The Standard - 2015 December 30 - Wednesday

VOL. XXIX NO. 321 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 WEDNESDay : DECEMBER 30, 2015 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Bishops criticize Duterte proposal

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PoPe slams slays Moro rebels’ killing of innocent civilians riles Francis

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

POPE Francis condemned the killing of innocent Filipinos in Mindanao by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters on Christmas Eve. In a telegram sent to Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Cardinal Quevedo, the Vatican’s Secretary of State Pietro Cardinal Parolin said the Pope was saddened by eight

simultaneous attacks in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao and North Cotabato, which killed 14 people on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The dead included nine villagers separately gunned down by BIFF insurgents and at least five rebels killed by government forces, said Capt. Jo-Ann Petinglay, spokesperson of the Army’s Sixth Infantry Division.

The Pope also called on all Catholic faithful around the world to reject violence “in the name of God” as the breakaway group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front claimed that its attacks were part of a “holy war.”

“The Holy Father was deeply saddened to learn the senseless killing of innocent people in Mindanao, and he sends condolences to the families of those who lost their lives,” Parolin said.

“His Holiness prays that security and safety will be established for all people in the region, so that dialogue, tolerance and peace may enable each person to live free from fear,” the statement added.

Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao denounced on Tuesday the attacks staged by the BIFF. Hataman said the attack was devoid of any

sense of revolutionary zeal and principles.

“It was an act of terrorism. It was an attack against civilians, an attack against peace and development in Mindanao, and a cowardly act that deserves nothing but our collective condemnation,” Hataman said.

“We should reject this as we should not be cowed by this,” he added.

“In the face of this act of terrorism, we rely on each other for strength and courage.

We rely on our security forces—the military and the police—as we are confident that the attacks will be contained and a spillover is prevented,” he added.

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Against innocents’ killing. This file photo taken on Jan. 16 this year shows Pope Francis, who was on a five-day visit, celebrating mass at the Manila Cathedral. AFP

Poe wants 3 justices out of DQ hearings

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Filipino convict executed in Saudi Arabia RIYADH, Saudi Arabia—Saudi Arabia on Tuesday executed a Filipino man convicted of murder, bringing to 153 the number of people put to death this year in the ultra-conservative kingdom.

Joselito Lidasan Zapanta, 35, was found guilty of killing Sudanese national Saleh Imam Ibrahim with a hammer following a rental dispute, the interior min-

istry said in a statement published by the official SPA news agency.

Zapanta, a construction worker, was executed in Riyadh on Tuesday. He was convicted of murder with robbery on April 13, 2010 and was sentenced to death by the Riyadh Grand Court.

A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said the family of the

victim refused to execute an Affiant of Forgiveness for blood money.

“We offer our sincere condolences to his family and loved ones for their loss” the department said in a statement.

Vice President Jejomar Binay, former presidential adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers Concerns, also extended Next page

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NBI: TV crew’s attackers claimed allegiance to ISIS CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Motorcycle-riding gunmen who shot at an ABS-CBN television crew based in Iligan claimed to be sympathizers of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, an agent of the National Bureau of Investigation said Monday.

Alex Cabornay, head of the NBI agents in Northern Mindanao, said four men riding in two motorcycles shot at the TV crew on a busy street in Banggolo, Marawi City a day after Christmas.

Cabornay said the ABS-CBN crew of three was unhurt, but the windshield of their service pick-up was shattered. The crew sought help from a nearby military camp and was escorted back to Iligan City.

Cabornay said NBI agents have launched a manhunt for the suspects, who have also figured in other crimes.

He said the group wanted to gain recognition—and financial assistance—from ISIS. The three-man Iligan-based ABS-CBN crew headed by reporter Ronnie Enderes went to Marawi City to cover the bombing of an electrical tower in Rama-in, 13 kilometers from Marawi City. He was with cameraman Emelito Balansag and driver Garry Montecillo.

Enderes said his crew was already going home when they noticed that two motorbikes were tailing them.

“We tried to mislead the suspects by following various routes, but were later caught in Banggolo where one of the suspects fired at the driver and the other at the left side of our service vehicle,” he said.

“The car’s windshield was broken but the wheel was not hit. None of us was hit too. We were able to ask for assistance at the Army brigade in Marawi City,” he said.

Enderes, who has been a reporter for 16 years, said this was the first time he had been attacked.

Senator Francis Escudero on Tuesday con-

demned the attack and urged the authorities to speed up their investigation.

He said the assassination attempt on Enderes and his crew was “a serious attack against press freedom.”

“There is no doubt that the ambush was workrelated. Although no one was seriously injured, it is important that authorities go after those responsible for the incident and put them behind bars, otherwise there will be no end to the culture of impunity against journalists,” he said.

This year alone, seven Filipino journalists have been killed; the latest among them is Jose Bernardo, a radio dwIZ correspondent and columnist for the tabloid Bandera Pilipino.

A lone gunman shot Bernardo in front of a restaurant in Barangay Kaligayahan, Quezon City on Oct. 21. He suffered two gunshot wounds in the head and died on the spot.

Bernardo was the 32nd journalist to be killed under the Aquino administration and the third in Quezon City. Many of the killings of journalists remained unsolved. Macon RamosAraneta, PNA

Year of the Monkey. A worker shows off a calendar of the Year of the Fire Monkey which she had been working on at their workplace in Quezon City.

JANSEN ROMERO

Pope...

From A1

On Thursday, about 300 BIFF simultaneously attacked Christian villages in Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat and three communities in Datu Abdullah Sangki town in Maguindanao, killing eight civilians they took as hostages when government forces responded.

Four BIFF rebels were also killed when government forces chased the attackers in the mountains of adjoining towns of Esperanza and Abdullah Sangki. Four firearms of slain bandits were recovered by pursuing forces.

Army bomb disposal teams also defused four improvised bombs left by BIFF in and around the area where the civilians were killed.

Lt. Colonel Ricky Bunayog, 33rd Infantry Battalion Commander,

said about 300 men carried the attacks and are now the subject of massive manhunt.

“We already warned the civilians in areas identified to be vulnerable to BIFF atrocities, I hope they will cooperate with the security sectors,” Petinglay told Radio DXMS-AM. Almost simultaneously, separate band of BIFF attacked Barangay Simsiman, Pigcawayan, North Cotabato on Christmas Eve. Led by Commander Alamada Abonawas, the BIFF fired a rifle grenade toward the house of Robert Lerado, village councilman of Barangay Simsiman, killing him on the spot, raising the death toll to 13, nine civilians and four BIFF. After attacking villages in the borders of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat, the BIFF also stormed the village of Malagakit, also in Pigcawayan, North Cotabato, fir-

ing at a Catholic chapel where a midnight mass was ongoing.

Churchgoers scampered for safety but nobody was hurt.

Also on Dec. 24, at 9 p.m. another group of BIFF stormed a detachment of 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion in Barangay Dapiawan, Datu Saudi Ampatuan in Maguindanao. No casualties were reported.

Bunayog said government forces had difficulty retrieving the remains of slain farmers due to improvised bombs planted by BIFF before fleeing.

“One of the field commanders of the BIFF was killed. That is why they were so brutal on civilians,” Bunayog said.

Bunayog said the fatalities were all civilian farmers and not paramilitary troops as claimed by the BIFF. Petinglay said the national highways linking Cotabato City to Sul-

tan Kudarat and Cotabato City to Davao remained passable and safe.

Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, chief government peace negotiator, in a statement, expressed solidarity with the families of the slain civilians.

“We commiserate with the families of the nine civilians who were summarily executed by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in separate incidents over the last few days,” she said.

“The BIFF’s sporadic attacks indicate an attempt to gain momentum for their bid to destabilize the situation in these areas and garner attention for themselves and their flagging cause,” Ferrer said.

The Palace on Tuesday affirmed the Pope’s call for peace and security though dialogue and tolerance, but said government troops were conductive “intensive operations to protect citizens from such attacks.”

With Sandy Araneta, PNA

Filipino...

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his sympathies to the family of Zapanta, saying his office worked closely with the DFA. “We exhausted all diplomatic and legal efforts to save the life of Zapanta, including personal written appeal to the king od Saudi Arabia,” Binay said.

“We likewise issued appeals for help in raising the blood money demanded by the family of his victim, in keeping with Saudi law. Despite our best efforts and the kindness and generosity of private individuals, the local government of Pampanga and non-governmental organizations, we were unable to raise the SAR 1.8 million demanded by the family,” Binay said.

Binay, who is running for president, said if he is elected, he would work to create jobs to make overseas employment a choice rather than a necessity.

Zapanta is survived by his father, mother, sister, and two children. The DFA will continue to extend assistance to his family, DFA spokesman Charles Jose said.

Saudi Arabia has executed 153 locals and foreigners this year, against 87 for all of 2014, said James Lynch, deputy director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa program.

Lynch said the number of executions in Saudi Arabia this year is the highest for two decades, since 192 people were put to death in 1995.

So far, one person is executed every other day in the kingdom, Lynch added.

Saudi executions are usually carried out by beheading with a sword.

Rights experts have raised concerns about the fairness of trials in the kingdom, where the interior ministry says the death penalty is a deterrent to crime.

Amnesty says Saudi Arabia had the world’s third-highest number of executions last year, after China and Iran.

Under the kingdom’s strict Islamic legal code, murder, drug trafficking, armed robbery, rape and apostasy are all punishable by death.

Almost half of the executions carried out this year were for offenses that do not meet the threshold of “most serious crimes” for which the death penalty can be imposed under international human rights law, Amnesty International said.

Foreign nationals, mostly migrant workers from developing countries, are particularly vulnerable as they typically lack knowledge of Arabic and are denied adequate.

“The use of the death penalty is abhorrent in any circumstance but it is especially alarming that the Saudi Arabian authorities continue to use it in violation of international human rights law and standards, on such a wide scale, and after trials which are grossly unfair and sometimes politically motivated,” Lynch said.

Rio N. Araja, AFP

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CBCP slams Duterte’s stand on crime DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s boast that he will hang criminals in public if elected president gained the ire of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines on Tuesday, when it said he should reform the judicial system instead.

“You do not deter crime by hanging criminals,” priest Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of the CBCP’s Public Affairs Committee, said in a television

interview.

“You deter crime by having efficient and effective law enforcers, uncorrupt judges and lawyers and fearless prison administrators.”

In an interview in his weekly television program on Sunday, Duterte said he would reintroduce capital punishment and hang convicted criminals in public to end criminality and corruption should he be elected President.

“Within three to six months I

will stop corruption in the government,” Duterte said.

“I will stop criminality, I will stop drugs in other places. I will recommend to Congress the restoration of the death penalty by hanging in public. I will not hesitate to use the military and the police to stop it.”

Former CBCP president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz slammed Duterte’s solution to the drug

menace and criminality in the country, saying he and his supporters were barbaric and living in the old ages.

“This is very shocking. They [Duterte and his supporters] seem to have been born too late. The time of the barbarians is gone,” Cruz said.

“I don’t agree with Mayor Duterte as far as taking human life so cheaply and lightly as if it was just about getting rid of mosqui-

toes, getting rid of rats and the like.”

Liberal Party senatorial bet and former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima vowed to fight Duterte, saying he had no right to become the next president.

“If you have no respect for human rights, you also have no respect for the law,” De Lima said.

“How can he lead our country if that is his belief?” John Paolo bencito

Poe files plea to inhibit 3 SC justices on case SENATOR Grace Poe on Tuesday sought to inhibit three Supreme Court justices who earlier dissented in the Senate Electoral Tribunal’s majority decision declaring her a natural-born Filipino citizen, and therefore qualified to run for senator in the 2013 elections.

“We filed a motion to disqualify and inhibit the three justice-members of the Senate Electoral Tribunal because they already prejudged the case,” Garcia said.

He said they were not questioning the integrity of the three justices. They only wanted their inhibition because of their membership in the SET. The Comelec had canceled Poe’s Certificate of Candidacy due to the alleged misrepresentation on her citizenship and residency in the country.

The same issue on whether or not she is a natural-born citizen eligible for election to the top national post was resolved by the SET last month in the deliberations where the three justices participated.

The SET did not tackle the residency issue, but David has filed a petition with the high court questioning the tribunal’s majority ruling upholding the eligibility of Poe for senator in the 2013 polls.

In the SET, the three justices ruled that Poe was not a natural-born citizen unless she proved that either of her biological parents was a Filipino.

Poe’s lawyers also sought the consolidation of all the cases involving her qualification for elective posts.

“Perhaps this may be a legal strategy on our part, but our primary purpose really is to expedite the disposition of the cases,” Garcia said.

“If our motion is granted, it will be more convenient for the Supreme Court as it will just come up with a single decision on all three cases.”

The tribunal is set to hear the cases in oral arguments on Jan. 19 next year. rey E. requejo and sandy Araneta

Most Filipinos hopeful in 2016

Poe, through her lawyer George Garcia, filed a motion seeking to inhibit Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo-De Castro and Arturo Brion from deliberating on her petitions assailing the Commission on Elections’ rulings disqualifying her to run for president in the May 2016 elections.

Poe filed her motion even as Malacañang insisted that the administration of President Benigno Aquino III had nothing to do with Poe’s disqualification cases.

“The administration has nothing to do with it, and I repeat, we hope and trust that any decision would be fair,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. told reporters.

Coloma said in the country’s system of laws, the Comelec was the agency deciding on election cases but its decisions could be appealed to the Supreme Court.

Garcia said the three justices should exclude themselves from Poe’s case since they took part in the SET’s earlier deliberations on the disqualification case filed against Poe by Rizalito David, a losing senatorial candidate in the 2013 elections.

ABOUT nine out of 10 Filipinos believe there is hope in 2016 despite the challenges ahead, the results of the latest Pulse Asia survey showed on Tuesday.

“Hope is the predominant sentiment among Filipinos as far as the year 2016 is concerned,” the polling firm said in its December survey.

“Despite the various challenges they faced this year, an overwhelming majority of Filipinos or 89 percent continue to be hopeful about the coming year.”

The respondents were asked if they would face the coming year with or without hope, and 89 percent said they would do so “with hope.”

This was a slight improve-

For New Year’s Eve. A vendor arranges the firecrackers he is selling in a store in Bocaue, Bulacan, on Tuesday. ANdrEw rAbulAN

Posing in the park. A young couple takes a selfie in front of Jose Rizal’s martyrdom monument at the Rizal Park on the eve of his death anniversary. EY AcAsio

ment from the November 2014 survey in which 88 percent of the respondents said they would face the new year with hope.

Pulse Asia said the hopeful sentiment was shared by most Filipinos across geographic areas (85 percent to 95 percent) and socio-economic classes (86 percent to 92 percent).

The survey said those in Metro Manila were relatively more inclined to be hopeful about the year ahead than those in the Visayas (95 percent against 85 percent).

On the other hand, only 1 percent of the respondents said they would face the next 12 months without hope.

Meanwhile, around one

in 10 Filipinos, or 11 percent, expressed indecision on the matter as they admitted being unable to say whether they would face the year 2016 with or without hope, a sentiment that is slightly more pronounced among the Visayans than among the Metro Manilans (14 percent against 4 percent).

The survey had 1,800 respondents who were registered voters aged 18 and above.

“We acknowledge the high level of optimism expressed by a great majority of our people in two yearend surveys conducted by Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a statement. sandy Araneta

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MMDA suspends number coding

By Joel E. Zurbano THERE will be no number coding for three days, the Metro Manila Development Authority announced Tuesday.

In its advisory, the MMDA said the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program will be suspended beginning Wednesday (Dec. 30) until Friday (Jan. 1, 2016) New Year’s Day. Rizal Day and New Year’s Day are declared regular holidays while Dec. 31 was declared special non-working holiday.

Under the number coding scheme, which aims to ease the volume of traffic on Metro Manila’s streets, vehicles are banned from major roads from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., depending on the last digit of their license plates.

In Makati, the city government issued a traffic advisory ahead for traditional New Year’s eve countdown.

The portion of J.P. Rizal Extension from Lawton Avenue to Buting will be closed from 2 p.m. on Dec. 31 to 2 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2016 to make way for the staging of Shout! Makati New Year’s Eve Countdown at the University of Makati Track and Field Oval.

Only residents of Barangays West Rembo and East Rembo will be allowed to pass through, to be identified by Bantay Bayan personnel.

All other vehicles will be re-routed to Kalayaan Avenue going to Circumferential Road 5 (C-5) and Buting.

Motorists coming from Guadalupe/Edsa are advised to turn right to Lawton Avenue, turn left to Kalayaan Avenue and then right at C-5 road towards destination (southbound), or take elevated U-turn and turn right to Buting and Pateros, or straight ahead towards Pasig (northbound).

Weekend blast. Thousands of residents of Negros island in the Visayas were advised to wear masks after Kanlaon Volcano unleased a kilometer-high column of ash for five minutes. AFP PHOTO

‘Aquino not joking on Cavite train plan’

By Sandy Araneta

ALTHOUGH President Benigno Aquino III was only joking when he promised to have himself run over by a train if he fails to complete the Light Rail Transit extension to Cavite, he is serious in improving the mass transport system in the country, Malacañang said Tuesday.

“What the government is showing is that they are determined to improve the system of transportation,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. “Maybe it is more logical or more just [that the statement made by the President] should not be taken literally, and we must understand that the President really wants to make the services better,” Coloma added.

“[Aquino] is serious in his determination to give a much better mass transport system. We must understand that it is not that easy to do such a project, but the government is decided on this, and is determined to accomplish this task,” he said.

Coloma made the remark after netizens needled Aquino on social media about his boast in 2013 that he will have the LRT extension

project completed by 2015.

“And if that doesn’t happen, here’s Secretary Abaya who’s in charge of the project, he and I will have ourselves run over by a train,” Aquino said in Filipino.

As early as July, a video of Aquino’s 2013 campaign speech in Cavite was posted on various websites and social media, with some critics saying they were eagerly awaiting the end of the year.

The LRT’s private concessionaire, Light Rail Manila Corp., said no progress has been made in the two years since the President made his campaign promise.

“There are no new developments for the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project as the notice to proceed hasn’t yet been given to LRMC by

the [Department of Transportation and Communications],” the company said in a statement.

Coloma reiterated that the public must understand Aquino only said what he said in jest and the government was still working on the bidding of the project. The awarding after the bidding was made only on September 2015, Coloma said.

He said Ayala Corporation and Metro Pacific Corporation, in partnership with Macquarie Investments, will be implementing the extension project.

He said the group would do the operations and maintenance of the existing LRT Line 1 from Monumento to Baclaran, as based on the concept, as well as the extension from Baclaran to Bacoor.

Metro Manila nippy at 19.6oC

Still our Erap. Manila residents buss former president and incumbent Mayor Joseph Estrada during annual gift giving activity in Sta. Cruz district. EY ACASIO

THE temperature in Metro Manila dropped to 19.6 degrees Celsius Tuesday morning due to Siberian winds brought by the northeast monsoon, locally called Amihan, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

Pagasa weather observer Mark Calpo said that Tuesday’s temperature in Metro Manila was recorded at 19.6 degrees Celsius at 6:30 a.m.—the lowest temperature for the month of December compared to Monday’s temperature of 20.0 degrees Celsius.

He said Metro Manila’s temperature readings are

recorded daily at the Pagasa Science Garden in Diliman, Quezon City between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m.

Calpo explained that strong winds of the northeast monsoon contributed to the dip in temperature reading and is expected in the metropolis until midFebruary.

The lowest temperature recorded in Metro Manila for this year at 18.0 degrees Celsius was last Feb. 2, Calpo said.

Pagasa said the all-time lowest temperature recorded in Metro Manila was at 14.9 degrees Celsius on March 1,1963.

Meanwhile, Baguio City,

the country’s summer capital, continues to experience chilly temperature as Tuesday temperature was recorded at 12.8 degrees Celsius at 6 a.m.

The lowest temperature recorded this year in Baguio was last Jan. 24 at 10.4 degrees Celsius.

According to the Pagasa’s climatological record, Baguio’s coldest temperature ever recorded was at 6.3 degrees on Jan. 18, 1961.

The northeast monsoon or seasonal winds from the northeast is the cold air from Siberia that starts blowing into the country every mid-October. It usually peaks from early January to mid-February. PNA

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Flyby. Philippine Air Force jets perform a flyby during a rehearsal Tuesday in preparation for the 119th commemoration of the martyrdom of Jose Rizal on Wednesday Dec. 30, 2016.

DANNY PATA

Harden terror targets—Marcos

By Macon Araneta

Senator Ferdinand r. Marcos Jr. on tuesday called on authorities to tighten the security of transport hubs, malls and other areas where large number of people converge as the country observes the 15th anniversary of the rizal Day bombing.

The 2000 bombings perpetrated

by Muslim extremists linked to the terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah claimed 22 lives and injured over a hundred other people.

Marcos noted that a few days ago the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and the Abu Sayyaf launched separate attacks against the military forces in Mindanao.

“While these attacks seem to be largely directed against the military forces we must not be complacent.

We must not allow the bombings that occurred 15 years ago to happen again,” Marcos said.

On Dec. 30, 2000 five separate explosions rocked Metro Manila: Plaza Ferguson in Malate, Manila; a gas station in Makati, a bus in Cubao, a cargo handling station at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and in the LrT coach at the Blumentritt station which caused the most number of casualties.

The senator also cited reports that the BIFF claimed their recent attacks were inspired by ISIS, who were behind the November terror attacks in Paris that left 129 dead and 350 people injured. he pointed out that Malaysian and Indonesian terrorists have

linked with Muslim extremists and that a Malaysian bomb expert was killed in an encounter between the Abu Sayyaf and the military in Basilan last Dec. 15.

“We must not allow extremism in any ground to grow,” said Marcos, Chairman of the Senate committee on local government and sponsor of the Basic Law for Bangsamoro Autonomous region that intends to embody the peace pact between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

With the BLBAr passage uncertain in the few remaining session days of Congress, Marcos said efforts to find peace in Muslim Mindanao should not and never be abandoned.

For her part, Senator Loren Legarda urged Filipinos to follow the example of rizal and emulate his philosophy and commitment to environmental care and management.

‘I didn’t lie’

By Rio N. Araja SAYING she is still a presidential candidate, Senator Grace Poe on Tuesday hit out at the Commission on Elections for accusing her of lying.

At a news conference in Quezon City, Poe, along with her lawyer George Garcia, maintained that the fight is far from over.

Poe vowed to exhaust all legal means to prove she has met all the requirements to run for president, and that she has never lied to Comelec in any documentary evidence she submitted when she ran in the 2013 elections.

“They [Comelec] did not examine well all my evidence. I am not lying.

I cannot believe that all of them are lawyers and that they did not even look at my evidence,” she said.

“Imagine that, Comelec was telling me I was lying.”

She said the Supreme Court’s issuance of a temporary restraining order stopping Comelec from disqualifying her is sending a strong signal that she is very much qualified to seek the highest post in the land.

“I am giving my full trust to the Supreme Court as an institution and wholeheartedly thanking Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno, and Justices Mariano del Castillo and Marvic Leonen for giving the truth a chance to come out, and to stop the suppression against me,” she told reporters.

“I admit that the Comelec decision [to disqualify me] has brought sadness to all of us just days before Christmas. But the Supreme Court restored my trust and hope to give meaning to [my] Christmas.”

She gave her supporters the assurance that she is still a presidential candidate.

“My name will not be removed from the ballot. People ask me, will I still go on? I told them to continue to pray. Our fight will continue.

Let us face the New Year with strength and belief that the truth will ferret out,” she said.

Last Monday, the Supreme Court issued two temporary restraining orders against the decisions of Comelec cancelling Poe’s Certificate of Candidacy.

Grateful Grace supporters laud SC ruling “A TrIuMPh for truth, justice, democracy and human rights.”

This was the statement of Pangasinenses and Fil-Ams supporting presidential frontrunner Grace Poe following the issuance by the Supreme Court of two restraining orders against the Comelec en banc’s twin decisions to disqualify and delist her from the May 2016 presidential elections.

Leaders of Ang Grasya ng Masang Pilipino Movement led by Adonis Samson, rosendo So and Chito Samson hailed Supreme Court Chief Justice Lourdes

Sereno for the issuance of the two TrOs as she acted upon members-in-charge Associate Justices Mariano del Castillo and Marvic Leonen’s respective recommendations to issue separate TrOs on the Comelec’s rulings canceling Poe’s CoC. “The Supreme Court upholding the cause of Senator Poe and the cause of the sovereign people is consistent with the democratic precept that favors inclusion rather than exclusion,” said the Pangasinan leaders.

They added, “the Supreme

Court’s timely and prompt decision to issue the TrOs all but favor the right of the people to elect the servant leaders of their choice, and that doubts and resorts to technicalities as done by the Comelec en banc cannot serve to defeat the exercise of popular sovereignty of citizens.” AGMPM is the same group that ensured the victory of Grace’s father FPJ in the vote-rich province of Pangasinan in the 2004 presidential elections.

Many Pangasinenses have adopted and consider Grace Poe as their own.

Presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe holds a press conference in Quezon City to reaffirm her candidacy. LiNo SANToS

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Manila beefs up calamity fund CBCP spells out guide to voters

By Sara D. Fabunan THE president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines on Tuesday released 10 guidelines to all faithfuls who are set to vote in the national and local election on May 9, 2016.

In a statement, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said that the “Guide to Catholic Voters” is meant to offer guidelines to all Catholic voters based on the moral teachings of the church.

“As the rhetoric and the noise traditionally associated with Philippine politics and elections reach higher levels of intensity, we wish to offer some guidelines to our Catholic voters deriving from the moral teachings of the Church,” Villegas said.

Villegas advised all Catholic voters to reject any candidates who claim they are endorsed by the CBCP, or any diocese, or a particular bishop, noting that, in practice, the Church never campaigns for any aspirants.

“Church doctrine has remained consistent: Partisanship is an arena into which the Church should not venture,” he added.

Although the Church acknowledges each and every one’s right to choose their own candidates, the bishops or prelates are prohibited from personally urging their faithfuls to vote for any particular aspirants.

“We bishops commit to desist from any action or statement that may give the appearance of persuading the faithful to vote for a particular candidate,” he said.

“While bishops, as a citizens of the Republic, have the right to make their own choices, our office in the Church as well as our stature, of which we are all unworthy, urge upon us that circumspection that should prevent misunderstanding and confusion among our flock,” Villegas said.

Villegas called on all Catholic voters to evaluate candidates according to morality, and a good model of Christ, who have desire to run to serve and not to be served.

By Joel E. Zurbano

MANILA Mayor Joseph Estrada has made available P600 million in additional funds for the city’s disaster preparedness program to mitigate the impact of possible earthquakes and other calamity in the coming year.

Estrada’s move came on the city, especially at the barangay heels of reports that the effects of level, is now relatively ready to face disasters in 2015 cost the country any disaster or calamity in 2016,” more than P130 billion.

Yu said.

Additional funds were given to “We have already given the 896 barangays, according to Ma- P600 million as additional supnila Disaster Risk Reduction and port to barangays in terms of Management Office chief John- trainings, tools and equipment, ny Yu. The funds were coursed and other DRRM concerns. Resthrough the city government’s cue vans, amphibious trucks and continuous Disaster Risk Reduc- jeeps and fiber boats were already tion capability-building program. purchased for the barangays.

“With the incremental and year- DRRM is a continuous program round preparations of Manila, the of Mayor Estrada,” Yu said.

Estrada has underscored that these long-needed provisions and attention to the DRRM program, especially the increased budget for it, was realized because of the City’s high revenue generation brought about by the enhanced tax collection.

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction reported that the Philippines was ranked fourth in the world among countries hit by the highest number of disasters over the past 20 years, with the country experiencing a total of 274 disasters from 1995 to 2015. Among the disasters hitting the Philippines have been some 20 typhoons every year; frequent flashfloods, fire incidents, landslides and storm surges; and occasional volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

The Department of Finance estimated that the country suffers

calamity-caused economic losses amounting to at least an initial 1.1 percent of its annual gross domestic product, or around P130 billion in 2014. This could easily reach up to 2.0-2.5 percent of the GDP, though, because of the lingering effects of these calamities, according to the Climate Change Commission.

Estrada prioritized the operationalization of a strong DRRM program at the start of his term.

“Calamities cause damages to properties, infrastructure and facilities; paralyze the flow of people and products; hassle businesses, communication and supply of water and electricity; and impact heavily on the economy and the people’s lives in general. With a good disaster program, we can lessen these impacts caused by calamities,” he said.

Holiday rush. People flock to a provincial bus terminal in Quezon City to beat the rush to the provinces where they will celebrate New Year. LINO SANTOS

QC cops round up 12 drug suspects

By Rio N. Araja

SM renovates SAF facility. The medical dispensary inside the Training Branch of

the PNP Special Action Force situated in Fort Sto. Domingo, Sta. Rosa, Laguna has been renovated and refurbished by SM Foundation. The renovated dispensary was turned over recently by SM Foundation represented by its executive director for health and medical programs Connie Angeles to Moro Virgilio Lazo, chief of the SAF. Also present at the turnover rites were SM executives led by Angel Torreja, regional operations manager SM Supermalls.The PNP SAF Training Branch is the 107th FTS Wellness Center to date and the second PNP adopted facility. The other PNP facility adopted by SMFI is the Police National Training Institute in Canlubang, Laguna.

THE Quezon City Police District has seized 10 kilos of marijuana and shabu in a “one-time big-time” series of anti-illegal drugs operation over the week.

Chief Supt. Edgar Tinio said at around 10 p.m. on Dec. 28, the District Anti-illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group conducted buybust operation that resulted in the arrest of Ferdinand Aljecera, 29, a messenger from 77 Lantana St., Barangay Immaculate.

Authorities confiscated from Aljecera, who is the no. 1 drug personality in the DAID-SOTG, three bricks of marijuana weighing 10 kilos with a street value of P50,000 and the buy-bust money.

The operation against Aljecera was an offshoot of a recent operation conduct-

ed by the National Capital Region Police Office last week wherein 100 kilos of marijuana were seized from another suspect identified as Moises Nardo Simsim, 40, of Cayapas, Buguias, Benguet.

In a separate buy-bust operation, the anti-narcotics operatives arrested 11 other drug suspects at 10:30 p.m., in Barangay Escopa II. They were identified as Joey Advincula, Jonathan Fedeles, Edgar Cadorna, Ren-ren Rendon, Cristina de Leon, Ricky Regalado, Angelita Autida, John Lester, Armando Solmarin, Aldrin Collantes and Antonio Cruz.

QCPD was able to confiscate from them nine plastic sachets of shabu, small weighing scale, several drug paraphernalia and the marked money used in the buy bust.

The suspects were arrested at around 10:30 p.m. at 3 Top-

side, Circumferential 5 Road, Barangay Escopa II. They were brought to the QCPD headquarters in Camp Karingal, Barangay Sikatuna, pending filing of charges of violating Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The arrest of the suspects was part of the relentless anticriminality campaign under Oplan Lambat Sibat of the Philippine National Police.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency nabbed an elected barangay official in a search warrant in his house in Eastern Samar.

Director-general Arturo Cacdac Jr. identified the suspect as Virgilio Bagas Jr., 43, a former member of the now-defunct PNP’s Narcotics Command and the barangay captain and resident of Barangay 7, Maydolong, Eastern Samar.

W e d n e s d ay : d e C e m b e r 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

A7

news

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

‘Peace efforts in Abra gaining ground’

By Dexter A. See

Friendship goals. Children walk in the woods at Wright Park in Baguio City. DAVID CHAN

Police chief to cops: Fire guns and you’ll be fired

By Florante Solmerin

TUGUEGARAO CITY—Cagayan provincial police director Senior Superintendent Ronaldo Olay said Tuesday that cops under his command who would be found guilty of using their service firearms during New Year celebrations would be automatically relieved of their duties and responsibilities.

The erring policemen would also face investigation, penalties and possible dismissal from office.

Olay also asked the public to use social media in reporting and documenting violations that may-

be committed by law enforcers and also civilians against the “no firing of gun” policy.

Earlier this month, Olay led his officers and men in the province in muzzle-taping of their firearms.

According to Deputy Police Director for Administration Supt. Renato Mallonga, the firearms taping was also participated by all soldiers deployed in the province under the 17th Infantry battalion.

Civilian gun owners such as members of the Cagayan Pistol and Rifle Association (Capiraso) led by Judd Dimalanta and members of Private Security Agencies in the province like the Regional Security and Investigation Agency led by Melchor Cusipag, Golden Jewelle Security Agency led by Simon delos Santos and Argus Se-

curity and Investigation Agency led by Felix Attaban also joined the taping.

On Monday, Olay ordered the destruction in public view of about P43,000 worth of illegal firecrackers and pyrotechnics confiscated in the areas of Tuguegarao City, Piat and Amulung.

“There is no respite in operations to go after manufacturers, dealers and retailers of all prohibited firecrackers. We will file appropriate charges against anyone who will be caught during our operations,” Olay said.

BANGUED—Peace initiatives of various sectors in the province are progressing despite apparent indifference of some political personalities, said a Catholic bishop here.

Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian cited the recent signing of a peace covenant by various sectors aimed at addressing poverty in the countryside and benefitting the youth.

“We have to continue closely working together with the different sectors in the province for us to achieve our long overdue dream of having lasting peace.

We have to be vigilant on the latest trends of our peace initiatives for us to keep track of the latest developments against our efforts to curb violence, especially with the upcoming May 2016 political exercise,” Jaucian stressed.

He added the Diocese of Abra already reached out to politicians who failed to actively participate in the signing of the peace covenant for them to embrace the same.

The political camps have said they support the initiative and they are open to signing the covenant.

The bishop added, however, that the road to lasting peace in Abra is long. “It will come once the people of Abra are able to open their eyes to the truth that violence is the major deterrent to peace.”

According to him, the efforts of young Abrenios to achieve peace is for the benefit of the future generations. “They will be the ones to reap the fruits of peace which are robust economic growth and improved sources of livelihood for the people.”

Abra recorded zero electionrelated violence in the May 2013 mid-term elections.

Workers want P50 hike in daily wage, get P5 to P12

The better option. To

avoid heavy traffic in Dagupan City, commuters prefer to take a banca ride to reach downtown proper.

CHRISTINE JUNIO

LEGAZPI CITY—The Department of Labor and Employment has recently approved an amount ranging from P5 to P12 as an increase in the minimum daily wages of Bicol’s workers in the private sector.

During the series of public hearings conducted over the year by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board, the region’s labor sector insisted on a P50 increase, saying that the cost of living had gone up due to soaring prices of basic commodities and services, including electricity and water, keeping below the poverty line households that earn only P236 per day.

They cited that the poverty threshold in Bicol as determined by the National Economic and Development Authority currently stands at P245 per day.

The region’s private sector’s workers work hard but the daily wage they receive makes it diffi-

cult for them to feed a family of five and send their children to school, according to the Alliance on Progressive Labor.

The group suggested that the proposed P50 hike would at least provide some relief to augment workers’ purchasing power.

Under Wage Order No. RBV16, which took effect on Jan. 10, 2014, the regional daily minimum wage was P260 for establishments with more than 10 workers and P236 for those with less than 10 workers in both the agriculture and non-agriculture sectors.

Last week, the DOLE’s National Wages and Productivity Commission affirmed the latest wage order of Bicol’s RTWPB raising minimum daily wages by only P5 for workers in non-agriculture establishments whose employees are more than 10 workers and P12 for those working also in non-agriculture establishments employing not

more than 10 workers.

Workers in agricultural establishments get a uniform increase of P12 in their daily wage.

These increases carried by Wage Order No. RBV-17 took effect last Dec. 25, DOLE Bicol regional director Nathaniel Lacambra on Tuesday here said.

Earlier, the DOLE regional office revealed that about 14 percent of Bicol employers do not comply with the prevailing minimum wage rate based on monitoring results despite the new online labor laws compliance system which automatically tracks down, rates and reports the output of compliance officers.

Lacambra said complaints for non-compliance shall be filed with the DOLE regional office and shall be subject to the mandatory 30-day conciliation and mediation process under the single-entry approach reform measure. PNA

W E D n E s D Ay: D E c E m b E R 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

A8

opinion

ADELLE chuA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

baCK CHannEl alEjanDRO DEl ROSaRIO

A finAl push for BBl

[ EDI TORI A L ]

Governance derailed THE commuter train that skid off the tracks and rammed through a concrete barrier to crash land onto a busy intersection last year is emblematic of the ineptitude and corruption that plague an administration that prides itself on following the straight path.

The accident, which injured more than 30 people, was the direct result of the government’s decision to ditch the MRT’s previous maintenance provider in favor of an inexperienced company that, it turned out, had ties with the general manager of the MRT at the time. Contrary to law, the maintenance contract was awarded without a public bidding.

When these shenanigans were brought to light, the Office of the Ombudsman mysteriously left out from the charge sheet the Cabinet official who signed off on the anomalous contract, Transport Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, a close ally of President Benigno Aquino III. Remarking on this, the senator who led the congressional investigation into the MRT mess said she was puzzled why Abaya was not charged.

Just as mysteriously, the Ombudsman filed graft charges against the former general manager and others implicated in the anomalous transaction, even though the amounts involved would have justified a more serious case of plunder.

But not one to believe in the saying “Once bitten, twice shy,” Secretary Abaya has approved a P3.81-billion maintenance contract with yet another untested consortium, using the existence of “an emergency”—the poor service and rapid deterioration of the train system—to justify awarding the deal without public bidding.

The Department of Transportation and Communications under Abaya also claims that it had tried to bid out the long-term maintenance contract twice, but there were no takers—a fact that critics say is the result of bidding rules that were designed to fail so that the department would be free to pursue negotiated contracts with favored companies.

The excuse of “an emergency” is particularly insulting, since it is clear from the foregoing facts that it was Abaya himself who had created an emergency by dropping a proven maintenance provider that had kept the trains running before he became Transport secretary.

It is no coincidence that Abaya also figured in President Aquino’s optimistic prediction two years ago that he and Abaya would be willing to have themselves run over by a train if the LRT expansion to Cavite were not completed by the end of 2015.

That boast has turned out to be a major embarrassment for the President, who is suffering from a bad case of foot-in-mouth disease.

Under Abaya’s capable management, not only is the project incomplete—it has not even begun.

The President need not worry about being run over, however. With Abaya in charge, chances are good that the train might not even arrive.

Before the fall lOwDOwn jOjO a.

ROblES PRIDE, the Good Book tells us, comes before the fall. And if President Noynoy Aquino should be remembered for anything, it is for his predilection for making prideful vows that he can’t keep —and then finding all sorts of excuses to absolve himself when he fails to deliver on the promises that no one forced him to make.

Even the most junior of customer service representatives, after all, know that it is always best

to under-promise and then to over-deliver. This is explains why, for instance, utility company employees will always say that your disconnected power, cable or telephone line service will be returned after a much longer time than it actually takes to do so.

But Aquino has never felt any obligation, during his entire term, to deliver on the promises he has so boastfully made. And to make things worse, the President never apologizes for getting everybody’s hopes up and then letting them down; it is only when people remember one broken presidential promise or another that he dispatches his spokesmen to dream up all sorts of “palusot”

for his failures.

The latest example of Aquino’s penchant for bragging and then not delivering is, of course, his administration’s abject failure to build the extension of the LRT Line 1 from Baclaran in Parañaque City to Bacoor in Cavite province. After saying that he would build the train line extension or get run over by a train by the end of this year, Palace flacks are now falling all over themselves to explain that Aquino was only joking, in his strange, Aquino-like way.

But does his lame attempt at levity two years ago really excuse Aquino from delivering on his promises? I should hope not.

A9

Such a promising presidency, when it started, is now engaged in full-time excuse-making as it nears its end.

If you agree that Aquino was merely joking about completing the LRT extension, what then would you make of his promises—delivered in oh-so-serious State of the Nation Addresses— to make the Public-Private Partnerships his showcase economic program and for national selfsufficiency in rice? Was he joking then, as well?

How about defending Recto Bank in the Spratly Island Group like it was Recto Avenue, another boast made by Aquino in another Sona, before the Chinese started their massive reclamation projects in the disputed Sea? Didn’t a group of 50 young campers who recently sailed all the way to Kalayaan Island to declare it an inalienable part of the Philippines show more deter-

mination than Aquino in defending our territory?

Some Palace observers have noted that Aquino’s boastful nature is aggravated by his absolute trust in his own nonperforming, mediocre people, who tell him that something will be done even if it doesn’t have a chance of happening.

So when Joseph Abaya tells him that the LRT extension is a go, or Proceso Alcala whispers that rice self-sufficiency is at hand, or Rogelio Singson says that the country is “overflowing” with new infrastructure, or Alan Purisima texts him

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-

that all is well in Mamasapano, Aquino just accepts it as gospel—without independent verification, because he is just too lazy to check facts for himself.

And when the smelly stuff hits the ventilating appliance, it is Aquino who has to take the fall. Which is only fair, because he likes to shoot off his mouth even before he is sure of what he’s talking about.

But then, Aquino has always talked a good game. And all these years, he has proven that he has just enough persuasive powers to promise anything that

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

he thinks will please the crowd—even things he, in his heart of hearts, probably knows he can never deliver on.

This is why such a promising presidency, when it started, is now engaged in full-time excuse-making and blametossing as it nears its end. All things considered, perhaps Aquino should just make good on his promise to have himself run over by a train.

That’s something he can really do, if he sets his mind to it. And it will prove once and for all that there is a promise that he Continued on A11 can actually keep.

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

PROBABLy emboldened by the Islamist State terrorist attacks worldwide, Muslim rebels belonging to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters have stepped up their offensive in Sultan Kudarat, North Cotabato and Maguindanao leaving 11 civilians dead. A splinter group from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the BIFF is bent on carving out an independent state from the country’s present territory. This of course will never happen without the dire consequences of a violent confrontation. It is therefore in the national interest that a workable Bangsamoro Basic Law conforming to the Constitution is passed by Congress. But with the politicians’ present preoccupation with the May 2016 national elections, it is doubtful the BBL will see passage between now and next April.The incoming administration should set the highest priority in passing a law for an autonomous Muslim Mindanao that ensures a just and lasting peace in the region.

The BIFF resurgence is worrisome considering the reported presence of Islamist State terrorists in the South who are allegedly training Muslim guerrillas. Renewed fighting in the South could result in the suspension of elections in parts of central Mindanao.

While the military has flagged Islamist activity in Mindanao, administration spokesmen chose to wallpaper the problem.

The IS terrorist threat is real. It could happen here with a terror attack in Metro Manila’s shopping malls. Terrorists struck in a Kenya shopping mall where gunmen killed hundreds. They also attacked a Mali hotel leaving several tourists dead. More recently was the simultaneous attack pulled by IS in the heart of Paris followed by the San Bernardino, California carnage.

We do not wish to unduly alarm the populace but it’s better to err on the side of caution rather than do body count later.

The recent spate of guerrilla activity is being carried out by the BIFF group that reinforced the MILF in the Mamasapano, Maguindanao encounter where 44 men of the Philippine National Police- Special Action Forces perished. Before they were massacred, the PNP-SAF commandos were able to accomplish their mission to take out international terrorist Marwan.

The recent BIFF rampage could be part of the psy war to push the passage of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law which in its present form has met with stiff opposition from some lawmakers. Although the BIFF is known to oppose the peace talks, there is a lingering suspicion the breakaway group is operating with MILF consent. The MILF claims it has no control over the BIFF This is the dilemma of dealing with a three-headed hydra. When the Cory Aquino administration forged a peace pact in 1989 with the Moro National Liberation Front of Nur Misuari, the faction of Hashim Salamat was not pleased with how the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao was being run by 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

W E D n E s D Ay: D E c E m b E R 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

A8

opinion

ADELLE chuA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

opinion

baCK CHannEl alEjanDRO DEl ROSaRIO

A finAl push for BBl

[ EDI TORI A L ]

Governance derailed THE commuter train that skid off the tracks and rammed through a concrete barrier to crash land onto a busy intersection last year is emblematic of the ineptitude and corruption that plague an administration that prides itself on following the straight path.

The accident, which injured more than 30 people, was the direct result of the government’s decision to ditch the MRT’s previous maintenance provider in favor of an inexperienced company that, it turned out, had ties with the general manager of the MRT at the time. Contrary to law, the maintenance contract was awarded without a public bidding.

When these shenanigans were brought to light, the Office of the Ombudsman mysteriously left out from the charge sheet the Cabinet official who signed off on the anomalous contract, Transport Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, a close ally of President Benigno Aquino III. Remarking on this, the senator who led the congressional investigation into the MRT mess said she was puzzled why Abaya was not charged.

Just as mysteriously, the Ombudsman filed graft charges against the former general manager and others implicated in the anomalous transaction, even though the amounts involved would have justified a more serious case of plunder.

But not one to believe in the saying “Once bitten, twice shy,” Secretary Abaya has approved a P3.81-billion maintenance contract with yet another untested consortium, using the existence of “an emergency”—the poor service and rapid deterioration of the train system—to justify awarding the deal without public bidding.

The Department of Transportation and Communications under Abaya also claims that it had tried to bid out the long-term maintenance contract twice, but there were no takers—a fact that critics say is the result of bidding rules that were designed to fail so that the department would be free to pursue negotiated contracts with favored companies.

The excuse of “an emergency” is particularly insulting, since it is clear from the foregoing facts that it was Abaya himself who had created an emergency by dropping a proven maintenance provider that had kept the trains running before he became Transport secretary.

It is no coincidence that Abaya also figured in President Aquino’s optimistic prediction two years ago that he and Abaya would be willing to have themselves run over by a train if the LRT expansion to Cavite were not completed by the end of 2015.

That boast has turned out to be a major embarrassment for the President, who is suffering from a bad case of foot-in-mouth disease.

Under Abaya’s capable management, not only is the project incomplete—it has not even begun.

The President need not worry about being run over, however. With Abaya in charge, chances are good that the train might not even arrive.

Before the fall lOwDOwn jOjO a.

ROblES PRIDE, the Good Book tells us, comes before the fall. And if President Noynoy Aquino should be remembered for anything, it is for his predilection for making prideful vows that he can’t keep —and then finding all sorts of excuses to absolve himself when he fails to deliver on the promises that no one forced him to make.

Even the most junior of customer service representatives, after all, know that it is always best

to under-promise and then to over-deliver. This is explains why, for instance, utility company employees will always say that your disconnected power, cable or telephone line service will be returned after a much longer time than it actually takes to do so.

But Aquino has never felt any obligation, during his entire term, to deliver on the promises he has so boastfully made. And to make things worse, the President never apologizes for getting everybody’s hopes up and then letting them down; it is only when people remember one broken presidential promise or another that he dispatches his spokesmen to dream up all sorts of “palusot”

for his failures.

The latest example of Aquino’s penchant for bragging and then not delivering is, of course, his administration’s abject failure to build the extension of the LRT Line 1 from Baclaran in Parañaque City to Bacoor in Cavite province. After saying that he would build the train line extension or get run over by a train by the end of this year, Palace flacks are now falling all over themselves to explain that Aquino was only joking, in his strange, Aquino-like way.

But does his lame attempt at levity two years ago really excuse Aquino from delivering on his promises? I should hope not.

A9

Such a promising presidency, when it started, is now engaged in full-time excuse-making as it nears its end.

If you agree that Aquino was merely joking about completing the LRT extension, what then would you make of his promises—delivered in oh-so-serious State of the Nation Addresses— to make the Public-Private Partnerships his showcase economic program and for national selfsufficiency in rice? Was he joking then, as well?

How about defending Recto Bank in the Spratly Island Group like it was Recto Avenue, another boast made by Aquino in another Sona, before the Chinese started their massive reclamation projects in the disputed Sea? Didn’t a group of 50 young campers who recently sailed all the way to Kalayaan Island to declare it an inalienable part of the Philippines show more deter-

mination than Aquino in defending our territory?

Some Palace observers have noted that Aquino’s boastful nature is aggravated by his absolute trust in his own nonperforming, mediocre people, who tell him that something will be done even if it doesn’t have a chance of happening.

So when Joseph Abaya tells him that the LRT extension is a go, or Proceso Alcala whispers that rice self-sufficiency is at hand, or Rogelio Singson says that the country is “overflowing” with new infrastructure, or Alan Purisima texts him

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-

that all is well in Mamasapano, Aquino just accepts it as gospel—without independent verification, because he is just too lazy to check facts for himself.

And when the smelly stuff hits the ventilating appliance, it is Aquino who has to take the fall. Which is only fair, because he likes to shoot off his mouth even before he is sure of what he’s talking about.

But then, Aquino has always talked a good game. And all these years, he has proven that he has just enough persuasive powers to promise anything that

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

he thinks will please the crowd—even things he, in his heart of hearts, probably knows he can never deliver on.

This is why such a promising presidency, when it started, is now engaged in full-time excuse-making and blametossing as it nears its end. All things considered, perhaps Aquino should just make good on his promise to have himself run over by a train.

That’s something he can really do, if he sets his mind to it. And it will prove once and for all that there is a promise that he Continued on A11 can actually keep.

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

PROBABLy emboldened by the Islamist State terrorist attacks worldwide, Muslim rebels belonging to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters have stepped up their offensive in Sultan Kudarat, North Cotabato and Maguindanao leaving 11 civilians dead. A splinter group from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the BIFF is bent on carving out an independent state from the country’s present territory. This of course will never happen without the dire consequences of a violent confrontation. It is therefore in the national interest that a workable Bangsamoro Basic Law conforming to the Constitution is passed by Congress. But with the politicians’ present preoccupation with the May 2016 national elections, it is doubtful the BBL will see passage between now and next April.The incoming administration should set the highest priority in passing a law for an autonomous Muslim Mindanao that ensures a just and lasting peace in the region.

The BIFF resurgence is worrisome considering the reported presence of Islamist State terrorists in the South who are allegedly training Muslim guerrillas. Renewed fighting in the South could result in the suspension of elections in parts of central Mindanao.

While the military has flagged Islamist activity in Mindanao, administration spokesmen chose to wallpaper the problem.

The IS terrorist threat is real. It could happen here with a terror attack in Metro Manila’s shopping malls. Terrorists struck in a Kenya shopping mall where gunmen killed hundreds. They also attacked a Mali hotel leaving several tourists dead. More recently was the simultaneous attack pulled by IS in the heart of Paris followed by the San Bernardino, California carnage.

We do not wish to unduly alarm the populace but it’s better to err on the side of caution rather than do body count later.

The recent spate of guerrilla activity is being carried out by the BIFF group that reinforced the MILF in the Mamasapano, Maguindanao encounter where 44 men of the Philippine National Police- Special Action Forces perished. Before they were massacred, the PNP-SAF commandos were able to accomplish their mission to take out international terrorist Marwan.

The recent BIFF rampage could be part of the psy war to push the passage of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law which in its present form has met with stiff opposition from some lawmakers. Although the BIFF is known to oppose the peace talks, there is a lingering suspicion the breakaway group is operating with MILF consent. The MILF claims it has no control over the BIFF This is the dilemma of dealing with a three-headed hydra. When the Cory Aquino administration forged a peace pact in 1989 with the Moro National Liberation Front of Nur Misuari, the faction of Hashim Salamat was not pleased with how the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao was being run by 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 Apology isN’t justice For KoreA’s ‘comFort womeN’ ception that the US may not be the strong protecAT lONg last, Korea’s tor it has traditionally “comfort women”—are been. Would the US go getting a real apology from to war to defend Taiwan Japan’s government for be- from China? If the answer ing forced into sexual slav- is no, then why would the ery by the Japanese army US go to war to protect during World War II. But Japan or South Korea? If the moment is bittersweet, there’s doubt about the US and not just because it’s commitment, Japan and taken 70 years. The apology Korea need each other.

The Pacific security comes not out of a change in Japanese sentiment, but arrangement is often defrom a change in geopoli- scribed as a “hub and tics—namely, the rise of spokes” model, with the China and the increasing US at the center. Abe is need for Japan and South setting out to strengthKorea to cooperate on mu- en the ties between the tual defense. And it comes spokes—because he recat the price of a promise by ognizes that the hub is not the South Korean govern- as willing a gravitational ment not to criticize Japan force as it once was.

In this increasingly unover the issue again —a trade of moral claims for certain Cool War envicompensation and finality. ronment, the perception The saga of the Japa- of Japanese-Korean solinese non-apology has had darity is an important asmany twists and turns, pect of Abe’s program. It’s demonstrating that in why he was willing to pay the contemporary po- the political price at home litical cultures of both of an apology to the comJapan and Korea, apolo- fort women that accomgies aren’ mere formali- panies an $8.3-million ties but are laden with fund—this time paid by symbolic significance. A his government. And as a muted 1993 apology was nationalist, he can afford accompanied by compen- to draw on his store of sation from private do- right-wing credibility to nors and marked a refusal buy political advantage.

But the apology and

by Japan’s government to acknowledge its role in the money came with the sexual enslavement. a price attached: South Koreans got the point, Korea’s promise that and some women refused the issue of the comfort to take money from the women would be settled once and for all, and that fund.

The question of state its government wouldn’ responsibility has re- complain about it furmained a sore point. A ther. And Abe can tell South Korean historian his constituents that he who has written about has bought the Koreans’ the role of private en- silence, removing an artrepreneurs in enslaving gument that always came women during the war up when Japan was achas been condemned by cused of being aggressive survivors who say she is or nationalist.

That’s almost always minimizing the Japanese how reparations, whether government’s guilt.

Prime Minister Shinzo legally formal or (as in Abe, a strong nationalist, this case) informal, work isn’ naturally inclined in the real world: The to apologize for Japan’ wronged party gets comwartime atrocities. In pensation and an apolthe past, he’s angered ogy; the party that did Chinese and Koreans by the wrong gets a de facto visiting the controversial promise that it won’t have Yasukuni shrine, which to be reminded of what it honors Japan’s war dead, did. Without this trade, including convicted war countries wouldn’ voluntarily pay up, so it may criminals.

What motivates Abe is seem naive to criticize the the quest to improve Ja- exchange, provided you pan’s national security. think compensation is a China’s military expan- good thing.

All tort settlements, sionism is the main cause.

Almost equally important even those between priis an accompanying per- vate parties, have some-

By Noah Feldman

W e d n e s d ay: d e c e m b e r 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

Virtual reality tony lopez IT is perhaps the greatest marketing success story ever concocted in the Philippines to promote a product or a service.

We are not referring here to the marketing of Daang Matuwid, whose grim reality, should by now, is familiar to most Filipinos who daily have to endure an abysmally decrepit metro railway mass transit, horrendous traffic, graft at every nook of government offices, and the smallmindedness and greed of politicians, big and small.

As success stories born out of serendipity go, this imaginary—or real—love story in packets or teleserye—all started with a sigh, and perhaps a wink. girl meets boy. girl likes the boy. She sighs in near orgasmic relief.

As it turns out, boy also likes the girl. It happened, on July 16, 2015, at the Juan For All, All For Juan segment of popular noontime show Eat Bulaga in suburban Quezon City.

Quick on the draw, the show’s producers saw the potential of the chemistry between boy and girl. Thus was born the AlDub phenomenon.

There is no single explanation to account for this miracle of 21st century television. “AlDub just happened,” grins Felipe l. gozon, chair and CEO of gMA Network Inc., which has to split the windfall with TAPE, the block timer of Eat Bulaga which has rights to the girl. The boy is a fast-rising mainstay of gMA Network. The AlDub segment is the most sought-after slot for tv advertisers.

AlDub is the phenomenal split-screen love team of actor Alden Richards and showbiz newbie Maine “Yaya Dub” Mendoza.

Thus, the term “AlDub” was coined from the first syllables of their screen names. loads of product enthing of this character.

Compensation functions as corrective justice, and the injured party is expected to be satisfied by the deal.

But morally speaking, crimes against humanity aren’t the same as car accidents. Those who enslaved women during World War II weren’t being negligent; they raped and dehumanized these women in particular, and the status and fundamental rights of women everywhere.

Promising a form of silence about such crimes in exchange for an apology and compensation

the AlDuB pheNomeNoN dorsements, personal and as a tandem, prove AlDub’s commercial impact, bringing enormous fortune to the duo and to their creators and producers, of course, to gMA Network.

Business has been so good Channel 7 raised the bonus of personnel to 1.25 of monthly salary.

Today, AlDub endorses nearly every major consumer product, from burgers to cola, milk to vinegar, house cleaning products to body upkeep, toothpaste to texting, sardines to snow caps, and of course, clothes and the chemical to make them soft while being washed. There are more and we cannot recall them at the moment.

Alden and Maine are today’s hottest celebrities.

Maine or Yaya Dub is the third fastest-growing celebrity on Twitter, next to international pop singers Taylor Swift and Katy Perry. Her Twitter account has 2.9 million followers.

Alden, meanwhile, looks like the future Piolo Pascual or John lloyd Cruz, assuming he can be trained to act or sing adequately to make the girls, young and old, swoon, cry or even faint.

In a recent anniversary episode, Alden attempted to summon his tears while trying to show his love for Maine and the audience in the studio, and perhaps in millions of households, joined the tearjerking.

Forty-one million tweets (from followers)—that’s the reason why “their (AlDub’s) meteoric rise in the Philippines on TV and social media is difficult to ignore,” says Rico Hizon, a BBC reporter.

“They have dominated headlines and social media trends—certainly in the Philippines—but few have tried to evaluate this winning formula. It is, of course, about great entertainment, but perhaps the magic is also in the marketing, a smart social media strategy, and good business

sense,” adds Hizon.

An average of two million tweets on weekdays and four million tweets on weekends about #Aldub dominate the social media world, making each noontime a frenzy.

Six days in a week (Monday to Saturday), millions of fans tune-in to the 36-year-old noontime variety show “Eat Bulaga!” to watch a short skit called KalyeSerye and have something to feel good in a world full of trials.

KalyeSerye is the love team’s daily escapade in the noontime show’s “Juan For All, All For Juan” segment.

“Eat Bulaga!” is mature, concedes Jenny Ferre, in a BBC interview. EB’s creative recalled that the program had been facing problems attracting young viewers, and her team had been trying to come up with a solution for five years.

Thanks to AlDub, the younger generation took notice of the country’s longestrunning TV show. It is evident not only with the traffic it makes in the new media but also in the ratings game of the traditional media.

Per Nielsen TV Audience Measurement, “Eat Bulaga’s” average household rating from July 16 (the fateful day when the AlDub love team was formed) to Sept.

30 reached 24.7 percent in National Urban Philippines, 11.5 points higher than its rival ABS-CBN’s, “It’s Showtime’s” 13.2 percent.

Moreover, 10 out of the 10 highest TV ratings recorded in Mega Manila in 2015 belong to “Eat Bulaga.”

When finally Alden and Yaya Dub met in a “Tamang Panahon” concert, they drew 55,000 shrieking fans to the 55,000-seater Philippine Arena in Bulacan.

Thousands others were stranded outside. The episode was watched by more than half of tv households in the Philippines.

The #EBTamangPanahon is the third most trend-

ing topic for 2015 next to #KCA and #TeenChoice.

The “Tamang Panahon” concert recorded a staggering 41 million tweets in just 24 hours from Oct. 2425, 2015.

The show is so far 2015’s most watched single episode on free-to-air TV with 42.9 percent household rating in National Uraban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM).

Also, AlDub’s first “kilig” moment on July 16, 2015 landed at the ninth spot as the most watched video in Youtube, a video sharing website, for 2015 with five million views.

So what is behind AlDub’s success? Maybe its light and wholesome love story that brings back the almost forgotten Filipino values of chivalry, modesty, respect for elders, and morality, which many viewers find very amusing in a fast changing world.

Because of this, even the very conservative Catholic Church commended the love team. In its Twitter account, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines cited the KalyeSerye for “supporting the noble cause of spreading virtue, values and morality that our nation deserves.”

The KalyeSerye bagged accolades in the Catholic Social Media Awards (CSMA) “for their efforts of promoting forgotten Filipino Catholic values in their show.”

In the show, lola Nidora, played by Wally Bayola, is the representation of old Filipino values. She gives obstacles to Alden and Yaya Dub to prevent them from meeting in flesh as she believes it is not yet the “tamang panahon.”

Every time Nidora imposes challenges on the two lovers she gives them advice on how to express love responsibly saying, “ang lahat ng bagay ay hindi minamadali. Darating ito sa tamang panahon.”

seems inadequate to the scope and meaning of the wrongdoing. During negotiations, Japan also sought the removal of a memorial statue in front of its embassy in Seoul.

South Korea’s government promised to take up the issue with the survivors— implying a good-faith effort to make the memorial disappear.

Crimes against humanity are the world’s business. They shouldn’t be forgotten, and discussing as well as memorializing them shouldn’t be suppressed or discouraged.

The interest in keep-

ing the memory of such crimes alive also extends to the victims themselves.

Of course they’re entitled to compensation. But it feels wrong if they can only get it because their government has agreed to drop their case and, to a degree, is encouraging them to drop their efforts to shame the perpetrators.

The realities of international practice are inevitable and harsh. Individuals need states to prosecute claims against other states on their behalf. And once states are in the game, they’ll behave as states usually do: trading val-

ues and ideals and honor for advancement of their interests. But that doesn’t mean we always have to like it. The memory of terrible wrongs should be preserved, as a goad to stop them from happening again.

Our horror about the treatment of the comfort women should steel us to act on behalf of women kidnapped into sexual slavery by Islamic State and Boko Haram. No amount of reconciliation with the past should make us reconcile with those crimes of the present.

Bloomberg

biznewsasia@gmail.com

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A11

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

Fireworks So I See LIto banayo Today we commemorate the martyrdom of Jose P. Rizal, the national hero we proclaimed during the american colonial period. There have been ongoing debates in academe and the public mind as to who rightfully should be our national hero, and invariably, these center on whether it should be Rizal or Bonifacio, the pacifist versus the warrior, the reformist versus the revolutionary.

I shall not delve on that matter. I just wonder why we always commemorate the death rather than the birth of our great men.

Commemorating death rather than celebrate the beginning of life. does this have to do with our Christian tradition which emphasizes the resurrection of the Christ, after his death on the cross? Easter is the happiest feast in Christendom, yet we celebrate Christmas day in our practices and tradition as our happiest feast.

Why not Rizal day on June 19, when he was born? Likewise Ninoy aquino on Nov. 27 instead of his assassination on aug. 21? or why celebrate defeat at the hands of the Japanese through the Fall of Bataan on april 9, instead of the Liberation of Manila? debates such as these ought to be resolved, the better to foster what everybody concedes to be a lack of nationalism and a sense of nationhood among us, particularly among the younger generation. Which also makes me wonder why we have relegated culture as mandates of the department of Education through syllabi and textbooks, and to the department of Tourism as anchor (at times) to tourism promotion.

In most other countries, particularly in Europe, there is a Ministry of Culture and History. In the Philippines there is none. Rather we have a sprinkling of low-budgeted, oft-forgotten sprinkling of agencies such as the National Commission for Culture and the arts, the National Historical Institute, the National Museum, Cultural Center (which mate-

rialized only after former First Lady Imelda Marcos built the center for the performing arts), and others. *** The other topic I will discuss here is the matter of fireworks, particularly the noise, gore and self-inflicted mayhem that accompanies our celebration of New year’s Eve. I once asked Mayor Rodrigo duterte regarding his ban on firecrackers and fireworks in the city regarded as one of the safest in the world.

His reply: “Why should revelry be noisy? What about children, particularly infants, whose sleep will be disturbed by the noise? and people whose nostrils will be assailed by the smell of gunpowder ingredients, let alone the noise? Must their rights be transgressed by the many who just insist on their brand of merry-making? and finally, what about the injuries, even deaths, that firecrackers cause, particularly on New year’s Eve? Why must public hospitals funded by people’s money be burdened by treating victims of their self-inflicted

injury and mayhem?” (I translate from memory a conversation done in Bisaya).

To which I asked, but why not ban firecrackers, and not fireworks, like the “luces” (lusis) or “kwitis”?

The answer was classic duterte: “When we were passing the ordinance banning pyrotechnics in the council, that issue was raised. Paputok ipagbawal, pero mga kwitis at lusis, payagan.” But upon further study, duterte added, it would be unequal treatment.

“The poor can only buy firecrackers because these are cheap.

I realized that only the rich can afford Roman candles and “kwitis,” so I asked the council to ban all pyrotechnics. We cannot have a law that the poor will find as a curtailment of their privilege, while knowingly allow the rich their affordable privileges.”

Not only does the duterte reasoning make sense. It also mirrors his obsession towards equal opportunity, equal privilege, equal rights.

Indeed, beneath the veneer of toughness expressed in words and in deeds, the davao City mayor impresses most because of his innate compassion for the

poor and underprivileged, and his vision of elevating their conditions in life. *** I do look forward to a New year’s Eve in 2016 where noise comes from paper horns, and the usual videoke music contests, not to firecrackers of whatever kind.

Instead, and in fairness to the Bocaue pyrotechnic makers and their employees, maybe each municipality or city could sponsor, or allow private companies to sponsor pyrotechnic displays for public delectation at designated “safe” places. I recall a Fourth of July experience in the Big apple, where Macy’s (the department store) traditionally sponsors the pyrotechnic display in the Hudson River.

Manila, Pasay, Makati, Parañaque and Las Piñas could sponsor a big New year’s Eve display in Manila Bay. Quezon City could do it in the Quezon Memorial Circle. San Juan, Mandaluyong, Marikina and Pasig can do it in the Pasig River. Caloocan, Navotas, Malabon and Valenzuela in the mouth of the tributaries that lead to Manila Bay. Whatever, a Happy New year to all!

CroNyism Causes the worst kiNd oF iNequality

By Noah smith ECoNoMIC inequality has skyrocketed in the US during the past few decades. That has prompted many calls for government policies to reverse that trend. defenders of the status quo argue that rising inequality is a necessary byproduct of economic growth—if we don’t allow people the chance to become extremely rich, the thinking goes, they will stop working, investing, saving and starting businesses. a receding tide will then cause all boats to sink.

Critics of the status quo have responded with the claim that inequality doesn’t help growth, but instead hurts it. The evidence is pretty clear: Higher inequality has been associated with lower growth. But as with all correlations, we should be very careful about interpreting this as causation. It might be that countries whose growth slows for any reason tend to experience an increase in inequality, as politically powerful groups stop focusing on expanding the pie and start trying to ap-

propriate more of the pie for themselves.

The IMF and oECd list some channels by which inequality might actually be causing lower growth. The most important one has to do with investment.

When poor people have more money, they can afford to invest more in human capital (education and skills) and nutrition. Because these investments have diminishing marginal returns—the first year of schooling matters a lot more than the 20 th—every dollar invested by the poor raises national productivity by more than if it gets invested by the rich.

In other words, the more resources shoring up a nation’s weak links, the better off that nation will be.

That’s a plausible hypothesis. But there might also be other factors contributing to the correlation between inequality and growth. It could be that there is something out there that causes both high inequality and low growth at the same time.

The obvious candidate for this dark force is crony capitalism. When a country succumbs to cronyism, friends of the rulers are able to appropriate large amounts of wealth for themselves—for example, by being awarded governmentprotected monopolies over certain markets, as in Russia after the fall of communism. That will obviously lead to inequality of income and wealth. It will also make the economy inefficient, since money is flowing to unproductive cronies. Cronyism may also reduce growth by allowing the wealthy to exert greater influence on political policy, creating inefficient subsidies for themselves and unfair penalties for their rivals.

Economists Sutirtha Bagchi of the University of Michigan and Jan Svejnar of Columbia recently set out to test the cronyism hypothesis. They focused not on income inequality, but on wealth inequality—a different, though probably related, measure. Con-

a final...From A9 Misuari. Salamat, and later al Haj Murad formed the MILF. Pillaging of villages and ambushes of government troops forced President Benigno aquino to form a peace panel to sit down with the new rebel group.

This was not acceptable to Misuari who felt his camp was excluded from the peace negotiations. Under Nur’s orders, the MNLF laid siege to Zamboanga City. It took nearly a month of fierce fighting, loss of lives and heavy damage before government troops were able to dislodge Misuari’s men from the major southern city.

Filipino students in Spratlys an activist student group last Saturday slipped through Chinese patrol boats to camp out in Pagasa, one of the contested shoals in the Spratly Islands.

This was not just a cruise for students out for fun and frolic. Numbering about 50, they maneuvered a boat for what they called a “Freedom Voyage” in a show of

before...From A9

Philippine sovereignty over the Kalayaan Islands.

The student action incurred the ire of the Chinese who have included Pag-asa in its sweeping nine- dash line claim in the South China Sea. a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman condemned the student action and demanded the Philippine government order them to move out together with other equipment still in the disputed shoal. a half submerged Philippine vessel, the MV Sierra Madre, serves as an outpost in another shoal, the ayungin (also known as Second Thomas reef) for nine Filipino marines who regularly get provisions delivered by boat or are air dropped.

For their bravado and patriotism, the 50 students get my nod as the country’s persons of the year. We wish the leftist militants who regularly demonstrate in front of the US Embassy in Manila would follow the lead of these courageous young men and women.

centrating on billionaires—the upper strata of the wealth distribution—they evaluated the political connections of each billionaire. They used the proportion of politically connected billionaires in a country as their measure of cronyism.

What they discovered was very interesting. The relationship between wealth inequality and growth was negative, as the IMF and others had found for income inequality.

But only one kind of inequality was associated with low growth—the kind that came from cronyism. In other words, when billionaires make their money through means other than political connections, the resulting inequality isn’t bad for growth.

That’s a heartening message for defenders of the rich-country status quo. If cronyism is the real danger, it means that a lot of the inequality we’ve seen in recent decades is benign. Eliminate corrupt connections between politicians and businesspeople, and you’ll be safe. Bloomberg

*** and vengefulness. Let’s not forget that, either.

Two years ago, at around this time of year, I wrote about how President Noynoy aquino narrowly averted a military rebellion by agreeing at the last moment to a one-night-only wake for former armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. delfin Bangit at Camp aguinaldo. aquino, through his handpicked overall military commander, General Emmanuel Bautista, earlier disallowed the tradition of allowing the ex-aFP chiefs that unique privilege simply to spite a dead general.

Bangit was forced to retire by aquino before his term ended because the general was closely identified with aquino’s predecessor, Gloria Macapagal arroyo. Bangit had replaced General Victor Ibrado as aFP chief of staff in March 2010, a mere two months before the elections that installed aquino to the presidency.

The general died three years later of reported multiple organ failure.

I’m sure his ailment was aggravated by the heartbreak he experienced after being pressured into quitting before he officially retired.

Such is this President’s vengeful nature. May he experience the same fate.

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A12 Yankees acquire Chapman NEW YORK—Hard-throwing closer Aroldis Chapman was acquired by the New York Yankees from the Cincinnati Reds in a five-player Major League Baseball trade on Monday.

The Yankees will send four minor leaguers—right-handers Caleb Cotham and Rookie Davis and infielders Eric Jagielo and Tony Renda—to Cincinnati.

Cuba’s Chapman had a 1.63 ERA in 65 appearances last season, when he led the majors with 15.74 strikeouts per nine innings.

The deal comes three weeks after a proposed trade to send Chapman to the Los Angeles Dodgers broke down after reports that police investigated an accusation of domestic violence involving the pitcher in October.

“I can tell you that obviously we completed this transaction today and to the best of our abilities, we have researched as much as we can,” general manager Brian Cashman said.

“We certainly don’t have the full extent of the MLB investigative arm but we’ve done as much due diligence on the subject at hand as we possibly can and we have completed the transaction based on a lot of that due diligence.”

According to reports, more than a dozen police officers converged on Chapman’s home in Florida on October 30.

The Florida police released a report that stated there was insufficient evidence to charge Chapman because of inconsistent stories, the absence of physical injuries and non-co-operating witnesses.

“Yes, certainly there’s some serious issues here that are in play,” Cashman said. “I acknowledged it as an area of concern and it’s certainly reflective of some of the acquisition price and there’s risk and there’s a process going to play out.”

A National League all-star in each of the last four seasons, the 27-year-old Chapman went 4-4 with 33 saves and a 1.63 ERA over 66 1/3 innings in 65 relief appearances with the Reds in 2015. AFP

sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Calm leaves Sydney race handicap honors wide open SYDNEY—A battle was under way Tuesday in becalmed waters for the overall winner of the Sydney to Hobart race after American supermaxi Comanche took line honours in Australia’s gruelling classic.

After some of the roughest conditions for years turned almost breezeless, local boat Ragamuffin 100 arrived second in the Tasmanian capital during the morning, just seconds ahead of another US contender Rambler.

Italian challenger Maserati, skippered by Giovanni Soldini, was expected to cross the finish line in fourth around midday with Australian entries Chinese Whisper and

Ichi Ban further out.

The breathless arrival meant Rambler lost any hope of lifting the Tattersall Cup as handicap winner for the vessel that performs best according to size.

The gales and high seas over the first night and day put 32 yachts out of the race, leaving the smaller boats changing places for the handicap lead in windless conditions on the Bass Strait.

The wind was expected to pick up off Tasmania later Tuesday, pushing the mid-sized yachts home by evening.

The 88-foot Rambler had been the only big boat in the overall top 10 before being becalmed and pipped at the post by 100-foot Ragamuffin, skippered by 88-year-old Australian Syd Fischer.

Archambault 13 Teasing Machine from France was Tuesday morning in the handicap lead, a position she had held for at least 12 hours, race organisers said.

French 35-footer Courrier du Leon has also been in the overall lead group and the JPK 1080 yacht will be hoping to make it two majors in a

row after victory in the Fastnet Race.

Comanche was first across the finish line Monday night in the 71st edition of the 628-nautical-mile Sydney-Hobart in two days, eight hours, 58 minutes and 30 seconds.

A savage southerly battered the 108-strong fleet after leaving Sydney Harbour on Saturday on the journey south down Australia’s east coast.

Punishing winds shredded sails, damaged rudders and hulls, and broke one yacht’s mast.

Comanche hit an unidentified submerged object which broke one of her twin rudders and a daggerboard, but after initially considering retirement the crew made repairs and continued on. AFP

US supermaxi yacht Comanche takes part in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race. Comanche won line honours in Australia’s gruelling Sydney to Hobart, staging a stunning recovery from damage which had nearly ended her race. AFP

Hired, fired in same day Germany gives green light to bike highways BARCELONA—Diehard Real Madrid fan Sergi Guardiola’s decision to write offensive tweets aimed at Barcelona came back to haunt him Monday when he was hired and fired by the Spanish giants on the same day.

The 24-year-old striker penned a deal with Barca’s B team but was sacked just a few hours later when angry fans of the Catalan club made officials aware of Guardiola’s Twitter tirade from 2013, www. lequipe.fr reported.

His tweets had included “Allez Madrid” and “Fuck Catalans”.

“FC Barcelona has decided to terminate the contract signed with Sergi Guardiola, after finding that he had published offensive tweets about the club and Catalonia,” said a Barcelona statement. AFP

BERLIN—It’s every cyclist’s dream: no red lights, no trucks, just a clear, smooth lane to zoom down with the wind in your face. Welcome to Germany’s first bicycle Autobahn.

Fans hail the smooth new velo routes as the answer to urban traffic jams and air pollution, and a way to safely get nine-to-fivers outdoors.

As a glimpse of a greener urban transport future, Germany has just opened the first fivekilometre (three-mile) stretch of a bicycle highway that is set to span over 100 kilometres.

It will connect 10 western cities including Duisburg, Bochum and Hamm and four universities, running largely along disused railroad tracks in the crumbling Ruhr industrial region.

Almost two million people live within two kilometres of the route and will be able to use sections for their daily commutes, said Martin Toennes of regional development group RVR. Aided by booming demand for electric bikes, which take the sting out of uphill sections, the new track should take 50,000 cars off the roads every day, an RVR study predicts.

The idea, pioneered in the Netherlands and Denmark, is gaining traction elsewhere in Germany too.

The banking centre of Frankfurt is planning a 30-kilometre path south to Darmstadt, the Bavarian capital of Munich is plotting a 15-kilometre route into its northern suburbs, and Nuremberg has launched a feasibility study into a track linking it with four cities.

In the capital Berlin, the city administration in early December gave the green light to a feasibility study on connecting the city centre with the leafy southwestern suburb of Zehlendorf.

The new velo routes are a luxury upgrade from the ageing single-lane bike paths common in many German cities, where tree roots below can create irregular speed bumps and a mellow cycling lane can suddenly end or, more alarmingly, merge into a bus lane.

The new type of bike routes are around four metres (13 feet) wide, have overtaking lanes and usually cross roads via overpasses and underpasses. The paths are lit and cleared of snow in winter.

Like most infrastructure projects, the bicycle Autobahn is facing headwinds, however, especially when it comes to financing.

In Germany, the situation is complicated because while the federal government generally builds and maintains motor-, railand waterways, cycling infrastructure is the responsibility of local authorities.

For the Ruhr region’s initial five-kilometre rapid track, the cost was shared, with the European Union funding half, North RhineWestphalia state coughing up 30 percent, and the RVR investing 20 percent.

Toennes said talks are ongoing to rustle up 180 million euros ($196 million) for the entire 100-kilometre route, with the state government, run by centre-left Social Democrats and the Greens party, planning legislation to take the burden off municipalities.

“Without (state) support, the project would have no chance,” said Toennes, pointing to the financial difficulties many local governments would have in paying for maintenance, lighting and snow clearance. AFP

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A13

sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Grizzlies suspend Barnes

Tight end Owen Daniels of the Denver Broncos dives forward after a reception as cornerback Shawn Williams (36) and outside linebacker Vincent Rey of the Cincinnati Bengals cover the play at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado. AFP

Broncos nail playoff berth LOS ANGELES—Brandon McManus kicked the game-winning field goal and DeMarcus Ware recovered a fumble to end overtime as Denver clinched a playoff spot with a 20-17 win over Cincinnati on Monday night.

McManus booted a 37-yard field goal in overtime after having a chance to win the game at the end of regulation but he shanked a 45-yard attempt wide, setting the stage for the extra session.

Quarterback Brock Osweiler, who was filling in for the injured Peyton Manning in the second to last week of the NFL season, led the overtime drive that resulted in McManus’ game-winning kick.

The Broncos win was officially sealed when Bengals quarterback AJ McCarron fumbled a

shotgun snap and Ware recovered the ball on the final play of the contest which featured two of the best teams in the American Football Conference.

Starter-in-waiting Osweiler finished 27-of-39 for 299 yards with one touchdown pass and no interceptions in front of a crowd of 76,000 at Sports Authority Field.

Like Osweiler, Bengals quarterback McCarron is learning on the job after being pushed into duty because of an injury to Andy Dalton. McCarron completed 22-of-35 for 200 yards

LOS ANGELES—Memphis Grizzlies guard Matt Barnes was slapped with a two-game ban by the National Basketball Association on Monday for a physical altercation with New York Knicks’ coach Derek Fisher earlier this year.

The league, which conducted its own probe of the incident, said Barnes had threatened Fisher in the October 3 altercation which took place at the Redondo Beach, California home of Barnes’ estranged wife Gloria Govan.

Barnes’ suspension will begin when the Grizzlies face the Miami Heat on Tuesday and he will also miss Saturday’s game against the Utah Jazz.

Fisher had flown to Los Angeles on an off day of the Knicks’ training camp and was visiting with Govan at her home.

The 35-year-old Barnes said at the time that he went to Govan’s home to check on his 6-year-old twin sons. Barnes confronted Fisher and a physical altercation took place.

Police were called but no one was charged.

Barnes and Fisher played together on the Los Angeles Lakers from 2010 to 2012. AFP

Van Gaal vows to fight through uncertainty

with one touchdown pass and no interceptions.

Denver improved to 11-4 after starting the season 7-0.

Trailing by 11, the Broncos took to the air to begin the third quarter, marching 81 yards on the strength of Osweiler’s superb passing.

He finished off the drive with an eight-yard pass to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who broke through cornerback Adam Jones’ tackle near the goal line for Denver’s first touchdown of the game with just over 10 minutes left in the period.

It was Denver’s first second-half score in four games but it would not stop there.

After the Broncos forced a punt, Denver took over on its 48. Osweiler passed 13 yards to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas and then handed off to CJ Anderson for a 39 yard touchdown run. AFP

MANCHESTER—Louis van Gaal has vowed to fight on as Manchester United manager, but admits that the matter may yet be taken out of his hands by the club’s board.

The Dutchman, 64, has faced three weeks of speculation after a run of games that has seen United slip to sixth place in the Premier League table and limp out of the Champions League in the group phase.

Despite an improved display, they could only draw 0-0 with misfiring champions Chelsea at Old Trafford on Monday -- their sixth goalless stalemate at home of the season -- but Van Gaal said that behind the scenes, everyone at the club was pulling in the same direction.

“The environment (around the club) is making the crisis,” he said.

“Inside the club the players are willing to fight for every metre, the manager is willing to fight, the members of staff are willing to fight and the board is very confident in the staff and

their manager.”

Speaking after Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Stoke City, which was United’s fourth in a row, a subdued Van Gaal had suggested that he could elect to leave the club rather than wait for the axe to fall.

But he was defiant after the draw with Chelsea, proclaiming “I shall not resign” in a television interview, and explaining that he had raised the issue of resignation merely to demonstrate that the club did not hold all the cards with regard to his future.

He also said that he had walked out of a press conference prior to the Stoke game in protest at “lies” in the media.

“That’s the reason I walk away in the press conference,” he said.

“Not with a ‘stormy’ head or ‘angry’ head. No, I walk with a quietness because I want to make my point.”

United appeared to have rediscovered an element of vim in the early stages against Chelsea, with Juan Mata and Anthony Martial hitting the woodwork. AFP

Globetrotters’ star Lemon dead at 83

Tennis contract. Palawan Pawnshop CEO/president Bobby Castro (second from right) and Asiatraders Corp. vice president John Christopher Tan (second from left) sign the contract making Asiatraders Corp. the presentor of the 2016 Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group tennis and Festival Open, the country’s longest-running tour firing off Jan. 7-11 in Roxas City. With them are (from left) Asiatraders Corp. marketing manager Hector Aquino and Rebecca Badayos, PPS-PEPP head market development.

WASHINGTON—Meadowlark Lemon, the lithe showman, jester and trickshot genius who entertained audiences worldwide as the heart and soul of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team, has died at age 83, the team announced Monday.

Lemon, who played 24 years with the Globetrotters during the height of their fame, was a master of razzle-dazzle and good-natured crowd-pleasing hijinks. His legendary hook shots from half court and nolook behind-the-back passes became marquee features of the traveling sports show.

He died Sunday in Scotts-

dale, Arizona, the team said.

Nicknamed the “clown prince of basketball,” Lemon was renowned for his comedy routines, including showering referees and fans with water buckets full of confetti.

But the squad in red, white and blue uniforms had also been a thriving professional team, once winning the World Professional Basketball Tournament before the rise of the National Basketball Association.

Lemon never played in the NBA. But his skills and showmanship were such that he eclipsed the popularity of a star recruit straight out of

college—Wilt Chamberlain —when the latter joined the Globetrotters for a season before entering the NBA. “He was an incredible entertainer and brought happiness and lifelong memories to millions around the world. We have lost a great ambassador of the game,” Globetrotters chief executive Kurt Schneider said in a statement.

Lemon grew up poor in North Carolina, and joined the team in 1954. He retired from the Trotters in 1979, and then launched a series of his own comedic basketball teams that travelled the country. AFP

W E D N E S D AY : D E C E M B E R 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Garcia seizes Asean chess lead INTERNATIONAL Master Jan Emmanuel Garcia turned back compatriot and Grandmaster Darwin Laylo to grab the solo lead n the ASEAN JAPFA Chess Championship in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Standings after eight rounds (Men’s): Garcia (PHI) 5.5 points, Yeoh (MAS) 5, Nguyen, Sean (INA), Dao (VIE), Bersamina (PHI) 4.5, Megaranto (INA), Yoseph (INA) 4, Laylo (PHI), Ali (INA) 3.5, Nguyen V. (VIE) 3, Wynn (MYA) 1.5 (Women’s) Nguyen(VIE) 7 points, Mendoza (PHI), Frayna (PHI) 6, Sihite (INA) 5, Citra (INA), Hoang (VIE) 4.5, Galas (PHI) 4, Azman Nur Nabila (MAS) 3.5, Azman Nur Najiha (MAS) 3, Karenza (INA) 2, Nur (INA) 1.5, Fitriyani 1.

The 20-year-old Ateneo student Garcia, who drew his seventh-round match, outplayed Laylo in a Classical English opening to bring his total to 5.5 points, half a point ahead of erstwhile solo leader, 15-year-old Malaysian prodigy and Fide Master Li Tian Yeoh.

Laylo actually helped Garcia take the lead when he beat Yeoh in the 7th round.

Yeoh dropped into solo sccond with five points, while IM Anh Khoi Nguyen of Vietnam, IM Winshand Cuhendi of Indonesia, GM Dao Thien Hai, also of Vietnam and IM Paulo Bersamina of the Philippines emerged locked in a four-way tie for third to sixth places with 4.5 points each.

Carlos-Raymundo snares crown. Inigo Raymundo (left) and Jobim Carlos celebrate after bagging the National Doubles Amateur Golf Championship crown at the Camp Aguinaldo Golf Club Tuesday.

Carlos came through with a superb approach shot to set up a three-footer for birdie for Raymundo. The duo then watched Aidric Chan and Ira Alido crack under pressure and flub a par putt from two feet to snatch the title.

Bersamnia, who drew his first seven games, finally posted a win after defeating IM Zaw Htun Wynn of Myanmar.

But the Filipina campaigners stumbled in the eighth round, after Woman FM Shania Mae Mendoza lost to erstwhile co-leader WGM Thi Mai Hung Nguyen of Vietnam.

“Nasorpresa akso sa opening namin na Slav Noteboom variation, at na-pawn down agad ako. Hindi pa kasi namin napag-aralan ng coaches ko ‘yung ganoong klaseng variation.

Sayang, nadaan ako sa experience ng kalaban, but this will not deter me from becoming a GM in two years’ time or less,” said Mendoza.

The loss dropped the 17-year-old Mendoza into a tie for second place at six points each with compatriot and Far Eastern University teammate WIM Janelle Mae Frayna, who turned back Malaysian Woman FM Hisham Nur Najiha Azman.

Meanwhile, WIM Bernadette Galas, a 19-year-old student from De La Salle University, took her second consecutive loss at the hands of WIM Thi Nhu Y Hoang of Vietnam.

With the loss, Galas remained with four points after eight rounds and dropped out of contention for the championship.

Republic of the Philippines Province of Oriental Mindoro MUNICIPALITY OF PINAMALAYAN ooOoo

Republic of the Philippines MUNICIPALITY OF CABUGAO Ilocos Sur

Bulls...

From A16

BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE

Invitation to Bid for the

INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO BID ITB 2015– 160

Construction of Alinaay Bridge @ Brgy. Alinaay, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur 1.

2.

3.

1.

The Local Government Unit of Cabugao, Ilocos Sur, through the CY 2012 Excise Tax on Locally Manufactured Virginia Type Cigarettes Pursuant to Republic Act (R.A.) No. 7171 dated October 29, 2015 intends to apply the sum of Thirty One Million, Ninety Five Thousand, Two Hundred Seven Pesos & 80/100 (Php. 31,095,207.80) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for Contract No. 16-01001. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The Local Government Unit of Cabugao, Ilocos Sur now invites bids for the (See POW).

Completion of the Works is required within 365 calendar days. Bidders should have completed, within two (2) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in General Conditions of Contract.

Name of the project : Location Approved Budget 2.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from Local Government Unit of Cabugao and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Twenty Five Thousand Pesos Only (Php. 25,000.00)

Procurement of 1 unit Service Vehicle for service of Local Chief Executive Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro Php 3,000,000.00

: :

Bidders shall deliver the following services/activities, to wit;

Item No. 1

Item Description

Quantity

Unit

1

unit

Service Vehicle Engine = 2.2 L DOHC 16-Values HLA With electronic Variable Geometry Turbocharger Max Power = 197 pc/ 3800rpm

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using nondiscretionary 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”.

4.

The Municipal Government of Pinamalayan, Province of Oriental Mindoro through its joint Bid and Awards Committee (BAC) invites bidders/suppliers to apply for the eligibility and to bid for the hereunder project:

Max Torque = 44.5 kg - m /1800 – 2500 rpm Suspension = Front –Macpherson Strut Type Hydraulic Double Activating Strut Type = Rear – Multi-Link Type Hydraulic Double Activating Shock Absorber Type Step Board Touch screen Monitor with Navi Headrest Monitor 3M Tint (Magic Dark)

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later that the submission of their bids.

3M Tint (Magic Neutral) Rainvisor 3M Carpet Matting

6.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before January 18, 2016 until 10:00 a.m at BAC-Secretariat. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

The complete schedule of activities is listed, as follows: Issuance of Bid Documents Pre-Bid Conference Opening of Bids Bid Evaluation Post Qualification Notice of Award Signing of Contract Notice to Proceed

8.

9.

December 22, 2015 – January 18, 2016 until 10:00 a.m January 4, 2016, 10:00 a.m @ Conference Hall January 18, 2016 @ 02:00 p.m @ Conference Hall, Mun. Hall, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur January 19, 2016 January 20, 2016 January 21, 2016 January 22, 2016 January 25, 2016

The Local Government Unit reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: ENGR. HERMES A. ASIT LGU-BAC-Secretariat Tel No. 077-728-5128, Fax No. 077-728-5565 (SGD.) ENGR. CRESCENCIO MARCOS C. FORMOSO Mun. Engineer/ BAC- Chairman

(TS-DEC. 30, 2015)

1 yr Comp. Insurance with AOFG and TPL 3 years LTO Registration

3.

The complete schedule of activities is listed as follows:

1. Issuance of Bid Documents 2. Opening of Bids 4.

– _

December 21, 2015 to January 7, 2016 January 8, 2016 at 2:00 PM at Mayor’s Extension Office Bids must be delivered to the address below on or before January 8, 2016 at 2:00 PM. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in Invitation to Bid as follows: FORM OF BID SECURITY

Cash, certified check,cashier’s, manager’s check, bank draft or irrevocable letter of credit Bank Guarantee Surety Bond

Minimum Amount in % of Approved Budget for the Contract to be Bid Two percent (2%) Two Percent (2%./) Five Percent (5%)

5.

The Municipal Government of Pinamalayan reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders

6.

For further information please refer to: MR. ENRIQUE N. MOCLING, MGAGH I/BAC Secretary, Local Government of Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro.

( T S - D E C . 3 0 , 2 015 )

(SGD) MAURO P. HELERA Municipal Administrator BAC Chairman

Valanciunas finished with nine points on fourof-seven shooting in 21 minutes of playing time.

“They’re still a defensive team,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey said of Chicago. “They still have remnants. The core is still there.

The DNA is still there.

They’re a very elite team.”

Pacers snap Hawks’ streak Guard Monta Ellis scored a season-high 26 points, and the Indiana Pacers snapped Atlanta’s six-game winning streak with a 93-87 win at Bankers Life Fieldhouse arena.

Pacers centre Ian Mahinmi, who scored 13 points, tipped in a missed Ellis shot with 16.3 seconds remaining to give Indiana a 92-87 lead.

Solomon Hill and Chase Budinger each added 10 points for Indiana.

“Everybody’s willing to learn and ready to step up when their names called,” said Hill, who played 26 minutes on Monday with CJ Miles injured.

The Hawks’ win streak was the longest active streak in the NBA. Paul Milsap led the Hawks with 24 points, Jeff Teague tallied 18, Thabo Sefolosha netted 14 and Al Horford finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Hill’s driving layup with 6:21 to play pushed the Indiana lead back to nine at 86-77. AFP

W E D N E S D AY : D E C E M B E R 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

A15

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

LOTTO RESULTS

6/49 00-00-00-00-00-00 6/42 00-00-00-00-00-00 6 DIGITS 0-0-0-0-0-0 3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

P0.0 M+ P0.0 M+

Donaire: Nonito’s title defense a great fight

Manny Pacquiao, shown here thanking his fans after losing to Floyd Mayweather in May last year, is likely to face Timothy Bradley for the third time at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. AFP

Arum: Pacquiao’s 3rd bout with Bradley likely

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

TOP Rank’s Bob Arum said fans must forget about a fight between eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao and Adrien Broner following a meeting with the Filipino icon’s adviser Michael Koncz at the promoter’s home yesterday.

Arum said a third Pacquiao fight against Timothy Bradley at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas likely to happen.

Koncz is expected to discuss the details with Pacquiao and a decision is likely to be made within the next two days.

“Mike was over at my house and he will let me know (Pacquiao’s response) to a possible trilogy with Bradley today or tomorrow,” Arum told The Standard/ boxingmirror.com.

Arrangements have already been made with Bradley, who is also handled by Top Rank Promotions.

Bradley is coming off an impressive ninth-round TKO victory over Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios last Nov. 7 in Las Vegas.

In a report on the fight, Dan Rafael of ESPN said the team up of Bradley and trainer Teddy Atlas paid big dividends in their first fight together and in one of the best performances of his career,

the American dominated Rios to score a ninth-round TKO victory to retain his WBO welterweight title.

“Bradley showed off nifty footwork, speed and a solid, accurate right hand that caught Rios, the crowd favorite time and again, before he finished him off with two knockdowns in the ninth round,” Rafael wrote.

Arum himself said: “That was the best Bradley I’ve ever seen and we had him for so many years.”

It will be Pacquiao’s first ring appearance after his unanimousdecision loss to undefeated pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. in their May 2 “Fight of the Century.”

Mayweather has since retired.

Bradley won a universally condemned split decision over Pac-

quiao on June 9, 2012 to grab the WBO welterweight title from the Filipino. But Bradley lost a lopsided unanimous decision to the Filipino southpaw in a rematch on April 12, 2014.

Boxing Scene quoted trainer Jeff Mayweather, the uncle of Floyd, who said Atlas won’t be a factor in the potential trilogy between Pacquiao and Bradley.

Jeff Mayweather noted: “I thought he (Bradley) got beat fairly easily both times. Teddy Atlas—or anyone else—can’t help him win.”

Speaking on the program “On The Ropes” boxing radio show, Mayweather said Bradley “may do a little better, but at the end of the day Tim’s been in a lot of wars since the last time they fought .

He may have more wear and tear on him than Pacquiao does.”

DODONG Donaire, the trainer/father of Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire, predicted that his son’s title defense against former featherweight champion Evgeny Gradovich will be a “great fight.”

The fight will headline a Top Rank card, which will be staged in cooperation with ABS-CBN and the leading promotional outfit Ala Promotions, headed by its president Michael Aldeguer.

According to ABS-CBN sports consultant Peter Musgni, the fight card will take place at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on April 23, which will be two weeks after the Manny Pacquiao fight at the MGM Grand on April 9, most likely against WBO welterweight champion Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley.

Arum informed The Standard/boxingmirror.com that a reported bout between Gradovich and Jesus Galicia scheduled in Valencia, Spain on Jan. 9 as listed on boxrec.com, won’t push through.

“Gradovich has no power, but he keeps throwing punches. We will study his style. Nonito has to stay in shape,” said Dodong Donaire, who indicated his preference to train his son in Cebu.

He said Fredrick Bowen, who was one of two sparring partners of Nonito when he prepared for the title fight against Juan Mexico’s Cesar Juarez, will be tapped to help in his son’s training because his “style is just like Gradovich. He throws a lot of punches but has no power.”

He said that Nonito was handicapped by an ear infection during preparation for the Juarez fight and was forced to do a lot of sparring, instead of running, but that “hopefully this time, he can do more roadwork.” Ronnie Nathanielsz

Gentle Strength wins Philracom Grand Derby AS expected, the Abalos golden trio ruled the Dec. 27 Philippine Racing Commission Grand Derby held at Metroturf Racecourse in Malvar, Batangas.

This was Philracom’s last stakes race of the year and was won by Mandaluyong City Mayor Benhur C. Abalos’s Gentle Strength, steered by Jonathan B. Hernandez and trained

by Ruben S. Tupas.

Gentle Strength won by three lengths over second placer Court of Honor. Hook Shot was third and Mr. Minister fourth and last.

Total time for the 2,000-me-

ter race was 2:04.4 (24’-23’-2524’-27). *** Philracom reminds racing fans that today, Dec. 30, Rizal Day, is a no-race day, as is Jan. 1. The first racing day in 2016 is Jan. 2 at San Lazaro Leisure Park, and the first stakes race is the Philracom Commissioner’s Cup on Jan. 17 at Metroturf. *** The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office starts its racing year on Jan. 16 at Metroturf with a 3YO open maiden race, with the trial to be held on Jan. 6.

The seven declared entries are: Wilfredo Apan Jr.’s filly Tiger Helen, to be ridden by jockey JA Guce; Panfilo Castro Jr.’s filly Enduring, CM Pilapil; Ferdinand T. Eusebio’s filly Lady

Pio, JB Guce; Erwin Dy’s colt Ungkaw, KB Abobo; Benjamin Virata’s colt Kid Benjie, DH Borbe Jr.; Vernadette Mercado’s filly Snowbird, FM Raquel Jr.; and Juan Miguel Yulo’s colt Lucky Ray, MA Alvarez. *** This year was an exciting one for racing, with changes and challenges that the industry surmounted to ensure the sustainability of the sport.

In January, a new slate of Philracom commissioners was appointed, with past chairman Andrew A. Sanchez taking the helm once more.

With him are new commissioners Bienvenido C. Niles Jr. and lawyers Ramon S. Bagatsing Jr., Wilfredo A. de Ungria, and Jose Santillan Jr. Reappointees are lawyer Victor

Tantoco and Lyndon B. Guce.

They set about to help improve the industry’s marketing efforts, with Chairman Sanchez arranging for the first-ever live television coverage of the PCSO Presidential Gold Cup last Dec. 13 at San Lazaro Leisure Park.

Philracom also partnered with press photographers for a regular photo contest that bring images of racing to newspapers and online platforms.

The agency also strictly enforced rules and regulations on the conduct and management of races by the racing clubs, and carefully monitored races, never hesitating to suspend or fine erring personnel as required, for the protection of the betting public.

As a new year dawns upon us, we look forward to an

even more revitalized atmosphere for the growth and development of the sport of horseracing and the Philippine Thoroughbred industry. *** Update on the 1st Great Big Gogirl Racing Christmas raffle: in line with the raffle rules, there were 78 official participants.

Thanks to the generosity of jockeys Jonathan B. Hernandez, Kelvin B. Abobo, John Alvin Guce, Jesse B. Guce, Rodeo G. Fernandez, Jeffril T. Zarate, Patricio Dilema, and Mark A. Alvarez; trainer Ruben S. Tupas; head groom Melvin Villegas; jockeys’ assistant Angelito Cameña; the three racing clubs Philippine Racing Club, Manila Jockey Club, and Metroturf;— plus the bounty from my own

stash, and help from jockey Antonio B. Alcasid Jr., there are enough items to go around.

In other words, everyone who joined gets a gift!

Raffle participants, please PM me at the Gogirl Racing Facebook page your nearest off-track betting station where you can pick up your gift. My gratitude goes to MJC racing manager Ding Magboo and his team for helping with the logistics of distribution.

Thank you, readers, for your support of this column. In 2016, may your capital be small and your dividends be huge.

A big, beautiful, and bountiful New Year to us all! *** Facebook: Gogirl Racing, Twitter: @gogirlracing, Instagram: @jensdecember

A16

W E D N E S D AY : D E C 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

Tony Snell (center) of the Chicago Bulls drives for a shot bewteen Terrence Ross (left) and Luis Scola of the Toronto Raptors at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Raptors 104-97. AFP

Bulls rip Raptors CHICAGO—Tony Snell scored 16 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter as the Chicago Bulls improved to 12-5 at home with a 104-97 win over the Toronto Raptors on Monday.

Pau Gasol, Derrick Rose and Snell combined for 64 points as five players reached double figures for the Bulls, who collected their second NBA victory in three games.

Forward Gasol scored 22 points and pulled down seven rebounds while Rose contributed 20 points and four assists for Chicago (17-12). Rose has now registered back-to-back 20 point games for the first time this season.

“It started with him,” said Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg. “You can tell he’s getting his legs where he wants them.

“Hopefully that’s the Derrick Rose we’ll see from here on out.

We’re a pretty good team when we can attack with that type of pace.”

Raptors guard Kyle Lowry led all scorers with 28 points on ninefor-15 shooting. Guard DeMar DeRozan added 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for Toronto, who dropped to 19-13.

Toronto dropped its sixth consecutive contest against the Bulls. The Raptors have not beaten Chicago since December 2013.

Snell helped the Bulls pull ahead by double digits in the final quarter. He drove past guard Terrence Ross and forward Luis Scola for a layup to make it 84-74 with 9:22 left in regulation time.

On the next possession, Snell made a three-pointer to give Chicago a commanding 87-76 lead.

Jonas Valanciunas played his first game for the Raptors after missing 17 contests with a broken hand.

Continued to A14

2 referees suspended for rest of conference

THE referees who worked the knockout game between Ginebra San Miguel and GlobalPort in the in the quarterfinals of the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup were banned from officiating for the rest of the season for their failure to call a five-second ball-hogging violation and a stepping infraction on GlobalPort guard Stanley Pringle in the final play of the Batang Pier’s 84-83 overtime win over the Gin Kings.

In banning referees Edward Aquino and Rommel Gruta, the PBA admitted the officials missed the violations committed by Pringle.

This means that Aquino and Gruta will not be able to officiate for a maximum of 21 games and

Broncos secure seat in playoffs TURN TO A13

a minimum of 15 as the seasonopening conference goes to its Final Four phase with best-ofseven playoffs pitting Rain or Shine against San Miguel and Alaska against GlobalPort.

After meeting with the league’s

technical committee and the referees involved, Commissioner Chito Narvasa said they were convinced that the five-second violation or stepping call should’ve been called as Pringle struggled to get himself out of a double team put up by Ginebra’s Sol Mercado and Greg Slaughter.

During the meeting, the referees admitted they erred in failing to make either call and apologized for the lapse, the PBA said.

In a statement, the PBA Office of the Commissioner said that “the referees accepted that they missed the call, they were apologetic and were ready to face the sanctions that would be imposed on them.”

In the deliberation with the technical committee, it was deter-

Pacman’s 3rd fight with Tim likely TURN TO A15

mined that two violations were not called. One was the 5-second ball hogging violation, which was the responsibility of referee Gruta.

The second infraction was the backing violation of Pringle, whose responsibility was that of referee Aquino’s.

The statement also added that the “technical committee also determined that only referees Aquino and Gruta were liable for these missed calls.”

As a result of these two noncalls, Barangay Ginebra was denied final ball possession.

The technical committee decided that both referees shall be suspended for the rest of the ongoing Philippine Cup effective immediately.

WEDNESDAY: DECEMBER 30, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

business@thestandardtoday.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

BUSINESS

B1

Imports jump 17% to $6.5b PSe comPoSite index Closing December 29, 2015

8000 7700 7400 7100 6800 6500

6,952.08 31.53

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing DECEMBER 29, 2015 43.50 44.60 45.40

P47.060

46.20

CLOSE

47.00

HIGH P47.040 LOW P47.165 AVERAGE P47.118

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

IMPORTS jumped 16.8 percent in October from a year ago, on higher demand for raw materials and capital goods, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Tuesday.

Data from the PSA showed merchandise imports in October reached $6.52 billion, up from $5.59 billion recorded in the same month last year.

“The continuing resurgence of imports is a healthy indication of robust investment demand as it continues to be driven by intermediate and capital goods.

The anticipated recovery of the global economy, and brisk election spending will continue to drive imports to double-digit growth,” said Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan.

The growth in October shipments was faster than the 8.2-percent rise in September and represented the fifth straight month of increase this year.

The October figure also pushed up total imports in the first 10 months to $56.527 billion, or 3.9 per-

cent higher than $54.392 billion in the same period in 2014.

The double-digit growth was supported by higher orders for raw materials and intermediate goods (up 40.1 percent), capital goods (25.4 percent) and consumer goods (4.1 percent).

Import payments for raw materials and intermediate goods, which accounted for 42.8 percent of the total merchandise imports, amounted to $2.8 billion in October.

The value of imported capital goods, which represented 32.3 percent of total merchandise imports, increased to $2.1 billion. Imports of capital goods have been expanding at double-digit rate since March 2015, which bodes well for overall investments growth in 2015.

“Increasing appetite for capital goods and manufactured goods, such as materials accounting for the manufacture of electrical equipment, signifies an upbeat business sector. This demonstrates the overall business confidence growth of 51.3 percent recorded in the fourth quarter this year from 41.4 percent in the previous quarter, as reported by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. This is the highest we had in the last two years,” said Balisacan

Peso fell vs dollar in 2015 THE peso completed its third straight annual loss, as global funds fled local stocks and tightening monetary policy in the US boosted the dollar.

The peso slumped 5 percent in 2015 to 47.06 a dollar in Manila, prices from the Bankers Association of the Philippines show, capping the longest stretch of annual declines since 2004. The currency rose 0.2 percent Tuesday, with local markets shut Dec. 30 and 31 for public holidays. A gauge of dollar strength has risen 8.4 percent this year. Bloomberg

VOLUME 372.750M

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 Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Tuesday, December 29, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

47.1660

Japan

Yen

0.008311

0.3920

UK

Pound

1.487900

70.1783

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129027

6.0857

Switzerland

Franc

1.012863

47.7727

Canada

Dollar

0.719424

33.9324

Singapore

Dollar

0.710631

33.5176

Australia

Dollar

0.726480

34.2652

Bahrain

Dinar

2.656042

125.2749

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266645

12.5766

Brunei

Dollar

0.708115

33.3990

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000073

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.027678

1.3055

UAE

Dirham

0.272301

12.8433

Euro

Euro

1.097000

51.7411

Korea

Won

0.000856

0.0404

China

Yuan

0.154131

7.2697

India

Rupee

0.015132

0.7137

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.232829

10.9816

New Zealand

Dollar

0.684697

32.2944

Taiwan

Dollar

0.030481

1.4377 Source: PDS Bridge

In the red. The Children of Joy Foundation choir serenades stock market traders during the closing rites of the last day of trading in 2015 at the Makati floor of the Philippine Stock Exchange. The Philippine Stock Exchange index dropped 31 points, or 0.5 percent, to 6,952.08 at the close of trading Tuesday. The gauge is down 3.9 percent since the start of the year, ending six years of gains. Related story on B3. EY ACASIO

Metro Pacific completes purchase of Manila Doctors’ stake

By Jenniffer B. Austria Conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. said its hospital unit completed the acquisition of a 20 percent stake in the Manila Medical Services Inc., the company that owns Manila Doctors Hospital in Ermita, Manila.

Metro Pacific said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Metro Pacific Hospital Holdings Inc. purchased 388,932 common shares of stock in Manila Medical for P368 million.

Metro Pacific Hospital acquired the shares from Metrobank Foundation Inc., the controlling shareholder of Manila Medical.

Manila Doctors Hospital is a 300-bed tertiary hospital with annual revenues of approximately P2 billion.

The hospital is currently in the midst of an expansion program where it is constructing a new 18-story building that will house new doctors’ clinics, patient rooms, outpatient diagnostic services and additional parking

facilities.

The new tower is scheduled to be finished in late 2016, increasing the bed capacity to approximately 500 beds.

“We are glad to have Metro Pacific, being the largest private hospital operator in the country, as our new partner in Manila Doctors Hospital and, likewise, welcome Lim and Palisoc to the board of directors of MMSI. With this landmark collaboration, I am confident that our services to our patients will be further enhanced

and made more within reach,” Manila Medical chairman and acting president Antonio Abacan Jr. said.

“While we will try our best to contribute whatever we can to MMSI and MDH, we also look forward to learning from this esteemed medical institution,” Metro Pacific Hospital president and chief executive Augusto Palisoc Jr. said.

Metro Pacific will get two board seats in the Manila Medical board.

Manila Doctors Hospital is the

10th hospital investment of Metro Pacific Hospital.

Metro Pacific’s hospital group early this month signed an investment agreement to acquire a 51-percent shareholding in a provincial hospital, the Sacred Heart Hospital of Malolos in Bulacan.

Upon completion of the investment in Sacred heart, Metro Pacific Hospital will have 11 hospitals with approximnately 2,700 beds throughout the country.

WEDNESDAY: DECEMBER 30, 2015

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Tuesday, december 29, 2015

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 4.2 4 17 30.45 0.92 2.6 1.01 100 30.5 91.5 137 80 361.2 57 180 1700 124 3.26

2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.68 8.7 12.02 19.6 0.74 1.02 0.225 78 17.8 62 88.35 52 276 41 118.2 1200 59 2.65

AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank Bright Kindle Resources Citystate Savings COL Financial Eastwest Bank First Abacus I-Remit Inc. MEDCO Holdings Metrobank PB Bank Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank Philippine trust Co. PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

2.96 46.1 104.90 83.85 37.1 1.27 9.98 14.9 19 0.65 1.79 0.520 81.7 17.00 52.20 100 122 280 32.4 139 1440.00 57.10 3.1

47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 20.6 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 31.8 109 15.3 9.4 0.98 241

35.9 1.11 1.01 1.86 7.92 15.32 10.08 29.15 1.5 1.5 10.72 9.55 9.04 6.02 8.86 20.2 71.5 13.24 5.34 0.395 173

79 3.95 4 33.9 90 13.26 293 5.25 12.98 6.75 15 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.34 238 3.28 0.315 2.18 2.65 234 5.28 1.3 2.17

34.1 2.3 1.63 23.35 17.3 5.88 250.2 3.87 8.45 3 10.04 3.03 1.95 1 4.02 5.9 161 1.55 0.138 1.02 2.09 152 4.28 0.640 1.2

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Century Food Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) EEI First Gen Corp.

First Holdings ‘A’ Holcim Philippines Inc. Integ. Micro-Electronics Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp.

LBC Express Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petron Corporation Phil H2O Phinma Corporation Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Phoenix Semiconductor Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas Holdings San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ Splash Corporation Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

41.5 4.65 0.72 1.35 10.26 16.5 20.15 43 2.35 1.59 13.2 9.250 8.95 6.20 5.47 22.7 67.5 14.24 5.79 2.460 222.00 12 26.00 1.8 3.04 24.5 20 6 322.00 3.99 7.11 3.39 11.78 3.85 1.60 2.25 3.95 4.54 125 2.45 0.145 0.99 2.18 183.2 4.7 0.59 1.08

0.59 59.2 30.05 2.16 7.39 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 4.92 1455 7.5

0.44 48.1 20.85 1.6 6.62 634.5 7.390 12.8 2.6 2.26 837 5.3

76 9.25 0.85 17.3 5.53 9.66 0.0670 2.31 1.61 84.9 974 1.39 156 0.710 0.435 0.510

49.55 4.84 0.59 12 4.2 3 0.030 1.23 0.550 59.3 751 0.93 80 0.211 0.179 0.310

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

GT Capital House of Inv. IPM Holdings JG Summit Holdings Lopez Holdings Corp.

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

LT Group Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

MJCI Investments Inc. Pacifica `A’ Prime Media Hldg Prime Orion San Miguel Corp `A’ SM Investments Inc. South China Res. Inc. Top Frontier Unioil Res. & Hldgs Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.380 57.8000 16.80 1.03 6.39 750 8.46 14.00 5.65 4.10 1359 5.50 9.80 73.05 6.7 0.69 14.98 5.22 3 0.0300 1.290 1.830 49.80 865.00 0.75 69.550 0.2800 0.1950 0.240

10.5 1.99 1.75 0.375 41.4 5.6 5.59 5.6 1.44 1.48 0.201

6.74 0.65 1.2 0.192 30.05 3.36 4.96 2.8 0.79 0.97 0.083

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

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ Cebu Holdings Cebu Prop. `A’ Century Property Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc.

7.100 0.77 1.100 0.210 34.550 2.8 5 5.01 0.56 1.02 0.120

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

SHARES 8,458,945 46,385,733 62,487,030 67,470,611 534,016,714 480,465,030 1,200,985,838

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 2.95 2.86 46.15 45.6 105.00 102.60 84.40 83.10 37.5 37.2 1.32 1.32 10 10 15 15 18.98 18.8 0.74 0.74 1.85 1.8 0.520 0.485 82 80.25 17.00 16.76 52.20 50.70 103 98.15 122 122 282 275 33 33 142 140 1440.00 1440.00 57.05 57.00 3.16 3 INDUSTRIAL 42 41.25 4.75 4.58 0.79 0.72 1.36 1.34 10.32 10.2 16.64 16.48 20.75 20.3 43.5 43 2.36 2.3 1.62 1.59 13.44 12.98 9.250 9.150 8.97 8.90 6.21 6.08 5.47 5.38 22.7 22.5 67.5 65 14.24 14.24 5.8 5.64 2.580 2.450 222.40 218.00 12 11.74 26.50 26.00 1.8 1.77 3.1 3.1 24.9 24.3 21.25 19.98 6.2 5.7 321.80 316.00 3.9 3.68 7.20 6.99 3.7 3.7 11.80 11.50 3.70 3.65 1.63 1.55 2.38 2.22 4.01 3.95 4.79 4.78 129 125 2.5 2.45 0.145 0.144 1.02 0.98 2.18 2.16 187 185 4.7 4.55 0.6 0.6 1.08 1.08 HOLDING FIRMS 0.380 0.380 57.9500 57.7500 16.92 16.10 1.05 1.00 6.38 6.30 760.5 751 8.4 8.2 13.86 13.60 6.1 5.71 4.40 4.26 1360 1318 5.51 5.51 9.94 9.50 73.30 71.00 6.7 6.6 0.7 0.67 15 14.42 5.28 5.19 3.5 3.5 0.0310 0.0300 1.200 1.200 1.830 1.870 49.90 49.00 867.00 841.00 0.71 0.71 69.550 67.600 0.2800 0.2800 0.2100 0.1910 0.255 0.255 PROPERTY 7.100 7.050 0.77 0.75 1.120 1.120 0.220 0.220 34.800 34.200 2.93 2.8 5.2 5 6 6 0.56 0.54 1.030 1.03 0.123 0.120

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

2.86 46.15 105.00 83.85 37.2 1.32 10 15 18.94 0.74 1.85 0.490 80.5 16.98 52.00 102.9 122 275 33 142 1440.00 57.05 3.14

-3.38 0.11 0.10 0.00 0.27 3.94 0.20 0.67 -0.32 13.85 3.35 -5.77 -1.47 -0.12 -0.38 2.90 0.00 -1.79 1.85 2.16 0.00 -0.09 1.29

102,000 49,000 2,544,070 281,380 108,400 36,000 600 600 66,400 1,500,000 116,000 441,000 1,520,340 55,500 55,690 7,990 500 25,160 106,600 821,330 100 55,680 313,000

41.7 4.73 0.79 1.34 10.28 16.48 20.75 43 2.35 1.6 13.44 9.150 8.95 6.20 5.40 22.6 65.05 14.24 5.64 2.460 219.00 12 26.00 1.77 3.1 24.8 19.98 6.2 320.00 3.68 6.99 3.7 11.80 3.65 1.61 2.38 3.95 4.79 129 2.46 0.144 1.00 2.18 186 4.7 0.6 1.08

0.48 1.72 9.72 -0.74 0.19 -0.12 2.98 0.00 0.00 0.63 1.82 -1.08 0.00 0.00 -1.28 -0.44 -3.63 0.00 -2.59 0.00 -1.35 0.00 0.00 -1.67 1.97 1.22 -0.10 3.33 -0.62 -7.77 -1.69 9.14 0.17 -5.19 0.63 5.78 0.00 5.51 3.20 0.41 -0.69 1.01 0.00 1.53 0.00 1.69 0.00

1,685,200 397,000 347,000 1,784,000 300 142,700 5,565,100 214,300 356,000 469,000 299,100 3,227,700 39,600 10,403,700 1,064,100 986,500 224,060 1,000 107,900 2,036,000 817,330 122,100 2,900 153,000 5,000 318,800 3,679,300 625,800 72,710 1,077,000 6,213,800 4,000 35,000 10,000 337,000 261,000 28,000 2,000 27,820 204,000 1,220,000 28,000 202,000 1,273,140 2,000 191,000 11,000

0.380 57.9500 16.10 1.05 6.38 756 8.2 13.80 5.81 4.40 1320 5.51 9.94 73.30 6.6 0.69 14.78 5.2 3.5 0.0310 1.200 1.830 49.90 864.00 0.71 67.600 0.2800 0.2100 0.255

0.00 0.26 -4.17 1.94 -0.16 0.80 -3.07 -1.43 2.83 7.32 -2.87 0.18 1.43 0.34 -1.49 0.00 -1.34 -0.38 16.67 3.33 -6.98 0.00 0.20 -0.12 -5.33 -2.80 0.00 7.69 6.25

20,000 1,108,950 3,919,300 56,000 3,100 263,880 1,258,600 1,011,000 17,600 184,000 73,350 35,000 955,600 881,930 3,424,400 152,000 1,606,900 16,407,400 15,000 27,200,000 10,000 709,000 326,600 159,840 57,000 45,700 360,000 2,080,000 10,000

7.100 0.75 1.120 0.220 34.450 2.91 5.18 6 0.56 1.03 0.120

0.00 -2.60 1.82 4.76 -0.29 3.93 3.60 19.76 0.00 0.98 0.00

48,800 941,000 4,000 10,000 4,251,700 3,072,000 29,900 10,000 4,544,000 50,000 650,000

-5,900.00 456,135.00 133,706,984 -9,201,956.50 -55,960.00

-145,842.00 -9,250.00 4,460.00 -14,034,812.50 -1,683,020.00 -56,240.00 -1,217,700 84,504,649.00 -108,000.00 -1,152,248.00 138,630.00 17,300,095.00 9,120.00

-173,220.00 -327,075 -106,000.00 155,820.00 -176,352.00 9,472,823.00 -3,560.00 12,161,288.00 5,011,612.00 -7,504,930.00 -2,634,252.00 -274,104.00 101,280.00 37,467,776.00

3,801,365.00 612,800.00 -678,280.00 -6,434,416.00 -191,360.00 5,264,170.00 14,800.00 -40,000.00 56,050.00 -7,930.00 -1,989,091.00 -14,300.00 116,884,289.00 12,000.00

40,280,938.50 26,106,238.00 89,519,390.00 1,597,876.00 779,848.00 13,143,380.00 -164,749.00 -99,400.00 4,211,572.50 -71,773.00 19,946,442.00 56,592,904.00 -17,500.00 3,100.00 -2,294,520.00 5,526,705.00 2,130.00 -2,833,351.50 8,400.00

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

10.96 0.97 2.22 2.1 1.8 5.94 0.470 0.72 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 7.56 1.62 8.59

2.4 0.83 1.15 1.42 1.27 4.13 0.290 0.39 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 3.38 0.83 5.73

Double Dragon Empire East Land Global-Estate Filinvest Land,Inc. Interport `A’ Megaworld Phil. Estates Corp.

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

10.5 66 1.44 1.09 14.88 28.5 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 12.3 2720 8.41 70.5 1.97 119.5 0.017 0.8200 2.2800 5.93 12.28 3.32 2.53 95.5 1 2.46 15.2

1.97 35.2 1 0.63 10.5 18.2 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 10.14 1600 5.95 17.02 1.23 102.6 0.011 0.041 1.200 2.34 6.5 1.91 1.01 3.1 0.650 1.8 6

0.62 1.040 22.8 6.41 18 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1

0.335 0.37 14.54 3 8.8 79 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55

11.6 0.85 10 0.490 1.9

7.59 0.63 5 0.315 1.14

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.

Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. 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 RTL SBS Phil. Corp.

SSI Group STI Holdings Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Yehey

0.0098 5.45 17.24 0.330 12.8 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.440 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 1.030 3.06 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9 0.016

0.0043 1.72 6.47 0.236 5.11 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.2160 0.013 0.014 3.240 18.96 2.11 0.365 1.54 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67 0.0100

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

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

TA Petroleum United Paragon

70 553 118 8.21 12.28 1060 1047

33 490 101 5.88 6.5 997 1011

84.8

75

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ First Gen F GMA Holdings Inc. Leisure and Resort PCOR-Preferred A PF Pref 2 PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F

6.98

0.8900 LR Warrant

15

3.5

12.88

5.95

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

42,471.00

-33,255,230.00 -2,121,910.00 -10,360.00 -2,200.00

Close

Alterra Capital Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Xurpas

High

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

24.6 0.760 1.01 1.80 1.16 4.3 0.2400 0.4050 27.50 1.45 3.06 22.05 0.78 6.99 0.830 5.200

24.6 24.1 24.4 0.770 0.770 0.770 1.03 1.01 1.03 1.83 1.81 1.81 1.16 1.13 1.13 4.32 4.23 4.25 0.2850 0.2420 0.2850 0.4450 0.4050 0.4450 27.50 26.70 27.50 1.44 1.4 1.4 3.13 3.06 3.13 22.30 21.45 21.70 0.78 0.75 0.78 7 7 7 0.840 0.820 0.840 5.200 5.160 5.180 SERVICES 7.05 7.05 6.74 6.88 61.9 62.3 61.8 61.9 1.15 1.26 1.15 1.26 0.460 0.450 0.450 0.450 11.76 11.7 11.68 11.7 26 28.5 28.5 28.5 4.54 4.61 4.51 4.54 0.0410 0.0410 0.0400 0.0410 3.31 3.3 3.2 3.29 82 82.9 82.05 82.35 9.93 9.89 9.89 9.89 1935 1935 1850 1852 6.86 6.90 6.82 6.90 17.80 17.80 17.80 17.80 1.18 1.17 1.17 1.17 70 70.3 68.5 70.3 0.010 0.0053 0.0053 0.0053 0.152 0.165 0.155 0.155 1.4000 1.4000 1.3600 1.4000 2.11 2.03 2 2.03 7.70 7.70 7.62 7.63 4.36 4.32 4.37 4.29 1.10 1.08 1.08 1.08 28.00 29.90 28.00 29.90 0.520 0.540 0.540 0.540 1.99 2 1.94 2 2.2 2.35 2.24 2.29 3.90 3.98 3.87 3.98 0.280 0.285 0.260 0.280 0.790 0.790 0.750 0.750 18 18.48 18.48 18.48 4.33 4.63 4.50 4.59 8.86 9.4 9.4 9.4 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 22.70 23.45 22.50 23.10 2076.00 2074.00 2034.00 2060.00 0.460 0.490 0.460 0.490 0.640 0.680 0.640 0.640 34.30 34.70 34.35 34.70 62.95 63.45 62.75 63.00 6.08 6.27 6.02 6.18 3.40 3.48 3.40 3.45 0.425 0.430 0.420 0.430 4.4 3.98 4.69 3.97 0.320 0.340 0.315 0.340 4.100 4.150 4.100 4.100 MINING 0.0050 0.0050 0.0049 0.0050 1.82 1.90 1.80 1.80 4.07 4.08 4.04 4.07 0.200 0.210 0.200 0.210 6.5000 5.5 5.5000 5.5000 0.6 0.6 0.59 0.6 0.58 0.58 0.58 0.58 7.28 7.50 7.10 7.22 0.69 0.7 0.68 0.69 0.280 0.280 0.275 0.275 0.175 0.175 0.172 0.174 0.202 0.202 0.202 0.202 0.0100 0.0110 0.0100 0.0100 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 2.05 2.04 1.97 2 6.17 6.25 6.18 6.25 2.78 2.81 2.7 2.8 0.5700 0.5700 0.5700 0.5700 1.2700 1.4500 1.3000 1.4000 4.38 4.47 4.38 4.40 1.29 1.33 1.29 1.30 0.0120 0.0120 0.0110 0.0120 135.00 137.00 135.00 136.50 2.2 2.28 2.1 2.28 0.0070 0.0072 0.0072 0.0072 PREFERRED 64.5 64.5 62.15 62.7 520 523 520 523 117.2 120 120 120 6.8 7.22 7.22 7.22 1.13 1.11 1.11 1.11 1060 1070 1060 1070 1030 1029 1019 1029 103.5 103 103 103 106.5 106.5 106 106 83 83 82.95 83 78.6 85 79 85 78.35 78.35 76 76 79.3 79.9 79.85 79.9 WARRANTS & BONDS 2.470 2.420 2.290 2.400 SME 3.09 3.28 3.2 3.28 2.85 3.05 2.81 2.83 3.42 3.46 3.2 3.25 15.54 15.5 15.2 15.22 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 114 114.2 112.9 113.5

-0.81 1.32 1.98 0.56 -2.59 -1.16 18.75 9.88 0.00 -3.45 2.29 -1.59 0.00 0.14 1.20 -0.38

1,691,200 104,000 1,326,000 1,612,000 16,000 12,456,000 350,000 110,000 1,195,100 58,000 22,000 32,043,300 1,004,000 100 200,000 1,656,700

-751,515.00 -73,920.00 80,800.00 -757,180.00

-2.41 0.00 9.57 -2.17 -0.51 9.62 0.00 0.00 -0.60 0.43 -0.40 -4.29 0.58 0.00 -0.85 0.43 -45.92 1.97 0.00 -3.79 -0.91 0.93 -1.82 6.79 3.85 0.50 4.09 2.05 0.00 -5.06 2.67 6.00 6.09 0.00 1.76 -0.77 6.52 0.00 1.17 0.08 1.64 1.47 1.18 10.55 6.25 0.00

34,500 26,510 60,000 1,370,000 3,200 2,100 6,462,000 10,600,000 2,142,000 187,140 300 40,120 66,800 51,900 1,000 1,585,440 2,000,000 6,010,000 141,000 22,000 88,000 755,000 20,000 300 46,000 101,000 19,374,000 21,943,000 320,000 8,530,000 1,000 8,000 82,000 25,000 251,500 73,560 1,700,000 80,676,000 1,771,300 1,655,320 933,400 2,448,000 820,000 46,960,000 330,000 22,000

0.00 -1.10 0.00 5.00 -15.38 0.00 0.00 -0.82 0.00 -1.79 -0.57 0.00 0.00 0.00 -2.44 1.30 0.72 0.00 10.24 0.46 0.78 0.00 1.11 3.64 2.86

124,000,000 59,000 104,000 -138,400.00 200,000 5,000 216,000 54,700.00 64,000 2,500 1,282,000 90,000 13,750.00 1,130,000 80,000 219,100,000 1,000,000 120,000 581,300 -111,515.00 49,000 1,000 1,035,000 4,051,000 -347,710.00 219,000 -78,700.00 125,300,000 395,990 15,229,715.00 85,000 1,000,000

-2.79 0.58 2.39 6.18 -1.77 0.94 -0.10 -0.48 -0.47 0.00 8.14 -3.00 0.76

174,620 25,000 10 50,000 180,000 8,975 1,890 7,500 3,100 53,550 9,300 23,420 20,400

-2.83

27,000

6.15 -0.70 -4.97 -2.06

7,000 85,000 866,000 714,200

-0.44

29,490

-22,049,180.00 8,302,465.00 -14,100.00 424,864,560.00 700.00 35,260.00 -506,230.00

10,384,800.00 -41,000.00 3,197,666.50 -45,838,000.00 1,170.00 21,573,927.00 15,500.00 20,000.00 -23,040.00

19,701,000.00 -2,318,950.00 161,750.00

-308,840.00 -63,696,310.00 -1,037,750.00 -4,910,540.00 41,455,585.00 -6,020.00 -1,754,750.00 25,200.00 -49,949,510.00 -64,000.00

1,735,643.00 -287,356.00 -101,010.00

742,500.00

793,744.00

6,070.00

T op g ainerS VALUE 578,010,095.63 972,409,093.232 837,582,968.80 993,067,275.706 2,974,917,952.9656 83,995,651.941 6,457,340,639.172

Low

T op L oSerS

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,550.68 (DOWN) 0.59 INDUSTRIAL 11,031.22 (UP) 0.26 HOLDING FIRMS 6,601.26 (DOWN) 33.45 PROPERTY 2,915.60 (DOWN) 18.68 SERVICES 1,530.22 (DOWN) 6.97 MINING & OIL 10,427.24 (UP) 90.50 PSEI 6,952.08 (DOWN) 31.53 All Shares Index 3,990.47 (DOWN) 5.69 Gainers: 101; Losers: 72; Unchanged: 43; Total: 216

Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Cebu Prop. `A'

6

19.76

IP E-Game Ventures Inc.

0.0053

-45.92

Phil. Estates Corp.

0.2850

18.75

Benguet Corp `B'

5.5000

-15.38

MJCI Investments Inc.

3.5

16.67

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

3.68

-7.77

First Abacus

0.74

13.85

Prime Media Hldg

1.200

-6.98

Travellers

4.4

10.55

MEDCO Holdings

0.490

-5.77

Oriental Peninsula Res.

1.4000

10.24

South China Res. Inc.

0.71

-5.33

Phil. Realty `A'

0.4450

9.88

Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

3.65

-5.19

Alliance Tuna Intl Inc.

0.79

9.72

NOW Corp.

0.750

-5.06

Berjaya Phils. Inc.

28.5

9.62

Italpinas

3.25

-4.97

Acesite Hotel

1.26

9.57

Globe Telecom

1852

-4.29

WEDNESDAY: DECEMBER 30, 2015

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

B3

Globe, Bayan merge networks

By Darwin G. Amojelar

Packaging guru. Local design company Design Systemat taps Fil-Am packaging expert and International Packaging Hall of Fame awardee

Lejo Brana (second from left) as senior member of the Systemat board of advisers in a bid to strengthen its design packaging capabilities and match the same with international standard for packaging. With Brana are (from left) Central Philippine University Packaging Engineering Department chairman Bernie Cangrejo, Design Systemat president Angel Buñag and Design Systemat creative director Stefano Paolo Buñag.

Stock market index dropped 3.9% in 2015

By Jenniffer B. Austria

STOCKS fell on the last trading day of 2015, as global funds fled the local market amid the tightening of monetary policy in the US. The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, shed 31 points, or 0.5 percent, to close at 6,952.08 on Tuesday. The gauge was also down 3.9 percent since the start of the year, ending six years of gains.

Foreign investors sold $1.2 billion more shares than they bought this year, dragging the PSEi to its first loss since 2008.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also dropped 5 points, or 0.1 percent on Tuesday, to settle at 3,990.47, on a value turnover of P6.5 billion. Gainers outnumbered losers, 101 to 72, while 43 issues were unchanged.

Nine of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by Travellers International Hotel Group Inc., which climbed 10.6 percent to P4.40. Cirtek Holdings Philippines Corp. gained 3 percent to P20.75, while Security Bank Corp. advanced 2.2 percent to P142. Metro Retail Stores Group Inc. added 2.1 percent to close at P3.98.

Analysts said they remained bullish on the local stock market on favorable domestic prospects. BDO Unibank Inc. chief investment strategist Jonathan Ravelas said he expected the PSEi to rise to the 8,000 level in 2016, if investors raised the premium on local stocks to more than 20x price-to-earnings ratio.

“Potentially, investors can’t discount the possibility that the local stock market could hit as high as the 9,000 level in 2017 with the assumption that the next president’s administration implements and executes well major infrastructure projects needed to further boost investments,” Ravelas said.

BPI Securities chief executive officer Michaelangelo Oyson said the PSEi could hit between 7,600 and 8,200 in 2016 on election-related spending and increased government expenditures.

The stock market started strong in 2015, with the PSEi raising the ceiling 26 times this year. It closed above the 8,000 mark for the first time on April 6, 2015 and reached a record high 8,127.48 on April 10.

Trading started to go down in the second half, after US Federal Reserve Janet Yellen signaled the starting of monetary tightening. Concerns about the weakening Chinese economy also contributed to the market’s decline.

Foreign funds that propped the local stock market over the last six years started to exit emerging markets such as the Philippines and shifted their funds back to developed markets. Over P61 billion worth of foreign funds flowed out of the Philippine stock market in 2015. Average daily value traded for the year stood at nearly P9 billion.

Meanwhile, Asian stock markets broadly rose Tuesday in see-saw trading despite fears about the state of China’s economy, a key driver of global growth.

Another slump in oil prices also curbed investors’ enthusiasm in low-volume trading as markets wind down in the last week of the year.

Analysts warned that sliding crude prices, which had enjoyed a brief push upward last week, would drag on Asia-Pacific markets.

“Whenever the weakness in oil regains market attention, it weighs on sentiment,” Toshihiko Matsuno, chief strategist at SMBC Friend Securities in Tokyo, told Bloomberg News.

“Movement in Chinese shares will continue to have an effect on other markets.” Bloomberg

GLOBE Telecom Inc. said it expects the broadband speed of Bayan Telecommunications Inc. to further improve next year, after they completed the integration of their networks.

“We don’t separate them out anywhere because the network’s integrated. The billing systems are integrated. The people are already in Globe. We operate as one already. The modernization of their network is hand-in-hand with additional expansion that Globe is doing. Together, that is one project,” Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu said.

Cu said Globe’s objective was to offer Bayan subscribers a broadband speed of up to 100 megabits per second.

Globe chief commercial officer Alberto de Larrazabal earlier said the company planned to spend between $200 million and $300 million over the next two years to modernize its fixed-line infrastructure, including that of Bayan.

De Larrazabal said the first phase of the modernization of Bayan’s fixed-line infrastructure would be in Quezon City, Manila, Cebu and Davao.

Bayan’s broadband and fixedline voice subscribers last year stood at 144,100 and 174,400, respectively.

B4 PTT set to build smaller stations

By Alena Mae S. Flores PTT Philippines Corp. is ready to roll out its mini stations next year following the recent design approval of parent PTT Public Company Ltd. of Thailand.

“After we reviewed with the head office, we had some correction and we will start next year,” PTT Philippines marketing director Thitiroj Rergsumran said.

The company announced plans to put up mini stations in June to address the demand for smaller sized stations in relatively remote areas in the Philippines, while providing additional business opportunities for overseas Filipino workers.

“When we tested the market, we found something to correct.

We sent back the comments back to PTT Bangkok and made the correction. We just got approval... so we can kick off next year,” the official said.

He said the correction was more on costing because Thailand had no small stations.

“Some details on the canopy, the number of dispenser. We just had to adjust in canopy. The size is already okay, we cannot go smaller than that,” Thitiroj said.

He said the company planned to put up 15 new stations annually and had not decided how many would be mini stations.

“It depends. Next year we have a target of the same this year, 15 stations as well. It also depends on the location. In some cities that have smaller areas, we can put compact,” he said.

PTT Philippines plans to put up the mini stations through its dealers “to help the dealer save on costs, and... operate the station eventually.”

The mini-station is proposed to cover 800 to 1,000 square meters, compared with the 1,200 to 1,800 square meter area of regular stations.

PTT is the largest oil company in Thailand and one of the biggest oil players in Southeast Asia with business operations in the Philippines, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

Top Subic investors. The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority confers its first SBMA Mabuhay Business Awards to 15 business locators in the Subic Bay Freeport that have strengthened the local economy and contributed significantly to the growth of the country’s gross domestic product. The Mabuhay Business Awards are given to the top 15 locators whose combined investments have reached $3 billion and together have employed over 40,000 workers. SBMA chairman Roberto Garcia (seventh from right) and other SBMA officials join locator-awardees at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.

November money supply rose to P8t

By Julito G. Rada

DOMESTIC liquidity, or the money supply in the financial system, grew 9.2 percent in November year-on-year to reach P8 trillion on the back of sustained demand for credit in the economy, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Tuesday.

The expansion, however, was unchanged from the revised 9.2-percent growth recorded in October. M3 decreased 0.3 percent on a month-on-month seasonally-adjusted basis.

“The sustained expansion of M3 during the month indicates that money supply remains sufficient to support economic growth. Going forward, the BSP will continue to monitor domestic liquidity dynamics to ensure

that monetary conditions remain in line with price and financial stability,” Bangko Sentral said in a statement.

Domestic claims rose 11.6 percent in November from the revised 11.3 percent growth in October. Credits to the private sector increased at a broadly steady pace relative to the previous month.

The bulk of bank loans during the month was channeled to key production sectors such as real estate activities; electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply; wholesale and retail trade, and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; financial and insurance activities; and construction.

Meanwhile, net public sector credit rose 10.5 percent in November, slower than the revised 11.6-percent growth a month earlier.

Net foreign assets in peso terms grew 9.0 percent in November from 8.2 percent in the previous month. Bangko Sentral’s NFA position continued to expand during the month on the back of robust foreign exchange in-

flows coming mainly from overseas Filipinos’ remittances and business process outsourcing receipts.

“The NFA of banks likewise increased as banks’ foreign assets expanded at a faster pace relative to that of their foreign liabilities. Banks’ foreign assets increased due largely to the growth in their investments in marketable debt securities, while banks’ foreign liabilities grew mainly on account of higher deposits and placements made by foreign banks with other banks,” it said.

Outstanding loans of commercial banks, net of reverse repurchase placements with the BSP, increased 13.6 percent in November from 13.9 percent in October.

Similarly, bank lending inclusive of RRPs increased 13.2 percent in November from 13.6 percent in the previous month. On a month-on-month seasonally-adjusted basis, commercial bank lending increased 0.9 percent for loans net of RRPs and by 0.7 percent for loans inclusive of RRPs.

EDC establishes diversity park in UP Los Baños campus in Laguna ENERGY Development Corp., the University of the Philippines at Los Baños and UPLB Foundation have created a biodiversity park in UPLB Campus, Laguna.

EDC, the biggest geothermal steam producer, said in a statement the UPLB-EDC BINHI biodiversity park wouldserve as a seedling or gene bank for threatened Philippine tree species and a source of planting materials for forest restoration programs.

A total of 240 trees including the highly valued “dalingdin-

gan,” “kaladis narig,” “kamagong,” “malabayabas,” “manggachapui,” “narek,” “Philippine teak,” and “tindalo” are now planted in the park.

The company said the trees will be properly labeled consisting of scientific names, distribution, ecological status and uses, families and forest formations.

The park, meanwhile, will serve as a living laboratory for taxonomy students, faculty and researchers. The park is equipped with facilities and a naturethemed walkway for the appre-

ciation of both conservationists and tourists.

EDC is seriously involved in the rescue and preservation of the country’s most premium endangered tree species through BINHI, its landmark biodiversity project.

Launched in 2008 using EDC’s three decades of experience in integrated social forestry as platform, BINHI has become a model for corporate-led reforestation programs among Philippine businesses.

“Through BINHI, we seek to

preserve the gene pool of the critically endangered premium indigenous tree species which are at the core of our local biodiversity and which represent our nation’s heritage and identity,” EDC vice president for corporate affairs Ramon Carandang said.

EDC is propagating them for replanting in safe areas such as schools and parks.

“When these grow up to be mother trees, we will then gather the seeds and plant them in even more schools, parks and protected areas to bring them back to

abundance.” Carandang said.

EDC, through intensive field work, rescued the 96 priority endangered tree species, which were selected for their superior strength and high economic and aesthetic values.

EDC has completed similar tree park projects in UP Diliman, Bayani Juan in Calauan, Laguna, and Rafael Salas Park in Bago City.

It planted seedlings of rare and endangered species in 120 partner schools and parks nationwide. Alena Mae S. Flores

W E D N E S D AY : D E C E M B E R 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

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

B5

Investors bullish on Melco Crown AFTER a nearly two-year slump, some analysts are saying the worst is over for Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd. Macau’s fourth-largest casino operator has been accumulating buy ratings after the total number of them slumped to a fouryear low in September, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Since then, banks including Daiwa Securities and HSBC Holdings Plc. upgraded the stock, while Gabelli & Co. initiated coverage, advising clients to buy.

That made 13 analysts with bullish calls.

Melco Crown, which has dropped 62 percent in New York from a peak in March 2014, is seen rebounding as it focuses on mass-market players instead of the high rollers who have been

avoiding the gambling enclave amid a government crackdown on corruption and illegal money transfers. The opening of the $3.2-billion Studio City casino resort in Macau and expansion in thePhilippines and other neighboring nations provide more diversified revenue, according to the analysts who recently turned bullish on the stock.

“Melco is a little different from some of the other Macau operators,” Brian Egger, a Bloomberg Intelligence analyst, said by phone from New York. “It’s certainly more exposed to the segment of the market that is more stable,” and with the opening

of new projects, “there’s at least some underpinning of hoping,” said Egger, who doesn’t make recommendations on stocks.

The stock has risen 24 percent to $16.87 from a three-year low on Sept. 29, reducing its decline in 2015 to 33 percent. Short interest slipped to 10 percent of outstanding shares on Dec. 24, near the three-year high of 11 percent it touched a week earlier, according to data compiled by Bloomberg and Markit.

Macau is going through its worst downturn on record as China’s slowing economy and a crackdown on corruption deterred high-stakes gamblers from visiting the city. Gross gaming revenue fell for the 18th straight month in November.

While Melco’s earnings have slumped, the downturn is show-

ing signs of abating. Third-quarter profit fell 22 percent to $237 million, beating the median forecast of five analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. Mass-market gaming revenue overtook the VIP segment for the first time during the period.

Billionaire chairman Lawrence Ho said at a briefing after the November earnings announcement that the worst is over for Melco Crown. While the VIP segment will be challenging in 2016, the mass market has stabilized “and should see some reasonable growth hopefully,” he said.

Melco Crown opened the Hollywood-themed Studio City on Oct. 27 featuring a Batman ride, a Ferris Wheel in the shape of a figure-8 and other attractions as part of a strategy to reduce its reli-

ance on gambling. Its City of Dreams Manila, which opened in February and contributed 10 percent of revenue in the third quarter, will become a “meaningful contributor of value” by 2017, Adam Trivison, an analyst at Gabelli & Co., wrote in a Dec. 9 research report initiating coverage of the company.

HSBC analyst Charlene Liu raised the stock to buy from hold in October, less than one month after Jamie Soo at Daiwa upgraded it to outperform from underperform. In all, 13 analysts now advise clients to buy Melco Crown, compared with 10 who rate it hold and three who say sell.

The average 12-month price target is $20.11, implying a potential 19 percent return from Monday’s closing price. Bloomberg

Alcala promotes mangrove program

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales THE Department of Agriculture said Tuesday it will further strengthen efforts on aquasilviculture.

Aquasilviculture is the growing of fish and other aquatic organisms within a mangrove area without cutting down a single tree.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said the Philippine National Aquasilviculture Program had already planted 73,847,231 mangrove propagules or 73.85 percent of the total target as of September this year.

The PNAP is a DA program being implemented by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. It aims to develop self‐sufficient fisherfolk families who are advocates of fisheries resource protection through mangrove habitat rehabilitation, promotion of aquasilviculture and establishment of community‐ based multi‐species hatcheries.

A total of 115 units of deep-sea payao to date had been deployed under the National Payao Program, Alcala added.

Payaos are floating buoys made of steel or bamboo with coconut or palm leaves underneath and anchored in fishing grounds of considerable depth.

Meanwhile, BFAR Director Undersecretary Asis Perez said the government was also strengthening the fishery law enforcement.

Perez said the Philippines now had 27 units of 40-footer monitoring, control and surveillance vessels, 70 units of 30-footer multi-mission ships and two 50-meter vessels equipped with special tools and devices such as service fire arms, GPS, night vision goggles, scuba gears and rigidhulled inflatable rubber boats.

Financial education. Students from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Sta. Mesa, Manila win the first prize in the recently-

concluded Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Financial Education for the Youth “U” Can Make a Difference Video Contest at the BSP Assembly Hall on December 7, 2015. Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. (second from right) confers the award, with a cash prize of P5,000.00 and P20,000.00 worth Sun Life mutual funds, to PUP entrants (from third from left) Daryl Hannah Serrano, Kristelle Faith Hael, Jolina Lompot and Joanne Perez. With them during the awarding are (from left) Assistant Governor Johnny Noe Ravalo, Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo and Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr.

FCDU loans down 3.1% to $11.8b in 3rd quarter

By Julito G. Rada FOREIGN currency-denominated loans as of the third quarter declined 3.1 percent from the second quarter as repayments exceeded disbursements, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said in a statement Tuesday.

Data showed that outstanding FCDU loans stood at $11.8 billion as of end-September, down $375 million from the end-June level of $12.1 billion.

“Except for loans to producers/manufacturers which slightly increased by 0.6 percent, FCDU loans granted in the third quarter to all other types of debtors declined compared to the previous quarter,” it said.

Loans to exporters declined 3 percent, public utilities by 2.3

percent, oil companies by 75.7 percent, and other borrowers/ sectors (including non-residents) by 2.2 percent.

The bank regulator said some borrowers might have shifted to domestic financing as peso loans showed a growth of 5 percent from P4.3 trillion to P4.6 trillion in the third quarter.

Loans to resident borrowers represented 70.8 percent of total outstanding FCDU loans, with different sectors and industries as major beneficiaries. These included public utility firms, 16.8 percent; p r o d u c e r s /m a n u f a c t u r e r s , including oil companies, 6.8 percent; merchandise and service exporters, 22.9 percent; management/holding and stock brokerage, 7.2 percent;

and towing, tanker, trucking, forwarding, personal and other individuals, 12.8 percent.

The $0.5 billion balance of outstanding loans or 3.9 percent went to other residents as well as government agencies and enterprises.

Gross disbursements during the reference quarter increased 20.9 percent to reach $15.8 billion compared with the previous quarter’s $13-billion level. The bulk of loan releases or 93.9 percent had short-term maturities and were largely for working capital and other short-term funding requirements (89.2 percent of total short-term disbursements).

Medium- to long-term loans, or those payable over a term of more than one year, accounted for 70.5 percent of total loans and

funded various projects. Shortterm accounts, or those with original maturities of up to one year, comprised the 29.5 percent balance of the loan portfolio.

FCDU deposit liabilities increased from $31.8 billion in the previous quarter to $33.2 billion or by $1.4 billion in the third quarter.

“The bulk or 97.3 percent of the deposits continued to be held by residents, and essentially constitute additional buffer to the country’s gross international reserves,” Bangko Sentral said.

The loans-to-deposit ratio, meanwhile, decreased from 38.1 percent to 35.4 percent in the third quarter following the higher rate of contraction of loans (3.1 percent) and increase in deposits (4.4 percent).

WEDNESDAY: DECEMBER 30, 2015

B6

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

Saudi registers record deficit, trims subsidies RIYADH—Saudi Arabia announced a record budget deficit and cuts to fuel and utility subsidies on Monday as the oil powerhouse suffers from a drastic fall in global crude prices.

Petrol prices in the kingdom were to rise by more than 50 percent on some products from Tuesday, authorities said, after the world’s largest crude exporter said it had posted a deficit of $98 billion in 2015.

Riyadh also projected a shortfall of $87 billion in next year’s budget, the first since King Salman took over the country in January.

The finance ministry said in a statement that revenues in 2015 were estimated at 608 billion ri-

yals ($162 billion), the lowest since 2009 when oil prices dived as a result of the global financial crisis.

The budget “comes amid challenging international and regional economic and financial conditions” including “very low oil prices,” the statement said.

The 2015 deficit is the highest in the history of Saudi Arabia, which relies on oil for 90 percent of public revenues, but was not as big as some expected.

Income for 2015 was 15 percent lower than projections and 42 percent less than in 2014, after oil prices fell by almost two thirds since mid-2014 to below $40 a barrel.

The dive is largely due to Saudi Arabia’s own policies and those of other OPEC nations, who are refusing to cut oil production as they seek to drive less-competitive players, including US shale producers, out of the market.

Oil prices slid in response to Monday’s statement, with the US benchmark West Texas Intermediate losing $1.29 to $36.81 a barrel, while Brent crude shed $1.27 to $36.62 a barrel in London.

The International Monetary Fund had projected the 2015 defi-

cit to be around $130 billion and other reports also put it above $100 billion.

The ministry said oil income made up just 73 percent of total revenues in 2015, way below its contribution in previous years.

Meanwhile, non-oil revenues rose 29 percent to $43.6 billion.

The 2016 budget projects revenues at $137 billion, the lowest in six years, and spending at $224 billion, slightly below 2015 projections of $229 billion.

Spending this year came in at $260 billion, the ministry said, almost equal to 2013 expenditures and down 6.6 percent from 2014.

Saudi Arabia normally overspends its budget projections by around 20 percent. AFP

Uber recruitment. Applicants line up outside an Uber Technologies Inc. office during a driver recruitment event in Hong Kong. Uber is in

the process of further padding its war chest with as much as $2.1 billion in a financing round valuing the company at $62.5 billion, people familiar with the matter said this month. BLOOMBERG

Toshiba seeking $2.5-b credit line TOSHIBA Corp. is seeking its second credit line from banks in three months, aiming to gain access to an additional 300 billion yen ($2.5 billion) as it faces mounting costs from an accounting scandal that has led to layoffs and asset sales.

The company plans to apply for funds by the end of January, said spokeswoman Yuu Takase.

Combined with the 400 billion yen credit line Toshiba received in September, that would bring Toshiba’s total loan facility to more than 1 trillion yen, Takase said.

Toshiba, which last week forecast a record 550 billion yen annual loss, needs money to pay for thousands of job cuts and the overhaul of the businesses that make televisions and PCs. President Masashi Muromachi, who took over this year to clean up after an accounting scandal that has wiped about $8 billion in market value, has said there will be no public fundraising for two years.

The shares gained 0.6 percent to 227.3 yen as of 10:22 a.m. in Tokyo while the benchmark Topix index was little changed.

The stock has slumped 56 percent this year as the company withdrew its earnings forecast in May and announced an accounting probe that was later expanded.

Moody’s cut its credit rating on the company two levels to junk earlier this month. The extra yield over yen swap rate investors demand to own Toshiba’s bonds due 2020 jumped 100-fold this year to 311 basis points. The company hasn’t sold debt since July 2014.

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp., Mizuho Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank provided the credit line in September.

Spokeswoman Takase declined to give names of lenders for the current round of financing.

Bloomberg

Hedge funds drag gas to 16-year low a week after rally JUST eleven days ago, US natural gas bears dragged prices to a 16-year low. Now, they’re behind the biggest year-end rally on record.

Hedge funds that raised net-short bets in gas contracts by the most in three months are now looking for cover as weather in the US East takes an unexpected turn, with forecasts showing temperatures in the region dropping in early January. Prices have rallied 32 percent since reaching the

lowest level since 1999 on Dec. 18.

“You had a lot of shorts coming into the market and that led to what’s been going on this week,” Stephen Schork, president of Villanova, Pennsylvania-based consultancy Schork Group Inc., said by phone Monday. Gas is “a market that lulls you to sleep. Then all of the sudden you get one change in the weather and all hell breaks loose,” he said.

A week ago, gas bears still

had fundamentals and mother nature on their side. December was on track to be the worst for heating fuel demand since 1950, according to Commodity Weather Group LLC. A strong El Nino and polar jet stream kept arctic air from rushing into the U.S. East, crimping gas consumption.

Booming supplies from U.S. shale formations meanwhile boosted inventories to a seasonal record.

Hedge funds raised their net-

short position in gas contracts by 31 percent to 123,136 in the seven days ended Dec. 22, U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission data show. Their bearish bets were just in time, as gas prices sank to a 16-year intraday low of $1.684 on Dec. 18.

Futures have since rebounded, reaching the highest settlement on Monday in almost a month. The front-month contract extended gains Tuesday, adding 1.1 percent to $2.252

per million British thermal units on the New York Mercantile Exchange at 2:39 p.m.

Singapore time.

Temperatures will drop to seasonal lows during the first week of January following this month’s surge of warm, springlike weather, according to Commodity Weather Group.

“We can probably get another 10 to 15 cents” in prices increases from gas bears covering their shorts alone, Schork said. Bloomberg

W E D N E S D AY : D E C E M B E R 3 0 , 2 0 1 5

WORLD

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

B7

Support eyed on sex-slaves deal SEOUL—South Korean officials met former wartime sex slaves Tuesday to seek support for a landmark deal with Japan, amid criticism Tokyo has not fully atoned for its treatment of women forced into World War II army brothels.

Japan Monday offered a “heartfelt apology” and a one-billion-yen ($8.3-million) payment to the 46 South Korean victims still alive, under an agreement that both sides described as “final and irreversible.”

The plight of the socalled “comfort women” has been a hugely emotional issue and has marred relations with Japan for decades.

Officials of both nations hailed the deal as a breakthrough. But South Korean media and the women themselves had a mixed response, taking issue particularly with

Tokyo’s refusal to accept formal legal responsibility.

Seoul’s vice foreign ministers visited two comfort women shelters Tuesday to seek the victims’ support—a step that will be key to securing popular approval.

But some expressed anger, accusing the officials of complacency and of hastily wrapping up negotiations.

“The matter has not been settled. We didn’t fight for all these years to see the result like this,” frail survivor Kim Bok-Dong, 89, told vice-minister Lim Sung-Nam at a Seoul shel-

ter in televised comments.

The long-time campaigner was lured to leave her village aged 14 with a promise of a factory job, and forced to serve in military brothels in China and Southeast Asia.

Lim said Seoul had tried its best to achieve some form of justice— albeit compromised— ”before too late” as most victims are at an advanced age.

Japan, which ruled Korea harshly from 1910-45, refuses to describe the one-billionwon payment as official compensation.

It has long said that all such claims were settled in a 1965 agreement that established diplomatic relations with South Korea and saw Tokyo make a payment of $800 million in grants or loans.

The South says that treaty did not cover com-

pensation for the victims of wartime crimes such as sex slavery, and did not absolve the Japanese government of legal responsibility.

But it has faced growing pressure from its major military ally the US to improve ties with fellow US ally Japan, in the face of an expansionist China and nuclear-armed North Korea.

South Korean President Park GeunHye called for “understanding by the public and the victims” about the deal.

The agreement was warmly welcomed by the US, which described it “an important gesture of healing and reconciliation”.

But six civic groups including those running the shelters have slammed it as “humiliating”, and objected to Seoul’s promise to refrain from criticizing Japan over the issue in interna-

tional forums including the United Nations.

“Our longstanding wish was... clarifying legal responsibility over this crime committed by the Japanese government so that such a NOTICE

OCEAN DYNAMIC I N T E R N AT I O N A L CORP. w/ address at 5/F Ferguson Park Tower, MH del Pilar cor. A Flores Sts., Ermita, Manila has submitted application for manning license at POEA with the ff. officers: SARA C. LAQUINDANUM KHEEM B. CAMBA This is to inform also the public that ff are no longer connected with above company.

JEANETTE S. CORPUZ

( TS - DEC. 3 0, 2015)

AUCTION SALE CINTHY PAWNSHOP All unredeemed pledges during the month of AUGUST 2015 will be sold to public auction on: JANUARY 25, 2016 STA. MESA – 8:00 AM # 3630 Ramon Magsaysay Blvd. Sta. Mesa, Manila at JUAN LANUZA & SONS- AUCTIONEER ( T S - D E C . 3 0 , 2 0 15 )

AUCTION SALE PENTHOUSE PAWNSHOP

All unredeemed pledges during the month of AUGUST 2016 will be sold to public auction on JANUARY 4, 2016 at BETTER - 8:00 AM at # 82 Betterliving Subd. Parañaque City at JUAN LANUZA & SONS- AUCTIONEER

( T S - D E C . 3 0 , 2 0 15 )

AUCTION SALE POB CASA DE EMPEÑOS All unredeemed pledges during the month of AUGUST 2015 will be sold to public auction on JANUARY 23, 2016 at the ff. branches: ST. FRANCIS 10:30 AM at # 40 Kingfisher St., St. Francis, Meycauayan, Bulacan POBLACION – 11:30 AM # 721 Barrera St., Poblacion, Baliuag, Bulacan at JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER ( T S - D E C . 3 0 , 2 0 15 )

AUCTION SALE

Redevelopment. A worker pushes a trolley past stalls on Gage Street, the site of one of the oldest

wet markets in Hong Kong, on December 29, 2015. Vendors have been selling fresh produce at the market for over 140 years, but a plan unveiled by the Urban Renewal Authority in 2007 to redevelop the area at a cost of just under US$500 million has resulted in the closure and relocation of some of the stalls. AFP

Agreement on sex slaves slammed TOKYO—Some 200 Japanese nationalists lashed out Tuesday at an agreement to settle a dispute with South Korea about wartime sex slaves, with some calling on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to kill himself in shame.

Japan Monday offered a “heartfelt apology” and a onebillion yen ($8.3-million) payment to surviving South Korean “comfort women” forced into Japanese military brothels during World War II. Abe, himself a nationalist who came to power three years ago vowing to revitalize Japan’s economy and revise its warrenouncing constitution, has praised the agreement as heralding a “new era” for relations.

Ties between Tokyo and Seoul have long been soured by the sex- slave issue, a legacy of Japan’s colonial rule over the Korean peninsula and of World War II. Some on Japan’s conservative far right have long said the country has nothing to apologize for and have questioned the accounts of the surviving comfort women, suggesting they were prostitutes and not coerced.

Demonstrators, mostly in their 60s or older, sang “Kimigayo,” the national anthem that is an ode to Japan’s emperor, and carried red and white national flags.

“We will never allow this quislingism,” participants at

the rally outside the compound housing Abe’s official office and residence chanted in unison, calling him a traitor.

“Reverse this disgraceful act,” they yelled.

“Abe, you stained the spirit of the war dead!” one woman shouted.

“You must commit seppuku,” she added, referring to the traditional act of ritual suicide by disembowelment.

Satoru Mizushima, a rally organizer, told AFP: “The agreement is going to be Japan’s worst blemish. Prime Minister Abe did what he should not do. It was so deplorable.”

The crowd then moved to the foreign ministry for a similar rally. AFP

tragedy will never happen again,” they said in a joint statement.

“The latest agreement appears to be nothing but a diplomatic collusion that betrayed such wishes of the victims.”

TAMCAR PAWNSHOP CORP.

All unredeemed pledges during the month of AUGUST 2015 will be sold to public auction on JANUARY 12, 2016 at the ff. branches: BUSTILLOS -2:00 PM at # L2522-28 Road 216, Earnshaw Bustillos, Manila JANUARY 25, 2016 CALOOCAN – 1:00 PM # 434 J. RODRIGUEZ ST., at JUAN LANUZA & SONS- AUCTIONEER ( T S - D E C . 3 0 , 2 0 15 )

AUCTION SALE PEARLAS PAWNSHOP CO., INC. All unredeemed pledges during the month of AUGUST 2015 w i l l b e sold to public auction on JANUARY 0 5 , 2 0 1 6 at the ff. branches: MONTILLANO - 12:30 PM at 249 Montillano St., Alabang,Muntinlupa C i t y JANUARY 0 7 , 2 0 1 6 SUMULONG – 9:00 AM # 24 Sumulong Hway Sto. Niño, Marikina City CONCEPCION – 10:00 AM #19 Bayan Bayanan Ave., Concepcion, M a r i k i n a C i t y JANUARY 12, 2016 G . N U E V O – 9 : 0 0 A M Ta n H o c k Bldg., C o r.

EDSA, M a k a t i C i t y JANUARY 2 3 , 2 0 1 6 B . B A R R I O - 11 : 3 0 AM # 35 Malolos Ave., B. Barrio, Caloocan C i t y JANUARY 2 3 , 2 0 1 6 VA L E N Z U E L A – 1 2 : 0 0 P M # 11 5 F a u s t i n o S t . , Punturin, Va l e n z u e l a City at JUAN LANUZA & SONS- AUCTIONEER ( T S - D E C . 3 0 , 2 0 15 )

Reaction on Twitter was largely critical.

“How could such a humiliating and lax agreement be ‘final and irreversible’? The victims will never accept that!” tweeted @prettykw. AFP

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All unredeemed pledges during the month of AUGUST 2015 will be sold to public auction on JANUARY 25, 2016 at NAVOTAS - 2:30 PM at # 256 Champaca St., Navotas Metro Manila at JUAN LANUZA & SONS- AUCTIONEER

All unredeemed pledges - D E C . 3 0 , 2 015 ) during the ( T S month of AUGUST 2015 will be sold to public auction on JANUARY 7, 2016 at PATEROS - 8:00 AM at # M. Almeda Cor. B. Morcilla St., Pateros, Metro Manila at JUAN LANUZA & SONS- AUCTIONEER

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RACATAM PAWNSHOP CO., INC.

All unredeemed pledges during the month of AUGUST 2015 will be sold to public auction on JANUARY 12, 2016 at the ff. branches: HERRAN - 8:00 AM at # 1101 P. Gil St., Paco, Manila STA. ANA – 10:00 AM # 390 AP Reyes Cor. JP Rizal St., Makati City at JUAN LANUZA & SONS- AUCTIONEER ( T S - D E C . 3 0 , 2 0 15 )

All unredeemed pledges during the month of AUGUST 2015 will be sold to public auction on JANUARY 18, 2016 at the ff. branches: PRITIL - 8:00 AM at 1833 N. Zamora St., Pritil, Tondo, Manila BLUMENTRITT – 10:30 AM #1687 M. Hizon St., Blumentritt, Manila VARONA – 8:30 AM 1872 F. VARONA ST., BRGY 95, ZONE 8, TONDO, MANILA JANUARY 23, 2016 ALTURA – 9:00 AM # 418 Altura St. Sta. Mesa, Manila at JUAN LANUZA & SONS- AUCTIONEER ( T S - D E C . 3 0 , 2 0 15 )

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All unredeemed pledges during the month of AUGUST 2015 will be sold to public auction on JANUARY 4, 2016 at RITZ - 12:00 PM at Stall # New Muntinlupa Public Market, Alabang Muntinlupa City JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER ( T S - D E C . 3 0 , 2 0 15 )

All unredeemed pledges during the month of AUGUST 2015 will be sold to public auction on JANUARY 07, 2016 at the ff. branches: COUNTRYSIDE - 12:30 PM at 49 Countryside Ave., Sta. Lucia, Pasig City JUNCTION – 2:30 PM # Star Valley Plaza Mall, Junction at JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER

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All unredeemed pledges during the month of AUGUST 2015 will be sold to public auction on JANUARY 4, 2016 at the ff. branches: SUCAT - 9:00 AM at #3 Dr., A. Santos Ave., Sucat, Parañaque City MUNTI – 1:30 PM #659 National Road, Poblacion St., Muntinlupa City JANUARY 07, 2016 SAN JOAQUIN – 1:30 PM # 9 M. Concepcion San Joaquin, Pasig City JANUARY 23, 2016 10TH AVE. – 2:00 PM # 245B 10TH Ave., Brgy., 60 Zone 6, Caloocan City JANUARY 23, 2016 MARILAO – 1 PM #5 NETWORK AVE., MERALCO VILL. LIAS MARILAO BULACAN JANUARY 12, 2016 SAGRADA – 11:00AM #1978 ESTRADA ST., FORMER SAGRADA FAMILIA STA. ANA, MLA. JANUARY 18, 2016 GAGALANGIN – 8:45 AM #2 JUAN LUNA ST., COR. GUIDO ST., TONDO MANILA JANUARY 22, 2016, STO NIÑO – 9:30 AM #30 ST., THERESE COR, ST. PETER, P3 STO NIÑO MEYCAUAN BULACAN at JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER ( T S - D E C . 3 0 , 2 0 15 )

All unredeemed pledges during the month of AUGUST 2015 will be sold to public auction on JANUARY 04, 2016 at BF Homes – 10:00 AM # 43 President’s Ave., BF Homes, Parañaque City SPL - 3:00 PM at Casa Hacienda San Pedro, Laguna on JANUARY 07, 2016 at the ff. branches: ROMULO - 10:00 AM at 135 13TH Ave., Cor. P. Tuazon, Cubao, QC SANTOLAN – 4:00 PM 526 ADR Bldg., Dela Paz, Santolan, Pasig City on JANUARY 12, 2016 JP RIZAL – 11:00 AM # 529 Olympia St., JP Rizal, Makati City ALPHALAND – 5:00 PM G11 South Gate Towers, P. Tamo Ext., Makati City MANUELA – 3:00 PM G/F Starmall, Wack2, Mandaluyong City JANUARY 18, 2016 LALOMA – 11:30 AM # 67 Calavite St., Brgy., P. Bundok, QC RETIRO - 12:30 PM # 270 N.S. amoranto Street, Retiro QC. ROTONDA – 2:00 PM # 1 Sto. Tomas St., Rotonda QC at JUAN LANUZA & SONSAUCTIONEER

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B8 Germany approves bicycle highways BERLIN—It’s every cyclist’s dream: no red lights, no trucks, just a clear, smooth lane to zoom down with the wind in your face. Welcome to Germany’s first bicycle Autobahn.

Fans hail the smooth new velo routes as the answer to urban traffic jams and air pollution, and a way to safely get nine-to-fivers outdoors.

As a glimpse of a greener urban transport future, Germany has just opened the first five-kilometer stretch of a bicycle highway that is set to span over 100 kilometers.

It will connect 10 western cities including Duisburg, Bochum and Hamm and four universities, running largely along disused railroad tracks in the crumbling Ruhr industrial region.

Almost two million people live within two kilometers of the route and will be able to use sections for their daily commutes, said Martin Toennes of regional development group RVR. Aided by booming demand for electric bikes, which take the sting out of uphill sections, the new track should take 50,000 cars off the roads every day, an RVR study predicts.

The idea, pioneered in the Netherlands and Denmark, is gaining traction elsewhere in Germany too.

The banking centre of Frankfurt is planning a 30-kilometer path south to Darmstadt, the Bavarian capital of Munich is plotting a 15-kilometer route into its northern suburbs, and Nuremberg has launched a feasibility study into a track linking it with four cities.

In the capital Berlin, the city administration in early December gave the green light to a feasibility study on connecting the city centre with the leafy southwestern suburb of Zehlendorf.

The new velo routes are a luxury upgrade from the aging singlelane bike paths common in many German cities, where tree roots below can create irregular speed bumps and a mellow cycling lane can suddenly end or, more alarmingly, merge into a bus lane.

The new type of bike routes are around 13 feet wide, have overtaking lanes and usually cross roads via overpasses and underpasses.

The paths are lit and cleared of snow in winter. AFP

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

WORLD 110 journalists killed, and 67 in line of duty PARIS—A total of 110 journalists were killed around the world in 2015, Reporters Without Borders or RSF said on Tuesday, noting that while many died in war zones the majority were killed in supposedly peaceful countries.

In attendance. Models wearing Dennis Basso creations attend THE NOW 2015 at the Aspen Art Museum on December 28, 2015, in Aspen, Colorado. AFP

Sixty-seven journalists were killed in the line of duty this year, the watchdog group said in its annual roundup, listing war-torn Iraq and Syria as most dangerous places for journalists with 11 and 10 fatalities respectively, followed by France, where eight journalists were killed in a jihadist assault on a satirical magazine.

A further 43 journalists around the world died in circumstances that were unclear and 27 nonprofessional “citizen-journalists” and seven other media workers were also killed, RSF said.

The high toll is “largely attributable to deliberate violence against journalists” and demonstrates the failure of initiatives to protect media personnel, the report said, calling for the United Nations to take action.

In particular, the report shed light on the growing role of “non-state groups”—often jihadists such as the Islamic State group—in perpetrating atrocities against journalists.

In 2014, it said, two-thirds of the journalists killed were in war zones. But in 2015, it was the exact opposite, with “two-thirds killed in countries ‘at peace’.”

“Non-state groups perpetrate targeted atrocities while too many governments do not comply with their obligations under international law,” RSF Secretary General Christophe Deloire said.

“The 110 journalists killed this year need a response that matches the emergency. A special representative of the United Nations secretary-general for the safety of journalists must be appointed without delay.”

The 67 deaths bring to 787 the total number of journalists who were murdered, knowingly targeted or killed in the course of their work since 2005, the Paris-based organization said. In 2014, there were 66 such fatalities.

France was the scene of an unprecedented attack on the press in January, when gunmen opened fire at the offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, killing 12 people, including eight journalists. AFP

Carer confesses to killing elderly patient BEIJING—A Chinese carer has confessed in court to killing her elderly patient in order to receive her salary early, and claims to have killed seven more, reports said Tuesday.

The deaths highlight the weaknesses in the elderly care system in the country, whose vast population is aging rapidly.

He Tiandi, 45, went on trial last week in the southern city of Guangzhou for the murder of a woman in her 70s.

According to local media reports, the victim’s daughter-in-law had promised He a full month’s wage in the event of her patient’s death regardless of how many days she had worked.

After only four days of looking af-

ter the patient, He allegedly fed her broth spiked with sleeping pills and toxic chemicals, injected the potion into her belly and buttocks and finally garrotted her with a nylon rope, the Guangzhou Daily said.

“I didn’t want someone else to get the money,” she told the court, the paper reported.

During a police interrogation, He confessed to murdering another seven patients and attempting to kill two more by poisoning, the article said, adding that prosecutors did not press charges over these cases due to a lack of evidence.

There are deep demographic challenges in China, where holes in the social safety net have left many of the

country’s aged, and their children, desperate for assistance.

China now has more than 212 million people over 60, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

“An increasing number of them will need the care of others in the near future,” the China Daily said in an editorial about the murder case Tuesday.

While children “can put safety measures in place against those with bad or evil intentions... it should be possible for such care providers to be registered and vetted”, it added.

The worries were reflected on social media.

“This is hard to bear,” said one commentator. “The living environment of the elderly is bleak.” AFP

New creation. Olga Smirnova and Artem Ovcharenko perform in the “Casse-Noisette et Compagnie” (Nutcracker and Company), a new creation by French dancer and choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot on December 28, 2015 in Monaco. 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

H OME & L I V ING

LIFE Matt Carr's Umbra Shift - Brick lamp

Matt Carr's Umbra Shift - Hanger Chair

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Matt Carr's Umbra Shift - Nest Caddy

Matt Carr's Umbra Shift - Coiled Stool

Arno Ruijzenaars' Leff Amsterdam - Hazy

CARR, RUIJZENAARS AND COBONPUE: DESIGNING MEN TAKE CENTER STAGE IN CONTEMPORARY DESIGN SHOWCASE

M

asterpieces by three designers of globally recognized brands in home furnishing were featured in the Contemporary Design showcase held at the Kenneth Cobonpue Showroom in Greenbelt. They are Matt Carr of Toronto-based homeware design company Umbra; Arno Ruijzenaars of clock master, LEFF Amsterdam; and renowned Filipino furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue.

Subtle design detail, style references, and the reinvention of traditional objects distinguish the signature designs of Umbra design director Matt Carr. Recent inspirations include mixing cross-cultural orientations while combining new technology with natural materials.

Among the highlights of the showcase include pieces from Umbra Shift – a line a line that emergend when designers were asked to redesign personal objects that they themselves would want to

give as gifts or use at home – resulting in a functional, familiar, and forward thinking collection that expresses the diverse points of view of the designers.

Matt Carr

The Coiled Stool for instance is inspired by the highly admired traditional basket-making techniques of the Philippines. Hand-woven threads cover a rattan core for a comfortable tractor seat. The Coiled Stool was so well received that a

barstool version was also created to fit easily into casual and formal environments. Also part of the Umbra Shift collection is the Brick Lamp, an adjustable LED task lamp.

Admireres of Arno Ruijzenaars – one of the founders and lead designers of clock masters LEFF Amsterdam – say his pieces evoke heart, beauty and function. “Lef ” is a Dutch word derived from the Hebrew word for heart, but it also means “doing something that others don’t dare to do, like pushing boundaries and going against the grain.” This is precisely the reason why Ruijzenaars, together with his brother Dennis and designer Erwin Termaat, established the brand in 2011: to break away from the “dull and boring basics.”

This explains why the rband’s designers are inspired to create beautiful clocks that everyone wants to have – even if nobody really needs a clock.

Continue on C2

Kenneth Cobonpue's Sama-sama

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@LIFEatStandard

Arno Ruijzenaars' Leff Amsterdam - Block

Arno Ruijzenaars' Leff Amsterdam - Felt

Arno Ruijzenaars' Leff Amsterdam - Brick

Kenneth Cobonpue

Arno Ruijzenaars From C1

LEFF recently collaborated with prolific designer Piet Hein Eek to create the Tube Clock whose starting point was a tube and an extrusion ring. Other Eeek masterpieces include the Tube Audio, a bluetooth speaker that delivers extraordinarily solid sound, and the Tube Wood, wooden beams that make great table clocks when combined with the Tube Clock.

Cebuano industrial designer Kenneth Cobonpue is known for using natural materials such as rattan, bamboo, abaca, and buri palm to create beautiful, functional, and long-lasting pieces.

His innovative, ergonomic, and comfortable Yoda chairs for the world leaders during the

recent Asia Pacific Economic Conference welcome dinner have given him global renown. Inspired by blades of glass, the Yoda chair strikes a balance between simplistic form and eye-catching detail. The chairs are made of either split rattan for the indoor version or PVC for the outdoor version.

The perfect marriage of beauty and function is the common principle shared by designers across the globe – the force that binds Umbra, LEFF Amsterdam, and Kenneth Cobonpue.

Catch the Contemporary Design Showcase at the Kenneth Cobonpue Showroom located at The Residences, San Lorenzo Tower, Greenbelt, Makati City.

Kenneth Cobonpue's Yoda for APEC

Kenneth Cobonpue's Sama-sama

TAKE A JOURNEY WHILE YOU SLEEP BURNETT- hand painted floral design inspired by the shimmering heat of a summer’s day

BED AND BATH BRAND LAUNCHES COLLECTION INSPIRED BY AUSTRALIAN LANDSCAPE

L CANNAN - Fully reversible nautical design, WANDANA - Colours of the landscape featuring different textured bands of the by moonlight inspired this hand painted classic stripe geometric design

WALKINGS - Hand painted abstract work using impasto paint technique that captures the ever-changing colours of the Australian bush

WHITFIELD - Lustrous 700 thread count allwhite linen with delicate tracery embroidery

SHENTON - Layered panel print features the mythical beauty in jade of different flowers, leaves and birds

eading Australian bed and bath brand Sheridan explores the diverse landscape of the Land Down Under – deserts, beaches and rainforests – and brings them together in its latest collection called "Into the Horizon."

In the words of general manager of Design Jo Jaggs, the inspiration for the collection came "from the possibilities of our great Australian landscape and transforming it into textiles and homewares that are beautiful, textural and luxurious.

After continual brainstorming and meticulous crafting, Sheridan Sydney Design Studio's artists and designers came up with a collection that makes use of organic neutrals, rich sateen blues, geometric weaves, hand drawn stripes and bold graphic prints – all of which intended to capture the sense of wonder felt when taking a journey to a new horizon.

"Into the Horizon" is composed of three sub collections, namely

Out to Sea, Mirage, and Inland.

Taking cue from the Australian coastline and its iconic summer vibe, Out to Sea features Burnett (hand painted floral design inspired by the shimmering heat of a summer's day), Cannan (fully reversible design that features different textured bands of the classic stripe) and Wandana (hand painted geometric design inspired by the colors of landscape under the moonlight).

About 70 percent of the entirety of Australia is desert, and from these dry areas came the Mirage collection. Take a trip to the semiarid flat soils while dozing off on Whitfield (lustrous 700-thread count, all-white linen with delicate tracery embroidery), Toolonga (textured jacquard weave inspired by the organic, wave-like patterns in the sand dunes), Landsdale (100 percent cotton jacquard weave inspired by the waves of the ocean), or Holloway (white-on-white sateen weave with a micro line of color).

Striking a balance between Australia's ocean and dry soil is its lush tropics. The Inland collection captures the vibrant color of the country's flora and fauna through Walkings (hand painted abstract work – using the impasto paint technique – inspired by the everchanging hues of the Australian bush) and Shenton (layered panel print featuring the shade of jade as found in flowers, leaves and birds).

Sheridan's "Into the Horizon" collection takes everyone on a linen adventure –from floating far out into the ocean, to venturing across great plains and beyond, to reaching legendary deserts and lush eucalypt landscapes – while getting a good night's sleep.

Sheridan showroom is located at Level 4 Shangri-La Plaza, Edsa cor. Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong City, and has outlets at Rustan’s in Makati and Alabang, and MakeRoom in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.

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@LIFEatStandard

Of Endings and Beginnings LIV.E SIMPLY

BY LIV E.

I

’ve never been good at goodbyes.

Saying goodbye to my bed in the morning is never easy. Saying goodbye to my kids as I drop them off at school is never just a quick wave; somehow, I have to get more than the three-letter “Bye” in there, following it up with “Have a great day, hon!” or “Be good, okay?”

In the next month or two, I’m going to have to wave goodbye to one of my sons who’ll be spending half the year studying halfway around the globe, and I can’t even begin to tell you how much I dread that.

But it doesn’t have to be that way, does it? Because, really, isn’t every ending also a beginning?

And aren’t beginnings just so exciting, so wonderful, so full of promise? Show me someone who wouldn’t love the chance to erase a blackboard full of scribbles and begin on a blank slate.

All this talk of blank slates and endings and beginnings calls to mind a certain piece of white paper that my eldest sister likes to pass

around to all her siblings every New Year’s Eve, with the instruction to write down three New Year’s Resolutions.

Oh how I dislike that blank piece of paper.

Because, okay, I confess: I’m never good at making New Year’s Resolutions. In all the years that I’ve made them, I’ve never been able to really keep them. Do I see anyone raising their hands and saying “Me, too! Me, too!”?

Because you know, if you’re with me on this, it turns out we’re actually in good company. A quick Google search led to me to the Statistic Brain Research Institute, which states that only eight percent of those who make New Year’s resolutions are successful in achieving them. The data also says that 75 percent manage to keep their resolutions through the first week, but by the sixth month, only 46 percent are still clinging on for dear life to them. Yet the Institute also declares that people who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don’t actively make resolutions.

Everyone knows that having a goal is a good thing. So clearly, it’s a good thing to make resolutions. But resolutions only count if they get fulfilled. So then it seems the secret to being successful in making and

keeping resolutions is… don’t make them on New Year’s Day! Okay, now that we’re done laughing, let’s get serious. Because I actually think we may be on to something here.

See, judging from past experience, my New Year’s resolutions tend to be large and grand and awesome. (Well, when we’re toasting away the end of the year and greeting a new one with rich wine and good cheer, we tend to favor the grandiose, right?)

The thing is, after the eve’s buzz has faded, we find ourselves facing a series of ordinary normal days. And as we go about living those uneventful mundane days, we’re bound to forget about our resolutions or we’re bound to fail at least once, because we happen to be human and imperfection is kind of built in into our systems. And when we do fail, we find it’s easy to give up. And when that happens, we go back to our old ways, excusing ourselves by muttering, “Oh well, New Year’s resolutions are always doomed to fail anyway.”

And maybe some are. Especially when they’re large and grand and awesome, and perhaps sort of impossible to achieve in the first place, like promising to lose 10 pounds and fit into a Size 2 by February (honey, there ain’t no way that’s happening in my world). But

if I say, “I’m going to stay away from rice today”… now there’s something that’s friendlier, more doable, more reachable. If I am successful, then great! I get to pat myself on the back and do it all over again the next day, and perhaps by the end of the year I really will have lost 10 pounds.

But if I fail and end up sneaking in a tablespoon or two of rice?

Well, then I can always renew my promise and resolve to begin again the next day, channeling my inner Scarlett O’Hara: “After all, tomorrow is another day.”

I really do think replacing New Year’s resolutions with daily resolutions would work!

See, there’s something greatly encouraging about making bitesized resolutions. They’re easier to keep, easier to accomplish, easier to measure. And because we make them on a daily, instead of yearly, basis, there’s a greater chance that we’ll be more successful in achieving them. It’s one thing to shut our eyes tight, make a wish, and attempt to make a huge leap across the great divide. But there’s something to be said about taking it one sure step at a time, one foot in front of the other, till we get to the top of the mountain. Who was the wise one who promised that slow and steady wins the race?

So, you know, this time tomorrow, I think I’ll take that white sheet of paper and instead of writing down three New Year’s resolutions, I’ll be making only one… for that day. And then another, and then another. So 365 days from now, I’d have attempted 365 resolutions, and with the law of probabilities on my side, I’m willing to bet that I’d have more success with at least half of them than I would have had with the New Year’s three for the whole year.

See, New Year’s Eve doesn’t have to be about endings and beginnings. It can also be all about beginning and beginning again: day after day, renewing the struggle and the determination to do better in little things. Until we arrive at the end of the year and look back and see that we’ve come a long way, and that all the little things have added up to a great big thing after all. Now that’s the kind of ending and beginning that I like because it’s hopeful and it’s positive and it’s happy.

So here’s to a happy New Year, to you and yours, from me and my 365 days of happy new day’s resolutions!

May you be successful in each one of yours, too!

Follow me on Twitter @ LivE_LiveSimply Like my page, follow all my articles, and send me feedback @ Facebook/liv.esimplywithLiv

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@LIFEatStandard

Keaton copper bowls for Anton’s #theperfectgiftjustlikethat

Crate & Barrel’s Woodland Natural Christmas Table

Popcorn Bowls for Tessa’s #theperfectgiftjustlikethat

HOLIDAY TABLESCAPES AT CRATE & BARREL

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hen it comes to setting the table, creating a curated look infuses freshness and style – and Crate & Barrel has plenty of ways to make the holidays’ tablescape creative and artistic.

Instead of the usual unvaried matching pieces, combine new items with family heirlooms.

Highlight contrasts, like shiny with matte, metallic with rough-hewn.

Add color with fruits, veggies or blooms in large containers.

Cranberries for example look marvelous in tall glass hurricanes.

Artisanal pieces also provide an aura of warmth, while toneon-tone relief on handcrafted ceramic tableware subtly reflects seasonal motifs. Add to that miniature frames of loved ones celebrating past holidays.

Guests at Crate & Barrel in Makati had a glimpse of creative tablescapes during a dining and entertaining event, with interior designer Tessa Alindogan and Metro Home editor-in-chief Anton Barretto demonstrating how to make innovative holiday settings using items from the store. The two showcased breathtaking tablescapes, shared holiday entertaining tips and chose gift ideas for family and friends for #theperfectgiftjustlikethat.

Anton and Tessa’s tablescapes captured the spirit of two tabledecorating ideas from Crate &

Barrel: Woodland or Natural and Sparkle. Woodland or Natural featured fresh greens; weathered or natural wood bowls, platters, or birch candles; and classic all-white dinnerware in round or square shapes.

Sparkle, on the other hand, had bejeweled or metallic décor elements; a mix of metals like gold, copper, and silver; frosty platters or bowls, embellished plates and glasses offset with white, cobalt, or turquoise; and lots of candles that reflect the gloriousness of it all.

“Anton’s set up is more of the Woodland or Natural Christmas theme,” says Joanne Tsai, Crate & Barrel’s Visual Merchandising head, noting that a lot of greens and mixed weathered natural wood were used. On the other hand, Tessa’s look is more like that of the Sparkling table with elegance stamped on it. She used mixed metallic materials like copper, silver, and gold, noted Tsai.

Anton, who likes to be “a bit more creative so I extend the expected to the unexpected” likes mixing and matching “I like breaking pieces because for me entertaining is all about the memory that the guests will take away after the event,” he says.

Anton’s setting played around with things on the table, using different elements, textures, and colors. His tablescape had

a blue, white and black palette with yellow, orange and green contrasts. “Use lot of things that you have at home,” he says, adding that one should not be afraid to “go a step further and experiment, mix and match patterns, plains and prints that you have.”

Tessa, on the other hand, says that she is “not into Christmas plates and stuff because I’m a practical person.” What she chose were plates that one can use allyear round, but added Christmas touches like the cut-out Christmas trees and the small animals, using orange as her accent color. “It not only it looks good, but is functional as well,” she says, since “orange whets one’s appetite.”

Tessa also made the setting more interesting by using the cheese platter as a charger to show people that “even if you don’t have the budget, you can still make your table look attractive.” To make guests feel special, she put individual carafes and small vases with Ecuadorian roses. Tessa also added candles in different sizes to make the setting more intimate. “It’s a play of shapes and heights,” she says.

Share your favorite holiday table decorating ideas by using the hashtag #crateandbarrelph #theperfectgiftjustlikethat. Crate & Barrel Stores are located at SM Aura, SM Mega Fashion Hall and at SM Makati.

ETIHAD AIRWAYS SETS NEW BENCHMARK WITH OPENING OF PREMIUM LOUNGE AT NEW YORK’S JFK AIRPORT

E

tihad Airways guests at JFK’s International Terminal 4 will find the airline’s premium lounge the ultimate in luxury and comfort. Only its second in the US, the premium lounge at JFK evokes a 21st century Abu Dhabi modernism reflected on the design, with custom furnishings by Boss adding to the elegant look.

This upgraded area offers guests a range of distinctive seating styles and additional features that include luxurious restrooms with showers and changing rooms, dedicated male and female ablution and prayer rooms, a library and luggage storage. Topping off the high end amenities is a sculptural showcase

bar and lounge with an extensive and bespoke cocktail and mocktail selection developed in partnership with a leading London-based beverage consultancy Fluid Movement – underpinning Etihad Airways’ commitment to culinary innovation and world-class food and beverage. The new lounge also features a private lounge exclusively for guests in The Residence, complementing the range of bespoke services offered to guests in flight.

“The opening of Etihad Airways’ new First and Business Class Lounge at New York’s JFK International Airport reinforces our commitment to investing in the travel experience and providing our guests with

Crate & Barrel BU head Albert Ong, interior designer Tessa Alindogan and Metro Home editor-in-chief Anton Barretto

Being a practical person, Tessa Alindogan chose plates that can be used all-year round, but added touches like the wooden Christmas tree table top, small cut-out animals, orange Ecuadorian roses and candles

Anton Barretto on his personally designed tablescape for the holidays at Crate & Barrel where he played around on different elements, different textures and colors

“Think out of the box and do it the unconventional way. You can always get plants from your garden. It’s an inexpensive way to decorate,” says Anton

Tessa’s #theperfectgiftjustlikethat: Domino-inspired Game Night Plates

An autumn palette with orange as the accent color since “Orange whets one’s appetite,” says Tessa

You can mix and match or alternate the use of items, like the cheese platter which was used as a charger to make it more interesting

Anton’s picks for #theperfectgiftjustlikethat: Copper knives for hard, soft and wedge cheese.

Etihad Airways’ new First and Business Class Lounge at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport includes an exclusive premium space for guests of The Residence by Etihad™, a sculptural showcase bar and lounge and custom furnishings

the highest levels of comfort, luxury and world-class hospitality at every point in their journey – on the ground and in the air,” says Etihad Airways president and chief executive officer James Hogan.

The lounge is the first to feature “Facets of Abu Dhabi” branding, with a color palette that reflects the varying hues of the landscape of the UAE – from the darker sands of Liwa to the lighter colors seen in the northern emirates. The airline’s new JFK lounge joins its network of lounges in Abu Dhabi, Sydney, Frankfurt, London Heathrow, Manchester, Dublin, Paris and Washington, D.C. Since October 2006, Etihad Airways has been servicing New York’s JFK Airport,

offering double daily, non-stop flights to Abu Dhabi up to present. Etihad Airways also offers daily services between Abu Dhabi and Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco, as well as three weekly flights to Dallas/Fort Worth.

Last November 23, Etihad Airways’ A380 flights between Abu Dhabi and New York’s JFK International Airport started, with the daily A380 service replacing a Boeing 777 flight and complementing a second daily B777 service between the two cities (operated by Etihad Airways on a Jet Airways-liveried aircraft).

For more information, please visit: www.etihad.com

W EDNES DAY : DECEMBER 3 0, 2015

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

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JaCk Jones’

Year-ender concert

“J

Jack Jones; The look that makes a lot of women swooning

ack Jones makes me swoon,” says KT Sullivan, cabaret singer, artistic director of the Mabel Mercer Foundation, and Jones fan since she first heard his recordings and saw him on television musicals and late-night talk shows.

“The first time I saw him in person was at the Algonquin in New York on his opening night — the night after I closed my engagement there. When I saw his tall, lean body, shock of white hair, and heard his amazing vocal control, that’s when I started swooning. I came back night after night. No one today touches your heart when they sing the way Jack does.”

Jones rose to fame with his Grammy-winning Best Pop Male Vocal performance for “Lollipops and Roses” (1962), followed by his Grammy-winning “Wives and Lovers” (1963). Then came mega single hits, including “Lady,” “Call Me Irresponsible,” and “What I Did For Love” — plus theme songs for Love Boat and Love With a Proper Stranger, 50 albums (17 of which made the Billboard Top 20).

Grammy nominations include the 1998 album Jack Jones Paints a Tribute to Tony Bennett.

Jones loves doing impressions. “I remember once when we were living in Palm Springs, I changed my voice and the message on my parents’ answering machine: ‘There is no one here. Just the robbers, and we are too busy to take your message,’ the machine said. My mother thought she was being robbed and called the police.” Even now, a Walter Cronkite sound-alike is apt to ask a Jones caller to leave a message.

He recently made appeared as himself in David O. Russell’s film, American Hustle, with Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Christian Bale, and Jeremy Bale. He looks forward to going to Nashville early next year to record a country album.

Last night, the crowd at the KIA Theatre (formerly New Frontier Theater) was on a sing-along mode watching Jones perform his classic hits that even up until this day continue to haunt listeners on the radio.

Tonight, he’s going to make his audience at the Monet Ballroom of Novotel Manila, Araneta Center swoon once more and make them feeling longing for love. The show starts at 8.p.m. for his second performance and, also, his last show this year.

Produced by ManCo Productions, Inc. and Royale Chimes Concerts and Events, Inc., the show is entitled Jack Jones Sings Songs From The Heart and Jones is glad he’s in the country his heart is very close to during this holiday season.

“It is always a pleasure performing to the Filipino audience because of their love for music. There are a lot of great singers as well so it’s like one sing-along party whenever I’m on stage trying to listen to them. I’m looking forward to this show because this is the first time I will be spending Christmas season,

Gerphil Flores and Jose Mari Chan are Jack Jones' guest tonight at Novotel

and almost New Year, in the Philippines. I heard that Filipinos are one of the best in celebrating this time of the year,” says the great singer.

And yes, Jack performs his signature songs plus well-loved covers and tracks from his recently released CD called Seriously Frank, an album that pays tribute to Frank Sinatra and celebrates his 100th birth anniversary.

Adding excitement to the show is special guest Jose Mari Chan. When Jack learned that his friend Jose Mari would be appearing in the show, he immediately called him and both agreed to do a very special production number.

Another guest is Asia’s Got Talent second-runner up Gerphil Flores.

For those who were not able to watch her in the said talent show, Gerphil’s most applauded performance is her rendition of the Jack Jones classic “The Impossible Dream.”

Jack’s disarming smile, effortlessly engaging wit and vocal style stands alone, making him one of the greatest singers of all-time. Jack Jones is the very definition of a complete and total entertainer. The New York Times raves, “he is arguably the most technically accomplished male pop singer.” Frank Sinatra even once said, “Jack Jones is one of the major singers of our time.”

With over 50 recorded albums (17 of them charting Billboard’s Top 20) and consistently sold-out world tours, Jack Jones continues to charm audiences with his wit, sensitivity and vocal power.

“Bring the whole family to the show.

We’ll make this an unforgettable Yuletide celebration. Let’s all have a great time,” the Total Entertainer says.

Part of the proceeds of the show will be donated to Kaagapay ng Tagaligtas, Inc., a non-stock, non-profit organization dedicated primarily to raising funds and organizing programs for the benefit of the orphans and dependents of the Forty-Four (44) Special Action Force personnel (SAF 44) who were killed in action during anti-terrorist operations conducted in Tukalinapao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao early this year.

Tickets to Jack Jones Sings Songs From The Heart are available at the Ticketnet box office and online. For sspecial ticket discounts and block buyers, call (0918) 4972121 or (0906) 4180786 and look for Murphy.

W EDNES DAY : DECEMBER 3 0, 2015

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

KanyE WESt hEaDLInES PaRaDISE MUSIC fEStIvaL In aPRIL

I

t’s official. The Paradise International Music Festival (Paradise IMF) is gearing up for their first-ever music spectacle in Manila.

One of its main attractions is one of the most influential names in the international music industry – Kanye West.

It will be held on April 9 at the Aseana Open Grounds in Parañaque. Music enthusiasts will be treated to live performances from a wide variety of artists from different genres on a 10-hectare concert ground, with stages set up across the field for a uniquely immersive concert experience.

RaISIng thE StanDaRD fOR PhILIPPInE MUSIC fEStIvaLS West will be performing in the Philippines for the first time ever, leading the pack of international and local names that will be joining the festival.

With this scale, Boardworks Media Entertainment co-owner Joshua Ylaya expects fans to come in from all over the globe. “We are very much getting ready to make this music festival the biggest yet – it is time to put the Philippines on the map as an international music destination,” he says.

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian during their wedding

hEaDLInIng PaRaDISE Selling over 21 million albums and 100 million digital downloads worldwide, and winning 21 Grammy Awards, West has become one of the most awarded and best-selling artists of all time.

He was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential peo-

ple in the World in 2005, 2011, and 2015. Rolling Stone in 2012 included three of his then five albums in their list of “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

“West is well-known for his relentlessness and game-changing feats within the music industry and beyond. In the same fashion, we are here to change the face of

the industry in the Country. The world of music in the Philippines has greatly changed over the last decade and our dream is that we become known as an international destination for music festivals.

The fate of our industry is just waiting to be “discovered” by the world and will be one to watch.”

Ylaya concluded.

New Year revelrY

Marcos joins calls against firecracker use and illegal discharge of guns

L

et’s have a safe New Year celebration.

Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. aired this reminder as he joined calls against the use of firecrackers and firing of guns to welcome the New Year.

“It is alarming that this early incidents of firecracker-related injuries and from stray bullets are starting to increase,” Marcos cited.

“As of 8:00 a.m. of Dec. 27, the Philippine National Police

Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Rodeo ride 7 “2001” computer 10 Affectionate 14 Absorb (2 wds.)

15 Dander, plus 16 Essay byline 17 Hesitant 18 — Maria (coffee liqueur) 19 Cheerful tone 20 It’s of earthshaking importance (2 wds.)

23 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 37 38 39

Black tea Da or ja Like a damp rock Two fives for — — Spring mo.

Comics hero Jungle — Place for a pint Scrooge’s retort Kind of look Tooth-puller’s org.

Great Lakes cargo Paris street

40 41 43 44 45 46 47 48 51 52 53 56 57 58 62 63 64 65 66 67

Under the weather Beirut locale Midwest st.

Spiral molecule Racket Banned bug spray Shaft of light Urbane Mexican Mrs. Hot dip Kind of gas or dust Odin’s son Instant lawn Open Novak and Basinger Barge pusher Waffle toppings Domed recess Sault — Marie Throaty

DOWN 1 Heat meas.

2 Campaigned for office 3 Go-aheads 4 Dendrite’s place 5 Radium discoverer 6 Sheik’s cartel 7 Bat swinger 8 April sign 9 Bard’s tragic king 10 Kind of mat

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2015

11 12 13 21 22 23 24 25 29 30 32 33 34 35 36 42 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 54 55 59 60 61

Wanted-poster word Brooklets Salt’s pal Dash Acted friendly Of the Vatican Chopin opus Food on a skewer Slugger Hank — Pleasure trip More gaunt Kind of shower Raul’s brother Humerus neighbors Andes ruminant Unfavorable Deepen, as a canal Ms. Streisand Alaskan town Not cool They can be split Portly Panasonic rival Mach 1 breakers Like a rain forest Not just my CD preceders Mao — -tung

has already monitored six incidents of stray bullets with five persons injured as a result, four cases of illegal discharge of firearms, and eight injuries due to firecrackers.”

“It’s part of our tradition to welcome the New Year with a bang but as we celebrate let us also be responsible and avoid doing anything that could harm us or other people,” Marcos said.

“Let’s try alternatives to firecrackers and enjoy instead the

fireworks handled by professional pyrotechnicians. Firecracker use has caused death and fires that razed scores of homes and destroyed properties.”

“Almost 600 cases of firecracker-related injuries were recorded last year for the Christmas and New Year celebrations, while the police recorded 61 incidents of stray bullets.”

“I hope we can all have a safe and Happy New Year,” Marcos concluded.

W EDNES DAY : DECEMBER 3 0, 2015

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

CineFilipino 2015

Ang Tulay ng San Sebastian

film festival showcases best stories told uniquely CineFilipino, organized and led by Unitel Productions, in partnership with the MVP Group of Companies, offers a fresh spin on independent or “indie” films – more moving stories and a more diverse mix of genres. The films will be screened on Feb. 2 to 8.

“Life is comprised of stories, and a lot of our personal stories are similar. This year’s selection of CineFilipino films takes these stories, retains the uniquely Filipino elements and tells them in a world-class manner. Many of these films will be entered in upcoming film festivals abroad,” said Madonna Tarrayo, president of Unitel Productions.

For the feature-length category, movies explore various relationships and emotions that comprise life.

HHHHH 1st sem Dexter HemeDez anD Illan Ibanez When a kid leaves home for college, the milestone gives way to a struggle between giving in to homesickness or choosing a good education and a better future. Sixteen year-old Maru Marasigan chooses to give in. He goes home to be with his mother.

But instead of strengthening the relationship, the decision finds both mother and son drifting apart.

A Lotto Like Love Carla baful This is not your typical love story.

Kayela and Itot are brought together by a single desire – to win the lottery.

But on their way to claim Kayela’s prize, they encounter thieves. To solve the problem, Kayela throws her bag into a moving bus, thwarting the thieves’ plan but leaving them with a new problem: how to retrieve the bag with the winning ticket.

Ang tAbA ko kAsi Jason Paul laxamana Weight loss is not an easy task. For Olga (Cai Cortez), it requires a huge amount of willpower, discipline and inspiration. She decides to enroll in a swimming class where she meets a hot instructor (Mark Neumann) who becomes her source of inspiration. And in her quest to secure his affections, Olga takes on afternoon jogging sessions in a university campus where she meets Benji, an equally fat man whose motivation to lose weight is to impress his ex-girlfriend. But as the two spend more time together, Benji finds himself falling in love with Olga. Will Olga still go through her plan? Or will she choose to accept herself, fats and all?

Ang tuLAy ng sAn sebAstiAn alvIn YaPan Superstitions have a way of becoming reality. In Alvin Yapan’s film, Bong and Francis, ambulance driver and nurse, tell each other ghost stories on a Good Friday while

The cast and crew of the family drama 1st Sem

The stars of Dave Fabros’ film Straight to the Heart The lead stars of the entry Buhay Habangbuhay

At the set of the indie film A Lotto Like Love

Mark Neumann and Cai Cortez in Ang Taba Ko Kasi

on their way home from Manila.

While driving on the San Sebastian bridge, both men realize that each of their stories are coming true – a white lady hails the ambulance, a flying coffin chases them and they witness a ghostly reenactment of a vicious murder. Can they get out of this ghostly story cycle?

ned’s Project lemuel lorCa An itinerant tattoo artist joins a reality show for lesbians in the hopes of winning the prize money that will enable her to get artificially inseminated and achieve her lifelong dream of becoming a mother.

buhAy hAbAngbuhAy Paolo Herras Sandy, a devoted housewife, dies in an accident. Soon after, her ghost appears and haunts the family home as she waits for the death of her husband Joel. Life goes on for her family while Sandy is in limbo, waiting to start the afterlife with Joel. But when Joel finally dies, he vanishes, leaving Sandy to wonder if all her efforts were in vain. Paolo Herras weaves a tale that explores life after death, the importance of moving on and celebrating life.

sAkALing hindi mAkArAting ICe IDanan After Cielo’s (Alessandra de Rossi) breakup with her boyfriend of 11 years, she receives a set of mysterious hand-illustrated postcards. Intrigued, she decides to pack her bags and go on a journey around the Philippines.

As she makes her way from Luzon to Mindanao, lessons are learned, friendships are made and the identity of the anonymous writer unfolds.

strAight to the heArt Dave fabros What happens when a gay hairdresser slips into a coma and wakes up a straight guy? Dave Fabros explores this possibility.

Filled with funny antics and uniquely Filipino hugot lines, the film is filled with the good kind of chaos as relationships and lives are turned around by this one major change. vAn dAmme stALLone ranDolPH longJas Mothers are expected to always give their hundred percent. But for mothers of children with special needs, they are expected to give more. The film is the story of VanVan, a child with Down’s

syndrome and his quest to become an artista and his mother’s desire to make this dream happen.

HHHHH The films were selected from a total of 442 entries. The FeatureLength category alone attracted 151 submissions. For the new categories, 51 Documentaries came in while 34 were listed under TV Series. Under the Shorts category were a total of 206 entries: 164 for Short Features, 15 for Mobile and 26 for the Online platform.

CineFilipino 2015 is also supported by Meralco and Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC).

For further information, visit the official website, www.cinefilipino.com.

W EDNES DAY : DECEMBER 3 0, 2015

C8

ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ UnpopUlar films dominaTe mmff Gabi nG paranGal by nickie WanG

T

he Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) chose unpopular movies with poor box office performance as big winners in this year’s edition of the festival awards night held on Sunday at the Kia Theater in Cubao, Quezon City.

The overwhelming winner, with six MMFF trophies – Best Screenplay, Best Original Story, Best Film and Best Actress and Best Actor for Jennylyn Mercado and Jericho Rosales, respectively – was Walang Forever, a rom-com from Quantum Films. It also won the FPJ Memorial Award for Film Excellence with a take home cash prize of P400,000.00.

Honor Thy Father and Nilalang, which we can hardly see in the movie houses because they were pulled out to give way to blockbusters My Bebe Love: #Kilig Pa More and Beauty and the Bestie, walked home with five recognitions each.

Amid being the biggest bomb in MMFF 2015, Nilalang, an action horror top-billed by Cesar Montano and Japanese adult film star Maria Ozawa, won most of the technical awards including Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Musical Score, Best Visual Effects and Best Cinematography.

Meanwhile, the John Lloyd Cruz starrer Honor Thy Father bagged the festival’s trophies for Best MakeUp, Best Original Theme Song, Best Child Performer for Krystal Brimner, Best Supporting Actor for Tirso Cruz III, and the coveted Best Director trophy for Erik Matti.

Matti was not at the venue to accept the award. His trophy was accepted by Shiel Calde of Reality Entertainment who read out the filmmaker’s prepared acceptance speech addressed to the audience and to the executive committee behind the annual film fest. The seasoned filmmaker expressed his dissatisfaction on how the MMFF was conducted this year.

“I don’t make films to win awards,” Calde said reading Matti’s message in vernacular started. “It’s no longer about Honor Thy Father being disqualified in the Best Picture category. It’s much deeper than my disappointment.”

“From choosing the type of movies that became part of the filmfest to the way you condone cinema owners’ treatment to other films particularly to small film producers, for a diehard movie fan as I am, I can no longer recognize the film festival I once admired and respected.”

The message ended with “Hindi na

ito tungkol sa Honor Thy Father. Buong industriya ng paggawa at panonood sa pelikulang Pilipino ang usapan na ‘to.

Kaya, salamat na rin sa inyo, MMFF. Binuhay niyo ang pag-asa ko para sa pagbabago.”

Honor Thy Father was disqualified from the Best Picture category on Dec. 26 by the MMFF executive committee for non-disclosure of the film’s participation in another festival. But shortly after the release of the letter on the film’s disqualification from the Best Picture race, the drama film’s producer issued a statement refuting the MMFF’s allegation that they did not disclose its participation in the Cinema One Originals Festival 2015.

During the awards night, Atty. Joji Alonzo, who accepted the 2nd Best Picture award for the entry Buy Now, Die Later expressed her support for Honor Thy Father. She told the crowd, “They (Matti and Dondon Monteverde) have created an outstanding film. I commend them for continuing their advocacy in creating meaningful films that aim to touch the lives of people. Our appeal to the public, sana po huwag lang dadalawang pelikula ang panuorin niyo.”

Alonzo was referring to MMFF top-grossers My Bebe Love that won 3rd Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress for Maine Mendoza and Gatpuno Antonio Villegas Cultural Award, and to Star Cinema-Viva Films collaboration Beauty and the Bestie, which by the way walked home empty-handed after the Gabi ng Parangal.

I don’t make films to win awards.

It’s no longer about Honor Thy Father being disqualified in the Best Picture category.

It’s much deeper than my disappointment.

Erik Matti, director of Honor Thy Father

MMFF Best Actress and Female Star of the Night Jennylyn Mercado

Program hosts Richard Gutierrez and KC Concepcion

Carlo J. Caparas and his wife present the Best Picture Award

Atty. Joji Lorenzo with the cast of festival 2nd Best Picture Buy Now, Die Later

Haunted Mansion stars Janella Salvador and Marlo Mortel provided some entertainment

Tirso Cruz III is this year's Best Supporting Actor