigned to the Vatican. All of them were one in saying that the historical and cultural importance of Rome will make it survive all turmoil and calamities in the future, as it did through the rise and fall of many empires in its history.

This explanation is further strengthened by the Latin epic poem Aeneid, written by Virgil,

where Jupiter tells Venus that he will give the Romans an “empire without end.”

So there I was, on my first visit to The Eternal City. Since I only had a few days, I made sure to make it to the five landmarks that, in my mind, complete anyone’s visit to Rome. Any other attraction I would come across in between these five would just be icing on the cake.

The Roman Colosseum, right in the city center, was the first one I saw. Named one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, it is the city’s most popular tourist attraction. Also called the Flavian Amphitheatre because it was built during the time of the emperors from the Flavian dynasty, the structure is made of stone and cement and, when it was still in operation, could seat as many as 70,000 spectators. Entrance was always free, and the 76 gates gave spectators easy access to various seating sections, which were designated according to social rank and class.

Since the Colosseum has no roof, spectators were protected from extreme weather conditions by sails which weighed around 24 tons and were tied to posts around the structure. The arena was made of wood covered with sand and underneath it was an 18-foot deep basement that had

a series of underground tunnels and rooms housing animals, gladiators, slaves and supplies.

Movies and books have shown us what transpired in this arena, so there is no need to go into the gory details.

Next stop was Circus Maximus, site of many chariot races when the Roman Empire was at its peak. I grew up enthralled by that unforgettable 10-minute chariot race in the 1959 Charlton Heston starrer, Ben Hur, set in Circus Maximus, so I wanted to imagine that I was watching such exciting race by being there where it all happened.

Circus Maximus is a chariot race track 621 meters long and 118 meters wide. It could accommodate over 150,000 spectators when it was still in top shape and the track had enough space for 12 four-horse chariots racing side by side. The site is now a public park and is occasionally used for concerts, victory parties and other less glorious, less exciting events.

Next on my list was the Spanish Steps at the Piazza di Spagna, the locale of many movies I’ve seen during my childhood years in Cebu – Roman Holiday, with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck; The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone with Vivian Leigh and Warren Beatty, and many years later, there was The Talented Mr. Ripley, with Matt Damon. That’s why I promised myself that, if I

My son Carlos and Ditas Lobregat walking along the erstwhile chariot racetrack, Circus Maximus

ever set foot in Rome, I have to chill out and laze around in this Piazza... and feel like a star.

Designed by architects de Sanctis and Specchi, the iconic stairway is composed of 135 steps and was actually built to connect the Spanish Embassy on top to the Palazzo Monaldeschi of the Holy See below. Any given day, the Piazza and the Spanish Steps are teeming with tourists, enjoying the ambience of a typical Roman destination, and I certainly didn’t want to be left out.

And, who would miss out on the Vatican when visiting Italy? It is the world’s smallest independent state, approximately one-fourth the size of our Intramuros. Although I didn’t get to see the Pope, I felt just as blessed and “sanctified” having seen St. Peter’s Basilica, the biggest Catholic Church in the world, and the very famous frescoes of Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

This private chapel of the Pope is considered to be the holiest place on earth simply because it is where the Pope prays and, since he is the representative of Jesus Christ on earth, God is always there with him every time he prays. This is the reason why, when the cardinals elect a new Pope, they do it in the confines of the Sistine Chapel because they believe that the Holy Spirit, who is believed to be always present in that place, guides them in making the right choice.

Capping my list of Roman attractions was the beautiful Fontana di Trevi because romantic me can’t forget the song and the movie, Three Coins In The Fountain and Federico

Fellini’s La Dolce Vita. Designed by Salvi and constructed by Bracci, the fountain is 86 feet high and 161 feet wide, and is the largest in Rome and the most famous in the world. It just underwent a 17-month, 2.2 million uuro restoration sponsored by the famous Italian fashion brand, Fendi.

The fountain is located at the junction of three roads which is the end of an aqueduct that supplies water to Rome since 19 BC. The source of pure water and about 13 kilometers from the city, was discovered then by thirsty Roman soldiers after it was pointed out to them by a virgin, which is why the aqueduct is now called Aqua Virgo.

Every visitor to Rome goes to this fountain to throw a coin and I was no exception.

Approximately 3,000 euros worth of coins are thrown daily into the fountain by starry-eyed visitors.

These are collected to support a supermarket that gives free food to the city’s poor.

When throwing the coin, you’re supposed to face away from the fountain, hold the coin with your right hand and throw it over your left shoulder. You will find yourself visiting Rome again, if the coin lands on the water. If it hits any part of the concrete structure, better look for another destination.

Mine landed beautifully on the crystal clear water, so I’m looking forward to my next visit to The Eternal City because there just are too many other beautiful historical and cultural sites for me to gawk at. Definitely, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com

YOUR MONDAY CHUCKLE: Q: Is Google male or female?

A: Female, because it doesn’t let you finish a sentence before making a suggestion My family, sons (from left) Carlos, Miguel and Ignacio, and Ditas Lobregat inside the Roman Colosseum

The beautiful Fontana di Trevi, newly restored at a cost of 2.2 million euros, courtesy of Fendi

M ONDAY : NOV EMBER 3 0, 2015

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

ExTrEmE acTion in ‘PoinT BrEak’

T

raversing land, water and air, Point Break brings the action beyond limits following a young FBI agent, Johnny Utah played by Luke Bracey, a deep undercover who follows a group of elite athletes suspected of carrying out crimes in the most unusual ways, unconcerned of those who gets killed in the process.

The film brings in new and the most daring athleticism ever seen in a motion picture. Edgar Ramirez who also stars in the movie guarantees that they have protected the legacy of the 1991 movie that starred Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves.

“Always, I cannot believe that I’m making the movie. It’s almost magic, the whole thing. I remember I would always joke among my friends about a remake of Point Break. I would say, ‘you know what? Whenever there’s a remake of Point Break, I’m going to do it.’

“But since it’s such a California movie, and especially the role of Bodhi was such a California rooted character, I thought I would not be the first choice for it. Then the fact that the movie was offered to me, because it’s taking on a world scale, and it’s precisely Bodhi, the character that I always wanted to play. I remember when I first met Katherine Bigelow for Zero Dark Thirty—actually we met for another movie and that never got made, and then she called me and invited me to Zero Dark Thirty. I remember when we first met the first thing I said was, ‘You have no idea the magnitude of the influence that Point Break has had on me and my friends and my generation,’ and I went on about how much I love it, and what I know, and all that. Then suddenly making that movie now, it’s pure magic,” says Ramirez.

He excitedly shares that, “I’m very, very happy. I’m very happy,

C5

Gabby, Carla and Rafael

because we’re not going to copy the movie, it’s a different story, but it keeps the subversive aspect—the subversion, the anti-system, the breaking out, the breaking free spirit of the first one; that’s what we’re going to try to definitely be faithful to that spirit—that you can take charge, that you can be in control, that you can think out of the box and you can reject the system and try to live on the grid, but on your own terms. So that’s pretty much the spirit, but it’s definitely not going to be—it is a remake in the terms that you have Utah and you have Bodhi and you have that spirit, but it goes beyond surfing and it’s a story that happens in today’s time. So I’m the first huge fan of Point Break and of course I will make sure that I protect its legacy.”

Ericson Core directs Point Break.

Opening in Philippine cinemas on Dec. 3, three weeks ahead of its US release date, Point Break is released by Pioneer Films.

Carla Abellana

Gabby Concepcion

Rafael Rosell

Bracey and Ramirez in one of the stunning scenes in Point Break

‘BeCause of You’ tonight on Kapuso networK

Luke Bracey and Edgar Ramirez rehearsing in between takes

Edgar Ramirez in Point Break

Luke Bracey in Point Break

G

MA Network premieres Because of You, a light-hearted romantic series, tonight.

It is about love, family and parenting, its joys and challenges.

The lead stars are Carla Abellana as Andrea, Rafael Rosell as Oliver and Gabby Concepcion as Jaime.

Carla is excited about her latest project and the privilege of working with Gabby and Rafael, who she both finds professional and easy to work with.

“I’m very thankful to GMA for this new project. I’m really happy to work again with Gabby.

Excited ako kasi naka-work ko siya briefly lang before at doon ko nalaman na makulit pala siyang tao and very funny. Looking forward ako na mas mag-enjoy sa trabaho with him around and mas maraming matutunan from him. I’m also thrilled to be

reunited with Bettina (Carlos) and Tita Celia (Rodriguez).”

Gabby likewise reveals that he is very comfortable working with Carla and viewers will definitely enjoy watching their show because it is very light and full of good vibes.

“I worked with Carla before and I am so relaxed with her.

Sabi nga nila, it’s a walk in the park. Kasi nakasama ko na siya, magaan siya katrabaho. And itong show na ito, light lang. It’s a different approach and story.

This is a feel-good teleserye.”

Rafael, on the other hand, is very thankful to GMA for continuously giving him good projects and meaty roles including his latest character in Because of You. “I feel honored to be entrusted with this fulfilling project about true love. I couldn’t be more grateful. I’m so honored and even more inspired. I love it.”

M ONDAY : NOV EMBER 3 0, 2015

C6

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

FORmER KAPUSO On REbOOt OF SERiES ShE WAS in JOSEPh PEtER GOnZALES Iza Calzado is aware that one of GMA’s major offerings for 2016 is the grand reboot of the telefantasya Encantadia in which she was part of the original cast in 2005.

“Actually, before it was officially announced, I already had an inkling after I’ve seen Direk Mark Reyes’ Instagram post where Ms. Suzette (Doctolero) was also present in that meeting. Unknown to many, we have an Encantadia chat group where all of us involved in the original production get connected in spite the passing of times.

“I instantly told Direk Mark about my intuition and he just replied that it was a top secret. But it didn’t take too long before they officially announced that there was indeed a remake of Encantadia. So, I already knew ahead of everyone,” she avers.

The pretty actress is happy with this development.

“Oh yes! Even if I’m a Kapamilya now, I can’t deny the fact that Encantadia was a huge part of my

career. It helped me to further establish myself then as an actress. As Sang’gre Amihan, I became a household byword during those times.

I’m glad and proud to be proud of a classic TV program which was a phenomenal hit. That’s why I’m so excited with this remake.”

Iza knows that the new cast, especially the four female leads will face a tough challenge.

“Playing the four Sang-gres – Pirena, Amihan, Danaya and Alena – is simply a tall order for them.

They have big shoes to fill, so to speak. And actually, the whole production is hard to equal. During our time, the working relationship of everybody was solid and it was something I would take pride into.

We were one big, happy family then and working towards one common goal: to make the pioneering show a smash hit and thankfully, we did.”

Who does she think will be the perfect Amihan in the new Encantadia?

“I know they’re holding auditions for the new cast at this point. But if I were to choose, it’s either Jennylyn Mercado or Carla Abellana,” ends Iza. HHHHH Ruffa Gutierrez happily announced that all’s well that ends well between

her and mom Annabelle Rama.

Prior to this, they had a misunderstanding because of the former’s non-showbiz beau Jordan Mouyal.

“Actually, we reconciled during my brother Elvis’ wedding,” she reveals. “He wanted to have a happy occasion so I made the first move. I hugged Mom and it felt good she acknowledged it. I’m relieved that everything’s fine now.”

According to the statuesque beauty, this is a normal phase in her relationship with her mother.

“We have our ups and downs. Of course, there are still moments when we have tiffs like this one. I guess, it happens to any mother-daughter team, right? But as the daughter, I’m always the first one to make the move for reconciliation. That’s the role of the children. What’s good about it is that, we both see our points after analyzing things.”

Ruffa avers that she need not sacrifice her love life just to please her mom.

“Making a sacrifice is not part of the picture. I’m of age already.

I think both of us just need to understand each other more. It’s just a matter of respecting each other’s feelings,” she states.

HHHHH Broadway producer and actor

Shea Arender was in town recently because of his desire to meet Maine Mendoza of the AlDub phenomenon and possibly include her in a Broadway presentation which he would produce and stage in the Philippines.

“That’s right,” he says. “I’m eyeing the new Kia Theater as the venue. It will be in the middle of March of 2016. But unfortunately, Maine’s schedule is so hectic and tight and it’s impossible to get her star opposite me in the musicale.”

Instead, he got Jonalyn Viray.

“Yes, I got impressed with her when I watched the Star Awards.

She’s got a very powerful voice and I think she fits the role to a T. I personally talked to her and she’s happy to accept. I think we will complement each other on stage.”

Shea, who’s the Executive producer of the Broadway show The Wonderful Wizard of Song in the US is very pleased with his maiden trip to the Philippines.

“The country is a wellspring of talent. I’m really amazed with the Filipinos’ natural affinity with music. That’s why I’m hiring many local musicians to be part of the band in the actual show. Definitely, I will be visible in the Philippines in the coming days. I love it here!” he says.

Iza Calzado

Ruffa Gutierrez and Jordan Mouyal

Annabelle Rama

Paulinian is Miss CaMPus Role Model

A

St. Paul University Manila student wins the Miss Campus Role Model Philippines 2015.

Barmae Aica Chua, is a Mass Communication student at St. Paul University Manila. She bested 23 campus representatives to win the 6th Miss Campus Role Model Philippines 2015 title (MCRMP Luzon 2015). Last

year’s winner Mikaela Mendez crowned her at the finals held at Emar Suites Roofdeck on Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong City on Saturday night.

Bianca Mae Hernandes of Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila School was named MCRMP Visayas 2015 while Anada Marga Sotello of Grabsum School Incorporated Candelaria, Quezon won as

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 45 46 48 51 52 54 59 60 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 dian

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Go up 6 Chase flies 10 Burlap fiber 14 Winter warmer 15 Prefix for sphere 16 Dairy-case buy 17 Gator cousins 18 Felipe or Matty 19 Icy coating 20 Connected 22 Grow enormously 24 This, to Caesar

26 27 31 32 33 36 39 40 41 42 43 44

Sends money Napoleon’s birthplace Okra morsel By itself Off-road vehicles — Claire, Wisc.

Groan causers Nurse’s concern Earth turns on one Part of i.e.

Cell habitants Bouquet tosser

Happy shout Built Repeated PBS funder Hoard, jocularly Cavort Miffed John, in Siberia Sweet liqueur Lighten up Riviera resort Civil War side Porter and stout Mirth Violin-playing come-

DOWN 1 350, in old Rome 2 Petty of “Tank Girl” 3 Click-on item 4 Ridicule 5 Single (2 wds.)

6 — Na Na of rock 7 Rudder 8 Love, to Yves 9 Verdi’s name 10 Simply awful 11 George who was a she 12 FYI notes 13 Ode or sonnet 21 Sawbones

MCRMP Mindanao 2015. Christine Ann Oblar of the University of the East and Maria Angelica Barcelona of Mindoro State University were the first and second runners up, respectively.

The annual Miss Campus Role Model Philippines was founded in 2010. MCRMP aims to discover new breed of campus beauty queens.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2015

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Health gps.

Bayou dweller Billowing garment Great work Declaim violently Almost grads Yellowstone sight Ruhr Valley city Tollbooth site Candy-striper Pre-owned Giving juice to Equator segment Drop anchor Smokey, once (2 wds.)

Eye parts Gym iteration Evenly matched A mummy may have one “— With a Blue Dress On” Former Queens ballpark Thrash Handel contemporary No, to Fraulein Hurry, slangily Counting-rhyme start Born as

Barmae Aica Chua (4th from left), winner of the 6th Miss Campus Role Model Philippines 2015 with her court.

M ONDAY : NOV EMBER 3 0, 2015

C7

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

diether oCampo gets baCk to Work

Diether Ocampo

From C8

It has been two years since fans saw actor Diether Ocampo on television. Now, he is back and glad with new two projects all for Wattpad Presents.

Diether is known to be one of the prime actors when it comes to heavy drama and action. But now, he is in romantic-comedy series.

The hunk actor was supposedly part of ABS-CBN’s Somebody to Watch Over Me alongside Judy Ann Santos. The project was unfortunately shelved. Yet, Diether got offers outside his home network.

Still, he remains with Star Magic.

“In our time now, kung may trabahong dumating at kung maayos ang pag-uusap, walang magiging problema. Walang masamang tinapay sa akin. Kailangan lang mutual decision between the management and the artist,” Diether shares.

Diether also continues his basic entrepreneurship program at De La Salle University and he is into golf tournament for a cause. His recent project was the Ambassador’s cup that helped children of the Manila Youth Reception Center.

HHHHH Wattpad presents: Wrong number Wrong Number is based on a novel written by a well-loved Wattpad author, Maria|Isabela Galeria.

With over four million reads, Wrong Number is the story of Kara Charlotte who is madly and deeply in love with her boyfriend Lukas Simeon.

Unfortunately, love is not always requited in this world. Lukas Simeon not only breaks up with Kara on the day of their third “monthsary”, he also breaks up with her over the phone.

Devastated, Kara calls her best friend Vanessa to vent her frustrations over the failed relationship.

Destiny comes to play because instead of her bestf friend, Kara calls by mistake Dane Jarett - a young superstar, an eligible bachelor, and Kara’s ultimate celebrity crush.

In a talk show, Dane announc-

Eula Caballero

Mark Neumann

es that he has already found the lady he wants to spend the rest of his life with.

Unbeknownst to Kara, Dane tells his legion of fans on national television that his girlfriend is Kara Charlotte Mark Neumann is Dane Jarett - a male celebrity whose girlfriend he caught cheating on him. He requests Kara to pretend to be his girlfriend to exact revenge on his cheating ex-girlfriend.

Eula Caballero is Kara Charlotte - a hopeless romantic. After being betrayed by her best friend and her ex-boyfriend. Kara accepts Dane’s request to become his faux girlfriend.

With their onscreen chemistry, Wrong Number will definitely make you laugh, cry, and fall in love all over again.

Wattpad Presents: Wrong Number airs from today 9 p.m. until Dec. 4.

HHHHH the best entertainment anytime anyWhere SKY subscribers can now enjoy the best of local and foreign movies and TV series with “SKY on Demand’s” biggest lineup of live TV channels and on demand TV shows, as well as a wide selection of local and Hollywood blockbuster movies anytime, anywhere on any screen.

“SKY On Demand” is a multiscreen online video service launched by SKY Cable Corporation earlier this year in time for its 25th anniversary, that allows SKY subscribers to stream cable TV shows and movies on their TVs, computers, smartphones, and tablets on their own time.

Its roster of live TV channels is perfect for the entire family as it includes ABS-CBN HD, AXN, Asian Food Channel, Basketball TV, Disney Channel, History, Nickelodeon, Sony, HGTV, Warner TV and RTL-CBS Entertainment, among others.

Catching up with favorite TV series is also made easier for SKY subscribers as “SKY On Demand” offers the most recent episodes of worldwide hit cable shows including How To Get Away With Murder, The X Factor UK, Blacklist, Phineas & Ferb, and Adventure Time.

“SKY On Demand” also offers current and full seasons of the most popular shows on ABS-CBN in HD, including the top-rated shows like On The Wings Of Love, Pangako Sa ‘Yo, and Ang Probinsiyano, which SKY subscribers can watch on demand anytime.

Even binge watching blockbuster hits throughout the years is made possible by the “SKY on Demand” Premium Pack with its collection of classic and popular movies from Star Cinema, Paramount Pictures, NBC-Universal, Regal Films, and Viva Films such as Star Trek, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, How To Train Your Dragon, One More Chance, Four Sisters and a Wedding, and 24/7 In Love. New

SKY on Demand using SKYmobi

users can enjoy a 60-day free trial to the Premium Pack.

“SKY on Demand” is exclusive to all SKY subscribers and is accessible through a SKY broadband connection at home or through SKY Mobi to enjoy the service on the go. SKY Cable subscribers can upgrade to a SKY On Demand Digibox to watch all this content on their TV. The “SKY On Demand”

Mister international 2015 tonight Mister International 2015 is off to a hot start with a welcome party for the 37 dashing representatives held recently at Sulo Riviera Hotel in Quezon City.

Reigning Mister International Neil Perez graced the kick-off event of the 10th edition of the prestigious male pageant, held for the first time in the country, organized by Mister International Organization president Alan Sim with Carlo Morris Galang, Prime Event Productions Philippines Foundation, Inc. (PEPPS) president and chairman of the Philippine host committee with support of the Philippine Airlines.

Reniel Villareal, a 26-year-old, Pagbilao, Quezon native and former ramp coordinator in Saudi Arabia, is the Phil-

The 37 Official Candidates during the press preview at Sulo Hotel in Quezon City

ippine representative.

Based on their stage presentation during the welcome party, early crowd favorites who are most likely to grab a spot in the top 15 are Switzerland’s Pedro Mendes, Czech

Republic’s Jakub Kraus, Puerto Rico’s Fernando Alberto Álvarez, Brazil’s Anderson Tomazini, Spain’s Daniel Barreres, Lebanon’s Farid Matar, Australia’s Christopher Nayna, Colombia’s Christian Hernandez,

mobile application is also downloadable from the Apple store and Google Play store. The availability of shows and channels is based on a SKY subscriber’s current cable TV plan.

SKY Cable Corporation is a cable and broadband company of ABS-CBN. For more information, visit www. mysky.com.ph/skyondemand.

Dominican Republic’s Freds Rivera, Italy’s Andrea Luceri, Panama’s Julian Javier Torres, Mexico’s Alejandro Ruiz, Venezuela’s Rafael Angelucci, Poland’s Rafał Jonkisz and Philippines’ Villareal.

The Mister International 2015 pageant finals will be held tonight at the Newport Performing Arts Theater Resorts World Manila. Neil Perez, now in the cast of GMA 7 series Princess in the Palace, will relinquish his title to the winner.

Mister International aims to provide a platform through dedicated partnership with charities, sponsors, and brands around the world. It gives the candidates a tool and opportunity to pursue their personal advocacy for humanitarian efforts to make a difference in other people’s lives and an affect positive change while developing personal career goals.

Tickets for the finals are on sale at Ticketworld at 891-9999.

– eton b. ConCepCion

M ONDAY : NOV EMBER 3 0, 2015

C8

ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

Janella Salvador is the new female star to watch in 2016

New love triaNgle iN regal’s Christmas offeriNg The horror film entry of Regal Entertainment to the upcoming Metro Manila Film Festival is ISAH V. RED spawning a new love triangle among its lead actors – Janella Salvador, Jerome Ponce, and Marlo Mortel.

Regal’s 2015 Metro Manila Filmfest entry, Haunted Mansion, is filled with horrifying mystery that will give moviegoers goose bumps and send them screaming at the edge of their seats.

The mother–daughter tandem of Mother Lily and Roselle Monteverde pour their creative juices to deliver a terrifying vehicle under the able direction of multi-awarded Jun Lana.

“It’s one of Regal’s biggest MMFF offerings and I’m excited for everyone to see it. Not everyone knows that we have been developing this project for Regal for years.

“Binusisi talaga namin ang kuwento. We also made sure to start the shoot earlier para mapaganda lalo ang mga eksena, siguruhing nakakatakot at mapapasigaw ang audience pag nanood sila. This is the kind of film you want to watch together with your family and barkada,” says Lana.

Janella and Jerome first caught viewers’ attention in the Kapamilya network’s long-running morning series Be Careful With My Heart while Marlo worked with the teen princess in Oh! My G! Being new in the field did not pose any problem for director Jun Lana.

“Si Janella, impressed ako sa kanya. Honestly, I didn’t expect much dahil first film niya ito. Alam ko na marami pang dapat ituro sa kanya. Then, I found out how good an actress she is. And what a fast learner! She was really a revelation.

“It also helped na ang lakas ng chemistry niya with Marlo and Jerome. Nag-aapoy ‘yon sa screen. No wonder, ang daming may gusto sa kanilang tatlo,” shares the award-winning director.

Janella, Jerome and Marlo also got ample support from senior stars in the cast.

“I am really thankful that Janice (de Belen), Iza (Calzado), Dominic (Ochoa) and Joem (Bascon) didn’t think twice na suportahan ang mga batang ito. Kahit sa set, napaka-generous nila na tulungan ang mga bata kapag nahihirapan sa mga eksena nila,” Lana adds.

Janella plays Ella, a gifted child, in the film. Her father dies the first time she tries to make use of her third eye.

She will be put to a tough test, however, when she and her classmates go on a ghost-hunting adventure during a retreat.

Evil spirits in the retreat house are awakened by their presence and start to claim young lives, one after the other.

This is where Ella is forced to use her third eye once again. She discovers the dark secret enveloping the Haunted Mansion of ghost sisters Amara and Veronika.

Brace yourselves for the ultimate scream fest as Haunted Mansion opens in cinemas nationwide on Dec. 25. ➜ Continued on C7

The love triangle: Janella, Mario, and Jerome

New love team on the block; Mario Mortel and Janella Salvador, aka Marnella

Variation on a team: Jerome Ponce and Janella Salvador or Jernella