M O N D AY : N O V E M B E R 3 0 , 2 0 1 5
WORLD
CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR
editorial@thestandard.com.ph
B7
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