The Standard - 2016 January 02 - Saturday

VOL. XXIX  NO. 324  3 Sections 24 Pages P18  SATURDAY : JANUARY 2, 2016  www.thestandard.com.ph  editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Police to enforce gun ban

A2

TROOPS BEAT BACK BIFF ASSAULTS ON 3 FRONTS

By Francisco Tuyay

THE Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters attacked at least three military positions in Mindanao on New Year’s Eve with the fighting lasting well into the first day of the year, the military reported on Friday.

Capt. Jo-Ann Petinglay, spokesperson of the Army’s Sixth Infantry Division, said at least 20 BIFF fighters fired 40mm mortars at a detachment of the 2nd Mechanized Battalion in Maguindanao at 6 p.m. Thursday.

“They surrounded the area and opened fire with 40mm mortars,” Petinglay said, adding that no government troops were injured or killed in the attack.

About three hours later, another BIFF group attacked a detachment of the 34th Infantry Battalion in Shariff Aguak, also in Maguindanao, with fighting lasting until after midnight.

Lt. Col. Edgar delos Reyes, commanding officer of the 34th IB, said their troops were able to push back the bandits with heavy gunfire.

Next page

Drunk dies hugging Goodbye Philippines

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Florante S. Solmerin

New Year fire. A resident tries to fight a fire caused by a firecracker that engulfed a slum in Manila on Jan. 1 and destroyed nearly 300 homes. AFP

THE number of injuries from firecracker-related accidents was 53 percent lower this year than in 2015 but one drunk man died when he hugged the firecracker “Goodbye Philippines” before it exploded, Health Secretary Janette Garin said Friday.

In a press briefing, Garin said the 384 firecracker-related and stray bullet injuries covered the period of Dec. 21 when the DoH started its monitoring Next page

A2

S AT U R D AY : J A N U A R Y 2 , 2 0 1 6

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Police checkpoints to enforce gun ban

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

THE Commission on Elections in coordination with the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines will start a six-month-long checkpoint program nationwide to ensure that civilians are not carrying firearms during the election period.

The PNP and the AFP will start installing one checkpoint in every city or municipality from Jan. 10 to June 8 to enforce the firearms ban during the election period.

Comelec guidelines state that checkpoints must cause minimum public inconvenience, be well-lit and be properly identified by signboard.

“Any search at any Comelec checkpoint must be done in manner which will impose minimum inconvenience upon the person or persons so searched, to the end that civil, political, and human rights of any person are not violated,” the guidelines state.

The Comelec also ordered that officers manning the checkpoint to be in com-

plete service uniform and inspect vehicles in a courteous manner.

At checkpoints, officers are only allowed to perform visual searches and ask some routine question.

“No person may be subjected to a physical or body search in the absence of any reasonable ground to believe that a person has just committed, is about to commit, or is committing a crime,” the Comelec said.

The Comelec encourages the public to immediate report any incident of illegal inspection, such as a physical or body search.

On the other hand, if the person is shown to be illegally carrying a firearm, the AFP and PNP are authorized to arrest the erring individual.

Fog in the highlands. Fog shrouds the highlands of Antipolo on the first day of 2016. JANSEN ROMERO

Drunk...

From A1

until 6 a.m. of Jan. 1. The Health Department’s monitoring of victims of New Yearrelated celebrations will end on Jan. 5.

Garin said this year’s figure was also 57 percent lower than the five-year average from 2010 to 2014. There were 814 injuries in last year’s New Year celebration.

Garin said the significant decrease in firecracker injuries was the result of the DoH information campaign, the help of media partners and the strict police operations against firecracker vendors.

She added that it also helped that some local government units organized their own fireworks displays.

Records showed that 380 of the recorded 384 cases were due to firecrackers and fireworks while four were caused by stray bullets.

The department’s figure for bullet-related injuries was far below the 28 incidents that the Philippine National Police reported late Friday afternoon, 15 of which occurred on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

Six of the 28 incidents involved bullets hitting houses. No deaths were reported among the 17 people hit by stray bullets, the police said.

Garin said Piccolo and other illegal firecrackers caused 219 of the 380 cases.

The other causes of injuries were Kwitis, 9 percent; 5-star, 4 percent; and Luces, 4 percent.

This year, there were no cases of firecracker injestion, Garin said.

However, she said no case of firecracker ingestion was reported. She said that last year, there were seven cases of firecracker ingestion.

Garin said the man who hugged a firecracker was in bad condition when he was taken to Ospital ng Sampaloc, but when he was transferred to Ospital ng Maynila, he was declared dead.

Troops...

From A1

Just few kilometers away in Linantangan, Shariff Saydona, another firefight ensued after around 50 armed BIFF members harassed the detachment of the 40th IB. The military said no troops were hurt in the attacks.

Aside from the three BIFF attacks on military outposts, feuding units of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front clashed in Sultan Sa Barongis town and the fighting lasted until dawn Jan. 1.

“We are thankful that peacekeepers from the MILF immediately intervened this morning, resulting in the ceasefire”, said Col. Joel Mamon, commanding officer of the 40th Infantry Battalion.

On Dec. 30, Pope Francis condemned the BIFF’s killing of innocent civilians in Mindanao on Christmas Eve but the rebel group vowed to step up its attacks until New Year’s Eve. Fourteen people died in the Christmas Eve attacks, nine of them villagers who were gunned down by BIFF insurgents. At least four rebels were killed by government forces.

Lt. Col. Ricky Bunayog, 33rd Infantry Battalion Commander, said about 300 men carried out the attacks and are now the subject of a massive manhunt.

Almost simultaneously, a separate band of BIFF fighters attacked Barangay Simsiman, Pigcawayan, North Cotabato on Christmas Eve. Led by Commander Alamada Abonawas, the BIFF fired a rifle grenade toward the house of Robert Lerado, village councilman of Barangay Simsiman, killing him on the spot, raising the death toll to 13, nine civilians and four BIFF. After attacking villages in the borders of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat, the BIFF also stormed the village of Malagakit, also in Pigcawayan, North Cotabato, firing at a Catholic chapel where a midnight mass was ongoing. Churchgoers scampered to safety but nobody was hurt.

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

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

Of the 384 New Year-related injuries, 244 or 64 percent were under 14 years of age. Nine children required amputations, including a one-year-old boy from Nueva Ecija who lost three fingers to Kwitis.

A majority of the injuries or 243 of the 384 were in the National Capital Region (NCR), with 30 percent (73 cases) from Manila, 19 percent (46 cases) from Quezon City, 12 percent (28 cases) from Marikina City, 11 percent (27 cases) from Mandaluyong City and 7 percent (18 cases) from Valenzuela.

Garin reminded the injured to go to the nearest hospital for their anti-tetanus shots, even if the injury is just small.

sAT URDAY : JA n UA RY 2 , 2 0 1 6

A3

News

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

First day. A mother and her child celebrate the first day of 2016 at the Quezon Memorial Circle. Jansen RomeRo

Teachers slam salary increase STATE teachers on Friday said they were not happy with the “insulting” increase in their salaries under the Salary Standardization Law of 2015 as they faced another bleak year with their year-end bonuses still hanging.

“What the government prepared as holiday present to us is the insulting salary package under SSL 2015 which is about to grant a 528-peso monthly increase in our salaries,” Benjo Basas of the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition said in a statement.

His group also said that government employees and teachers would have been appreciative if Malacañang had granted them just compensation.

“More than a one-time incentive, we need compensation that would be commensurate to our role as public educators,” Basas said.

“For the longest time, we have

been pushing for a 10,000-peso across-the-board increase.”

Basas made his statement even as Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez on Friday pushed for a reasonable salary increase for low-level and middle-level employees, especially state workers, as a way of showing compassion to them.

He said he welcomed the P226billion four-year Salary Standardization Law but he supported the proposal of some senators to include retired policemen and soldiers in SSL-4.

“Congress will break the impasse. We are committed to pass

this very important legislation to extend compassion to our state workers,” said Romualdez, a senatorial aspirant.

“They really need economic relief to decently support their basic needs.”

The new law mandates a fouryear, P226-billion salary increase for the national government’s 1.53-million civilian and military uniformed personnel, public school teachers, nurses and rankand-file employees. They will receive the lowest salary increase under Aquino’s SSL 2015 that ranges from 11 percent to 22 percent over the next four years.

Those under the sub-professional level will be granted 22.98 percent (Salary Grade 1, the lowest-paid position in government) to 11.99 percent (Salary Grade 9). John Paolo

Binay vows to attend to disabled people VICE President Jejomar Binay on Friday vowed to give immediate attention to the millions of people with disability who get limited assistance from the current government in terms of financial assistance, physical structures and employment.

He said there are many limiting factors that deserve attention for the PWDs, adding many public and private physical structures require more thoughtful design to accommodate the needs of PWDs. “Some of the classic examples are the restrooms with proper access and ramps for people on wheelchairs. Still, a lot of work needs to be done,” Binay said.

He said he would give priority to PWDs under his administration in case he was elected president next year.

He said PWDs do not get jobs because many employers shun them.

“The PWD sector has to deal with a more oppressive barrier that constrains them from living normal lives,” Binay said.

“On a daily basis, PWDs contend with discrimination and even aversion from people who know little of their condition.

“Employers may even shun them if only to avoid making their facilities access- friendly.” Vito Barcelo

Bencito and maricel V. Cruz

Workers urged to apply for study grants INDEPENDENT presidential candidate Grace Poe wants village officials to maximize their access to educational opportunities that will help them provide better services to their constituents.

Senator Poe, who met recently with the village officials of Tarlac and Isabela, urged them to take advantage of their privileges as public servants and apply for study grants that are available to village officials and workers who wish to pursue higher education or skills training.

“While having a college degree

is not a requirement to be able to serve in our barangays, I believe it is to a public servant’s interest to pursue higher education and constantly work for self-improvement.

This will contribute to excellence in public service,” Poe said.

Village officials and their legitimate children are exempted from paying tuition and matriculation fees in state universities and colleges in the province or city to which their villages belong during their incumbency.

Those exempted include the village captain, the treasurer, the

secretary and the members of the village council. Their dependents may also apply for grants for their college education.

The Sangguniang Kabataan chairman and council members may also seek study grants from the Commission on Higher Education.

“We should encourage our barangay leaders to constantly upgrade their knowledge and skills as public servants because they are front-line service providers of government at the grassroots level,” Poe said. macon Ramos-araneta

Homeward bound. Thousands of Filipinos flocked to the airport in

Manila on Friday to return to the provinces after spending the holidays in Metro Manila. omaR mangoRsi

S AT U R D AY : J A N U A R Y 2 , 2 0 1 6

A4

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

MORE ON THE POE AND DUTERTE DQ CASES

[ EDI TORI A L ]

YEARS IN THE MAKING

THE Health department reported that there was a 53-percent decrease in the number of fireworks-related injuries this year compared to the previous year.

There were 384 such injuries reported to the DoH as of the morning of the first day of the year, versus the 814 reported in 2014.

Most of the injuries took place in Metro Manila, with 73 in the City of Manila, 46 in Quezon City, 28 in Marikina City, 27 in Mandaluyong and 18 in Valenzuela.

The 2015 number is also 57 percent lower than the average number of injuries from 2010 to 2014.

This is a welcome, albeit overdue, development. Filipinos of a certain age would remember a time when it was dangerous to venture out to the streets even in the morning or afternoon of Dec. 31.

Over many years, the government has campaigned against the use of firecrackers and has exhorted local government units to do their part in ensuring people’s safety. The shame technique against the “pasaway” who went ahead and used the dangerous materials worked because they were portrayed as bringing their misfortune unto themselves. Thus, they had no right to invoke our sympathy.

The campaign of course excluded the victims of stray bullets or firecrackers.

Some local executives were also more resolute than their counterparts in banning the use of firecrackers and implementing punishments on them. Fireworks displays organized by various groups also helped wean people away from the blasts and into the colorful, awe-inspiring displays they can film with their smartphones even from a distance.

Finally, and after many years, more people seem to have realized the foolishness of exposing themselves to unnecessary risk just to keep traditions or maintain appearances of being trendy among the neighbors. It was also a good thing that it rained.

This issue will not surface again until toward the end of the year that has just begun. May the numbers be even lower then.

MY TEN WORDS FOR 2016 POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO A BRAND new year has begun.

After all the partying, when family and friends have left, when our best china are washed and stored, it is time to sit down and reflect how this new year can be better than the last.

With a mug of steaming hot black coffee, I searched for the 10 words that will, hopefully, guide me as I meet head on future challenges and also afford me as much personal time and fun as possible.

These are everyday words that I find significant. Nothing fancy, nothing original for everything has

been said about leaving the past behind and looking forward to the future. I find it helpful though to list these down as personal reminders on how I would like to deal with things. Perhaps others might also find these useful.

DECIDE. Indecision paralyzes.

While we need time to choose wisely, we cannot dwell too long in studying options. Time spent dilly-dallying is time wasted. Moreover, timeliness in deciding is as important as the decision itself. We should not be losing opportunities because of indecision.

Major decisions are always scary and difficult to make. But we should overcome fear. Otherwise, stress will go, on and we will never be able to go forward. For instance, I have known too many women who, out of fear of the unknown, took forever before ending abusive relationships. After sometime however, they wished that

they made the choice much earlier.

Keeping the status quo at times are against our well-being. Further, better options may not present themselves to us.

ACT. Words are important but action is crucial. Being idle for long periods of time is laziness. And the lazy has no future. If we want something, we act to get it. Juan Tamad is long dead.

We may mean well but nothing will come out of it if we do not act on our intentions. It is worse if our actions contradict our words. Words are easily forgotten but action gets results. Do we want change? Then let us be first to show others the change we want.

LEARN. There is always something to learn. Those who pursue education, and I do not just mean schooling, are winners in their own right. No matter what our station in

A5

It may be a good idea to have yours.

life is, if we strive to learn and be proficient in things we are interested in, we make ourselves ready and available when opportunity for advancement knocks.

For the young, the Internet can be your best friend. Anything and everything, from the simplest to the most complex, is instantaneously available in just a few clicks. Your generation is luckiest with your access to information.

For the oldies like myself, learning does not stop as well. We can take short courses or self-study to pursue our interests. And it can be learning for fun! A craft, a game, history, or whatever, it is never too late to learn.

TRAVEL. See the world. Nothing beats the experience. Often, pictures do not do justice to the real thing.

More importantly, know our amazingly beautiful country. The Philippines has so many interesting places that we will not run out of good spots even if we transfer from one place to another everyday for an entire year.

Imagine the discoveries awaiting us!

Talk to the locals, eat native fare, learn history from historical sites, feel the sand, breathe the air, marvel at the beauty of nature, and learn to deeply love our country.

We are very lucky to have what foreigners would spend a fortune on to see and experience even just briefly.

LAUGH. We are told that being happy is also a decision. This, I know is true. My 2015 has been rough. Difficult challenges needed to be dealt with. But I also decided to be happy and the ability to laugh, even at myself, helped me get through hard days.

Having family and friends around to relax with, do silly things with, enjoy inane conversations with, or simply hang out with, is a

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

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

big booster during low times. For as long as we still can laugh, we also can surpass problems, and win.

HELP. I will not tire of enjoining people to help others. The high, that feeling of seeing others get a break is priceless. I wish everyone experiences this. Being a bit kinder to one another is helping to create a better world.

Helping others also helps us appreciate better what we have.

DARE. Take risks. It is more exciting than always being on the safe side. Those who dare conquer fears, inadequacies, weaknesses surely emerge as better, more confident persons. If our forefathers and mothers did not take risks to go against our colonial masters then, we may not be as free now.

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

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

If our women did not dare fight inequality, perhaps Filipinas would still be strictly confined to the traditional roles ascribed to us. It is in the daring to do more and be more that change happens. Dare, take risks, and grow.

DECLUTTER. We create our own mess, we can also clean it up. Get rid of things we do not need or want badly. Donate to those who will put them to good use. Uncluttering our cabinets, our homes, create new spaces for other things. Most importantly, an uncluttered space makes us feel light.

Say goodbye to people who only use us.

There is no use being with those who do not care about us. Decluttering our lives will create spaces for people who will really be good for us.

Continued on A6

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

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

LAST month, the Commission on Elections ruled that Senator Grace Poe is disqualified from running for president in May 2016 because she is not a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, and that she shall have been a resident of the Philippines for less than the requisite 10 years come election day.

Poe’s lawyers appealed the ruling of the Comelec to the Supreme Court. Her recourse to the High Tribunal notwithstanding, Poe’s supporters are expected to put considerable public pressure on the justices to disobey the Constitution by allowing Poe to run for president in the coming polls.

Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista disagreed with the majority. Bautista told the news media that, in his opinion, the entries Poe made in her Certificate of Candidacy for president may be attributed to an honest mistake on the part of the senator.

It is difficult to share Bautista’s opinion. Poe had enough time to scrutinize the documents needed in her presidential bid. Assuming she did not have the time, there were more than enough lawyers around her who could have done the job for her.

Francis Escudero, Poe’s vice presidential running mate, is a lawyer. Many of Poe’s senatorial candidates are also lawyers. There are lawyers around Poe whenever she addresses the news media. Did these lawyers bother to go the extra mile and take a look at Poe’s documents prior to their submission to the Comelec? How did those “honest mistakes” mentioned by Chairman Bautista get by unnoticed by Poe’s lawyers?

A legal doctrine posits that if one had the opportunity to obtain the counsel of a lawyer, but one did not do so, one is bound by the consequences of his own improvidence. Since Poe had access to adequate legal counsel, it is difficult to see how those entries she made in her CoC for president were brought about by an honest mistake.

Poe obtained her education both in the Philippines and abroad. Accordingly, did Poe really commit an “honest mistake” or was she just negligent to the extent of being reckless?

How many more “honest mistakes” will Poe commit if she becomes president?

On the issue of her residency, Poe’s predicament is the result of her own admissions in her CoC for senator in the 2013 elections. Those admissions clearly indicate that as of May 2013, Poe satisfied the two-year residency requirement imposed by the Constitution on senatorial candidates. Unfortunately for Poe, those entries likewise indicate that as of May 2016, Poe would be a resident of the Philippines for less than 10 years—several months short of the 10-year residency requirement imposed by the Constitution on candidates for president.

Under the rules on evidence, those admissions are in the nature of admissions against interest, which may be used against Poe. The same rules likewise provide that a person intends the ordinary consequences of his voluntary act, and that a person is expected to look after his own concerns.

The Civil Code provision on estoppel also prohibits Poe from disavowing what she stated under oath in her 2013 CoC for senator. Even on the assumption that the entries in Poe’s CoC for senator regarding Poe’s residency are erroneous, how come Poe did not bother to correct them? The plausible explanation is that back in 2013, Poe did not expect to run for president in 2016.

Evidently, it is unlikely that Poe committed an honest mistake when she made it appear in her CoC for president that she meets the 10year residency requirement mandated under the Constitution.

Continued on A6 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

S AT U R D AY : J A N U A R Y 2 , 2 0 1 6

A4

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

MORE ON THE POE AND DUTERTE DQ CASES

[ EDI TORI A L ]

YEARS IN THE MAKING

THE Health department reported that there was a 53-percent decrease in the number of fireworks-related injuries this year compared to the previous year.

There were 384 such injuries reported to the DoH as of the morning of the first day of the year, versus the 814 reported in 2014.

Most of the injuries took place in Metro Manila, with 73 in the City of Manila, 46 in Quezon City, 28 in Marikina City, 27 in Mandaluyong and 18 in Valenzuela.

The 2015 number is also 57 percent lower than the average number of injuries from 2010 to 2014.

This is a welcome, albeit overdue, development. Filipinos of a certain age would remember a time when it was dangerous to venture out to the streets even in the morning or afternoon of Dec. 31.

Over many years, the government has campaigned against the use of firecrackers and has exhorted local government units to do their part in ensuring people’s safety. The shame technique against the “pasaway” who went ahead and used the dangerous materials worked because they were portrayed as bringing their misfortune unto themselves. Thus, they had no right to invoke our sympathy.

The campaign of course excluded the victims of stray bullets or firecrackers.

Some local executives were also more resolute than their counterparts in banning the use of firecrackers and implementing punishments on them. Fireworks displays organized by various groups also helped wean people away from the blasts and into the colorful, awe-inspiring displays they can film with their smartphones even from a distance.

Finally, and after many years, more people seem to have realized the foolishness of exposing themselves to unnecessary risk just to keep traditions or maintain appearances of being trendy among the neighbors. It was also a good thing that it rained.

This issue will not surface again until toward the end of the year that has just begun. May the numbers be even lower then.

MY TEN WORDS FOR 2016 POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO A BRAND new year has begun.

After all the partying, when family and friends have left, when our best china are washed and stored, it is time to sit down and reflect how this new year can be better than the last.

With a mug of steaming hot black coffee, I searched for the 10 words that will, hopefully, guide me as I meet head on future challenges and also afford me as much personal time and fun as possible.

These are everyday words that I find significant. Nothing fancy, nothing original for everything has

been said about leaving the past behind and looking forward to the future. I find it helpful though to list these down as personal reminders on how I would like to deal with things. Perhaps others might also find these useful.

DECIDE. Indecision paralyzes.

While we need time to choose wisely, we cannot dwell too long in studying options. Time spent dilly-dallying is time wasted. Moreover, timeliness in deciding is as important as the decision itself. We should not be losing opportunities because of indecision.

Major decisions are always scary and difficult to make. But we should overcome fear. Otherwise, stress will go, on and we will never be able to go forward. For instance, I have known too many women who, out of fear of the unknown, took forever before ending abusive relationships. After sometime however, they wished that

they made the choice much earlier.

Keeping the status quo at times are against our well-being. Further, better options may not present themselves to us.

ACT. Words are important but action is crucial. Being idle for long periods of time is laziness. And the lazy has no future. If we want something, we act to get it. Juan Tamad is long dead.

We may mean well but nothing will come out of it if we do not act on our intentions. It is worse if our actions contradict our words. Words are easily forgotten but action gets results. Do we want change? Then let us be first to show others the change we want.

LEARN. There is always something to learn. Those who pursue education, and I do not just mean schooling, are winners in their own right. No matter what our station in

A5

It may be a good idea to have yours.

life is, if we strive to learn and be proficient in things we are interested in, we make ourselves ready and available when opportunity for advancement knocks.

For the young, the Internet can be your best friend. Anything and everything, from the simplest to the most complex, is instantaneously available in just a few clicks. Your generation is luckiest with your access to information.

For the oldies like myself, learning does not stop as well. We can take short courses or self-study to pursue our interests. And it can be learning for fun! A craft, a game, history, or whatever, it is never too late to learn.

TRAVEL. See the world. Nothing beats the experience. Often, pictures do not do justice to the real thing.

More importantly, know our amazingly beautiful country. The Philippines has so many interesting places that we will not run out of good spots even if we transfer from one place to another everyday for an entire year.

Imagine the discoveries awaiting us!

Talk to the locals, eat native fare, learn history from historical sites, feel the sand, breathe the air, marvel at the beauty of nature, and learn to deeply love our country.

We are very lucky to have what foreigners would spend a fortune on to see and experience even just briefly.

LAUGH. We are told that being happy is also a decision. This, I know is true. My 2015 has been rough. Difficult challenges needed to be dealt with. But I also decided to be happy and the ability to laugh, even at myself, helped me get through hard days.

Having family and friends around to relax with, do silly things with, enjoy inane conversations with, or simply hang out with, is a

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

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

big booster during low times. For as long as we still can laugh, we also can surpass problems, and win.

HELP. I will not tire of enjoining people to help others. The high, that feeling of seeing others get a break is priceless. I wish everyone experiences this. Being a bit kinder to one another is helping to create a better world.

Helping others also helps us appreciate better what we have.

DARE. Take risks. It is more exciting than always being on the safe side. Those who dare conquer fears, inadequacies, weaknesses surely emerge as better, more confident persons. If our forefathers and mothers did not take risks to go against our colonial masters then, we may not be as free now.

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

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

If our women did not dare fight inequality, perhaps Filipinas would still be strictly confined to the traditional roles ascribed to us. It is in the daring to do more and be more that change happens. Dare, take risks, and grow.

DECLUTTER. We create our own mess, we can also clean it up. Get rid of things we do not need or want badly. Donate to those who will put them to good use. Uncluttering our cabinets, our homes, create new spaces for other things. Most importantly, an uncluttered space makes us feel light.

Say goodbye to people who only use us.

There is no use being with those who do not care about us. Decluttering our lives will create spaces for people who will really be good for us.

Continued on A6

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

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

LAST month, the Commission on Elections ruled that Senator Grace Poe is disqualified from running for president in May 2016 because she is not a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, and that she shall have been a resident of the Philippines for less than the requisite 10 years come election day.

Poe’s lawyers appealed the ruling of the Comelec to the Supreme Court. Her recourse to the High Tribunal notwithstanding, Poe’s supporters are expected to put considerable public pressure on the justices to disobey the Constitution by allowing Poe to run for president in the coming polls.

Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista disagreed with the majority. Bautista told the news media that, in his opinion, the entries Poe made in her Certificate of Candidacy for president may be attributed to an honest mistake on the part of the senator.

It is difficult to share Bautista’s opinion. Poe had enough time to scrutinize the documents needed in her presidential bid. Assuming she did not have the time, there were more than enough lawyers around her who could have done the job for her.

Francis Escudero, Poe’s vice presidential running mate, is a lawyer. Many of Poe’s senatorial candidates are also lawyers. There are lawyers around Poe whenever she addresses the news media. Did these lawyers bother to go the extra mile and take a look at Poe’s documents prior to their submission to the Comelec? How did those “honest mistakes” mentioned by Chairman Bautista get by unnoticed by Poe’s lawyers?

A legal doctrine posits that if one had the opportunity to obtain the counsel of a lawyer, but one did not do so, one is bound by the consequences of his own improvidence. Since Poe had access to adequate legal counsel, it is difficult to see how those entries she made in her CoC for president were brought about by an honest mistake.

Poe obtained her education both in the Philippines and abroad. Accordingly, did Poe really commit an “honest mistake” or was she just negligent to the extent of being reckless?

How many more “honest mistakes” will Poe commit if she becomes president?

On the issue of her residency, Poe’s predicament is the result of her own admissions in her CoC for senator in the 2013 elections. Those admissions clearly indicate that as of May 2013, Poe satisfied the two-year residency requirement imposed by the Constitution on senatorial candidates. Unfortunately for Poe, those entries likewise indicate that as of May 2016, Poe would be a resident of the Philippines for less than 10 years—several months short of the 10-year residency requirement imposed by the Constitution on candidates for president.

Under the rules on evidence, those admissions are in the nature of admissions against interest, which may be used against Poe. The same rules likewise provide that a person intends the ordinary consequences of his voluntary act, and that a person is expected to look after his own concerns.

The Civil Code provision on estoppel also prohibits Poe from disavowing what she stated under oath in her 2013 CoC for senator. Even on the assumption that the entries in Poe’s CoC for senator regarding Poe’s residency are erroneous, how come Poe did not bother to correct them? The plausible explanation is that back in 2013, Poe did not expect to run for president in 2016.

Evidently, it is unlikely that Poe committed an honest mistake when she made it appear in her CoC for president that she meets the 10year residency requirement mandated under the Constitution.

Continued on A6 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

S AT U R D AY : J A N U A R Y 2 , 2 0 1 6

A6

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

ALL LANDS SHOULD BE OWNED

BY THE STATE BACK­ BENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN Part II AS MANY of our businessmen struggle to ward off the debilitating cost of rent, our mega rich landowners are no longer interested in manufacturing. The income generated from rent is more lucrative to sustain their pedigree. Investment, they say, is risky while rent is an assured income. They even put up their own banks to make use of their surplus capital to maximize profit with a chance of owning more properties mortgaged by defaulting landowners who could no longer pay the usurious interest.

There is actually no survey that determines the percentage owners of lands as against the num-

Such extreme inequality in our society is most shameful considering that we have vast tracts of idle land.

ber of landless families. What we have is the ratio between those who have homes as against the number of homeless who are mostly living in makeshift shanties made up of collected scrap wood and plywood, discarded iron sheet, corrugated cardboard and plastics.

We have yet to come out with statistics as to the number of families who could not even afford to have a decent shelter.

Such extreme inequality in our society is most shameful considering that we have vast tracts of idle land. One can see them in the heart of the metropolis and in the provinces, either fenced off or guarded to prevent their being occupied by our landless brethren whom we constantly extol the value of democracy, love of God and

patriotism. The slum areas give us a true picture of the gravity of the problem that we could well say, “the only Christian nation in Asia but is a failed state”.

A high percentage of the landless will forever be renting due to the high cost of amortization to acquire a house and lot or a condominium unit. Even if he should decide to buy a lot and spend for the construction of his house, inflation and the continuing increase in the cost of materials are likely to prevent him from doing that. The others are the so-called “squatters” who illegally occupy private or government properties.

They are most miserable. Seeing the place where rows upon rows of hovels, one need not die to see hell. Hell to the poorest of the poor, as Mrs. Marcos would put it, lives with us. Alongside with the palatial homes and mansions of the superrich are shanty-towns considered as a no-man’s land.

We see squatters living in barong-barong occupying unattended lots, living along filthy riverbanks and estero, on the shores in Isla Puting Bato in Tondo, Malabon, Navotas, in areas surrounding dumps, on spaces in underpass and overpass, and even invaded cemeteries as if to show that the living can live side by side with the dead. These are the most horrible places we see in our metropolis in great contrast to the homes of the wealthy whose enclaves are closely guarded.

Why should this God-given gift meant to be shared by all mankind be enjoyed only by a few by virtue of their self-serving title of ownership to the land? In fact, the so-called “servants of God” being big landowners themselves are in cahoots with the landed oligarchy. These things happen because we have chosen to adopt a policy of allowing private land owners to speculate on the value of their property hoping that sale would substitute their inability to acquire capital to develop them.

The amount of rent that a tenant finds reasonable for him to pay his rent is not sufficient for the landlord to recover his investment for the construction of the building, for the property tax, for the costly building permit and other fees imposed by local governments units. In fact, there are new buildings in the metropolis that remain unoccupied for lack of tenants.

Adding to the problem is the decision to relegate the payment of real property tax to local governments, specifically to cities and municipalities.

Income

My ten... From A5 ACCEPT. Learning to accept is also being able to let go. No matter how hard we work, many things are beyond our control. It is counterproductive to dwell on things that we cannot change. When things are

More... From A5 Poe’s assumption that she is a natural-born citizen may have been an honest mistake. That does not, however, warrant the conclusion that Poe satisfies all the requirements of the Constitution for a valid candidacy for president. Poe remains disqualified. If it were otherwise, ineligible candidates for elective public office earlier disqualified by the Comelec from running in an election can circumvent the rules by invoking an “honest

EAGLE EYES DEAN TONY LA VIÑA THE events of 2015 highlight the triumphs and failings of humanity. They elicited a panoply of emotions and sentiments from sadness, fear, grief, laughter, joy and hope. 2015 illustrated once again that we live in a complicated world, with more than 50 shades of grey and red, and many other colors.

There is sadness over the deepening crisis in Syria and Iraq.

What started as a civil war against President Bashar al-Assad’s government has morphed into a protracted conflict of attrition between and among multiple players including government and rebel forces, the Kurds, Islamic militants, Islamic State, and Hezbollah of Lebanon, and others. With no end in sight, the war has triggered a massive refugee and humanitarian crisis in Europe never seen since the last World War. There is fear of terrorism all over the world, with IS replacing Al-Qaida as the number one threat. This has prompted governments to adapt draconian measures, including rejecting refugees even when international law mandates their acceptance.

The terrorist attacks in Paris last November was a watershed moment; in a bad way because it revealed how vulnerable we all were to terrorism; in a good way, in that the people of Paris was not cowed by what was done to them.

I personally saw this courage and resilience when I spent three weeks in Paris this December during the Paris climate change conference.

That climate conference definitely sent a message of hope to the world. I came out of Paris believing that global solidarity can defeat what Pope Francis calls the globalization of indifference.

In the home front, the Philippines had its own share of events that challenged and will continue to test our people’s capacities and from property tax has become their inexhaustible gold mine.

City and municipal assessors in connivance with the mayor often arbitrarily increase the amount of property tax as their easy way to increase revenue, while having an eye of depriving small landowners of their property so they can be sold to large developers in the name of giving way to progress.

Often, LGUs are in touch with the syndicated cartel of banksturned-land developers or land developers owning banks to make sure they get the property by keeping an eye on landowners who have arrearages on their property taxes until they are levied to pre-arrange the developers who see value in the property.

The increase in property tax has become confiscatory. There is practically no basis to justify the tax increase solely on the speculative guess that the value

GRIEF AND JOY IN A COMPLICATED WORLD

determination.

In 2015, natural disasters continue to plague us with the damage caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon exacerbated by destructive typhoons like “Lando” and “Nona”. In Luzon, this was compounded by the release of waters from large dams like that in Magat River. People are up in arms against these actions and are preparing legal actions so they are not repeated. Upon request of Fr. Ranhilio Aquino, my dean at the San Beda Graduate School of Law, an environmental law team led by me will be assisting in those cases.

In January, we were all shocked when 44 members of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force were massacred in Mamasapano, Maguindanao by armed fighters including those from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. This ignited debate on whether to pass or not to pass the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law. I remember being on the highway from Cagayan de Oro City to Laguindingan Airport when I first heard about what happened in Mamasapano. Listening to the local radio commentary, so harsh and shrill, I knew the peace process was in trouble. The BBL will probably have to wait for the next administration. I personally think that is not necessarily bad as we have a good chance of a better law in the future than now.

Manny Pacquiao’s loss to Floyd Mayweather was painful to many Filipinos. Gilas Pilipinas’ loss to China in the FIBA Asia tournament also upset us.

But as it goes in the world, it is also so in the Philippines: in other words, our national experience in 2015 was not all about grief and sadness.

The January visit of Pope Francis brought joy, exaltation and a surge of religious fervor

among the faithful. He literally and figuratively took the Philippines by storm. Wherever he went rapturous crowds braving the rains, cold, hunger and fatigue greeted him. This included my family; we waited for six hours in the sidewalks of Luneta just to get a glimpse of the Vicar of Christ.

Francis’ messages of encouragement to families in the Mall of Asia and to the religious in Manila Cathedral, his words of consolation to the typhoon survivors in Tacloban, the wisdom in his conversation with the youth in UST campus, and his call to mission to the millions in Luneta are permanently etched in our minds and hearts.

In October, we received welcome news when we found out that the Philippines had prevailed in the first phase of our arbitration case against China. I was still awake when a friend from New York City first posted the news and decision at midnight. I was excited when I saw that. Yes, this was a limited victory; still, its significance was not lost on us even as China remained intransigent.

And to cap the year, we were all delighted when our very own, from my home city of Cagayan de Oro no less, the confidently beautiful Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach bagged the Miss Universe Crown after 42 years. It did not matter that the coronation night may be “non-traditional” due to the mixup by the host in announcing the winners. A win is a win and we rejoice over that.

Now, the election campaign is upon us; this can be a cause of grief and joy in the next five or six months.

For me personally, the last piece of good news for 2015 are the temporary restraining orders issued against the Comelec for disqualifying Senator Grace Poe from the

presidential race.

I feel very strongly about her case, even having nightmares about it. This is not about Poe or the presidency; it’s also not about the “people” or the rule of law in the abstract. It’s about the human beings, born and unborn, and even dead, already the most vulnerable in our society, whose rights could be diminished. Indeed, the Poe case for me represents the worst and most evil aspects of our politics.

If Poe loses her case, every foundling would have to scramble to prove their parentage, for example have bodies of suspected relatives exhumed and get DNA tests of the latter, if they apply for the hundreds of positions open only to natural-born citizens. Initially, I thought we were only talking about a hundred or so positions identified in the Constitution but apparently there are many special laws that require natural born status for even lowly government positions, a relic of an exclusionary past that zealously guarded our bloodlines from feared contamination of other races. Worst, if foundlings are declared stateless, their property rights could be vulnerable to attack by unscrupulous relatives and persons who will question their right to own land, which is limited only to citizens.

2015 was definitely not the utopia some long for; 2016 will also probably be as complicated.

But with God’s abiding love and mercy, there is always a reason to hope. To quote the poet Alexander Pope: “Hope springs eternal in the human breast; Man never is, but always to be blest, The soul, uneasy and confined from home, Rests and expatiates in a life to come.”

Happy New Year everyone!

of the property has appreciated without considering that a property owner has to set aside funds for improvements and repairs for his building. The real property tax has become the means of most LGUs to pay the salaries of an ever-increasing bureaucracy made up of the political sycophants of incumbent local officials doing mostly sinecure jobs and budget for the corrupt practice of pork barrel that goes from the mayor down to the barangay level.

Nothing goes back to improving the land upon which the tax is titled and collected.

Big land developers build condominium units, townhouses or shopping malls to be rented out to small shopkeepers. In some countries, the building of condominiums is part of their low-cost housing program. Here, only behemoth construction firms which are subsidiaries of banks and big

land developers could afford to build sky-rise condominiums.

Small landowners that venture to construct their own buildings eventually lose.

Selling condominium units has become an enterprising racket that only the upper and middle class could afford. It is the only item sold in this country where customers will pay in perpetuity.

Fees for security, maintenance and improvements, parking space, association dues, added amenities, etc, are almost equivalent to the amortization cost for the unit.

Others argue that this guided system of “state capitalism” will deprive them of their so-called “proprietary rights,” a right most sacred under our system of free enterprise. But that belief is only good for as long as the owner is alive. Chances are he is no longer around when the contract of

lease expires. Former socialist countries that decided to rent out their lands to anybody, including aliens, can rent them for as long as 25 years subject to renewal for possibly another 25 years. That means the lease contract is likely to outlast the life of the lessee.

Lease agreements made by investors who want to develop large tracts of land for farming or as site for their manufacturing will no longer be around to witness the expiration of the contract, although their business can be continued by their heirs or by the stockholders of the corporation. The lease agreement is as good as ownership that they can even bequeath their leased property to their heirs or donate them much that the only condition imposed by the state is for them to make the land productive to avoid escheat proceedings.

Facebook Page: Dean Tony La Viña Twitter: tonylavs

rpkapunan@gmail.com

hopeless, accept the situation, stop, and leave.

This is easier said than done but accepting dead ends is the only way to discover other roads to traverse. Doing away with a situation that immobilizes will give us the freedom to push forward, achieve

things.

LOVE. Love and make people we love feel it. Do not wait for tomorrow for it might be too late. In 2015, I lost a lady with whom I instantly felt attachment with. I called her Nanay despite the fact that I just knew her for a few months. She was

already sick then. I wanted to visit her more frequently but work got in the way. Losing her saddened me. I should have moved things around to be with her.

Love is a feeling meant to be shown. Do not hesitate.

These 10 words are my guideposts.

It may be a good idea to have yours.

May 2016 be a much better year for all of us.

mistake” as a justification for them to run for public office. The number of such candidates who will be expected to petition the Comelec will be huge.

If the “honest mistake” theory advanced by Bautista is to find valid application at all, it should not be in Poe’s predicament but in the disqualification cases pending against Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who is running for president in May 2016 under the PDPLaban banner. It will be recalled that Duterte substituted for Martin

Diño, erstwhile presidential candidate of PDP-Laban, who withdrew upon learning that the Comelec law department was going to seek his disqualification on the ground that he is a nuisance candidate.

The disqualification cases were filed against Duterte after it was alleged that Diño filed a CoC not for the presidency but for a local government post. For this reason, it is argued that Diño’s CoC is void, and Duterte cannot substitute for a candidate who filed a void CoC. The Duterte camp contests this and

maintains that the error in Diño’s CoC is a harmless oversight.

There is good reason to believe the Duterte camp. From the time Diño filed his CoC, he was always comporting himself as a presidential candidate. In fact, the Comelec law department was planning to disqualify Diño not because of his CoC, but because Diño did not seem to be in a position to maintain a nationwide campaign. Moreover, and unlike Poe, Diño did not make any false statement regarding his citizenship or his residency in any

past CoC, which may be used to impeach his explanation.

The error in Diño’s CoC obviously involves form, not substance. It can be corrected without violating the Constitution.

Therefore, there ought to be no impediment against allowing Duterte, his substitute, to run for president. On the other hand, allowing Poe to run for president violates two categorical requirements of the Constitution. No amount of clerical correction can change that fact.

bethangsioco@gmail.com @bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

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A7

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

After the revelry. Garbage collectors remove heaps of trash in front of the Zapote public market. AVITO DALAN

3 Makati barangays remain in danger from pipeline leak FIVE years since the leakage of an old pipeline, Makati City government officials admitted that residents of three barangays near the West Tower condominium are still in danger.

This was learned after the city government re-imposed a city ordinance prohibiting fireworks in the area of Barangays Bangkal, San Isidro and Pio del Pilar to ensure the safety of residents during the celebration of New year.

Mayor Romulo Peña Jr. said that although most of the fuel leak had been pumped out, remaining traces of the fumes still pose danger on residents and the general public as these may be ignited by fireworks or firecrackers.

“Since 2010, several remediation measures have been done by the First Philippine Industrial Corp. in collaboration with the city government and its consultant. However, the area has not been totally cleared of gas fumes, so we could not risk lifting the ban at this time,” he said.

The mayor asked residents and visitors in the three barangays to refrain from lighting firecrackers and fireworks, and instead participate in the New Year’s Eve Countdown at the University of Makati held on Dec. 31.

The fireworks ban ordinance imposes a fine of P5,000 or imprisonment of six months for violators. In the case of corporations or partnership ventures, the officers will be held liable for violations.

Dr. Carlo Arcilla, director of the National Institute of Geological Sciences—College of Science in University of the Philippines, had warned that returning residents of the condominium in Barangay Bangkal remain in danger of contracting lung cancer due to benzene contamination and the polluted ground water caused by the leakage in 2010.

Joel E. Zurbano

New Year’s Day fire guts 1,000 houses in Manila

By Joel E. Zurbano

A FIRE caused by a firecracker razed a densely populated area in Tondo, Manila destroying at least 1,000 houses and P10 million worth of property following the New Year celebration early Friday morning.

Bureau of Fire officials said four people were hurt while a 65-year-old woman died of heart attack during

the blaze that hit two barangays along Dagupan Extension. They added most of the houses destroyed were built

with light materials.

Responding firemen and volunteers from various parts of Metro Manila put out the fire around 10 a.m.

There were reports that a firecracker called “rockets” triggered the blaze.

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada earlier issued a warning and ordered high alert on all local emergency and rescue units in anticipation of fire incidents during the New Year revelry.

Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief Johnny Yu admitted that more frequent (fire) cases occur on the dates of Dec. 24, 25, 30, 31 and Jan. 1. He added that an average of four to five incidents have been recorded in the whole of Metro Manila during Christmas Day and New Year’s Day celebrations in the past.

In Manila, Yu said they expect one to two cases of

fire daily during these days.

Records from the Manila Fire Bureau showed that 36 fire incidents took place in the first three weeks of December 2014 alone, 13 of which reached high-level alarm status. Eleven injuries and two fatalities were also recorded.

Most of the fires happened mostly due to faulty electrical lines, unattended gas lamps and cooking stoves and overheating appliances.

Laude kin says only appeals court can rule on marine’s bail plea

By Rio N. Araja RELATIVES of slain Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude on Friday said that only the Court of Appeals, not the Olongapo City Regional Trial Court, can rule on the bail plea of US Marine Lance Cpl. Joseph Scott

Pemberton after his conviction for homicide.

In an interview, lawyer Virginia Suarez urged Branch 74 Judge Roline Ginez-Jabalde to deny Pemberton’s bail petition.

“The petition for bail [of Pemberton] can only be decided by the appellate court in this

case, where the charge was initially non-bailable, i.e., murder, but eventually convicted for a bailable offense, like homicide,” he told The Standard.

“Filing it [petition] before the same court is procedurally irregular.”

Suarez asserted Pemberton

Another fire. A fire in Tacloban City displaced 110 families on New Year’s Eve. MEL CASPE

could flee.

“But more importantly, the same should be denied because he is a flight risk, and the fact that he has already been declared as an undesirable alien,” she stressed.

In a 77-page omnibus motion, Pemberton’s lawyers told Ginez-

Jabalde that the court could grant bail to a person convicted of homicide or any crime with a penalty of reclusion temporal.

Pemberton’s camp insisted that he is not a flight risk, and that his superiors promised to bring him to court when required.

“To allow Pemberton a bail is a mockery of our justice system,” Suarez said.

Apart from the bail plea, Pemberton wanted the lower court to reverse his conviction, citing the coury failed to appreciate his evidence that another person could have killed Laude after he left Celzone Lodge in Olongapo City on Oct. 11, 2014.

He said the P4.3 million indemnification awarded to the victim’s family for loss of earnings was excessive and without basis.

On Dec. 1, Ginez-Jabalde found Pemberton guilty of homicide beyond reasonable doubt and ordered him to suffer a jail term of six years to 12 years and to indemnify the kin of Laude P4.32 million for loss of earning capacity, P155,250 for funeral and burial expenses, P50,000 for civil damages, P50,000 for moral damages and P30,000 for exemplary damages.

A8

saturDaY: JaNuarY 2, 2016

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Grid agency halts works on bombed tower in Lanao Sur

Hello, 2016.

A fireworks display illuminates the Rizal Monument in Luneta.

DANNY PATA

By Alena Mae S. Flores

Cebu City councilor assails arrest order on colleagues

By Junex Doronio

CEBU CITY—Councilor Margot Osmeña has assailed the arrest order, issued by minority councilor Gerry Carillo, for city lawmakers belonging to the majority party for their failure to attend a special session after Christmas.

The session was called to pass the P8.5billion budget proceeds of the sale of a 45.2-hectare property at the south road Properties supposedly to fund the supplemental budget. osmeña said that when the Cebu City Council first deliberated the supplemental budget on sept. 30, it was the minority councilors that deliberately walked out.

“Unfortunately, the minority [councilors] who had been remiss of their duties during the regular sessions decided to again dramatize sB1 [the first supplemental budget] while

we were away. They chose to ignore the fact that calling for the approval of a supplementary budget just days before the start of the new Year and after the passage of the 2016 regular Budget is at best a sick joke,” osmeña said. she said that even while the majority councilors used P1 million from the city’s calamity funds for their trip to Paris and were absent during regular sessions last December, the council was able to pass at least two important pieces of legislation: the second supplemental budget and the 2016 regular budget.

osmeña claimed that there were various “self-serving sB1 insertions” that benefit the candidates allied with suspended mayor michael rama. This included the advanced retirement pay for two Team rama candidates totaling to P1,510,000. acting mayor Edgardo Labella, who is identified with rama, had requested the council to hold a special session after Christmas to address the supplemental budget issue. osmeña belongs to the Bando osmeña Pundok Kauswagan, a local party allied with the ruling Liberal Party, while the minority councilors are members of the Team rama allied with the opposition United nationalist alliance. on Dec. 9, rama was slapped with a 60-day suspension by the office of the President for purported abuse of authority for removing a cemented center island in Barangay Labangon.

Transmission operator national Grid Corp. of the Philippines has halted the restoration of a bombed tower in mindanao because of an uncooperative land owner. “restoration of toppled Tower # 25 along agus 2-Kibawe 138 kV line in ramain, Lanao del sur was stopped due to failed negotiation with the owner of the property where the facility is located,” the company said in a statement.

The landowner, according to national Grid, refused them entry to his property where the toppled tower was located, alleging that government failed to pay his claims a long time ago.

“The bombing of the tower last Christmas Eve caused two generation facilities—government’s national Power Corp. owned agus 1 and 2 to be cut off the mindanao grid,” it said. “as a result, as much as 150 mW of power was isolated from mindanao consumers,” the company said. national Grid warned that failure to restore the tower will further aggravate the supply deficiency in the region which could result to longer rotation brownouts. around 15 transmission towers were bombed by lawless elements in 2015. national Grid earlier warned that more transmission towers in mindanao are expected to be bombed over the holiday season, citing intelligence reports. national Grid, which operates the country’s transmission network under a concession agreement with the government, renewed its appeal for the public, national and local government, and the Philippine army in resolving the said security issue.

DA-Reg 8 rehabilitates most of Yolanda-stricken farms

By Mel Caspe morE than half of “Yolanda”-stricken farms in Eastern Visayas have been covered by government-led recovery efforts in the past two years, a top regional agriculture official said. of the 406,000 hectares badly hit by the catastrophe in 2013, about 300,000 hectares have been covered by rehabilitation efforts of the Department of agriculture. “it is safe to say that about three-fourths of our affected farmers are on their way to rehabilitation because of recovery assistance,” regional executive director Leo Cañeda said. in 2014, the Da regional office got an

allocation of P502 million for post-Yolanda recovery. The 2015 allocation went down to P455 million, which is still being awaited by the regional office.

“We rely on regular funds intended for post-Yolanda rehabilitation while waiting for the release of 2015 allotment.

For 2016, we will get P160 million to finally put the rehabilitation programs to a close,” Cañeda added.

The government-led recovery assistance is on top of countless aid from nongovernment organization for the rehabilitation of Yolanda-hit farms.

“They are there to complement the recovery initiatives undertaken by the national government,” the official added.

So long, for today. The sunset as seen in Irisan, Baguio City. DAVE LEPROZO

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

B1

SATURDAY: JANUARY 2, 2016

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

PH joins China bank.

Philippine Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China Erlinda Basilio (second from right) signs the Articles of Agreement of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, making the Philippines the 57th founding member of the newly created lending institution.

Witnessing the signing are officials of Chinese MFA’s Department of Treaty and Law, Department of International Cooperation of the Chinese Ministry of Finance and AIIB Multilateral Interim Secretariat.

US Fed rate hike seen hurting peso in 2016

By Julito G. Rada

THE US Federal Reserve’s plan to increase interest rates again this year is threatening the stability of the peso against the dollar, a bank analyst said over the weekend.

Nicholas Antonio Mapa, a research officer at the Bank of the Philippine Islands’ financial markets and treasury division, said the expected three Fed rate hikes in 2016 would weaken the local currency against the greenback.

“We’ll see dollar regain strength with projected three Fed rate hikes at least in 2016,” Mapa said in an e-mail to The Standard.

The peso completed its third straight annual loss in 2015, as global funds fled local stocks and tightening monetary policy in the US boosted the dollar. The peso depreciated 5.2 percent in 2015 to

close at 47.06 a dollar on Dec. 29 from 44.72 a dollar a year ago.

Bangko Sentral predicted that portfolio investments or ‘hot money’ would post a bigger net outflow of $1.3 billion this year than the expected $200-million net outflow in 2015, due to external headwinds and as the US economy continued to exhibit signs of recovery, supporting the strength of the dollar.

Foreign investors sold $1.2 billion more shares than they bought in 2015, contributing to the Philippine Stock Exchange index’s first loss since 2008. The PSEi fell

3.9 percent last year to settle at 6952.08 on Dec. 29.

The peso breached the 47-adollar level on Nov. 9, closing at 47.16 from 46.935 a day earlier.

It further weakened to 47.26 on Nov. 10 as the imminent Fed liftoff strengthened the dollar against other currencies.

“The peso reflects the strong dollar,” said Jonathan Ravelas, chief market strategist at BDO Unibank in Manila. “We’ve been seeing higher levels for the dollar but the peso remains stronger compared to other currencies in the region due to strong fundamentals.”

Ravelas said he expected the peso to trade in a range of 46.50 to 48.50 per dollar in 2016. The presidential elections in May, the extent of US monetary tightening and the response of China’s economy to policy makers’ stimulus will be the major factors impact-

ing the peso next year, he said.

Bangko Sentral, however, said the country’s overall balance of payments position was expected to remain strong, with a surplus of $2.2 billion in 2016.

The projected surplus in the overall BoP balance is seen to result in an increase in the 2016 gross international reserves to $82.7 billion from $80.7 billion in 2015.

“The 2016 current account will continue to be in surplus at $5.7 billion, lower than the US$8.9 billion in 2015 due mainly to the expected large increase in the imports of goods, notwithstanding improvements in the services and secondary income accounts,” Bangko Sentral said.

It said the projected net outflow in the financial account in 2015 could likely reverse to a small net inflow in 2016 as foreign direct investments continued to flow in.

With Bloomberg

Filipino farmers need support to compete in Asean

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales FILIPINO farmers need government support to prepare for the influx of duty-free commodities, as the Asean Economic Community came into force on Dec. 31, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said Friday.

Alcala made the statement in the context of the Asean Economic Community, which was formally launched at the end of 2015.

AEC is an EU-inspired economic bloc that removed import duties across the borders of 10-member countries of Asean, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The ten-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations said AEC combined the economic force of a resource-rich and growing

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

market of more than 600 million people.

Alcala said targeted interventions should be made in order to enhance the capacity of Filipino farmers to compete and to expand their engagement in agribusiness opportunities.

Alcala commended the experts and researchers from both the International Rice Research Institute and Philippine Rice Research Institute for the success of the landmark comparative study on Philippine rice production with other rice producing countries in Asia.

Results of the project of PhilRice and IRRI were presented along with the launching of the country monographs reporting on each of the six countries covered, after over a decade.

Prior to the study, analysis of competitiveness was often limited to comparing published statistics like free on board rice prices of ex-

porting countries.

Alcala said while these numbers were important, they needed to be contextualized to include production subsidies as well as shortterm market conditions.

Alcala said the IRRI-PhilRice study provided inputs that allowed analysis of factors critical to understanding basic competitiveness, including the various production cost factors and practices, levels of subsidy, farming systems and marketing practices in the rice industry of other countries.

“The areas of irrigation, credit and insurance are factors on which Philippine rice sector can improve on as well as the need to address the increasing cost of farm labor through mechanization as the study compared levels of mechanization across countries,” Alcala said.

PSe comPoSite index Closing December 29, 2015

8000 7700 7400 7100 6800 6500

6,952.08 31.53

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing DECEMBER 29, 2015 43.50 44.60 45.40

P47.060

46.20

CLOSE

47.00

HIGH P47.040 LOW P47.165 AVERAGE P47.118 VOLUME 372.750M

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

oPriceS il P today

P25.03-P28.48 Diesel P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Tuesday, December 29, 2015

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

47.1660

Japan

Yen

0.008311

0.3920

UK

Pound

1.487900

70.1783

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.129027

6.0857

Switzerland

Franc

1.012863

47.7727

Canada

Dollar

0.719424

33.9324

Singapore

Dollar

0.710631

33.5176

Australia

Dollar

0.726480

34.2652

Bahrain

Dinar

2.656042

125.2749

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266645

12.5766

Brunei

Dollar

0.708115

33.3990

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000073

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.027678

1.3055

UAE

Dirham

0.272301

12.8433

Euro

Euro

1.097000

51.7411

Korea

Won

0.000856

0.0404

China

Yuan

0.154131

7.2697

India

Rupee

0.015132

0.7137

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.232829

10.9816

New Zealand

Dollar

0.684697

32.2944

Taiwan

Dollar

0.030481

1.4377 Source: PDS Bridge

SATURDAY: JANUARY 2, 2016

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

CebuPac’s profit seen improving

By Darwin G. Amojelar

CEBU Pacific is expected to post a stronger profit in 2016 as its long-haul operation matures, airline think tank Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation said.

“While Cebu Pacific’s long-haul operation has been unprofitable in 2015, the group believes it is tracking well and could become profitable in 2016. Cebu Pacific is confident yields will continue to improve as its long

haul routes mature,” Capa said in a report.

The think tank said four of Cebu Pacific’s five long haul routes would reach the 18-month point in 2016, often considered the end of the maturation process for a new long haul route.

International expansion accelerated in late 2013 when Cebu Pacific’s long-haul operation was launched with Dubai the first route.

Three more long haul routes were added in the last four months of 2014 to Sydney, Kuwait and Riyadh. Doha was launched as Cebu Pacific’s fifth long haul route in June 2015.

“While competition will intensify on some of its routes, the Philippines generally is not as fiercely competitive as other markets in Southeast Asia. In particular, there is less competition between LCCs [low cost carriers],” Capa said, adding the airline’s long haul operation survived the initial buildup phase, which came with high risk.

The think tank said Cebu Pacific also survived intensifying competition from Philippine Airlines in both the international and – in more recent months – the domestic market.

Cebu Pacific was the third most

profitable Southeast Asian airline in the first three quarters of 2015, behind Malaysia’s AirAsia and Singapore Airlines.

The Gokongwei-led airline recorded a net income of P3.56 billion in the first nine months of the year, up 71 percent from last year’s P2.08 billion.

Revenues amounted to P42.26 billion in the nine-month period, or 9.9 percent higher than P38.45 billion posted in the same period last year.

Cebu Pacific offers flights to a network of over 90 routes on 60 destinations, spanning Sydney, Dubai, Doha, Bali and Tokyo (Narita).

Petron reduces prices of LPG

By Alena Mae S. Flores PETRON Corp. said Friday it reduced the price of liquefied petroleum gas or cooking gas by P53.35 per 11-kilogram tank to reflect the decline in the contract price in the world market.

“Petron is pleased to announce a P4.85 per kilo rollback for its Gasul and Fiesta Gas LPG prices effective 12:01 a.m., Jan. 1, 2016. This is equivalent to a decrease of P53.35 for a standard 11-kg household cylinder,” Petron said.

Petron, the country’s biggest oil refiner, said it also cut the price of its Xtend Auto LPG by P2.70 per liter.

“These reflect movements in the international contract prices of LPG for the month of January,” it said.

World oil prices continued the downward trend in the wake of US oil supply surplus. Analysts predicted that world oil prices could plunge to as low as $20 a barrel.

Oil players acknowledged that while low oil prices were good for consumers, the trend hurt oil companies which had huge inventories bought when oil prices were higher.

Oil firms adjust LPG prices on a monthly basis compared to domestic pump prices of gasoline, diesel and kerosene that are adjusted on a weekly basis.

Post-Lando relief. Pilmico, the food subsidiary of the Aboitiz Group, and Aboitiz Foundation, donate relief packs to 648 families in

Mayantoc, Tarlac affected by heavy flooding due to Typhoon Lando in October. Shown are residents of Barangay Cubcub in Mayantoc, Tarlac as they receive food relief packs from Pilmico and Aboitiz Foundation team members.

700-megahertz band to boost mobile broadband

By Darwin G. Amojelar AN agency under the United Nations asked telecom regulators to allocate the 700-megahertz band for mobile broadband use to help bridge the digital divide.

The Geneva-based International Telecommunication Union said using the 694-790 MHz frequency for mobile broadband would bridge the digital divide worldwide and would benefit handsets, supply chain, roaming, rural coverage and other aspects of mobile communications.

The UN specialized agency for information and communication technologies formally moved to allocate the 700 MHz band to the global mobile industry at the 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference in

November.

“The WRC-15 decision represents a landmark in the development of broadband mobile on a worldwide scale, regardless of location, network or terminal used,” said ITU secretary-general Houlin Zhao.

The ITU decision will pave the way for manufacturers and mobile operators to offer mobile broadband at affordable prices in currently underserved areas.

The 700-MHz spectrum has been a contentious issue in the Philippines, as local telecommunications firms are all pushing for a share of the frequency.

San Miguel Corp. currently holds 90 percent of the 700-MHz spectrum across the country, but both Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company and Globe

Telecom asked the National Telecommunication Commission to distribute the spectrum evenly among industry players.

Ray Espinosa, PLDT head of regulatory affairs, earlier said the company would lobby directly with President Aquino on the issue, and that its external legal team was preparing to launch legal action against NTC, San Miguel and any of its partners unless the spectrum was shared.

Globe general legal counsel Froilan Castelo said giving active and operating telecommunications companies access to the 700-MHz spectrum would allow the industry to provide broadband and data services at faster speeds and in a more costefficient manner.

Castelo said that as early as 2005, Globe already requested the NTC in writing for an allocation and assignment of frequencies within the 700-Mhz and 800Mhz bands for broadband wireless network, but NTC did not act favorably on its request.

The ITU’s move on the 700MHz spectrum is supported by the joined by London-based GSM Association, which said that tapping the unused 700MHz mobile frequency spectrum could potentially increase the impact of a country’s gross domestic product by tenfold.

The group’s Mobile Economy Asia study also found that the full use of the spectrum had the potential to create an additional 2.1 million jobs for the Asia-Pacific region by 2020.

SATURDAY: JANUARY 2, 2016

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

Banks opened 76 outlets in 3rd quarter

By Julito G. Rada BANKS opened 76 new branches in the Philippines in the third quarter, as they continued to pursue aggressive expansion nationwide, data from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas show.

Bangko Sentral said of this number, universal and commercial banks accounted for 35 branches while thrift ot savings banks added 23 outlets.

Rural and cooperative banks opened 18 branches.

BDO Unibank Inc., the country’s largest lender, opened 10 branches, the most among universal and commercial banks.

China Banking Corp. added nine branches; Robinsons Bank Corp., six; and East West Banking Corp., two.

Development Bank of the Philippines, Security Bank Corp., Union Bank of the Philippines and Japan-based Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. each opened a branch in the July to September period.

Sumitomo Mitsui Bank entered the Philippines after the domestic banking industry was further liberalized last year.

City Savings Bank Inc. opened 15 branches, the most among thrift banks. It was followed

by Card SME Bank Inc. with four, China Bank Savings Inc., First Consolidated Bank Inc., Philippine Business Bank Inc. and PNB Savings Bank with one each.

Bangko Sentral also approved 125 applications for new banking offices in the third quarter. Universal and commercial banks had 35 applications approved, followed by 63 for thrift banks, and 27 for rural and cooperative banks.

Savings and time deposits remained the main sources of funds for domestic banks in the third quarter.

Banks’ total deposits as of end-September 2015 grew 7.8 percent to P6.9 trillion from a year ago.

Foreign currency deposits owned by Filipino residents grew by 13.7 percent year-on-year to P1.5 trillion.

Best Labor directors. Labor Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz (third from left) along with Undersecretaries Ciriaco Lagunzad III, Rebecca Chato and Nicon Fameronag confer the outstanding Dole regional office and directors awards to Alex Avila (National Capital Region); Joffrey Suyao (Region XI); and Henry John Jalbuena (Cordillera Administrative Region) during the two-day year-end performance assessment and 2016 planning exercise at Hotel Jen along Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City.

Maibarara expands geothermal project

By Alena Mae S. Flores

Maibarara Geothermal Inc. said it started the 12-megawatt geothermal power plant expansion in Batangas province, as it prepares for full commercial operation in 2017.

“Yes, the expansion is on track,” Maibarara Geothermal president Francisco Delfin Jr. said.

Maibarara Geothermal operates the existing 20-MW Maibarara geothermal power project in Sto. Tomas, Batangas under a joint venture with Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corp. and PNOC

Renewables Corp.

Its shareholders are PetroGreen Energy Corp. with 65 percent, Trans-Asia OIl and Energy Development Corp. with 25 percent and PNOC Renewables Corp. at 10 percent. PetroGreen is a wholly-owned subsidiary of publicly-listed PetroEnergy Resources Corp.

The Energy Department

awarded the Maibarara service contract in February 2010 following an open and competitive selection process in October 2009.

It became the newest geothermal power facility in the country and the first under the Aquino administration, when it started commercial operation on Feb. 8, 2014.

The Maibarara expansion project involves the installation of a new 12-MW unit adjacent to the existing 20 MW Maibarara-1 geothermal project and is expected to add at least 95,000 megawatt-hours to the plant’s annual generation.

“We opted to increase Maibarara-2’s gross capacity from 10 MW to 12 MW after the successful flow-test of well MB15RD and the release of an independent resource validation by California-based Geothermal Science, Inc. which confirmed more than sufficient reserves for combined M1 and M2 power generation for 25 years,”Delfin said.

Delfin said the capacity expansion, once completed, would enhance Maibarara Geothermal’s revenues.

“We aim for M2 unit to be online by third quarter 2017,” Delfin said earlier.

Govt set to review free trade accord with Japan

By Othel C. Campos THE Trade Department said it expects to conduct a general review of the Philippines Japan Economic Partnership Agreement in the early part of 2016.

“We’re waiting for a schedule for our review. We’ve been trying to set a schedule for the general review so we can start as soon as possible,” said acting Trade Secretary Adrian Cristobal Jr. The activity is the first general review since the Philippines and Japan signed the agreement in 2006.

“Japan is a strategic partner

in the Philippine growth story.

After we signed the PJPEPA in 2006, Japan has become our number one trading partner and one of the top sources of investments to the Philippines,” Cristobal said.

The Philippines is studying if it can negotiate the entry of more agricultural products to Japan in exchange for concessions on other tradable goods.

Both the Philippines and Japan noted that recent trade and investment figures were very encouraging and that free trade agreement had sustained increased Japanese investments in

the Philippines.

JPEPA is an important framework for enhancing economic ties between the two countries.

Officials said the exceptional Philippine human resource pool had also helped the overseas expansion of Japanese companies.

Officials said they expected these positive developments to be further promoted by frequent bilateral summit meetings, Japan’s on-going cooperation in Typhoon Yolanda relief and rehabilitation, support for peace and development in Mindanao as well as other official development assistance projects.

Both sides agreed to continue efforts in reducing outstanding issues before the next meeting through continuous dialogs with business communities.

These dialogs are considered important in attracting more Japanese investments into the Philippines.

Bilateral trade between the two countries exceeded $17 billion or 14.5 percent of the Philippines’ external trade in 2014.

The agreement also boosted Japanese investments in 2014, which accounted for over 16 percent of the foreign direct investments in the country.

SATURDAY: JANUARY 2, 2016

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

China production rose in December BEIJING, China—A gauge of Chinese factory activity ticked up in December but continued to indicate contraction for a fifth straight month, official data showed Friday, as the world’s number two economy heads for its worst annual growth for 25 years.

The mild improvement follows a string of stimulus measures from Beijing, including six interest rate cuts in the year up to November as well as reductions in the amount of cash banks must keep in reserve, both intended to boost lending.

The figures come as a survey showed another slight increase in new home prices last month, suggesting the government’s monetary loosening is kicking in.

The official Purchasing Managers’ Index of manufacturing activity—which tracks activity in the factories and workshops sector—edged up to 49.7 in December from 49.6 registered the month before, which was a three-year low.

However, it was short of the 49.8 forecast in a poll of economists by Bloomberg News.

Anything below 50 is considered shrinkage and anything above is seen as growth.

“Although the PMI slightly rebounded this month, it still lies below the critical point and is lower than historic levels over the same period,” said Zhao Qinghe, senior statistician with the National Bureau of Statistic, in a statement on the bureau’s official website.

The figures are the latest to highlight a continuing growth slowdown in the economy, which expanded 6.9 percent in July-September, the weakest rate since the 2009, during the global financial crisis.

Many analysts believe the actual increase was even lower, due to factors such as the weak PMI readings.

Economists say indexes such as the PMI for December indicate that though the govern-

ment is likely to achieve its 2015 growth target of “about seven percent”, the economy nevertheless remains plagued by “substantial downside risks”.

“The improvement in the index suggests growth momentum has continued to stabilise, in part due to the government’s stimulus efforts,” Fielding Chen, an economist at Bloomberg Intelligence, told Bloomberg News.

“Nevertheless, another reading below the 50 threshold ... suggests the economy stays broadly weak.”

The economy—a key driver of global expansion—grew at its slowest pace for 24 years in 2014 and has eased further this year, raising concerns on global markets.

And in July-September the

PhilRice deploys mobile seed hubs THE Philippine Rice Research Institute is making rice seeds more accessible to farmers through Lakbay Binhi, a project that brings high quality and locationspecific seeds through trucks converted into mobile seed centers.

Philrice said the project was pilot-tested in three sites affected by typhoon Lando.

The agency said 82 20-kilogram bags of registered seeds were given to over a hundred farmers of Dipaculao and Casiguran in Aurora and Guimba, Nueva Ecija on Dec. 4 to 9, 2015.

Rhemilyn Relado, project lead, said Lakbay-Binhi was in response to the challenge of having the right amount of high quality seeds delivered to the farmers at the right time.

“With Lakbay Binhi, we can ensure the improvement in our farmers’ productivity and profitability, given higher yields because of adoption of high quality seeds,” Relado said.

Relado said the pilot test was done to promote the mobile seed center which would eventually cater to remote areas without seed growers.

Philrice said after the pilot-testing in Aurora and Nueva Ecija, Lakbay Binhi would be introduced to PhilRice branch stations, specially in areas where adoption of high quality seeds remained low.

Anna Leah E. Gonzales

country logged its worst economic performance since the global financial crisis, with growth of just 6.9 percent.

A major drag on growth has been a slowdown in the property sector, which has stagnated over the past two years with buyers priced out of the market, with home sales dropping 7.8 percent in value in 2014.

But there was some welcome news Friday, with the China Index Academy saying in a report that the average price of a new home in China’s 100 major cities rose 0.74 percent monthon-month in December to 10,980 yuan ($1,686) per square metRT. That represented a pickup from November’s 0.46 percent rise and is the fifth monthly increase in a row. AFP

Cagsawa Ruins

Cagsawa Ruins declared national cultural treasure DARAGA, Albay — The National Museum has declared Cagsawa Ruins here as a national cultural treasure, the highest designation for a cultural property in the country.

The designation is expected to further boost Albay’s now booming tourism and expanding local economy, according to Albay Governor Joey Salceda.

Salceda said the declaration by National Museum director Jeremy Barns on Dec. 23 and published on the museum’s website affirmed Cagsawa Ruins’ landmark role and significance in the richness of the country’s cultural heritage.

Popularly paired with Albay crown jewel, near perfect coneshaped Mt. Mayon in postcards,

photographs and selfie shots, the 201 year-old ruins — considered as a symbol of the province’s disaster resiliency — also awaits Unesco’s recognition as a world heritage site.

Mayon is tentatively listed in the same Unesco title while Albay was nominated for a Unesco biosphere area accreditation.

Salceda said Cagsawa Ruins, as a national cultural treasure, became a priority for protection, preservation and promotion by the national government, an important step towards higher level declarations.

The declaration will further boost the historico-cultural offerings of Albay’s tourism industry, he said.

Albay province is now the fastest growing destination in the country, and recently won the Pacific Asia Travel Association $1-million CEO Challenge, as a “new frontiers” global destination.

Salceda said Cagsawa Ruins is also the symbol of Albay’s “indomitable spirit and resilience, surviving this far,” since 201 years ago when Mayon volcano erupted violently burying a huge Baroque church and the whole settlement around it in a lahar avalanche and the flashfloods that followed.

Over 1,000 residents died in that disaster. Their remains are now only marked by a tumble of bricks and rocks over the layout of a Spanish era settlement, highlighted by world-famous ruins and

the top of a church belfry, with the picture perfect cone-shaped Mayon volcano in the background.

The Cagsawa Ruins is presently the focal point of Albay’s new tourist destinations, clustered within a 15-kilometer radius, which have recently become favorite sites among tourists.

These destinations include the Naglaus-Milaos Underground River and Sigpit Waterfalls with its jumping cliff in Del Rosario village, Jovellar town; the Quitinday Greenhills and caves in Camalig; the Guinanayan White Beach and Island Hopping in Galicia Village, Rapurapu; the Nagaso Hot Spring and Inang Maharang Boiling Lake in Manito; and the Lignon Hill Zip Line.

S at u r D aY : J a n u a r Y 2 , 2 0 1 6

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ceSar barrioquinto EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

world

Happy New Year! This photo taken on January 1, 2016, shows fireworks at the Shipping museum during New Year’s Eve in Amsterdam. AFP

World welcomes the New Year Reporter warns of dark days for media in China PARIS—A French reporter forced to leave Beijing after she criticized government policy in violenceracked Xinjiang arrived home Friday after warning of dark days ahead for journalists working in China.

Beijing accused Ursula Gauthier, the China correspondent for France’s L’Obs news magazine, of supporting terrorism after she wrote an article questioning official comparisons between global Islamist violence and unrest in the homeland of the mainly Muslim Uighur ethnic minority.

It then refused to renew her credentials, obliging her to leave on December 31 when her visa expired.

Speaking from her Beijing home before departing, Gauthier said the future looked bleak for

journalists in China.

“What happened with this small article about Xinjiang could happen with anything else,” she said.

“This could be really dangerous in the future.”

France and Europe should be “concerned about what is going on here, not because it is a journalist, not only because of the freedom of press, but also because it is about China and what China is doing to its minorities, and even its majority, the problem is the same,” she added.

After landing in France, Gauthier vowed to continue writing about China and condemned Beijing over her effective expulsion.

“This has been a month and a half of madness,” she told AFP at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. AFP

NEW YORK—Millions welcomed the New Year with champagne and cheers Friday, although tightened security put a damper on the festivities in Europe, where Germany evacuated stations over an imminent terror threat and a huge hotel fire sparked panic in Dubai.

In New York, around 6,000 police were watching over a bustling Times Square as Mayor Bill Blasio flicked the switch, sending the city’s massive glittering glass ball down in the final seconds of 2015.

Colorful confetti fluttered in the cool night air as the boisterous crowd roared with glee, mirroring similar scenes of revelry that took place around the world.

But after a year in which Islamic militants staged a wave of deadly attacks, sewing carnage from Paris to California, the celebrations were held in tight security, with the New York police describing it as the biggest security operation in the city’s history.

Since the Paris attacks in November, which saw Islamic state jihadists slaughtering 130 people in

a series of gun and suicide attacks, Europe has been on high alert with France and Belgium canceling their traditional New Year fireworks displays in their respective capitals.

And just half an hour before the celebrations began in Germany, police evacuated two stations in the southern city of Munich after receiving “reliable information” about a plot to carry out a suicide attack at midnight by Islamic State jihadists.

Police said they were hunting “five to seven suspects” after the authorities were tipped off by a “friendly intelligence service”, which media reports suggested was French.

In France, more than 100,000 police were deployed to guard celebrations, as defiant Parisians

turned out on the Champs Elysees to greet 2016 in the biggest public gatherings since the November 13 attacks.

And in Belgium, police were holding five people over an alleged New Year plot in Brussels as they also announced the arrest of a 10th suspect linked to the Paris attacks.

In Dubai, a vast blaze ripped through a luxury 63-story hotel, the Address Downtown, close to the world’s tallest tower where people had gathered to ring in the New Year.

Despite the dramatic scenes from the inferno, which injured 16 people, the festivities went ahead as planned and crowds cheering the bursts of light and color from a massive fireworks show at nearby Burj Khalifa skyscraper, even as smoke billowed from the nearby hotel.

Sydney, traditionally the first to host a major New Year’s bash, kicked off the global festivities when it lit up the skies with pyrotechnics at the stroke of midnight (1300 GMT Thursday). AFP

‘Mein Kampf’ remains taboo in Israel JERUSALEM—The controversy over the coming re-publication of Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” in Germany is having particular resonance in Israel, where memories of the Holocaust run deep and the book remains taboo.

Hitler’s anti-Semitic rant, which he wrote from prison in the early 1920s, loses its copyright in Germany on Friday, and the country’s first release of it since 1945 is due out soon in the form of an extensively annotated version.

The copyright had been held by the German state of Bavaria, to which it was granted by the victorious Allies after World War II, and

now enters the public domain.

New versions are expected in many countries, sparking fierce debates over how one of the most controversial books in history should be treated.

Mein Kampf which means “My Struggle” does not face a total legal ban in the Jewish state, but any largescale publication remains forbidden, the Israeli culture ministry says.

Even if there were no restrictions at all, publishers say there is still stigma around the book in a country formed after the Holocaust inspired

by Hitler’s writings.

According to the Foundation for the Benefit of Holocaust Survivors

in Israel, 180,000 of them live in the Jewish state.

Murray Greenfield, founder of Gefen Publishing, which specializes in works about Judaism and its history, said he wouldn’t publish it “even if they paid me”.

“My wife is a Holocaust survivor,” he said. “We have a built-in censorship on this book in spite of being very much against censorship [generally].”

In many countries, including some of Israel’s Arab neighbors, copies of the book are widely available. It can also be found on the Internet, including in Israel, so those keen to gain access to it are able to do so. AFP

Red Crescent event. Syrian children attend an event organized by the

Syrian Arab Red Crescent for New Year’s eve celebrations in a rebel-controlled area of Arbeen, on the outskirts of Damascus, on December 31, 2015. AFP

S AT U R DAY : J A N U A R Y 2 , 2 0 16

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Curry-less Warriors bounce back LOS ANGELES—Klay Thompson scored 38 points and the Golden State Warriors showed they can win without star Stephen Curry Thursday with a 114-110 victory over the Rockets in Houston.

Curry missed his second straight game with a lower left leg bruise.

But unlike on Wednesday, when the Dallas Mavericks handed the reigning NBA champion Warriors just their second defeat of the season, Thompson was able to get going offensively despite the absence of his fellow “Splash Brother.”

Warriors forward Draymond Green also shone, posting his fifth triple-double of the season with 10 points, 11 rebounds and a career-

high 16 assists, while forward Andre Iguodala connected on six of seven attempts from the floor to contribute 20 points off the bench.

Golden State finished with 35 assists on 43 field goals.

James Harden led the rockets with 30 points, five rebounds and five assists, and Dwight Howard added 21 points and 13 rebounds.

Up by two points at halftime, the Warriors gave themselves some room with a 10-0 spurt late

in the third quarter that included three-pointers from Thompson and Iguodala.

The Rockets trimmed the deficit to three points on a Harden jump shot with less than five to play, but the Warriors scored eight straight points to rebuild the lead.

Having rounded out 2015 with their 30th win of the season, the Warriors could open 2016 by welcoming head coach Steve Kerr back to the bench after complications from back surgery saw him sidelined.

Kerr could be back at the helm this weekend, taking the reins from interim coach Luke Walton who has presided over the Warriors’ sensational start to the season.

A lighthearted Walton said he hadn’t thought about whether Thursday’s game was his last in charge.

“If it is, it was a lot of fun,” he said. “I’ll be thrilled to have Stevie back coaching us again.”

Pistons snap skid Andre Drummond poured in 23 points and pulled down 18 rebounds to help the Detroit Pistons snap a three-game losing streak with a 115-90 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Point guard Reggie Jackson added 19 points and nine assists for Detroit, and Kentavious CaldwellPope scored 19 of his 22 in the second half as the Pistons welcomed Brandon Jennings back to their

Palace Auburn Hills floor in style.

Jennings was playing his second game, and his first at home since rupturing his left Achilles tendon in January.

Thunder hang on Russell Westbrook scored 36 points and handed out 12 assists and the Oklahoma City Thunder escaped with a 110-106 victory over the tenacious Phoenix Suns.

Westbrook connected on 12 of 19 shots from the field, nabbed five steals and had only two turnovers.

He put the Thunder up by two points with 1:57 to play. Suns center Tyson Chandler tied it up with a layup before Kevin Durant’s jump shot gave Oklahoma City the lead again. AFP

2-in-1 race in Subic set on Feb. 21 THE Subic Bay Freeport Zone is all set to welcome hundreds of triathletes, who will converge at the ACEA Subic Bay (formerly Sands of Triboa) at 6 a.m. on Feb. 21 for the 2016 National Age-Group Triathlon and the Philippine National Games Triathlon Finals.

The two-in-one event organized by the Triathlon Association of the Philippines, in cooperation with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and the Philippine Sports Commission, will see the participation of 87 PNG finalists (45 men and 42 women) competing side-by-side with members of the National Team in a standard distance 1.5 Km swim 40 Km bike and 10 Km run contest, which will determine the National Champions for 2016.

Age-groupers in the event sponsored by the PSC, ACEA Subic Bay, Asian Center for Insulation Philippines, Century Tuna, Harbor Point Ayala Mall, Ocean Adventure, Camayan Resort and Lighthouse Marina Resort will try their luck to top their respective age-group categories in the Standard Distance, Sprint Distance (750 M swim, 20 Km bike, 5 Km run) and MiniSprint (500 M swim, 16 Km bike, 2.5 Km run) contests.

At stake for event winners are specially designed medals as well as gift items. Meanwhile, PNG champions in the men and women categories, will get a chance to become members of the National Team if they are not members yet.

In other developments, the Philippines made it to the list of Developed National Federations for Technical Officials and Coaches based on the year-end report of the Asian Triathlon Confederation that got published recently.

The national athletes are classified as developing with the recent twogold medal haul in the June 2015 Southeast Asian Games in Singapore, plus a couple of 1st place finishes in Parlaman Duathlon in Indonesia and Singapore International Triathlon.

Dwight Howard (left) of the Houston Rockets steals the ball from Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. AFP

Nadal confident of being ‘very competitive’ in 2016 ABU DHABI—Rafael Nadal is confident he will be “very competitive” in 2016 after a difficult 2015 during which the world number five struggled with his early form.

The Spaniard made a strong push at the end of last season to finish inside the top-five but his results in 2015 were the worst he has recorded in more than a decade as he admitted he was struggling with confidence.

But the 29-year-old revealed he had a strong off season where he practised hard in Mallorca and is ready to step on the court at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition event in Abu Dhabi on Friday before heading to Doha for his official season-opener.

“The off season has been great. In Mallorca we had unbelievable weath-

er and we were able to practise as much as we wanted,” he told reporters in the UAE capital on Thursday.

“I had the chance to enjoy it. I’m happy for everything. I feel that I worked well enough, I finished the 2015 season with good feelings and I just keep practising with these positive feelings. I’m excited to start another new season. I feel myself well and I hope to be ready for what’s coming.

“I don’t know if I’ll start well from the beginning but I feel ready. Then the results you never know what’s going on. But I feel that I’m doing the right things, I’m playing well and I hope to start with good feelings.

“I’m going to be passionate. I’m confident that I’m going to be very competitive.” AFP

Sharapova to face Makarova in 1st round BRISBANE—Maria Sharapova will open her Australian campaign with a match against Ekaterina Makarova following Friday’s draw for the Brisbane International.

Defending champion and third seed Sharapova will play world number 23 Makarova in a rematch from last year’s Australian Open semi-final.

“This was a grand slam semifinal last year in Australia,” five-time grand slam champion Sharapova told reporters.

“For a first match, it’s a pretty high-quality match against a pretty tough opponent.”

World number four Sharapova, 28, who beat Ana Ivanovic in last year’s Brisbane final, leads Makarova

6-0 in their past meetings.

World number two and top seed Simona Halep has drawn a bye for her opening round but could face two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka in the second round.

Spain’s Garbine Muguruza is the second seed. After a first-round bye she will face either American Varvara Lepchenko or Slovakian Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.

The women’s field boasts nine of the world’s top 20 as well as former world number ones Azarenka and Jelena Jankovic.

In the men’s draw, Australian wildcard Ben Mitchell or a qualifier are in line to become Roger Federer’s first opponent in 2016.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Carlos eyes PH Am Open golf repeat

Jobim Carlos will be facing a crack field in the coming 72-hole championship.

Pacman not retiring soon

By Eddie Alinea

FILIPINO boxing great Manny Pacquiao won’t be retiring soon.

Pacquiao, in fact, will be fighting one more time when he takes on reigning World Boxing Organization welterweight belt-owner Timothy Bradley for the third time in four years on April 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The Filipino boxing icon has also expressed his wish for a rematch with Floyd Mayweather, who recently announced his retirement after compiling a perfect 49-0 record.

“I have been very vocal about it (fighting Mayweather), even before the Bradley fight was made official on New Year’s eve. The reason is simple, I want to end

my 21-year boxing career with a big bang,” said Pacquiao when interviewed over the phone yesterday.

“And what would be the biggest fight to end a career than fighting the best and finest boxer at least in this era?” he added.

“We could have given that last May when we faced each other, but due to unavoidable circumstances, sports fans failed to get the results they wanted,” said Pacquiao, who is running for a Senate season in the May elections.

“Not that Floyd’s legacy and mine can still be questioned, but wouldn’t it be more colorful and meaningful closing our

respective careers on higher notes at the same time putting an end, too, on the business we started but we were unable to finish?”

Pacquiao said his team selected Bradley as his next opponent following his loss to Mayweather, saying the WBO 147-pound champion, the erstwhile unbeaten American, known as the “Desert Storm,” is one of the best welterweights there is in the world.

Besides, unlike junior welterweight titleholder Terence “Bud” Crawford, Briton Amir Khan and up-and-coming Adrien Broner, Bradley, who beat him via a questionable split decision in June 2012, a loss which he avenged via an overwhelming unanimous verdict two years later, has already proven his worth as a PPV attraction.

The “Fighter of the Decade”

honoree of the Boxing Writers Association of America added Bradley’s 9th-round stoppage of Brandon Rios last year also did it for the Californian fighter.

Pacquiao only managed a unanimous decision triumph over Rios two years ago.

“So contrary to what some sectors believe, the choice of Bradley was not based solely on a business standpoint,” he explained. “There were many factors our team considered.”

“And the most important, of course, was what fight can give fans the enjoyment and excitement they expect, which, actually is my primary criteria in choosing an opponent,” Pacquiao pointed out. “Many, indeed, seemed dissatisfied with the choice, but what I can assure everybody is we made that decision having the interest of the boxing public in mind.”

JOBIM Carlos hopes to cap a remarkable amateur career with another victory in the country’s premier golf championship—the Philippine Amateur (Stroke Play) Open which unwraps Jan. 5 at the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club’s Aoki course in Gen. Trias, Cavite.

Carlos outgunned Rupert Zaragosa in a thrilling backside duel to capture the crown last year with the former University of San Francisco standout going all-out for a repeat and the needed boost to his much-awaited pro campaign starting February.

The ace shotmaker was actually set to join the pro ranks last year, even topping the Philippine Golf Tour Qualifying School but decided to stay as an amateur and further hone up for the grueling campaign in the big league.

He made the grade again in last month’s PGT Q-School and teamed up with Inigo Raymundo to pocket the NGAP National Doubles Amateur crown at Aguinaldo last week.

But Carlos will be facing a crack field in the upcoming 72-hole championship serving as the kickoff leg of this year’s PLDT Group National Amateur Golf Tour and sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation, Smart, PLDT and Metro Pacific Investment Corp. with Zaragosa and 2014 winner LJ Go leading the local challenge.

Koreans Jun Jhon, Nam Kyung Woo, Lee Geon, Lim Soo Min and Kang Dong Guk, on the other hand, banner the equally strong foreign cast that also includes Tom Ferguson of the US, Leon Philip D’Souza of Hong Kong, Singapore’s Timothy Russell, Toshinori Iwasaki of Japan and Cameron Imber.

Other local aces joining the event organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines and hosted by Eagle Ridge GCC are Jelbert Gamolo, Carlo Gatmaytan, Jama Reyes, Wei Wei Gao, Weiyu Gao, Migs Guerrero, Rocky Brobio, Bong Brobio, Jolo Magcalayo, GH Katigbak, Aidric Chan, Ira Alido Ivan Monsalve, Ryan Monsalve and Raymundo.

A learning experience INSIDE SPORTS RONNIE NATHANIELSZ

THE hugely controversial ending to the knockout game in which Global Port beat crowd favorites Ginebra San Miguel 84-83 in overtime has resulted in the suspension of lead referee Edward Aquino and Rommel Gruta for the rest of the Philippine Cup. It was a terrible mistake

by Gruta, which isn’t the first time he has blundered. We recall that former Commissioner Chito Salud had also suspended him in the past, which suggests that perhaps he

should be sent back to the Referees Academy; if there is one that is functioning right now, and not allowed to officiate for perhaps six months.

We must concede that the stepping non-call was not that easy to judge even in the television replays and there should be some measure of consideration in the case of Aquino.

However, while attending the wake for the brilliant American coach Ron Jacobs the other day, we had a chance to exchange views with some coaches and players, whose observations were valid.

One common comment that struck us was that they considered Aquino

as arrogant and abrasive and someone who simply brushed them aside when they dared to seek clarification of a call or noncall.

This should not be tolerated and the sooner Commissioner Chito Narvasa acts on this, the better.

The suspension of Gruta and Aquino has drawn a lot of adverse comments from fans, mostly from Ginebra diehards which is to be expected.

After all, they are the fans who keep the cash registers clicking and have an inherent right to expect fairness in officiating although we must concede that the referees are also human and

prone to make mistakes just like players and coaches. But since they can affect the outcome of a game, especially a crucial knockout game, they need to be far more careful.

Problem is, Ginebra is known to have comeback from huge deficits by converting unbelievable baskets and the fans are not to blame if they believed that with 2.2 seconds left on the shot clock, Tenorio, Sol Mercado or even a Japeth Aguilar who had a miserable game, could have pulled off a minor miracle as they have done in the past.

To be fair, while we have been Ginebra fans all our

life, we must concede that GlobalPort deserved their victory, which was anchored on the heroics of Stanley Pringle and Terrence Romeo and the great supporting roles played by Jay Washington and two Ginebra discards, Joseph Yeo and Billy Mamaril.

We also must congratulate coach Pido Jarencio, a former Ginebra standout who did an excellent job shuffling his players and bringing the best out of them, unlike multi-titled coach Tim Cone who was let down rather badly by key players such as Japeth Aguilar, who got into early foul trouble and was hardly a factor especially in defense.

LA Tenorio, Greg Slaughter and Sol Mercado played their hearts but in the end, the key players of Global Port -- Pringle and Romeo showed bigger hearts and demonstrated the never-say-die spirit that has long come to be associated with Ginebra.

While all of us Ginebra fans are pained by the loss, we must be magnanimous in applauding GlobalPort for their pulsating victory and be man enough to concede they deserved to win.

Ginebra players must learn from this painful setback and resolve, stronger than ever before, to comeback in the next conference and to remember they owe this to their faithful fans.

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JOEL D. L ACSAMANA EDITOR jdlacsamana@gmail.com

PROPERTY condo pRojects to die FoR in 2016

a

s the local real estate scene continues its bullish ways, developers are going full throttle to complete projects to match predicted demand.

Here are a few of the condo developments that some of the country’s biggest property brands are working on, or will launch this year. san antonio Residences (megawoRld coRpoRation) This year, Megaworld added a 20th tower to their portfolio of properties in Makati when they launched San Antonio Residences, on Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue. The 40-story tower will have amenities such as open areas, swimming pools, dance studio, and a street fitness park. To be composed of 848 units, San Antonio Residences is slated for completion in 2020, and is predicted to generate sales of Php2.1 billion.

studio 7 (Filinvest land) Filinvest Land’s desire to tap the millennial market led to the launch of Studio 7, a condo development in Quezon City that will cater to the needs of young professionals. Aside from offering a total of 459 residential units, the 17-story condo will also host workplace and commercial components in the form of an office tower and Studio 7 Mall, a commercial center with a supermarket, bistros, and cafes, among others.

a bubble, you say? Condo’s reaching for the sky in 2016 include (clockwise from top left) : The Alcoves by Ayala Land; Shang Salcedo by Shang Properties; Studio 7 by Filinvest Land; San Antonio Residences by Megaworld; Vista Suarez Cebu by Vista Land; and Trump Tower Manila by Century Properties.

the alcoves (ayala land pRemieR) Ayala Land Premier took into account the flow of Japanese tourists into Cebu when they conceptualized their latest development, The Alcoves, in Ayala Center Cebu.

Consisting of 480 residential units at a minimum of 50 square meters each, the 39-story development offers seven residential concepts in-

cluding a Zen theme for one-bedroom units. The mixed-use tower is expected to be completed in 2020. vista suaRez cebu (vista Residences, inc.)

Vista Suarez Cebu is a 32-story development to be built by Vista Residences, Inc. in Metro Cebu.

Designed as a hotel and residence, the development will house a hotel from the sixth to the 14th floor.

The condotel units will be located from the 15th to the 28th floors.

The remaining four floors at the top of the tower will contain residential studios, as well as oneand two-bedroom flats.

tRump toweR manila (centuRy pRopeRties) With the continuous construction of Century Property’s Trump Tower, the brand’s luxury residential condo seems to be right on track for its targeted completion in December 2016. Composed of over 250 luxury units, the 56-story tower located in Makati City is the first Trump-branded condo in Southeast Asia. To imbibe the style of New York’s uptown aesthetic, units will have themed designs ranging from the uniquely sophisticated Downtown to the classic and timeless Park Avenue to Fifth Avenue’s glamour.

shang salcedo place (shang pRopeRties) As the second luxury condo dwelling in Makati under Shang Properties, Shang Salcedo Place is said to possess the brand’s level of craftsmanship and design, initially displayed in Legaspi Village’s Shang Grand Tower. Shang Salcedo Place is a 67-storey tower at the convergence of Gil Puyat Avenue, Tordesillas Street, and H.V. Dela Costa Street. Once opened in 2016, the condo will have 749 units, as well as amenities like a ballroom, a gym with sauna, multi-purpose game rooms and swimming pools.

Green buildinGs to shape office market future?

build them stRong. Property developer Suntrust Properties, Inc. recently partnered with James Hardie to deliver affordable, adaptive housing in master-planned communities such as the Adriatico Gardens in Malate, Capitol Plaza in Quezon City, and Treetop Villas in Mandaluyong. Suntrust also helped spruce up Sherwood Hills Golf and Country Club, and the Sherwood Hills’ Riva Bella Residential Estates.

Suntrust actually began using HardieFlex® fiber cement products, which matched the property developer’s requirements, more than 10 years ago. Suntrust observed that HardieFlex® building composites were sturdier compared to other construction materials such as plywood.

Suntrust and HardieFlex® are currently involved in the expansion of Suntrust Ecotown, a 200-hectare project in Tanza, Cavite, which is billed as a future lifestyle and commerce hub. Shown in photo is Isaias “Sonny” Berdin, Jr., VP-operations, Suntrust Properties,

Local government agencies and business leaders are working hard to ensure that cities remain livable and sustainable as the Philippine economy gains momentum entering into 2016.

In Metro Manila, 22 buildings in Makati and Bonifacio Global City are either applying for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, or have been pre-certified as LEED, with over 75% of these green buildings located in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

KMC MAG group managing director Michael McCullough told The Standard that going green is a welcome trend.

“There are a lot of benefits to building or investing in green buildings, such as being able to provide a healthier workplace for employees and increasing savings and cost-efficiency,” said McCullough. “Green buildings use 25% less energy, allow organizations to save up to 19% on operational expenses, and have an average increase in return of investment of about 19.2%. These benefits make these buildings more attractive to multinational companies, which are increasingly looking for spaces that will reflect their own sustainability commitments.”

welcome tRend. KMC MAG’s McCullough (left) cited the importance of businesses taking action to reduce the impact of climate change

Redevelopment as a dRiveR Another development that will drive the future of the office market is redevelopment.

Redevelopment involves upgrading older buildings, which can help increase their asking prices, especially for buildings located in highdemand CBDs. McCullough stressed that beyond increasing investors in Metro Manila’s key central business districts, redevelopment can also be the key to spreading growth to other cities in the Philippines.

“We’ve seen in Manila that a push from the local government and support from both businesses and ordinary citizens can inject new life into a megacity,” McCullough said. “We hope that local government units would learn from the experience and start thinking about what they can do to revive old and forgotten areas, create new business districts, and encourage locals and foreigners to visit their part of the country.”

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TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR

BING PAREL

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

BERNADETTE LUNAS WRITER

life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

P OP CU LT U RE

LIFE

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MILLENNIALS SHARE THEIR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

BY BERNADETTE LUNAS

W

hat is it with the changing of the calendar that makes people suddenly promise to lose weight or save more money?

They say the reason could be the perceived “unlimited potential of the new year” or the feeling of “starting off with a clean slate.” New year, new you, right? So we keep making “New Year’s resolutions,” a list of things we should be doing and should be changing to become that one perfect specimen worthy of the all the good things life has to offer – or maybe not perfect, but at least a better version of ourselves.

But sadly for most people, the items on their list only get carried over to next year, because the novelty fizzles fast by February or March.

A 2015 study by the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania reveals only eight percent of Americans who make New Year’s resolutions successfully achieve their goals.

Meanwhile, in 2014, finder.com.au found out that two in every three people don’t succeed with their New Year’s promises, with 80 percent failing in the first three months. These people failed because they set impossible goals (35 percent), didn’t keep track of their progress (33 percent), forgot about it (23 percent) and made too many resolutions (10 percent).

Despite these telling figures, many of us keep making a list before the clock strikes 12; optimistic that the new year brings with it innumerable possibilities. Then we fail, because a list is not like a guaranteed magical transformation; it’s hard work. We try again, and by determination we succeed. Then next year we aim higher.

Against other generations, Gen Y (aged 18-34) or the millennials

are said to be the most resolute, with 39 percent achieving success (according to University of Scranton). And 72 percent of them claim that sharing their goals on social media help them achieve and stick to their list (finder.com.au).

So we asked a few Filipino millennials to share their resolutions for 2016 and perhaps to hold them accountable for their list. According to several studies, millennials are more focused on career, relationships and saving money than younger and older generations.

Find out if this holds true for these students and young professionals.

never happens anyway, but rather to become a more responsible social media user. I noticed many people use these sites to simply share how beautiful they are or to check their ‘likers’ and ‘followers.’

I know it’s their account and it’s a free country, but who cares if you’re getting fat, if you have a pimple, or if you receive those fan signs? I vow I will not be the one I hate, I will make sure that whatever I post has sense.”

Joezel Samson, 23, graphic artist

Yesnaia Salazar, 19, student

“In 2016, I want to polish my study routine and set a schedule for my school and social life to help me transition smoothly for when I become a member of the working force.”

“2015 has been a great year for me. I was able to accomplish most of the items on my list – most of them mundane things I know I can achieve in a span of a year.

For 2016, what I have on my list are things that focus on selfimprovement: I want to be bold, to be more productive, to discover new skills and to be a risk-taker.”

Laureen Uy, 26, fashion blogger

“My New Year’s resolution would be to be more fit and healthy, and to give priority to exercise.”

Leo Balante, 27, marketing

writer/stylist/creative director “To be more balanced and to be more focused on what I want to achieve.”

Joba Botana, 27,

Clarence Manaois, 20, student

“My resolution will not be about improving my physical fitness or changing to a healthy diet, which

Karen Manuel, 24, accounting associate “My only New Year’s resolution is to master time management; to avoid being late in all circumstances.”

assistant PR manager “My resolutions would be: to be more thorough and diligent in all of my undertakings whether at work or in my personal life, to be able to help more and give back, to be more spiritual and at peace with myself whatever the circumstances are, to be more financially responsible, and to be able to adhere to a healthier lifestyle and to love myself more.”

Joseph Asong, 30, PR manager

“Being a highly-driven millennial, my New Year’s resolutions would be to build more projects and campaigns that will allow me to travel and meet different people, to take more long travels – in places where most people wouldn’t even dare go to – as opposed to short ones to create experiences that are worth remembering, to have bigger savings, to spend more things that really matter: new adventures, health and social life, and to buy more shoes and clothes that would allow me to be more comfortable and will definitely boost my confidence.

Arnel Vasquez, 32, media relations manager “They say millennials are too passionate and dedicated at work, but I believe that while you’re working to achieve your goals in your career, millennials should never forget to give themselves time to rest and do something that makes them truly happy. So my New Year’s resolutions would be to have more time for myself and for my family.”

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

#COFFEEWITHKAI

BY KAI MAGSANOC

FROM GOOD TO BAD AND BACK TO GOOD

When your dream is crushed by people who do not believe, do you give up?

“If you meet someone whose soul is not aligned with yours, send them love and move along.”

– Wayne Dyer

I

@LIFEatStandard

can only remember two years in my life when I felt like I was drowning in hopelessness and I had lost all strength to swim, wanting to give up: in 2002, when I became a jobless young mom; and in 2015, when the global media organization I worked with closed shop in the Philippines, and my mom got diagnosed with cancer.

I wanted to continue the work I was doing in Lifestyle and Entertainment, and to continue conducting Project Makeover, a movement meant to help people start over with their lives while enabling Filipinos to help each other out. It was not easy but it was always worth it. I always believed in hope, faith, and in people’s goodness.

So I set out to establish Good Vibes PH, my very own Lifestyle website; a startup whose

tagline was “Good news. Good stories. Good people.” It was received with a lot of support not only from my peers and contemporaries, readers who’ve stayed and grown with me through the years, and brands who believed in my integrity.

But behind the good vibes was a lot of bad vibes. I did my best to mediate and fix the mess, but the parties involved were not willing to do their part – from something as basic as keeping their word, to something as necessary as giving and paying what was due, based on the commitment they willingly made in the beginning.

I also listened to a lot of empty promises from people whom I thought believed in my vision and were willing to help, because they would be in it for what they could give and not take.

But business is business, and I was always met with: “What do I get out of it?”

After months of trying, hours of meetings, and making business model presentations that gave me sleepless nights, I realized I was

barking up the wrong tree. I was reminded of something a light worker told me once: when you are on the wrong path, no matter how far you go, it’s still the wrong path.

I decided to pause. We had lost funding from the party who promised three years of support.

That party also decided to drop us without warning, so when you visit www.goodvibes. ph, you will see that the site is down.

But am I stopping? Hell, no.

Last December 4 at The Standard 2015 Visionary Awards, I came early and was content to stand at a corner and quietly give support to my colleagues at The Standard.

I am not a religious person although I once pursued the religious life, but I am spiritual, and I believe that God lives in all of us. I believe that God speaks to me through you, and I always take kind words to heart.

That night, several people approached me and asked about Good Vibes PH, and told me not to give up. I could never forget New World Manila Bay Hotel’s Romina Gervacio (with whom I’ve had limited face time in all the years I have been a Lifestyle journalist),

who pulled me aside and told me sincerely: “You have a name. You have credibility. You are just going through a deep bump, but don’t stop. We are here to support.”

Those words came at a point when my mind was almost made up to let Good Vibes PH go, and I remember giving Romina a tight hug with a promise to visit her soon.

It is 2016, the start of a new year, and another chance to take care of ourselves better and make our dreams come true.

We are still reeling from our win at Miss Universe 2015, when Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach was given the crown. I watched the live telecast, and could not help but be brought back to 2013, when I watched Miss Universe beside Pia. She was then Bb. Pilipinas 1st Runner-Up. In 2014, she joined again, and was among the Top 15.

Did she receive even a sash? No. Did that stop her? No. In 2015, Pia joined Binibining Pilipinas a third time, much to the exasperation of pessimists who deemed her “too old” and “too desperate.” But Pia, without chagrin, kept her eye on the goal. And in a sea of 80 beautiful women from around the world, the Filipina from Cagayan de Oro stood out, “confidently beautiful with a heart.”

Pia inspires me. My entrepreneur friends inspire me. My friends who are strong enough to follow their heart inspire me. My friends who go against odds inspire me.

To those who did not believe in me and Good Vibes PH, I am sending love to you.

Thank you for making me fail forward. I am moving on. We’ll be back online soon.

Follow Kai on Facebook, and on Twitter @kaimagsanoc.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

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THE HOPE THAT THE NEW YEAR BRINGS THE GIST

BY ED BIADO

A

fter Christmas and until about a week into January, the words “Happy New Year” are still said over and over again as a form of greeting. We wish everyone a happy New Year by habit. But do we really mean it? And we do we really even know what it means and why we’re saying it?

Come to think of it, New Year’s Day is just another day. It’s simply the circling back of the calendar to the start. However, being creatures guided by measurements and bound by time, the significance of the beginning and end of a cycle and time periods is deeply entrenched in us.

As a religion-based cultural concept, we think of the New Year as a time of rebirth. “Because the Winter Solstice is the turning point of the year, beginning the lengthening of days, it has long been viewed as the birth of the year – by pagans celebrating the return of the Sun, and by Christians welcoming the birth of the Son of God,” explains beliefnet.com.

While we don’t actually experience rebirth, we would

like to believe that we do, at least symbolically. There’s a sense of renewed hope as people everywhere usher in the New Year with celebrations and resolutions, as if it’s another chance to make things right, to better oneself, to make amends, to pursue one’s goals, and to keep moving forward. We wish one another prosperity and joy because those are the very things that we want ourselves. But why are these well wishes expressed at the beginning of the year?

Just like when starting or restarting a video game, we look at the New Year as an opportunity to correct past mistakes. While every day is a learning experience and waking up the next day comes with the potential to unlock your personal greatness, it doesn’t feel as massive as the New Year. And therefore, not as motivating and inspiring.

The New Year is grander as it seems like all of us – the entire human race – are making things right, bettering ourselves, making amends, pursuing goals, and moving forward. Or at least, we’re all planning to do so. Counting down to 12 midnight on New Year’s Eve is highly symbolic because we see that moment in time as the closing of a chapter and the opening of another.

Because we are innately sentimental, the New Year is also when we look back at the highlights of the year that was. It’s an emotionally bittersweet time for a lot of people because it brings

back memories, both good and bad, and points during the year, both high and low. This is especially true when thinking about how to improve ourselves and our lives because it involves some level of introspection and takes us back to specific moments that we weren’t at our best. The New Year is personal as much as it is shared with the rest of the world.

So even if the phrase “Happy New Year” feels like empty meaningless words sometimes, we do actually need to say and hear it for reasons stated in the previous

paragraph. It’s the repeated utterance of it for perhaps two full weeks that in a way keeps the words “happy” and “new” embedded in our heads. And we can’t help but be reminded to be happy because we’re all part of something new – a concept that we associate with renewal, second chances, opportunities, do-overs and the possibility to achieve great things.

It’s our way of congratulating one another for making it through the ups and downs of another 365 days of life and encouraging one another

to strap up for the ride that is the next 365. It’s the palpable positive energy being exchanged that gives us hope and empowerment – that hey, we might actually be able to accomplish something here. And with all inspirational and inspiring people and things surrounding us during this time, we just might.

This is why it is with extreme hopefulness that I wish all of you a happy and exceedingly fruitful New Year. Cheers!

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @EdBiado

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS OFFICIAL MOVIE SPECIAL OUT NOW FROM SUMMIT BOOKS Have you seen the movie yet? Almost everyone’s gone crazy wild about the Star Wars: The Force Awakens movie and almost every company and brand piggybacked on the craze. Another added collectible for those Star Wars fanatic is the recent magazine release from Summit Books, Star Wars: The Force Awakens Official Movie Special Special.

It contains all the things you need to know about the latest episode in the cult space saga created by George Lucas. The magazine features interviews with the movie’s cast and crew, character profiles, behind-thescenes peeks, and it also includes

never-before-seen features of the film.

This magazine is a perfect companion for the geeky Star Wars fan, or a good insider for those just getting to know about the saga as it keeps the reader up to speed on what has transpired in the galaxy in the past three decades since 1983’s Return of the Jedi.

Get to know how the actors felt while portraying characters in the movie and get an insider’s view on fan favorites like Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), and Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), as well as a Q&A with longtime Star Wars writer Lawrence Kasdan, where the veteran

shares what it was like working with celebrated director J.J. Abrams.

The magazine also added a bonus character and concept art poster collectibles, a must-have for the Star Wars: The Force Awakens fan.

Summit Books’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens Official Movie Special magazine is now available in bookstores and on newsstands nationwide for only P175. For updates and more information, like Summit Books on Facebook via www.facebook.com/ SummitBooks and follow on Instagram via @summit.books.

THE STAR WARS SAGA MAKES A BIG COMEBACK AT TOY KINGDOM The widely anticipated continuation of the much loved space saga made a big comeback during the holidays, capturing the hearts of many generations of fans.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a continuation of a saga set 30 years following the Return of the Jedi. After defeating the Galactic Empire, Han Solo and his allies face new evil forces including Kylo Ren with his army of Stormtroopers and Captain Phasma of the First Order.

This time, a new set of heroes join them, such as starfighter pilot Poe Dameron; Finn, a Blaster wielding former First Order Stormtrooper who has an attack of conscience and leaves; Rey, a scavenger; and a lovable rolling droid known as BB-8.

From the big screen, the Force is brought to life in a galactic showcase of the most amazing toys found at Toy Kingdom and SM City North Edsa. Fans will surely want to collect all Star Wars: The Force Awakens toys available at Toy Kingdom such as an exciting selection of Galactic droids, action figures, battle vehicles, epic lightsabers, interactive gears, art kits, metal earth puzzles and more.

SM City North EDSA has transformed The Annex to a Star Wars Universe with a huge showcase of Interactive Star Wars Display and Collector’s Exhibit ongoing until January 10. Visitors can also have their photos taken at the life-size replica of the TIE fighter jet from the Star Wars movie, or play the Star Wars Augmented Reality at the Annex Cyberzone 4th Floor.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens RC Lead Hero Droid. Interactive remote controlled BB-8 figure that rolls in any direction and makes expressive droid sounds Choose your destiny and play The Star Wars Augmented Reality game at the Annex Cyberzone 4th Floor

Bop It R2-D2. Twist it, pull it, and take the game out of this galaxy with this R2-D2 version of the classic Bop It game The Force Awakens at The Annex with a huge showcase of an Interactive Star Wars Display and Collector’s Exhibit

Star Wars Stormtrooper Art case.

Double-sided Star Wars art case with over 45 pieces cool art pieces

Classic metal sheet puzzles in five models: Imperial Star Destroyer, R2-D2, Darth Vader TIE Fighter, X-Wing, and Millennium Falcon

A life-size replica of the TIE fighter jet from the Star Wars movie

Star Wars: The Force Awakens pop up tent for galactic inspired outdoor adventure

Sound like Darth Vader with this interactive voice changer helmet that has a voice changer button and mechanical breathing sounds

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Hero Series DLX assorted 12-inch figures with accessories

6-inch Star Wars Hero Mashers Deluxe assorted figures.

Star Wars Stormtrooper Tin and Crayon Box; includes set of 64 crayons with own Star Warsthemed flip-top box

SAT URDAY : JA NUA RY 2, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

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Dream big at Sm

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all rats were able to “Dream Big This Christmas” as SM’s North Metro MallsSM City Fairview, SM City Novaliches, SM City Valenzuela and SM Center Sangandaan – delighted them with magical centerpieces and fun events for all ages.

SM City Fairview treated kids and kids at heart to a holiday with Snoopy and Friends. Charles B. Shultze’s beloved characters - Snoopy, Woodstock, Charlie Brown, Lucy, Frankie and the rest of the gang – whose iconic images were in the event area. They even had photos with them just like celebrity couple Richard Gutierrez and Sarah Lahbati and baby Zion did.

The mallers didn’t have to wait till midnight and wear those magical glass slippers just to see this magnificently stunning carriage.

SM City Novaliches’ Giant Magical Carriage was painted with gold and surrounded with colorful Christmas trees that add up to its storybook magic. The little ones became princes and princesses for a day and experienced magical holidays only at SM City Novaliches.

All was sweet at Colors so bright SM City Valenzuela with its Giant Candy House filled with delicious waffles, candies, marshmallows and truffles. During the launch, kids enjoyed magical shows and were treated with surprise gifts from Santa. Friends and families celebrated this season with extra sweetness and extra happiness Filipinos love giving and receiving gifts, and at SM Center Sangandaan, these came in big packages at its the Giant Christmas Tree, giving mall visitors more reason to Dream Big This Christmas at SM’s North Metro Malls.

Nikki Gil was the host of SM Fairview’s Dream Big Christmas Launch This magical golden carriage at SM City Novaliches

Snoopy and Charlie Brown with Richard Gutierrez, Sarah Lahbati, and Baby Zion at SM City Fairview.

Holiday magic. A kid from the audience helps the magician cast his spell at SM City Valenzuela.

Giant gift boxes at SM Center Sangandaan highlight the season of giving.

Gateway Dolby at Mos CineMa launCheD with star wars

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(L-R) Gateway Mall cinema manager Eugene Ong, Araneta Group management consultant J. Rowell Recinto and Uniprom OIC-COO Irene Jose

Niño Muhlach with Alonzo and Alessandro Muhlach

Champ Lui Pio

Gateway Dolby Atmos Cinema

he Gateway Dolby Atmos Cinema, the biggest Dolby Atmos cinema in the country, formally opened with the most anticipated movie of the year, Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

The launch attracted celebritiess and media personalities.

Child actor Alonzo Muhlach was spotted at the event accompanied by his father, Niño Muhlach, and brother Alessandro. The Muhlachs gamely posed for the cameras alongside the Stormtroopers before their movie-bonding time.

Hale vocalist Champ Lui Pio also came and later tweeted his breathtaking experience with, “That was really really good!

STAR WARS is freakin awesome! #gatewayatmoscinema.”

The Gateway Dolby Atmos Cinema features a revolutionary audio platform that creates powerful, moving audio. Compared to regular theatres, GatewayDolby Atmos Cinema has the most number of speakers with a 53.5 sound system (53

individual surround channels and 5 subwoofers). Each speaker is powered independently and with separate audio feed.

In effect, the movement of every sound in the scene is reproduced in three dimensions.

With sounds coming from all directions, audiences feel as if they are inside the film and in the middle of the action.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the seventh installment in the Star Wars film series, set around 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi. The sequel follows the adventures of new lead characters Finn (John Boyega), Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) as they join forces with Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) to fight Kylo Ren (Adam Driver).

Don’t miss the chance to have a 360-degree experience of the glorious Star Wars saga.

Catch Star Wars: The Force Awakens at the Gateway Dolby Atmos Cinema.

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

RiDE thE COOLESt Cab in tOWn anD Win CaSh PRiZES

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atch as lucky passengers in the city unwittingly ride the coolest cab in town and become instant game contestants.

Cash Cab Philippines premiered on Dec. 22 and continues to bring unexpected excitement to commuters.

Somewhere in the hustle and bustle of grueling city traffic, an unassuming white taxi roams the streets to pick a random passenger.

But instead of heading straight to the intended destination, the trip suddenly turns into a one of a kind ride as the passenger is asked a series of general trivia. Correct answers mean instant cash, while getting them wrong gets you thrown out back on the street.

Originally launched in the United States, this show has also invaded the roads of Vietnam, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Thailand, Taiwan, Sweden, Spain, Slovakia, Serbia, Poland, Netherlands, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Jamaica, Italy, Malaysia, Lithuania, Indonesia, India, Hungary, Greece, Egypt, Germany, Denmark, France, Czech Republic, Colombia, Chile, China, Austria, Canada, Brazil, Belgium, Australia and the Arab World.

Hosted by Ryan Agoncillo, Cash Cab Philippines airs new episodes starting Jan. 7, 9:15 p.m. on AXN. AXN is seen on SkyCableCh 49, Cable Link C 38, Cignal TV Ch 61, Destiny Cable Ch 61, Dream Ch 20, and GSAT Ch 51.

Ryan Agoncillo in Cash Cab

‘Art 2 Art’ kiCks off 2016 kenneth Cobonpue The radio talk show Art 2 Art opens 2016 with internationally acclaimed furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue as guest.

In the episode airing tomorrow, host Lisa Macuja interviews the multi-awarded Cebu native whose celebrity clientele includes Queen Sophia of Spain, Queen Rania of Jordan and Hollywood couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Cobonpue relates how he was inspired by his mother Betty’s example to also go into furniture design. Dubbed by Time magazine as “rattan’s first virtuoso,” he made headlines anew as creative director of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) welcome dinner in November last years with the set design and a special edition of his Yoda chair for 21 economic leaders.

Meanwhile, on Jan. 10, Art 2 Art welcomes Palanca Award winner

Art 2 Art host Lisa Macuja is joined by acclaimed furniture desinger Kenneth Cobonpue in the program’s first episode for 2016

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 46 47 50 51 52 54 57 58 61 62 63 64 65 66

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Stand for 6 Punch 9 Give a leg up 14 Oven setting 15 Fireman’s tool 16 Slacken off 17 Gotham City vehicle 19 Chorus platform 20 Ottoman official 21 Stein fillers 22 Actress — Davis

23 25 26 29 31 32 36 37 38 40 43 45

They give a hoot Cowboy gear Fell into disuse Sherpa’s sighting Votes in Eccentricity Mystique Coach Dye-yielding plant More jolly Long John Silver Music and dance

Wanders freely Karate moves Those against Beauty’s love Prolific auth.

Dangerous curve Math term Opera glasses Flashlight carrier “The Bells” poet Vows venue Garment flaws Puckster Bobby — Tectonics concern

DOWN 1 “Fernando” band 2 Crow 3 Modicum 4 Switch to low beams 5 “Xanadu” grp.

6 Jug and cooler 7 Linchpin locale 8 Comb producers 9 Good deal 10 Drama prizes 11 Camel halts 12 Good anagram for notes 13 Trillion, in combos 18 Loses hair

SATURDAY, JANUARY 2, 2016

23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 33 34 35 37 39 41 42 43 44 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 59 60

Muppet Grouch Underwater British inc.

Grassy field One who reunes Marquette’s title Letter ender Magazine execs Brings home the bacon Pantyhose woe Location Casino action Brown of renown Birds of prey W-2 collectors Lamp-plug part Auric’s creator Quit — yoga Wickerwork twig Apple gizmo Dry, as champagne Brand for Bowser Koh-i- — diamond Soul singer — James PDQ Like autumn leaves Velvety surface House wing

Multi-awarded writer Susan Lara reads her flash-fiction work, Ballet as Paradox, to prima ballerina and Art 2 Art host Lisa Macuja

Susan Lara who talks about the discipline of fiction writing. Also an educator, Lara received the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas para sa Katha sa Ingles from the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL in August, also last year.

Produced by the Manila Broadcasting Company, Art 2 Art is aired every Sunday, 3:30 to 4 p.m., on DZRH (666 khz on the AM band), on cable television via RHTV (Channel 18 on Cignal Cable) and online through DZRH Live Streaming.

SAT URDAY : JA NUA RY 2, 2016

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

anabelle raMa now an author

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on’t raise your eyebrows, folks, if you see a book in your favorite bookstores with Annabelle Rama as the author.

Yes, the feisty mother of movie/TV celebrities Ruffa, Richard and Raymond Gutierrrez has spread her wings wider by going into book writing.

Last year, on Dec. 15, her book was launched. It is called Day, Hard (read it like Die Hard, she’s Cebuana, you know) (Lakas ng Loob, Kapal ng Mukha).

The book, she says, is candid, frank and no holds barred, but in truth she also withheld certain juicy gossips as she doesn’t want to end up in court, again.

She said it took her a year to compile everything she knows, being a media personality herself, a talent manager, and one time politician.

So, she said, she hoped readers would find wisdom in her book. It talks a lot about herself, too, her love, work and how she handles money.

Apart from answering questions about love, like the oft asked love at first sight and long distance relationships, Rama also delves into techniques in enticing a prospective partner using gayuma. Also she gives tips in how to tear a rival’s hair.

Day, Hard also deals with career and family aspects.

The book also has amusing drawings and activities to entertain the readers. If you’re not a fan of the Gutierrez family, you may find the book a piece of amusement. But for the fans, the book gives them an opportunity to know more Annabelle Rama through her anecdotes, like when her father shaved her head when she went home the day after. And the book will also tell you why “Please Release Me” is Eddie’s theme song for her.

ABS-CBN Publishing has added to the list of celebrity books Day, Hard!

Annabelle joins bestselling authors Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, Alex Gonzaga, Georgina Wilson, Solenn Heussaff and Ramon Bautista.

Day, Hard! is available at National Book Store and Powerbook branches nationwide for P175.00 each.

HHHHH aDaMson naMes new heaD coach The Adamson Soaring Falcons recently announced multi-titled coach and seasoned basketball player Franz Pumaren as its new head coach.

Welcoming him to the Adamson community were outgoing university president and chair Fr. Greg Baňaga Jr., CM, Adamson University (AdU) Office for Athletics and Recreation director Fr. Aldrin Suan, and the AdU alumni sports executive group officials.

“We are putting our full trust in Franz,” said Fr. Bañaga Jr. “While we do not expect an instant transformation nor do we expect the Falcons to land as champions in one year, we are optimistic that he will build us back into a competitive team,” he said.

Adamson is drawing encouragement from the community, management and sponsors.

Akari, the country’s top lighting and technology brand, has been a strong supporter and sponsor of the Adamson Soaring Falcons for two years, including the women’s volleyball team. Their solid support to the university is part of the brand’s youth development and sports program.

Alvin Patrimonio, Asi Taulava, Jeron Teng and Kiefer Ravena are part of Akari’s roster of past and present brand ambassadors.

“Akari is committed to back up Adamson Soaring Falcons in its bid to be a consistent UAAP title contender,” shared Russell Balbacal, Akari Lighting and Technology sports director. “The appointment of Coach Pumaren will definitely pave the way for the Falcons’ dream of becoming legitimate challengers.”

Anabelle Rama

Coaches Jack Santiago and Renren Ritualo

AdU alumni sports executive group official Eva Dulay and coach Tonichi Yturri

From left: Akari Lighting and Technology Corp.

Sports director Russell Balbacal; Adamson Soaring Falcons head coach Franz Pumaren; and university president Fr. Gregorio L. Baňaga Jr., CM

Adamson coaching staff Don Allado and Mike Fermin

AdU office for Athletics and Recreation Director Fr. Aldrin Suan, CM; and Akari Lighting and Technology Corp. marketing manager Marian Gomez

2016 Year of the MonkeY coMMeMorative staMps The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) released two Year of the Monkey Commemorative Stamps in time to welcome the New Year in 2016.

The colorful Year of the Monkey commemorative stamps features two (2) designs, a close-up and another full image of the monkey measuring 4 cms x 3 cms which are now available in limited quantity at the Post Shop located at the Manila Central Post Office and post offices nationwide.

The close-up image of a monkey’s face is being sold for P10.00 each. PHLPost commissioned Amstar Security Printer to print 55,000 copies of this stamp.

Another 55,000 copies showing the full image of the monkey were also printed and are being sold at P30 each.

PhlPost also issued additional 5,000 copies of the souvenir sheet at P80.00 each for a large number of Filipino-Chinese philatelists and stamp-collectors who have been waiting for the release of this souvenir sheet.

The souvenir sheet contains both designs in blocks of four stamps to celebrate the coming New Year in the Chinese lunar calendar.

Monkey ranks ninth in the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac.

The “Monkey” individuals, according to Chinese tradition, are known to be cheerful and energetic by nature and usually represent flexibility.

People under the sign of the Monkey are wise, intelligent, confident, charismatic, loyal, inventive and have leadership.

When it comes to family, those who are born in the Year of the Monkey are said to be considerate and thoughtful.

For inquiries on the stamps, you may call 527-01-08 or 52701-32.

Taron Egerton and HughJackman in Eddie the Eagle

‘EddiE ThE EaglE’ TrailEr

Eddie The Eagle starring Hugh Jackman and Taron Egerton.

From the producers of the blockbuster action movie Kingsman: The Secret Service, the feelgood story of Eddie The Eagle is Eddie never gives up and likes about Michael “Eddie” Edwards to prove his detractors wrong. (Egerton), a courageous yet unSounds universally familiar? likely British ski-jumper who Just like the unbreakable focus never stopped believing in himself and determination of the re- – even as his family and the entire cently crowned Miss Universe nation initially counted him out.

2015, Philippines’ Pia Alonzo Persistently trying to perfect Wurtzbach comes an inspiring his skill with the help of a restory based on true events in bellious and charismatic coach,

portrayed by Hugh Jackman, Eddie eventually wins the hearts of sports fans round the globe when he performed a historic feat at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. A loveable underdog with a never-say-die attitude will rise in “Eddie The Eagle” when it opens in cinemas this April 2016.

From 20th Century Fox, check out “Eddie The Eagle” trailers here: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=622lX4lXDKs , https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=9tqn5XBax5g

SAT URDAY : JA NUA RY 2, 2016

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

Joshua Garcia

Dominic Ochoa and Assunta De Rossi

Assunta De Rossi, Izzy Canillo, and Rhed Bustamante

Joshua GarCia in his first ‘mmK’ episode ISAH V. RED Rising Kapamilya teen actor Joshua Garcia portrays a caring son who would do everything for his family in his first Maalaala Mo Kaya (MMK) episode tonight.

Pablo (Joshua Garcia) considers himself lucky for having a happy home with two loving parents, Benjamin (Dominic Ochoa) and Rita (Assunta de Rossi). All is well until Simon, a stranger who has nowhere to go, comes and finds shelter in their home.

With Simon living with them, Pablo starts to notice strange things happening in their home, including

Rita treating her husband critically.

One night, Benjamin is found dead, and through a Manobo ritual, they find out that Simon is behind Benjamin’s death. They soon discover cult items in Simon’s belongings that Pablo’s relatives say Simon used to put Rita under a love spell.

How will Pablo save his family from falling apart? Can Pablo still make her mother forget Simon?

Joining the cast are Izzy Canillo, Devon Seron, Celine Lim, Kyline Alcantara, Rhed Bustamante, Gerald Pesigan, Gerard Pizzaras, and Dianne Medina. It is under the direction of Raz Dela Torre and written by Benson Logronio.

MMK is led by business unit head Malou N. Santos.

The longest-running drama anthology in Asia airs Saturdays on

ABS-CBN. For more updates, log on to MMK.abs-cbn.com, follow @ MMKOfficial on Twitter, and “like” Facebook.com/MMKOfficial. Tweet thoughts about tonight’s episode by using the hashtag #MMKTheGuest.

Meanwhile, viewers may also catch up on full episodes and past episodes of MMK through ABS-CBNmobile.

For more information, please go to www.abscbnmobile.com.

HHHHH Cardo faCes new enemies Cardo (Coco Martin) welcomes the New Year with a bang as he faces new enemies and continues his search for Demetrio (Ronaldo Valdez), the syndicate’s leader, in FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano.

Now that Isabel is (Maricar

Reyes) in jail, the group of Raymond (Joem Bascon), Brad (Polo Ravales), and Jenna (Hanna Ledesma) take over their syndicate’s operations.

Having a target house to rob, they put their plans to work by alluring the household help and securing her trust.

Can Cardo stop them in making their plans happen or will they outsmart him with Demetrio’s help?

Don’t miss the action-packed scenes in FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, weeknights on ABS-CBN. For more information about the program, visit the official social networking site of Dreamscape Entertainment Television at Facebook.com/DreamscapePH, Twitter.com/DreamscapePH, and Instagram.com/DreamscapePH.

Coco Martin

Joem Bascon