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VOL. XXIX  NO. 325  3 Sections 24 Pages P18  SUNDAY : JANUARY 3, 2016  www.thestandard.com.ph  editorial@thestandard.com.ph

JAPANESE EMPEROR TO VISIT WAR MEMORIALS

BISHOPS, BETS SEEK END TO DIRTY POLITICS By Vito Barcelo and Sara D. Fabunan

WITH only 128 days before the May 9 elections, independent presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe and vice presidential bet Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos called on their fellow candidates to abandon dirty politics and start to elevate the political discourse in the country. The two candidates made the appeal as three Catholic bishops renewed the call of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines for Filipino voters to free themselves from the past and stop voting for traditional politicians. “We’re all coming into 2016 with a clean slate. We can use this chance to elevate the level of discourse in the campaign. I think everyone will agree that Filipinos deserve no less from us,” Poe said. Poe recalled that she, Liberal Party standard bearer Mar Roxas and opposition bet Vice President Jejomar Binay all agreed to keep the campaign dignified when they gathered for a prayer service with Manila Archbishop Luis Cardinal Tagle in September. Next page

TROOPERS STRIKE BACK, KILL 6 BIFF By Francisco Tuyay GROUND troops on New Year’s Eve turned the tide of battle on the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, killing six of its members and wounding several others of the terror group that launched simultaneous attacks on different military installations in Central Mindanao. The attacks started during the New Year revelry with the BIFF rebels launching grenade and mortar attacks on three separate military installations in the towns of Datu Piang, Shariff Aguak, and Shariff Saydona Mustapha, all in Maguindanao province. Next page

SUNNY PROSPECTS. A view of the Makati skyline. The government remains positive that economic growth will hit a six percent, far more than analysts’ view that expansion will be limited to a range of 5.5 percent to 5.9 percent. JANSEN ROMERO

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AKIHITO TO VISIT WAR MEMORIALS

SHORTLY after saying Japan should remember its bitter lessons from World War II, Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will visit memorial sites for Filipino and Japanese war dead during their official visit starting Jan. 26, Japanese media reported Saturday. According to the Tokyo-based Yomiuri Shimbun, the imperial couple will offer flowers at the Libingan ng mga Bayani [National Heroes Cemetery] in Taguig City and at the Japanese Memorial Garden in Laguna where many of the 520,000 Japanese fatalities of the Second World War are buried. It will be the first time a reigning Japanese monarch will visit the country to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations and pay tribute to both Filipino and Japanese soldiers who died in the war. Akihito had already mentioned the loss of Filipino lives during a banquet for President Benigno Aquino III during his visit to Japan in June, saying: “This is something we Japanese must long remember with a profound sense of remorse.” Akihito again reiterated on his 82nd birth-

day last Dec. 23 that Japan should remember its bitter lessons from World War II. “The number of those who don’t know about the war is increasing year by year,” the emperor said in an interview with Japanese media on his birthday. “But I think for the sake of the future of Japan, it is extremely important to be fully aware of the war and deepen our thought.” The emperor’s thoughts were also echoed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as he promised on New Year’s Day he will keep his nation out of war following the introduction of contentious new security legislation. “Under the new legislation for peace and security, we will prevent war by taking all possible preparations for any circumstances,” Abe said in a New Year’s message. “We have successfully built a foundation

for handing down a peaceful Japan to the generations of our children and grandchildren.” In September, the Japanese parliament passed security bills opening the door for Japanese troops to engage in combat overseas for the first time since the end of World War II. The legislation was met with strong public resistance at home with tens of thousands taking part in street protests, while also fueling anger in China and on the Korean peninsula. During the five-day official visit, Akihito and Michiko will also meet with representatives of the Japanese-Filipino community, descendants of Japanese who moved to the Southeast Asian country from the early 20th century as well as those born of Filipino migrant workers in Japan. The itinerary has been arranged in consideration of the aging Imperial couple, with official events set for the second day and no plans for the final day. The schedule will be reported to the Cabinet early this month.

NEW YEAR ADDRESS. Japanese Emperor Akihito is accompanied by members of the imperial family during one of the two times in the year—the emperor’s birthday [Dec. 23] and Jan. 2—the imperial palace in Chiyoda in Tokyo is opened to the public. AFP

TROOPERS... From A1

The attacks forced thousand families to scamper for shelter in government evacuation centers to avoid being caught in the crossfire following the death of six farmers on Christmas eve on similar atrocities. Capt Jo-Ann Petinglay, public affairs office head of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said civilians in communities affected by the BIFF attacks reported that retreating rebels carried with them about five to six dead bodies and several wounded comrades. This brings to 129 the number of BIFF rebels who were killed after the military

repulsed their attacks on military posts this year, the highest of which was recorded in April 16 where 52 bandits were killed, among them Commander Hassan Indal and one alias “Tambako” who is reportedly a top lieutenant of Ustadz Ameril Umbra Kato, and three child soldiers. The renewed BIFF attacks happened after the terror group decided to lay low following the death of their leader Basit Usman who was killed by army pursuing troops in Maguindanao last September. The BIFF’s last-ditch effort to exact revenge against the military started when the rebels attacked a military detachment in Datu Piang where they fired an M203 grenade which exploded some 50 meters

away from the Kaungan Detachment of the Army’s Mechanized Infantry Company at about 6 p.m. At around 9:30 p.m., about 30 BIFF rebels attacked the Timbangan Detachment of the 34th IB in Barangay Timbangan, Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao but they were met by a barrage of gunfire by army troopers. After an hour-long cesssation of gunfire, the rebels resumed their attacks this time at the Linantangan Detachment of the 40th Infantry Battalion situated at Barangay Linantangan, Sharrif Syadona Mustapha, Maguindanao but there were no reported casualties on the government side. “The already prepared military forces immediately engaged the harassing lawless

BISHOPS... From A1 “I remember how Cardinal Tagle reminded us that being a leader means being of service, and that we should never forget that in all things, the leader should be the first to feel what the people are going through,” Poe said. In that September meeting, Tagle called on Filipino politicians to “raise the bar” in political campaigning while CBCP president and Dagupan-Lingayen Archbishop Socrates Villegas warned that a candidate who resorts to dirty politics “must be suspect.” “He may have nothing positive to offer, and he debases the level of political discourse by calling attention to the shortcomings of his rivals and competitors, rather than on the programs and projects he or she might have,” Villegas said. Poe said the ultimate goal of all candidates should be to uplift the lives of Filipinos and not their personal ambitions. “We all want the same thing for the country, which is ultimately, to uplift the lives of our fellow Filipinos. Let us not make this about personal ambitions because if we do, the tendency is to employ all means, even dirty tactics, to eliminate those who stand in the way,” Poe said. Marcos made the same appeal in a separate statement and urged candidates to make permanent the “ceasefire” from mud-slinging and character assassination that candidates observed during the Christmas season. “Well, we have done it,” Marcos said. “I can’t see any reason why it could not be done during the entire campaign period.” “The people are waiting to hear solutions to the lingering problems of the country and it should be given to them. It would be an insult to their intelligence if this is sidelined by nonsense quarrels,” Marcos added. Marcos urged a permanent end to trash-talk and encouraged candidates to focus on issues and express to the people their solutions to the problems of the country. “Now and during the campaign period, we candidates should present to the electorate discourses, speeches, and statements that are issue-based and in a dignified and decent manner,” Marcos said. The two politicians made the appeal as three bishops reiterated the CBCP appeal for voters to change Philippine politics and ignore traditional politics and its practitioners. “Vote candidates who are God fearing, nationalistic, humane, pro-life, just, and care for the environment,” said Marbel, Cotabato Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez, adding that Filipinos should vote for a leader who can unite the whole nation and can instill change. Balanga, Bataan Bishop Ruperto Santos hoped the coming election will be different this year. elements for an estimated 15-minute firefight, prompting the BIFF to withdraw and scamper towards different directions,” said Petinglay. On Christmas eve, the BIFF fired mortar shells at a military detachment in Datu Sangki, Maguindanao, but were repulsed by soldiers. As the BIFF rebels withdrew, the terror group chanced on civilian farmers and shot them mercilessly. Army Chief Lt. Gen. Eduardo Ano has earlier ordered an additional deployment of troops in Central Mindanao in anticipation of heightened BIFF attacks to protect civilian communities and strengthened the military’s defense against future assaults.

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New year ride. Health buffs take their bicycles for a spin around the Academic Oval of the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City on Saturday. JaNSeN rOMerO

REPURPOSE OIL RIG, GOVT TOLD By Vito Barcelo

A LAWMAKER proposed that the Malampaya natural gas rig platform in northwest Palawan be converted into a Philippine Navy outpost once the gas well dries up in the next few years. “The government should plan ahead and identify possible practical uses for the two massive oil rigs that will eventually be left in place once the supply runs out,” said party-list Rep. Arnel Ty said as China announced it would restructure its military. “The Malampaya gas wells are bound to dry up, be plugged and abandoned, along with the platforms,” Ty said. The Malampaya rigs are two large adjacent structures with facilities to extract natural gas and oil from undersea reservoirs. The platforms are built to withstand typhoons and earthquakes. One of the rigs can

house 60 workers and has a helipad. Once vacated, the rigs could be converted by the Philippine Navy into an outpost or a marine study center, Ty said. “The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources could also use the rigs for a marine research hub. Even the Bureau of Corrections can opt to transform the platforms into a high security prison,” Ty said. Besides its vast hydrocarbon deposits that could help assure the country’s long-term energy requirements, the West Philippine Sea is also home to 20 percent of the country’s fisheries catch, and serves as a breeding ground for high-value

aquatic resources, he said. Discovered in 1991, the Malampaya gas field began commercial production in 2002. The field’s gas is conveyed via a 504-kilometer, 24-inch pipeline to Batangas City, where the fuel drives three power plants with a combined 2,700 megawatts in full generating capacity. Located 80 kilometers off northwest Palawan, Malampaya has proven reserves of about 3.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, which is expected to last until 2024, depending on how aggressively the fuel is harvested. Based on geological surveys, the United States Energy Information Administration estimates that the West Philippine Sea may contain up to 55.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 5.4 billion barrels of oil, “with the bulk of the resources likely located in the contested Reed Bank at the northeast end of the Spratly Islands.” with aFP

PINOYS OVERSEAS MAY VOTE BY MAIL A TOTAL of 75,363 Filipinos overseas will be allowed to vote by mail during the May 9 elections in selected areas where there are authorized Philippine diplomatic posts and so long as the voter is registered in accordance with the rules, the Commission on Elections said Saturday. Voters in three regions will be allowed to vote by mail in Lisbon (European Region); Bangkok, Brunei, Chongqing, Dhaka, Dili, Guangzou, Islamabad, Jakarta, Macau, Manado, Meco Kaohsiung, Meco Taichung, Meco Taipei, New Delhi, Phnom Penh, Shanghai, Vientiane and Xiamen (Asia Pacific Region); Abuja, Amman, Cairo, Muscat, Nairobi, Pretoria and Tehran (Middle East and African Region). On the other hand, a total of 1.1 million voters for the Overseas Absentee Voting from 30 posts in regions such as North and Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East will adopt automated election system by using the Voter Counting Machines. The OAV voters will only be voting for the following positions, president, vice president, senators and a party-list group. The voting will start on April 9 until May 9 and the posts will be closed at 3 p.m. (Philippine Time). Counting of the votes will be conducted after the posts have closed. Earlier, the poll body issued guidelines that the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines must observe when manning the poll body’s checkpoints. PNa

STATUS OF POE’S CRITICS QUESTIONED A NOTED election lawyer has questioned the legal capacity of those asking the Commission on Elections to cancel the Certificate of Candidacy for president of Senator Grace Poe. Poll lawyer Romeo Macalintal said on Saturday that while former Senator Francisco Tatad, lawyer Estrella Elamparo and law school dean Antonio Contreras have the right to file the petition as registered voters, they are not really “partiesin-interest.” He said that Section 2, Rule 3 of the Rule of Court (which applies to

Comelec cases) defines a “real-party-in-interest” as one who “stands to be benefited or injured by the judgment in the suit, or the party entitled to the avails of the suit.” “Their legal interest to disqualify Poe is limited to asking the Comelec to deny or cancel her CoC. They have no legal capacity or personality to ask the Comelec to delete Poe’s name from the official ballots because such action is no longer legal but already in the realm of politics,” Macalintal argued. He said Comelec rules allows “any registered voter to file a veri-

fied petition to deny due course to or cancel the CoC for any elective office” but since the petitioners do stand to benefit or be injured, they cannot ask the poll body to delete her name from the ballot. “Their petitions will be tainted with politics if, at this stage of Poe’s cases, they would ask for the deletion of her name from the ballots, since their only legal right is to seek the cancellation or denial of Poe’s CoC which they had already attained at the Comelec level and waiting final ruling from the Supreme Court on Poe’s appeal,” the lawyer said.

Back tO wOrk. Linemen of the Manila Electric Co. start work Saturday on

restoring electricity to hundreds of homes that lost power because of the big fire that occurred in Tondo, Manila on New Year’s Eve. PNa PhOtO

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OPINION

AN ADVANCE FOR SOUTH KOREA AND JAPAN, AT LAST

[ EDI TORI A L ]

A TOKEN ADVOCACY

JAPANESE Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has finally said he’s sorry, and now comes the hard part: repairing his country’s relationship with South Korea. Japan’s reluctance to fully acknowledge its colonial and wartime crimes in Korea, where it forced local women to work in military brothels, has long been a source of deep acrimony between the two countries. With an agreement announced Monday, Japan will provide 1 billion yen ($8.3 million) to a fund for compensating victims. Both sides say that the issue is now resolved, and they have agreed not to raise it in forums such as the United Nations. Domestically, however, both Abe and South Korean President Park Geun-hye will have a lot of work to do to manage the backlash: Abe from Japan’s never-say-sorry right wing, and Park from South Koreans who think the deal is a sellout. Fueled by century-old grievances, outbursts from both sides have torpedoed previous attempts at reconciliation. A bitter territorial dispute over small islets in the Sea of Japan lingers. And for all the ties of tourism and trade, public sentiment in both countries is negative. To overcome those pitfalls, Japanese and Korean leaders must re-emphasize to their citizens the benefits of better ties. In addition to their economic and cultural relations, closer coordination can help on everything from improving disaster relief to leveraging their foreign aid. Better military and intelligence relations can help counter North Korea’s bursts of belligerence and its steadily developing arsenal. And a more united front can help both countries provide a counterbalance to the rise of China. The US, meanwhile, must perform a diplomatic balancing act in getting its two most important Asian allies to make nice. It can encourage and discourage as appropriate. And it can create opportunities for the two nations to work together more closely. One thing it shouldn’t try to do is mediate, which could increase the risks of misunderstanding. Neither an apology nor its acceptance can erase history. But they are often a prerequisite for a shared future, and that’s what Japan and South Korea need to focus on. Bloomberg

UPON the first sunrise of 2016, what greeted us was the volume of trash left strewn on the streets of Metro Manila after the New Year revelry. There were also various photos circulating online showing the mounds of garbage—boxes, leftover food items, pieces of paper, beverage bottles, cigarette butts, among others—that were left after the skies had cleared and the noise had died down. It is easy to attribute the resulting ugly, morning-after sight to the fact that it rained all throughout the celebrations, and that garbage collectors were not able to do their jobs efficiently and immediately because they were catching up on sleep after welcoming 2016. It would be a lame excuse. The past year saw Filipinos’ increasing awareness of the devastating consequences of climate change. Erratic climate patterns which give way to worse droughts and stronger, more frequent typhoons that brew over warmer oceans in turn result in disaster. To a population with varying degrees of preparedness, these disasters occasion great loss and upheaval. Along with the rest of the world, we rejoiced at the results of the climate change conference in Paris last month where nearly 200 nations signed a much-awaited, although imperfect, climate pact. Finally, countries of the world agreed that something had to be done, targets should be set and commitments have to be delivered if we want to save the future generations from the catastrophic effects of global warming. Many also keenly followed the encyclical of Pope Francis wherein he called the earth humanity’s common home and exhorted Catholics to care for the environment. And yet, the garbage. Being knowledgeable about disaster risk reduction and management and climate change adaptation amounts to nothing when not translated to concrete action in mundane things. Six years ago, we saw, after Ondoy, how trash clogs up waterways, contributing to the flooding that seemed to take everybody by surprise. It’s an embarrassment to wake up to the first day of the year and see how, despite our lofty pronouncements about the earth and our duty as stewards of it, we can be so rude and indifferent to the common streets we share with our neighbors.

CHARMED

ON NEW Year’s Eve as I was washing the dinner dishes, it dawned on me that this was the year I had perfected my skill at gratefulness for big and little things alike. The previous year, the four kids and I were living in a cramped, ill-ventilated threebedroom townhouse in Valenzuela City, which quickly be-

came isolated in the event of a storm or even just strong rain. There, I cannot even stay long in the kitchen because of the possibility of a rat, or a cockroach, springing up on me. The smell of the previous day’s viand also lingered and stuck on one’s clothes. I remember wishing for the ability to rent a place nearer the office and cut my commuting time in half. If it would not be too much, I added, I’d like plenty of wide windows and natural lighting. By the end of the year I was alternating between rinsing

Truly the best things in life cannot be documented or preserved. They can only be experienced.

plates and looking out the kitchen window above the sink, which gave me an unobstructed westward view of the metro, just when the fireworks were beginning. God must have taken note of the window request, too, because my room-cum-home-office facing the southeast affords me the sight of the distant skyline, and, on a clear day, mountains, when I open my eyes in the morning. Whereas we used to share our home with others, now the kids have their individual spaces which I always say reflect their personalities and priorities. The common areas, however, have to be fixed up as I wish. We’ve ditched the air-con-

ditioning and now paying the power distribution company is less...painful. I had finished the dishes and was now bringing out the ingredients for the media noche. In the boys’ room, my sons (19 and 13) were trying something for the first time: doing a bassand-violin jam of the popular song “What are you doing New Year’s Eve?” They get the music right—beautifully, I may add— until they miss a note and break out into laughter. How lucky one can be, I thought. My older boy was attending the UST Conservatory of Music; the younger one is in Grade 7 at the Philippine High School for the Arts. People pay to hear live entertainment on

such an evening; I was getting it for free. I felt the Universe was serenading me. The boys are examples of my mantra that one has to find one’s passion, one’s life work, to truly thrive. Some relative once said to them that their chosen fields would not make them wealthy or successful. I was livid on that one, retorting that I raised my children to define success not by the amount

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of money you have. Yes, money is important. As sole breadwinner, I am reminded of that every day. But beyond a certain level, when one is done providing for basic needs, there are worthier pursuits and larger causes to live for. This is why “living” and “existing” are two distinct words. Upstairs, my girls (21 and 15) were downloading two movies we’d agreed on watching while

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waiting for midnight: New Year’s Eve (Ashton Kutcher, Katherine Heigl) and Love, Actually (Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant). In 2015, these girls had their fair share of struggles as well. The older one had to have her gallbladder removed in an emergency operation in February. That episode eroded my savings, which was why I did not think I would be able to transfer homes in the summer anymore.

She quickly recovered, though, braved a breakup and found a job with an international NGO even as she has yet to get her literature degree this year. The younger girl, a student leader, learned this year that each decision has repercussions and tradeoffs. I let her stay on at her school in Caloocan because she did not want to leave her friends just yet. But the commute soon took its toll

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on her that she was always so tired upon getting home in the late afternoon, sometimes early evening. Her grades took a hit. And even without transferring schools, she lost some friends as well—good riddance, I must say—while retaining the ones that matter, even developing new bonds. That’s what friendship is. Over time, you take different paths but always come back together. Turn to A6

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ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

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OPINION

AN ADVANCE FOR SOUTH KOREA AND JAPAN, AT LAST

[ EDI TORI A L ]

A TOKEN ADVOCACY

CHARMED

Truly the best things in life cannot be documented or preserved. They can only be experienced.

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WORKING IN THE SHADOWS, PUTTING A SPOTLIGHT ON THE WORLD By Angelos Tzortzinis ATHENS—The picture that everyone talks about is that of the little girl I took on the island of Kos in August. When I took the photo, I knew right away that it would be a nice picture. I was on that beach with an idea of what I wanted to show—not hard scenes, but portraits of children, their first steps on European soil. Her face and her glance to me says courage and hope, it evokes different feelings each time you see it. When I see it, it fills me with courage, because I don’t think I would be capable of doing what these people are doing—leaving your country and risking your life. When I look at that child who has just crossed the sea, I ask myself why we complain every day about silly things. ‘Would love to find her’ I would love to find her. Unfortunately I didn’t take contact details of her parents. But I hope that since the photo has been widely published that it will be possible to find her. I guess she is in Germany. I’m curious to know her, to see how she is growing up, to know if she is well. For me, a photograph is not just a means of information, since everyone can find other means to inform themselves. It’s also a way of communicating with people. I don’t like taking shocking pictures. I don’t think that it’s the shocking pictures that change the world. Of course I take such pictures because it’s part of my job, but I think that the macabre has become almost a banal element of our lives. I am not looking to change the world, but to provoke feelings. I became a photographer by accident. I come from a modest family and grew up in Egaleo, a suburb of Athens. My father died when I was young and it was me, an older brother and a younger sister. After high school, I didn’t know what to do for work. I did odd jobs here and there. One day I talked about photography with a friend who was studying at the Leica Academy in Athens. I went to see him at the school and decided to enrol. I was 19 at the time. I enroled on a whim—I had never before touched a camera, I didn’t even know how to put the battery in!—but quickly became passionate about it. While in high school I was an average student at best, at the Leica school I got really good grades, only As and Bs. All of the sudden I found myself reading, studying, being interested in things.

I am reserved by nature and I think in photography I found an easier way to communicate with people, so I decided to do it for a living. When I graduated, I won an award, Greece’s young photographer of the year,

In October, I followed the migrants from Greece to Hungary. That time, I didn’t sell any photos, since most media were covering the same thing. But I don’t regret going, I did it more for myself, to photograph it and to have the experience of these people’s journey.

CHARMED... From A5 She sees this in my own friendships, which I have nurtured for 30, 20, 10 years now. Best to have a few gems rather than dozens of mere ornaments. As for me, I’ve stayed put, taken new challenges at my job and in other engagements, lost someone I thought was one of my best friends, cut barnacles loose, met new people, learned to apply makeup, discovered I can survive without househelp, and spent a lot of great (even not-so-great) moments with friends and family. There are things I wished I did more, like read more books or watch more movies, spend less time on Facebook, write the things I’d really like to write (those without a deadline) and become open to possibilities yet again. We have the rest of the year, and the rest of our lives, for that. At the stroke of 12, the five of us gathered around the upstairs window to film the fireworks displays from all fronts. After a few moments, however, I stopped trying and just put my phone down. Truly the best things in life cannot be documented or preserved. They can only be experienced. This is the year I turn 40. I am not waiting for my charmed life to begin. It already has.

Migrants arrive on Kos, August 2015. AFP

and the school did a show of my photographs. It was the first time in my life that I felt I did something well. The photos were an essay of an old man suffering from a serious illness. I chose to photograph him because I was struck by the fact that he chose to live his life as if he were not suffering at all. I didn’t work for a year after graduation and then got lucky and started working as a freelancer for AFP and Greek magazines. Over the years, I’ve also done work for other publications, including the New York Times. I have been a freelancer for 10 years. Up until now, I haven’t had a choice. But it gives me a certain kind of liberty. It obligates me to take risks, both financially and professionally. Although I have to say that I am always impressed by the ‘luxury’ afforded to staff photographers—their equipment is replaced as soon as there is a problem! Sometimes I go to cover something all alone, not on assignment. That’s what I did in May. When I saw on television the migrant corpses washing up on the shore, I decided to go to Kos. At the time, television channels were only devoting a few minutes of coverage to the topic, we didn’t realize how big this story would become.

I also went by myself to Georgia in 2009, to cover the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, the Arab Spring in Cairo in 2011, the war in Libya in 2011. For AFP, I’ve also gone on assignment to Turkey in 2013 and to Ukraine in 2014. ‘Are you sure?’ Time had already published two of my essays in recent years. One on the financial crisis, the second on migration. About a month before this year’s prize was announced, they called me to ask me a few details about my career. I thought they wanted a new photo essay and since they didn’t call back, I thought they’d forgotten about it. I didn’t realize at all that the phone call was linked to the prize, that I was one of the five finalists. And then at the end of November, Olivier Laurent, who is the editor of Time’s LightBox site, called me to tell me that I won the “Best Wire Photographer of the Year” award for 2015. At first I didn’t believe him. When he called I was at the Greek-Macedonian border, taking pictures of the migrants. The connection was really bad. He told me, “Congratulations, you are the photogra-

pher of the year!” I said “Are you sure? Are you sure?” I just didn’t believe it. Then a few minutes later, an email confirming the win arrived and I finally believed it. I couldn’t resist telling a few friends who were there. They hugged and congratulated me. I don’t think that winning a prize means that you’re a good photographer. Luck often contributes to the taking of a good photo. I think a good photographer is not only someone who takes nice pictures but someone who has a decent personality, since that’s reflected in the photos. The prize has given me a boost of hope and energy to continue my work. It’s also great motivation for freelancers, who have to struggle every day. Like them, I was discouraged many times, asking myself why I was risking so much money and time. The fact that a freelancer won such a prestigious prize in Greece will give other stringers hope and encouragement to continue. I’ve been asked to do a bunch of interviews over the past few weeks, especially on television, but I’ve refused them all. I want to show who I am by my photos, not by appearing on TV. I prefer to remain in the shadows as I work. AFP

THE EU PROVES IT’S HERE TO STAY By Leonid Bershidsky IN RECENT years, there hasn’t been much to like about the European Union, with its low growth, high unemployment, political squabbles, xenophobia, stifling bureaucracy and constant threats of a breakup. But 2015 may have been the year the EU pulled through the worst of its troubles: It has now been sufficiently stress-tested to survive anything. There were three types of trials: the viability of the euro zone, the survival of Schengen borderless travel area and the tension between member countries’ domestic politics and the union’s values. In each case, the edifice creaked but remained standing. Despite the shocks, the European economy is more or less back to pre-crisis levels, with employment rising and growth returning. The Euro: This year, the Euro Break-Up Index, calculated by Sentix, a German company that measures investor sentiment, rose to the highest levels since its 2012 inception. The probability of the currency union’s break-up looked very real in the spring and summer as Greece resisted attempts by northern European countries to force it into a managed bail-

out. Luminaries including the Nobel laureate Paul Krugman and Hans Werner Sinn, a German government adviser, favored a Greek exit from the euro. The Greeks, however, didn’t want to leave, and their firebrand government was forced to back down. The third Greek bailout is ugly, contentious and even outrageous to some both inside and outside Greece, but it reflects Greeks’ preference for keeping the common currency. That’s easy to understand: The euro lost just 10 percent of its value against the dollar, and its share in global foreign exchange reserves only dropped to 20.3 percent in the first three quarters of 2015, from 22 percent, according to IMF data. The Danish and Norwegian krones, the Australian, Canadian and New Zealand dollars all retreated more this year. Schengen: As refugees from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and other Middle Eastern war areas flooded into Europe, one of the united continent’s achievements, borderless travel, seemed in jeopardy. The United Nations estimates that about 1 million refugees arrived in 2015, and Germany alone took in almost that many. For January through November, the number of asylum applications in Germany

increased 132 percent from a year earlier. And yet the Schengen agreement, which allows travelers to avoid passport checks between European countries, has not been suspended. Mild border controls were introduced in some parts of Europe this year, but that was mainly a response to the bureaucratic overload that the refugee influx created and to appease fears fueled by the media. Europeans, according to the Eurobarometer survey, are highly unwilling to give up their freedom of travel: 78 percent support “the free movement of EU citizens who can live, work, study and do business anywhere in the EU.” No crisis response can be perfect, but Europe is dealing with the emergency well enough to make the dismantling of fundamental EU institutions such as Schengen unnecessary. Next year, the handling of further refugee flows—which will subside, anyway, if the peace process in Syria shows progress—will be much more orderly. Values vs. Politics: The refugee influx, however, has been a huge political test for the EU. So far, its older and stronger members have passed it with good grades. Eastern Europe has buckled, showing it was ready to accept the un-

ion’s economic benefits, such as billions of euros in farm subsidies, but not the humanitarian principles membership imposes. Xenophobic parties were dealt heavy blows. The only EU country where radicals—in this case, xenophobic ones—won big this year is Poland. Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the de facto leader of the ruling Law and Justice party, has even warned Poles that refugees carried “all sorts of parasites and bacteria.” It has been a tough year, but Europe has endured. According to the November Eurobarometer, 53 percent of Europeans are optimistic about the EU’s future and only 41 percent are pessimistic. At the lowest point in the bloc’s history, in 2011, 48 percent were optimists and 46 percent didn’t believe in the union. And Europeans still trust the EU more than they do their national governments, though trust in politicians is at its lowest level in years. The EU and its most important institutions have enough support, and enough common sense built into them, to outlive their critics. Now is a moment for retrenchment, not expansion or major progress in unification— but Europe is a long-term project. Bloomberg

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Solon laudS MVP-led infra by Maricel V. Cruz

maNiLa hosPiTaL goiNg for uPgrade

A rAnking lawmaker has lauded Cebu City government’s decision to award the P27-billion Cebu-Cordova Bridge Project to businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan’s Metro Pacific Tollways Development Corp.

by Joel E. Zurbano THe city government of manila is hastening the construction of a new ospital ng maynila medical Center which is touted to be fully equipped when it opens this summer. mayor Joseph estrada said the massive rehabilitation and upgrade plan of the medical center is made possible with manila’s improved financial standing and resolution of its debt and bankruptcy woes. He added his administration is determined to bring ommC back to its stature as the leading public hospital of the country’s capital city. estrada said the project is one of the ongoing infrastructure improvements under the city’s comprehensive P500-million modernization Program for all its hospitals and 59 health centers. Dra. regina Bagsic, consultant for Hospital Services and Administration, said when estrada assumed office in June 2013, the hospital was in a dismal state and its accreditation as a Level 3 hospital was “hanging by a thread.”

“The project is a bridge to Cebu’s productivity growth. It will bolster the province’s long-term economic efficiency,” said rep. Gerald V. Gullas, vice chairman of the House committee on public works and highways. The bridge will be the third between the Cebu mainland and mactan, the nation’s most densely populated island. The 65-square kilometer island is home to the mactan-Cebu International Airport, the mactan export Processing Zones 1 and 2, the mactan Newtown Information-Technology Park, the five-star Shangri-La’s mactan resort and Spa, plus dozens of high-class beach hotels and resorts. “We are counting on the new bridge to help reduce the cost of producing goods and services, and minimize productivity losses due to traffic congestion,” Gullas, an assistant majority leader, said. owing to increased queuing, motor vehicles using the existing two bridges between Cebu mainland and mactan have been experiencing slower speeds and longer trip times. Unlike the existing two bridges that connect mandaue City in mainland Cebu province and Lapu-Lapu City in mactan, the third bridge will link Cebu City and the municipality of Cordova in mactan. Gullas has high hopes that the new bridge will spur new business activities and improve living standards through decent jobs creation. He credited Pangilinan and mPTDC for their readiness to mobilize private equity to build up Cebu’s infrastructure requirements. In a Dec. 23 letter, the Cebu City government notified mPTDC that it has been “awarded the project for the formation of a Joint Venture Agreement with the City Government of Cebu and the municipal Government of Cordova for the financing, design, construction, implementation, operation and maintenance of an 8.55km toll road to be known as the Cebu-Cordova Bridge, including the construction of the connections to Cebu City and Cordova, the main bridge, structure, viaduct, causeway and roadway.”

NEw KALOOKAN bIshOP. Torres, ex-LTo chief, dies army sarge freed by NPa afTer 104 days iN caPTiviTy aT 62 will be a happy reunion with his Accompanying Duterte in Bin- Philippine ecumenical Peace Platby John Paolo bencito family,“ Duterte told reporters. gil’s turnover was mayor ronaldo form led by Bishop Bert Calang of archbishop of manila Luis antonio Tagle (right) welcomes the new bishop of Kalookan Pablo virgilio s. david during the rites held at san roque cathedral in Kalookan city on saturday. ANDREw RAbULAN

Former Land Transportation office chief Virginia “Virgie” Torres died of heart attack Saturday morning. Torres’ brother, ruben Torres, was quoted in a media interview as saying that she died at The medical City in Clark Field, Pampanga around 1:30 a.m. She was 62. His brother said they were surprised about her sudden heart attack. Torres had remained unperturbed despite criticisms raised against her while in public office, he said. Torres was among the first officials appointed by President Benigno Aquino III when he assumed power in 2010. Torres was a reputed ‘kababata’ of the President in Hacienda Luisita. Maricel V. Cruz

AN Army soldier held captive for 104 days by communist rebels was freed on New year ‘s Day, with presidential aspirant Davao City mayor rodrigo Duterte helping facilitate his release. Sgt. Adriano Bingil, 34, a member of the Bayanihan team of the Philippine Army’s 26th Infantry Battalion assigned in San Luis, Agusan del Sur was reunited with his mother myrna, wife Genalyn and their two daughters after being held by the rebel group in the mountain parts of Agusan last Sept. 19, 2015. “Though I was handcuffed every time, the rebels treated me well during my 104 days of captivity,” Bingil told mindanao reporters after he was released. Duterte, who flew from Davao to Barangay Durian Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte for Bingil’s release, said that he was happy for the soldier’s release. “His release is timely considering tonight is already New year. It

The Davao City chief reiterated Corvera of San Luis, Agusan del Sur Iglesia Filipina Independiente. the call of the NDF for a resump- and Agusan del Norte rep. Lawmilitary officials, meanwhile, tion of peace talks with the gov- rence Fortun. welcomed the timely release of Binernment, saying that this would Also witnessing the release were gil but took a snipe at the rebels. end the 47 years of bloody fighting between the government and the rebels. “No country will progress if it remains divided by a brutal war in the countryside,” Duterte said. Allan Juanito, the spokesperson of NPA in North Central mindanao, said that the soldier was intercepted in an NPA checkpoint in Km. 16, Barangay Policarpio, San Luis, Agusan del Sur onboard a motorcycle. Bingil was serving as the team leader of the Peace and Development Team under the 26th Infantry Battalion who were conducting their activity for Community organizing for Peace and Development in mahagsay, Agusan del OVERTIME. air Transportation security screeners at the Ninoy aquino Sur. international airport man the x-ray machine on saturday. oTs and Juanito said that a total 30 prispolice personnel are not allowed to take their leave of absence during the oners of war were released by the holidays. ERIC APOLONIO NPA for 2015 alone.

SUNDAY: JANUARY 3, 2016

NEWS editorial@thestandard.com.ph

HOUSE PANEL OKAYS BILL OF RIGHTS FOR TAXI RIDERS

STRAWBERRY FIELDS. Plump and red strawberries are an added attraction on a stretch of road in La Trinidad, Benguet. A kilo of choice pick costs around P450 to P500. DAVE LEPROZO

PROPER LABELING OF FOOD ITEMS SOUGHT By Maricel V. Cruz

FOOD manufacturers should put proper labeling to their products to promote public awareness on the importance of balanced diet, a lawmaker said on Saturday. Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. said all commodities should bear a label specifying the business address of the manufacturer and the nutritional contents of the product. The label, Andaya said, should contain the number of servings and calories, vitamin, mineral,

fat, saturated fat, cholesterol sodium, carbohydrates, sugar, dietary fiber, protein, and other nutrients. “The proper labeling will provide the consumers with enough information pertaining to their food intake in order to help them make dietary decisions that can

improve their health,” Andaya, vice chair of the House committee on appropriations, said in filing his House Bill 5719. It will also provide the consumers with information that can assist them to better understand the nutritional value of food products and get ample warning on the presence of allergens, Andaya added. Andaya said if allergens are present, the food products should be labeled with appropriate warnings in bold forms. Andaya’s proposed Philippines Nutrition Label Act, which mandates the concerned government agencies to confiscate the consum-

er products proven to be hazardous to health and safety of the people. Under the measure, no commodity shall be distributed unless it conforms to the regulations of the Bureau of Food and Drug. The bill does not cover those producers who are engaged in wholesale and retail distribution of commodities. Under the bill, violators face a fine ranging from P10,000 to P300,000 depending on the gravity of the offense. Andaya pointed out that the enactment of the measure will ensure the health and safety of Filipino consumers.

TWO lawmakers have asked the House of Representatives to prioritize the passage of a measure that seeks to stop the abuses committed by some cab drivers. Nueva Ecija Rep. Estrellita Suansing said it is about time Congress passed a law to address cases of abuses committed by taxi drivers and operators as well as lift up the image of the taxi industry by establishing standards addressing the basic rights of the passenger. “If passed into law, our commuting public, foreign or national, tourist or local, shall be protected from the discourteous and unprofessional conduct of some taxi drivers,” said Suansing, one of the principal authors of the substituted House Bill 4016 or “Bill of Rights of Taxi Passengers.” The bill was approved by the House committee on transportation, chaired by Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento, last December. Another author of the measure, former President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said the abuses committed by erring taxi drivers against their passengers must stop. In filing her bill, Arroyo acknowledged the State’s policy “to establish a world-class public transportation system.” “To this end, the State shall establish transportation service standards that shall address the basic right of the passengers,” she said. The bill provides that the Taxi Passengers’ Rights Notification, which enumerates the rights of taxi passengers as well as the remedies and procedures available to them as promulgated by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, shall be prominently displayed inside the taxi. Among the taxi passengers’ rights are the right to: a licensed driver; a courteous driver, who shall provide assistance, if requested; a driver who is not under the influence of alcohol or dangerous drugs; and a driver properly dressed. In the case of taxi companies, their taxi drivers shall wear complete uniform and company identification card. The LTFRB shall issue an official ID to all taxi drivers bearing the driver’s name and picture and the taxi operator’s information and contact numbers. Any sanctioned ID must be prominently displayed inside the taxi within the view of the passenger. Maricel V. Cruz

MARCOS EYES FARMERS’ SUPPORT PLAN By Vito Barcelo SENATOR Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has prodded the administration to provide a comprehensive program and financial support to farmers after local agricultural products declined by 0.1 percent in the third quarter of 2015. Marcos cited the Philippine Statistics Authority report that agriculture declined by 0.1 percent in the third quarter of the year, mainly caused by poor palay, corn and sugarcane production which declined 15.7 percent, 1.7 percent and 41.5 percent, respectively. He sought a comprehensive agricultural program to the agricul-

tural sector and farmers vulnerable to the influx of duty-free commodities into the country. Marcos aired the call as the Asean Economic Community formally came into force on Dec. 31. Among others it removed import duties across the borders of 10-member countries of the Asean, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. “We have seen the effects of unbridled importation and the smuggling of agriculture products such as rice, onions and garlic on our farmers. With the removal of tariff barriers our farmers may suffer

more unless the government gets its act together to provide a comprehensive package of support,” Marcos warned. He said big farms producing export-oriented agriculture products may fare well with the AEC but the marginal farmers will be vulnerable particularly with the continuing decline of the agriculture sector. Marcos said the administration must pursue strategic infrastructure and technological programs to improve our transportation network, roads, ensure a reliable and cheaper supply of electricity and upgrade the country’s irrigation systems.

MANILA-BOUND. Hundreds of people crowd a bus terminal

in San Fernando City on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016, waiting for bus units to take them back to Manila. CHRISTINE JUNIO

SUNDAY: JANUARY 3, 2016

Roderick T. dela Cruz EDITOR business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

BUSINESS

2015 HIGHLIGHTS

OF PH ECONOMY

SPi Global call center employees in Manila handle customer support, technical problems and other tasks for overseas clients. BLOOMBERG

By Roderick T. dela Cruz

THE Philippine economy sustained its growth in 2015, creating opportunities for businesses and adding jobs in the labor force. Following are the 2015 highlights of the Philippine economy and business, as reported by The Standard and ranked according to their significance, relevance or popularity. Others are simply interesting or controversial. 1. BPO sector employs 1.2m Employment in the information technology and business process outsourcing sector likely reached 1.2 million in 2015. That large workforce of mostly young BPO professionals with strong purchasing power fuelled consumer spending in the Philippines and created a huge demand for office space and condominium units in Metro Manila and other urban centers in the country. In terms of revenues, the IT-BPO sector likely contributed $22 billion in 2015, on track to equal OFW remittance level by 2017. The IT Business Process Association of the Philippines is now in the process of formulating the new 2016-2022 roadmap. 2. People lose money in stocks The Philippine peso and stocks fell in the second half of 2015, as global funds fled emerging markets and tightening monetary policy in the US boosted the dollar. The peso slumped 5 percent in 2015 to close at 47.06 a dollar on Dec. 29. The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, shed 3.9 percent in 2015, ending six years of gains. Foreign investors sold $1.2 billion more shares than they bought this year, dragging the PSEi to its first loss since 2008. Analysts said they remained bullish on the local stock market on favorable domestic prospects. 3. GDP grew 6 percent in Q3 The gross domestic product of the Philippines grew by 6 percent year-on-

year in the third quarter of 2015. The third-quarter GDP is an improvement from the 5.8-percent expansion in the second quarter, and from 5.5 percent in the same quarter in 2014. Economic growth in the first three quarters of 2015 is now at 5.6 percent. A 6-percent full-year growth is very likely given even better prospects for the last quarter, said Economic planning chief Arsenio Balisacan. 4. Asean integration starts The Association of Southeast Asian Nations launched an economic community on Dec. 31, 2015, heralding a regional free trade which is expected to boost the economies of the 10 member states with a combined population of over 600 million. The Asean Economic Community, a single market with a free flow of goods, capital and skilled labor across borders, officially started on Dec. 31, 2015. AEC has a combined market of more than 600 million people with total GDP of $2 trillion across 10 countries, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. 5. Philippines hosts Apec summit Manila has successfully hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit, where leaders from 21 economies attended, despite security threats. Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo said the Philippines made significant contributions in advancing the objectives of the regional bloc. “Our work has gathered support

for member economies to collectively work towards an Asia Pacific region that addresses gaps in economic development, sustains long-term and inclusive growth, and benefits our micro, small and medium enterprises,” Domingo said. Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said tourist arrivals during the Apec week reached more than 11,000, exceeding the government’s target of 10,000 tourists. The Apec summit received international media coverage, with US President Barack Obama leading the delegation. 6. Visitor arrivals top 5m Despite the so-called “tanim bala” scare, or the alleged extortion scheme where bullets were found inside the luggage of passengers at the airport, the Philippine tourism industry reached a milestone in 2015, as international visitor arrivals topped the 5-million mark for the first time on record. “The short answer to the question whether it [tanim bala] has affected tourist arrivals is no,” Tourism Undersecretary Benito Bengzon Jr. said. The country welcomed the 5 millionth international visitor at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Dec. 21. Bengzon, a veteran in the Tourism Department, said the tourism industry would likely end the year with 5.2 million to 5.3 million visitor arrivals, up by 8 to 10 percent from 4.83 million arrivals registered in 2013. 7. Merchandise exports decline Merchandise exports of the Philippines fell in 2015, on lower sales of garments, agriculture, mineral and petroleum products. Data from Philippine Statistics Authority showed that exports dropped 10.8 percent to a six-month low of $4.59 billion in October from $5.14 billion a year earlier. This brought total exports in the first 10 months to $48.9 billion, down by 6.2 percent from $52.1 billion recorded in the same period last year. “The lingering sluggish global demand, as well as the slack in industrial activity in the United States and the recent economic adjustments in China, brought down the country’s exports.

Exports performance in the succeeding months is also anticipated to remain weak given the slowdown in economic growth of the country’s major trading partners,” said Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan. 8.Pandacan depot dismantled Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. has fully dismantled its oil tanks in Pandacan, Manila to comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling directing the transfer of the oil companies’ depot outside the city, due to safety concerns. Pilipinas Shell country chairman Ed Chua said the company had fully complied with the high tribunal’s decision but had yet to decide on what to do with the dismantled area. Shell, Petron Corp. and Chevron Philippines jointly operate the Pandacan oil depot. All three companies have ceased their oil depot operations. Shell said it also shut down its automated lube blending oil plant in Pandacan. 9. GMO ban affects food output The Supreme Court’s ruling banning field trials and importation of genetically modified crops will affect the livestock, poultry and aquaculture industries and increase food prices next year. “The reality is a lot of people will be affected by that decision. Aside from Bt eggplant, they also banned the importation of genetically modified corn and importation of raw materials like soybean,” Philippine Maize Federation Inc. President Roger Navarro said. The Supreme Court earlier ordered a ban on the field trials of genetically modified organisms, including Bt eggplant, and imposed a temporary ban on approving applications for the contained use, import, commercialization and propagation of GM crops. 10. Euro 4 petroleum required The Philippines implemented the Euro 4 emission standards in 2015, ahead of its neighbors. “Combined with the introduction of cleaner fuel standards such as Euro 4, motorists can be assured that their engines will be equipped with speciallyformulated ingredients which would not only keep engines clean but also offer maximized power, better fuel economy, smoother drive, lower emissions

and reliable performance,” Chevron Philippines said. The Euro 4 rollout is in compliance with the Philippine Clean Air Act and Energy Department Circular No. DC2015-06-0004, mandating the use of environmentally clean fuels that meet specified emission standards. 11. Vehicle sales top 300,000 Sales of motor vehicles in the Philippines increased 26 percent year-onyear in November 2015, putting the automotive industry on track to reaching new record sales of 310,000 units this year. The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and the Truck Manufacturers Association said in a joint report their members sold 26,979 vehicles in November, up from 21,422 units sold in November 2014. “With another impressive growth in November 2015, we are most likely to achieve our target of 310,000 units for the year,” said Campi President Rommel Gutierrez. This brought total sales in the first 11 months to 261,930 units, or 22.7 percent higher than 213,427 units sold in the same 11-month period in 2014. The figures exclude those reported by another industry group. 12. Solar, wind plants deliver power Investors are building large solar and wind power plants to deliver renewable energy to Philippine households. San Carlos Sun Power Inc. said it was on track to completing a 59-megawatt solar power project in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental by January 2016. Enfinity Philippines also broke ground to start the construction of the largest solar farm in the country located in Sta. Rosa, Concepcion, Tarlac, with a rated capacity of 50.55 MW. Meanwhile, the Energy Regulatory Commission approved the application of three operational wind power projects for a new feed-in-tariff rate of P7.40 per kilowatt-hour. These projects are Trans-Asia Renewable Energy Corp.’s 54 MW San Lorenzo wind power project in Guimaras, PetroWind Energy Inc.’s 36-MW Nabas wind project in Aklan and Alternergy Wind One CONTINUED ON B2

SUNDAY: JANUARY 3, 2016

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

said the Philippines remained interested in joining TPP, which is seen to become the world’s largest economic free trade area. “Being excluded from the TPP will mean possibly losing existing markets and losing potential new markets and investments from TPP member countries which include major trade partners like US and Japan, to fellow Aseans, which include Vietnam and Malaysia. This is called market diversion effect,” said Philexport president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. 18. Govt passes anti-monopoly law The government passed into law the Competition Act, which is expected to promote innovation in various key industries. “The Competition Law ensures a level playing field in trade, industry and all commercial economic activities. It pushes firms to be innovative in improving goods and services, which, in turn, makes them more productive and efficient. As a result, consumers are provided with more choices of quality goods and services at lower prices,” said National Economic and Development Authority deputy director general Emmanuel Esguerra. 19. Foreign banks enter Manila Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. has opened its first Philippine branch in Makati City. SMBC Manila became the first branch to be opened by a foreign bank in the country since the Philippine government enacted a new law in 2014 that allowed the full entry of foreign banks into the Philippines.

palling” that a number of victims admitted awareness of the illegal and nonsustainability of the investments they had made. It said some of the people who invested in the scams used their savings, borrowed money and sold properties and recruited and convinced their families, friends and relatives to do the same. SEC said it would also go after the recruiters and sellers of the illegal investment securities and the founders and officers of the scams as well. 22. First PPP project completed After five years of talks, the Aquino administration inaugurated the DaangHari-South Luzon Expressway Link Road, also known as the MuntinlupaCavite Expressway. The toll road is the first infrastructure project completed under the public-private partnership scheme. The road passes through the New Bilibid Prison reservation that connects Bacoor, Cavite province, to South Luzon Expressway. 23. Recto Bank exploration frozen The government asked Forum Energy Plc. not to proceed with exploration or drilling at Service Contract 72 which straddles the Recto Bank. The exploration schedule was deferred because of the territorial dispute over the West Philippine Sea. The Energy Department confirmed the suspension of the projects in SC 58 amid the territorial dispute. “The arbitration case [filed by Philippines against China] resulted to refrain in our exploration activities in the West Philippine Sea. However, I believe that after the decision, our policy will have to ensure

deal for Quorn, which had sales of 150.3 million pounds in 2014. UK-based investment firms Exponent Private Equity and Intermediate Capital Group, Quorn’s owners, announced the sale. Monde Nissin is one of the leading food consumer goods companies in the Philippines. Quorn, on the other hand, is an international meat substitute business, with market-leading positions in 15 countries. 26. Telstra eyes the Philippines San Miguel Corp. is teaming up with Telstra Corp. of Australia to build the Philippines’ third mobile broadband telecommunications network. Telstra chief Andy Penn said the Australian telco giant might spend up to $1 billion if it went ahead with plans to launch a new mobile phone venture with San Miguel. The new company will compete with Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. and Globe Telecom. San Miguel Corp. reportedly plans to use its “very powerful” frequency band to build a new mobile broadband company in joint venture with Telstra. 27. Shell contests P53-b tax The operator of the Malampaya natural gas project plans to go to international arbitration to challenge a P53.14 billion tax claim by the government. Shell Philippines Exploration B.V., is the operator of Malampaya in the southwestern Philippines, along with partners, Chevron Malampaya LLC, and the Philippines’ state-owned PNOC Exploration Corp. The companies are challenging a 2011 finding by the Commission on Audit that the project partners owed the government P53.14 billion in taxes in addition to

Cathay Life Insurance Corp. of Taiwan became the biggest recent investor, when it infused P17.9 billion in Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. in a deal that gave the Taiwanese company a 20-percent stake in the Philippine bank. 20. Traffic affects economy Economic losses due to worsening road traffic amounted to P2.4 billion a day in 2015, a figure that could hit P6 billion a day by 2030, according to Senator Bam Aquino. A study by Japan International Cooperation Agency showed the lower-income households would be the hardest hit when congestion worsens by 2030 as they will spend no less than 20 percent of their monthly household income for transport. “Without intervention, traffic demand will likely increase by 13 percent [by] 2030, and transport cost will be 2.5 percent higher,” the senator said. Among the factors that contributed to the worsening traffic condition is the significant population increase in Metro Manila which now stands at 16.5 million. 21. Investment scams proliferate The Securities and Exchange Commission has expressed alarm over the proliferation of investment scams in the country, such as the Ponzi and pyramiding schemes. The corporate regulator found “ap-

enforcement of our rights to protect and utilise the resources within our EEZ [exclusive economic zone]. SC 58 will definitely develop its area with the full support of the Philippine government,” said Rino Abad, director of the Energy Resource Development Bureau. 24. PAL flies to New York Philippine Airlines launched an inaugural flight to New York via Vancouver, after an 18-year absence, as a part of its network expansion to the US East Coast. PAL, a 74-year-old airline which flew its first aircraft from Manila to Baguio on March 15, 1941, embarked on US network expansion following the lifting of the Category 2 rating by the US Federal Aviation Administration. The airline first flew to New York in 1996, but pulled out the service a year later at the height of the Asian financial crisis. PAL president Jaime Bautista said the airline resumed flights to New York as an “answer to the clamor of the huge Filipino community in the US East Coast.” 25. Monde buys British company BDO Unibank Inc. has played a major role in financing the $831-million acquisition of the United Kingdombased meat substitute business by Philippine noodle manufacturer Monde Nissin. Monde Nissin beat competition from some global food giants to clinch the

royalties on the gas produced. The Department of Energy said the taxes were already included in the government’s royalty take of 60 percent of the project’s net income. 28. Emperador acquires Fundador Emperador of the Philippines will purchase Fundador of Spain and Harveys of the UK. Emperador said it had reached an agreement to purchase Spain’s Fundador from US-based Beam Suntory for 275 million euros (US$291 million). Fundador produces popular brandies including one of the same name and the Terry Centenario and Tres Cepas brands. It also makes Harveys, a sherry. Last year, it paid 430 million pounds for Scottish whisky maker Whyte and Mackay and 60 million euros for half of Spanish brandy producer Bodega Las Copas. It has also been acquiring Spanish vineyards and brandy stocks. 29. Mitsubishi faces complaints Several individuals have filed complaints before the Trade Department against Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. for the sale of alleged defective Montero units, which allegedly suffered from sudden and unintended acceleration. The Trade Department recommended tapping third party experts to further investigate the incidents. “We assure all Montero Sport owners

2015 HIGHLIGHTS... Corp.’s 54-MW Pililla wind power project in Rizal. ERC earlier approved an FIT rate of P8.53 per kWh for three wind projects under the first wave of installation targets, including Energy Development Corp.’s 150-MW Burgos wind project, Northwind Power Development Corp.’s 18.9-MW phase 3 wind project and North Luzon Renewable Energy Corp’s 81-MW Caparispisan wind project in Ilocos Norte. 13. A new city rising in Clark The Philippines is building an alternate capital in Tarlac province near an air base that was damaged 24 years ago by one of the biggest volcanic explosions of the 20th century. Arnel Casanova, president of staterun Bases Conversion and Development Authority, disclosed a plan to turn the former US military base, Clark, into a backup capital, complete with facilities for government agencies, the central bank and financial exchanges. Clark Green City is a master planned property within the Clark Special Economic Zone. It is envisioned to be the country’s first smart, green and disaster-resilient metropolis. 14. Jobless rate at 10-year low Unemployment rate in the Philippines declined to 5.6 percent of the labour force in October 2015, the lowest in 10 years, from 6 percent a year ago, as more jobs were created over the past 12 months, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. “This is also the first time that unemployment rate dropped below 6 percent. In fact, for the full year 2015, the country did better than the Philippine Development Plan target of 6.6 to 6.8 percent for unemployment. This is due to faster employment growth in the services and industry sectors,” said Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan. Data from the quarterly labour force survey of PSA showed that the number of jobless individuals declined to 2.372 million in October from 2.483 million in the same month last year. Underemployment rate also eased to 17.6 percent in October from 18.7 percent a year ago. In absolute terms, there were 7.021 million underemployed individuals as of October. 15. Inflation falls below 1% Inflation rate in the Philippines fell to a record-low of 0.4 percent in September and October, on lower food and fuel prices. The October reading brought the 10-month average inflation rate to 1.4 percent, below Bangko Sentral’s 2 percent to 4 percent target for the year. “Our current runs show inflation is possibly bottoming out, and it will gradually move to within target range [2 percent to 4 percent] in 2016 to 2017. While there seems to be room to ease given the relatively lower inflation at the moment, risks to the outlook remain— El Niño and pending requests for utility rate hikes, for instance,” Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said. 16. Fitch lifts PH outlook Fitch Ratings has lifted the ratings outlook for the Philippines to positive from stable, a signal that the debt watcher may upgrade the country’s credit score within the next 12 to 18 months. Fitch which granted a credit rating of BBB-, the minimum investment grade, on the Philippines in March 2013, recognized the economy’s strong growth performance and its ability to confront external headwinds better than most emerging markets. Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said the positive outlook from Fitch “signals the long overdue credit rating upgrade, which appropriately reflects the economy’s outperformance.” 17. Philippines left out of TPP The Philippines has been left out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a new economic bloc led by the US. Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo

FROM B1

that we remain committed to a transparent resolution of this alleged SUA issue and to provide safe and quality vehicles. MMPC deeply regrets and sympathises with its customers that have been affected by the alleged SUA issues. MMPC will continue to work with its customers to assure their safety,” Mitsubishi Philippines said. 30. CRH buys LaFarge Republic CRH of Ireland teamed up with Aboitiz Equity Ventures to acquire the cement plants of Lafarge in the Philippines. The assets acquired by CRH in the Philippines include Lafarge Republic Inc., Luzon Continental Land Corporation and Lafarge Cement Services (Philippines). Stockholders of Lafarge Republic, Inc. approved the change of the company’s name to Republic Cement & Building Materials, Inc. The company last changed its name in June 2012. CRH teamed up with AEV for the investment to comply with foreign ownership rules in the Philippines. 31. Mandarin, Intercon close doors InterContinental Manila and Mandarin Oriental Hotel, two iconic hotels in Makati City, closed doors in 2015. Mandarin Hotel was being demolished to give way to a new development in Makati. Meanwhile, AyalaLand Hotels and Resorts Corp. and InterContinental Hotels Group ended their contract for InterContinental Hotel on Dec. 31. Ayala Land Inc. will build a new commercial, mixed-use development in site of InterContinental Hotel. 32. Ayala redevelops Jaka Tower Property developer Ayala Land Inc. will spend P6 billion to acquire and develop the former Jaka Tower, an eyesore along Ayala Ave. in Makati City, into a 49-story premium office tower called Alveo Financial Tower. Alveo Land head of project development group Jennylle Tupaz said the company started pre-selling the office units in Alveo Financial Tower. The company has sold over 60 percent of the total units so far, generating PhP5.6 billion in sales take-up. About 80 percent of the office unit buyers were local investors, while 20 percent were taken up by foreign investors. 33. Semirara mine suspended The Energy Department lifted the suspension order on the coal operating contract of Semirara Mining and Power Corp. in Caluya, Antique, after the company complied with the conditions set by the government. The department issued a suspension order immediately after July 17, 2015 accident at the north Panian site of Semirara Mining’s operations in Antique, which claimed the lives of nine miners. Semirara Mining imposed a ninemonth suspension against the department heads of mine truck and shovel operation department, mine planning and engineering department, safety, health and environmental department and geology department starting from September 2015 until June 2016. 34. PSALM cancels San Miguel deal State-run Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. has terminated the contract to manage the output of Ilijan power plant in Batangas, one of the country’s largest power facilities. SMC Global Power Holdings Corp., a unit of conglomerate San Miguel Corp., said it planned to file a case against PSALM. PSALM canceled the independent power producer contract of San Miguel unit South Premiere Power Corp. for the 1,200-megawatt Ilijan power plant. 35. Cherry Foodarama reopens Conglomerate SM Investments Corp. kept the name of Cherry Foodarama, a supermarket chain which it has recently acquired. The Ong family, which owned Cherry Foodarama, retained a minority interest in the supermarket chain. SMIC Vice Chairman Teresita Sy-Coson said SMIC would not rebrand the three newly acquired supermarkets, which would continue to operate under the name Cherry.

SUNDAY: JANUARY 3, 2016

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

EXECUTIVE: PH COMPANIES EMBRACE PROGRESS PROGRESS, a USbased software company, sees more opportunities in the Philippines where it aims to make a difference in businesses in 2016. “Our goal is to help customers and partners develop, deploy, market and sell applications that make a difference to their businesses, customers and partners,” says Progress Software Corp. chief operating officer Jerry Rulli. Progress delivers software, services and solutions to help customers solve the complex digital business challenges, he says. Its tools enable customers around the world to rapidly develop and deploy business applications to address a variety of business needs. “Our success is fueled by a wide array of solutions companies can use to outpace their market and get a step ahead. In fact, Progress solutions power more than 140,000 enterprises, a pool of more than 1.8 million developers and a population of over 4 million application users worldwide,” says Rulli, a 30-year veteran in the software and technology industry, in explaining what the company does. Rulli says the Philippines is an important market for Progress in Asia Pacific. “We see great potential in the region as we witness significant growth in cloud computing, big data and mobility, referred to by IDC as third platform technologies,” he says. IDC, a market research company, describes third platform as the next evolution of hardware and software technologies that now focus on the needs and demands of consumers first, instead of enterprises. Rulli explains that ‘3rd platform’ has cloud as its core, and the solutions will offer anyplace, anytime access to application functionality. He says “rather than thinking ‘mobile first,’ think ‘user first,’ where an application experience is designed for the user based on his or her environment.” Rulli says in the Philippines, a young and engaged population is driving a rise in smartphone usage and Internet penetration. “This, in turn, fuels a greater need for improved digital solutions. The consumerization of IT is also a factor, but it goes beyond employees bringing their tablets and smartphones into work and expecting IT to support and enable corporate access. Employees now expect each application to deliver a seamless experience, just like a consumer app would,” he says. Rulli says a study by market research company IDC estimates that IT spending in the Philippines reached $7.2 billion in 2015, making it a very lucrative market. He says third platform computing offers many benefits to businesses, both large corporations and SMEs. “We see that more businesses are migrating their day-to-day operations into more accessible and efficient platforms. Cloud based solutions are playing a major role in terms of enabling SMEs to integrate and automate in a short period of time. As SMEs account for 99.6 percent of total registered enterprises in the

Progress Software Corp. chief operating officer Jerry Rulli

Philippines, we project these enterprises will look at cloud-based services and applications to further grow their businesses and adjust to customer needs,” he says. “Another area where we see a great potential is the strong developer community in the Philippines. At Progress, we are helping 1.8 million developers across the globe to build applications in and for the cloud, as well as modernize core business applications for a mobile, social world. We aim to further expand this number, and the Filipino developer community is an important audience for us,” he says. Rulli says in short, “with the growing economy, large developer community and the growth of third platform technologies such as cloud, big data and analytics and mobile, the Philippines presents great opportunities for us to help businesses thrive in the constantly shifting landscape of digital evolution.” ADC’s annual continuum survey shows that the majority of Filipino companies are looking at increasing their ICT spending. Organizations realize that they have to rapidly adapt to address changing customer needs. “This makes it imperative to adopt disruptive technologies in the third platform that can help organizations stay ahead of the competi-

tion,” says Rulli. “The market is seeing growth propelled by an increasing demand for a multi-channel user experience; it’s not about mobile or web anymore. Users are increasingly using different devices to access their applications, so developers need to look at how to deliver a seamless experience across all devices and platforms,” he explains. “We are also witnessing a growing need for low-code develop-

This is where Progress solutions come into play to really enable and support the digital transformation journey for enterprises in the region,” he says. Progress delivers an end-to-end application development portfolio of solutions and tools customers in the Philippines. Its products include application development and deployment platforms such as Progress OpenEdge, Progress Rollbase, Telerik Platform and Progress Corticon.

The Philippines presents great opportunities for us to help businesses thrive in the constantly shifting landscape of digital evolution.

ment tools that enable end-users to create and manage their applications independently. This empowers both IT and business stakeholders to collaborate strategically and focus on innovation, rather than having IT spend time rewriting hard code.

“Recent acquisitions, including that of Telerik in 2014, have strengthened and broadened our portfolio and positioned us to compete and win in our space. The comprehensive suite of solutions we now offer meet a variety of customer needs and provide

the agility organizations require amidst the changing face of technology,” Rulli says. He says the adoption of ‘digital everything’ in Asia-Pacific and the fast-growing mass of young, urban, middle-class consumers make the region a key market for Progress. “The Asia Pacific region is a critical piece of our growth strategy for the next three years. The Philippines is and will continue to be a key focus area for us,” he says. “We have an energized partner community that is innovating every single day. Our 2,000 global partners, and all of our strategic partners in the Philippines inspire us to create innovative solutions so they can better serve their customers,” he says. Rulli says one of the company’s key partners—Rollbase Philippines—won the Progress Partner Collaboration Award in 2014 for its successful brokered deals. “At the core of Progress is a single-minded determination to help businesses modernize and exceed the expectations of their own customers. We don’t just focus on IT, we drive the entire business. As the digital transformation landscape is constantly changing, we understand that our clients rely on us to be ready for tomorrow,” says Rulli. Roderick T. dela Cruz

WORLD

ANNE FRANK’S DIARY GOES ONLINE

A FRENCH academic and an MP published online Friday the famous diary of Anne Frank, despite a dispute with rights holders as to whether the work is now in the public domain. The duo claim “Diary of a Young Girl” became public property on January 1 as 70 years had elapsed since Frank’s death at the age of 15 in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945. Under a 1993 European law, a book loses exclusive copyright at the start of the seventh decade after its author or authors are dead. “In regards to this book, this testimony and what it represents... I bear the conviction that there is no greater combat than to fight for its freedom, no greater tribute than share it without restriction” wrote University of Nantes lecturer Olivier Ertzscheid, who posted the work online in its original Dutch. Frank used the diary to chronicle her life from June 1942 to August 1944 while she and her family were in hiding in Amsterdam. A tableau of life for persecuted Jews in Nazi-occupied Europe, it was first published in Dutch in 1947 by her father, who deleted some passages. More than 30 million copies have been sold. The Anne Frank Fund, based in Basel, Switzerland, holds the rights to publication and told AFP previously that it had sent a letter threatening legal action if the diary was published. The Fund argues that the book is a posthumous work, for which copyright extends 50 years past the publication date, and that a 1986 version published by the Dutch State Institute for War Documentation (NIOD) is under copyright until at least 2037. AFP

Palestinian protesters take part in a demonstration outside Damascus Gate in Jerusalem’s old city calling on Israeli authorities to return the bodies of alleged Palestinian attackers, on December 26, 2015. AFP

ISRAEL STRIKES GAZA SITES AFTER ROCKET FIRE

THE Israeli air force carried out attacks on Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip early Saturday, Palestinian security sources said, just hours after rockets from the enclave hit southern Israel. According to the sources, the Israeli strikes targeted four empty facilities ranging from Beit Hanoun in the north to Ra-

fah in the south, causing damage but no casualties. The Israeli army said its “aircraft targeted two Hamas military training facilities and two military sites in the Gaza Strip”. “The IDF holds Hamas responsible and accountable for all attacks emanating from the Gaza Strip,” a statement read. Late Friday, two rockets fired from Gaza hit southern Israel, without causing casualties or damage. Since the end of the devastating war between Israel and Gaza militants in the summer

of 2014, nearly 30 projectiles fired from the Hamas-controlled Palestinian enclave have hit the Jewish state, according to military data. Sunni militants claiming links to the Islamic State jihadist group have said they were behind rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave in recent months, but Israel holds Gaza’s Islamist rulers Hamas responsible for all such incidents. Also on Friday, two Palestinians were slightly wounded by Israeli gunfire after they stormed the border fence in northern Gaza, the Israeli army and Gaza medics said. AFP

HUNDREDS EVACUATED AFTER CYCLONE HIT TONGA HUNDREDS of people were evacuated from their homes in Tonga Saturday when severe tropical cyclone Ula slammed into the tiny Pacific kingdom. However, there were no casualties after Prime Minister Akilisi Pohiva declared a state of emergency before the storm hit “in order to prevent or minimise the loss of human life, illness or injury”. The northern island of Vava’u took the brunt of the category three cyclone wich was packing winds up to 150 kilometres per hour (93 miles per hour).

“We are very happy that there are no casualties, police checked with hospitals and town officers to confirm that,” the chairman of the National Emergency Management Office Siaosi Sovaleni told reporters at a press conference. “We had 11 evacuation centres, over 390 people were relocated to these evacuation centres.” The storm brought down trees, damaged crops, and the main airport was closed to domestic flights. The director of the Tonga

meteorological office, Ofa Fa’anunu, said it was fortunate there was little moisture around which would have intensified the severity of the storm. “On another day it would probably have become a (maximum) category five,” he said. “If the moisture had been present it would have been the right ingredients for development into a much stronger system.” The official Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre said in an advisory that Ula had “very destructive winds” with “very high

to phenomenal seas” causing flooding in low-lying areas. The hurricane warning for Vava’u was downgraded to a storm warning early Saturday afternoon. The tropical cyclone warnings for other island groups in Tonga were also downgraded. The storm is expected to weaken Sunday as it heads towards Fiji. A year ago Tonga was hit by Cyclone Ian which left one person dead, 4,000 homeless and destroyed crops on outlying islands. AFP

S U N D AY : J A N U A R Y 3 , 2 0 1 6

WORLD editorial@thestandard.com.ph

EMBATTLED COSBY TWEETS THANKS TO FANS DISGRACED TV legend Bill Cosby has tweeted his thanks to his 4.1 million followers, as he braces for more legal battles after being charged this week with felony sex assault. “Friends and fans, Thank You,” read the New Year’s Eve Twitter message posted by the fallen comedy icon -- his first public comments since appearing in a Pennsylvania court on Wednesday to hear the charge, one of dozens of sex abuse claims against him. Cosby, 78, who posted a $1 million bond, has another court hearing on January 14. More than 50 women have accused Cosby of drugging and sexually molesting or raping them -- allegations the veteran television and movie showman has vehemently denied. The case Cosby was charged with this week relates to the alleged sexual assault of Andrea Constand, a former employee at Temple University in Philadelphia, his alma mater. Constand says the television legend assaulted her at his home in the Philadelphia suburb of Cheltenham in 2004. If found guilty, Cosby could face up to 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. Most of the other cases against the star occurred too long ago to prosecute, although seven alleged victims have jointly filed suit against him. News reports said a federal judge in Massachusetts denied a motion brought by the actor’s wife Camille Cosby to avoid giving testimony at a deposition in the joint suit. Her attorneys, who argued in their motion that Mrs. Cosby by law should not be subjected to questions regarding her husband’s “sexual proclivities,” told People magazine that they plan to appeal the ruling. AFP

Smoke billows from the Address Downtown Hotel in Dubai on January 1, 2016, in the aftermath of a huge fire that engulfed several floors of the building. A huge fire ripped through the luxury Dubai hotel late on December 31, 2015, injuring 16 people, just a few hours before the emirate celebrated the new year with a spectacular fireworks display nearby. AFP

SAUDI COURT EXECUTES CLERIC, 46 OTHER SHIITES SAUDI Arabia on Saturday executed 47 people convicted of “terrorism”, including a prominent Shiite cleric behind anti-government protests, the interior ministry said. The 56-year-old cleric, Nimr alNimr, was a driving force of the protests that broke out in 2011 in the Sunni-ruled kingdom’s east, where the Shiite minority complains of marginalisation. But the list does not include Nimr’s nephew, Ali al-Nimr, who was 17 when he was arrested following the protests. The ministry statement, carried by the official SPA news agency, said the 47 had been convicted of adopting the radical “takfiri” ideology, joining “terrorist organisations” and implementing various

“criminal plots”. The list also includes Sunnis convicted of involvement in AlQaeda attacks that killed Saudis and foreigners in the kingdom in 2003 and 2004. Those executed include an Egyptian and a Chadian. The rest were all Saudis. The list includes Fares al-Shuwail which Saudi media outlets have described as the top religious leader of Al-Qaeda in Saudi Arabia. He was arrested in August 2004. They were executed Saturday in

12 different Saudi cities, the ministry said, without giving details on the method used in the executions. Saudi executions are usually carried out by beheading with a sword. Executions have increased in the kingdom since King Salman acceded to the throne in January 2015 following the death of king Abdullah. The number of convicts executed on Saturday is more than half of those executed under Salman’s predecessor in the whole year of 2014 -- 87. In 2015, Saudi Arabia executed 153 people convicted of various crimes, including drug-trafficking. Authorities in the kingdom set up specialised courts in 2011

to try dozens of Saudis and foreigners accused of belonging to Al-Qaeda or of participating in the wave of attacks that swept the country from 2003. Those shootings and bombings killed more than 150 Saudis and foreigners. The kingdom’s current Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef oversaw a crackdown on the militants at the time. But Nimr was arrested for completely different reasons in 2012. The interior ministry had described him at the time as an “instigator of sedition” as it announced his arrest in the Shiite village of Awamiya in the east after being wounded in the leg while putting up resistance. AFP

A file picture taken in the Yemeni capital Sanaa shows a protester taking part in a demonstration outside the Saudi embassy against the death sentence on Saudi Shiite cleric and anti-government protest leader, Nimr al-Nimr (portrait), after he was convicted by Saudi authorities of sedition. Saudi Arabia on January 2, 2016, executed 47 people convicted of “terrorism”, including the prominent Shiite cleric, the interior ministry said. AFP

DUBAI PROBES CAUSE OF MASSIVE NEW YEAR’S EVE HOTEL FIRE INVESTIGATORS in Dubai were working Friday to determine the cause of a spectacular fire that engulfed a 63-storey luxury hotel on New Year’s Eve three hours before midnight. The huge blaze at The Address Downtown hotel erupted around 9:00 pm (1700 GMT) on Thursday, sparking panic but no reports of serious injuries. Authorities went ahead with a dazzling fireworks display at the nearby Burj Khalifa -- the world’s tallest skyscraper -- despite the inferno, the latest in a series of fires in recent years to hit the buildings that make up Dubai’s futuristic cityscape.

They said the fire is believed to have erupted from the outside of the building on its 20th floor before spreading along its whole facade. But the exact cause was not yet known. Dubai government’s media office issued a civil defence statement said that the process of cooling the hotel down was “ongoing” Friday afternoon. “Security services are investigating the causes and circumstances of the fire,” said the statement. Witnesses described scenes of panic after the fire spread, with residents screaming and some fainting as they rushed to evacu-

ate the building. Still, authorities said only 16 people had suffered mostly minor injuries despite the presence of thousands in the area to watch the celebrations. At least 14 people were slightly injured, one was moderately injured and one person suffered a heart attack during the evacuation, they said. All victims have been discharged from hospital except for a pregnant women and an elderly man who were said to be “well” but were kept in “to ensure their safety,” the civil defence said. Firefighters spent the night trying to extinguish the blaze. AFP

s un day : ja n ua ry 3 , 2 0 1 6

reuel vidal EDITOR

sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Will AlAskA, RAin OR shine AdvAnce tO the PBA FinAls? By Reuel Vidal FOUR teams remain in the chase for the 2016 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup, the most prestigious crown offered in league competition. The Alaska Aces battle the GlobalPort Batang Pier while the Rain Or Shine Elasto Painters meet the San Miguel Beermen in separate best-of-seven semifinal playoffs. The Alaska-GlobalPort playoff will be an exciting, up-anddown contest with both teams running fastbreaks at every opportunity and raining down triples on half-court sets. The defense-oriented Aces face the run-and-gun offenseoriented GlobalPort Batang Pier. The Aces rely on sustained, game-long defensive intensity. They topped the elimination round and sailed automatically to the semifinals. They also like to bring in a hustling, fullcourt pressure unit to force turnovers which they convert to transition baskets. GlobalPort leans on the one-on-one brilliance of Stanley Pringle and Terrence Romeo to break down defenses. They sent first Barako Bull and then Barangay Ginebra San Miguel to early vacations and advanced to the semifinals themselves. It’s not just the focus on defense over offense which sets the Aces apart from the Batang Pier. The offensive philosophies of both teams are radically different as well. Relying on the incredible dribbling skills of Romeo and Pringle, GlobalPort likes to break down defenses with their dribble penetration or shoot the net to shreds from outside with their step back jumpshots. The Aces have equally deadly outside shooters in Dondon Hontiveros, Cyrus Baguio and RJ Jazul. Chris Banchero, Calvin Abueva and Jvee Casio have the speed and guile to penetrate into the paint and finish at the rim as well. But the Aces rely more on motion offense, with players moving freely without the ball to free themselves, rather than trying to individually create opportunities off the dribble. Additionally the Aces like to dump the ball inside to virtually unstoppable low post threats in Sonny Thoss, Eric Menk and Vic Manuel. GlobalPort is not just a two-man show either. They have hard-working bruisers in big men Doug Kramer, Billy Mamaril and even Jay Washington who has sacrificed his offense and focused more on defending the paint and collecting rebounds. Additionally the Aces cannot ignore Joseph Yeo, another

San Miguel Beer forward Arwind Santos (29) unloads a set shot from three-point distance even as Elasto Painters defender Jireh Ibanez looks on helplessly.

Alaska Aces veteran guard Cyrus Baguio (right) explodes to the basket as he beats GlobalPort Batang Pier defender Stanley Pringle (left).

talented guard who can score from virtually anywhere on the court. This semifinal battle starts Monday, Dec. 4 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. The Rain Or Shine Elasto Painters could have entered the semifinals as the No. 1 seed after the eliminations had they won their last game. But they lost. Rain Or Shine coach Yeng Guiao insists that his team was better served going through the two games in the quarterfinals. ‘’Siguro hindi pa kami ready na maka-pasok sa semis at that point kaya hindi namin nakuha agad. Ngayon nakarating rin naman kami sa semifinals and mas ready itong team namin at mas nahasa dahil sa quarterfinals,’’ said Guiao. The Elasto Painters mentor said the team needed to take the longer path which prepared them for the bigger stage. ‘’We just weren’t prepared the first time we had the chance to go to the semis. We got to go this long route to prepare ourselves better and para makapag-isip kami. Mas ready na talaga kami ngayon,’’ said Guiao. Rain Or Shine turned back the gritty challenge of playoffs newcomer Blackwater before hacking out an impressive victory over powerhouse Talk N Text. ‘’That (quarterfinals route) really was a blessing in disguise for us. It only toughened us going to the semis. We’re looking at things in the positive way,’’ said Guiao. The Elasto Painters booked their eighth consecutive trip to the semifinals, the longest active streak in the league. Rain Or Shine faces a formidable challenge in a battle against the defending champion San Miguel Beer in

GlobalPort Batang Pier point guard Stanley Pringle (with ball) challenges three Alaska Aces defenders, from right: Tony Dela Cruz, Eric Menk and Calvin Abueva.

San Miguel Beer point guard Alex Cabagnot (5) defies the defense of three Rain Or Shine Elasto Painters, including roughhousing big man Beau Belga (30), as he drives to the hoop.

a best-of-seven series. An added boost for Rain Or Shine is the return of superstar Paul Lee who is set to make his return from a knee injury. Lee makes his debut in the semifinals which Guiao believes enhances Rain Or Shine’s chances againt the Beermen. ‘’We’re getting our form. Paul (Lee) will be back with us sa semis so maganda rin naman ang chance namin,’’ said Guiao. The Beermen are no doubt the most formidable squad in the league. They not only have back-to-back Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo, they also have really tall backups in Yancy De Ocampo and JayR Reyes who beat up on Fajardo during practices to prepare him for the all the hits he will get during actual games. The Beermen have the steadiest closer in the league in point guard Alex Cabagnot and then added statistically the league’s best point guard in Brian Heruela. They also have lights out shooters in Chris Lutz and Marcio Lassiter and the best two-way player in the league in former MVP Arwind Santos. The Painters and the Beermen start their semis duel on Jan. 5, Tuesday. So which teams will prevail and go on to the finals? GlobalPort has improved to the point that the Batang Pier are legitimate title contenders. But Alaska is too deep, too experienced and yes, too hungry. I think the Aces will prevail in five to six games. The Rain Or Shine-San Miguel playoff is more difficult to predict. San Miguel looks like a dream team but the Elasto Painters have chemistry, are motivated like no other and seem poised to shock odds makers. This one’s is too close to call. But I wouldn’t be surprised if the Elasto Painters prevail in six or seven.

s un day : Ja n ua ry 3 , 2 0 1 6

sports

arman armero EDITOR

sports@thestandard.com.ph

World-caliber Filipino paddlers display their skills in a local tournament last year. The PH paddlers went on to win 3 gold medals at year’s end.

PH paddlers rule Asian tilts, win 3 golds By Danny Simon

Filipino paddlers ended the year with a splash, winning three gold medals for the country in a span of only one month. Under the brilliant stewardship of the top officials of the Philippine Canoe Kayak Federation, the country’s dragonboat team dominated the 2015 Asian Dragonboat Championship as they paddled their way into two gold medals last November in Palembang Bay, Indonesia. The success was followed by another smashing victory only last December, as they ruled the prestigious 2015 Thailand International Swan Boat Race held in Bangkok, Thailand.

Often considered as underdogs against heftier and more musclebound paddlers from other countries, the Filipino paddlers exceeded expectations and proved to be better competitors than their rivals from Asian powerhouses Korea, ChineseTaipeh and Southeast Asia neighbors Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar and Singapore. “We competed against national teams of different countries and again for the second time last year 2015 af-

ter our successful Asian Dragonboat championships, we won against the national team of host Thailand in the Swan race,” said national dragonboat team head coach Len Escollante, who worked hand in hand with PCKF chief Jonne Go in forming a champion team after a long process of discovering and honing and supporting our homegrown athletes. Armed with an indomitable spirit and steely determination and their innate love of country, paddlers Alex

IM Garcia drops to 3rd , Frayna second By Arman Armero INTERNATIONAL Master Jan Emmanuel Garcia and Woman IM Janelle Mae Frayna did their best, but still fell short in their campaign in the 3rd ASEAN JAPFA Chess Championship in Jakarta, Indonesia,. The 20-year old Garcia, a student of Ateneo, ended his final game with a draw against compatriot IM Paulo Bersamina that dropped him to third place. Garcia actually finished in

a threee-way tie with seven points each, but was relegated to third because of a lower tiebreak. Instead, it wa 13 year-old FIDE Master Anh Khoi Nguyen of Vietnam who emerged as champion after he defeated Indonesian Grand Master and top seed Susanto Megaranto. With the win, Nguyen also earned an IM title and a GM norm, aside from earning the distinction as the youngest IM in ASEAN or possibly in Asia. Another Vietnamese, GM Thien

Hai Dao also had seven points after beating Theolifus Taher Yoseph of Indonesia. Bersamina, meanwhile, placed 5th place after the tiebreak while off form GM Darwin Laylo could only finished 11th. Frayna, meanwhile, placed second while WomanFM Shania Mae Mendoza, both from FEU, settled for second place and 3rd places respectively while Woman International Bernadette Galas finished sixth.

Philippine Canoe-Kayak and Dragondbaot Federation president Jonee Go (left) and head coach Len Escollante are the moving forces behind the success of the national paddlers.

Generalo, John Paul Selencio,Fernan Dungan,Hermie Macaranas, Reymart Nevado,Jordan de Guia, Jonathan Ruiz,Ojay Fuentes Mark John Frias, drummer Patricia Ann Bustamante and steerer Maribeth Caranto proved that the Filipino athletes are truly world-class in caliber. Go said that after a brief rest during the holidays, the national dragonboat team will resume its regular training as they prepare for more international tournaments in 2016. ‘We will continue to discover young potential talents particularly in the countryside for systematic transition of sea warriors in our quest for supremacy in boat competitions internationally as we are eyeing our golden mission in the next Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia then focus on Asiad and ultimately to our world

quest once again,” Go said. With the unbeatable tandem of Go and Escollante working like a well-oiled machine, the national paddlers actually started 2015 with a bang, as they claimed five golds, three silvers and three bronze medals in the 2014 International Canoe Federation [ICF] Dragonboat World Championship held in Poland in ruling the seniors’ men 200m,10-seater, seniors mixed 200m and in the 500 and 200 juniors categories. Go and Escollante said they remain confident that with the countinued support by the Philippine Sports Commission, the Philippine Olympic Committee and corporate sponsors, the national paddlers will bring home more medals in competitions here and abroad.

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RIERA U. MALLARI EDITOR sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS

Terrence Romeo (left) and backcourt partner Stanley Pringle (right) are GlobalPort’s dynamic 1-2 punch expected to give Alaska all sorts of trouble.

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK EYES BIGGER PBA STAGE By Jeric Lopez

MAKE no mistake about it, GlobalPort is enjoying every bit of its “success” in the 2015-16 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup. After four years of heartbreaks and continuous build-up to get better, the Batang Pier finally broke through with its first-ever semifinal appearance as a franchise in the PBA. Still on cloud nine with this achievement, GlobalPort is certainly cherishing its success so far this season before it goes full blast once more in its best-of-seven semifinal war against Alaska starting tomorrow. Batang Pier head coach Pido Jarencio, who is also in his first semifinal appearance as a PBA coach, has nothing but praise for his team. ‘’Credit talaga sa boys. Deserve

nila makapunta sa semis,’’ said Jarencio. ‘’Deserving ang mga players for this achievement. This is a good team.’’ Jarencio then went on to say that the first time is indeed a sweet feeling for the Batang Pier. ‘’We’re enjoying the win and this trip to the semifinals,’’ said Jarencio. ‘’Nagtulong-tulong kami to get this. Sana tuloy-tuloy ito.’’ GlobalPort spitfire star Terrence Romeo agrees. ‘’Sobrang sarap ng pakiramdam. Nagbunga talaga ang hard work namin,’’ said Romeo. It was not an easy semifinal route for GlobalPort. Following its disposal of Barako Bull in the First Phase of the quarterfinals, the Batang Pier needed a game-tying basket at the end of regulation, an extra session and a favorable break in the dying seconds against Barangay Ginebra before taking a thrilling battle in Phase Two to formalize its firstever entry to the semis. Superstars like two-time reigning Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo, Arwind Santos, Sonny Thoss, Calvin Abueva,

Jeff Chan and Gabe Norwood, among others, are constant faces in the semis, but the two most anticipated debuts in this stage are those of young superstars Romeo and Stanley Pringle. Arguably the league’s best 1-2 punch, the prolific backcourt pair of Romeo and Pringle have soared to new heights this conference as they are showing the entire league that they are for real by continuously lifting the Batang Pier, who heavily relies on their leadership and heads-up play. The Aces, starring Calvin Abueva, will have their hands full trying to stop the PBA’s version of the “Splash Brothers.” ‘’Big credit din talaga to Terrence (Rome) and Stanley (Pringle). Wala kaming masabi sa kanila. They’ve been leading and carrying the team and I hope their heads-up play continues against Alaska, which is a dangerous team.’’ GlobalPort maybe the semifinal round’s newest kid on the block, but you can bet these hungry firsttimers won’t be satisfied with what they have achieved so far.

Coach ‘Pido’ Jarencio

S U N D AY : J A N U A R Y 3 , 2 0 1 6

TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR

BING PAREL

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

BERNADETTE LUNAS WRITER

he year 2015, indeed, has had no dull moments, what with the nail-biting plot twist of the recent Miss Universe 2015 win, to the AlDub mania that has taken over Twitterverse and beyond. On both the local stage and the international arena, Filipinos have found numerous reasons to unite in shared pride and glory. As the year draws to a close, we take a look back on the exceptional people and incredible moments that have shaped not only our current history, but which have taken us on an unforgettable ride – complete with ups and downs and loopthe-loops.

life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

S U NDAY L IF E

LIFE

3. POPE FRANCIS I:

THE PEOPLE’S POPE Kicking off the year on a high note, Filipinos welcomed Pope Francis I with open arms during his Papal Visit from January 15-19. The pontiff visited at least 11 different venues in the province of Leyte and Metro Manila. In Tacloban, the town most devastated by Typhoon Haiyan, Pope Francis offered Mass and shared a meal with the poor and survivors at the residence of the Archbishop of Palo. Upon returning to Manila, he also received an audience at the Pontifical University of Santo Tomas, where millions gathered to listen to his wisdom. His short but significant visit brought together Filipinos, and reminded us of his message of “mercy and compassion.”

1. MISS UNIVERSE 2015 PIA WURTZBACH:

CROWNING GLORY

After more than 40 years, and a series of almost wins for the country (starting with Venus Raj in 2010 when she won Fourth Runner Up), 26-year-old Pia Wurtzbach finally took home the Miss Universe crown, bringing the entire country to its feet. But her victory can literally be called a “controversial win.” In an awkward/horrifying gaffe, host Steve Harvey mistakenly proclaimed Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez as the winner after misreading his cue card. A regretful Harvey admitted his mistake on live television, after which 2014 Miss Universe Paulina Vega had to “decrown” a catatonic Miss Colombia, while Pia accepted her win with admirable grace and humility.

REMARKABLE PERSONALITIES WHO MADE OUR 2015 BY KRISTEL DACUMOS-LAGORZA

2. ALDEN RICHARDS AND MAINE MENDOZA:

ALDUB MANIA When Maine Mendoza, who plays Yaya Dub on Eat Bulaga’s Kalyeserye, blushed at the sight of her showbiz crush Alden Richards on the July 16 episode, the match for TV romance was lit – paving the way for showbiz success. No one could have foreseen the meteoric rise of this novelty, split-screen romantic duo. Supported by the comedy-improv genius of Wally Bayola, Paolo Ballesteros and Jose Manalo (who play the larger-than-life lolas of Yaya Dub), Maine Mendoza and Alden Richards rose to become the biggest showbiz successes of 2015. Though not a couple in real life, the two have convincingly played the parts of star-crossed lovers. Viewers tuned in every afternoon to witness the unfolding of their innocent love story. Millions tweeted their support, and soon enough the AlDub phenomenon was taking over Twitterverse, gaining the attention of BBC, CNN, and other international networks.

At the highly anticipated event, Tamang Panahon, where the two fictional characters were to finally meet, AlDub broke Twitter records with a reported 41 million tweets. Continued on C2

C2 REMARKABLE PERSONALITIES WHO MADE OUR 2015 From C1

4. HENERAL LUNA:

HISTORY INSPIRES Heneral Luna, an inspired biopic about a heretofore uncelebrated Gen. Antonio Luna, broke box-office records and raised the bar for Philippine filmmaking thanks to its concise screenplay, beautiful cinematography, and superb acting by its all-star cast led by John Arcilla. Thanks to the movie’s dramatic tagline “Bayan o Sarili?” delivered by Arcilla’s character, Filipinos have found new fervor and passion for the country. Directed by Jerrold Tarog, the film received critical acclaim from both movie critics and audiences. Produced with a considerate budget of P80 million, the movie became the highest grossing Filipino historical film of all time, with a reported P240 million in gross sales. Encouraged by the film’s reception, the producers of Heneral Luna have pushed forward with the production of the next movie, which tackles the life of General Gregorio del Pilar. Heneral Luna was later selected as the official Philippine entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards.

7. APEC:

AMONG THE GREATS All eyes were on the Philippines when it hosted the APEC CEO Summit last November 16-18, the second time since the 1996 APEC Summit under President Fidel V. Ramos. The Philippines rolled out the red carpet as 21 of the world’s most

S U N D AY : J A N U A R Y 3 , 2 0 1 6

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

5. MANNY PACQUIAO:

THE FIGHT OF THE CENTURY The country’s pride Manny Pacquiao and his arch enemy Floyd Mayweather Jr. set a date (May 2) for the milestone fight that would finally put to close the years of waiting and trash talking. Billed as the “Fight of the Century,” the match between Mayweather, a five-division world champion, and Pacquiao, an eight-division world champion, was held at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Celebrities flew to fill the arena, while other fans tuned in on pay-per-view to watch the boxing showdown. After a fierce battle, Mayweather was declared the winner by unanimous decision, with two judges scoring 116-112 and the other 118-110. The fight scored impressive sales with a reported $410 million in revenue in the US, while Kantar ratings shared that an estimated 46.9 percent of Filipino households tuned in to watch the fight. Though Manny did not win, he earned the respect of Mayweather and further endeared himself to fans, proving that he is still the People’s Champ.

6. AISA MIJENO:

WORTH HER SALT During the APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) CEO Summit which the Philippines hosted, US President Barack Obama trained the spotlight on Aisa Mijeno, a bright, talented young Filipina engineer (who is also one of the Young Visionaries recognized during The Standard 2015 Visionary awards) who invented a sustainable and cost effective lamp that’s powered by salt water. During the forum, Aisa shared with President Obama and Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba, how she was inspired to create the lamp after having lived with a native tribe in Kalinga. With no access to electricity, the people instead used kerosene-fueled lamps, which we were not only fire hazards but were more costly to use. Aisa humbly tried to downplay the significance of her contribution, saying, “The technology used is not rocket science. I just applied what was taught in high school chemistry classes.” Today, Aisa is trying to gather more support for her invention through her company, SALt (Sustainable Alternative Lighting), which she founded with her brother Raphael.

notable leaders including US President Barack Obama, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and Mexican President Enrique Nieto came in attendance to address economic issues in the Asia Pacific region. In addition to the leaders,

an estimated 10,000 people including 3,000 media delegates participated in the APEC CEO Summit. As expected, the Philippines delivered – displaying its famed hospitality and generosity. Renowned designer Paul Cabral designed the barong Tagalogs for the heads of state, while Filipino industrial

designer Kenneth Cobonpue served as APEC creative director, taking on the task of decorating the interiors of the SM Mall of Asia Arena for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Welcome Dinner on Nov. 18. His unique design, which drew praise, took inspiration from the Banaue Rice Terraces. A reported P10 billion was allotted to for the yearlong hosting of the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings. But despite the criticism and inconvenience placed on the Metro Manila population, the government assured that this was all necessary as this was a longterm investment and it will all bear fruit especially in terms of foreign support for the economy. “Just hosting an APEC is an achievement enough: it’s a collective endorsement by APEC members of the stellar performance of the Philippines... Hosting it successfully as the Aquino administration just did further raises the stature of the country before the global development arena,” shared Budget Secretary Florencio Abad.

We’re equally hopeful that 2016 will bring more promise with more notable personalities who are sure to create news and who knows – change the course of Philippine history for the better. Filipinos are looking forward to May 2016 when they will exercise their right to vote and determine the next leader of this nation. For sure, the turnout will be colorful – and we wouldn’t be surprised if everyone thinks it worthy of another Kalyeserye marathon.

S U N D AY : J A N U A R Y 3 , 2 0 1 6

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

CENTER OF HOPE FOR TYPHOON YOLANDA VICTIMS

@LIFEatStandard

Youth and parent beneficiaries are delighted at the opening of the EMC Center of Hope in Tacloban

lobal business enabler EMC Corporation opened the EMC Center of Hope located at the National Housing Authority Relocation Site in Brgy. Cabalawan, Tacloban City. Present during the ceremony were Ronnie Latinazo, EMC Philippines country manager; Charles Ham, HOPE worldwide Headquarters Global Disaster Coordinator; and June Velasco, HOPE worldwide Philippines executive director. Beneficiaries of the center are victims of Typhoon Yolanda which ravaged many parts of Leyte province. “EMC is committed to giving back to the local community and through these continued efforts, we hope to play in rebuilding people’s lives in the areas affected the most by typhoons,” says Latinazo, adding that the project is part of EMC’s global social responsibility initiatives which aims to help local communities rebuild their lives through a series of education, protection, emergency and volunteer programs. Asdie from the one in Leyte, other EMC Centers of Hope have been established in Ormoc and Daanbantayan, Cebu. To date, the centers have served 152 children through education and supplemental feeding via the Day Care Program, while 64 families were provided with livelihood support and assistance. HOPE worldwide has also mobilized 500 volunteers in the three EMC Centers of Hope. The newly opened facility features a daycare center, two rooms designed for accommodating different livelihood recovery activities, trainings, computer and library rooms, and a receiving area. EMC centers provide various services including education, protection, emergency and volunteer programs for the development and transformation of the local community. The main programs of the centers include livelihood recovery, education, health, protection advocacy, emergency, and volunteerism. Partnering with EMC is HOPE worldwide Philippines, a non-profit, nongovernment, faith-based charity that has been caring for needy children and youth since 1993.

EMC volunteers with youth beneficiaries

Palm printing for the EMC Center Landmark with EMC Philippines and HOPE worldwide Philippines representatives

Unveiling of the EMC Center of Hope-Tacloban Landmark. From left: Charles Ham, Global Disaster coordinator, HOPE worldwide headquarters; Jun Velasco, HOPE worldwide Philippines executive director; Mary Ann Viloria, EMC Philippines marketing manager; Ronnie Latinazo, EMC Philippines country manager; and Jason Yuvienco, EMC Philippines systems engineering manager together with youth beneficiaries

Turn-over of key to Daycare and youth beneficiaries

To know more about EMC, visit www.EMC.com. EMC volunteers during the EMC Center of Hope in Tacloban opening

During the ribbon cutting of the EMC Center of Hope in Tacloban City

ACACIA HOTEL RECOGNIZED AS DESTINATION OF THE YEAR AT ASIA CEO AWARDS

he recently concluded 2015 Asia CEO Awards held at the Marriott’s Grand Ballroom nominated Acacia Hotel Manila as one of the four finalists for the Philippine Airlines Hospitality Destination of the Year Award. The nominees were determined by the quality of service based on consistent positive feedback, leadership commitment, initiatives on reducing the property’s ecological footprint, promotion of tourism and innovation. The awards night is said to be biggest of its kind in the region with prominent business leaders across Asia Pacific in attendance. Other award categories

include The Lifetime Contributor award for Public Sector (Jose L. Cuisia), the Lifetime Contributor award for Private Sector (David M. Consunji of DMCI Holdings Inc.), Philippine Airline Hospitality Destination of the Year (Marriott Hotel Manila), Technology Company of the Year (Eco-System Technologies, Inc.), among many others. The relatively young Acacia Hotel Manila that started in 2011 as the newest 16-storey five star hotel in the heart of Alabang is giving competitors a run for their money. The hotel has 261 pristine guest rooms and suites, four restaurants, banquet spaces and services, and notable leisure facilities

such as a spa, pool and a 24-hour fitness center. The four year old hotel led by general manager and Mabuhay Awardee Bobby Horrigan takes pride not only in providing guests with utmost comfort through the hotel’s amenities but also in its ability to sustain excellent customer retention through its commitment in treating guests with genuine Filipino hospitality. The hotel has been awarded by leading worldwide review site Trip Advisor with a Certificate of Excellence and was included in the list of 25 Top Luxury Hotels in the Philippines. For more information, visit www.acaciahotelsmanila.com.

S U N D AY : J A N U A R Y 3 , 2 0 1 6

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

Darlene Jane San Agustin (DLS-CSB AB Photography alumna)

@LIFEatStandard

from left: Darlene Jane San Agustin, Jasper Emmanuel Arcalas (UST AB Journalism student), Robin Serrano (DLS-CSB vice president for Advancement) and Ma. Cecilia L. Alcantara (Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines president)

IN PURSUIT OF HAPPY COMMUNITIES

oca-Cola Foundation Philippines recently mounted a special multimedia exhibit in celebration of its 29th anniversary of sharing happiness. The show featured select indigenous communities and schools it has been supporting through the years Dubbed as “Happiness Project 2.0,” the exhibit, which ran until December 2, showcased the works of young and aspiring

filmmakers, photographers and journalists from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Design and Arts and the University of Santo Tomas. The students joined the foundation in its outreach programs and interacted with the community members to learn about the latter’s daily lives. Their immersion brought out faces and stories of happiness in Bataan, Mountain Province, Negros Occidental and Nueva

Vizcaya. DLS-CSB SDA exhibited the images and videos, while curatorial texts were provided by UST Journalism students. In addition to the exhibit about daily life in indigenous communities, the videos produced by the DLS-CSB SDA Multimedia Arts students for the 13th Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations Awards were also featured. Coca-Cola Foundation has been working with local communities in its mission

“to refresh the world, inspire moments of optimism, create value, and make a difference,” particularly in the areas of water stewardship and education. Tapping the students this time around was aimed to engage the youth in the foundation’s advocacy as well as to spark interest in the next generation to work for positive change and strive for happiness in their respective communities.

SM Foundation spearheads renovation

of FORT DEL PILAR STATION HOSPITAL at PMA in Baguio

adets, military personnel and their dependents as well as authorized civilians have reason to look forward to the new year with renewed hope following the complete renovation and refurbishment of the Fort del Pilar Station Hospital at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City courtesy of the SM Foundation. Last year, the 50-bed capacity hospital was downgraded because of its decrepit facilities. With the renovation and new equipment, the hospital is expected to revert to its Level 2 Department of Health accreditation. Rehabilitation work was done in two phases: Phase I covered the renovation of the Operating and Delivery Room (OR/ DR) complex as well as the officers’ and cadets’ ward of the hospital; while Phase II involved the renovation of the hospital’s entire second floor which was converted into a Felicidad T. Sy Ward. Included in the rehabilitation were Cadets Wards 1, 2 and 3, Pediatric Ward, Female Surgical Ward, Surgical Ward, OB and Gyne Ward, Pathological Ward, Chief Nurse room and Nurses station, Isolation room, Storage room, and Recovery room. The hospital also has a Prayer room and a Reception/ waiting area. To support the hospital’s services, brand new medical equipment were also donated, and these include an anesthesia machine, OR LED lights,

Operating room

From left: Commanding Officer Col. Eric Guillermo de Leon; SM Foundation executive director for Education Linda Atayde; SM Foundation executive director for Health Connie Angeles; Superintendent Lt. Gen. Oscar Lopez; and SM North Luzon regional manager Cesar Bondoc

multi parameters monitors, ECG units, portable ultrasound machine, infusion pumps, heavy duty suction machine as well as other furnishings for the officers’ and cadets’ wards. The SM Foundation has been helping renovate and refurbish military facilities in recognition of the AFP’s role in the defense and security of the nation. The Foundation also takes cognizance of the active participation of the military in disaster relief operations. “We at SM Foundation are deeply honored to be able to contribute to those who serve the country, specifically with the Philippine Military Academy, by way of donations and improvements of

the Fort Del Pilar Station Hospital,” SM Foundation executive director for Health Connie Angeles said. “To our gallant men in uniform, we at SM Foundation will continue to support you,” Angeles added. “All for you dear soldiers, who risk life and limb that we may enjoy freedom.” Fort del Pilar Station Hospital now joins the roster of military facilities that have benefited from SM Foundation’s support of communities comprising of Filipino enlisted personnel and their dependents in an effort to uplift their lives. Other military facilities renovated by the SM Foundation include: Air Force General Hospital in Pasay City; NAVSOG Sick

Officers’ ward

Bay in Sangley Cavite; Air Force City Hospital in Clark, Pampanga; Camp General Aguinaldo Station Hospital in Quezon City; Fernando Air Base Hospital in Lipa City; Police National Training Institute in Canlubang Laguna; Camp Nakar Station Hospital in Lucena, Quezon; Fort Magsaysay Station Hospital in Cabanatuan; Pediatric Ward of the AFP General Hospital in Pasay City and the PNP Special Action Force (SAF)Training Branch Dispensary.

SUNDAY : JA NUA RY 3, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

Ejay is Lapu-Lapu, stEphany, BuLakna

he Sinulog 2016 fever is definitely in the air, and it is the most-anticipated event in the Queen City of the South right after the New Year’s Day celebration. The thrill and excitement spread all over the world. As a yearly tradition, skincare-expert Psalmstre Enterprises will join in the float parade. The concept of its float aims to relive the events in 1521, when the Spaniards led by Ferdinand Magellan set foot on the island. The company will introduce Kapamilya hunk Ejay Falcon as Datu Lapu-Lapu and Miss EarthAir 2012 Stephany Stefanowitz as Rayna Bulakna. The two, who are endorsers of Psalmstre New Placenta for Men and Women, expressed their excitement when they learned that this is their first project together. “We want a different concept this time. Psalmstre makes sure that it is something different from our previous entries. It is our way of expressing our gratitude for the Cebuano’s overwhelming patronage of our products through the years and our simple way of paying tribute and homage to the

Former Miss Earth Philippines Stephany Stefanowitz, Psalmstre officer and Kapamilya actor Ejay Falcon

Child Jesus,” said chief executive officer Jim Acosta. When asked who will play the role of Magellan, Jim explained,

Albert M.G. Garcia of Whealth (first row) and the boys and girls from the Down Syndrome Association of the Philippines, Inc. pose with the cast of Ballet Philippines’s “Peter Pan”.

“To play the role of Magellan, he has to be a Spanish-looking gentleman. We will introduce him to the media very soon as we are

Albert M. G. Garcia (center) and his staff at Whealth, Inc.

still fixing his travel papers and schedule.” This is not the first time for both celebrities to join Sinulog,

but the first time to be together as part of their projects as New Placenta endorsers. Ejay and Stephany are both happy they are able to find time working together despite their hectic schedules. “I have been working with actresses, and I am looking forward to work with Steph, who is a beauty queen. Now that this time has come, I am so thankful to Sir Jim for making this project possible,” enthused Ejay. “I think the feeling is mutual. I am also super excited to work with Ejay, more especially that we will work together again in Panagbenga, in Baguio, this coming February 2016,” shared the half-Visayan beauty queen.

Aside from the exclusive matinee show, the children were also treated to snacks.

Orphans TreaTed TO CulTural exTravaganza

roviding world-class cultural experience for orphans and underprivileged children to enjoy is a Christmas tradition observed by Albert M.G. Garcia and his staff at Whealth, Incorporated. An annual benefit show treated around 1,800 kids to a Ballet Philippines performance of Peter Pan at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. “We are sharing the bounty of which we are merely stewards,” says Garcia, president and CEO of Whealth, Inc., a company that advocates preventive health care and is a formulator of innovative all-natural health supplements. This year’s event was bannered by

Megafiber, Whealth’s dietary fiber supplement billed as the new standard for psyllium fiber, together with its other brands ABW Leaves of Life, CranUTI, BrainMaster and Goutritis. As is the case each year, the whole Cultural Center was booked for a matinee show exclusively for the kids. Prepared snacks were later distributed after the performance. “We plan to continue doing this every year to give the kids a unique cultural experience that they otherwise may never get to enjoy. We want it to be a special gift, something different from what they usually receive during the holidays,” says Garcia.

This year, around 1,800 orphans and underprivileged children were treated to a “Peter Pan” performance of Ballet Philippines.

SUNDAY : JA NUA RY 3, 2016

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

FiLiPinaS bEqUEaTh LEgaCy OF bEaUTy, SUbSTanCE

en Filipino women who represent today’s ideals of refinement, style and substance were honored to be part of Tingting’s List: The Elegant Filipinas, a first-of-its-kind award that was handed out by Margarita “Tingting” Cojuangco, former politician, socio-civic leader and Filipina who has been acknowledged to be one of the most beautiful women of the world. The accolade is considered to be the highest form of praise for the women on the list as they were recognized to be “bequeathing a legacy of refinement, beauty and sophistication while humbly creating a string of personal achievements for the betterment of womankind.” The women honored with this distinction were media executive Tootsy Angara, businesswoman Ching Cruz, former Cebu gov-

ernor and now congresswoman Gwendolyn Garcia, style maven and Ormoc, Leyte congresswoman Lucy Torres-Gomez, former dancer Zelda Kienle, Monaco honorary consul Fortune Ledesma, businesswoman Amparito Llamas-Lhuiller, designer Mandy de la Rama, designer-turned-painter Vicky Zubiri, and dedicated mother Cindy Yang. The award was a unique occasion that realized the importance of beauty, both inside and out. Among the businesses that supported the endeavor was Premium HyC150, a collagen drink that has been described as a modern-day fountain of youth. Manufactured by Fine Japan Co. Ltd., it is a woman’s secret weapon to staying healthy, and possessing of a vibrant and radiant lasting beauty. It provides women with strength and vitality by making them feel good

about themselves. They can face head on whatever challenges the day might bring them. Premium HyC150 combines three youth-inducing elements for a more potent supplement drink: collagen, hyaluronic acid, and ubiquinol. The combination of these active ingredients assures women of effectively enjoying its benefits on a daily basis. If there is one Filipina who knows beauty, then it is Cojuangco. Considered by many to be an expert, her numerous achievements distinguish her from others. She is an outstanding UST alumna, wife, mother, scholar, a doctor of history and criminology. She has been featured in Harper’s Bazaar twice, first in 1966 in a four-page spread and again 1967, as one of “100 Most Beautiful Women of the World.” She was permanently on the list

Tingting Cojuangco with the elegant Filipinas

of every Best Dressed roster in the Philippines from the 1960s and throughout the 1980s, eventually becoming a Hall of Fame recipient. Cojuangco handpicked the honorees with the help of a panel composed of Philippine Tatler editor-in-chief Anton San Diego and managing editor Chit Lijauco, fashion entrepreneur Tina Maristela-Ocampo, Slim’s Fashion and Arts School co-director Mark Higgins, and highly esteemed fashion designer Christian Espiritu. Following the recognition of

the honorees, they sashayed down the ramp in the design collections of designers Albert Andrada, Ronald Arnaldo, JC Buendia, and Rajo Laurel. Premium HyC150 is available at selected Watsons stores nationwide, as well on Lazada Philippines at www.lazada.com.ph. For more information, visit its website at www.HyC150.com; like its Facebook page @www.facebook. com/HyC150; follow on Twitter @ HyC150 or Instagram @HyC150; or call (02) 5467297, 09177750779.

OLX Lights up pOssibiLi-tree at gateway CinepLeX

LX Philippines set up the OLX Possibili-tree at the cinema level of Gateway Mall to bring holiday cheers and encourage everyone to share their blessings this Christmas season. The OLX Possibili-tree is a fund raising project of OLX Philippines and Save the Children. It is made up of quality second-hand items that are up for sale, like gadgets, toys and office supplies. Everyone

can help support this cause by buying items around the Possibili-tree or donating cash and items at the OLX booth. “OLX is known to provide simple and win-win experiences to Filipinos. With OLX Possibili-tree, we would like to send out the message that it’s possible to reward ourselves while extending support to others at the same time,” says Jean Magboo, OLX Philippines Brand Marketing manager.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 93 95 97 98 100 101

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Sugar amts. 5 Mars explorer 10 Masked superhero 16 Elvis’ “Don’t Be —” 21 Oodles (2 wds.) 22 Basketball venue 23 Guarantee 24 Hair rinse 25 Santa —, Calif. 26 Encircles 27 Gives way 28 Have being 29 They may get traded 31 Bronze or Iron 33 Jockey, often 35 Vt. neighbor 36 “Dave” actor 37 Dust devil 40 Get — of that junk! 41 Wk. day 42 Maple syrup base 45 911 responder 46 Score big 48 Formal vote

50 52 54 55 57 58 59 60 62 66 67 69 71 72 74 76 78 79 80 83 85 88 89 90

Least taxing Cavort Quick snack Fashion magazine Beauty pack R2D2 or C-3PO Fill the hold Diet Jaunty lid Troubles, to Hamlet Monarchs Not genuine Letter encl. Firefly larvae Yahoo! rival Physicist — Bohr — take forever! Huron neighbor Castle features Said to be Broncos great Port near Hong Kong Door or gate 1960s foursome

Tastes Now, to Caesar Canine command Tugs hard Wind dir. Keeps a low profile (2 wds.) 106 Psyche’s beloved 108 Harangue 110 Unnerves 112 Globetrot 113 Units of force 115 Carpet thickness 116 Buys at auction 117 Chase the puck 118 Faint 120 Gloating 122 Johanson’s fossil girl 123 Engine part 124 Congenial 128 Biol. or astron. 129 Summer in Cannes 130 A fistful of dollars 131 Grad. class 132 High spirits 133 Strong soap 135 Batter ingredients 137 Wined and dined 139 Beak of a bird 140 Hull parts 142 Common abbr. 144 Ran a store 148 Chilling 150 Limited 153 Flee to the JP 155 “Primal Fear” star 156 Without warmth 157 Complete reversals (hyph.) 158 D.C. consumer advocate 159 Taverns 160 Hibachi sites 161 Envoy 162 Anagram for north 163 Cubbyhole

“We’re inviting everyone to support the OLX Possibili-tree campaign. Your donations will help us support our sponsored children. This wonderful gift will give them more reason to smile and feel loved not just this Christmas but all year round,” says Riel Andaluz, Save the Children Senior manager for Corporate Partnerships. The OLX Christmas Possibili-tree can be found at the Gate-

OLX Philippines Brand Marketing Manager Jean Magboo and Head of Growth and Marketing Giancarlo Bonsel

way Cineplex until Jan. 15. Aside from buying and donating items or cash, everyone can help spread the word by taking a

The OLX Possibili-tree stands 15 feet tall and is made up of quality second-hand items that are up for sale from Dec. 15 until Jan. 15, at Gateway Mall cinema lobby.

photo of the OLX Possibili-tree and sharing it on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #OLXPossibilitree.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 3, 2016

DOWN 1 Scarlett’s mansion 2 Piggy-bank feature 3 Lavish 4 Hunt down 5 Joplin genre 6 China’s place 7 Chapter and — 8 Wrap up 9 Tabula — 10 Sang to the moon 11 Just — — thought! 12 Half a fly 13 Ponder 14 Inner fire 15 Tabloids “monster” 16 “Moonstruck” star 17 Oedipus — 18 One of a kind 19 Happens next 20 Most current 30 Go to the polls 32 Kind of pool 34 Red-waxed cheese 38 Go blond 39 Cheers 41 Ocean’s motions 42 Bit of holly 43 On — — (hot) 44 Cellist — Casals 46 Most spacious 47 Route for Ben-Hur 49 UFO pilots 51 Hoagie 53 Piece of cake! (2 wds.) 54 Liniment 56 Sewing kit 59 Decoy 61 Kassel’s river 63 Singer Bonnie — 64 Organic compound 65 Lingerie item 67 Vive le —! 68 Cheesecake brand (2 wds.) 69 Like a kilt

70 73 75 77 81 82 84 85 86 87 91 92 93 94

Flamenco shout With dry humor Fierce whales Blow a paycheck Ms. Thurman Familiar digit Opens the wine Waned Skeptical Prairie schooner Wolf, say Save a coupon Choir selections Miner’s trough

95 96 99 102 103 104 105 107 109 111 114 117

Makes after taxes — Enterprise Mr. Kristofferson A famous 500 Horned animals Croc cousin Shaman’s findings Family car Tied Just touch Close kin Front of an LP (2 wds.) 119 Mme.’s daughter

121 122 123 124 125 126 127 130 134 136 137 138

Band’s booking Perchance Design Epic by Virgil Take to the cleaners Silk or wool Good-looker Tearjerker Privileged few Migratory flocks Tolkien hobbit Begin eating (2 wds.)

140 141 143 145 146 147 149 151 152 154

Janitor’s need Like a bug in a rug Pocket money Lantern-jawed host Cube-maker Rubik Hotel lobby focus Type CD, maybe Big-bang letters — -di-dah

SUNDAY : JA NUA RY 3, 2016

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

Miss eArTh 2015 AngeliA gAbrenA ong Wishes for A susTAinAble counTry by eTon b. concepcion

Q&A

Getting up close with newly crowned Miss Earth 2015 Angelia Ong, one could not help but be captivated by her bubbly, funny, frank and engaging down-toearth personality. With admirable sense of humility, the outspoken Ong is the perfect spokesperson of Miss Earth pageant’s environmental awareness programs. In place of the traditional ticker-tape homecoming parade, a fitting victory party was given in honor of Ong upon her return from Austria where she won the Miss Earth title for the Philippines for the second straight year. The Miss Earth Organization said that Ong’s winning would take the backseat amidst the euphoria of the controversial Miss Universe crowning of Pia Wurtzbach. Ong, like Wurtzbach, has met criticisms from on-line bashers, especially, from Latinas and their supporters, alleging that there was fraud or that her win was rigged, which Ong, while admitting she was hurt, just took in stride. Ong said that she worked real hard to win since Miss Earth Organization’s Carousel Productions left her on her own during the competition in Austria to assure all the delegates of equal chances. Ong attributed her hard-earned victory to her strong drive and determination focusing on her goal to win the title even if many were not expecting a back-to-back win this year. Ong mused that she could never imagine the Miss Earth crown being placed on the head of another contestant. Ong obliged for an interview during her victory party at the Carousel Garden: Why did you Aspire To be Miss eArTh? To be honest, I really did not know if I wanted to be a beauty queen until I tried.

When I learned that there were a lot of people who believed that I could do it, my family, my friends and mentor Rodgil Flores, then that was the time that I decided to join Miss Earth Philippines. WhAT do you Think is The besT WAy To MAke The youTh TAke cAre of The environMenT? First and foremost, they have to be informed, to be aware of what’s happening, so they can understand on how they can help. It is important to respect and support Mother Earth because it is also a way of taking care of their future. WhAT do you Think of The us MAking Their MiliTAry pres ence in The counTry? Oh, that’s the Miss Universe question. I really don’t know the specifics, the whole agenda on the matter, but I don’t think that it is really needed. It’s better to have more dialogue. There’s no need to rush as this involves the ordinary citizen and the whole nation. hoW do you WAnT To be reMeMbered As Miss eArTh? Aside from being the one who brought home a back to back win as Christmas gift to our countrymen, I wish to be remembered as someone who did not just reign for a year. I want to be in there in their minds in the 30th, 40th, or 50th Miss Earth.

WhAT do you Wish for The counTry? My wish and prayers for my countrymen is that I truly hope that one day, may be not in my lifetime, but to future generations, that we could all wake up seeing a sustainable country, that we could take real care of our resources.

“We will because we can”, Angelita Gabrena Ong, Miss Earth 2015 winner

Choi si-won invites PiA wurtzbACh to suPer Junior ConCert

fter finding out that the recently-crowned Miss Universe, Pia Wurtzbach is a fan of his K-pop group, Super Junior member Choi Si-won posted his congratulatory remark and invited the Filipina beauty to the group’s upcoming concert. According to PEP News, on Dec. 27, Choi, who is currently doing his two-year military service, posted a photo with his “Dragon Blade” co-star Adrien

ChoiSi-won and Pia Wurtzbach

Brody, and wrote, “Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach :) Heartfelt congratulations on your Miss Universe 2015 Award, and please be my guest for the next SUPERSHOW! Looking forward to seeing you shining the world”. Wurtzbach, who’ve read the message, replied on Twitter, “Wow thank you! Really appreciate it!” The beauty queen has always been a firm supporter of the K-pop group, especially Choi, and expressing her love for him on so-

cial media. At one point, she even called herself “Mrs. Choi Si-won”. In addition to Choi, Super Junior’s leader Lee Teuk also congratulated Wurtzbach on Instagram, saying (in Korean), “Congratulations, Miss Universe. I heard from the news that something had happened and they announced the wrong winner. But congratulations to you, an ELF who loves Super Junior, especially Siwon. I want to congratulate you one more time!”

‘AmeriCAn idol’ finAl seAson on JAn. 6

he final season of Fox’s American Idol will premiere Jan. 6, marking the end of the singing competition show’s 15-season-long run. In May, the network announced that the 15th season of the show would include veteran judges and American musicians Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban

and Harry Connick, Jr., and that longtime host and television and radio personality Ryan Seacrest would return for the final season. According to the New York Times, at the height of its popularity, American Idol drew north of 30 million viewers and, for eight years, held the No. 1 spot for television shows on broadcast television. “American Idol, the original

music show phenomenon, returns for its 15th – and final – season in January 2016, along with host Ryan Seacrest and judges Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick, Jr,” Fox said in a statement. “It will be the ultimate celebration – a tribute to the past 14 seasons, the amazingly talented contestants and the millions of fans who tweeted, texted and championed their Idols.”

American Idol judges Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez and Harry Connick, Jr.

SUNDAY : JA NUA RY 3, 2016

ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ Snoopy and Charlie Brown The Peanuts the Movie

Noah Schnapp is Charlie Brown in the animated movie

‘Snoopy And ChArlie Brown The peAnuTS Movie’ Golden Globes and Annie Awards (2016) nominee for Best Animation

Francesca Capaldi voices Little Red Haired Girl

Young actress Hadley Miller gives life to Lucy in the new Snoopy film

Alex Garfin is the voice behind Linus

olden Globes’ and Annie Awards’ 2016 nominee for Best Animated Motion Picture, Snoopy and Charlie Brown The Peanuts Movie (3D) will finally be seen in Philippine theatres starting Jan. 8. From the imagination of Charles M. Schulz and the creators of the Ice Age films, Snoopy and Charlie Brown The Peanuts Movie is, at its core, about everyday anxieties we encounter while growing up, going to school, and dealing with the perceptions people have about one another. “We took that theme and changed the overall tone of the movie, which resulted in a stronger message, one that both adults and children can relate to,” says Craig Schulz, son of Charles. The universal appeal of all Peanuts characters—encompassing Charlie Brown’s eternal underdog status, Linus’ heart, Franklin’s philosophy, Marcie’s introspection, Lucy’s crabbiness, Sally’s unrequited affection for her Sweet Babboo Linus, and Snoopy’s many personas— is the reason the strip and its characters have remained relevant as Peanuts celebrates its 65th anniversary with a big screen debut and casting the right young actors would be crucial to the film’s success. After an exhausting search, Steve Martino found his Charlie Brown in ten-year-old, Scarsdale, New York resident Noah Schnapp. “Noah has a great voice for Charlie Brown, but also

has a similar temperament to the character,” says director Martino. “That allowed us to rely on his natural tendencies and it really felt like Charlie Brown.” Alex Garfin voices Linus who is nominated for an Annie Awards for his work in the movie. Casting the voice of Linus led to several sleepless nights for Martino. “Linus was my favorite voice from the original Peanuts specials and was the voice I was most worried about casting,” he recalls. “Linus had this wonderful natural lisp. It was never overdone but it felt so ‘real.’ Eleven- year-old Alex Garfin, from New York, landed the role. “In our story, Linus is that steady, supportive friend for Charlie Brown,” says Martino, “and like Noah does with Charlie Brown, Alex has a temperament that feels like Linus.” Likewise, Hadley Miller who voices Lucy is also nominated for her voice acting at the upcoming Annie Awards. It takes a confident actress to play Lucy, and Martino found that in 10-year-old Huntington Beach, California native Miller. But rest assured, Hadley does not have the disposition of her crabby, bossy counterpart, Lucy. “Hadley has this sweet, well-mannered personality and I wondered if she could play the bold, brash side of Lucy,” says the director. But that concern was alleviated when Hadley stepped into the recording booth. Although the Little Red-Haired Girl has only a few lines, she is an

undeniable force in the story, as Charlie Brown’s major crush. “It was important that her voice have both sincere and sweet qualities,” says Martino. Ten-year-old Francesca Capaldi, best known for work on the Disney Channel TV show Dog with a Blog, takes on the role. Early in the recording process, Craig Schulz attended a voice session of Mariel Sheets, the young actress who portrays Sally Brown. Sheets had no idea who Schulz was, and during a break, Schulz recalls how she rattled off lines from the Christmas and Halloween specials, beat for beat, with perfect pacing. “She was phenomenal,” he praises. “The great thing about working with kids is that they have extraordinary imaginations,” says Martino. “Given that they are acting in an empty room, and with no costumes, set, or props, they have only our ability to paint a picture in their minds of the scene they are playing.” Snoopy’s love interest, Fifi, presented another voice casting challenge. They found their Fifi in Tony and Emmy award winner Kristin Chenoweth. Chenoweth won a Tony and Drama Desk awards in 1999 for her portrayal of Sally Brown in the musical You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. “Snoopy and Charlie Brown The Peanuts Movie (3D) will open Jan. 8 from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.