The Standard - 2015 May 14 - Thursday

VOL. XXIX  NO. 86  3 Sections  32 Pages  P18  THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015  www.manilastandardtoday.com  editorial@thestandard.com.ph

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Binay camp says AMLC was misled

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PNoy scolds ‘inefficient’ speechwriters

PENTAGON EYES SPRATLY DEPLOYMENT Next page

Home again. Soldiers carry the flag-draped coffin of the late Ambassador to Pakistan Domingo Lucenario shortly after arriving in Manila on May 13. Lucenario and others were killed in a helicopter crash in Pakistan on May 8 as they flew there to inspect some projects. AFP

Janine’s dream comes true

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Pacquiao’s retirement is near

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PH lags behind in race to grab reefs

By Cecil Morella

Joint exercise. This handout photo released by the Philippine Navy on May 12 shows Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Escort Division

Two, right, and the BRP Ramon Alcatraz during a joint naval exercise less than 300 kilometers from a Philippine-claimed shoal now under Chinese control. AFP

Pentagon eyes sending US soldiers to Spratlys THE Pentagon is considering sending military aircraft and ships around China’s land reclamation projects in the Spratly archipelago as the tension in the South China Sea rises, a US official said Tuesday.

US Defense Secretary Ash Carter requested options that include sending aircraft and ships within 12 nautical miles of reefs that China has been building up in the Spratly island chain, the official said.

China has been building artificial islands atop coral reefs in the Spratly archipelago for months now. The inclusion of runways and other potential military installations have caused concern among Pentagon officials, who fear that Beijing may be making a power play for the strategic waterway.

Last month, US Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Harry Harris accused China of building a “great wall of sand” with “provocative actions towards smaller claimant states.”

China maintains that it has every right to build on its own territory, and that the islands will ultimately provide stations for disaster mitigation, scientific research, and navigation safety. These assurances have done little to soothe Washington, and according to an anonymous Pentagon official speaking to the Wall Street Journal, the US may soon send military aircraft and naval vessels to enforce “freedom of navigation” around the disputed islands.

“We are considering how to demonstrate freedom of naviga-

tion in an area that is critical to world trade,” the official said. “The US and its allies have a very different view than China over the rules of the road in the South China Sea.” The draft request cane directly from Carter, and seeks to review the Pentagon’s options for sending military vehicles within 12 nautical miles of Beijing’s artificial islands.

Washington has steadily made moves to bolster its presence in the South China Sea. Harris announced in March that the US Navy would be shifting 60 percent of its fleet into the Pacific by 2020, and would expand its cooperation with India.

The US Navy has also admitted to flying its most advanced spy plane – the P-8A Poseidon – out of the Philippines earlier this year.

Capable of both anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, the plane has been regularly monitoring the South China Sea region.

In March, the United States Senate also requested that the US adopt a formal strategy for dealing with Beijing’s growing influence in the region.

While China claims nearly 90 percent of the South China Sea, there are disputed, overlapping claims by Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, and Malaysia.

All of these countries also claim

various parts of the Spratly Archipelago.

Nearly $5 trillion in trade passes through the contested waterway each year.

The Philippines said the Pentagon’s announcement that it is sending military aircraft and ships to the disputed South China Sea affirms the commitment between the two countries to freedom of navigation in an area that is critical to world trade.

“The Philippines believes that the US, as well as all responsible members of international community, do have an interest and say in what is happening in the South China Sea, considering that what is at issue is freedom of navigation, unimpeded flow of commerce, the health of the region’s marine environmental and ecosystem, and the rule of law,” Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose in a text message said.

US patrols would directly challenge Chinese efforts to expand Beijing’s influence in the disputed region by adding territory through a massive island-building exercise.

The Philippines earlier sought more “substantive” support from its long-time security ally, the United States, to counter China’s rapid expansion in the South China Sea. China’s rapid reclamation around seven reefs in the Spratly archipelago of the South China Sea has alarmed claimants, including the Philippines and Vietnam, and drawn growing criticism from US government officials and the military.

In a television interview, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said that there was a plan by the US to

send more Navy and Air Force assets to the region, but he declined to provide details.

The practice of sending ships and aircraft near the islands would be in line with regular US military “freedom of navigation” operations, which it conducted last year to challenge maritime claims of 19 countries, including China, Carter said.

Also on Wednesday, the Department of Foreign Affiars slammmed China for criticizing its practice of bringing journalists to Pag-asa Island, which Beijing claims as its own.

“We have all the right to do such actions and no one can question it because we own it,” Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said in latest war of words between the two sides.

Journalists visited Pag-asa island Monday led by Armed Forces chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang.

Beijing called the Philippines a “rule-violator” and “troublemaker” for arranging the trip to the island also known by its international name, Thitu.

China’s Foreign Ministry said the Philippines’ action was endangering international law.

Jose maintained that no violation was committed by the Philippines.

“It is not a violation because Pagasa is within our sovereign territory,” he said.

Residents on Pag-asa Island continue to worry about their security as the Chinese continue their reclamation activities from mearby Kagitingan (Fiery Reef), which is within the Kalayaan Island Group town in Palawan. – Vito Barcelo, Florante S. Solmerin, PNA

PHILIPPINE military chief General Gregorio Catapang looks worried as he surveys the rusted cranes and eroded runway on the tiny island of Thitu, now on the front line of a rapidly intensifying construction war in the South China Sea. Fewer than 48 kilometers (30 miles) away, China’s giant construction cranes glint on the horizon, a sign of the Asian giant’s reef-building frenzy in the disputed Spratly chain that has seen new islands appear seemingly overnight.

As China and fellow rival claimant Vietnam race to pave over reefs and build structures in the strategically important sea, the Philippines stands out as a laggard.

The 356 residents of the remote Manila-held coral outcrop of Thitu fear they will soon be forced out by China’s aggressive land grab, in a conflict fought, so far, with dredgers and cement.

“Before we landed we saw the reclamation in the (nearby) Subi Reef and it’s really enormous,” Catapang said on a tour of the island’s largely decrepit facilities. An old navy transport ship lay half-submerged in waters off the coast, with two anti-aircraft guns the only visible defenses.

China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, even waters approaching the coasts of its Asian neighbours, and in recent years it has caused alarm with increasingly aggressive actions to assert its claims and increase its presence.

The Spratlys, an archipelago of more than a hundred islands, reefs and atolls between Vietnam and the Philippines, is one of the most hotly contested areas because of its strategic military importance.

The United States last week sounded the alarm, accusing China of building up to 800 hectares (2,000 acres) of artificial islands in the Spratlys, and warning it could construct airfields, surveillance systems and harbours that would jeopardise regional stability.

Alarmed at the Chinese activity, other Spratlys claimants have not been idle. Vietnam is reported to be reclaiming land in two areas, while Taiwan and Malaysia have announced plans to improve their naval facilities.

The Philippines, which occupies nine islands or reefs in the chain, in contrast has done very little -- partly because of funding constraints, but also because it is pinning its hopes on having the United Nations mediate the dispute.

Life is usually uneventful for the inhabitants of Thitu, the largest Philippine-occupied island which lies 433 kilometers (269 miles) from the major Philippine island of Palawan, and receives electricity just five hours a day.

They include soldiers, coastguard personnel and militaryemployed civilians, many of whom bring their wives and children with them to stave off loneliness. AFP

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Binay says AMLC was misled on accounts

By Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta THE camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay slammed his political opponents for spreading malicious reports that Binay owns all the 242 bank accounts, investments, and insurance policies being investigated by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).

Hearing break. Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez is shown here in a huddle with Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito during a break in the Senate hearing on an act exempting people with disability from the value-added tax. Ey AcASiO

Ex-justices: BBL goes against Charter

By Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos-Araneta The Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) contains several unconstitutional provisions, two retired justices of the Supreme Court said Wednesday.

In an interview during the launch of the 366-page Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) journal on the BBL, retired Justice Vicente Mendoza said the provision that allows the creation of a parliamentary form of government in the Bansamoro region is unconstitutional.

“You can’t have a parliamentary form of government under the present system.

That’s contrary to the Constitution,” the retired magistrate added.

“The provisions on the Bangsamoro government are unconstitutional. Must our Constitution be violated in order to have peace and development in Mindanao? You can have peace and development without violating the Constitution,” said Mendoza, one of the authors of the journal.

A parliamentary government in Bangsamoro makes it “asymmetrical to the government of the Philippines and symmetrical to the government of the federation of Malaysia,” Mendoza said.

To correct the constitutional infirmities in the BBL, Congress should just abandon the flawed provisions or undertake amendments to the Constitution, he said.

Mendoza also rejected the suggestion of a local plebiscite on the BBL. “The proposed BBL contained several provisions that are not simply local in application. It must be submitted to the entire Filipino people for approval,” Mendoza said.

“A plebiscite cannot be done where only Bangsamoro people can vote. People in Luzon and Visayas are deeply affected by the proposed legislation and therefore, they must also be allowed to participate in a plebiscite to express whether they want the provisions,” he said.

Mendoza also sought to amend the portion that says the Bangsamoro territory “shall remain part of the Philip-

pines” to read “shall remain an integral and inseparatble part of the national territory.”

Retired Justice Florentino Feliciano said the BBL alone could not bring peace to Mindanao, and asked how the BBL could bind members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front when they are considered insurgents.

“Insurgents are rebels fighting a sovereign state. Rebellion is a serious offense against the republic,” the retired magistrate said, noting that there are also armed Moro and non-Moro groups other than the MILF, like the Abu Sayyaf, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and the New People’s Army.

“Thus, a peace agreement entered into by the Republic of the Philippines with MILF does not and cannot necessarily bring peace in Mindanao regardless of what our peace panel ladies our insisting on,” he said, referring to the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles and government chief peace negotiator Miriam Coronel Ferrer. – With Maricel V. Cruz and Ronald O. Reyes

“It is an outright lie to say or make it appear that Vice President Jejomar C. Binay has 242 accounts as reported in media. even based on the purported copy of the freeze order being circulated by ernesto Mercado, there are only five accounts that mentioned the name of Vice President Binay,” Binay’s counsel Claro Certeza said.

The Court of Appeals has frozen 242 bank accounts and insurance policies belonging to Binay, some members of his family and close associates, who are suspected of being his dummies.

The appellate court granted the petition of the AntiMoney Laundering Council, which is looking into Binay’s financial transactions and those of entities being linked to him and his family.

The CA gave weight to the AMLC’s investigation that found probable cause to link the individual and joint bank accounts of the Vice President, Gerry Limlingan, ebeng Baloloy, Antonio Tiu, some members of the Chong family, some companies linked to the Binay family, and even whistle-blower and Binay’s former close ally ernesto Mercado.

“It is clear that the intent of this perception game is

not to hold people accountable or to find the truth but to malign the reputation of Vice President Binay, as part of his opponents’ orchestrated campaign for the May 2016 elections,” he said. he noted how the freeze order can be easily taken out of context and that ex parte freeze order proceedings are deemed confidential in order to protect the name and reputation of concerned parties.

“It is regrettable that the strict confidentiality of a proceeding involving an ex parte petition for a freeze order is being brazenly violated. It is very easy to take a freeze order out of context in order to destroy the name and reputation of a person because a freeze order is issued based solely on the representations of AMLC,” he said.

“The respondents are not yet given the opportunity to be heard. It is for this reason that, according to the law and the congressional deliberations, ex parte freeze order proceedings must be strictly confidential, with those violating the confidentiality rule being liable for contempt as well as criminal prosecution,” Certeza added.

– With Rey E. Requejo and Maricel V. Cruz

Scientists want to name ant after Cory

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan A NeWLY discovered species of ants in the forest of Palawan will be named after the late former President Corazon Aquino, according to the University of the Philippines-Los Baños’ Museum of Natural history.

In its website, the museum cited an article published in India-based journal hALTeReS by ant specialists David emmanuel General and Perry Archival Buenavente naming the species “Romblonella coryae.”

They say the species are found in the primary lowland rain forest of Cleopatra’s Needle, one of Palawan’s highest peaks.

“The researchers named the new ant R. coryae sp. n. in honor of the late former Philippine President Corazon “Cory” C. Aquino,” Beneral and

Buenavente say in the article.

“It is only fitting that a genus named after a Philippine island has a species named after a modern Filipino hero.”

The two say the people in Palawan are grateful to the mother of President Benigno Aquino III for signing into law Republic Act No. 7611 or the “Strategic environment Plan for Palawan Act of 1992”.

“The plan has served as the framework of Palawan’s government agencies in formulating plans, programs and projects affecting the province’s environment and natural resources,” the ant specialists say.

To show their gratitude, the ant species was named “Romblonella coryae” or “R. coryae.”

R. coryae ants have been described to have a “robust, hard and compact body, stout propodeal spines, massive peti-

ole and postpetiole, and gaster formed largely bu the first tergite”.

“Romblonella ants are very rare to find. In fact, they have only been seen in five island locations in the Philippines and have not been observed anywhere in the mainlands of Luzon and Mindanao,” General says.

General and Benavente were volunteering for the Center for Sustainability and the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, which had organized a biodiversity survey of Cleopatra’s Needle in January 2014 when they chanced upon the ants.

In an interview, General said they simply “stumbled” upon the ants after a five-hour hike deep into the rain forest.

“We were settled at camp when we saw these strikingly colored worker ants scurrying on the tarpaulin sheets protecting our tents,” he recalled.”

On migrants. Red Cross secretary-general Elhadj As Sy gestures as he attends a press conference in Manila on the perils facing migrants in Asia who are running away from persecution at home. AFP

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’16 bets step up moves

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

DESPITE their protestations that they have not yet decided to run for president in 2016, the camps of former senator Panfilo Lacson and Senator Grace Poe have visibly increased political activities apparently aimed at the next elections.

The Partido ng Manggagawa at Magsasaka (PMM), led by lawyer Jose Malvar Villegas Jr., announced on Wednesday the launching of the “Lacson for President Movement” (LPM) that is already building up a network in 17 regions across the country.

Villegas said the LPM is led by civic leader Eduardo Madrid and businessman Rommel Zagado as co-chairmen while Shariff Ibrahim Albani is its national adviser. Former elections commissioner Amado Calderon is the chief legal adviser with Don Anton de Nieva as finance officer.

The official launching of LPM will be held at the Astoria Plaza at the Ortigas Center in Pasig City on May 22, 2015 while the launching of LPM among the PMM Muslim and Tribal members will be held at the Philippine Pavilion, Roxas Blvd., Manila on June 14, Villegas said.

Villegas, grandson of the national hero Gen. Miguel Malvar, also announced that the 17 regional LPM coordinators are: Vanessa Lacuesta (Pangasinan), Region 1; Lito Fernandez (Isabela), Region 2; Ruel Quitay (Pampanga), Region 3; Mercy Madeloso

(Cavite), Region 4; Diego Magpantay (Camarines Sur), Region 5; Sergio Banez (Iloilo), Region 6; Gilda Gonzales Peralta (Negros Oriental), Region 7; Nancy Fink (Leyte), Region 8; Senen Bella (Zamboanga del Norte), Region 9; Romy Lloren (Cagayan de Oro), Region 10; Dolores La Paz (Davao City), Region 11; Eduardo “Ed” Godinez (General Santos), Region 12; Caren Araneta (Maguindanao), Region 13; Datu Jularab Sampang (Basilan), ARMM; Victor Carillo (Surigao del Norte), CARAGA; Zenaida Luz (Mindoro Oriental), MIMAROPA; Leo Balicdan (Benguet), CAR, and Willie Quitiongco (Pasig), National Capital Region.

Meanwhile, Poe herself admitted in a radio interview that she continues to hold “consultative talks” across the country, especially after “the President said they want it (decision) sometime in June or at the end of June.”

“Still, we cannot see what will happen in the coming weeks due to many consultations. Right now, during the lapse of several weeks, we only had one talks, and we don’t know how many talks they had in the lower level. So let us see,” Poe said.

Don’t leave us hanging. Members of the Akbayan Party rappel down a building wall at the University of the Philippines-Diliman where they hung a banner demanding that the House of Representatives pass the Freedom of Information bill that is languishing in the chamber. MANNY PALMERO

Aquino scolds speechwriters

By Sandy Araneta APPARENTLY irked by the absence of a teleprompter and a supposedly late speech, President Benigno Aquino III scolded Palace speechwriters on Wednesday during a ceremony for the turnover of some P26 billion in dividends from government corporations.

At the beginning of his keynote address for the 2015 GovernmentOwned and -Controlled Corporations Dividends Day at the Rizal Hall of Malacañang, Aquino was visibly irked by the absence of a teleprompter which forced him to read from a printed copy of his speech.

But his halting delivery of the speech apparently annoyed him and he turned on the presidential speechwriters under Secretary Manuel Quezon III of the Presidential Communi-

New envoy to Pakistan named

By Sandy Araneta and Macon Araneta PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III appointed Deputy Consul General Daniel R. Espiritu of the Philippine consulate in Los Angeles as Ambassador to Pakistan replacing Ambassador Domingo Lucenario Jr. who was killed in a helicopter crash last Friday.

Espiritu’s nomination as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiray to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was signed last May 4 and Lucenario already knew before his death that his tour of duty was to end in August and a replacement had already been named.

But Lucenario was killed when the helicopter he was riding en route to an inspec-

tion of development projects crashed in north Pakistan.

Also killed in the incident, which was reportedly caused by technical fault, were Norwegian Ambassador Leif Larsen, the wives of the ambassadors of Malaysia and Indonesia, the two pilots and a crew member.

As announced by the Department of Foreign Affairs, a memorial service will be held at the Heritage Park in Taguig City on May 14 and at the DFA on May 15.

Meanwhile, Sen. Cynthia Villar filed Senate Resolution No. 1329 to honor Lucenario, whose remains arrived at Villamor Airbase on Thursday morning on board a chartered Pakistani C-130 plane accompanied by Pakistan’s Minister

of Commerce.

“His death tells the risk and hazard our diplomats are exposed to when deployed in foreign territories,” Villar said.

“Whereas, the Senate of the Philippines deplores any and all acts of terrorism if it turns out that indeed the helicopter crash was due to a planned attack conducted by the Pakistani Taliban as they claimed,” part of the resolution said.

Lucenario served the government for more than 25 years and in different capacities, including assignments in Germany, Hong Kong, Australia, and as former Philippine Ambassador to Kenya with concurrent jurisdiction to twelve African nations.

cations Development and Strategic Planning Office.

“There is no teleprompter [and] I have four drafts here. My speechwriters should learn to get ready earlier. You should follow the efficiency of the GOCCs,” Aquino said as he discarded his prepared speech and spoke extemporaneously.

The Standard tried to contact Quezon and Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda to ask what happened during the GOCC Day event, but both had not replied at press time.

Only Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. replied, but he could not explain what happened and only said it was not unusual for the President to discard a prepared speech and deliver an impromptu message.

After receiving P36.857 billion in dividends from the GOCCs, Aquino

opened the door to additional bonuses and incentives for the executives of the government corporations.

He ordered Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Governance Commission for GOCCs chairman Cesar Villanueva and Budget Secretary Florencio Abad to review the bonuses due to the executives.

“I expect the review to happen in about a month’s time and we will seek to maximize the benefits accruing everybody as empowered by the pertinent laws,” Aquino said.

The 2014 dividends and other remittances improved from P32.31 billion in 2013, said the GCG in a statement.

Aquino also cited the gains of the GOCCs, some of which were described as members of billionaires club since some GOCCs remitted more than P1 billion to the national government.

Pay hikes coming. Presi-

dent Benigno S. Aquino III speaks extemporaneously during the 2015 Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations Dividends Day at Malaca?ang on Wednesday.

A total of 49 agencies remitted P36.36billion to the National Treasury, surpassing the collections made last year.

MALACAñANG PHOTO

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Court won’t stop train purchase

By Rey E. Requejo

The Court of Appeals has not stopped the Department of Transportation and Communications from proceeding with the purchase of 48 new light rail vehicles for MRT 3 worth P3.8 billion from a Chinese supplier.

This came after the CA’s Fourteenth Division through Associate Justice Maria Elisa Sempio Diy junked the appeal of the Metro Rail Transit Corporation and MRT Holdings II seeking to restrain the DOTC from awarding the contract for the manufacture and supply of new LRVs to Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock of China.

In a six-page resolution, the appellate court upheld its July 31, 2014 resolution denying the plea of MRTC and MRT Holdings II to restrain the government from proceeding with the purchase of the new LRVs purportedly to upgrade the operation of MRT 3 system.

The CA was not convinced with the claim of MRTC that the purchase of LRVs from Dalian Locomotive could increase risks of train collisions and cause huge damage to MRT3 system.

MRTC entered into a build-lease-transfer (BLT) agreement with the DOTC in 1997 to construct and maintain a light rail transit system for EDSA, eventually known as MRT 3.

The CA found the warning made by the petitioners as “speculative.”

The CA stressed that the issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction will dispose of the case on the merits as it would effectively enjoin the procurement of additional LRVs without the benefit of a full-blown

proceeding.

“The issuance of the writ of preliminary injunction had the effect of granting the main prayer of the complaint such that there is practically nothing left for the court to try except the plaintiff ’s claim for damages,” the appellate court said.

In its petition for the issuance of a TRO and/or a writ of preliminary injunction, the MRT 3 owners said the DOTC undertook the procurement through public bidding of additional LRVs for the Edsa railway system, without its consent or waiver of its right of first refusal in violation of their BLT agreement.

The petitioners insisted that its right for capacity expansion of MRT 3 under the BLT is “clear and unmistakable” and that the recent opinion issued by the Department of Justice declaring its right of first refusal to be void was obviously given to justify DOTC’s actions.

The petitioners said that the DOTC’s

procurement of LRVs from Dalian deviates from the principle of having a single point of responsibility which underlays the construction, operation and maintenance of MRT 3.

Because of this, the petitioners warned that if the new LRVs are allowed to run without the necessary adjustment and upgrade to the system, the riding public would be exposed to high risks of train collisions and loss of lives.

The appellate court said the case is now deemed submitted for decision following the submission of the parties’ respective memoranda.

Meanwhile, Catholic Bishop Emeritus Deogracias Iniguez called on the DOTC to provide the public with quality transport service.

The bishop made the challenge after MRT operations were reduced to only 10 trains out of its regular fleet of 20 because the air-conditioning units conked out.

With Sara Fabunan

PWDs. Tahanang Walang Hagdan President Manuel Agcaoili (left) and TWH chief operating officer Joy Garcia discuss the needs of persons with disability during a Senate hearing while Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez (right panel) takes up a similar issue on the benefits and privileges of more than one million PWDs in relation to his House Bill 1039. VER NoVENo

House squatter Mail-order bride bill gets House OK no more —NHA

By Maricel V. Cruz COngRESSMEn are illegal settlers no more after the national Housing Authority finally awarded Wednesday the land title of the Batasang Pambansa Complex to the House of Representatives.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. said the House – at no cost – is now the legal owner of the Batasan Complex after more than 35 years.

“We’re no longer informal settlers here. I just hope the title you’ll give us is not fake,” Belmonte told nHA general manager Chito Cruz in jest after signing a memorandum of agreement which signals start of the land titling process.

Belmonte ssid said it would take about six months to finish the surveying, partitioning and titling of the land.

The construction of the Batasan buildings inside the 19-hectare (189,910 square meter) property in Quezon City was completed in 1978 and that the ownership of the land remained with the nHA. With a land title, Belmonte said the House finally has vested rights over the property which is protected by the law.

“For me, as long as we don’t hold the title, even if we’re a very powerful branch of government, legally speaking we can be subject to those changes. Under the Constitution, with the title, we have vested rights that cannot be altered by any president or any other authority,” Belmonte said.

For his part, Cruz said the nHA decided to turn over the land to the House during a board meeting in February.

“With the nHA finally has turned over the land title, we can now say that that the Batasan Complex is no more an informal settler,” Cruz said.

THE House of Representatives has approved on second reading a bill that seeks to protect Filipino men and women against unlawful matchmaking activities and similar schemes using the postal service and the Internet.

The House passed House Bill 5572 which seeks to repeal Republic Act 6955, also known as the Anti-mail Order Bride Law. Bulacan Rep. Linabelle Ruth Villarica, chair of the House Committee on Women and gender Equality, said the measure would help to promote the state policy “to prevent the exploitation of Filipinos, male and female, and protect them from unlawful practices, businesses, and schemes which offer Filipinos for marriage to unscrupulous foreign nationals and expose them to abuse, exploitation, prostitution, and violent situations.”

RA 6955 outlawed mail-order bride services in the Philippines, banning the practice of matching specifically Filipino women for marriage to foreign nationals using mail, advertisement, publication, printing or distribution of brochures, fliers and other propaganda materials.

Under the law, violators shall suffer an imprisonment of not less than six years and one day but not more than eight years and a fine of not less than P8,000 but not more than P20,000.

HB 5572, to be known as the Anti-

Mail Order Spouse Act, provides it shall be unlawful to match both Filipino men and women for marriage or common law partnership to foreign nationals using the postal service and the Internet.

Another author of the measure, Cibac party-list Rep. Cinchona Cruzgonzales said the measure aims to protect not only Filipino women but

Filipino men as well against unscrupulous individuals who operate unlawful matchmaking activities and similar schemes through media, particularly the Internet.

“With the advent of the internet, online matchmaking websites have proliferated and largely replaced traditional paper-based classifieds,” Cruz-gonzales said. Maricel V. Cruz

Poll automation. Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista has formed a special bids and awards committee on the purchase of 23, 000 optical mark reader machines and on the upgrade or repair of 82,000 PCOS machines. DANNY PATA

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Party-list purge begins

By Sara D. Fabunan

The Commission on Elections will release its final roster of party-list groups before the end of this year, an official said.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said that the Commission en banc has begun weeding out the unqualifiedk from the 243 political parties that registered for accreditation in the 2016 national and local polls.

On May 8, the Comelec has already closed its registration process for those who wished to apply for party-list accreditatiion and file their intent to take

part in the 2016 elections.

Jimenez said 243 applications for party-list groups have been submitted to the en banc.

Under the Comelec Resolution 9366, only organized groups duly registered with the Commission and which have manifested their desire to participate in the partylist election may join in the party-list system of representation in the House of

Representatives.

The May 8 deadline was earlier than the one set in the 2013 elections, which was May 31, 2012.

Comelec commissioner Luie Tito Guia said they wanted to set an earlier deadline in order to give them more time to assess the party-list groups.

0Guia said this will give party-list groups and their nominees more time to reflect, decide, and plan their political participation in 2016.

In the 2013 polls, more than 100 party-list groups had participated in the the party-list race.

Earlier, the Comelec said that they will not be conducting an “automatic review” of party-list organizations in the 2016 polls anymore as provided by the Supreme Court (SC) ruling on the Atong Paglaum party-list case in 2013.

The “automatic review” was adopted by the poll body ahead of the 2013 midterm elections in order to ensure that only the marginalized and underrepresented groups can join the party-list race.

However, the SC ruled that the Party-List System Act does not require parties, organizations, and

sectors to be marginalized and underrepresented before they are allowed to join the elections and that even advocates of the marginalized and underrepresented sectors could become nominees, and, therefore, earn a seat in Congress.

With the SC ruling, the Comelec said the applicants only need to meet the requirements set by Republic Act 7941 such as having constitution; bylaws; platform or program of government while not advocting violence; is not a foreign party; and not a religious sect or denomination.

Brief makati unclogged Makati City has resumed its clean-up operation to unclog the drainage system in barangays and prevent severe flooding in the city during the rainy season.

For the last four months, the city’s Engineering and Public Works department was able to remove 257 metric tons of silt and assorted solid waste during a massive unclogging operations in the city.

The Metro Manila Development Authority has included four areas in Makati in its list of f lood-prone areas: Osmeña to Skyway (northbound and southbound), Don Bosco University area, Buendia -South Super Highway (northbound and southbound) and Pasong Tamo Magallanes Tunnel.

Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay said the latest clean up operation covered seven barangays, namely Pio del Pilar, San Antonio, Palanan, San Isidro, Bangkal, La Paz and Singkamas.

Joel Zurbano

mother-and-baby friendly hospital

31 died here. Firefighters train their hose on Kentex Manufacturing Corporation’s warehouse in Brgy.Ugong, Valenzuela City which is on fire. Initial police report indicated that 31 people died and scores were hurt in the fire that gutted the establishment, a producer of slippers and other rubber products. mAnny pAlmeRo

Sandiganbayan freezes Revilla assets in Cavite

By Rio Araja AT least four assets in Cavite of Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. have been garnished by the Sandiganbayan’s Sheriff and Security Division in connection with the P224-million plunder suit and 16 counts of graft charges he is facing before the First Division.

Sheriff Albert de la Cruz said the anti-graft court was able to freeze Revilla’s two assets in Tagaytay City and two others in Silang town.

Two 125-square meter lots in the name of “Bong Revilla married to Lani Mercado” were seized in Tagaytay City, while in Silang, two lots

measuring 10,191 square meters and 14,834 square meters in the name “Jose Marie Bautista married to Jesusa Victoria Hernandez” were also garnished.

The sheriff informed the antigraft court that they were not able to garnish some of Revilla’s real estate assets since they were not sure about the real ownership of these, a 443-square meter house with a 13-square meter guard house in Bacoor, Cavite, a Fuso Jitney, and shares at The Riviera Golf Club.

Earlier, the Sandiganbayan ordered the garnishment of Revilla’s assets worth P224.5 million, including multiple bank accounts, private lots, shares of stocks and vehicles.

Bail bucked. Fabian Tapaya Jr., a victim of Aman Futures pyramiding scam holds

a picture of former Pagadian City Mayor Samuel Co, one of the suspects in the scam, during a press conference held in Quezon City. Tapaya filed a complaint to prevent Co and his wife Pricilla from posting bail . mAnny pAlmeRo

The Department of Health has accredited the Ospital ng Paranaque in its list of Mother-Baby Friendly Hospitals, becoming the 26th hospital in the country to be awarded by the program.

The Mother-Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative is a program of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) being implemented by the DOH which encourages hospitals to promote breastfeeding, especially during the first six months of birth.

The project aims to increase the numbers of babies who are exclusively breastfed worldwide, a goal which the WHO estimates could contribute to avoiding over a million child deaths each year.

Various research studies have confirmed that breastfeeding helps enhance an infant’s intelligence and provides protection from allergies, infections and illnesses.

The 120-bed and sixstory hospital, situated along Quirino Avenue in Barangay La Huerta, is considered one of the most modern public hospitals in Metro Manila and is one of the priority projects of Mayor Edwin Olivarez. Joel Zurbano

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news

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Armed Forces alarmed over use of child soldiers by communists

By Florante S. Solmerin Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman and Civil relations chief Brigadier General Joselito Kakilala on monday said the military is alarmed at the resurgence of child-soldiers in the New People’s Army (NPA) especially in eastern mindanao.

“The latest child-soldier that surrendered to our troops is an 11-year-old boy from mati City, davao Oriental,” Kakilala said.

Kakilala refused to give the name of the victim but a separate report from the eastmincom identified him as michael Gabriel alias dodong who “voluntarily surrendered to soldiers of the 60th Infantry Battalion while on security patrol in Baranagay Camansa, Asuncion, davao del Norte at 2 p.m. on may 9.” eastmincom data shows that Gabriel is the fourth minor to surrender since march this year.

The command’s spokesman, Captain Alberto Caber, said three minors who had earlier surrendered were aged between 14 and 17.

“Around 22% of NPA members are minors ages six 6 to eighteen 17 while around 74% are Indigenous People (IP) or Lumads in eastern mindanao area,” Caber said.

Caber said Gabriel is the 55th NPA member who surrendered this year.

Bunagan said Gabriel revealed to him he was 6 years old when recruited into the NPA. “The boy had experienced 6 encounters with security forces in some parts of davao del Norte and in davao Oriental,” he said.

The boy allegedly also told him he was being used to plant landmines along military operation routes.

Bunagan said they are now coordinating the department of Social Welfare and development (dSWd) for Gabriel’s custody.

“We are already coordinating with concerned local officials in order to locate the parents of michael,” he said.

No sour grapes here. Farmer Romeo Anchetas of Barangay Urayong, Bauang, La Union is happy with his yield. REVOLI CORTEZ.

Kalinga provincial board condemns mauling gov Dexter A. See

TABUK CITY – The provincial board of Kalinga has strongly condemned the mauling of its secretary, Matthew Matbagan, by the incumbent Governor Joel Baac, a stalwart of the Liberal Party.

Baac is the same official suspended for 30 days in 2012 after storming into the booth of radio broadcasted Jerome Tabanganay and mauling him there.

Board member Gelacio Bongngat, in a privilege speech, said that the governor

committed grave abuse of authority since the incident involving matbagan happened in thegovernor’s office, in front of numerous visitors, and where he was in full control of the situation.

The resolution also told pro-

vincial officials and employees to be cautious in their dealings with Baac because he is likely to repeat the same offense if no one is brave enough to stand up to him.

Around noon on monday, Baac called matbagan to his office to discuss a resolution declaring Gabriella mija Kim medical Center in Barangay Agbannawag as an annex of the Kalinga Provincial hospital.

The governor appeared to be insulted by some of the text of the resolution. matbagan claimed that Baac

was offended by the words ‘directing the latter to restore the health services thereat’ which the latter interpreted as an insult to his stature as governor.

Baac supposdly grabbed matbagan by his shirt and punched him on his face and different parts of his body. The mauling only stopped when the security escorts of the governor entered the office.

The board members said that the resolution of condemnation is only the first step in a string of legal action on the unethical and unprofessional act of the governor.

Cebu Customs official faces graft charges

By Junex Doronio

Sanctuary. Lo-

cal tourists enjoy the water at the beach of InitaoLibertad Forest and Marine Park in Misamis Oriental. REVOLI CORTEZ.

CeBU CITY, Cebu – A Cebu Customs examiner is facing a graft complaint filed against him by a motor company before the Office of the Ombudsman – Visayas. racal motor Assembly (Phils.) Corporation, represented by customs broker deorito r. Alberca, alleged that Verlito Ajos,customs operations officer of the Office of the examination and Assessment division, tried to “fleece money” from his client and violated republic Act 3019 or the Anti-graft and Corrupt Practices Act, rA 9485 or the Anti-red

Tape Act, and rA 6713 or the Code of Conduct and ethical Standards for public officials and employees.

In its complaint, racal motor Assembly claimed that it is a registered and accredited participant of the Board of Investments motor Vehicle development Program and has the right to import component knocked- down parts for assembly of brand-new motorcycles at a reduced rate.

Alberca said that the racal motor Assembly has been enjoying such privilege since 2010 and the imported parts are subject to one percent duties and taxes.

Ajos, he said, refused to make findings on the importation.

“despite authentic papers and repeated pleading for entry clearance, Ajos continuously refused to act, not until his demand for conversion to cash of the sum total of the difference in customs duties, taxes, and fees of the questioned shipment, plus those of previous importation similarly situated, inclusive of 200 percent surcharge shall be meet, and from where 60 percent/40 percent compromise,” the complaint read.

The complainant claimed that because of Ajos’ actuation, it suffered damages due to delays in the use of imported articles used for productions, storage charges and demurrage totalling P1,282,910.17.

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T H U R S D AY : M AY 14 , 2 0 1 5 T H U R S D AY : A P R I L 2 3 , 2 0 1 5

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OPINION OPINION

OPINION

STRIKE ANYWHERE A MORE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE

SEVILLA’S GENIE

THAT bad luck never strikes twice is a superstition that comforts many.

Not so, for those in Nepal.

On April 25, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Himalayan country, a quake so strong it killed thousands, displaced hundreds of thouTALK about leaving a legacy upon retirement. sands, occasioned avalanches that buried entire communities, and deFormer Commission on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. certainly stroyed numerous heritage sites. left a problem at thecenturies-old agency. Shortly before he stepped down, Brillantes led rest of the world wasted no time reaching out Smartmatic to Nepal, sending theThe commission in approving a P268.8-million deal with for the donations for the victims and teams to offer humanitarian assistance. refurbishment of the 80,000 precinct count optical scan machines it had first For many years, scientists haveforwarned that Nepal was vulnerable to acquired from the same company use in the 2010 elections.

PCOS machines supposed be repaired and upgraded timeStill, for a The deadly tremor, and are indeed it hastoseen killer quakes in the in past. the May 2016 national polls. when the Big One happened, people were still shocked at the death and The Supreme Court however shot down the deal as contained in Comelec destruction it caused.

Resolution 9922 Extended Warranty Contract Program because Imagine thenand thethe shock of experiencing a second quake,1, centered the poll agency failed to justify its resort to direct contracting. on another place, nearer the border shared with China but in the same Petitioners of the case argued that the Comelec committed grave abuse country, on Tuesday.

Dozens werewhich killedwas andanomalous hundreds and injured in a naof discretion in approving the deal, scandalous. tion still the effects of the earlier temblor its aftershocks.

They also reeling said thefrom poll body seemed to be rushing to tap and Smartmatic for the What happens in Nepal concerns us because the same can just as eascontract. ilyThe happen here.

We’ve been toldseveral by local scientists that big quake in Comelec now is entertaining options on how to aprepare for the Metro Manila hasSupreme been overdue a while. and the elections given the Court’sfor decision.

It High could urbanization bid out the refurbishment of the 82,000 – it says there is still time because the process is supposed sorry state of infrastructure in many cities here render millions of Filito last only five months. pinos vulnerable to disaster risk.

Another option is torisk use is new machines altogether – 23,000 of them which Aggravating this what we know to be the capability of–the naare now still in the bidding process.

Under this set-up, though, many pretional and local governments in mitigating, preparing for and respondcincts would share a single machine. The Comelec spokesman has said this ing to disasters, as well as rehabilitating communities affected by them. would slow down the counting Yet another scheme would entail transportA sudden downpour the metrotomay illustratevoting the point: get ing ballots from a group in of precincts a designated center.streets A manual flooded,would and fast, traffic and causing to be stranded. scenario be snarling when voting is manual with commuters automated transmission of It is asAnif extreme we’ve never seenisany rainno before.

This,atafter an hour or doomtwo of votes. scenario having elections all, which some strong, continuous rain. sayers have mentioned to spook the people.

The poll body assures us much it has enough time to putininthe place anyof of the these alMetro Manilans are so more vulnerable event overternatives, as soon asThe it obtains the is, final the Supreme due quakejust happening. question aredecision we evenofheeding theseCourt. warnThis is reassuring for now, given that we have little over the year before citiings, or spooking ourselves only when news of quakes in other countries zens troop to the centers again.

We will see, the next few agencies months, reach us? Are thepolling local disaster risk reduction andinmanagement whether Comelec can be as confident as it sounds. aware that action does not begin in knee-jerk reaction to disaster but It is easy to get swept up into the election frenzy, which is expected to long before it, long before it actually strikes? intensify as October, the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy, As we have seen, disasters can happen at anytime.

We must nears. There is bound to be another circus asanywhere the campaign season begins. proceed thiswementality, armingthat ourselves in various than wayswho to cope Throughfrom all this, should remember more fundamental will with disasters, ofwin, pretending that equal the risk is notand there – andasthen get elected is howinstead they will or lose. With interest intensity we watch national when and local races,decide let us ensure that the in which votes beingthe surprised it does to remind usmanner it has been there all are cast, counted and canvassed will truly reflect the people’s will. along.

LOWDOWN LOWDOWN JOJOA. A. JOJO ROBLES ROBLES YOU practically say you want to exIT’S inevitable: pose corruption and see the All Presidents since 1986 guilty charged and punished have experienced drops in in court? as How about lookpopularity the end of their ing into the mysterious, oneterms approaches.

The curyearChief silence of the is Office of rent Executive no exthe Ombudsman in the case ception to this phenomenon. ofFor the Cabinet who instance,member the wildly allegedlyCory taught Janetupon Napopular Aquino, poles the ropes?to the highher assumption est These office in the when land, could days, politiget away with declaring a cally-motivated allegations revolutionary government of corruption seem to be all

thebasically rage, it’s importantshe to to do whatever ask, as Kabataan party-list wanted. Nearing the end of Rep.tumultuous Terry Ridon did earlier her reign, Cory this week: Whatever could not even summonhapup to of thethe charges against apened fraction early crowds ofBudget supporters that Florencio were a Secretary hallmark Abad Jr.?of her rallies when sheRidon took on the Ombudsman task of callasked ing for the extension of lease Conchita Carpio-Morales to ofexplain the USwhy military bases in Abad has not the Philippines – a job that been charged with plunder her government miserably a year after he and other failed to accomplish. like-minded persons lodged Cory’s successors, for complaints against the budvarious reasons, suffered the get secretary connection same fate. FidelinRamos was with the alleged misuse hobbled by the first Asianof Congress’crisis, Priority Developcurrency which wiped ment The out theAssistance economic Fund. gains that

lawmaker that his term hadnoted ushered in.Abad has once again been Joseph Estrada, whilemenhe tioned pork barrel failed tobycomplete hisscandal term, whistle-blower Merlina Suquickly turned from a popuñaspopulist in her ongoing lar leader testimony upon his election into a bad parody of in the Sandiganbayan antihimself, untilwhich he was ousted graft court, is hearing for his alleged charges against involvement alleged scam in the illegal numbers game mastermind Napoles. of jueteng, other Abad sins.

Suñas among described And Gloria Macapagal as “a friend and client”Ar-of royo was in helpless reverse Napoles open to court last the perception of her term Friday.

Napoles, the alleged as corruption-riddled, which brains of survey the P10-billion caused her numbers PDAF scam, also claimed to dip into negative territory.in anPresident affidavit Noynoy she submitted Aquilastseems year that Abad was still no to be suffering thea congressman he “mensame fate of when his predeces-

EDITOR

VIEWFROM FROM VIEW MALCOM MALCOM ATTY.HARRY HARRY ATTY. ROQUE JR. ROQUE JR.

BINAY AND HAS OUR THE P600COMMISSION MILLION ON HUMAN HOAX RIGHTS

[ EDI TORI A L ]

EDITORI TORIAALL ]] [[ EDI

UNTOUCHABLE BUTCH INEVITABLE DECLINE

EDITOR EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph M O N D AY, A P R I L 2 7, 2 0 1 5 lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

A9

ADELLECHUA CHUA ADELLE CHUA ADELLE

EMBLEMATIC of the hypocrisy and mismanagement YOU have to give it to Vice President’s that have become the hallmarks of this administration, Jejomar Binay’s detractors. Not content the chief of the Bureau of Customs, John Phillip with the unprecedented 21 Senate hearSevilla, resigned last week with disturbing allegations ings against him, they have succeeded of political pressure and attempts to turn his agency this time in freezing the assets of at least into a milking cow to raise campaign funds for favored 33 individuals allegedly because they candidates in the 2016 elections. benefitted from the overpriced buildings Sevilla was the third Customs commissioner HANOI, Vietnam—I am in the capital of in Makati. is a PRperson coup for hanto leave the agency under the administration of Vietnam as This a resource in the a semidlersonof“National Mar RoxasHuman who until today,Commust President Benigno Aquino III, who has made the fight nar Rights believe that the best defense is offense. against corruption the touchstone of his leadership. missions: Experiences from the Region” I’m sure, though, that history will prove Sevilla’s two predecessors had left the bureau amid sponsored by the Konrad Adenaer Stifthat politicians aspire forbecause higher ofallegations of corruption, tarnishing Mr. Aquino’s claims tung.

I accepted who the invitation of the expense of simply destroying of good governance. Sevilla took over in December 2013 afice longatdesire to evaluate the affectivity of the own reputation of their of competitors, rathwith the promise of cleaning up what is widely perceived our Commission Human Rights er than standing on their own as the most corrupt agency in the bureaucracy. since its establishment through themerits, 1987 will not be rewarded

by This the people.

As That promise came crashing down less than two Constitution 28 years ago. invitation the surveys at the forefront years later with Sevilla’s resignation. finally gave meshow, to thethose opportunity to finaldestroying Vice-President In announcing his resignation, Sevilla said he was lyofconduct this the long-delayed study.have remained in Dante’s inferno as be far the as public being pressured to appoint certain people to “very The starting point has to very acceptance is concerned. sensitive” positions ahead of the 2016 elections, and high expectations of the people that the admitted that he could not finish the job of ending Sowill howhelp should we react the freeze CHR promote and to protect hucorruption at the bureau. man rights in the country whenWell, theyit of P600-million worth of assets?

“I don’t compromise on morality,” the resigning created it in the Constitution Its should be viewed as yet anotheritself. political Customs chief said. “The law is clear on what is first head, Chairperson Bautista, propaganda against theMary acknowledged allowed and [what is] not.” should be credited for safeguarding the presidential front-runner in 2016. ConIn its first statement following the resignation, the independence of the constitutional body sider: Palace conspicuously ignored Sevilla’s allegations, fromOne, political interference.

Congress the amount of P600 million then is inand simply announced his replacement, a person took the appointment of the andof significant if we consider the Chair number comments on FB posts—manythe of Commissioners BBL,involved. underscored theCommission moral right from the private sector with extensive interests of Inquirer the persons The reported them betray the pathetic ignorance a P600 State to its integrity.

None of in several brokerage-related companies. A Palace should submitted for conformation that of thebe million constituted the asPENSÉES behind them. But again, they to are these points of33 social justice spokesman assured the public that there would be Commission on Appointments. setsthe of no less than persons.

At theory the avred flags that invite close scrutiny,Rightfully if and moral theology were addressed no conflict of interest, as the new Customs chief, so, the Supreme Court ruled erage therefore, that amounts to only 18 FR. RANHILIO only because, in their sheer irratioby pesos the posted comments.

The Alberto D. Lina, would divest himself of his interest that Chairperson Bautista and her no commillion per person.

That’s big CALLANGAN nality, they sound the alarm to the in his brokerage company—but said nothing of his were reminded missioners notrather among those deal bishops given were the declared net worthpublic ofthat our AQUINO holdings in at least 10 other corporations. intellectual bankruptcy that makes officers whose appointments needed con-at some priests werehimself pedophiles.

They public officials.

PNoy declared The announcement did little to engender firmation Congress.

This the also told that it insulated waswhile shameleastwere P50 by million in net worth, VP FIRST, a disclaimer. One national confidence. chair and the Commission ful formembers them to of have been involved Binay himself declared no less than P60 daily, through an online post, atAre we expected to believe that Sevilla’s replacement from political interference. in the Pajero be million.

If we were scandal. It to deduct thewould VP’s detributed to me the statement that would truly divest himself of all his lucrative The Constitution enumerates powless bothersome merely to the laugh off clared net worth from the P600 million, the Chief Justice had, in effect, prebusiness interests to take a job in the government ers ofsuch the Commission.

These the obvious illogicality, butmillion if this that’s only an average of onlyinclude 16 judged the Binay case by her line of We can and oughtpower in an administration with only a year left? Or is his to investigate, the power to issue is how our countrymen, or a good per person. Given that some of those in questioning at the oral argument. appointment part of efforts that Sevilla resisted to cite in Ten contempt andbetter, power to partinclude of them, reason (or, fail to raise the bar ofsummons, the list Outstanding Young I made no such statement.

Somemake sure the ruling party stays in power after 2016? ask assistance from any branch of governto do so!), that demonstration of Men awardee and Xavier Alumnus Antoone did call me up however for public discourse and Aquino’s first Customs commissioner, who ment.

Here, we have a serious obstacle in a dreadful want in thoughtfulness nio Tiu, I’m sure the P600 million in froan interview on the subject. I gave resigned under a cloud of suspicion when 2,000 evaluating theshould performance of set more stringentthe andofreasonability make us zentask assets is insignificant since Tiu alone him onIy curt replies though he container vans vanished from the bureau in 2011, the Commission.

For while the courts and fearful of democracy’s future inshould be worth at least P600 million. standards for the DOJ did attempt, by leading questions, was a close associate of Lina. whose performance be meadeed.

When irrationality prevails, But the damage has beenmay done.

To the to make me agree with him on Lina was also Customs chief during the previous suredanything in terms of case disposal and/ or its exchange in public frightful is possible! unthinking mind, VP Binay could not this assessment—an enticement I administration, before he left abruptly as part of the conviction rate, the CHR can only investiTracing in broad strokes the hishave amassed P600 million from his 25 spaces. steadfastly resisted.

I made clear: “Hyatt 10” Cabinet members who abandoned the gate but has to prosecute. tory ofno thepower condonation doctrine in years in public office.

Ergo, many more I did not think it was right for me Arroyo government over an election-related scandal In this the case of Carino Ivs.pointed Commission of jurisdiction, out that ordinary persons may be convinced not to comment on on-going proceedin 2005, and who now hold considerable influence in Human Rights, the Supreme Court defined it has been in our jurisprudence for to vote for Binay in 2016. ings. What I did, however, was the Aquino administration. the full extent of now—carried the Commissions’ invessome time overwrong. from But the detractors of Binayofare write a Facebook post on the docAdministration allies in the Senate have been fulsome tigative powers: “The function receiving it impossible for a genuine democAmerican jurisprudence, and that it The people will eventually conclude that trine of condonation. Justice Adolf in their praise for Sevilla, but have shown none of their evidence and has ascertaining therefrom the racy to long endure.

When Archactually roots in our democratic prising, of course.

At least the Omwhy can’t she say anything about Morales has not replied so far the P600 million in frozen assets is just surveys show that Aquino’s poll offinvestigation survey data Azcuna with was dismissive elections the first to comment: usualremains eagernessundiminished. to launch a congressional facts of a controversy notnot a judicial funcbishop Soconly Villegas issued a stateconvictions.

I iswas advocating budsman has opted to contheof charges against Abad that toThe Ridon’s demand for after an explanathat:properly frozen. speaking.

Unless the courts declare He thatare captured numbers are continuing to plumb statements about justthought continuing toI had reality, as survey survey into allegations of corruption in the Bureau Customs, tion, To be considered ment on draftbudget BBL, an almost perpetuation offruits this piece of juthat the the sum is of actually of a prediveniently forget thatthethe gathering dust her office? succinctly.

And if new, tionshown, about the the the doctrine He agreed particularly since Aquino suchon a probe might such, the faculty receiving evidence and unfamiliar depths despite his do the“friendly work of in governance, Comhas is inaction that is cases just expose common comment was: “Bakit risprudence.

Ithe wasAnti-Money however arguing cate crime under Launwith my analysis that the doctrine forces” rather than political opponents. secretary is the most prominent Morales thinks Abad is as clean as filed against Abad.

The silence of making factual conclusions in a controverthe campaign to ang sim- that it was not unreasonable and barely keeping his head above the munications Secretary Herminio efforts, I expect nakikiaalam na naman Act,accompanied they enjoy the presumption has that its roots in our there can be no doubt that Sevilla must beis –says sydering must by the authority member of the Cabinet of President he says he despite the“there very sethe Ombudsman is telling, because further intensify.

Coloma now is understanding waters ofBut negative acceptability and bahan dito?”.

Nowhere was there hadbeclean in fact been frozen consistently of being money dueconcluto appoencouraged—or compelled—to name names and of popular sovereignty.

That note of of applying the law to those factual to be implicated in the argurious allegations made

by Napoles Noynoy Morales hasAnd onlythere recently denied significant There Aquino is no option room for improvement popularity. is nothing any other serious analysisfor of plied by the High Court.

The comliticaltomaneuverings. provide a detailed account of what he knows. His failure sions the end that the controversy may concurrence, I consider priceless!

Aquino, But history and the ment advanced, no serious exami- Second, and... [a] need to The continually ascerthat he canreports do, it seems, reverse ments I got are labeled meina lackey of theextended porkreally. barrel scandal. and he Suñas, trusted published that hertooffice hasmorality wrong assuming to do so would be a betrayal of the claimsher former be decided orthey determined authoritatively, next day, Iassowrote an nation and rebuttal of the reasons the Binays, a fraud, a charlatan— “stickiness” of the popular perceptain the needs of our people. ” the trend.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, ciate – why can’t she just junk the found probable cause to sue Vice that they could freeze the assets of a sitled to his resignation, and the public service he vowed finally and definitively, subject to such aparticle for this paper—and earned a Nothing more than peals an actually, ifasIhilarious, betion thatother he isadduced. a failure as President What Aquino seems hell-bent on It istosignificant Malacanang ting pathetic vice president.

While have adonmind the hand, had to be pubcases that Ridon others President Jejomar on at the coruphold whenthat heBinay took office Bureau of Customs. or modes of review may long be prolotand of flak for it. filed I do not the attack on bishops and priests.

The cause they were attacks on me, not vocated impeachable should are against doing is him? toand continue making seems toIncharges. have abandoned the stratopening his mouth about corruption vided by that law. This function,officials to repeat, the criticism, butpublic I am alarmed that thehim.before she was forced licly ridiculed against ruption Archbishop, in a personal argument.

In” stark contrast onlyon be my immune from suits arising from see no reason Aquino’s num- capacity, appearances is still toIof egyIfofMorales pretending to ignore re- Mr. influence peddling in thethe bureau, Sevilla hasto prove Commission does not have. kind I got he is symptomatic a more backtrack on why her recent position * * *that can immediately deny discussed the necessity of inclusivewere the posts of Prof.

Jemy Gatsovereign acts pursuant to the rulings let the genie out of the bottle, and no amount of It is this lack of prosecutorial powers would very much in has control andthatbers sults the surveys which show an working, insidious malady is lethal to improve in the coming The amnesia that afflicted that of she is part of the long-running ness, warned against equating peace dula of the University of Asia and doubletalk from in him his former employers now of game-changing democracy: intolerance for dissent! the possessor enirreversible decline hisorpopularin Mindanao with the passage of Morales in Abad’s case is not surcampaign to tar and feather Binay, Continued on A11 Continuedon onA10 A10 Continued on A11 can put it back is good reason to ignore Continued If subsequent ity. Where once thein. palace shrugged dorsement powers.There

MADE A DIFFERENCE?

THE REAL THREAT

was right IAbad see no reason at theAquino’s center of why the allegations numbers would of the massive, improve in the systematic coming days. looting of Congress’ pork. sors, for yet another reason entirely. The second Aquino has been stuck with the tored” her in tag, the lucrative art “noynoying” which has of using bogus non-governled to the widespread belief mentheorganizations to funnel that has done nothing of congressional allocations for significance after unreasonnon-existent projects. that ably raising expectations in her sworn he Napoles, could deliver everything

statement, describedto how from good governance baAbad received millions from sic infrastructure as he enters hersixth and and showed her, of in his exthe last year change, how to steal pork term. funds when like Abad wasPresistill a Of course, other dents before him, Aquino is Batanes congressman, using fighting waning of his the localthe electric cooperative once-stratospheric as the beneficiary on popupaper. larity withdenied everything that Abad has all Napoles’ he’s got.

And like those who claims in the media, but was went neverbefore able tohim, do soheinseems court, doomed to fail. simply because he was never Aquino’s reason for resistcharged by the Ombudsman. ing the decline has to do with “Ms. that Suñas’ testimony ensuring he stays out of [last week] is consistent with jail when he steps down. This Napoles’ earlier disclosure is why he repeatedly declares that Abad herhementor in these days, was when attends diverting publicinsignificant funds to boeven the most non-government organiofgus public functions, that he is zations, ” Ridon said.

“Now not a lame duck and that his power make hishappened chosen we ask to – whatever successor win in next year’s to that case?”

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A8

T H U R S D AY : M AY 14 , 2 0 1 5 T H U R S D AY : A P R I L 2 3 , 2 0 1 5

A8

OPINION OPINION

OPINION

STRIKE ANYWHERE A MORE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE

SEVILLA’S GENIE

THAT bad luck never strikes twice is a superstition that comforts many.

Not so, for those in Nepal.

On April 25, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Himalayan country, a quake so strong it killed thousands, displaced hundreds of thouTALK about leaving a legacy upon retirement. sands, occasioned avalanches that buried entire communities, and deFormer Commission on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. certainly stroyed numerous heritage sites. left a problem at thecenturies-old agency. Shortly before he stepped down, Brillantes led rest of the world wasted no time reaching out Smartmatic to Nepal, sending theThe commission in approving a P268.8-million deal with for the donations for the victims and teams to offer humanitarian assistance. refurbishment of the 80,000 precinct count optical scan machines it had first For many years, scientists haveforwarned that Nepal was vulnerable to acquired from the same company use in the 2010 elections.

PCOS machines supposed be repaired and upgraded timeStill, for a The deadly tremor, and are indeed it hastoseen killer quakes in the in past. the May 2016 national polls. when the Big One happened, people were still shocked at the death and The Supreme Court however shot down the deal as contained in Comelec destruction it caused.

Resolution 9922 Extended Warranty Contract Program because Imagine thenand thethe shock of experiencing a second quake,1, centered the poll agency failed to justify its resort to direct contracting. on another place, nearer the border shared with China but in the same Petitioners of the case argued that the Comelec committed grave abuse country, on Tuesday.

Dozens werewhich killedwas andanomalous hundreds and injured in a naof discretion in approving the deal, scandalous. tion still the effects of the earlier temblor its aftershocks.

They also reeling said thefrom poll body seemed to be rushing to tap and Smartmatic for the What happens in Nepal concerns us because the same can just as eascontract. ilyThe happen here.

We’ve been toldseveral by local scientists that big quake in Comelec now is entertaining options on how to aprepare for the Metro Manila hasSupreme been overdue a while. and the elections given the Court’sfor decision.

It High could urbanization bid out the refurbishment of the 82,000 – it says there is still time because the process is supposed sorry state of infrastructure in many cities here render millions of Filito last only five months. pinos vulnerable to disaster risk.

Another option is torisk use is new machines altogether – 23,000 of them which Aggravating this what we know to be the capability of–the naare now still in the bidding process.

Under this set-up, though, many pretional and local governments in mitigating, preparing for and respondcincts would share a single machine. The Comelec spokesman has said this ing to disasters, as well as rehabilitating communities affected by them. would slow down the counting Yet another scheme would entail transportA sudden downpour the metrotomay illustratevoting the point: get ing ballots from a group in of precincts a designated center.streets A manual flooded,would and fast, traffic and causing to be stranded. scenario be snarling when voting is manual with commuters automated transmission of It is asAnif extreme we’ve never seenisany rainno before.

This,atafter an hour or doomtwo of votes. scenario having elections all, which some strong, continuous rain. sayers have mentioned to spook the people.

The poll body assures us much it has enough time to putininthe place anyof of the these alMetro Manilans are so more vulnerable event overternatives, as soon asThe it obtains the is, final the Supreme due quakejust happening. question aredecision we evenofheeding theseCourt. warnThis is reassuring for now, given that we have little over the year before citiings, or spooking ourselves only when news of quakes in other countries zens troop to the centers again.

We will see, the next few agencies months, reach us? Are thepolling local disaster risk reduction andinmanagement whether Comelec can be as confident as it sounds. aware that action does not begin in knee-jerk reaction to disaster but It is easy to get swept up into the election frenzy, which is expected to long before it, long before it actually strikes? intensify as October, the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy, As we have seen, disasters can happen at anytime.

We must nears. There is bound to be another circus asanywhere the campaign season begins. proceed thiswementality, armingthat ourselves in various than wayswho to cope Throughfrom all this, should remember more fundamental will with disasters, ofwin, pretending that equal the risk is notand there – andasthen get elected is howinstead they will or lose. With interest intensity we watch national when and local races,decide let us ensure that the in which votes beingthe surprised it does to remind usmanner it has been there all are cast, counted and canvassed will truly reflect the people’s will. along.

LOWDOWN LOWDOWN JOJOA. A. JOJO ROBLES ROBLES YOU practically say you want to exIT’S inevitable: pose corruption and see the All Presidents since 1986 guilty charged and punished have experienced drops in in court? as How about lookpopularity the end of their ing into the mysterious, oneterms approaches.

The curyearChief silence of the is Office of rent Executive no exthe Ombudsman in the case ception to this phenomenon. ofFor the Cabinet who instance,member the wildly allegedlyCory taught Janetupon Napopular Aquino, poles the ropes?to the highher assumption est These office in the when land, could days, politiget away with declaring a cally-motivated allegations revolutionary government of corruption seem to be all

thebasically rage, it’s importantshe to to do whatever ask, as Kabataan party-list wanted. Nearing the end of Rep.tumultuous Terry Ridon did earlier her reign, Cory this week: Whatever could not even summonhapup to of thethe charges against apened fraction early crowds ofBudget supporters that Florencio were a Secretary hallmark Abad Jr.?of her rallies when sheRidon took on the Ombudsman task of callasked ing for the extension of lease Conchita Carpio-Morales to ofexplain the USwhy military bases in Abad has not the Philippines – a job that been charged with plunder her government miserably a year after he and other failed to accomplish. like-minded persons lodged Cory’s successors, for complaints against the budvarious reasons, suffered the get secretary connection same fate. FidelinRamos was with the alleged misuse hobbled by the first Asianof Congress’crisis, Priority Developcurrency which wiped ment The out theAssistance economic Fund. gains that

lawmaker that his term hadnoted ushered in.Abad has once again been Joseph Estrada, whilemenhe tioned pork barrel failed tobycomplete hisscandal term, whistle-blower Merlina Suquickly turned from a popuñaspopulist in her ongoing lar leader testimony upon his election into a bad parody of in the Sandiganbayan antihimself, untilwhich he was ousted graft court, is hearing for his alleged charges against involvement alleged scam in the illegal numbers game mastermind Napoles. of jueteng, other Abad sins.

Suñas among described And Gloria Macapagal as “a friend and client”Ar-of royo was in helpless reverse Napoles open to court last the perception of her term Friday.

Napoles, the alleged as corruption-riddled, which brains of survey the P10-billion caused her numbers PDAF scam, also claimed to dip into negative territory.in anPresident affidavit Noynoy she submitted Aquilastseems year that Abad was still no to be suffering thea congressman he “mensame fate of when his predeces-

EDITOR

VIEWFROM FROM VIEW MALCOM MALCOM ATTY.HARRY HARRY ATTY. ROQUE JR. ROQUE JR.

BINAY AND HAS OUR THE P600COMMISSION MILLION ON HUMAN HOAX RIGHTS

[ EDI TORI A L ]

EDITORI TORIAALL ]] [[ EDI

UNTOUCHABLE BUTCH INEVITABLE DECLINE

EDITOR EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph M O N D AY, A P R I L 2 7, 2 0 1 5 lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

A9

ADELLECHUA CHUA ADELLE CHUA ADELLE

EMBLEMATIC of the hypocrisy and mismanagement YOU have to give it to Vice President’s that have become the hallmarks of this administration, Jejomar Binay’s detractors. Not content the chief of the Bureau of Customs, John Phillip with the unprecedented 21 Senate hearSevilla, resigned last week with disturbing allegations ings against him, they have succeeded of political pressure and attempts to turn his agency this time in freezing the assets of at least into a milking cow to raise campaign funds for favored 33 individuals allegedly because they candidates in the 2016 elections. benefitted from the overpriced buildings Sevilla was the third Customs commissioner HANOI, Vietnam—I am in the capital of in Makati. is a PRperson coup for hanto leave the agency under the administration of Vietnam as This a resource in the a semidlersonof“National Mar RoxasHuman who until today,Commust President Benigno Aquino III, who has made the fight nar Rights believe that the best defense is offense. against corruption the touchstone of his leadership. missions: Experiences from the Region” I’m sure, though, that history will prove Sevilla’s two predecessors had left the bureau amid sponsored by the Konrad Adenaer Stifthat politicians aspire forbecause higher ofallegations of corruption, tarnishing Mr. Aquino’s claims tung.

I accepted who the invitation of the expense of simply destroying of good governance. Sevilla took over in December 2013 afice longatdesire to evaluate the affectivity of the own reputation of their of competitors, rathwith the promise of cleaning up what is widely perceived our Commission Human Rights er than standing on their own as the most corrupt agency in the bureaucracy. since its establishment through themerits, 1987 will not be rewarded

by This the people.

As That promise came crashing down less than two Constitution 28 years ago. invitation the surveys at the forefront years later with Sevilla’s resignation. finally gave meshow, to thethose opportunity to finaldestroying Vice-President In announcing his resignation, Sevilla said he was lyofconduct this the long-delayed study.have remained in Dante’s inferno as be far the as public being pressured to appoint certain people to “very The starting point has to very acceptance is concerned. sensitive” positions ahead of the 2016 elections, and high expectations of the people that the admitted that he could not finish the job of ending Sowill howhelp should we react the freeze CHR promote and to protect hucorruption at the bureau. man rights in the country whenWell, theyit of P600-million worth of assets?

“I don’t compromise on morality,” the resigning created it in the Constitution Its should be viewed as yet anotheritself. political Customs chief said. “The law is clear on what is first head, Chairperson Bautista, propaganda against theMary acknowledged allowed and [what is] not.” should be credited for safeguarding the presidential front-runner in 2016. ConIn its first statement following the resignation, the independence of the constitutional body sider: Palace conspicuously ignored Sevilla’s allegations, fromOne, political interference.

Congress the amount of P600 million then is inand simply announced his replacement, a person took the appointment of the andof significant if we consider the Chair number comments on FB posts—manythe of Commissioners BBL,involved. underscored theCommission moral right from the private sector with extensive interests of Inquirer the persons The reported them betray the pathetic ignorance a P600 State to its integrity.

None of in several brokerage-related companies. A Palace should submitted for conformation that of thebe million constituted the asPENSÉES behind them. But again, they to are these points of33 social justice spokesman assured the public that there would be Commission on Appointments. setsthe of no less than persons.

At theory the avred flags that invite close scrutiny,Rightfully if and moral theology were addressed no conflict of interest, as the new Customs chief, so, the Supreme Court ruled erage therefore, that amounts to only 18 FR. RANHILIO only because, in their sheer irratioby pesos the posted comments.

The Alberto D. Lina, would divest himself of his interest that Chairperson Bautista and her no commillion per person.

That’s big CALLANGAN nality, they sound the alarm to the in his brokerage company—but said nothing of his were reminded missioners notrather among those deal bishops given were the declared net worthpublic ofthat our AQUINO holdings in at least 10 other corporations. intellectual bankruptcy that makes officers whose appointments needed con-at some priests werehimself pedophiles.

They public officials.

PNoy declared The announcement did little to engender firmation Congress.

This the also told that it insulated waswhile shameleastwere P50 by million in net worth, VP FIRST, a disclaimer. One national confidence. chair and the Commission ful formembers them to of have been involved Binay himself declared no less than P60 daily, through an online post, atAre we expected to believe that Sevilla’s replacement from political interference. in the Pajero be million.

If we were scandal. It to deduct thewould VP’s detributed to me the statement that would truly divest himself of all his lucrative The Constitution enumerates powless bothersome merely to the laugh off clared net worth from the P600 million, the Chief Justice had, in effect, prebusiness interests to take a job in the government ers ofsuch the Commission.

These the obvious illogicality, butmillion if this that’s only an average of onlyinclude 16 judged the Binay case by her line of We can and oughtpower in an administration with only a year left? Or is his to investigate, the power to issue is how our countrymen, or a good per person. Given that some of those in questioning at the oral argument. appointment part of efforts that Sevilla resisted to cite in Ten contempt andbetter, power to partinclude of them, reason (or, fail to raise the bar ofsummons, the list Outstanding Young I made no such statement.

Somemake sure the ruling party stays in power after 2016? ask assistance from any branch of governto do so!), that demonstration of Men awardee and Xavier Alumnus Antoone did call me up however for public discourse and Aquino’s first Customs commissioner, who ment.

Here, we have a serious obstacle in a dreadful want in thoughtfulness nio Tiu, I’m sure the P600 million in froan interview on the subject. I gave resigned under a cloud of suspicion when 2,000 evaluating theshould performance of set more stringentthe andofreasonability make us zentask assets is insignificant since Tiu alone him onIy curt replies though he container vans vanished from the bureau in 2011, the Commission.

For while the courts and fearful of democracy’s future inshould be worth at least P600 million. standards for the DOJ did attempt, by leading questions, was a close associate of Lina. whose performance be meadeed.

When irrationality prevails, But the damage has beenmay done.

To the to make me agree with him on Lina was also Customs chief during the previous suredanything in terms of case disposal and/ or its exchange in public frightful is possible! unthinking mind, VP Binay could not this assessment—an enticement I administration, before he left abruptly as part of the conviction rate, the CHR can only investiTracing in broad strokes the hishave amassed P600 million from his 25 spaces. steadfastly resisted.

I made clear: “Hyatt 10” Cabinet members who abandoned the gate but has to prosecute. tory ofno thepower condonation doctrine in years in public office.

Ergo, many more I did not think it was right for me Arroyo government over an election-related scandal In this the case of Carino Ivs.pointed Commission of jurisdiction, out that ordinary persons may be convinced not to comment on on-going proceedin 2005, and who now hold considerable influence in Human Rights, the Supreme Court defined it has been in our jurisprudence for to vote for Binay in 2016. ings. What I did, however, was the Aquino administration. the full extent of now—carried the Commissions’ invessome time overwrong. from But the detractors of Binayofare write a Facebook post on the docAdministration allies in the Senate have been fulsome tigative powers: “The function receiving it impossible for a genuine democAmerican jurisprudence, and that it The people will eventually conclude that trine of condonation. Justice Adolf in their praise for Sevilla, but have shown none of their evidence and has ascertaining therefrom the racy to long endure.

When Archactually roots in our democratic prising, of course.

At least the Omwhy can’t she say anything about Morales has not replied so far the P600 million in frozen assets is just surveys show that Aquino’s poll offinvestigation survey data Azcuna with was dismissive elections the first to comment: usualremains eagernessundiminished. to launch a congressional facts of a controversy notnot a judicial funcbishop Soconly Villegas issued a stateconvictions.

I iswas advocating budsman has opted to contheof charges against Abad that toThe Ridon’s demand for after an explanathat:properly frozen. speaking.

Unless the courts declare He thatare captured numbers are continuing to plumb statements about justthought continuing toI had reality, as survey survey into allegations of corruption in the Bureau Customs, tion, To be considered ment on draftbudget BBL, an almost perpetuation offruits this piece of juthat the the sum is of actually of a prediveniently forget thatthethe gathering dust her office? succinctly.

And if new, tionshown, about the the the doctrine He agreed particularly since Aquino suchon a probe might such, the faculty receiving evidence and unfamiliar depths despite his do the“friendly work of in governance, Comhas is inaction that is cases just expose common comment was: “Bakit risprudence.

Ithe wasAnti-Money however arguing cate crime under Launwith my analysis that the doctrine forces” rather than political opponents. secretary is the most prominent Morales thinks Abad is as clean as filed against Abad.

The silence of making factual conclusions in a controverthe campaign to ang sim- that it was not unreasonable and barely keeping his head above the munications Secretary Herminio efforts, I expect nakikiaalam na naman Act,accompanied they enjoy the presumption has that its roots in our there can be no doubt that Sevilla must beis –says sydering must by the authority member of the Cabinet of President he says he despite the“there very sethe Ombudsman is telling, because further intensify.

Coloma now is understanding waters ofBut negative acceptability and bahan dito?”.

Nowhere was there hadbeclean in fact been frozen consistently of being money dueconcluto appoencouraged—or compelled—to name names and of popular sovereignty.

That note of of applying the law to those factual to be implicated in the argurious allegations made

by Napoles Noynoy Morales hasAnd onlythere recently denied significant There Aquino is no option room for improvement popularity. is nothing any other serious analysisfor of plied by the High Court.

The comliticaltomaneuverings. provide a detailed account of what he knows. His failure sions the end that the controversy may concurrence, I consider priceless!

Aquino, But history and the ment advanced, no serious exami- Second, and... [a] need to The continually ascerthat he canreports do, it seems, reverse ments I got are labeled meina lackey of theextended porkreally. barrel scandal. and he Suñas, trusted published that hertooffice hasmorality wrong assuming to do so would be a betrayal of the claimsher former be decided orthey determined authoritatively, next day, Iassowrote an nation and rebuttal of the reasons the Binays, a fraud, a charlatan— “stickiness” of the popular perceptain the needs of our people. ” the trend.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, ciate – why can’t she just junk the found probable cause to sue Vice that they could freeze the assets of a sitled to his resignation, and the public service he vowed finally and definitively, subject to such aparticle for this paper—and earned a Nothing more than peals an actually, ifasIhilarious, betion thatother he isadduced. a failure as President What Aquino seems hell-bent on It istosignificant Malacanang ting pathetic vice president.

While have adonmind the hand, had to be pubcases that Ridon others President Jejomar on at the coruphold whenthat heBinay took office Bureau of Customs. or modes of review may long be prolotand of flak for it. filed I do not the attack on bishops and priests.

The cause they were attacks on me, not vocated impeachable should are against doing is him? toand continue making seems toIncharges. have abandoned the stratopening his mouth about corruption vided by that law. This function,officials to repeat, the criticism, butpublic I am alarmed that thehim.before she was forced licly ridiculed against ruption Archbishop, in a personal argument.

In” stark contrast onlyon be my immune from suits arising from see no reason Aquino’s num- capacity, appearances is still toIof egyIfofMorales pretending to ignore re- Mr. influence peddling in thethe bureau, Sevilla hasto prove Commission does not have. kind I got he is symptomatic a more backtrack on why her recent position * * *that can immediately deny discussed the necessity of inclusivewere the posts of Prof.

Jemy Gatsovereign acts pursuant to the rulings let the genie out of the bottle, and no amount of It is this lack of prosecutorial powers would very much in has control andthatbers sults the surveys which show an working, insidious malady is lethal to improve in the coming The amnesia that afflicted that of she is part of the long-running ness, warned against equating peace dula of the University of Asia and doubletalk from in him his former employers now of game-changing democracy: intolerance for dissent! the possessor enirreversible decline hisorpopularin Mindanao with the passage of Morales in Abad’s case is not surcampaign to tar and feather Binay, Continued on A11 Continuedon onA10 A10 Continued on A11 can put it back is good reason to ignore Continued If subsequent ity. Where once thein. palace shrugged dorsement powers.There

MADE A DIFFERENCE?

THE REAL THREAT

was right IAbad see no reason at theAquino’s center of why the allegations numbers would of the massive, improve in the systematic coming days. looting of Congress’ pork. sors, for yet another reason entirely. The second Aquino has been stuck with the tored” her in tag, the lucrative art “noynoying” which has of using bogus non-governled to the widespread belief mentheorganizations to funnel that has done nothing of congressional allocations for significance after unreasonnon-existent projects. that ably raising expectations in her sworn he Napoles, could deliver everything

statement, describedto how from good governance baAbad received millions from sic infrastructure as he enters hersixth and and showed her, of in his exthe last year change, how to steal pork term. funds when like Abad wasPresistill a Of course, other dents before him, Aquino is Batanes congressman, using fighting waning of his the localthe electric cooperative once-stratospheric as the beneficiary on popupaper. larity withdenied everything that Abad has all Napoles’ he’s got.

And like those who claims in the media, but was went neverbefore able tohim, do soheinseems court, doomed to fail. simply because he was never Aquino’s reason for resistcharged by the Ombudsman. ing the decline has to do with “Ms. that Suñas’ testimony ensuring he stays out of [last week] is consistent with jail when he steps down. This Napoles’ earlier disclosure is why he repeatedly declares that Abad herhementor in these days, was when attends diverting publicinsignificant funds to boeven the most non-government organiofgus public functions, that he is zations, ” Ridon said.

“Now not a lame duck and that his power make hishappened chosen we ask to – whatever successor win in next year’s to that case?”

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

Chairman President & Chief Executive Officer Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Director of Operations Finance Officer

Ma. Editha D. Angeles Advertising Manager Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher Jojo A. Robles Editor-in-Chief Jojo A. Robles Editor-in-Chief Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Managing Editor Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Managing Editor Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Associate Editors Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Associate Editors P. Palacios News Editor FrancisJoel Lagniton News Editor Francis Lagniton Editor Joyce Pangco Pañares CityCity Editor Arman Armero Senior Deskman Adelle Chua Senior Deskman Leo A. Estonilo Senior Deskman Romel J. Mendez Art Director Romel J. Mendez ArtPhotographer Director Roberto Cabrera Chief Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer

T H U R S D AY : M AY 14 , 2 0 1 5

A10

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

BETTING ON BINAY TODAY, my wife and I mark our 60th wedding anniversary. Some call it a diamond anniversary.

When I woke up this morning, the first thing I did was to thank God as I always do every morning. He has bestowed on my wife and me wedded bliss and countless other blessings.

We decided against a big party for our anniversary. We will instead have a quiet, simple celebration with our family. *** Santa Banana, the demolition team of Malacañang and the ruling Liberal Party is throwing the kitchen sink at Vice President Jejomar Binay and everybody allied with him.

Not content with having Senators Antonio Trillanes and Alan Peter Cayetano attack the Binays during the 19 hearings by the Senate Yellow Ribbon subcommittee, Malacañang and the LP are now using the Anti-Money Laundering Council to freeze all the assets of the Binays their associates and their friends.

In those 19 hearings, not a single shred of proof that can stand in court was presented, only hearsay.

In my 65 years as a journalist, I have never seen such vicious and personal attacks against a known presidential candidate like Binay. The presidential bet who could perhaps approximate the attacks against Binay now was the late strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos, who was called a murderer, landgrabber and fake hero. Still, he won the presidency.

The question now is: with the demolition job against the Vice President becoming more vicious, will Binay still remain the man to beat?

Against Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, Binay’s presidency is a walk in the park. With Senator Grace Poe running as the administration presidential bet, it will be a good fight since Poe also has a “masa” base. Personally, however, I’ll still bet on Binay, a veteran politician running against a neophyte—unless Malacañang and the administration party cheat, which is a probability since President Aquino is worried he might land in jail.

I still believe, however, that Grace Poe will not be tempted to run for the presidency. She’s bright enough to realize the imponderables in a presidential run.

What is pathetic to all these is that even Senate President Franklin Drilon seems to be with the demolition team. He continues to allow the Senate sub-committee do its thing against Binay and his family.

I hate to say it, but I am disappointed with Frank. He has become a lapdog of the President.

CLEAN AND HONEST ELECTIONS TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

*** Despite the claims of Speaker Sonny Bemonte that the majority party has the votes to enact the Bangsamoro Basic Law as scheduled, what is now happening at the House of Representatives seems to point otherwise.

I believe what House Independent Minority Bloc head Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin “FM” Romualdez said that the majority might not have enough support for the BBL. The very fact that voting in the plenary in the House of Repsentative has been deferred anew may support this.

The BBL as presented by Malacañang to Congress is pockmarked with constitutional infirmities—and members of Congress know it. It will be a big mistake if the BBL were enacted with all these infirmities and be rendered useless by the Supreme Court. But, with the President cracking the whip on the House, the BBL could pass with amendments.

The passage of the BBL in the Senate is another story since Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is still in consultation with other stakeholders of the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity. And considering the temperament of the senators, the majority will likely thumb down the BBL without reaching the June 11 deadline.

This, even as the President tells the people that peace in Mindanao will be his biggest legacy.

But the question is, will the Moro Islamic Liberation Front accept the BBL’s watered-down version? Recall what the MILF said, a threat echoed by the government peace negotiators, that the Moro rebels will not accept it. Then what? Will they go back to war against the government?

Granted without assuming that the BBL is enacted by both the House and the Senate, and even granting that the plebiscite will ratify it, can that guarantee peace in Mindanao? I don’t believe so.

There are still the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) the newly-formed Justice for Bangsamoro rebel fighters, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Sultanate of Sulu, as well as private armies. Santa Banana, the Abu Sayyaf Group based in Basilan and Sulu with jihadist ties will continue to be a headache of the government.

I’m not a war freak, but I think the dream of final peace in Mindanao remains a pie in the sky.

I think he is still the man to beat.

WITH the 2016 national elections to choose our next president is less than a year away, the quest for clean, honest and credible election seems problematic as ever.

Many issues in the Commission on Elections remain unresolved and there might not be enough time to implement a system that would ensure the integrity of the election process.

We have a Comelec composed of newly appointed commissioners who will be suiting up for their first war, so to speak.

Let us hope that they will be equal to the tough and difficult job ahead.

Chairman Andres Bautista was quoted in the media saying that he does not know anything about electronic voting.

This is not encouraging, but to his credit, however, he promised greater transparency in the commission. Altogether, we have a discouraging situation where all the ingredients point to an election process whose integrity could not be guaranteed if all the kinks involving the precinct count optical scan machines are not settled once and for all.

These issues should have been solved by now but it seems that there are groups bent on prolonging the uncertainty in order to benefit from it. Among the issues that has not yet been settled is whether the commission would use the same Smartmatic PCOS machines or buy new ones.

Another important issue is the matter of transmitting the election returns. The advocacy group led by former Comelec Commissioner Gus Lagman is recommending a hybrid system wherein the canvassing will be done manually at the precinct level before transmitting the results simultaneously to the municipal, provincial and national servers to avoid the massive electronic manipulation that took place in the 2010 at 2013 elections.

Although this is a step in the right direction, this does not solve all the problems because the issue of the machines is only part of the problem. After all, machines only perform what they are told to do.

UNTOUCHABLE...

DUTY CALLS FLORENCIO FIANZA The other important issue is what to do with the software program developed to run the elections, which is the heart and soul of the Automated Election System. Should a new program be developed to run a new hybrid system, or should the same program for the 2016 national elections be used without any modifications? If a new software program is developed and that the hybrid canvassing proposed by the group of Gus Lagman will be used, will there be a need to amend certain provisions of the RA 9369 dated January 23, 2007 which provides that elections be fully automated?

Although a lot of attention has been on the Smartmatic PCOS machines and the transmission of the canvassing, there is not enough focus on the issue of corruption in the Comelec and Smartmatic. Election advocates seem to be underestimating the capability of corrupt people in the Comelec and Smartmatic to manipulate, or allow the manipulation, of the election.

As I have written in the past, if only the general public knew the extent of manipulation done by the Comelec and Smartmatic in the 2010 presidential elections, they probably would no longer vote. If the current Comelec wants a clean and honest election, a review of all the Comelec resolutions promulgated before the 2010 elections should be undertaken so that the security safeguards removed in 2010 could be restored.

Remember that the security features of the software program were deactivated by virtue of a Comelec resolution. The outcome of this was that it became impossible to trace where the election anomaly originated. Why did the Comelec, a constitutional body tasked to safeguard the integrity of our elections, knowingly neutralize the security features of the software program that will run the

election if not to sabotage the conduct of its own elections?

Could the Comelec have done this alone? No, because in fairness to the company that developed the software program, attempts of sabotage could have been easily detected by the system but the Comelec and Smartmatic partnered together to make this all but impossible.

There is a law that prohibits the participation of foreigners in our election processes. Foreigners are prohibited to participate in whatever shape or form in our elections, yet there is no law prohibiting a foreigner from leading the company that is intimately participating in our elections.

Six years on, Cesar Flores of Smartmatic is still around. How much longer should this guy be allowed to make a mockery of our elections? The simplest proof that there was massive computer manipulation in the 2010 and 2013 elections was that the results did not tally with the numbers of voters who cast their votes. The Comelec was never able to explain this satisfactorily.

Clean election advocates should also be aware of the other methods of electronic manipulation. In the 2010 election, the most common was the duplication of thousands of CF cards. This is the principal storage facility in the PCOS machines. The other is the procurement and use of extra servers and the switching off of the municipal, provincial and national servers.

If in the end, the Comelec ends up using the same system without any modification and that those security features incorporated in the original program are not restored, election advocates should go to the service providers such as Globe, Smart and Sun and make them agree to announce to the public the details of all the transmissions immediately after the elections. This will at least show that there were excess transmissions that took place for certain PCOS machines and will also show the exact time for each transmission. This is an easy but effective way to detect if there was manipulation.

From A9

that filing charges against the so-called second and third batches of lawmakers and other officials who also misused the pork funds was “not a priority.” De Lima, who is widely believed to be eyeing a slot in the administration senatorial ticket in next year’s elections, actually thought she could get away with not prosecuting the lawmakers – most of them allied with Aquino – who stand accused of using Napoles-like NGOs to siphon off PDAF funds allocated for their pet projects.

But I think it’s safe to say that neither Morales nor De

Lima – despite her belated backtracking – intends to go after all the other abusers of Congress’ pork. The reason is simple: The prosecution of the lawmakers in the House and the Senate has been limited to perceived political enemies of the administration.

And Abad, if both Napoles and Suñas are to be believed, was right at the center of the allegations of the massive, systematic looting of Congress’ pork – a practice that was so widespread that it was not limited by party or by political affiliation. Abad, after all, controlled the release of all pork funds, through

his department’s Special Allocation Release Orders, the good-as-cash documents that Napoles and her ilk took in exchange for advancing cash and completing payment to pork-mad legislators of either House and of whatever party.

If you still don’t know why Abad isn’t being charged, stop wondering. Abad is Aquino himself, not just because they look alike with their bald pates.

And if you go after Abad, you go after the man he took orders from. And, as we all know, Aquino was never involved in any thievery.

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OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

DENUDING THE MOUNTAINS OF QUEZON MINORITY REPORT DANILO SUAREZ THE results of the environmental impact assessment that was conducted by the Provincial Government of Quezon relative to the National Centennial Water Project are quite alarming.

Over the years, professional kaingeros have severely depleted the forest cover which protects this vital watershed. Professional kaingeros have made kaingin farming in Quezon a big-time business which results in huge environmental degradation because they do not want to replace what they burn. Moreover, the claim of these professional kaingeros that they burn mostly softwood alone is belied by the fact that hardwood areas are also being ravaged.

Kaingin or slash-and-burn cultivation have made these areas and the communities

alongside them more vulnerable to floods during the rainy season due to the destruction of vegetation on mountain slopes.

According to the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Region 4 Web site, already the following areas are high risk areas when it comes to flooding: Lucena City, Burdeos, Real, Gen. Nakar, Infanta, Jomalig, Lucban, Mauban, Pagbilao, Panukulan, Patnanungan, Polio, Sampaloc, Tayabas, Candelaria, Dolores, San Antonio, Sariaya, Tiaong, Agdangan, Buenavista, Catanauan, Gen Luna, Macalelon, Mulanay, Padre Bugos, Pitogo, San Andres, San Francisco, San Narciso, Unisan, Alabat, Atimonan, Calauag, Guinyangan, Gumaca, Lopez, Perez, Quezon, Plaridel, Tagkawayan, Sariaya, Gumaca Flooding is considered even more hazardous near the mountainous areas because heavy rains mobilize masses of rock, earth, or debris resulting in both mud-

slides and landslides during the period of heavy rains.

It has consequently also increased the threat to biological diversity because of habitat alteration and loss.

Sadly, the provincial government’s resources are already hard pressed to provide protection against these criminal syndicates as their operators for kaingin farming in the area are better armed than our forest protectors.

Although our LGUs have already made efforts to come up with responsive policies and help arrest other social factors like the lack of livelihood in the town and nearby areas which apparently lead some of their folks to resort to illegal logging and kaingin activities, they need the support of other agencies of the national government to step in and help curb the dastardly activities of these professional kaingeros. If collective efforts towards this objective is delayed, the strategic benefits of the National Centennial Water Project is placed

in serious jeopardy.

The NCWSP is an ambitious but sorely needed keyproject of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System that aims to provide water security, reliability and additional supply for Metro Manila. One component of the NCWSP is the P18.72billion Kaliwa Dam Project which involves the construction of the 600 million liters per day Kaliwa Dam, and Water Conveyance Tunnel with a capacity of 2,400 million liters per day, in anticipation of future construction of the Laiban Dam. The project will cover the towns of General Nakar and Infanta in Quezon province but also portions of the municipalities of Tanay, Antipolo and Teresa in Rizal province.

To ensure the continuity of this vital watershed which will provide Metro Manila with water, the national government should order the PNP and the AFP to prioritize the protection of this area.

THE GERPHIL PHENOMENON “IS SHE even human?”

This is one of the comments on a Youtube video of Gerphil Geraldine Flores singing “Impossible Dream” in the finals of the the “Asia’s Got Talent” contest held in Singapore.

Flores, a student of University of the Philippines College of Music taking BM Voice, electrified the world with a moving soprano rendition that gave the song an entirely fresh take. She garnered impresario David Foster’s enthusiastic support, who promised her “the world will know you.”

I was mesmerized by her performance, playing the final salvo over and over, where she sings, “To reach the unreachable star”, hitting a high note on what you’d think was the end of it, but she unleashes an even higher note on top of that – music pundits say it’s a D6 – and, incredibly, sustains it, reaching the unreachable note.

What makes her a consummate performer is that she not only has a voice that spans four octaves; she can also act.

Her face is expressive, and she makes effective use of gestures and sweeping movements, a reflection of her theatrical background. Blues musician Binky Lampano, in a The Standard interview last March, says in music, “You

POP GOES THE WORLD JENNY ORTUOSTE need to tell a story.” Gerphil is a storyteller, and she has the instincts and chemistry that connect her to an audience and hold them spellbound.

In 2010, Flores joined ABS-CBN’s “Pilipinas Got Talent” contest. She called herself “Fame’’ back then, and in the finals belted out a touching version of “Via Dolorosa” that had the audience screaming with admiration, but that strangely left judges Kris Aquino and Ai-ai De las Alas unmoved.

They dissed the performance. Ai-Ai made excuses for the other finalist and said she picked him based on a previous performance: “[Fame], you are beautiful and you have a future, and Sherwin, even though he did not reach the high note, maybe he lacks sleep, but yesterday, he was perfect. In fairness, you were the one I voted through text, so I pick you.”

Kris insisted that Gerphil stick to music that is “ageappropriate. You are 19 years old so you should sing songs like that of Charice, so that people your age can relate.”

They harped on Gerphil’s beautiful voice and face, that she would be an actress, and famous. How shallow the path they were advocating, and Gerphil was right to stick to her guns when she told them, choking on tears, that she would not stop singing the classical songs she loves to sing.

Gerphil now stands vindicated, although it took five years and a tremendous exercise of will on her part to find a proper venue for her talent.

And after Aquino and De Las Alas’s misstep in judging, contestants of a certain caliber now know they should choose the right contests if they want to go for a credible win.

Is this a tug-of-war between lowbrow and highbrow culture, Kris and Ai-ai representing the former? They agreed Gerphil had a good voice, but their criticisms came primarily from a commercial standpoint based on their knowledge of what is selling now in the marketplace and what it would take for Gerphil to succeed in the present milieu – the “right” genre and appearance or “packaging.”

Their advice did not stem from discernment of the quality of the music or her performance. To insist that Gerphil concentrate her ca-

reer on bubblegum pop songs that are more to the masa’s taste insults those same socalled masses and their ability to appreciate good music wherever they find it, whatever the genre. For a true music fan, the distinctions between genres fade in the face of a genuine talent such as Gerphil’s, whom Foster described in the semi-finals as always singing in tune.

In terms of her name, Gerphil made a good move in dropping her erstwhile moniker, “Fame.” Perhaps it was confidence, perhaps hubris or wrong timing, but when she went back to being plain Gerphil, back to being herself, she soared as high as her highest notes.

Gerphil shows us all that a dream needn’t be impossible, it can become reality through determination, pluck, and hard work. She took the PGT rejection as a challenge, and she never stopped believing in herself, and now her selfconfidence is paying off.

There is a bright future ahead of her, and we, her kababayan, will always be proud of our golden girl, and wish her well wherever destiny takes her, even to the farthest star.

Facebook: Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @jennyortuoste, Blog: http://jennyo.net

A11

BINAY... From A9 in In Re Pinochet by the UK House of Lords and the US Supreme Court case of Clinton vs. Jones, the Philippine Supreme Court has repeatedly refused my pleas to charge then President Gloria MacapagalArroyo for corruption and for crimes against humanity. In at least two cases that I filed, the first in connection with the botched and anomalous NBN –ZTE contract and in the case of David vs. Arroyo, the Court has refused to follow the route of the UK and US in narrowing the scope of immunity of impeachable officers. In other words, the AMLA petition to freeze the assets of the VP, including the action of the Regional Trial Court to declare these funds as proceeds of predicate crimes under the law, violate Binay’s immunity from suits. It is only a matter of time before the Supreme Court declares the freezing of the VP’s assets as being unconstitutional.

But to the VP’s detractors, the unconstitutionality of their acts simply does not matter. In typical Machiavellian manner, the task is to prevent, by hook or by crook, the commoner Binay, the dark Vader, a common Tao, from occupying the highest office of the land. These caciques clearly believe that the presidency should remain in the hands of one of their own.

But times have indeed changed. The public is no longer as gullible as the elite believe them to be. Because of a thriving free marketplace of ideas, falsities, although welcome, have enabled the masses to discern the truth for themselves. And what is the truth?

The reality is that none of Binay’s detractors can play the game of “holier than thou”.

None of them can come to court, because they themselves have unclean hands. And consequently, none of their charges can stand up in a court of law.

This is the reason why despite being in government for more than 25 years, VP Binay has not been found guilty even once of corruption in a proper court of law. And yes, the truth is that the frozen P600 million is only the fruit of a hoax.

Perhaps, a few words should also be devoted to the propriety of reporting on the freeze order, which according to the law should remain confidential. Here, the secrecy is for at least two reasons: one, to prevent the account holders from concealing their assets.

Two, and more importantly, it is to protect the reputation of the account holders since the freeze order is not tantamount to a finding of guilt.

As we have learned from this incident, media ought to be more vigilant in upholding the law. Even public figures, after all, are entitled to the presumption of innocence; more so where a law itself requires everyone to treat information as confidential. Now more than ever, I have learned that freedoms should be balanced with responsibility and the pressing need for the media to comply with the law.

t hurs day : m ay 1 4 , 2 0 1 5

A12 Seno, Fil-Aussie dominate net meet LOCAL ace Jan Godfrey Seno and Fil-Aussie Crystal Mildwaters came away with two victories each while Manila bets Sebastien Lhuillier and Macie Carlos topped their respective divisions in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group tennis tournament in Laray, Cebu last Tuesday.

But while Seno lived up his top billing with a 6-2, ret. win and a 6-0, 6-0, romp over Kevin Pantillo in the boys’ 18- and 16-and-under sections, respectively, the unranked 13-year-old Mildwaters stunned the girls’ field, upending second seed Tracy Llamas, 6-0, 6-2, to claim the 16-U plum in the Group 2 tournament sponsored by the leading pawnshop, remittance and claim center.

Meanwhile, over 250 entries have signed up for the Puerto Princesa leg, also a Group 2 event, of the circuit which fires off today (Thursday) at the Puerto Princesa Tennis Club.

Participants will also be treated to a day-tour to the Underground River and Honda Bay, among others. For details, call Bobby Mangunay, PPS-PEPP Sports Program Development director, at 0915-4046464.

The Perth-based Mildwaters, whose Filipina mother hails from Lapu-Lapu, also beat Llamas, 6-4, 6-2, in the quarters, eased out No. 7 Febbie Abayan, 6-0, 6-1, in the semis before repulsing fellow giant killer Elizabeth Abarquez, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, to snatch the 14-U crown in the six-day event sanctioned by the Philippine Tennis Association headed by president and Paranaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez.

“I’m very happy to win and join the list of champions in this Palawan Pawnshop circuit which is a big boost indeed to Philippine junior tennis,” said Mildwaters, adding that the local circuit is very popular in Perth.

sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Novak opens with a win ROME—Holder Novak Djokovic needed a late break in the final set to beat Nicolas Almagro 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 in an opening match at the Italian Open on Tuesday.

The Serb world number one took his record on the clay of the capital to a 30-5 career record here, with titles in 2008, 2011 and a year ago over Rafael Nadal.

Djokovic broke for 5-3 against his Spanish opponent and served out the victory, finishing with 11 aces and just one break of serve.

It was the first competitive outing for Djokovic since winning Monte Carlo almost a month ago. The Serb is now riding an 18-match win streak.

“I experienced some ups and downs but the confidence I have from many matches

won this year helped me,” said Djokovic.

“I was expecting him to bounce back and start playing better and that’s what he did.

“He deserved to win the second set even if I could have maybe prevailed in the tie break. But at the end of the day it’s a win.

After three weeks with no official match, in the important moments I did feel a little bit uncomfortable.”

Andy Murray will take to the court on Wednesday after agonising with his team as to whether he should play.

The back-to-back champion at Munich and Madrid will start against France’s Jeremy Chardy.

Murray’s team was split on whether he should compete or rest, with the competition view winning out.

- Expectations Murray, who defeated Nadal in a shock result in the Madrid final, said his preparation for the French Open seemed to be on track.

“This year I feel a lot healthier on the clay, I have to thank my team, which has made some big changes in my clay preparation. That’s helped for sure,” the Scot said.

“I also didn’t feel much pressure last week, I didn’t have very high expectations.

I just played and felt better and better in each match.”

As the complex scheduling of the event proceeded, results were all over the charts.

In the women’s first round, Spanish tenth seed Carla Suarez Navarro beat German Mona Barthel 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 while Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic defeated Monica Puig 7-5, 6-3.

Former number one Victoria Azarenka, finalist two years ago against Serena Williams, continued her revival after an injury-plagued 2014, advancing over Czech Lucie Hradecka 7-5, 2-6, 6-1.

Third seed Maria Sharapova became the first into the third round as she advanced when Australian Jarmila Gajdosova retired trailing 6-2, 3-1. AFP

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic hits a backhand return shot to Nicolas Almagro of Spain during the ATP Rome Tennis Open tournament Rome. AFP

Woods writes letter to bullied boy who stutters LOS ANGELES—Tiger Woods wrote a personal letter of support to a schoolboy who contemplated suicide because of a stutter, saying “I know what it’s like to be different and not fit in”.

In the letter, published by Golf Digest magazine Tuesday, Woods revealed he too had suffered with a speech impediment and gave the boy encouragement to overcome bullying.

“I also stuttered as a child and I would talk to my dog and he would sit there and listen until he fell asleep. I also took a class for two years to help me, and I finally learned to stop,” Woods wrote The boy, identified only as Dillon, quit his high school football team after being teased and bullied and his mother then wrote to LPGA tour player Sophie Gustafson of Sweden, who has had to cope with a stutter throughout her career, saying she had only just prevented him jump-

ing to his death from his bedroom window last month.

Gustafson shared the letter, which also mentioned that Dillon was a fan of Woods, with Golf Digest who printed it last week.

Gustafson then tweeted on Sunday, just days after the article appeared: “Thanks so much @TigerWoods for sending my friend Dillon a letter. He got so happy! It’s being framed and hanged. #class.”

Woods told Dillon he had to deal with many barriers as a child, such as being the only black player in the field.

“But I didn’t let that stop me, and I think it even inspired me to work harder,” he wrote. “I know you can do that too. You have a great family, and big fans like me on your side. Be well and keep fighting. I’m certain you’ll be great at anything you do.”

Dillon told Golf Digest: “On Saturday, I got a letter from Tiger! He told me that he used to stutter too. AFP

Globe offers League Pass to its subscribers NEVER miss out on your favorite NBA games as the Playoffs heats up with an NBA League Pass only from Globe Telecom, the official wireless and broadband services partner of the NBA in the Philippines.

With the NBA League Pass, NBA fans get instant access to live and on-demand NBA games on their phones, tablets, and PCs. You don’t need to be at home or at your basketball buddy’s to get your NBA fix. Get the NBA League Pass for only P499 for 30 days and watch the NBA Playoffs anytime, anywhere.

Customers can also enjoy crystal clear HD video, multi-game viewing modes, and integrated game stats module. All games previously played during the current and prior NBA season will also be available through the game archives with the NBA League Pass.

In 2014, Globe Telecom and NBA

signed a comprehensive, multiyear partnership that involves offering customers exciting NBA-related promotions and premium services. These include the introduction of the NBA League Pass which allows postpaid, prepaid, TM, and Tattoo On-the-Go customers get live and on-demand HD access to all games played during the NBA regular season, playoffs, Finals, All Star Weekend, and most of the pre-season on the tablet, mobile, or desktop.

Register to the NBA League Pass by texting NBA499 to 2662 to register. Other available NBA League Pass variants are NBA50 for 1 promo code which gives users 1 NBA League Pass valid for 24 hours for only P50, and NBA299 for 7 24-hour promo codes for only P299. To register, text NBA50 or NBA299 to 2662. Visit www.globe.com.ph/nba to know more about the NBA League Pass from Globe.

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A13

sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Corpus leads jungolf match play qualifiers CARL Corpus continued his solid play this summer with a seven-under-par 65 to top the stroke qualifying round of the inaugural Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines Chairman’s Cup at the Ayala Greenfield course in Calamba, Laguna.

Fresh off a convincing victory in his age bracket in the Philippine Airlines Junior World qualifying, Corpus tamed the wellmaintained course with a solid effort to emerge as the top seed heading into the tournament proper where play shifts to match this time at the Ayala South Links course in Las Pinas.

Corpus together with the top four players got themselves a free ride into the Round-of-16 with only 28 players competing in Division 1 of the tourney, which is part of the ICTSI-JGFP Summer Circuit and hosted

by JGFP chair Gerry Handog through his group of companies, Cleanpak, Inc., IWSI, IWS Cleantech, Inc. -- with the sup-

port of International Container Terminal Services, Inc., Philippine Airlines, Philippine Golf Foundation, Kuya Tom’s Cebu Lechon by Qubiertos and G&A Sportswear.

Also advancing to the Roundof-16 outright were Ira Alido, who shot a 69 and Nathan Kawpeng and Jolo Magcalayo, who both carded 73s.

Kawpeng and Magcalayo took their automatic spots after prevailing in the count back over Marc Corrales and Lanz Uy. Guilbert Purcia, Laia Barro, Gabby Subido and Vito Manalili took the same route after submitting the best four scores in Division 2. Purcia shot an 86 while Barro, Subido and Manalili carded similar 87s.

Winners in yesterday’s Round-of-32 advanced to today’s Round of 16. The quarterfinals is scheduled in the afternoon while the semifinals and finals will be held tomorrow also at South Links.

British School hosts FOBISIA BRITISH School Manila is all set to host the FOBISIA (Federation of British International Schools in Asia) Primary Games scheduled from May 14 to 16. Participating schools joining BSM include Discovery Bay International School in Hong Kong; Harrow International School in Bangkok, Thailand; Jerudong International School in Brunei; The British International School in Shanghai, China; and Seoul Foreign British School in South Korea.

The FOBISIA Primary Games, also known as the “friendly games,” is an annual event participated in by British schools in Asia to promote camaraderie, friendship and international understanding among students as well as encourage sportsmanship.

British school students will be competing against participants from other schools in Asia in highly competitive levels in the following disciplines: athletics, tee-ball, football and swimming.

226 students from the Philippines and all over Asia and the world, age 7 to 11 years old, will participate in the event.

“The FOBISIA Primary Games grants the British schools in the region the opportunity to foster friendships and create a lasting bond.

This would ultimately enrich the lives of the students as they also learn from one another,” said Glenn Hardy, Head of Primary School at the British School Manila.

Leaders. Unheralded Nilo Salahog, shown here checking the lie of his ball from the bunker on No. 18, and tour leg winner Zanieboy Gialon stole the thunder from the big guns by firing identical three-under 69s to share the first round lead in the Philippine Golf Tour ICTSI Anvaya Cove Golf Invitational.

Adamson IX stuns Chikara of Brunei ADAMSON Alumni pulled off a 6-5 squeaker over defending champion Chikara from Brunei while Ateneo posted an abbreviated 16-1 romp over De La Salle-Zobel in the ninth Summer Grand Slam softball competition at the Clark Freeport Zone in Clark, Pampanga yesterday.

“This year’s edition of the Summer Grand Slam boasts of the toughest field ever with the participation of the Philippine Blu Boys and Blu Girls. The loss of the women’s defending champions right on the opening day is a testament to this.

We are in for an exciting week of world-class softball action,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, president of the organizing Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines.

Chikara shocked powerhouse Adamson University to snatch last year’s crown in the country’s biggest softball tournament but is in for an uphill battle in its title defense.

In other games, Adamson-Manila clobbered Central Luzon State U, in women’s club division while Adamson Manila beat PUP, in the men’s club division.

The Ateneo Wildcats, meanwhile, proved too strong for the De La Salle

Resuello in impressive bikes’ start FOR the first time in three years, Ducati rider Raniel Resuello scored an impressive season opener, turning back defending back-to-back Superbikes’ champion Dashi Watanabe of Kawasaki recently in the kickoff leg of the 2015 Pirelli Superbikes Championship Series at the Batangas Racing Circuit.

The feat opened strong possibilities for Resuello to regain the throne he won in 2012, thus promising a more intense title rivalry with Watanabe, who is seeking his third straight championship in this event sanctioned by the Superbikes Racing Association and sponsored

by Pirelli, FDR and ENEOS with media partners Inside Racing Magazine, Motorsiklo Xklusibo @ DZME 1530, and Motorcycle World Magazine.

The thrill was cut short after TJ Alberto figured in an incident. At the resumption, it was all systems go as the crowd glued their eyes on the tight dicing between Resuello and Watanabe, with Marvin Mangulabnan, Anthony Roman and

Rizaldy Canarre just close behind waiting for the perfect opportunity to grab the spotlight.

However, the encounter didn’t end in a heartstopping, photo-finish when Watanabe uncontrollably went high side, overshooting the first turn that prompted race officials to raise the red flag.

With 75 percent of the nine-lap race completed, Clerk-of-Course Elson Carpio declared their standings when the red flag was raised stands as the official result.

Resuello thus captured the Superbikes’ Open plum with Mangulabnan and Roman checking in runner-up and third placer, respectively. Canare wound up fourth, while Watanabe claimed fifth place honors.

Aguila emerged the Superbikes Intermediate champion over Lawrence Macalinao, Ralph Kenneth Torres, and Jericho Arnaiz, while Raymond Robertson bagged the Superbikes Master crown over runner-up Toti Alberto, Clarke Robertson, Jay Carrion and John Defensor.

Games today 7:30 a.m. – Adu-Manila vs Baguio (women’s club) AdU-Alumni vs NU-B (women’s Open) RTU vs NU-A (women’s Open) Chikara-Brunei vs NU-B (women’s Open) Phl Blu Girls vs AdU-Alumni (women’s Open) Adu-Manila vs Ateneo (women’s club)

U-Zobel side, scoring a lopsided victory.

Hurlers Nicky Borromeo and Clarielle Dacanay combined for a no-hit job in the first three innings while the Wildcats pounced on De La Salle-Zobel’s wild pitching en route to a 16-run binge in that stretch highlighted by Mei Uy’s homer.

“The girls just enjoyed the game,” said Wildcats coach Ma. Corazon Soberre.

Exhibit D

FORM OF ANNOUNCEMENT OF INTENTION TO MAKE A TENDER OFFER TO STOCKHOLDERS OF AG FINANCE, INCORPORATED TO THE SHAREHOLDERS OF AG FINANCE, INCORPORATED 12 May 2015 RYM Business Management Corporation (the “Bidder”) intends to acquire 183,276,801 common shares of AG Finance Incorporated (“AGF”) representing 70% of AGF’s total issued and outstanding capital stock from Mr. Tony O. King, Ms. Sharone O. King and Ms. Charmaine King for a total purchase price of PhP280,000,000.00 or approximately PhP1.5278 per share (the “Private Sale Transaction”).

In accordance with Section 19 of the Securities Regulation Code, the consummation of the Private Sale Transaction is conditioned on and shall take place either simultaneously with or after the completion of a tender offer. Accordingly, the Bidder will be making a tender offer for 78,547,201 AGF common shares representing approximately 30.00% of the total issued and outstanding common stock of AGF. The terms of the tender offer shall be announced separately on the date of the commencement of the tender offer.

Very truly yours, RYM BUSINESS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION BY:

REMEGIO C. DAYANDAYAN, JR. (TS-MAY 14, 2015)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Road Warriors post 1st win Games Friday (Ynares Center - Antipolo City): 4:15 p.m. - Barako Bull vs. Talk ‘N Text 7 p.m. - Alaska vs. Rain or Shine

By Jeric Lopez

Playing with a sense of urgency, NLEX banked on its two bigs down low to waylay sister team Meralco, 91-84, and snap a two-game losing streak and into the win column in the 2015 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup last night at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

Kwame Alexander and Asi Taulava flexed their muscles in the paint as they dominated the undersized Meralco frontline all game long and dished out double-double performances.

Alexander continued to get accustomed to local play as he once again produced heavy numbers for the second straight game with team-highs of 29 points and 17 rebounds while Taulava won’t be outdone as he likewise contributed heavily with 20 points and 10 boards for the Road Warriors.

Both squads share similar 1-2 cards right around the middle of the pack at

the moment. ‘’We really planned to put the ball in the post to our big guys because they have limited guys who can guard our bigs,’’ said NLEX coach Boyet Fernandez of his effective ploy. ‘’Motivated talaga kami to get the win kasi wala pa kaming panalo.’’

For the first two-and-ahalf quarters, it was a neckto-neck battle between the two squads as neither were giving any ground.

It was only in the third when NLEX finally got the leverage it needed as it slowly established two 10-point leads in the middle of the frame. But Meralco

roared back immediately and trimmed its deficit to only 59-63 after three, leaving the fourth period as the decider.

However, the Road Warriors kept their poise and remained in control until the final horn sounded despite several threats from the Bolts, re-establishing an eight-point lead, 74-66, after an 11-7 start to the final period.

When Meralco inched to within just two, 76-78, after Andre Emmett’s trey with just over five minutes left, NLEX responded with a key 5-0 run capped by Asi Taulava’s putback to make it a more comfortable 83-76 cushion for the Road Warriors with only 1:31 left.

That spurt proved to be the decider as NLEX held on the rest of the way.

The imports showed up for Meralco but unfortunately, its locals hardly made contributions.

Only Emmett and Asian import Seiya Ando scored in double-figures for the Bolts.

Emmett was his usual scoring monster a game-high 44 points and 11 rebounds while Ando came off the bench with 18 points and AZ Reid of San Miguel Beer (right) scores against Gabe Norwood of Rain or Shine in a PBA Govthree assists. ernors’ Cup game won by the Beermen, 104-91, at the Mall of Asia Arena Tuesday night.

SECURITY PLANT COMPLEX BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE

INVITATION TO BID The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), through its Bids and Awards Committee-Security Plant Complex (BAC-SPC), invites bidders to apply for eligibility and to bid for the hereunder requirement: Requirement/Brief Description Supply and Delivery of One (1) unit Electric Forklift, 3 Tons Capacity, per BSP Technical Specifications & Other Requirements and Terms of Reference.

Approved Budget for the PhP2,291,000.00, VAT inclusive.

Contract Delivery Period Within 120 calendar days from receipt of a copy of the executed Purchase Order 1.

Bidders should have completed from Y2010 to present a contract similar to the requirement. The Eligibility Check/Screening and Preliminary Examination of Bids shall use non-discretionary “pass/fail” criteria.

2.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorship/partnerships/, or organizations with at least sixty (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grants similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens.

3.

All particulars and activities relative to Eligibility of Bidders, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-bid Conference(s), Evaluation of Bids, Post-qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by Republic Act No. 9184 and its Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations.

a.

Activities Issuance of Bid Documents

b.

Pre-bid Conference

c.

4.

5.

Opening of Bids

Schedule/Location Starting 14 May 2015 (from 9:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. only) Department of General Services Room 405, 4th Floor, Bldg. A, BSP East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City.

Tel. / Fax Nos. 426-6668; 927-4993 or 924-8457 22 May 2015 at 9:00 A.M. Room 401, BAC-SPC Conference Room, 4th Floor, Bldg. A, BSP, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City.

05 June 2015 at 2:00 P.M. Room 401, BAC-SPC Conference Room, 4th Floor, Bldg. A, BSP, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City.

The bidding documents are posted at the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the BSP Website (www.bsp.gov. ph). Prospective bidders may download the bidding documents from any of these websites; provided that bidders shall pay a non-refundable fee PhP5,000.00 at the address above prior to, or upon submission of their bids.

The pre-bid conference shall be open to interested parties. However, only those who have purchased the bidding documents shall be allowed to participate in the pre-bid conference and raise or submit written queries or clarifications. To ensure completeness and compliance of bids, bidders are advised to send not more than two (2) technical and/or administrative representatives who will prepare the bidding documents.

6.

The BSP assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify any bidder for expenses incurred in the preparation of bid.

7.

The BSP reserves the right to reject any bid, declare a failure of bidding, not award the contract, annul the bidding process and reject all bids at any time prior to award of contract, without thereby incurring any liability to affected bidders. Further, the BSP reserves the right to waive any minor defects or formality and to accept the proposal most advantageous to the agency.

(TS-MAY 14, 2015)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

PLDT, Army press finals bid Games today 12 noon – Army vs Meralco friday 2 p.m. – Cagayan vs PLDT Home Ultera Monday THE race to the Shakey’s VLeague Season 12 Open Conference finals heats up today with powerhouse PLDT Home Ultera and defending champion Philippine Army going for repeat over Cagayan Valley and Meralco, respectively, at the start of the semifinal round at The Arena in San Juan City.

The Ultra Fast Hitters pulled off a tough 25-20, 25-22, 26-28, 25-18 victory over the Lady Rising Suns in their elims faceoff and went on to sweep the single round elims of the season-opening conference of the league sponsored by Shakey’s.

But the star-studded PLDT side, spearheaded by the league’s

leading scorer and Asian U-23 stalwarts Alyssa Valdez, Jaja Santiago and Gretchel Soltones, are expecting a stronger challenge from the Lady Rising Suns this time since every game counts in the single round Final Four.

Gametime is at 2 p.m. after the 12 noon showdown between Army and Meralco.

The Lady Troopers also carved out a four-setter over the Power Spikers in their elims faceoff but the latter are riding the crest of back-toback victories that netted them the last semis slot in the tournament presented by PLDT Home Ultera and backed by Mikasa and Accel.

Games can be viewed live via

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

COMMISSION ON APPOINTMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENT President Benigno S. Aquino III has submitted to the Commission on Appointments (C.A.) for confirmation the ad interim appointments of the following ranking officers in the Armed Forces of the Philippines: Romeo G. Gan– Major General; Ingemar S. Pernes– Commodore; Joseph R. Batenga, MC – Colonel; and Richard N. Gonzaga, PN – Captain The public may submit any information, written report or sworn complaints or oppositions in forty (40) copies on the above appointments to the CA Secretariat, 6th Floor, PNB Financial Center, DiosdadoMacapagal Blvd., Pasay City, Metro Manila.

For the schedule of the public hearings, the CA Secretariat can be reached through telephone numbers 551-7532, 831-0893, 831-1824, 834-2706, 831-1566 and 834-2713.

13 May 2015.

(Sgd.) CYNTHIA B. CASALME Vice-Chairperson

ARTURO L. TIU Secretary (MST-MAY 14, 2015)

streaming on www.vleague.ph.

Meanwhile, the Army-Meralco clash will be shown on GMA News TV Channel 11 starting at 1 p.m. tomorrow (Friday) while the PLDTCagayan duel will be aired Monday, according to the organizing Sports Vision.

While Meralco is on a roll, Army will still come into the match the slight favorite with coach Rico de Guzman expected to lean on his veterans led by Rachel Ann Daquis, also the league’s top server, Jovelyn Gonzaga, Nerissa Bautista, Mary Jean Balse and Dindin Santiago-Manabat.

The match also promises to be a slambang encounter between two squads with contrasting styles after Army emerged the top spiking team after the elims with a 42.18 percent success. Meralco, on the other hand, topped the field in blocks with 2.5 per set.

Tornadoes claim 3rd spot OUTSIDE hitter Myla Pablo showed vast improvement when she led the Philips Gold past the Foton , 25-20, 25-20, 15-25, 17-25, 15-11, as the Lady Slammers claimed third place in the 2015 Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference last Monday in Imus, Cavite.

Pablo, a third year student at National University, scored 31 points, saying that she felt that her game had improved following her stint with the Philippine team in the Asian Under-23 Women’s Volleyball Championship last week.

“Sobrang tangkad ng kalaban namin sa Asian under-23. Kaya pagbalik ko sa PSL, para akong lumilipad,” Pablo said.

Pablo said she had increased the height of her jumps during training, and it showed in her game against the Tornadoes.

She scored on kills, blocks and deft placement shots against equally skilled Pam Lastimosa and Nicole Tiamzon to power the Lady Slammers past an 11-9 deficit in the finals set.

T H U R S D AY : M AY 14 , 2 0 1 5

A15

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Pacquiao: Retirement is near MANNY Pacquiao made a low-key return to the Philippines on Wednesday after losing his mega-fight with Floyd Mayweather and said retirement was drawing closer as he recovers from shoulder surgery.

Few signs of Pacquiao’s earlymorning arrival were visible at Manila airport, and he was later welcomed by modest crowds as he paraded the capital on the back of a flatbed truck.

It was very different from previous joyous homecomings for the eight-weight world champion and congressman, whose fights bring the Southeast Asian country to a standstill.

A smiling Pacquiao, his right arm supported by a black sling, told reporters he hadn’t yet decided on his future after his May 2 defeat by unanimous de-

cision in Las Vegas.

“I will focus first on healing my shoulder. After that, I will announce continuing my career or announcing retirement,” Pacquiao said.

“I’m not saying I am going to retire, but it’s near. I’m already 36, turning 37 this December.”

Pacquiao said it could take six months to recover from the operation on his torn rotator cuff, which he underwent days after what was billed as the “Fight of the Century”.

The American called Pacquiao a “sore loser” for blaming the injury for his defeat, and the

Filipino is facing a law suit which claims he fraudulently concealed the problem.

Asked about a possible rematch with Mayweather, Pacquiao said: “I (would) like that. I want that.

But my focus right now is my shoulder, my work as a congressman and my family.”

Pacquiao said he had accepted his defeat to Mayweather, but after reviewing the fight on video, he believed he won by a slim margin.

“I reviewed the fight and kept score. I won by two points... But a decision has been made and we have to accept it,” he said.

Despite the loss, officials still laid on the motorcade around Manila, where autographed T-shirts and CDs of Pacquiao’s songs were flung to waiting fans.

Later, the rags-to-riches “National Fist” was scheduled to pay a courtesy call to President Be-

nigno Aquino.

“We’ve also been spending milAsked about his own presiden- lions out of our own pockets to help tial ambitions, Pacquiao said: “I the poor. We can’t just shoo away am considering that. I am thinking people lined up at our door,” he said. about it.

Pacquiao is on his second three“Our family has no other inten- year term in the Philippines’ House tion but to help our countrymen. of Representatives, representing his We consider it an obligation.” wife’s home province of Sarangani Pacquiao is not eligible to stand in the south. until he reaches the minimum age of 40, ruling him out of the next election in 2016, with 2022 likely to be his first opportunity.

But he said his wife’s wor00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M+ ries over the enormous cost of higher political office -00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M both to their bank accounts and to their family -- was making him cautious.

DIGITS 0-0-0-0 “My wife said it’s difficult because we are losing time DIGITS 0-0-0 for our children,” Pacquiao said of his wife, Jinkee, with whom he has three sons and EZ2 0-0 two daughters.

LOTTO RESULTS

6/55 6/45 4 3 2

Republic of the Philippines

Province of Agusan del Norte Municipality of Remedios T. Romualdez

OFF IC E OF T H E B A C C H A IR M A N T h e M u ni ci p a l Go ve r n m e n t o f R e m e d i o s T. R o m u a l d e z, Ag u sa n d e l N o r t e , i s i n vi ti n g i n te r e ste d p a r ti e s to p a r ti ci p a te i n th e Op e n a n d T r a n s pa r e n t Bi d d i n g i n p r o ce ss fo r th e FIVE M IL L ION FIVE H U N D R E D TH OU SAN D PESOS ( P5 , 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 .0 0 ) C o n str u cti o n o f Wa r e h o u s e w i th co m p l e te D r a i n a g e a n d El e ctr i ca l Syste m .

Contract Name

: C o n str u cti o n o f Wa r e h o u se w i th C o m p l e te D r a i n a g e a n d El e ctr i ca l Syste m : R TR , Ag u sa n d e l N o r te

C o n t r a c t L o ca ti o n A p p r o v e d Bu d g e t fo r t h e C o n tr a ct ( ABC ) : P5 , 4 9 4 , 9 0 7 .7 6 B i d D o c u m e n ts Fe e : Se cti o n 1 7 .4 ( IR R R A 9 1 8 4 ) C o n t r a c t D u r a ti o n : 1 2 0 C a l e n d a r D a ys

Manny Pacquiao waves to his fans during his motorcade around Metro Manila. DANNY PATA

5i50 Triathlon lures top pros

By Peter Atencio AN interesting encounter among elite Filipino competitors is expected to take shape when the inaugural Regent 5i50 Triathlon Championships reels off on June 7 in Subic Bay. Chief organizer Wilfred Uytengsu said this as 11 crack Filipino multi-sports aces and six professionals vie for top honors in the 1.5-km,40-km bike and 10-km run event.

“We have a modest professional category for international pros and the Pinoy elite. We’re looking into rivalries emerging now among Filipino athletes,” said Uytengsu during the event’s launch yesterday at the Dusit

Thani Hotel in Makati City.

The Filipino pros, led by John Abdul and Banjo Norte in the men’s category, will have their own separate category from that of the foreign pros.

Uytengsu said that with this category, bragging rights as well as cash prizes will now be up for grabs from among the top Filipino elite participants.

“By joining the elite Filipino category, this gives them a chance to showcase themselves, while they are not yet ready to join the true professional ranks,” said Uytengsu.

Alaska TriaSphere bets LC Langit and Jenny Rose Guerrero are among those expected to shine in the female elite side.

Some 762 participants have already signed up and Uytengsu expects the entry to swell to more than 1,000 before race day.

Top Australian pros Casey Munro, Justin Granger, Clayton Fetell and Dimity Lee-Duke lead the foreign athletes as they vie for prizes totaling $10,000.

The top Filipino racers, on the other hand, get a total purse of P60,000.

The event also serves as a tuneup for the Cobra Ironman 70.3 set in Cebu in August.

Race director Neville Manaois said the race will feature a challenging 1.5-km one-loop, rectangular, clockwise swim.

Then, there will be a 40-km point to point bike to the Subic

B i d s r e c e i ve d i n e xce ss o f th e ABC sh a l l b e a u to m a ti ca l l y r e j e cte d at bid opening.

1.

T h e M u n i ci p a l Go ve r n m e n t o f R e m e d i o s T. R o m u a l d e z, A g u sa n d e l N o r te , n o w i n vi te s th e b i d s fo r th e a fo r e m e n ti o n e d p r o j ect w i th th e fo l l o w i n g sco p e o f w o r ks: C o n s t r uc t ion of Wa r e hous e wit h c om ple t e D r a ina ge a nd E l e c t r ic a l Sy s t e m

2.

B i d d i n g w i l l b e co n d u cte d th r o u g h o p e n co m p e ti ti ve b i d d i n g p r o ce d u r e s u si n g n o n d i scr e ti o n a r y p a ss/fa i l cr i te r i o n a s s p e ci fi e d i n th e Im p l e m e n ti n g R u l e s a n d R e g u l a ti o n s ( IR R ) o f Re p u b l i c Act 9 1 8 4 , o th e r w i se kn o w n a s th e “ Go ve r n m e n t P r o c u r e m e n t R e fo r m Act” B i d d i n g i s r e str i cte d to Fi l i p i n o C i ti ze n s/so l e p r o p r i e to r sh i p , p a r t ne r sh i p , o r o r g a n i za ti o n s w i th a t l e a st se ve n ty fi ve p e r ce n t ( 7 5 % ) i n te r e st o r o u tsta n d i n g ca p i ta l sto ck b e l o n g to c i t i z e n s o f th e Ph i l i p p i n e s.

3.

I n t e r e ste d b i d d e r s m a y o b ta i n fu r th e r i n fo r m a ti o n fr o m M u n i ci p a l i ty o f R e m e d i o s T. R o m u a l d e z, Ag u sa n d e l N o r te , a n d i n sp e ct th e Bi d d i n g D o cu m e n ts a s th e a d d r e ss g i ve n b e l o w fr o m 8 :0 0 a .m . to 5 :0 0 p .m ., M o n d a ys to Fr i d a ys.

4.

A c o m p l e te se t o f Bi d d i n g D o cu m e n ts m a y b e p u r ch a se d b y i n t e r e ste d Bi d d e r s fr o m th e a d d r e ss b e l o w sta r ti n g o n M a y 1 4 , 2 0 1 5 to Ju n e 2 , 2 0 1 5 a n d u p o n p a ym e n t o f a n o n r e fu n d a b l e f e e fo r th e Bi d d i n g D o cu m e n ts i n th e a m o u n t a b o ve sta te d .

I t m a y a l so b e d o w n l o a d e d fr e e o f ch a r g e fr o m th e w e b si te o f t h e Ph i l i p p i n e Go ve r n m e n t El e ctr o n i c Pr o cu r e m e n t Syste m ( P h i lGEPS) a n d th e w e b si te o f R e m e d i o s T. R o m u a l d e z a t www.r t r dn.gov .ph p r o vi d e d th a t b i d d e r s sh a l l p a y th e n o n re fu n d a b l e fe e fo r th e D o cu m e n t n o t l a te r th a n th e s u b mi ssi o n o f th e i r b i d s.

5.

T h e BAC w i l l h o l d a Pr e - Bi d C o n fe r e n ce n M a y 2 1 , 2 0 1 5 a t o r b e fo r e 2 :0 0 P.M . a t th e SB Se ssi o n H a l l , R TR , Ag u sa n d e l N o r te .

6.

B i d s m u st b e d e l i ve r e d to th e a d d r e ss b e l o w o n Ju n e 2 , 2 0 1 5 a t o r b e fo r e 2 :0 0 P.M . Al l b i d s m u st b e a cco m p a n i e d b y a Bi d S e c ur i ty, i n a n y o f th e a cce p ta n ce fo r m a n d i n th e a m o u n t s t a t e d i n ITB C l a u se .

B i d s w i l l b e o p e n e d i n th e p r e se n ce o f th e b i d d e r s r e p r e se n ta ti ve w h o ch o o se to a tte n d a t th e a d d r e ss b e l o w o n J u n e 2 , 2 0 1 5 a t 2 :0 0 P.M . L a te b i d s sh a l l n o t b e a cce p te d .

Sunrise Events Inc. president Wilfred Uytengsu stresses a point during the launch of the inaugural Regent 5i50 triathlon at the Dusit Hotel yesterday. With him are SBMA director Raul Mercado (left) and Jen See, brand manger of Regent Foods, the country’s leading snack manufacturing company.

7.

T h e M u n i ci p a l Go ve r n m e n t o f R e m e d i o s T. R o m u a l d e z/BAC r e s er ve s th e r i g h t to a cce p t o r r e j e ct a n y b i d , to a n n u l th e b i d d i n g p r o ce ss, a n d to r e j e ct a l l b i d s a t a n y ti m e p r i o r to c o n tr a ct a w a r d , w i th o u t th e r e b y i n cu r r i n g a n y l i a b i l i ty to th e a f f e cte d b i d d e r o r b i d d e r s.

8.

F o r fu r th e r i n fo r m a ti o n , p l e a se r e fe r to : (S g d .) GID EON T. B OK IN GO BAC C H AIR M AN

(TS-May 14, 2015)

A16

T H U R S D AY : M AY 14 , 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

LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers holds the ball away from the Chicago Bulls’ Jimmy Butler in an NBA Eastern Conference semifinal game won by the Cavs, 106-101.

Cleveland leads the series, 3-2. AFP

Cavs put Bulls on cliff’s edge CLEVELAND—LeBron James didn’t let a sprained ankle slow him down as he played his best game of the postseason, scoring 38 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat Chicago 106-101 in game five of their playoff series.

James, who leveled the series at 2-2 with a buzzer beating jump shot in game four, also tallied 12 rebounds and six assists Tuesday for the Cavaliers who took a 3-2 lead in the bestof-seven Eastern Conference series.

“I think our coaching staff did a great job putting me in a position to be successful,” said James.

In the late game, Dwight Howard finished with 20 points and 15 rebounds and James Harden had a triple double as the Houston Rockets forced a game six with a 124-103 win

over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Kyrie Irving scored 25 points and guard Iman Shumpert grabbed a crucial offensive rebound in the final minute for Cleveland in the victory.

“We made shots,” said Cleveland coach David Blatt. “Some of the same shots that we were missing in recent games.”

James did not take part in Tuesday morning’s practice, preferring to rest his sore ankle, but he was all business against the Bulls in game five.

James had three steals and three

blocks and did not commit a turnover. With this performance, he matched Michael Jordan with his 51st playoff game with at least 30 points, five rebounds and five assists.

James and Irving combined to shoot 23-of-40 from the field. Irving was also playing with injuries that included a sprained right foot and left knee tendinitis.

It is the first time a team in this series has won consecutive games and Cleveland can now wrap up the set and advance to the league semi-finals with a win Thursday in the Windy City at the United Center arena.

If the Bulls win on home court, game seven would be Sunday in Cleveland.

Chicago guard Jimmy Butler had 29 points and nine rebounds, including a pair of three-pointers late to give the Bulls a glimmer of hope. Guard Der-

Pacman retirement is near TURN TO A15

Novak opens bid with a win TURN TO A12

rick Rose finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

Chicago head home trying once again to stave off elimination from James, who ended the Bull’s season in three of the past five years.

“I liked the fight that we had to come back,” said Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau. “But we have to play a lot tougher than we played tonight.”

Forward Pau Gasol missed the game for the Bulls with a hamstring injury. Tuesday’s contest was intense and at times also physical. Forward Taj Gibson was ejected in the fourth quarter after a dust up with Cleveland guard Matthew Dellavedova that led to pushing and shoving by both teams under the basket.

“That’s what happens when you’re in Cleveland,” said Gibson. “I didn’t kick him at all. He just leg-locked me. It got chippy at the end.” AFP

Petron spikers eye title sweep Game Today (Cuneta Astrodome) 4:15 p.m.

Petron vs Shopinas PETRON tries to make a statement in Game 2 today, shooting for a sweep in claiming the 2015 Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference women’s volleyball crown against Shopinas at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Game time is at 4:15 p.m., with the Blaze Spikers gunning for the crown and looking to become the first team to sweep all of their 13 games in this inter-club tournament organized

by Sports Core and supported by Asics, Mikasa, Senoh, Mueller Sports Medicine, Via Mare, LGR and Healthway Medical.

Powered by three of the country’s best spikers in Dindin Manabat, Rachel Anne Daquis and Aby Marano, the Blaze Spikers were in cruise control right from the start of this tourney. After sweeping the 10-game eliminations, Petron crushed Philips Gold in the semis to punch the first ticket to the finals.

In Game 1, Petron clobbered a sluggish Shopinas side in three sets, 25-18, 25-14, 25-19, to inch this close to the crown.

Manabat, the 6’2” gem of a spiker from National University, was unstoppable at the middle position as she unloaded 13 kills to finish with 16 points, while Daquis and Marano had seven and eight markers, respectively, for the Blaze Spikers, who drew a glowing performance from open hitter Maica Morada and brilliant playmaking from setter Mary Grace Masangkay.

THURSDAY: MAY 14, 2015

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

PSe c omPoSite

BUSINESS

index

Closing May 13, 2015

8500 8000 7500 7000 6500 6000

B1

7,808.35 13.80

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing MAY 13, 2015 46

P44.725

45

CLOSE

44 43 42

HIGH P44.710 LOW P44.820 AVERAGE P44.761 VOLUME 670.100M

P500.00-P650.00 LPG/11-kg tank P39.65-P45.25 Unleaded Gasoline P28.00-P31.30 Diesel

o

il P PriceS today

P35.40-P39.15 Kerosene P23.70-P24.40 Auto LPG Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Wednesday, May 13, 2015

F o r e i g n e x c h a n g e r at e Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

44.7960

Japan

Yen

0.008340

0.3736

UK

Pound

1.566800

70.1864

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128992

5.7783

Switzerland

Franc

1.075847

48.1936

Canada

Dollar

0.832016

37.2710

Singapore

Dollar

0.748839

Australia

Dollar

0.798085

35.7510

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652450

118.8192

Saudi Arabia

Rial

33.5450

0.266667

11.9456

Brunei

Dollar

0.746046

33.4199

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000076

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.029638

1.3277

UAE

Dirham

0.272257

12.1960

Euro

Euro

1.120700

Korea

Won

0.000914

0.0409

China

Yuan

0.161051

7.2144

India

Rupee

0.015559

0.6970

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.276625

12.3917

New Zealand

Dollar

0.737083

Taiwan

Dollar

0.032528

50.2029

33.0184 1.4571 Source: PDS Bridge

First Gen bigwigs. First Gen Corp. chairman and chief executive Federico Lopez (center) joins two other top company officials after they were reelected by stockholders during the annual stockholders’ meeting on May 13, 2015. With Lopez are fellow directors Francis Giles Puno (left), concurrent president and chief operating officer of First Gen, and Richard Tantoco, who is also the president and COO of unit Energy Development Corp., the world’s largest vertically integrated geothermal company. (See related story on B6)

Govt set to sell UCPB stake

By Julito G. Rada

THE government said Wednesday it will sell its stake in United Coconut Planters Bank in September this year, as several major banks expressed interest in joining the auction.

The Privatization Council said it would set the public bidding for the right to recapitalize and purchase the government’s interest in UCPB in September.

The government owns over 70 percent of the bank.

“Recapitalizing UCPB is a big step forward in implementing EO 179 as part of the president’s leadership on this longstanding issue,” Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said in a statement.

“UCPB’s successful recapitalization is integral in protecting the bank’s depositors and in strengthening our financial system. More importantly, it also enables the government to get best value for the coconut fund set aside for our coconut farmers,” he said.

The Finance Department said the recapitalization of UCPB was now possible with the ownership of the bank having been finally

B3

decided by the Supreme Court, which ruled in 2013 that the government owned the shares funded by coco levy funds.

President Benigno Aquino III earlier issued Executive Order No. 179, ordering the inventory, transfer, reconveyance and disposition of coco levy assets and the transfer of the proceeds for the use and exclusive benefit of coconut farmers and the development of the coconut industry.

Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. president Cristina Orbeta said the recapitalization would be an integral part of the 10-year rehabilitation plan.

The Privatization and Management Office was designated as the disposition entity, and shall soon request for submissions of expression of interest from prospective investors. The auction will be

Ayala registers P5-b profit

open to eligible domestic and foreign entities.

UCPB president and chief executive Jeronimo Kilayko said the recapitalization would “give UCPB added resources to expand and ultimately, revitalize and strengthen UCPB’s overall competitive position.” Investors will need to infuse at least P15 billion for the recapitalization of UCPB. Kilayko said several banks had expressed interest in UCPB’s recapitalization EastWest Banking Corp. president Antonio Moncupa Jr. said the Gotianunled bank was interested in the bidding, saying “UCPB is a goodsized bank and its balance sheet seems to indicate that it has a franchise that could add value to EW at the appropriate terms and conditions.”

Security Bank Corp. chairman Alberto Villarosa said in a text message “we will need to look at the guidelines and the rules of the game.”

Aside from EastWest and Security Bank, other banks that expressed intent to bid for the government’s stake in UCPB are BDO Unibank Inc., Union Bank of the Philippines and Philippine National Bank.

B6

First Gen readies LNG hub

Jollibee’s net profit climbs 10% to P1.2b

By Jenniffer B. Austria FASTFOOD chain operator Jollibee Foods Corp. said net income attributable to equity holders of the parent company grew 10.2 percent in the first quarter to P1.18 billion from P1.07 billion posted in the same period last year.

Jollibee said in a disclosure to the stock exchange first-quarter revenues climbed 10 percent to P23 billion from P20.9 billion as system wide sales, a measure of all sales to consumers both from company-owned and franchised stores, rose 9.5 percent to P29.9 billion.

System wide sales grew 9.9 percent in the first quarter of 2015, supported by a 5.3-percent expansion in store network and about 5-percent growth in same store sales.

Sales from foreign businesses grew 8.1 percent, with China increasing by 7.7 percent, the United States by 11.7 percent and Southeast Asia and the Middle East by 5 percent.

“Overall business in the Philippines remained…growing by almost 10 percent in system-wide sales in the first quarter despite a high base from last year. The brands continued to bear the pressure of higher raw material prices with their impact on operating margins,” Jollibee chief finance officer Ysmael Baysa said.

“We look forward to improving raw material price trends and higher growth rate of our store in the months ahead. Foreign businesses continued to grow well with strong same store sales growth and improving profitability in China and very robust business growth in Vietnam and in some parts of the Middle East,” Baysa said.

Jollibee said it opened 60 stores worldwide in the first quarter of the year, of which 49 are in the Philippines and 11 in foreign markets.

The fast food giant opened its first Jollibee store in The Dubai Mall in United Arab Emirates in May. The company was operating 2,335 restaurant s in the country and 616 stores overseas as of end-March.

Jollibee earmarked P9.1 billion in capital expenditures this year.

THURSDAY: MAY 14, 2015

B2

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

MST BuSineSS Daily STockS Review Wednesday, May 13, 2015

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

7.88 75.3 124.4 104 63 4.2 18.48 31.6 9.5 2.95 890 1.01 99.4 30.5 75 94.95 137 361.2 59 174.8 1700 127.9 3.26

2.5 66 84.6 84.5 45.8 2.03 12.02 23.55 6.3 1.75 625 0.225 78 18.02 58 76.5 95 276 45 107.6 1200 66 2.65

AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank Bright Kindle Resources COL Financial Eastwest Bank Filipino Fund Inc. I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp.

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

7.5 70.9 111.00 101.10 48.1 2.07 15.2 23.1 7.50 1.70 849.50 0.480 93.4 18.24 30.00 75.25 94.5 317.6 44.95 168.4 1460.00 64.85 3.1

35.6 1.6 1.04 1.41 7.92 40.3 14.6 62.5 10.08 29.15

1.04 10.72 8.44 9.79 5.43 9.54 1.06 8.61 18.06 67.9 14 0.0076 13.24 3.12 0.395 168 8.65 34.1 2.3 1.63 16 24.4 16.2 7.62 250.2 3.87 9 3.7 9.94 3.03 2.22 1 4.72 1.65 6 201.6 4.1 1.67 0.122 2.01 143.4 4.28 0.670 9.01 1.39

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Bogo Medelin Century Food Chemphil Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) EEI Euro-Med Lab Federal Res. Inv. Group First Gen Corp.

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

Lafarge Rep Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Macay Holdings 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 and Co. Roxas Holdings San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ SPC Power Corp.

Splash Corporation Swift Foods, Inc. Trans-Asia Oil Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

42.3 1.65 1.07 2.03 11.32 49.25 19.68 125.1 27.9 58.15 2.31 1.8 12.76 21.150 11.42 7.88 10.12 1.8 15 27.25 89.6 14.30 0.4100 14.20 6 0.590 212.00 10.3 32.35 2.55 2.79 52.10 24.7 28 7.5 262.60 4.2 9.58 4.4 11.64 4.00 2.27 2.27 5.04 1.93 6.3 190.6 4.44 1.61 0.161 2.31 206 4.47 0.69 20.50 1.31

0.45 48.1 20.85 6.62 1.4 1.6 600 7.390 14.18 2.6 4.25 0.144 818 5.3 46.6 4.96 3 3.52 4.43 0.59 12 0.580 4.22 1.23 0.450 66.7 1.5 709.5 1.13 0.93 170 85.2 0.200 0.173

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

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

Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

LT Group Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

Prime Media Hldg Prime Orion San Miguel Corp `A’ Seafront `A’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Transgrid Top Frontier Unioil Res. & Hldgs Wellex Industries

0.470 57.75 25.25 6.95 0.285 0.29 803 8.21 14.60 3.5 4.35 0.275 1303 6.40 72.50 4.2 6.47 5.01 7.7 0.72 15.26 0.66 4.67 1.380 1.170 66.45 2.96 899.00 1.28 0.89 250.00 93.90 0.3700 0.2200

6.01 0.91

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc.

8.600 0.83

47 5 1.66 2.36 15.3 113 20.6 125 32 65.8 4.57 23.35 21.6 12.98 9.13 12.34 2.89 17 31.8 109 20.75 0.820 15.3 9.4 0.98 241 12.5 79 3.95 4 45.45 33.9 90 13.98 292.4 5.25 13.04 6.8 14.5 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.68 7.86 8.1 253 5.5 3.28 0.315 2.68 226.6 5.5 1.3 26 2.17 0.7 59.2 31.85 7.39 3.4 3.35 800 11.06 84 3.35 5.14 0.66 1380 6.68 72.6 8.9 5.29 6.66 9.25 0.9 18.9 0.73 5.53 2.31 0.84 87 3.5 934 2.2 1.39 390 156 0.710 0.435 10.5 1.99

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 7.49 7.21 71 70.5 112.90 110.20 101.30 100.20 48.2 48 2.08 2.07 15.36 15.1 23.2 23 7.41 7.40 1.69 1.69 846.00 840.00 0.445 0.440 93.75 91.8 18.22 18.20 30.00 29.50 76.00 75.05 94.5 94.5 318 315 45.1 44.65 169.1 168 1480.00 1465.00 65.20 65.50 3.08 3.08 INDUSTRIAL 42.35 42.05 1.54 1.5 1.07 1.07 2.08 2.03 12 11.38 49.25 49.25 19.4 19.12 125 125 29 26 58.3 58 2.33 2.24 1.83 1.78 12.8 12.6 21.300 20.65 11.42 11.38 7.88 7.75 10.14 9.96 1.9 1.68 15.12 14.7 27.3 27 89.85 87.35 14.12 14.10 0.4000 0.3500 14.22 14.00 6 5.75 0.580 0.580 212.00 211.00 10.3 10.22 32.50 32.05 2.52 2.51 2.79 2.79 52.00 50.00 24.75 24.35 28 27.55 7.6 7.5 264.00 262.00 4.24 4.17 9.70 9.45 4.4 4.2 11.60 11.30 4.05 3.97 2.29 2.23 2.4 2.15 5.10 5.00 1.92 1.81 6.27 6.07 190 187.1 4.4 4.4 1.63 1.57 0.162 0.160 2.31 2.29 211.8 204.8 4.6 4.46 0.7 0.68 20.80 20.80 1.32 1.31 HOLDING FIRMS 0.470 0.470 58.00 56.75 25.35 24.50 7.10 7.00 0.300 0.285 0.32 0.29 804 788 8.24 8.16 14.62 14.50 3.2 3.2 4.35 4.32 0.270 0.265 1405 1375 6.41 6.39 73.20 71.25 4.4 4.2 6 6 7.15 5.17 7.7 7.3 0.76 0.72 15.26 15.14 0.67 0.67 4.68 4.62 1.380 1.380 1.180 1.150 67.05 66.50 2.96 2.81 899.50 893.00 1.30 1.23 0.91 0.83 268.80 268.80 94.00 92.90 0.4050 0.3750 0.2340 0.2200 PROPERTY 8.600 8.560 0.85 0.78

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

7.49 71 112.60 100.20 48.15 2.07 15.36 23.2 7.40 1.69 846.00 0.445 92 18.20 29.50 75.10 94.5 315 44.65 168.9 1480.00 65.20 3.08

-0.13 0.14 1.44 -0.89 0.10 0.00 1.05 0.43 -1.33 -0.59 -0.41 -7.29 -1.50 -0.22 -1.67 -0.20 0.00 -0.82 -0.67 0.30 1.37 0.54 -0.65

4,400 35,610 2,595,750 437,650 40,200 168,000 5,600 1,098,700 11,000 1,000 40 260,000 4,650,770 2,800 15,700 66,840 10 2,790 658,600 127,240 115 3,150 3,000

42.3 1.54 1.07 2.08 11.5 49.25 19.12 125 29 58.3 2.25 1.78 12.78 20.700 11.42 7.76 10.00 1.9 14.9 27.15 88.2 14.12 0.3700 14.00 5.9 0.580 211.40 10.24 32.05 2.52 2.79 52.00 24.75 28 7.6 263.20 4.2 9.50 4.4 11.60 3.97 2.27 2.25 5.00 1.81 6.1 187.1 4.4 1.62 0.160 2.29 211.8 4.46 0.68 20.80 1.32

0.00 -6.67 0.00 2.46 1.59 0.00 -2.85 -0.08 3.94 0.26 -2.60 -1.11 0.16 -2.13 0.00 -1.52 -1.19 5.56 -0.67 -0.37 -1.56 -1.26 -9.76 -1.41 -1.67 -1.69 -0.28 -0.58 -0.93 -1.18 0.00 -0.19 0.20 0.00 1.33 0.23 0.00 -0.84 0.00 -0.34 -0.75 0.00 -0.88 -0.79 -6.22 -3.17 -1.84 -0.90 0.62 -0.62 -0.87 2.82 -0.22 -1.45 1.46 0.76

861,700 38,000 14,000 412,000 60,600 300 2,657,800 50 729,500 200,620 4,323,000 133,000 164,800 4,364,200 5,678,000 21,379,600 360,200 341,000 13,600 3,342,200 413,680 200 4,290,000 118,200 2,346,900 4,000 1,082,870 675,300 2,500 14,000 1,000 1,700 959,100 1,546,900 191,300 327,070 4,445,000 2,627,400 6,000 16,400 209,000 746,000 892,000 6,792,600 70,000 219,000 49,090 2,000 462,000 5,140,000 606,000 1,749,940 22,000 435,000 500 205,000

0.470 57.95 24.50 7.10 0.295 0.29 800.5 8.24 14.56 3.2 4.34 0.270 1390 6.40 72.60 4.2 6 6.9 7.6 0.73 15.18 0.67 4.65 1.380 1.170 66.50 2.96 898.50 1.30 0.86 268.80 93.50 0.3850 0.2210

0.00 0.35 -2.97 2.16 3.51 1.75 -0.31 0.37 -0.27 -8.57 -0.23 -1.82 6.68 0.00 0.14 0.00 -7.26 37.72 -1.30 1.39 -0.52 1.52 -0.43 0.00 0.00 0.08 0.00 -0.06 1.56 -3.37 7.52 -0.43 4.05 0.45

40,000 908,500 4,994,300 503,700 6,220,000 2,240,000 135,870 947,400 2,889,500 2,000 36,000 870,000 1,085,995 144,700 1,599,410 6,000 600 5,400 43,278,200 1,635,000 1,431,200 130,000 24,810,000 17,000 1,275,000 174,890 3,000 173,190 53,000 851,000 10 17,820 30,110,000 370,000

8.600 0.79

0.00 -4.82

175,400 5,559,000

1,176,693.00 17,254,954.00 -26,289,293.00 -24,050.00 12,774,640.00

-210,911,995.50

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

Close

High

Low

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

2.07 40 6.15 5.4 1.54 1.97 0.201 1.09 0.305 2.25 1.87 1.8 6.34 4.88 0.180 0.470 0.72 27 8.54 31.8 2.29 3.6 20.6 1.02 7.56 1.96 8.59

1.29 29.1 4.1 4.96 0.89 1.1 0.083 0.85 0.188 1.4 1.42 1.19 2.8 2.75 0.090 0.325 0.39 23 2.57 21.35 1.64 3.08 15.08 0.69 3.38 1 5.69

Araneta Prop `A’ 1.300 Ayala Land `B’ 40.35 Belle Corp. `A’ 4.12 Cebu Holdings 5.2 Century Property 0.88 City & Land Dev. 1.25 Crown Equities Inc. 0.160 Empire East Land 0.860 Ever Gotesco 0.187 Global-Estate 1.37 Filinvest Land,Inc. 1.88 Interport `A’ 1.43 Keppel Properties 5.46 Megaworld Corp.

5.33 MRC Allied Ind. 0.122 Phil. Estates Corp.

0.3400 Phil. Realty `A’ 0.4600 Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry 29.30 Primex Corp.

7.29 Robinson’s Land `B’ 29.15 Rockwell 1.72 Shang Properties Inc. 3.30 SM Prime Holdings 19.64 Sta. Lucia Land Inc. 0.75 Starmalls 6.9 Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. 0.980 Vista Land & Lifescapes 7.420

1.300 1.300 1.300 40.15 39.70 40.05 4.16 4.07 4.15 5.25 5.19 5.25 0.9 0.87 0.9 1.30 1.26 1.30 0.161 0.158 0.159 0.860 0.850 0.860 0.183 0.181 0.181 1.37 1.36 1.36 1.90 1.87 1.88 1.43 1.38 1.40 7.60 6.00 6.79 5.45 5.35 5.39 0.125 0.123 0.123 0.3300 0.3300 0.3300 0.4650 0.4650 0.4650 29.50 27.45 29.50 7.28 7.28 7.28 29.50 28.80 29.15 1.72 1.7 1.72 3.30 3.32 3.30 19.70 19.46 19.52 0.76 0.74 0.75 7 6.58 6.99 1.010 0.970 1.010 7.400 7.320 7.400 SERVICES 6.5 6.7 6.48 6.5 61.5 62 61.5 61.6 1.03 1.15 1.05 1.05 0.680 0.690 0.690 0.690 13.5 13.8 13.5 13.8 12.20 12.42 12.10 12.18 0.0980 0.0990 0.0980 0.0990 4.15 4.31 3.88 4.15 85.85 86.6 85.3 86.15 10 10 10 10 1.7 1.69 1.69 1.69 6.98 7.00 6.99 7.00 2200 2330 2208 2328 6.20 6.21 6.17 6.20 24.00 29.90 27.00 28.50 1.42 1.44 1.40 1.44 111.7 112 110.8 111 12.38 12.38 12.38 12.38 0.014 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.222 0.255 0.222 0.250 1.2600 1.3000 1.2800 1.3000 2.4 2.45 2.41 2.41 9.80 9.80 9.70 9.80 2.09 2.09 2.09 2.09 1.3 1.3 1.29 1.3 37.50 55.00 45.00 55.00 0.670 0.670 0.660 0.670 1.98 2 2 2 9.8 9.9 9.6 9.71 0.475 0.470 0.470 0.470 18.46 18.5 18.5 18.5 4.50 4.80 4.52 4.80 138.00 140.00 128.00 138.00 14.72 15.88 14.76 15.88 2816.00 2844.00 2814.00 2830.00 0.670 0.690 0.670 0.670 1.650 1.760 1.660 1.740 39.45 39.90 39.45 39.65 85.00 85.50 82.00 82.35 10.40 10.86 10.48 10.60 0.68 0.68 0.66 0.68 6.66 6.71 6.62 6.67 0.335 0.330 0.330 0.330 1.300 1.300 1.300 1.300 MINING & OIL 0.0053 0.0052 0.0052 0.0052 2.89 2.79 2.75 2.75 8.06 8.10 8.06 8.10 14.50 15.90 15.90 15.90 0.255 0.255 0.255 0.255 1.05 1.06 1.02 1.06 0.87 0.88 0.86 0.88 7.89 7.99 7.78 7.78 1.82 1.89 11.82 1.82 0.355 0.360 0.340 0.355 0.237 0.238 0.234 0.235 0.241 0.248 0.241 0.248 0.0150 0.0150 0.0140 0.0140 4.2 4.25 4.1 4.12 27.05 28.2 26.9 28 3.93 3.98 3.88 3.94 0.7100 0.7100 0.7100 0.7100 2.100 2.150 2.100 2.140 0.0130 0.0130 0.0120 0.0130 4.44 4.47 4.43 4.44 7.08 7.14 7 7.02 2.29 2.3 2.66 2.21 0.016 0.016 0.015 0.016 158.20 158.50 158.20 156.00 7.87 7.98 7.62 7.7 0.0110 0.0110 0.0100 0.0110 PREFERRED 62 62.9 61.9 62.9 520 521.5 520 521.5 119 120 119 119 6 6.19 6 6.19 1.09 1.09 1.08 1.09 1095 1095 1085 1085 1049 1050 1050 1050 76.25 76.35 76.25 76.35 83.5 84 84 84 83.8 84.15 84.05 84.05 WARRANTS & BONDS 4.520 4.750 4.500 4.700 SME 9.81 10.04 9.7 9.98 8.23 10.5 7.3 10 70 70 70 70 9.45 9.6 9.45 9.55 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 127 127.3 126.9 127.1

0.00 -0.74 0.73 0.96 2.27 4.00 -0.63 0.00 -3.21 -0.73 0.00 -2.10 24.36 1.13 0.82 -2.94 1.09 0.68 -0.14 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.61 0.00 1.30 3.06 -0.27

3,000 7,374,000 1,585,000 119,100 12,188,000 18,000 6,440,000 109,000 260,000 1,242,000 7,415,000 910,000 52,100 9,498,300 970,000 110,000 200,000 2,200 29,600 3,354,800 69,000 133,000 5,861,400 784,000 15,500 38,000 4,638,800

10.5 66 1.44 1.09 12.46 15.82 0.1460 4.61 99.1 12.3 2.6 9 2090 8.41 33 1.97 119.5 12.5 0.017 0.8200 2.2800 5.93 12.28 2.85 2.2 5.9 1.97 2.46 15.2 1.040 22.8 6.41 110.2 14 3486 0.710 2.28 48.5 90.1 11.6 0.87 10.2 0.490 1.6

1.97 32.5 1 0.6 10 9.61 0.0770 2.95 46.55 10.14 1.6 5.88 1600 5.95 30 1.36 105 8.72 0.012 0.036 1.200 2.34 6.5 1.69 1.1 1.05 0.490 1.8 8.7 0.37 14.54 3 79 4.39 2726 0.380 0.32 31.45 60.55 7.59 0.63 6.45 0.305 1.04

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

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

Discovery World DFNN Inc. Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. IPeople Inc. `A’ IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Lorenzo Shipping Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Phil. Seven Corp.

Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SSI Group STI Holdings Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Yehey

0.00 0.16 1.94 1.47 2.22 -0.16 1.02 0.00 0.35 0.00 -0.59 0.29 5.82 0.00 18.75 1.41 -0.63 0.00 -7.14 12.61 3.17 0.42 0.00 0.00 0.00 46.67 0.00 1.01 -0.92 -1.05 0.22 6.67 0.00 7.88 0.50 0.00 5.45 0.51 -3.12 1.92 0.00 0.15 -1.49 0.00

264,500 12,790 143,000 30,000 20,300 11,731,300 1,390,000 5,504,000 406,830 9,000 5,000 21,100 90,490 106,300 700 76,000 415,290 3,600 800,000 89,620,000 453,000 8,000 881,800 1,000 2,000 50,600 107,000 40,000 793,600 300,000 30,000 3,000 550 774,800 127,400 2,360,000 72,313,000 156,400 1,813,870 11,173,000 8,237,000 1,072,400 30,000 1,000

0.0098 5.45 17.24 25 0.330 1.2 1.73 10.98 4.2 0.48 0.455 0.475 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 1.030 3.06 0.020 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9 0.016

0.0043 1.72 8.65 9.43 0.236 0.61 0.78 5.99 1.08 0.330 0.2130 0.2160 0.014 3.660 20.2 2.11 0.365 1.54 0.012 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67 0.0100

Abra Mining Apex `A’ Atlas Cons. `A’ Atok-Big Wedge `A’ Basic Energy Corp.

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

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

TA Petroleum United Paragon

-1.89 -4.84 0.50 9.66 0.00 0.95 1.15 -1.39 0.00 0.00 -0.84 2.90 -6.67 -1.90 3.51 0.25 0.00 1.90 0.00 0.00 -0.85 -0.43 0.00 -1.39 -2.16 0.00

223,000,000 -176,800.00 85,000 112,900 -287,146.00 100 170,000 1,230,000 442,000 44,500 23,407,000 -10,415,200.00 460,000 2,980,000 3,210,000 -4,840.00 53,200,000 968,000 -790,710.00 6,417,900 60,584,545.00 2,390,000 11,820.00 29,000 196,000 27,690.00 84,200,000 144,000 341,400 469,807.00 23,776,000 4,166,030.00 16,900,000 -91,200.00 591,930 -29,121,242.00 1,041,400 3,200,000

70 553 120 8.21 12.28

33 490 101.5 5.88 6.5

1047 76.9 78.95 84.8

1011 74.2 74.5 75

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ First Gen G GMA Holdings Inc. Leisure and Resort PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 SMC Preferred A SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C

1.45 0.29 0.00 3.17 0.00 -0.91 0.10 0.13 0.60 0.30

39,060 8,860 5,820 33,500 1,001,000 1,000 4,950 18,580 30,670 4,000

6.98

0.8900 LR Warrant

3.98

1,371,000

98,800.00

10.96 15 88 12.88

2.4 3.5 13.5 5.95

1.73 21.51 0.00 1.06

3,932,900 65,300 2,400 1,100,800

8,106,887.00

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

0.08

8,620

-114,300.00

-66,026,020.00 3,186,960.00 478,142.00 -3,874,190.00

-750,760.00 -1,321,500.00 140,000.00 -7,700.00 -27,551,769.00

MST

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

SHARES 11,497,654 226,751,571 128,131,586 70,639,372 214,317,316 449,818,739 1,106,266,325

-4,292,969.50

-15,900.00 15,169,230.00 15,784,584.00 162,650.00 91,280.00

13,566,145.00

32,895,452.00 -1,250.00

1,009,378.00 45,800.00

-23,678,265.00 -3,383,824.00 -63,156,199.00 289,530.00

14,358,350.00 13,449,761.00

21,500.00 1,052,900.00 -852,960.00

18,354,676.00 -12,550.00

-114,400.00 -34,820,800.00 -63,675.00 -21,546,502.00 -831,850.00 -3,246,343.00 287,680.00 38,510.00 49,940.00 1,045,358.00 8,487,880.00

9,480.00

156,132,036.00 94,260.00 93,160.00

-24,816,311.00 -83,784,170.00 -140,500.00

40,100.00 -20,515,715.00 4,075,661.00 -11,444,998.00

-83,444,845.00 284,066.00 7,612,702.00

-177,171,788.00

-11,250,576.00

47,077,190.00 -43,260.00 214,906.00

-58,290,970.00 -17,300.00 -1,506,332.00

670,517.00 160,300.00

Double Dragon Makati Fin. Corp.

IRipple E-Business Intl Xurpas

T op g ainerS VALUE 882,252,767.57 4,476,546,031.98 2,793,811,366.669 680,592,282.53 1,338,816,605.77 432,815,750.473 10,656,403,161.348

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,791.53 (down) 2.81 INDUSTRIAL 12,152.94 (up) 44.50 HOLDING FIRMS 6,979.16 (up) 11.02 PROPERTY 3,188.95 (down) 11.94 SERVICES 2,152.30 (up) 13.13 MINING & OIL 15,367.57 (up) 11.23 PSEI 7,808.35 (up) 13.80 All Shares Index 4,509.81 (up) 15.71 Gainers: 90 Losers: 89; Unchanged: 49; Total: 228

11,203,855.00

20,618,054.00

-11,868,551.00 64,888.00

270,000.00 28,762,428.00 -13,534,528.50

85,479,550.00

-15,613,766.00

-2,389,800.00 57,600.00

3,553,420.00

4,965,767.00 141,000.00

0.00 5,285,280.00 171,742,900.00 85,000.00 9,992,750.00 -2,162,365.00 -97,913,000.50 7,442,268.00 -522,970.00 -979,184.00

751,617.00 146,595.00

-762,500.00

5,838,500.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Manila Broadcasting

55.00

46.67

Greenergy

0.3700

-9.76

Keppel Holdings `B'

6.9

37.72

F&J Prince 'A'

3.2

-8.57

Keppel Properties

6.79

24.36

MEDCO Holdings

0.445

-7.29

Makati Fin. Corp.

10

21.51

Keppel Holdings `A'

6

-7.26

Grand Plaza Hotel

28.50

18.75

IP E-Game Ventures Inc.

0.013

-7.14

Island Info

0.250

12.61

Manila Mining `A'

0.0140

-6.67

Atok-Big Wedge `A'

15.90

9.66

Agrinurture Inc.

1.54

-6.67

Philweb.Com Inc.

15.88

7.88

Roxas and Co.

1.81

-6.22

Transgrid

268.80

7.52

Apex `A'

2.75

-4.84

GT Capital

1390

6.68

A. Brown Co., Inc.

0.79

-4.82

THURSDAY: MAY 14, 2015

B3

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

Ayala registers P5-b profit

By Jenniffer B. Austria

Ayala Corp., one of the country’s biggest conglomerates, said net income in the first three months of the year declined eight percent to P5 billion in the absence of a one-time gain.

Ayala year-on-year posted a non-recurring income of P1.8 billion from the sale of a business process outsourcing unit.

Minus the one time gain of P1.8 billion, Ayala’s firstquarter net income would have increased 39 percent, the conglomerate said in a disclosure to the stock exchange.

Ayala said the company’s overall performance was driven by the sustained positive momentum in its real estate,

banking, telecom, electronics manufacturing businesses and new operations, especially in power generation.

Ayala said its business units in the first three months of the year contributed P6.4 billion in equity earnings, up 27 percent on-year.

Consolidated sales in the first quarter of 2015 also increased 8.4 percent to P47.8 billion from P44.1 billion in 2014.

“We continue to be encouraged by the strong performance of the businesses across the group. We remain optimistic that we can sustain the strong first quarter results throughout the rest of the year, and stay on track to meet our strategic goals and financial targets,” Ayala president and chief operating officer Fernando Zobel de Ayala said.

Meanwhile, the group’s real estate unit,

Ayala Land Inc., registered a net income of P4.1 billion in the first quarter of 2015, up 19 percent from P3.5 billion on year.

Ayala Land’s first-quarter sales amounted to P25.1 billion, mainly from its property development and commercial leasing operations.

“Our first-quarter results provide a good takeoff point towards the achievement of our targets for the year. We continue to introduce new estates and products in various geographies that will allow for sustained growth in 2015,” Ayala Land president and chief executive Bernard Vincent Dy said.

BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE

INVITATION TO BID 1.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invites interested contractors to bid for the project described below: Approved Budget for the Name of Project/Brief Description Contract (ABC) Php5,490,000.00, One (1) Lot Renovation of ASD Warehouse inclusive of all located at the Basement of 5-Storey Building, applicable taxes BSP Main Complex, as per BSP Terms of Reference and Approved Drawings Scope of Work: Furnishing of all materials, labor, tools, equipment, technical supervision and other services, and performing all operations necessary for the completion of the project in accordance with the approved BSP plans, scope of works, and technical specifications, and subject to the terms and conditions of the contract.

Completion Within one hundred twenty (120) calendar days reckoned Period: from the date stipulated in the Notice to Proceed to be issued by the Facilities Management and Engineering Department (FMED) within two (2) calendar days from date of execution of the contract

2.

Prospective bidders should have a valid PCAB License for “Building and Industrial Plant” (project kind) with at least “Small B” (size range); and Special PCAB License, if bidding as Joint Venture.

3.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

4.

The bidder should have completed at least one (1) construction contract that is similar to the contract to be bid that involves general construction works, which costs not less than 50% of the ABC. Bidders under “Small B” category without similar experience on the contract to be bid can participate in the bidding, pursuant to Sec. 23.5.2.5 of the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Republic Act (Rep. Act) No. 9184, provided that it shall submit a list of at least three (3), any completed contracts and the corresponding Certificate of Satisfactory Performance thereof.

Pasar labor pact. Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz (right) served as the guest of honor to witness the signing of the newest collective bargaining agreement between Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining Corp. and the Concerned Organization of PASAR Progressive Employees for Reform union on April 30 at the Radisson Blu Cebu. With Baldoz (from left) are Copper union president Arthur Estrera, Pasar chairman Angel Veloso and Pasar president and chief executive Adam Purkis. Pasar is the only copper smelter and refinery in the country with plants based in Isabel, Leyte.

5.

The Contractor’s Project Manager (PM) or Project Engineer (PE) or Projectin-Charge (PIC) must be a Registered Civil Engineer or Architect with at least five (5) years experience in the construction industry and must have managed/ supervised at least one (1) project involving general construction works costing at least Php500,000.00. The Contractor shall also nominate a Safety Officer (SO) duly accredited by DOLE.

6.

Eligibility Check/Screening and Preliminary Examination of Bids shall use nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criteria.

7.

All particulars and activities relative to Eligibility of Bidders and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-bid Conference(s), Evaluation of Bids, Post-qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by Republic Act No. 9184 and its revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).

Activities Schedule/Location Starting 13 May 2015 (from 9:00 A.M. to 2:00 a. Issuance of Bid P.M. only) Procurement Office, Room 212, 2/F, Documents 5-Storey Bldg., BSP Main Complex, Malate, Manila Tel. / Fax Nos. 306-2832; 708-7115 b. Site Inspection Starting 14 May 2015 at the ASD Warehouse and Record Center, Basement, 5-Storey Bldg., BSP Main Complex, Malate, Manila; Engr. Glenn C. Dela Cruz, FMED Tel. Nos.: 306-2545/306-2662 Bidders must submit the name/s of technical representative/s at least one (1) day before site inspection. c. Pre-bid conference 27 May 2015; 9:30AM; MR2A Conference Room, 2nd Floor, 5-Storey Bldg., BSP Main Complex, Malate, Manila d. Opening of Bids 08 June 2015; 2:00PM; MR2A Conference Room, 2nd Floor, 5-Storey Bldg., BSP Main Complex, Malate, Manila

8.

The ITB and Checklist of Requirements for Bidders may be downloaded from the websites of Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and BSP (www.bsp.gov.ph). The complete set of bidding documents may be purchased at the address above upon payment of non-refundable fee in the amount of Php10,000.00.

9.

The pre-bid conference shall be open to interested parties. However, only those who have purchased the bidding documents shall be allowed to participate in the pre-bid conference and raise or submit written queries or clarifications.

To ensure completeness and compliance of bids, bidders are advised to send not more than two (2) technical and/or administrative representatives who will prepare the bidding documents.

Market up; GT Capital advances THE stock market rose Wednesday on selective buying, ignoring another sell-off on Wall Street overnight.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index gained 13.80 points, or 0.2 percent, to 7,808.35 on a value turnover of P8.5 billion. Losers beat gainers, 108 to 76, with 42 issues unchanged.

GT Capital Holdings Inc. of tycoon George Ty jumped 7.2 percent to P1,397. Property unit Federal Land Inc. and Alveo Land Corp., the high-end residential unit of Ayala Land Inc., will spend P2.5 billion for the joint development of a 45-hectare prime property in Laguna province.

Federal Land and Alveo Land are finalizing the master plan for the property, which will involve the sale of residential lots to the middle to highend market.

Ayala Land slipped 0.7 percent to P40.05.

Universal Robina Corp., the biggest snack food maker, climbed 2.2 percent to P210.60, while Globe Telecom Inc., the second-largest telecommunications firm, surged 5.4 percent to P2,320.

Nickel Asia Corp., the biggest nickel miner, advanced 3.9 percent to P28.10.

Meanwhile, Asian markets mostly rose

Wednesday, but Shanghai and Hong Kong retreated after a further batch of weak data indicated ongoing weakness in the Chinese economy.

The euro edged higher despite fears about drawn-out bailout reform talks between Greece and its creditors, with the country warning it will soon run out of cash.

Tokyo rose 0.71 percent, or 139.88 points, to 19,764.72, Sydney jumped 0.71 percent, or 40.4 points, to 5,715.1 and Seoul tacked on 0.83 percent, or 17.39 points, to 2,114.16.

However, Shanghai ended 0.58 percent lower, giving up 25.46 points to 4,375.76 while Hong Kong was down 0.53 percent in the afternoon.

Chinese markets turned lower in the afternoon after the National Bureau of Statistics announced figures for retail sales, industrial output and fixed asset investment, which all missed expectations.

The figures are the latest to show ongoing weakness in the world’s number two economy-following soft trade and inflation data last week-and come days after the central bank at the weekend cut interest rates again for the third time since November. With AFP

10. The BSP assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify any bidder for expenses incurred in the preparation of bid.

11. The BSP reserves the right to reject any bid, declare a failure of bidding, not award the contract, annul the bidding process and reject all bids at any time prior to award of contract, without thereby incurring any liability to affected bidders.

Further, the BSP reserves the right to waive any minor defects or formality and to accept the proposal most advantageous to the agency.

(Sgd.) SILVINA Q. MAMARIL-ROXAS Chairperson (TS-MAY 14, 2015)

B4

BUSINESS

Negros plant contract.

Roxas Holdings Inc. and Global Business Power Corp. have commissioned Pöyry Energy Inc. of Finland for the front-end engineering design of its 40-megawatt cogeneration facility in Negros Occidental. The contract covers the detailed study of the technical requirements and investment cost of the project. Shown during the signing ceremony are (from left) Pöyry president Nicky Gemperle, RHI executive vice president Luis Villa-Abrille, GBP chairman Francisco Sebastian, RHI chairman Pedro Roxas, GBP executive vice president Jaime Azurin and RHI executive vice president Arcadio Lozada Jr.

Globe’s net income jumps 43% PLDT invests $30m in big data services PHILIPPINE Long Distance Telephone Co. said Wednesday it will invest an additional $30 million over the next three years in the socalled big data services, a new growth area.

“We will continue to invest more in big data at a point where we can process all our information and we can protect properly and make it resilient. I think the numbers are embedded in the P39-billion capital expenditures for this year,” PLDT chief strategy officer and chief executive Winston Damarillo told reporters.

Damarillo said PLDT invested roughly $30 million in the last three years to prepare its network for big data services. “We expect it [big data] to become the growth area for PLDT,” he said.

PLDT said its big data services could help local enterprises advance their businesses through a range of digitally transformative solutions. These solutions allow enterprises to analyze openly available data and gain insights that drive predictive and data-driven decision-making in their businesses.

Large enterprises as well as small and medium enterprises in the financial services, logistics, retail, hospitality, healthcare and utility industries are set to benefit the most from big data analytics.

“Big data drives our everyday lives. Every action generates data, which become valuable insights that empower enterprises, organizations, government agencies, and even small and medium enterprises to develop more effective products, services, and programs for their target markets,” PLDT executive vice president Ernesto Alberto said.

Darwin G. Amojelar

By Darwin G. Amojelar

GLOBE Telecom Inc. said Wednesday net income in the first quarter jumped 43 percent to P4.2 billion from P2.95 billion a year ago, on higher service revenues.

Globe, the telecom unit of Ayala Corp., said core profit, which excludes foreign exchange and mark-to-market gains and losses as well as other non-recurring items, also grew 25 percent to P4.18 billion in the JanuaryMarch period from P3.36 billion in the same period last year.

“We are happy that we maintained our growth momentum for the first quarter of the year, despite the heightened level of competition,” Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu said.

He said the core net income improvement in the first the quarter proved that Globe was the “preferred brand of choice among Filipino consumers.”

Consolidated service revenues hit P26.2 billion in the first quar-

ter, or 13 percent higher than P23.3 billion last year.

The sustained growth trajectory was due to Globe’s mobile business, which grew 10 percent to P20.3 billion and its broadband business, which expanded 31 percent to P3.66 billion.

Globe’s mobile phone sub-

scriber base reached 46.2 million as of end-March, including 43.84 million prepaid users and 2.27 million postpaid subscribers.

Broadband subscribers reached 3.1 million.

“Our move towards enhanced digital lifestyle experience for our customers with our revolutionary and innovative suite of products and services is starting to bear fruit given the results in the first quarter of 2015,” Cu said.

“We believe that our modernized data-ready network and our strong commitment to innovation powered by our collaborative partnerships with global content providers, we can achieve sustainable financial growth moving forward,” he said.

Globe allocated $500 million this year to expand its 3G and LTE network. It would build a combined 5,000 LTE sites over the next 24 months.

Globe has a total of 25,820 base stations, with over 15,900 for 4G to support the service requirements of its subscribers.

SEC approves P95-m public offering of Mario’s operator

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Securities and Exchange Commission approved the P95million initial public offering of Gweilo Corp., the operator of restaurant chain Mario’s Kitchen.

Documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Com-

mission showed Gweilo would sell 95 million common shares at P1 apiece.

The shares represent 53 percent of the company’s total issued outstanding capital stock.

Gweilo said it planned to use the net proceeds to expand and renovate the company-owned

outlets and expand its commissary catering services.

The offering period is set from June 1 to 15, while the listing date is scheduled on June 23.

The company hired Asian Alliance Investment Corp. as the issue manager and lead underwriter of the offering.

Gweilo Corp., established in

2001 by Raul, Ruby and Mario de Castro as a bar and restaurant operator, runs the Gweilos bar and Mario’s Kitchen restaurant chains in Metro Manila.

The company acquired the Mario’s Kitchen franchise from the Benitez family in 2007. Mario’s Kitchen is an offshoot of

the popular Mario’s restaurant chain famed for its traditional Spanish cuisine.

Gweilo’s planned maiden share sale is the second IPO to be approved by the SEC this year.

The first was Crown Asia Chemical Corp., which raised P222 million in proceeds.

T H U R S D AY : M AY 14 , 2 0 1 5

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

B5

MVP’s strong words; Mikee Romero scores TELECOM czar Manuel V. Pangilinan, or RAY S. EÑANO MVP, let out the sentiments of his conglomerate with strong words against the state water regulator.

MVP is clearly exasperated by the turn of events and at the way the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System is interpreting an arbitration ruling on the case filed by Maynilad Water Services Inc. The MWSS, for some reasons, did not implement an arbitral award and, instead, ordered water concessionaires to stop passing on the corporate income tax to customers.

The appeals panel of an international arbitration court handling the case of Maynilad earlier upheld the company’s rate rebasing adjustment, which called for an increase in the basic charge by an average of P3.06 per cubic meter from the current basic rate. The appeals panel also allowed the company to pass on the corporate income tax to consumers.

But the MWSS, acting as interpeter of the arbitral decision, implemented the arbitral award partially and prevented the company from passing on the corporate income tax to consumers.

MVP, who is also chairman of Maynilad Water, stressed the company was not a public utility and, thus, could pass on the corporate income tax to consumers, as ruled by the arbitration court.

“What agreement do we have with the government? It is a concession agreement. We do not own the assets. We are simply contractors to the assets owned by the government,” Pangilinan said. “I think it has been explained to full measures during the arbitration proceedings that we are not a utility. That’s even in the heading, that we’re a concession.”

Pangilinan said a lot of the money was being spent for the improvement of water services in the west zone. “We are simply a contractor.

The form of the two water concessions is not a franchise like Meralco,” Pangilinan said.

“If you’re a franchise holder like Meralco and PLDT, you own the assets subject to regulation and since you are a franchise utility, you have to pay your taxes. But your average discount rate is pretaxed. Any businessman will include all of the expenses,” he said.

“We incur more debt every year from the costs of water and sewer improvement programs which we are mandated by law to do,” says MVP. “The concessionaires should improve their sewerage programs.

We are open to do that but you have to uphold the rates because where will we get the money?”

Manila port row

After several legal wranglings, Michael ‘Mikee’ Romero finally obtained a clear ruling from the court. The Manila Regional Trial Court declared Mikee was the true owner of the contested Harbour Centre Port Terminal Inc. Harbour Port has been in the news since last year when Michael’s dad, Reghis Romero, took over the operations of the terminal and shut out his son.

What followed was a series of lawsuits traded between the father and son that not only damaged their personal relations but the company as well.

Michael took over the operations of HCPTI in 2003 and made it one of the best-managed companies in the Philipppines.

But it appeared that his dad became envious of his success that Reghis forcibly took Harbour Port from his son last year. In the end, the law prevailed as Judge Silvino Pampilo Jr. of the Manila RTC Branch 26 issued a ruling on May 6 recognizing Michael as the legitimate and true owner of HCPTI. Pampilo said “this court recognizes the authority of the Movan’ts Board of Directors to which Michael L. Romero belongs, and their authority to act for and in behalf of HCPTI…” The court sided with Michael when it recognized the two Deeds of Assignment by Reghis that transferred 689,294,652 shareholdings representing 68.11 percent from the father’s RII Builders and RII Holdings to HCPTI. Reghis, thus, did not have any legal authority to take over HCPTI since he was no longer the owner of the company.

“Notably, plaintiff did not bother to refute movant’s allegations and arguments regarding the 68.11 percent ownership of HCPTI in HCPTI,” the court noted.

The court decided “these two Deeds of Assignment to date, remain valid and effective, as the same were not questioned, controverted, much less nullified in a court of law.”

“After a careful and painstaking evaluation of the evidence submitted by both groups [Romero and Arellano], the court hereby grants the motion and dismisses the complaint,” the court said.

The case stemmed from the complaint filed Alethea Arellano, who claimed she was the assistant manager for port facility maintenance of HCPTI, seeking to recover 15 vehicles registered under HCPTI from Michael and others.

The court ruledArellano did not have the authority to represent HCPTI to file the case. With the ruling, Reghis should now stop messing up his son’s company and dutifully follow the court’s order.

E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or extrastory2000@gmail.com or business@manilastandardtoday.com

Center of Hope. EMC Corp. held the groundbreaking ceremony of the first Center of Hope at the National Housing Authority’s relocation site in Barangay Cabalawan, Tacloban City. The project is part of EMC’s global social responsibility initiatives, which aim to strengthen societies and help shape the future of local communities. Shown during the groundbreaking ceremony are (from left) EMC finance manager Graciela Borromeo, marketing manager Mary Ann Viloria, principal solutions architect Manex Sungahid, project manager Imelda David, country manager Ronnie Latinazo, partner sales manager Luchie Alberto, CSWD officer-in-charge Dra Fabregas and Hope worldwide Philippines director June Velasco.

LandBank’s net profit rises 24%

By Julito G. Rada

STATE-RUN Land Bank of the Philippines said Wednesday net income in the first quarter rose 24 percent to P3.6 billion from P2.9 billion a year ago, as loans and investments rose and total resources topped P1 trillion for the first time.

This also exceeded the bank’s first-quarter net income target of P3.12 billion by 15 percent.

LandBank president and chief executive Gilda Pico said in a statement the increase in income from loans and investments were the key drivers for the bank’s solid first-quarter performance.

“We are on track to maintain this momentum and meet our full-year targets, as we continue to manage

our risk portfolios and grow both traditional and non-traditional revenue sources,” Pico said.

Interest income on loans jumped 19 percent as the bank’s gross loan portfolio grew to P398 billion from P353.1 billion in March 2014.

Income from investments in financial assets surged 68 percent to P4.7 billion from P2.8 billion in the same period last year.

Return on equity in the threemonth period stood at 18.25 percent while net interest margin was at 3.32 percent, both above the latest industry averages.

The bank’s total assets grew 20 percent to P1.05 trillion from P873.7 billion in March 2014.

Total deposits rose 24 percent to P911.4 billion from 733.8 billion in the same period last year while capital expanded 7 percent to P72.5 billion.

LandBank said its steady profitability allowed it to continuously strengthen development financing programs. It remains the biggest credit provider to small farmers and fishers, local government units, and is the biggest lender to microenterprises and SMEs among government financial institutions.

Century Pacific sells P2.7-b shares

By Jenniffer B. Austria CENTURY Pacific Food Inc., the country’s largest canned food company owned by the Po family, said Wednesday it sold P2.7 billion worth of secondary shares through an overnight placement aimed at expanding investor base.

CNPF said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it sold 143 million common shares, representing 6.4 percent of the company’s total issued and outstanding stock, at a price of P18.75 apiece.

The offer price is equivalent to a 2-percent discount from the stock’s 60-day volume weighted average price of P19.13 per share and a 5-percent discount from its

last close of P19.68.

“The deal was done via an overnight book built offering with Century Pacific Group Inc, the parent company of CNPF, as the sole selling shareholder,” CNPF said.

The transaction aims to broaden CNPF’s shareholder base in response to overwhelming demand from global institutional investors for additional shares and improved trading liquidity, the company said.

As a result, CNPF’s public float increased to 16.8 percent from 10.4 percent.

Evercore Asia acted as exclusive financial adviser to the transaction, with Deutsche Bank AG and

UBS AG acting as joint bookrunners and placement agents.

Arran Investment Private Ltd, an affiliate of Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC Private Limited, recently exercised its option to convert a P3.4-billion loan made to CPGI into 11 percent of CNPF. After the placement and conversion by GIC, CPGI remains the largest shareholder of CNPF with a significant 72-percent stake in the listed company.

CNPF’s overnight placement of shares came a little over one year after the company was listed with the Philippine Stock Exchange in May last year wherein it raised P3.2 billion in proceeds.

THURSDAY: MAY 14, 2015

B6

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

First Gen readies LNG hub

By Alena Mae S. Flores

First Gen Corp. will choose its joint venture partner for the $1-billion liquefied natural gas regasification terminal in Batangas this year, in time for the start of the construction in 2016, company executives said Wednesday.

First Gen president Francis Giles Puno told reporters following the stockholders meeting that the company was preparing for the tendering process for the construction. He said the front-end engineering design was on the second stage of

revision.

“What we will do is to conduct a tendering process based on that, we will decide. This year, we also announce partners in LNG terminal,” Puno said.

He said the LNG terminal would allow First Gen to import

LNG and “address the depletion of the Malampaya gas 10 years from now.”

First Gen owns the 1,000MW Santa Rita and 500-MW San Lorenzo power plants in Batangas. The company is also embarking on natural gas power plant expansion.

“The availability of natural gas has benefitted key industries in other markets. We see the supply to power and industrial users as the growth of future market demand for LNG,” Puno said.

First Gen tapped Tractebel Engineering of France for the detailed design of the LNG

terminal.

“The Feed [front-end engineering design] is still undergoing fine tuning but when you look at the Feed study, you can now build. Next thing to do is conduct the tender process.

We have shortlisted potential contractors that are very capable of building a world class facility, international players. They will be able to deliver the terminal hopefully on time,” he said.

Puno said the company planned to award the contract next year in time for the start of construction in the second half of 2016 or 2017.

“This year we will also announce partners in LNG. We’re looking at offering 50 percent to other partners. It’s a combination of Filipino and foreign partners.

The foreign partners will bring expertise in operating the LNG facilities,” he said.

Puno said the company expected net income to remain flat this year after jumping 64 percent to $75.1 million in 2014.

“If we want to grow business you have to invest, so it reduces your or effective net income. It will pay off once we start commercial operations, Avion and San Gabriel, that’s 500 MW,” he said.

Masinloc wins supply contract for 105 MW

UK support. The British government and the Philippine civil society organization Bantay Kita signed

a third grant agreement, sealing their partnership in ensuring good governance in the extractive industry through the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. Shown receiving the grand award is Bantay Kita national coordinator Cielo Magno (second from right) from British Ambassador Asif Ahmad. With them are Finance assistant secretary Ma. Teresa Habitan (left) and Ph-EITI national coordinator Gay Ordenes.

RUDY ROMERO

BUSINESS CLASS IT’S quiz time. What two non-island provinces in this country are assigned to different administrative regions notwithstanding their being contiguous to one another?

The answer? Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental, which are the components of one of this country’s largest islands. The decision-makers of the Marcos regime decided that, for administrative purposes, Negros Occidental should be a part of Region VI (Western Visayas), along with the provinces of Panay Island and Guimaras, and Negros Oriental would be a part of Region VII (Central Visayas), along with Siquijor, Cebu and Bohol. Yet as already stated the two Negros provinces are on Negros Island.

From the start, the decision to assign the Negros provinces to two administrative regions was a huge mistake. It meant that their policy and administrative concerns would be addressed by officialdoms located outside the islands. Negros Occidental officials and ordinary citizens with problems have had to travel to Iloilo City to have them addressed, while Negros Oriental officials and ordinary citizens with problems have had to travel to Cebu City to have the problems addressed.

Obviously, the decision to separate the Negros provinces administratively was based on language.

One can think of no other logical reason. Negros Occidental people spoke Ilonggo (Hiligaynon) so they should be grouped with people whose mother language was Ilonggo, and Negros Oriental people, who were

MASINLOC Power Partners Co. Ltd. said Wednesday it is set to launch a 600-megawatt expansion program, after the company recently won the bidding to supply 105 MW to eight electric cooperatives.

Masinloc Power Partners, led

by AES Philippines, was declared the lowest bidder in the joint competitive selection process to supply the baseload power requirements of eight electric cooperatives belonging to the Region 1 Electric Cooperatives Association and the Cordillera Administrative Region Electric Cooperative Association.

The company said the supply agreement, which would be signed in June, would help ensure a steady supply of energy to provinces and local communities served by the two electric cooperative associations.

“AES Philippines is committed to providing the nation with safe, reliable, and sustainable power. This win establishes our expansion proj-

ect as the most competitive new capacity in the country, and we are pleased to provide this benefit to the R1+CAR customers,” said AES Philippines managing director Neeraj Bhat said in a statement.

AES Philippines, the local unit of AES Corp. of the US, is the majority owner and operator of Masinloc Power Partners, which owns the 600-MW Masinloc coal-fired power plant. Masinloc Power Partners is embarking on another 600-MW expansion in the same area.

The company is expected to start construction of the P49.5-billion expansion project by the second quarter based on previous records from the Energy Department.

Records showed AES Philippines had already completed the feasibility and grid impact study for the power project, which would bring the Masinloc coal plant’s capacity to 1,200 MW by the third quarter of 2017 and help secure power supply in Luzon.

Alena Mae S. Flores

An administrative region for the Negros provinces Cebuano-speaking, should be grouped together with other Cebuano-speaking peoples. So must have gone the official thinking.

For two reasons, that piece of Marcos-era policymaking was totally flawed. One reason partook of practicality.

The other was psychological in nature.

The practical reason for ending the present arrangement and placing Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental in one administrative region—tentatively the Negros Administrative Region—is that it is conducive to overall convenience and to savings in terms of official resources and time. The problems and concerns of Negrenses would, if the change took place, be handled by officials sitting in offices in Bacolod City or Dumaguete City, depending on the allocation of functions between the two regional cocapitals. There would be no longer a need to leave Negros and take a plane or boat to another island. The Negros provinces are now connected by several first-class roads.

The psychological reason for a Negros Administrative Region is the need to strengthen what one might call the Negrensification of the peoples of the two provinces. All but two of the nearly forty municipalities and cities of Negros Oriental share a border with a Negros Occidental town – and are therefore largely bilingual – but, truth to tell, Ilonggo exerts a strong ethnosocial pull on the people of Negros Occidental. It is a tie that binds the people of Negros Occidental to the peoples of the Panay provinces, especially Iloilo.

I use the word Negrense earlier in this piece. That word should refer to all the inhabitants of Negros, but unfortunately it is used by journalists and by many Negros Occidental folk to refer to people from the Occidental part of the island. Negros Oriental folk are offended whenever Negrense is used to refer only to people from the western side of their island. And rightly so.

The joining of the two Negros provinces in a single administrative region will produce a big push toward the unification of their populations. A Negros administrative region will greatly help to get Negrense recognized and accepted as a word referring to the inhabitants of both the Occidental and the Oriental part of the island. In this connection, the later Negros Oriental Governor Emilio Macias III, during his incumbency, tried to get his officialdom to use the word Negor, leaving out the word Oriental, in all official communications. The Negor effort died with Gov. Macias’ death.

The media have reported that ready for the signature of President Aquino is an executive order creating a separate administrative region for the Negros provinces. It is said to have the support of secretary of the Interior and Local Government Mar Roxas. Presumably, the support of Neda director-general Arsenio Balisacan as well.

The signing of the executive order and, more important, its effective implementation will not come a day too soon.

E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

t H u r s D aY : M aY 14 , 2 0 1 5

WORLD

cesar barrioquinto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

B7

Burmese ruby sells for $30m at auction GENEVA—A 25.59 carat “pigeon blood” ruby sold for a world record $30.33 million at auction in Geneva Tuesday while a rare pink diamond believed to have once belonged to Napoleon’s niece fetched $15.9 million, Sotheby’s said.

After competitive bidding, the ruby went to an anonymous telephone bidder for 26.25 million Swiss francs (27.3 million euros), with costs.

The “Sunrise Ruby” from Myanmar, part of a collection of Cartier jewels up for auction, had been expected to sell for between $12 million and $18 million.

It set a record for a ruby and was also a record for a Cartier jewel at auction, Sotheby’s said.

“The Sunrise Ruby sold for just over $30 million, $30.3 million, which is I think over three times the previous record, which was for the Graff Ruby,” said David Bennett, head of Sotheby’s international jewelry division, referring to a stone sold in November.

The large, pigeon-blood red ruby “is among the rarest of all gemstones”.

“I mean, in 40 years I’ve ever only seen one this color, this size, so they are beyond rare,” Bennett said.

Another “extremely rare” stone, a fancy vivid pink diamond weighing 8.72 carats sold for 14.8 million Swiss francs ($15.9 million, 14.3 million euros) at the spring Magnificent Jewels and Nobel Jewels auction.

The stone, known as “The Historic Pink” and mounted on a ring with a classic non-modified cushion cut, is believed to have been part of the collection of Princess Mathilde, niece of French Emperor Napoleon I, according to the Gemological Institute of America.

Another of its former owners was the reclusive American heiress and philanthropist Huguette Clark, who died in 2007. AFP

Celebration. Egyptian men smoke water-pipes outside Cairo’s Sayeda Zainab mosque during celebrations of the birthday of Prophet Mohamed’s granddaughter Zeinab late on May 12. AFP

‘N. Korea defense chief executed for dozing off’ SEOUL—North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un had his defense minister executed with anti-aircraft fire for insubordination and dozing off during a formal military rally, South Korean intelligence said Wednesday, hinting at possible instability in the Pyongyang leadership.

If confirmed, it marks another demonstration of Kim’s ruthlessness in dealing with even the most senior officials suspected of disloyalty, following the execution of his uncle and one-time political mentor Jang Song-Thaek in 2013.

It also points to possible power struggles within the top leadership, following Kim Jong-Un’s decision to cancel a scheduled visit to Moscow last week in order to deal with “internal issues.”

Late last month, the South’s National Intelligence Agency NIS re-

ported that Kim had ordered the execution of 15 senior officials so far this year, including two vice ministers, for questioning his authority.

In a briefing Wednesday to a parliamentary committee, Han KiBeom, the deputy director of NIS, said hundreds of people witnessed the execution of defense minister Hyon Yong-Chol, which was believed to have been carried out around April 30 at a military academy in northern Pyongyang.

Han told lawmakers that intelligence sources suggested Han was

shot to pieces using an anti-aircraft gun firing 14.5mm caliber rounds.

Such a violent method of execution has been cited in various unconfirmed reports as being reserved for senior officials who the leadership wishes to make examples of.

Last month, the US-based Committee for Human Rights in Korea published an October-dated satellite image of the same academy that analysts said showed a shooting range with anti-aircraft guns lined up in what appeared to be preparation for an execution.

Responding to the NIS report, Seoul’s Unification Ministry said North Korea was under a “reign of terror” aimed at consolidating Kim Jong-Un’s undisputed leadership.

The details of the NIS briefing were relayed to local reporters by lawmakers who attended the parliamentary committee.

The NIS told the committee

that the minister had been arrested for expressing dissatisfaction with Kim’s leadership, repeatedly ignoring his orders and dozing off during a rally that Kim presided over.

Yang Moo-Jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said Hyon’s reported purge and execution were a shock.

“Hyon was seen as one of the three closest military officials to Kim Jong-Un,” Yang told AFP. Hyon had visited Russia in April—partly to pave the way for Kim’s scheduled trip to Moscow to attend a May 9 parade marking the 70th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Yang speculated that the minister might have botched his mission, amid reports that he had been tasked with brokering a weapons deal in return for Kim’s presence at the Moscow event. AFP

Train derailment kills 5 in Philadelphia

Atmosphere. A general view of the atmosphere during The Resolution

Project Young Leaders Now Award Dinner on May 12 in New York City. AFP

WASHINGTON—At least five people were killed and dozens injured after a train derailed and overturned in Philadelphia late Tuesday.

Emergency personnel said six of the injured were in critical condition and 53 others were less critically hurt amid chaotic scenes after at least seven train cars, including the engine car, were crushed, turned over on their side or left upside down.

“It is an absolute disastrous mess. I have never seen anything like this in my life and most personnel will say that, as well,” Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter told reporters.

But Nutter warned that the casualty and injury estimates were only preliminary, hinting at the potential for a higher toll.

Hydraulic tools had to be used to remove passengers from some of the most badly damaged train cars, emergency personnel said.

Former US Congressman Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania was on the train.

“Im ok. Helping others. Pray for those injured,” he tweeted.

Delaware Senator Tom Carper was on board but got off just before the derailment.

Murphy, who was on board the restaurant car, said the train seemed to be going 97 to 113 kilo-

meters per hour when it suddenly derailed and rolled. Passengers had to kick out a window to exit.

Some of the injured—many with bloodied hands and faces— were unable to move, Murphy said.

Initial reports had indicated that 10 of the train cars were affected by the accident.

Hundreds of emergency personnel, including firefighters and police, were deployed.

The Philadelphia Fire Department launched a large-scale operation to assist the 243 people aboard Amtrak Train 188 traveling from Washington DC to New York. AFP

T H U R S D AY : M AY 14 , 2 0 1 5

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CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

WORLD

New quake. Nepalese residents walk past damaged houses in Bhaktapur on the outskirts of Kathmandu on May 13 following a new earthquake that hit on May 12. Rescuers were battling to reach the survivors of the earthquake in Nepal that triggered landslides and brought down buildings as the search continued for a US military helicopter that went missing while delivering aid. Thousands of traumatized survivors spent the night outdoors, afraid to return to their houses after the 7.3-magnitude quake hit less than three weeks after the country was devastated by its deadliest quake in more than 80 years. AFP

Oil glut persists in markets PARIS—A glut in the global oil market has not evaporated with other countries stepping up output while US shale producers have cut back due to the sharp drop in prices since last year, the IEA said Wednesday.

In its latest monthly report, the International Energy Agency said global oil supply remained flat at 95.7 million barrels per day (mbd) in April.

It said slowing US shale oil output was being offset by higher output from countries in the Opec oil cartel as well as in several non-Opec nations.

In fact, the IEA raised its forecast for nonOpec production growth this year. It sees output by countries outside of the cartel climbing by 830,000 bpd to 57.8 mbd.

“As the market continues to re-balance, pockets of supply growth are emerging from unsuspected corners,” said the IEA, which noted that Russia and Brazil had coped

unexpectedly well with the drop in oil prices from last year.

Oil prices plummeted by more than 60 percent from peaks of over $100 per barrel last June to under $50 at the beginning of this year as Opec refused to cut production despite indications of a global supply glut.

The move by the 12-nation Opec cartel, which pumps about 30 percent of global crude, was widely seen as aimed to push US shale oil producers, which have higher costs, out of the market.

The boom in US oil production has been one of the biggest developments in the oil market in years, but the IEA noted that the price fall appears to have brought that, at

least temporarily, to a close as the number of rigs in use has dropped by 60 percent and stocks actually decreased one week in April.

“While the price responsiveness of (US shale oil producers) was widely anticipated, the strong performance of some other sources of non-Opec supply defied expectations,” said the IEA. “Russian oil companies seem to be coping exceptionally well with lower oil prices and international sanctions, thanks to a flexible tax regime that lightens their fiscal burden as prices drop and to steep cuts in production costs that came courtesy of the ruble’s depreciation,” it said, noting that Russian production jumped by a steep 185,000 barrels per day year-on-year in April.

It also noted a jump in Brazilian output by 17 percent in the first quarter of the year as well as gains in China, Vietnam and Malaysia.

Meanwhile Opec crude oil output continued to climb in April, the IEA

said, increasing by 160,000 bpd from an upwardly revised jump of 960,000 bpd in March as Iraq and Iran boosted output and top exporter Saudi Arabia held output above 10 mbd for a second consecutive month.

That took Opec’s April supply to 31.21 mbd, the highest since September 2012, noted the IEA. Moreover it noted that the a 14 percent jump in the price for the main US oil contract, WTI, over the past month on indications that US shale oil output was falling was giving those producers “a new lease on life” and that several had boasted of big cuts in the production costs.

“It would thus be premature to suggest that OPEC has won the battle for market share,” said the IEA. “The battle, rather, has just started.”

Barring any unforeseen disruption elsewhere, the IEA said that “the market’s short-term fundamentals still look relatively loose.” AFP

Alive after 8 days in container BEIJING—A Chinese baby born with a cleft lip was abandoned by his parents and buried in a cardboard box two days later, but rescued alive eight days further on, media reported.

The parents left the baby in a remote countryside in the southern province of Guangxi, before he was buried, apparently by relatives who believed he had died, Guangxi Online News said.

But water and air were able to seep into the box, the report said.

The baby was buried in a container the size of a shoebox on a dusty dry, landscape, surrounded by long grass, according to images posted by China Central Television on its verified account on Sina Weibo, China’s version of Twitter.

He was discovered when a woman heard him crying as she was picking herbs, the post by the state broadcaster late Tuesday said.

The baby was spitting soil when doctors examined him last week, the Guangxi Online News said.

“Five people including three relatives have been detained on suspicion of intentional murder,” CCTV said.

A disabled child can be a huge drain on a family’s resources in China, and many of the babies abandoned in the country are given up because parents cannot afford expensive medical bills and fees for special education, authorities say.

China’s strict family planning rules can also be a factor, although the one-child policy normally allows parents to have another baby if their first is disabled.

A relaxation of the regulations in late 2013 also allows couples to have two offspring if at least one parent was an only child. AFP

At work. DJ BIG DROP spins during the premiere of DIRECTV’s “The Fighting

Season” from Executive Producer Ricky Schroder at Siren Studios on May 12 in Hollywood, California. AFP

T H U R S D AY : M AY 14 : 2 0 1 5

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BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE EDITOR

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FRAMES OF REFERENCE Lopez Museum celebrates 50 years of BenCab

Art enthusiasts will get a glimpse into the life and art of National Artist Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera who celebrates 50 creative years though a series of eight multi-site exhibitions, kicking off with Frames of Reference at the Lopez Museum and Library.

Curated by Dannie Alvarez, Frames of Reference is doubly special because BenCab was the first artist whose exhibition was mounted at The Gallery when the Museum first moved to Benpres Building 29 years ago.

As fate would have it, BenCab graces Lopez Museum again through the exhibit that features some of his works that the public has never seen before, including his art-books and small scrapbook-like compilations of collages from the late 1960s to 1980s.

Clippings and cutouts from magazines, product wrappers, drawings and sketches

combined with BenCab’s handwriting together with postcards, posters and print folios showcase the beginnings of some of his most important series of works: Sabel, Larawan and Japanese Women (ukiyo-e).

BenCab’s love for handmade paper is evident, with some of the art-books made by the artist himself from – pulp to bookbinding – with sizes varying from 1.5 inches to folios. Curved TVs and tablets provided by Samsung enable visitors to leaf through the pages of each art book in detail.

Frames of Reference runs until July 4, 2015.

Lopez Museum and Library is at the G/F Benpres Bldg., Meralco cor. Exchange Rd., Ortigas Center, Pasig City. Museum hours are 8am-5pm Mondays through Saturdays except Sundays and holidays. For more information and for registration, contact Tina at 631 2417.

Installation shot, postcard collection

A page from one of his art cum scrapbooks.

Artist’s Collection

Margot Fragante, Martin Vargas and Connie Lopez

BenCab and Annie Sarthou show Fernando Zobel the postcard collection

Annie Sarthou, Ambeth Ocampo and BenCab

Lopez Museum director Mercedes Vargas Oscar M. Lopez and National Artist Benedicto Cabrera

HARMONY The First Solo Exhibit of Christina Cho

K

orean contemporary art has grown at par with its neighbors in Asia. With the prominence of Korean visual artists like Haegue Yang and Hyungkoo Lee who have brought their art innovations to celebrated international art festivals like the Venice Biennale, it can be said that Korean visual arts is taking its share of the limelight in the global art arena.

Filipinos will have an opportunity to view Korean art via ArtistSpace of Ayala Museum that features the works of South Korean contemporary painter Christina Cho in her first solo exhibition entitled “Harmony.” The exhibit is composed of oil paintings depicting striking still life of cacti and lush landscapes from her travels in Western European countries like France and Italy.

While Cho’s contemporaries paint in the harried pace and oftentimes vague contexts of contemporary art, the Korean artist gives a fresh take on the genre of realism and brings her viewers to a utopian world devoid of complication – a world at harmony with nature (hence the title). The theme came from the artist’s catharsis upon being reminded of Van Gogh, and seeing vast urban terrains in the cities of Arles and Eze, South of France and in Italy, which are seemingly at home with nature.

Struck by such beauty, the artist began to paint a body of work showing endemic cacti together with vistas of sunbathed architecture nestled comfortably in nature. Through these images, she wanted to convey the same bliss, calm and peace that she experienced during her trips – the feeling of being one with nature.

THE EXHIBITION

Cho’s paintings remind one of the famous American painter Edward Hopper’s works which feature sweeping urbanscapes of America. What makes Cho’s works unique, however, is the midday sunlight in which she so often painted, and the singling out of architecture and nature, painted in perspective, which always seem to leave out human element.

Finally, she paints her canvasses as if they are windows, such that a viewer may “step in her shoes” and indulge in the same view that once took her breath away.

EXHIBITION DURATION:

May 9 – 21, 2015 ArtistSpace, Ayala Museum Dela Rosa Street, Makati City

Thea Garing explains the interactive Samsung technology to BenCab

Ricky Francisco, Annie Sarthou, Bobby Gopiao, Dannie Alvarez

THURSDAY : M AY 14 : 2015

LIFE

BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE E D I TOR

glweekend @ gmail.com

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ONE TOUGH MOTHER:

SUCCESS IN LIFE, BUSINESS AND APPLE PIES GERT BOYLE WITH KERRY TYMCHUCK

S THIS IS (THE END OF) AMERICAN IDOL!

BY ED BIADO It was June 11, 2002 when a little singing competition called American Idol debuted on Fox as a summer replacement.

It quickly became a ratings juggernaut, with 22 million US viewers watching a 20-year-old Kelly Clarkson get crowned as the first and original American Idol.

Not only did it catapult the singer to stardom, the show also introduced Ryan Seacrest, Randy Jackson and of course, Simon Cowell, to the world. When the series started, the only recognizable face on it was Paula Abdul. Idol was as much about the judges’ banter as it was about the competitors.

We laughed when Paula would act woozy and cheered when Randy took us to the dawg pound. We all loved and hated Simon at the same time for being so snarky and harsh to the contestants (while secretly agreeing with his critiques). And we cringed when Ryan tried to out-Simon Simon.

To say that the show is a pop culture phenomenon is an understatement. It wrote the template for every other talent show on TV—or at least popularized it as the concept is based on the British show Pop Idol, which itself was inspired by the New Zealand show Popstars. Its most successful alumni—Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, Clay Aiken and Fantasia— have sold 42.5 million albums and 76.1 million digital singles in the US alone.

“Did Idol overstay its welcome by roughly seven seasons?

Probably. Did those first eight seasons justify the run that followed? Definitely,” Billboard contends, echoing what plenty of TV writers have been saying for so long: that after its golden era, the show quickly lost its appeal.

Changes to the format and to the judging panel didn’t help.

Not even that highly publicized spat between one-time judges Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj, real or made-up, managed to drum up enough interest to save the show’s plummeting ratings.

It was announced Monday that the show’s 15th season, set to air in 2016, will be its last. It probably took this long for Fox to ax the show because of gratitude. After all, it did give the network some of its highest ratings—a winning streak that caused competing networks a lot of headache and losses.

So all in all, it’s been a good long run. And many of us might even tune in for the final season to witness the end of an era. Just for the nostalgia.

everal years ago, a friend gave me this compact little book that showed a leathery looking, tough old lady with a threatening tat on her shoulder that declared: “Born to Nag.” I didn’t know Gert Boyle from Adam, but the cover made me curious enough to find out just who she is and what qualified her to be a tough mother. A quick look at the flap sums it up: “When a heart attack claimed Gert Boyle’s husband in 1970, the forty-six-year-old housewife and mother of three found herself at the helm of Columbia Sportswear, a small and financially struggling outerwear manufacturer in Portland, Oregon. With no business experience whatsoever, Boyle was faced with the challenge running Columbia, which had been founded in 1937 by her father-a Jewish immigrant who fled Hitler’s Germany to come to America.

“Though many expected Boyle to fail, she and her son Tim persevered, and kept the business afloat through very challenging times. In 1970, Columbia Sportswear boasted forty employees and $800,000 in annual sales. Under the leadership of Gert and Tim Boyle, the company now has more than two thousand employees, annual sales approaching one billion dollars, and is the leading seller of skiwear in the United States.”

Written in a very casual and conversational tone, the book manages to convey the no-nonsense personality of Boyle, and how she had to learn the ropes of running a business despite having been “just” a housewife for two decades before she found herself with this huge responsibility to keep the company afloat.

Of course, the time being the ‘70s, no one really thought the diminutive lady had the chops to make Columbia survive, with some even suggesting she hire a man to take charge. But she stood pat, believing that individuals should be judged according to their ability, not on their gender.

That’s not to say Boyle didn’t have weak moments, though. At one point, she was deadset on selling the company but when the buyer tried to pull a fast one on her – undervaluing the worth of the company and its assets (which would leave her with a grand total of $1,400) – well, the toughie in her surfaced. She told the man what she thought of him and where he could stuff his offer. Ouch!

Painful decisions had to be made but she made them anyway, like letting go of some not-so-talented employees to cut down the fat, in a manner of speaking.

Following the advice of some kind-hearted businessmen (yes, they do exist) who perhaps took pity on the struggling widow, she limited production to the items that sold well and also began manufacturing other outerwear products sold under brands other than Columbia.

The turning point came in 1984 when she agreed to be the face and personality for Columbia’s advertising campaigns – a risky concept considering that Boyle was an old lady of 60. But the image of a cantankerous, tough Mother Boyle who expected – demanded actually – nothing less but the best for Columbia’s products became a hit.

I must admit the portions in the book I found hilarious are the photos of the Ma Boyle ads developed by Columbia over the years. One of them had her in a Mao jacket with the head “Quotes from Chairman Ma – Inspiration from Mother Boyle, the Skiwear Revolutionary who kowtows to no one.”

The ad was really nothing out of the ordinary – the old lady on the left and the featured product on the other side – but it was the copy that made it stand out because of the “Gertisms” – quotable quotes attributed to Boyle to stress that Columbia has exacting standards for its products.

For instance, “A reversible line that is also weatherproof?

Sounds impossible. Build me one,” or “It’s perfect. Now make it better.”

The best part for me however is found in Chapter 8 – “Ma Boyle’s Recipes” – where she shares her recipe for success in business (Don’t give up; business is just another word for team; don’t spend money you don’t have; listen to your customers and give them what they want;) and in life (don’t give up; keep family first; laugh; money doesn’t make you any nicer or smarter; send thank you notes; grandchildren are for spoiling) which are, on closer examination, homespun truths that we all know but unfortunately forget because we are too absorbed in whatever it is we are doing.

But perhaps the best book review for one tough mother is the quote from Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver herself: “I have always believed in the unrivaled importance of mothers, and no one confirms my belief more than Gert Boyle.

She is a mother, tycoon, an athlete, an entertainer, a motivator and a generous soul. The athletes of Special Olympics are lucky that she is a mother to them and to us all. Read this book if you want to understand why being a mother is the most important job in the world.” – BING PAREL

HAPPENING NOW IN NEW YORK A Carioca Artist’s First International Exhibition

The city that never sleeps is teeming with culture, welcoming artists from all over the world.

Our own Ronald Ventura has had several successful one-man shows in the Big Apple. Meanwhile, another artist, Dina Gadia, has just opened her first show in New York City.

Jhonatan Bragança, from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is the latest in a line of talented artists from far-flung corners of the world seeking recognition in New York. He opens his show today at the New Museum no less.

Bragança plays with chiaroscuro and identity with unsettling depth. His show opens tonight at The Sky Room of the New Museum, 235 Bowery, New York City. www.jhonatanbraganca.com.br

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BAMBINA OLIVARES WISE EDITOR

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A GUIDE TO WHAT’S ON AT THE CINEMAS THIS WEEK

BIG GAME

While on a hunting mission to track down deer and prove his maturity to his kinsfolk, 13-year-old Oskari (Onni Tommila) instead finds the stranded President of the United States (Samuel L. Jackson) in an escape pod when terrorists shoot down Air Force One. Oskari and the US president team up to escape the terrorists and survive the most extraordinary 24 hours of their lives.

PG

CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

R16 A thriller that follows Doug Martin (Nick Jonas) who, after starting an affair with Lena (Isabel Lucas), the young wife of an investment banker, finds himself embroiled in a scandal when Lena’s husband suspiciously dies and leaves a substantial life insurance policy.

CHILD 44

R16 A serial killer-thriller based on Tom Rob Smith’s novel of the same title, the film chronicles the crisis of conscience for disgraced Soviet intelligence agent Leo Demidov (Tom Hardy) who uncovers a brutal series of child murders and teams up with General Mikhail Nesterov (Gary Oldman) to track down the serial killer whom everyone claims does not exist.

GET HARD

R16 Nailed for fraud and embezzlement, millionaire hedge fund manager James King (Will Ferrell) has 30 days to sort his affairs and prepare for jail. Desperate, he turns to his car washer Darnell Lewis (Kevin Hart) to teach him how to toughen up to survive in prison, assuming he was incarcerated because he’s black. But James later discovers that his mentor has a clean record and never actually went to prison.

HOT PURSUIT

R13 Officer Cooper (Reese Witherspoon), an uptight and by-thebook cop, is tasked to protect Daniella Riva (Sofia Vergara), the hot and outgoing widow of a drug boss, as they race through Texas pursued by criminals and crooked cops.

LOST RIVER

R13 An American fantasy-neo-noir film written, produced, and directed

by Ryan Gosling about Billy (Christina Hendricks), a single mother living in Detroit, who is swept into a dark underworld while her son Bones (Iain De Caestecker) discovers a road leading to a secret underwater town called “Lost River”.

MAGGIE

An American independent horror film about Maggie (Abigail Breslin), a teenage girl in the Midwest who falls victim to a strange disease that slowly turns those infected into cannibalistic zombies. In spite of the dangers she faces during her transformation, her loving father (Arnold Schwarzenegger) stays by her side.

R13

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

R13 The fourth entry of George Miller’s Mad Max franchise, this 2015 postapocalyptic action film follows “Mad” Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy), a man of action and of few words, seeking peace of mind following the loss of his family in the early days of society’s collapse; and Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), a woman of action, looking to cross the desert and make it back to her childhood homeland. The two rebels team up to run from, and eventually face, the tyrannical Fascist leader King Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) and his bloodthirsty military force.

MONSTERS: DARK CONTINENT

R16 The sequel to the 2010 film Monsters, it begins 10 years later. The Infected Zones have now spread worldwide. The Army drafts in more numbers to help deal with the new insurgency and proliferation of Monsters in the Middle East.

PARA SA MGA HOPELESS ROMANTIC

PG When the relationship of high school sweethearts Nikko (James Reid) and Rebecca (Nadine Lustre) falls apart, Becca writes a story slightly similar to her love story to cope with her broken heart. She projects her heartache when she can’t give her characters-Ryan (Iñigo Pascual) and Maria (Julia Barretto)--a happy ending either.

PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2

G Six years after the events of the first film, Paul Blart (Kevin James) heads to Las Vegas with his incoming UCLA college freshman daughter Maya (Raini Rodriguez) to attend a security officers’ convention. But while on vacation Blart faces yet more trouble when criminals plot to steal priceless works of art from their hotel.

PITCH PERFECT 2

PG Following a humiliating performance involving Fat Amy and a wardrobe malfunction at the Lincoln Center, the Barden Bellas, led by previous Bellas Beca (Anna Kendrick), Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson), Chloe (Brittany Snow), Cynthia-Rose (Ester Dean), Lilly (Hana Mae Lee), and Stacie (Alexis Knapp), are suspended from the A Capella performance circuit. To regain their status and right to perform, the group enters an international competition that no American team has ever won.

UNFRIENDED

R13 An American finds footage of a supernatural horror film that unfolds over high school student Blaire Lily’s (Shelley Hennig) laptop screen as she and her friends are stalked by an unseen figure that they can’t get rid of online. Blaire and her friends discover that the unseen online stalker is their friend Laura Barns (Heather Sossaman), who killed herself because of incessant online bullying a year earlier.

COMPILED BY BERNADETTE LUNAS

T HUR S DAY : M AY 14 : 2015

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

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BUM endorsers Umali and Tanfelix are joined by new batch made up of Ella Cruz, Jane Olineza, and Nash Aguas as BUM endorsers

BLACK IN SUMMER

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Bianca Umali and Miguel Tanfelix of GMA7’s Once Upon A Kiss wear black at the height of summer in the Philippines, thanks to BUM

his summer, BUM dares you to stand out in style with its latest collection made up of predominantly black and white pieces with bold details to strike up your summer hues.

Guys can elevate their street style this summer with casual pieces that are anything but boring. Designed to suit guys’ onthe-go lifestyle, the cool jersey-inspired tops and number tees are made more fun and given more character with details like stars, skulls and bones, and colourful bursts of digital images.

Girls, on the other hand, will have a blast rocking an assortment of dresses from the summer collection of BUM. Rock chicks will go crazy over the not-too-girly blouses and dresses available in black and different shades of grey. For that extra vamp, these pieces have unique net and mesh details.

Girls will love BUM’s line of trending tees in loose silhouettes

with logos and sporty graphics.

These statement tees will surely be a hit with the Selfie Generation, which is known for being opinionated and expressive.

With this summer campaign, BUM has once again gathered their celebrity endorsers for a fun-filled day of shooting, sharing laughter and conversations in between shots.

Since they have worked altogether for the brand’s Holiday campaign, Jane Olineza,, Ella Cruz, Nash Aguas, Miguel Tanfelix, and Bianca Umali are happy to be reunited with their fellow young style ambassadors, lounging around in white loungers, side tables and parasol provided by First Pinnacle Trading Corp. and Sentinel Plastics Manufacturing Corp.

This summer, forget about dressing up like everyone else. Be the rebel of fashion and do your own thing by going for the dark colors, statements, and designs that you really like. BUM’s 2015 summer collection is now available at BUM

boutiques and leading department stores nationwide.

For more information about BUM’s Black Summer, visit www. bumequipment.com.ph or follow us @officialbumph on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook

This summer, forget about dressing up like everyone else.

Be the rebel of fashion and do your own thing by going for the dark colors, statements, and designs that you really like

NEW FUEL FORMULA FOR CARS

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otal Philippines recently introduced an excellent addition to the innovative Excellium product line: Total Excellium Diesel. This new generation formula cleans and protects the engine, significantly reduces carbon emissions, and improves fuel economy to fit motorists’ daily driving allowance.

Total customers in the Philippines can now breathe new life into their cars with Total Excellium, which was developed in European laboratories to put the customers’ driving experience right at its core, with three distinct

advantages in one fuel product.

Total Excellium Diesel delivers maximum engine protection and more in a single patented formula.

This new diesel formula takes one’s driving experience to the next level by protecting and maintaining both old and new engines through special detergent molecules and friction-reducing ingredients.

With every drop of Excellium Diesel, the patented formula works to protect metal components in the engine, ensuring that every movement is smoother than ever.

With less friction between metal components, one can be assured

that the engine will last longer and perform at optimum levels.

Aside from cleaning the engine and eliminating deposits that hinder better engine performance, Total Excellium Diesel also contains combustion improving ingredients that reduce harmful emissions.

Total Excellium is your best ally on the road, as it covers all the important points of modern-day driving, wherever you are in the world. Total Excellium Diesel is now available at all Total stations.

It is also available as a 95+ RON premium gasoline fuel in selected Total service stations.

Total from France introduces Excellium now available at its service stations nationwide

T HUR S DAY : M AY 14 : 2015

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SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

BISTEK SIGNS WITH VIVA, STARS IN TRILOGY

Herbert Bautista who celebrated his birthday on May 12 denies pursuing Jasmine Lee

GLENN REGONDOLA Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista denies pursuing Jasmine Lee, the Philippine-born South Korean TV personality, actress and civil servant.

Despite persistent rumors, Bautista insisted that they just met once , had dinner with Ambassador Raul Herrera, the Philippine Ambassador to South Korea, and some politicians, and that was it..

When asked at the lunch-cumbirthday-treat he organized for members of the press celebrating their birthdays from January to May and for himself (he celebrated his on May 12) at Annabel’s in Quezon City, he said, “I really don’t know, I just met her once.

We were just together for three hours, I don’t even know her cellphone number, and email address.”

Nevertheless, he found the lady solon beautiful.

“She looks like Alma Moreno. Yes, she really looks like her. She’s okay, I mean, she’s a Filipina, right? I even wanted to introduce her to Joey (Marquez),” he said with a chuckle.

He added, “She’s brilliant, and a good speaker. I mean, she doesn’t have a (calling) card, and so do I. Our meeting was purely for diplomatic reasons

about the relationship between Korea and the Philippines, and she represented the Filipinos, actually, it’s multi-cultural. I was there with some of the city councilors, and I as the president for all the cities of Metro Manila.”

The comedian-politician is more than happy with the latest twist in his showbiz career.

On the same day he had lunch with the entertainment media, a ceremonial contractsigning was held between Viva Entertainment Inc. big bosses (Vincent and Veronique del Rosario) and him.

Viva Artists Agency will now manage Bautista in the next five years. He will be in movies starting with Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin, with Maricel Soriano.

“It’s a beautiful trilogy. It’s a combination of comedy, horror and romance-comedy type of film. Benjie Paras and Candy Pangilinan are in the first episode. We are in the the second episode, the third is with Anne Curtis and Dennis Trillo. I feel honored that Maricel personally chose me to be her partner. The last time we did something together was, I think, in 1978. We already finished three days of shooting, and it was a happy set.

Maricel, as always, is bubbly, kind, and fun to work with” he mused.

HHHHH “I started a joke, but the joke was on me.”

This Bee Gee’s hit song is, perhaps, what Joey de Leon is singing these days after his tweet over Nepal earth-

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 47 48 49 51 53 58 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Stadium levels 6 Hunter’s buy 10 Good, in Paris 14 Shack 15 Tango requirement 16 Rights org.

17 Phoenician port 18 Football kick 19 Flash of lightning 20 Early anatomist 21 Draws in 23 RR terminal

25 26 29 32 37 38 39 40 43 44 45 46

Joey de Leon unapologetic after drawing flak for his Nepal earthquake tweets

London lav Leads to the altar Easy mark Tibet’s capital Flight stat Positive Crystal-filled rocks Cannibal’s quick order? (2 wds.)

— de corps Breezy greeting Dog days in Dijon Tankard

Disposes of Ado Laird’s refusal Yes, in Kyoto Stone roller of myth Fluid rock Hops stem Tick off Hayes or Asimov Gymnast — Korbut Latin hymn word Tea cake Jingle or limerick Camera part Sank, as a putt

DOWN 1 Mugger 2 Scintilla 3 More than bad 4 Alcove 5 Reporter’s angle 6 Client mtg.

7 Part of Hawaii 8 Join the crowd 9 Lawn products brand 10 Bunyan’s ox 11 Computer graphic 12 Annexes 13 Wrench target

quake drew flak in the social media.

De Leon known for his word play tweeted over the week, “NEPAL earthquake-Major! In the Philippines, EPAL landslide-Great! This was followed by another tweet about Mt. Everest with its freezing cold related to the earthquake.

In an interview after the press conference for Puregold’s annual “Tindahan Ni Aling Puring (TNAP) Sari-Sari Store Convention”, the comedian defended himself.

“It’s over, it’s nothing. I didn’t mind at all. I was just playing with words. I remember, what I said was, ‘Everest In Peace,’ instead of ‘Rest In Peace.’

What’s wrong with it?

That’s what I am saying that other bashers don’t use their brains. At times, you don’t mean what you say.

You just want to lighten up things.

Others tend to be serious, sensitive.

“That’s what I’m telling the bashers, ‘No sharp comments,please.’”

On the other hand, De Leon has a soft spot for those who want to change their lives, economically.

He is encouraging all members of TNAP and Sari-Sari Store owners to register and attend the convention on May 20 t0 24, to be held at World Trade Center in Pasay City.

For him, this is a win-win situation for all of them since they will gain valuable ideas, which they can use to improve their small-scale businesses.

And who knows, they can be at par with the Puregold owners someday.

THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015

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El Greco’s home Fully grown Stirs from sleep Physicist — Mach Fruit with a stone Suffix for forfeit “Goodfellas” actor In what manner Farewell Splinter groups Hibachi residue Rawboned Grind one’s teeth Dernier — Provide help End a layoff Debacle Spring time “Witness” folk Rocket housing “Bus Stop” author Pants feature — Bator Pays a visit Liverpool poky Thick head of hair Made top honors “Be- — -A-Lula”a

GMA Network claims its online service tops Internet views during PacquiaoMayweather fight

TOP ONLINE NEWS SOURCE FOR PACQUIAO VS MAYWEATHER During the biggest boxing match in history, GMANetwork.com, home of GMA News Online, was the no.1 Philippine website in the world, and the top news source for the Battle of Greatness between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. on May 3.

According to data from Effective Measure, gmanetwork.com posted a total of 8,975,645 page views last Sunday, leading ABS-CBN News’ 8,261,421 and ph.yahoo.com’s 2,843,689 page views.

Further, GMA News Online proved that it is the news authority when it comes to Sports. GMA News Sports was the most viewed local sports site that day with 6,193,140 page views, followed by ABS-CBN News Sports with 3,513,124 views.

GMA News Online also came up with pioneering efforts to provide more substance and context to its Pacquiao-Mayweather coverage. Its microsite (gmanews. tv/GoManny), for instance, had a special feature called Social Relevance that showed which player was generating the most buzz around the globe. This became one of the most talked about content on Facebook and was shared repeatedly in social media. Results were also used by the different newscasts in their reports.

GMA News also packed a punch in social media.

The GMA News Social Media team came up with the #GoManny hashtag that was adopted by the network and became the battlecry of Pacquiao supporters. Its #PacmanPaRin hashtag became one of the Philippines’ top trending topics, and its campaign #HugsForManny landed GMA Network a spot in Adobo Magazine’s “list of Philippine brands that nailed the PacMay Buzz.”

The series Sparring Session: A GMA News Facebook Chat, featuring boxing experts also resulted in high engagement among the followers of the GMA News Facebook page.

T HUR S DAY : M AY 14 : 2015

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

TOP HONORS FOR PUBLIC SERVICE EXCELLENCE

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Meet The Mormons features lives of members of the Church of the Latter Day Saints

From C8

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escue5, TV5’s premier public service team, recently won a Gold Anvil Award for its entry Rescue5: Oplan Handa sa Eskwela under the Public Relations Program on a Sustained Basis- Children’s Welfare category at the 50th Anvil Awards – the most prestigious honor conferred on outstanding public relations achievements in the country.

TV5 Public Service Head Sherryl Yao and Rescue5 host Paolo Bediones received the trophy at the awarding ceremonies held at the Marriott Hotel.

Through Oplan Handa sa Eskwela, Rescue5 developed a fun, innovative and sustainable way of educating schoolchildren on how to protect themselves during disasters. With this pioneering move, learning about disaster preparedness became accessible, easy to remember, and more enjoyable.

The award-winning program highlights the network’s commitment to cause journalism and public service excellence. It also strengthens News5’s own brand of journalism, Higit sa Balita, Aksyon!, which does not stop in just reporting news but goes the extra mile by taking action for positive change and inspiring the general public to do the same.

The Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) organizes The Anvil Awards annually.

Recently, Rescue5 also bagged a Gawad KALASAG special recognition award from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) for its exceptional contribution

to Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) and Humanitarian Assistance during the 16th Gawad KALASAG National Awarding Ceremony at Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo.

At the same time, the internationally acclaimed team won a Gawad KALASAG as Best Private Volunteer in the National Capital Region (NCR) from the Metro Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MMDRRMC).

The Gawad KALASAG recognized Rescue5’s DRRM initiatives such as imparting disaster preparedness knowledge and skills to the general public through its public service projects and safety plugs, and providing immediate assistance to people in distress during disasters.

Rescue5 is the first and only Gawad KALASAG awardee in the broadcast industry.

HHHHH There may be occasional drizzles lately, but let’s face it, the summer heat lingers on. If you’re still planning to get out of the city to get away from the sweaty, oppressive heat, better think twice.

Imagine long queues at the airport, overcrowded beaches, congested roads, heavy traffic even as you enter toll gates and other discomforts and inconveniences. Why travel far anyway when you can do it close to home?

Experience a hassle-free summer get-away at City Garden Hotel Makati, an oasis of blissful experiences in the heart of the country’s premier financial district. What could be more refreshing than taking a dip in the

jacuzzi, doing a lap in the swimming pool, basking under the sun afterwards, sipping a glass of cold fruity concoctions in the comforts and privacy of City Garden Hotel Makati’s rooftop.

Afterwards, retire to your well-appointed room and cap your refreshing dip in the jacuzzi or lap in the pool with a rejuvenating room service spa treatment, making your summer get-away at City Garden Hotel Makati not only hassle-free but with added indulgences.

City Garden Hotel Makati’s summer get-away room package is indeed an affordable luxury, starting at P1,700+ per person on twin-sharing basis and includes buffet breakfast at Le Jardin, the hotel’s main F&B outlet.

You may choose from six categories of rooms, from superior to deluxe, each one complete with amenities, including unlimited wi-fi internet, cable TV and a mini bar. You may also avail of complimentary use of other facilities like the health and fitness City Garden Hotel Makati is centrally located along Makati Avenue, very accessible to the city’s premier malls like Glorietta and Greenbelt in Ayala Center, Power Plant in Rockwell Center and the newest Century City.

Enjoy affordable luxury once again at City Garden Hotel Makati and experience its hassle-free summer get-away offering this month of May. For reservations, call City Garden Hotel Makati at 899-1111, email makatireserve@citygardenhotels.com or visit www. citygardenhotelmakati.com.

Paolo Bediones and Sherryl Yao win Gold Anvil for the program Rescue5: Oplan Handa Eskwela

A view of City Garden’s rooftop swimming pool

‘MEET THE MORMONS’ IN THEATERS

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eet the Mormons is a touching, newly released documentary that examines the life of six different members of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (The Church of Latter-day Saints) from around the globe. A humanitarian, a football coach, the Candy Bomber, a fighter, a bishop, and a single mother all let their daily lives be filmed to show that religion and color should not be barriers to happiness. The individuals featured answer some tough questions as they are interviewed, letting the viewer get an inside peek into their world.

Filmed on location and across the globe, Meet the Mormons takes viewers on a journey into the dayto-day realities of individuals living in the U.S., Costa Rica, Nepal, and beyond. From their individual passions to their daily struggles, each story paints a picture as rich and unique as the next while challenging the stereotypes that surround the Mormon faith.

After leaving his village to receive a degree in Engineering, Bishnu Adhikari returned to his home in Nepal with a newfound faith and a determination to help improve the living conditions of the area. Bishnu now travels to remote villages in the Himalayan Mountains to build roads, schools and water systems, all while living with his faith and respecting his culture and his family’s expectations.

With her husband’s help, extreme sports enthusiast Carolina Muñoz Marin has fought her way to the top of women’s amateur kickboxing in Costa Rica, challenging the traditional stereotypes of a Mormon woman. In between family time and training for competitions, Carolina and her husband run a charity to help

those in Costa Rica who are less fortunate.

As head football coach of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, Ken Niumatalolo balances the pressures of his high-stress job by putting his family and faith first. In the competitive, high-stakes world of college football, he made the shocking decision to cancel staff meetings on Sundays, traditionally seen as critical to the team’s success, to instead honor the Sabbath day.

Jermaine Sullivan works fulltime as an academic counselor to 200 students in order to support his wife and three kids. He also volunteers full-time as a Bishop of a Mormon church in Atlanta, Georgia. He leads his diverse congregation with youthful exuberance while shattering stereotypes of what it means to be a Mormon Bishop.

Dawn Armstrong, a struggling single mother, had hit rock bottom and lost all hope. Then she met some Mormon missionaries who helped her and her son get back on their feet and start a new life. Her son is now older and ready to fulfill his two-year voluntary missionary work. As she helps him prepare to leave home for the first time ever, she also prepares to say goodbye.

Known as “The Candy Bomber” during the 1940s Berlin Airlift, Col. Gail Halvorsen (ret.) sparked a movement when he started dropping candy tied to parachutes out of his airplane window to children below. This small act of kindness quickly became a life-saving boost to the morale of the people of West Berlin and soon caught worldwide attention and support.

Meet The Mormons, a Solar Pictures release, is showing on May 22 and 23in selected theaters nationwide.

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T HUR S DAY : M AY 14 : 2015

ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ JANINE’S DREAM COMES TRUE, THANKS PEOPLE FOR THE SUPPORT ISAH V. RED With a growing number of covers in some of the country’s most prestigious fashion and lifestyle magazines, Janine Gutierrez celebrated this milestone by hosting a thanksgiving event on May 7 at Green Sun’s SOMA. The name Janine Gutierrez has been ubiquitous in magazine spreads and online publications, and after the primetime soap More Than Words in March, she continues to prove that she is more than just an actress and a pretty face.

She has impressed the publications that she worked with and won accolades for being

Janine Gutierrez graces the pages of Preview magazine in provocative layout some of which are on this spread

The name Janine Gutierrez has been ubiquitous in magazine spreads and online publications, and after the primetime soap ‘More Than Words’ in March, she continues to prove that she is more than just an actress and a pretty face

unique, classy, and professional.

She posed for photos in magazines that mesmerize readers and answered interview questions brilliantly. Being part of a respected showbiz family, Janine has set her mind on making a name for herself.

At the event, Janine received her guests with a warm smile and took the opportunity to thank the people who have been very supportive of from the beginning of her career. As the country’s newest fashion muse, she expressed her excitement on being the cover girl of Preview magazine’s May issue.

“Preview is my first solo cover for a fashion magazine. And super saya nito kasi dream ko talagang mag-cover sa Preview.

Siguro parang isa siya doon sa mga bagay na dream lang ng lahat ng babae or like when you were a little girl, ‘di ba?”

Despite this achievement, the GMA Artist Center star remained humble and acknowledged the team that worked hard in supporting her during the photo shoot.

Janine reveals, “Maswerte ako kasi yung team na kasama ko kapag pictorial, sila-sila palagi.

Sobrang gaan nila katrabaho, at kilalang-kilala na nila ako. Sila talaga yung reason kung bakit lumalabas na maganda yung mga shoot. I really can’t take any credit for it kasi ‘di ba, kapag shoot maraming pre-prod. May concept, may styling, eh dadating ka lang naman, so parang ako na yung least na pwedeng mag-take credit para doon.”

Meanwhile, Janine is currently part of GMA Network’s musical variety program, Sunday All Stars. ➜ Continued on C7