The Standard - 2016 January 09 - Saturday

VOL. XXIX  NO. 331  3 Sections 32 Pages P18  SATURDAY : JANUARY 9, 2016  www.thestandard.com.ph  editorial@thestandard.com.ph

THOUSANDS OF MNLF FIGHTERS NEAR ZAMBO

A2

ABAYA STAYS—AQUINO MRT stops twice as new maintenance deal is signed

By Sandy Araneta and John Paolo Bencito

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III on Friday ignored mounting calls for him to fire Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya for his inability to improve the deteriorating service of Metro Manila’s commuter train system and other transport woes that the public endures daily.

As the President defended Abaya in Davao and blamed other parties for the troubles at the Metro Rail Transit system, the commuter train service stopped running twice—just as a new maintenance service provider was taking over.

On the same day, Abaya announced that the Korean-Filipino consortium led by Busan Transportation Corp. had signed a three-year maintenance contract with the government to provide maintenance services to the MRT despite reports that it had backed out of the negotiated deal amid concerns that it would become entangled in a lawsuit filed by a German-Filipino consortium, Schunk Bahn-und Industrietechnik GmbH-Comm Builders and Technology Phils. Corp. or SBI-CB&T, against Transport officials, including Abaya before the Sandiganbayan.

“With the operator of the Busan railway network in South Korea sharing their technical expertise, the riding public can expect an increase in the number of running trains and the efficiency of operations,” Abaya said in a statement Friday morning.

Next page

Poe bears grudge, PNoy says

By Sandy Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III on Friday accused Senator Grace Poe, who is leading a Senate investigation on the Jan. 25, 2015 Mamasapano massacre, of harboring ill feelings towards his administration.

“I think we can see that politics plays a big role here,” Aquino said in Filipino during a press conference at the inauguration of a 300-megawatt power plant in Davao City.

“We must not forget, the one who led the investigation, we can understand, perhaps has a grudge on my administration,” Aquino said.

Poe, who is running for president, is the chairman of the Senate committee on public order, which led the Senate inquiry into the January 2015 Mamasapano debacle in Maguindanao,

Next page

Metro breakdown. Weary commuters were again left to find alternative modes of transportation Friday as the Metro Rail Transit 3 broke down for still unknown reasons. Hundreds of thousands of stranded passengers lined Epifanio delos Santos Avenue until late last night while other vehicles were jammed in traffic. Roderick dela Cruz

A2

S AT U R D AY : J A N U A R Y 9, 2 0 1 6

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Govt surprised

by MNLF muster

By Francisco Tuyay

THOUSANDS or armed Moro National Liberation Front fighters and affiliated groups massed up at Indanan, Sulu, Friday, taking government troops by surprise, and leading them to take up positions against a possible attack.

The military put its forces in Zamboanga City on high alert to prevent the repeat of the bloody fighting in the city on Sept. 8, 2013 that claimed the lives of more than 100 people including soldiers, MNLF rebels and civilians after nearly a month of bloody skirmishes.

The MNLF rebels swooped down on Astana, in Indanan, Sulu bearing independent state flags for the start of the two-days National Parliament and General Assembly conference in the province.

The meeting was based on the orders of MNLF founding chairman Nur Misuari, Misuari’s directive was issued by Murshi Ibrahim, MNLF secretary general through

a memorandum.

MNLF spokesman Absalom Cerveza said that the meeting was preparatory for the upcoming Islamic Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting.

“The assembly is in preparation for Misuari’s attendance to the IPU meeting later this year in an Islamic country that at present is still unknown,” Cerveza said.

He also said that several items would be tackled during the general assembly but declined to give any details The massing up of MNLF forces drew criticism from Zamboanga City Mayor Bing Climaco.

“Why is the government allowing Misuari to roam free, when in fact he has a warrant of arrest?”

Misuari is facing rebellion case after hundreds of armed followers stormed Zamboanga City displacing thousand of inhabitants.

Climaco said the rebels were crossing the city on their way to Indanan.

The military and police escorted the Sulu-bound MNLF rebels to ensure that they would not take up arms in the city, Climaco said.

On Sept. 8, 2013, the MNLF forces also massed-up at the coastal areas in Zamboanga City, which led to MNLF’s staging of attacks and occupation of key installations and residential buildings barely weeks after Misuari declared Mindanao independence that sparked bloody fighting with government forces.

Misuari was disgusted after the government entered peace negotiation with its rival faction Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Faith and hope. Thousands of devotees clogged Manila’s Quiapo district to escort a replica of the Black Nazarene to the Quirino Grandstand where it stayed for two nights before it is returned to the Quiapo Church on Saturday, which is the feast of the Black Nazarene.

Poe...

From A1

where 44 Special Action Force commandos on a covert mission were killed by Muslim rebels.

She has also publicly blamed the administration and the ruling Liberal Party for several disqualification cases filed against her before the Commission on Elections.

Poe’s committee found Aquino ultimately liable for the death of the 44 SAF commandos.

In a privilege speech in October, Senator Juan Ponce Enrile sought to reopen the Senate investigation, saying he was detained and unable to ask questions during the hearings.

Poe subsequently got the green light from the Senate committee on rules to reopen the investigation, based on Enrile’s request.

Aquino said the investigation would have not been feasible without Poe’s consent as chairman of the Senate panel.

Aquino said his critics were using the Jan. 25 incident to malign his reputation.

“My opponents can see this is the biggest blow against me since I became President and now they find an opportunity to take advantage of it,” Aquino said in Filipino.

In the House, the leader of the independent minority bloc, Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, supported the reopening of the Senate probe into the Mamasapano massacre.

“Up to now, it is not clear who has command responsibility for what happened.

Justice should be served for the SAF 44 and their families,” said Romualdez, a candidate for senator in the May elections.

Romualdez, a lawyer and president of the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa), said the government needs to work double time to speed up the resolution of cases filed against the perpetrators.

“It is the obligation of the government to be compassionate and show genuine

malasakit for our soldiers who are willing to give up their lives for the country,” Romualdez said. With John Paolo Bencito Magdalo party-list Rep. Francisco Ashley Acedillo welcomed Romualdez’s position.

“As a matter of parliamentary courtesy, as a member of the Lower House I must refrain from speculating on the intent of the other [Upper] House of Congress. But let it be said that any new leads or information on the events that transpired in Mamasapano last Jan. 25, 2015 that can be pursued by the Senate for the benefit of the Fallen 44, their families, the PNP and other innocent people who perished that day should be a welcome opportunity,” Acedillo said.

Romualdez argued that the resumption of the probe is in aid of legislation and has nothing to do with politics.

“We should find out what law needs to be crafted so that this unfortunate incident will not happen again,” Romualdez said.

With John Paolo Bencito

Abaya...

From A1 But train service was interrupted twice Friday, once by a blackout in the morning, and another later in the day, when a train at the Guadalupe station suffered a technical glitch.

MRT-3 general manager Roman Buenafe said the timing suggested sabotage might be the cause and said they were not ruling out the possibility that SBI-CB&T—which still controlled the signaling system—could be behind it.

“I wonder why these things happened. We visited every signaling station and quizzed the power status of these facilities,” Buenafe said in an interview on radio dzBB. “What I can say is that the [timing] of the technical glitches is questionable now that the newly signed maintenance contract has been signed today and then these things suddenly happened,” Buenafe added.

On Wednesday, the bids and awards committee of the Department of Transportation and Communications tried to extend the one year contract of SBI-CB&T by a month, but the German-Filipino contractor declined, saying they had learned their lesson when the government failed to pay them in full, paying them only P28.66 million out of the total P131.28 billion owed them. The company has taken DoTC officials to court over the unpaid amount.

Despite the MRT mess, Aquino said Abaya would stay on as Transport secretary.

At the inauguration of a power plant in Davao City, Aquino blamed the maintenance woes on the previous contractor which had demanded more money and refused to give a service warranty.

“That’s where the DoTC started to look for other maintenance providers who could provide the service, at the very least, who would give us the service warranty,” Aquino said.

He said the Busan contract would rehabilitate the system and improve service.

Aquino also defended Abaya, saying “there was never a moment that MRT-3 did not have a maintenance provider.”

The P4.25-billion Busan maintenance contract has been criticized because the DoTC did not go through a public bidding as required by law.

Rather, the department used the existence of an “emergency situation” to justify using a negotiated contract.

Friday’s signaling problem at the Guadalupe station led MRT officials to operate only half the line, carrying passengers only from Shaw Boulevard station in Mandaluyong to North Avenue station in Quezon City.

The railway service operation was also suspended during the morning rush hour because of a power loss, forcing passengers to get off the trains and take a buses instead.

Two militant lawmakers repeated their calls for Abaya to resign amid the mess at the MRT. Bayan Muna Reps. Neri Colmenares and Carlos Isagani Zarate said that President Aquino should no longer wait for the MRT to become a “run-away coffin” before he removes Abaya from his post.

“Despite the illegal fare hike at the start of 2015, the MRT further deteriorated under Abaya’s watch, with almost daily rail problems and glitches,” Colmenares, a House deputy minority leader, said.

Colmenares said the mass transport system has never improved since Abaya, a close ally of President Aquino, was appointed to the Transportation portfolio in 2012. With Joel E. Zurbano, Maricel V. Cruz and Rio N. Araja

sAT URDAY : JA n UA RY 9 , 2 0 1 6

A3

News

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Binay slams slow rehab in Visayas VICE President Jejomar Binay on Friday slammed the “snailpaced” rehabilitation of the areas damaged by the Bohol earthquake and Super Typhoon “Yolanda” in 2013 as only 12 out of the 1,079 rehabilitation projects under the Interior Department were completed in 2014.

Binay made his statement based on a Commission on Audit report saying the department’s slow implementation of its recovery and rehabilitation projects had caused undue suffering to the thousands of people still struggling to recover.

The government has claimed gains in the rehabilitation of areas struck by Yolanda, but the CoA report dismissed that claim and underscored the slow pace of rehabilitation

and revealed that only 12 out of 1,079 projects under the P2.413-billion Bohol Earthquake Assistance fund were completed as of Dec. 31, 2014. The 12 projects cost a total of P3.139 million.

“Only 138 out of 323 projects under the P1.778-billion Rehabilitation Assistance on Yolanda-Batch 1 were completed as of December 31, 2014,” the report said.

Binay said it had been years since earth-

quake and the typhoon wreaked havoc in the Visayas but very little help reached the affected areas.

“It is heartbreaking that while there were funds to help distressed families, these were not used properly and did not reach the beneficiaries,” Binay said.

He said his administration would eliminate indecisiveness as he promised to support programs that would help local governments meet their needs once he was elected president in this year’s elections.

Binay is in Bohol to meet with sectoral groups, local leaders and residents in Loon, Tubigon and Getafe.

He will also visit Talibon, Bien Unido, Ubay, Pilar, Carmen and Tagbilaran.

Vito Barcelo

Drug bust.

Confiscated drug materials lie on a table during a presentation of evidence in Quezon City on Friday afternoon.

Police arrested 75 suspected drug users in an operation they initiated with the help of homeowners in the area.

JAnsen RoMeRo

P1b for birth control cut

by Congress THE P1 billion earmarked by the Department of Health to provide free condoms, IUDs and birthcontrol pills but was cut by Congress will deprive seven-million women of reproductive health services, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago warned Friday.

“This abandonment is immoral in a country where some 200 out of 100,000 women who give birth die,” Santiago said.

She promised to implement the Reproductive Health Law if she wins the presidency in the May elections. She said the enemies of reproductive health never sleep, but they too must not rest in fighting for women’s health.

Santiago, who is running for president under the People’s Reform Party, said she was appalled by the cut in the budget earmarked for reproductive health allocations in the 2016 budget.

“It is irreconcilable that Congress, which enacted the RH Law after much hardship in 2012, would three years later render that same law inutile,” Santiago said.

The Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development also slammed the withdrawal of funds from the reproductive health program. It said that will deny poor Filipino couples access to medically safe, non-abortifacient and effective reproductive health-care services and commodities.

Romeo Dongeto, PLCPD executive director, said this was unacceptable because there is a law mandating the provision of family planning services.

“It deeply saddens us that the same institution that crafted the Reproductive Health Law agreed to [stop] its implementation,” he said.

The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law was enacted in 2012 after more than 10 years in the legislative mill. It took effect in 2014 after the Supreme Court upheld its constitutionality.

“This reverses the progress we have achieved so far in promoting reproductive health and ensuring that couples, especially women, are given better choices in planning their families to give their children a better future,” Dongeto said. Macon Ramos-Araneta

s at u r D aY : j a n u a r Y 9, 2 0 1 6

A4

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Aquino pledges better Mindanao

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III on Friday vowed to fulfill the promise of his administration to leave Mindanao in a better situation. ”Rest assured, we will fulfill our promise to leave Mindanao in a better situation,” President Aquino said in his speech during the inauguration of the 300-megawatt Davao Baseload Power that the Aboitiz Power Corp. put up in Davao.

The President also assured to maintain the government’s steadfast commitment to peace and will continue to focus the national coffers towards infrastructure development “so that those who have historically been left behind are given a boost so that they can catch up.” ”I am certain that, if we continue working together— both public and private sector alike—we can truly give rise to a Mindanao that reaches its full potential, and prove, once more, that nothing is impossible to a united Filipino people,” the President said.

President Aquino thanked the Aboitiz Power Corp. and Therma South Inc. “for being an early believer in the potential of Mindanao.” ”When this plant becomes fully operational, we can count on it to consistently produce 300 megawatts of baseload power, which means that this capacity can be tapped into anytime, rain or shine, with very minor fluctuations,” President Aquino said.

The President said he is a believer in the development of renewable energy but “unfortunately, right now, we cannot wean ourselves completely from relying on coal.”

He said the 300mw baseload power plant’s dependable capacity is roughly equivalent to one-fifth of the Mindanao grid’s highest peak demand in 2015—and it is already delivering power to areas at the end of the grid, such as Sarangani, General Santos, and the Zamboanga peninsula. PNA

Back to normal. Traffic along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue, more popularly called Edsa, is back to its normal congested state after the Metro Rail Transit 3 again bogged down and sent weary commuters looking for alternative modes of transportation.

MM back to congested traffic AS if getting stranded on Epifanio delos Santos Avenue on a friday evening with no available transportation weren’t enough, commuters should expect worse traffic this weekend after the Metro Manila Development Authority announced the resumption of road re-blocking and other repairs.

At the same time, opposition leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez urged the government to prioritize long-term solutions to the worsening traffic problem in Metro Manila instead of just implementing short-term band-aid measures.

The Department of Public Works and Highways resumed the road works Friday night following a two-week suspension imposed by the MMDA on diggings, re-blocking and repairs because of heavy traffic over the holidays.

MMDA chairman Emerson Carlos said the DPWH will undertake road reblocking and repairs starting 10 p.m. Friday (Jan. 8) until 5 a.m. of Monday (Jan. 11) at the following areas in Quezon City and Pasig City: • Along the first southbound lane of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue between Mother Ignacia Street and Eugenio Lopez.

• Along the northbound outermost lane of Circumferential Road—5 (C-5) from Shell Gas Station to SM Warehouse Gate 2, and second northbound lane of Edsa fronting the DPWH Second Engineering District Office.

Carlos said DPWH-National Capital Region director Melvin Navarro has recommended the reblocking and repair of the said

areas for maintenance purposes.

He added all affected roads will be fully passable by 5 a.m. on Monday.

Motorists are advised to avoid the said areas and use alternate routes instead.

Last month, the MMDA imposed a two-week moratorium on road diggings and excavations in the metropolis in anticipation of the heavy vehicular and pedestrian traffic during the Holiday travel rush.

MMDA Traffic Engineering Center chief Noemi Recio said the temporary stoppage of road works, totaling 146 all around Metro Manila, was implemented from Dec. 14, 2015 up to midnight last Jan. 3.

There was exemption to the

‘

By Joel E. Zurbano and Maricel V. Cruz

moratorium, however, including the flagship projects of the national government such as the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Skyway and road works that do not obstruct or block vehicular traffic.

Romualdez, for his part, said “we must take other steps to significantly reduce traffic along this major artery. What we need is to refurbish and upgrade the MRT-3 as soon as possible and maintain it properly. h Romualdez, a lawyer and president of the Philippine Constitution Association, suggested that more resources should be spent on the ailing Philippine National Railways so that it could modernize its fleet and existing rail network.

DoH readies dengue inoculations THE Department of Health said on Friday they are preparing for the conduct of anti-dengue vaccination in March this year among the targeted 1,077,023 Grade 4 pupils in public schools in the three most populous regions of the country.

DoH spokesperson Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy said they are coordinating closely with the Department of Education in the dissemination of information to the parents and students about the conduct of the immunization in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Calabarzon.

Dr. Lee Suy said they will ask for parental consent prior to the vaccination which will be provided for free by the government through the DoH’s school-

based immunization programs together with the DepEd. “Aside from seeking parental consent, we have to complete lots of other processes also, like orientation of the health workers who will administer the dengue vaccine,” the DoH official added.

The first dose of the dengue vaccine is scheduled to be administered by March 2016, the second after six months (September 2016) and the third and last dose by March 2017.

Dengvaxia, the world’s firstever dengue vaccine, will be given for free as part of the goal of bringing “Kalusugang Pangkalahatan” or Universal HealthCare Program of the government accessible, especially to the

poorest members of the society so that they can reap the fruits of good governance or be not left behind in the country’s economic growth and development.

The vaccine was procured by the DoH for the first time at a discounted price since the CEO of the manufacturer of the vaccine—Sanofi Pasteur—had recognized the role of the country in the three-phase trial of the vaccine that was completed for a period of almost 22 years.

For each child, the government will be spending PhP3,000 for the vaccine or a total of PhP3.5 billion.

The budget will come from the “Sin Tax” revenues collected from cigarettes and alcohol products. PNA

Shooting for Mars. Filipina entrepreneur Jaymee del Rosario wears virtual reality goggles showing an image of Mars during a press conference in Quezon City Friday. Del Rosario is one of the only two Filipinas shortlisted from over 202,586 applicants worldwide for the ‘Mars One’ space voyage project which hopes to land the first humans on Mars and establish a permanent human colony by 2027. JANSEN ROMERO

s at u r D aY : j a n u a r Y 9, 2 0 1 6

A5

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Sol Gen opposes same-sex marriage

By Rey E. Requejo THE Office of the Solicitor General has asked the Supreme Court to dismiss a controversial petition seeking to allow samesex marriage in the country.

Solicitor General Florin Hilbay made the revelation during his public interview with the Judicial and Bar Council on Friday for his nomination for associate justice position at the SC to be vacated next week by the early retirement of Associate Justice Martin Villarama Jr. “We already filed a comment seeking dismissal of that petition. I believe, according to the rules, that petition ought to be dismissed,” Hilbay told JBC members.

According to him, there is no merit in the petition filed by lawyer Jesus Nicardo Falcis III in May last year seeking to nullify and declare as unconstitutional provisions of the Family Code that laid down the legal framework for the ban on same-sex marriage.

Hilbay was also grilled about his opinions on marriage.

JBC member and retired SC Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez inquired about Hilbay’s book entitled “Unplugging the Constitution,” which covered his pragmatic perspective of marriage.

“I tell my students one does not need marriage to validate one’s feelings. The fundamental value of belonging - that can extend beyond the marital boundaries,” said Hilbay, who is single at 41.

“I don’t get happy because they are married. I get happy because they are in a relationship. Marriage is just a public commitment for them to live as husband and wife,” he added.

Asean code due February

By Sandy Araneta THE elements of the muchdelayed code of conduct between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will be drawn up by next month, President Benigno Aquino III said on Friday.

Aquino said all claimants to the South China Sea have professed adherence to international law and a code of conduct is in conformity with international law.

“We are now moving forward from 2002.

More pressure will be done on China. So can we just all sit down on this and come up with a binding code of conduct?,” Aquino told journalists after the inauguration of a power

plant in Davao City.

“The goodwill of all nations is also important. We are hoping our brothers in China will be pragmatic. And benefits will be seen once the entitlements and obligations are all clear to them,” Aquino added.

Aquino made the remark a day after British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, who was in the country Thursday, said any attempt to restrict air and sea travel in the disputed South China Sea would be viewed as a “red line.”

“Freedom of navigation and overflight are non-negotiable. They are red lines for us,” Hammond told a joint news conference with Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario.

On Friday, Vietnam issued its second rebuke in a week to Beijing, accusing its northern neighbor of “threatening peace” after more Chinese aircraft landed on a contested reef in the South China Sea. Chinese state media on Wednesday said

two civilian planes landed on one of the islands in the Fiery Cross reef in the disputed Spratly Islands, which are claimed by Hanoi but controlled by Beijing.

The landings are “a serious violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty and threaten peace and stability in the region”, foreign ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh said in a statement issued late Thursday.

The two “test flights” Wednesday follow an initial aircraft landing on Saturday, which prompted the first formal diplomatic complaint from Hanoi.

The planes departed from and returned to the city of Haikou, the capital of the southern island province of Hainan—a twohour journey each way.

The flights have raised alarm in the region and attracted criticism from the United States, with the Pentagon warning Thursday that the move would raise tensions in the disputed waters.

Strength in compassion. One of the victims of the fire that destroyed the homes of 2,000 families in Tondo, Manila approaches Leyte Rep.

Martin Romualdez to compliment him on his campaign for the Senate. Romualdez responded by giving her some relief assistance. VER NOVENO

Pagasa expects more nippy mornings THE temperature in Metro Manila on Friday morning dropped to 20.8 degrees Celsius due to the northeast monsoon, locally called amihan, which continues to affect most parts of Luzon, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

Pagasa weather observer Munir Baldomero said Friday’s temperature in Metro Manila was recorded at 7 a.m. but the lowest temperature so far for this year was recorded at 20.0 degrees Celsius last Jan. 6.

He said Metro Manila’s temperature readings are being recorded daily in the vicinity of the Pagasa Science Garden in Diliman, Quezon City between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m.

The temperature in Metro Manila will be in the 22-31 de-

grees Celsius range on Friday.

Baldomero explained that strong winds of the northeast monsoon contributed to the dip in temperature reading and still expected in the metropolis until mid-February.

He said the lowest temperature recorded in Metro Manila last year at 18 degrees Celsius was on Feb. 2.

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

Meanwhile, Baguio City, the country’s summer capital, continues to experience chilly temperature as Friday temperature recorded at 13.6 degrees Celsius at 6 a.m.

The lowest temperature recorded this year in Baguio was last Jan. 5 at 13.4 degrees Celsius.

According to the Pagasa’s

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

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

Earlier, Pagasa weather forecaster Shaira Nonot said that so far, the effect of northeast monsoon concentrates in the north but it will also bring cold mornings in some parts of Luzon including Metro Manila and the northeast monsoon usually peaks from early January to mid-February.

However, she noted that the northeast monsoon is expected to end in February due to El Niño phenomenon. PNA

Fusion landscape architecture. Visitors stroll a garden at the Bencab Museum in Tuba, Benguet which exemplifies the typical fusion of Filipino and foreign ideas, in this case Japanese. DAVID CHAN

S AT U R D AY : J A N U A R Y 9, 2 0 1 6

A6

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Aquino makes pitch for BBL again

By Sandy Araneta PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III on Friday made a pitch anew for the Malacañang-proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law now pending in Congress during the inauguration of a power plant in Davao Del Sur. “Each time I speak about Mindanao, I mention how the goal for our administration is to transform it, from the Land of Promise, to the Land of Promises Fulfilled, and over the past few years, we have seen the beginnings of this transformation,” said Aquino, in his speech at the inauguration of the 300-MW Davao baseload power plant, delivered at Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur. “This is why we need to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law in the soonest possible time. For my part, I believe it would certainly push Mindanao, and the Philippines, further into the global spotlight,” Aquino also said.

Aquino said that the mode of governance is so dependent in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao on having the right leader, and they have seen one prominent example in ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman.

“Whereas before, the ARMM governor was perhaps overly concerned with his family or his clan, Gov. Hataman chose to carry out policies as dictated by all stakeholders, and the effect has been palpable,” said Aquino.

Aquino cited the amount of BOI-ARMM approved investments. From P87.9 million in 2010, it increased to P3.9 billion in 2014, and this happened even with tension in the region.

“But you must remember, Gov. Hataman’s time in office is limited, and we need to make sure that his region has a framework that can truly make good, inclusive governance the norm rather than the exception,” Aquino said of the BBL.

Manila bans selfie sticks on Black Nazarene feast

By Joel E. Zurbano

TAKING self-portraits using monopod and other “selfie” sticks is not allowed during the Traslacion of the Black Nazarene.

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada on Friday advised the public to avoid bringing selfie sticks, camera stands or other gadget extension devices which might pose inconvenience and even danger to other people attending the religious event.

“I believe our main role and

priority here is to keep peace and order, to ensure the safety of all the people in the procession, and to ensure there will be no obstruction in the procession; and to maintain cleanliness of all the roads where the procession will pass,” he said.

Johnny Yu, officer-in-charge

of the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said while they do not see any lethal threat from selfie sticks, tripods and other extension tools, it is just practical that people do not be bring these in the midst of crowds especially the Traslacion and other event related to the Feast of the Black Nazarene.

“If they really want to bring these items, they should use it outside the crowded areas,” he said.

Yu reiterated that people attending the Traslacion and other activities for the Feast of the Black Nazarene must follow the

Do’s and Don’ts guideline issued by authorities.

Among the prohibited items are backpacks, bull caps, weapons, and alcoholic drinks.

Eight other government agencies—Metro Manila Development Authority, Bureau of Fire Protection, Office of the Civil Defense, Armed Forces, Coast Guard, National Police, Department of Public Works and Highways, and Department of Health, are in close coordination with the city government of Manila to ensure the effective management of the occasion.

Devotees. Catholic Devotees line up for the ‘Pahalik’ where they kiss the foot of the Black Nazarene in Quirino Grandstand in Luneta, Manila.

LINO SANTOS

Naia cop denies extortion raps

By Rey E. Requejo AN AIRPORT policeman implicated in the bulletplanting extortion racket at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport has denied the criminal charges filed against him before the Department of Justice.

During the preliminary investigation hearing on Friday, Police Inspector Adriano Junio of the Philippine National Police— Aviation Security Group belied the allegations in the complaint filed by Lane White, the American missionary reportedly victimized by the scheme last September, and his stepmother Eloisa Zoleta.

Junio submitted a counter-affidavit before inves-

tigating Asst. Prosecution Atty. Honey Rose Delgado and sought the dismissal of the complaints against him for violations of Article 293 (robbery and extortion) of the Revised Penal Code, Republic Act 7438, or An Act Defining Certain Rights of Persons Arrested, Detained or under Custodial Investigation and Duties of the Arresting, Detaining or Investigating Officers, and Republic Act 3019, otherwise known as Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. The policeman stressed that the complainants simply “misinterpreted” his statements during White’s arrest.

Junio admitted telling White and Zoleta that they would have to pay P30,000, but stressed that such

amount was for fine for possession of bullet at the airport. He claimed he did not extort money from the two.

Because of this, he asked the DoJ to dismiss the charges against him.

The five other respondents—SPO4 Ramon Bernardo and SPO2 Romy Navarro and Rolando Clarin, all of PNP-ASG; and Office for Transportation Security personnel Marvin Garcia and Ma. Elma Cegna— were not able to submit their respective answers to the charges.

They asked for 10 more days to submit counteraffidavits. The prosecutor granted the request and gave them until the next hearing on Jan. 18 to answer the charges.

Switch button. President Benigno S. Aquino III leads the ceremonial switch-on of the 300- Megawatt (MW) Davao Baseload Power Plant.

S AT U R D AY : J A N U A R Y 9, 2 0 1 6

A7

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Police nab man who stabbed ex-lover to death

By Mel Caspe MAASIN, SOUTHERN LEYTE—Local police arrested Friday the former boyfriend of a public school teacher who had stabbed her to death outside Libertad Elementary School in Maasin, Southern Leyte Wednesday afternoon.

Police Senior Superintendent Necirio Obaob said Jonathan Fernandez, 31, single, jobless and a resident of Barangay Combado of this city was arrested at 11:20 a.m. in Barangay Hinapu-Gamay through the help of a local resident.

The victim was as Angelica Miole, 23, single and a resident of Barangay Bactul II. She had been a teacher at the said school for the past two years.

A pupil of the victim who witnessed the crime told police that their class was ongoing when the suspect, who was later found out to be the victim’s ex- boyfriend, arrived.

The student said their teacher went out of the classroom to talk to her visitor; some of the female students, out of curiosity followed her outside.

The students were then stunned to see the man stabbing Miole in different parts of her body.

Police said they were alerted to the stabbing by a telephone call to their office.

The witness continued that the suspect continue to stab their teacher even if she had already fallen to the ground.

The suspect reportedly fled from the crime scene by stealing a standby Red Honda XRM single motorcycle.

When he met an accident and stumbled, he continued fleeing on foot towards an unknown direction.

Passing it on. A woman and her granddaughter share stories in Tam-awan Village, Baguio City. DAVID CHAN

Palace steps in on ‘inherited’ Mindanao power grid woes

By Alena Mae S. Flores TORIL, Davao City—Malacañang has set a meeting with stakeholders in the Mindanao power issue to ensure that grid collapse will not happen even as President Benigno Aquino III emphasized that the problem had existed before his adminisitration.

“These right-of-way issues of our [transmission] towers were again inherited by us and there is the issue on the [land] valuation,” President Benigno Aquino III said during a press conference with reporters here.

Tower transmission operator National Grid Corp. of

the Philippines earlier cited the uncooperative landowners as the reason behind the supply deficiency experienced in Mindanao.

National Grid said it was trying to repair a damaged transmission tower, which cut the line from two major hydroelectric plants, but was

refused entry by landowners.

It warned about a possible “grid collapse” in Mindanao, which would mean longer blackout for the power-starved region.

“We have a scheduled meeting by next week precisely how to address the inconsistent on valuation at the concerns of the landowners. Having said that, this is an industry imbued with national interest, surveyors can be utilized to ensure access to repair of the towers,” Aquino said.

Energy Secretary Zenaida Monsada, for her part, said the meeting next week will involve the Defense Depart-

ment, Philippine National Police, among others.

“We have a meeting because bombing is a security issue… What will be the strategy,” Monsada said.

Monsada said plans to put round the clock security forces to guard the transmission towers may not be feasible.

“The bombings and the ROW, that’s two topics that Malacañang will discuss. We are creating a task force, an interagency task force. The proposal is for the executive secretary to head [the task force],” the energy chief said.

“The task force will determine what is reasonable [valuation]. The negotiation

parameters. NGCP has already said they have limited negotiating parameters so what more can we do to clear this ROW,” Monsada said.

Two units of the Agus hydroelectric power complex with a combined capacity of 150 megawatts were isolated from the grid after unidentified men bombed Tower 25 in Ramain, Lanao del Sur province on Christmas Eve. National Grid said it was unable to restore the facility after the owners of the property refused entry due to payment issues.

The hydro plants are connected to the grid through the Agus 2-Kibawe 138 kV line.

Firm faces 13 syndicated estafa raps

By Dexter A. See BAGUIO CITY—The city prosecutor’s office has recommended the filing of 13 counts of syndicated estafa charges against seven officials of the Satarah Wellness Marketing, one of the firms accused of using a Ponzi scheme here.

The prosecutor found probable cause in the merits of the complainants who claimed the company duped them into investing P32.2 million, promising them a 30-percent return.

Charged for syndicated estafa were Wing Pan Heinrich Lau, Romylle Batolne Lau, Claire Sito Batolne, Michael Chayag Keryao, Ruby Batolne, Jenny Claire Ebbes and Ruben Dulay Jr., all officials and employees of the Satarah Wellness Marketing.

The people who put in their

money were not able to earn any interest, much less recover their investments.

The 13 counts of syndicated estafa charges against the Satarah officials and employees were already forwarded to the Office of the Clerk of Court of the Regional Trial Court in Baguio City ready for raffling to any of the courts for the issuance of the required warrants of arrest.

The complainants later discovered that Satarah only had a permit to retail health and wellness products and did not possess a secondary license to solicit securities from the public.

Earlier, the Securities and Exchange Commission had warned the public into investing in a local investment company that was earlier found to be selling unregistered securi-

ties to the public over the past several months.

Annie Gonzales-Tesoro, director of the SEC Baguio extension office, confirmed the posting of an advisory on its website dated 26 March 2015 that Satarah Wellness Marketing had been soliciting funds from the public on a promise of interest ranging from 4 percent to as much as 26 percent, depending on market rates.

The company also promised investors referral rates of 4 percent to 12 percent on the placement fees of new investors.

The SEC last month also warned the public against investing their hard earned money in two companies, namely Emgoldex Philippines and One Lightning Corp., which had been found to be selling unregistered securities.

This crown is mine. Danica Flor Madayag is crowned Miss Bauang 2016 during the Baggak Festival held at the town plaza of Bauang, La Union . CHRISTINE JUNIO

S AT U R D AY : J A N U A R Y 9, 2 0 1 6

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

DE LIMA AND DUTERTE ON HUMAN RIGHTS

[ EDI TORI A L ]

DEVOTION ON THEIR SLEEVE TODAY hundreds of thousands, if not more, Filipinos will converge in the City of Manila for the Feast of the Black Nazarene.

It has been a time-honored tradition of devotees to follow —even better, touch—the statue as it makes its way back to the Quiapo Church from the Luneta Grandstand.

The annual practice is a test of will for authorities who must ensure that they prevent untoward incidents, respond to medical emergencies and clean up the place of clutter, afterwards.

The security issue is even more urgent as there is reported information that terrorists may use the religious event to sow fear and violence. There have been warnings about how ISIS has gained followers among some groups based in Mindanao.

The devotees, however, do not seem alarmed or even concerned about these warnings. Despite the high number of people, the Nazarene experience is deeply personal for most of them.

Their participation is driven by an answered prayer, or a request that is yet to be granted. This is what faith means —to bring oneself out there, despite the dangers and the elements, in a show of determination and resilience.

Jan. 9 is an important day because this is when Catholics are able to wear their devotion on their sleeve. The question, however, is how compelling the faith is on all other days of the year, and how this translates to action that helps make the world a kinder, better place.

THE BICAM’S BLUNDER ON CONTRACEPTIVES POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO REPRODUCTIVE health is in the news again. This time, it is because of the deletion of budget for contraceptives from the General Appropriations Act of 2016, interestingly, by the Bicameral Conference Committee composed of representatives from the House of Representatives, and Senate, convened solely for this year’s national budget.

It is useful to note the follow-

ing: the Department of Health, through the Executive Department requested for budgets for family planning commodities, including contraceptives in its proposal request submitted to Congress for approval. Moreover, both the HOR and Senate approved such request. For the GAA to be finally enacted, differing provisions from what was approved by the two Houses need to be harmonized through the bicam.

This is most interesting because the primary work of the bicam is to harmonize the bills so they become one proposal that will be then sent back to both Houses for a final ratifica-

tion. By implication, since the item in question was already approved. Why delete it? Is that what is meant by harmonization?

I have participated in some bicam meetings as a technical consultant of some legislators and during meetings, lawmakers have been quite careful that they would not overstep their functions.

Wanting to know if what the bicam did was within the rules, I asked Senator Sonny Angara over Twitter. He answered that the bicam could indeed do what it did based on previous Supreme Court decisions.

Therefore, the deletion was a

A9

Or did the anti-RH members pull a fast one?

legal move. No wonder, people are saying that we do not have a two-House Congress because there is a third and most powerful House—the Bicameral Conference Committee.

So technically, the bicam’s move was legal. However, was it moral? Removing the budget for contraceptives violates the rights of poor women who want to practice family planning through contraceptives. Why should poor women’s rights be sacrificed? Studies have established the unquestionable link between doing family planning and reduction of high-risk pregnancies, and in effect, maternal deaths.

Removing the budgets for contraceptives is tantamount to sacrificing women’s lives. This is unacceptable.

The bicam was chaired by Senator Legarda and was composed of Representatives Ungab, Almario, Cua, Nava, Andaya, Zamora, Teves, Angpin, Quimbo, Guinigundo, & Madrona for the HOR. The Senate was represented

by Senators Enrile, Sotto, Recto, and Aquino besides Legarda.

Sotto was the first to issue statement that indeed they removed the DoH budget for contraceptives and again peddling the disinformation that contraceptives

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

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

are abortifacient while at the same time saying that he is now pro-RH. How ridiculous! How can one be pro-RH and say that contraceptives are abortifacient?

I do not know where Sotto gets his wrong information. He should fire whoever told him that condoms and injectables are included in the Supreme Court’s TRO. It should be said only Implanon, a subdermal implant is covered by the TRO and NOT because it is abortifacient (it is not), but because of the erroneous complaint by an anti-RH group that the Food And Drug Administration did not follow the correct pro-

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

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

cess when it certified the implant. Sotto should read the TRO and stop misleading the public.

The bicam chair, Senator Legarda issued a statement on why the budget was removed. She said that they studied it as well as the implications of budget removal. She went on to say that the one billion was removed and reallocated to other “equally important items.”

Legarda mentioned that as of June 2015, only 29 percent of the DoH budget was obligated. The implication being, that DoH is unable to use the money it asked for. Continued on A11

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

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

LEILA de Lima, a candidate for senator under the pro-administration Liberal Party, recently scored Rodrigo Duterte, the outspoken mayor of Davao City who is seeking the presidency under the PDP-Laban Party, for human rights violations allegedly committed by the mayor during his incumbency. While criticizing Duterte, De Lima reminded the public that she used to head the Commission on Human Rights and the Department of Justice. De Lima claimed that she had been probing the violations supposedly committed by Duterte, but she was unable to prosecute the mayor because nobody wants to speak up against him.

De Lima’s recent tirade against Duterte was calculated to attract attention in the news media days prior to the official start of the senatorial campaign. So far, de Lima is surviving in the surveys—she is somewhere around 10th place in a contest for 12 seats in the Senate.

Choosing Duterte for her target worked well for De Lima. Duterte is a frontrunner in the presidential race, and he even topped the surveys days after he announced his belated bid for the highest office in the land. This means that any attack against Duterte will almost surely merit attention from the news media. De Lima must be aware of this, and it explains her sharp attacks against Duterte.

Evidently, De Lima capitalized on both Duterte’s legendary notoriety as a disciple of instant justice, and the shortcomings of alleged victims of human rights abuses.

This is seen in the sweeping allegations De Lima made against Duterte, and her subsequent disclaimer that the CHR and the DoJ under her stewardship were unable to prosecute the mayor due to reasons beyond her control. In other words, De Lima can conveniently accuse Duterte of committing human rights violations, without proof of the same.

De Lima’s camp maintains that the best evidence of Duterte’s alleged human rights violations is Duterte’s public admissions to the news media that he had ordered the elimination of many criminals in Davao City during his tenure as mayor. If those admissions constitute evidence against Duterte, why didn’t the CHR or the DoJ under her watch take steps to prosecute Duterte? Obviously, public admissions of notoriety, by themselves, are insufficient to justify a criminal prosecution. Under the Constitution, an accused does not need to prove his innocence because the prosecution has the burden of establishing his guilt. Current jurisprudence states that the prosecution must rely on the strength of its own evidence, and not on the weakness of the evidence of the defense.

Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

S AT U R D AY : J A N U A R Y 9, 2 0 1 6

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

DE LIMA AND DUTERTE ON HUMAN RIGHTS

[ EDI TORI A L ]

DEVOTION ON THEIR SLEEVE TODAY hundreds of thousands, if not more, Filipinos will converge in the City of Manila for the Feast of the Black Nazarene.

It has been a time-honored tradition of devotees to follow —even better, touch—the statue as it makes its way back to the Quiapo Church from the Luneta Grandstand.

The annual practice is a test of will for authorities who must ensure that they prevent untoward incidents, respond to medical emergencies and clean up the place of clutter, afterwards.

The security issue is even more urgent as there is reported information that terrorists may use the religious event to sow fear and violence. There have been warnings about how ISIS has gained followers among some groups based in Mindanao.

The devotees, however, do not seem alarmed or even concerned about these warnings. Despite the high number of people, the Nazarene experience is deeply personal for most of them.

Their participation is driven by an answered prayer, or a request that is yet to be granted. This is what faith means —to bring oneself out there, despite the dangers and the elements, in a show of determination and resilience.

Jan. 9 is an important day because this is when Catholics are able to wear their devotion on their sleeve. The question, however, is how compelling the faith is on all other days of the year, and how this translates to action that helps make the world a kinder, better place.

THE BICAM’S BLUNDER ON CONTRACEPTIVES POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO REPRODUCTIVE health is in the news again. This time, it is because of the deletion of budget for contraceptives from the General Appropriations Act of 2016, interestingly, by the Bicameral Conference Committee composed of representatives from the House of Representatives, and Senate, convened solely for this year’s national budget.

It is useful to note the follow-

ing: the Department of Health, through the Executive Department requested for budgets for family planning commodities, including contraceptives in its proposal request submitted to Congress for approval. Moreover, both the HOR and Senate approved such request. For the GAA to be finally enacted, differing provisions from what was approved by the two Houses need to be harmonized through the bicam.

This is most interesting because the primary work of the bicam is to harmonize the bills so they become one proposal that will be then sent back to both Houses for a final ratifica-

tion. By implication, since the item in question was already approved. Why delete it? Is that what is meant by harmonization?

I have participated in some bicam meetings as a technical consultant of some legislators and during meetings, lawmakers have been quite careful that they would not overstep their functions.

Wanting to know if what the bicam did was within the rules, I asked Senator Sonny Angara over Twitter. He answered that the bicam could indeed do what it did based on previous Supreme Court decisions.

Therefore, the deletion was a

A9

Or did the anti-RH members pull a fast one?

legal move. No wonder, people are saying that we do not have a two-House Congress because there is a third and most powerful House—the Bicameral Conference Committee.

So technically, the bicam’s move was legal. However, was it moral? Removing the budget for contraceptives violates the rights of poor women who want to practice family planning through contraceptives. Why should poor women’s rights be sacrificed? Studies have established the unquestionable link between doing family planning and reduction of high-risk pregnancies, and in effect, maternal deaths.

Removing the budgets for contraceptives is tantamount to sacrificing women’s lives. This is unacceptable.

The bicam was chaired by Senator Legarda and was composed of Representatives Ungab, Almario, Cua, Nava, Andaya, Zamora, Teves, Angpin, Quimbo, Guinigundo, & Madrona for the HOR. The Senate was represented

by Senators Enrile, Sotto, Recto, and Aquino besides Legarda.

Sotto was the first to issue statement that indeed they removed the DoH budget for contraceptives and again peddling the disinformation that contraceptives

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

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

are abortifacient while at the same time saying that he is now pro-RH. How ridiculous! How can one be pro-RH and say that contraceptives are abortifacient?

I do not know where Sotto gets his wrong information. He should fire whoever told him that condoms and injectables are included in the Supreme Court’s TRO. It should be said only Implanon, a subdermal implant is covered by the TRO and NOT because it is abortifacient (it is not), but because of the erroneous complaint by an anti-RH group that the Food And Drug Administration did not follow the correct pro-

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

MST ONLINE

can be accessed at: www.manilastandardtoday.com

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

cess when it certified the implant. Sotto should read the TRO and stop misleading the public.

The bicam chair, Senator Legarda issued a statement on why the budget was removed. She said that they studied it as well as the implications of budget removal. She went on to say that the one billion was removed and reallocated to other “equally important items.”

Legarda mentioned that as of June 2015, only 29 percent of the DoH budget was obligated. The implication being, that DoH is unable to use the money it asked for. Continued on A11

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

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

LEILA de Lima, a candidate for senator under the pro-administration Liberal Party, recently scored Rodrigo Duterte, the outspoken mayor of Davao City who is seeking the presidency under the PDP-Laban Party, for human rights violations allegedly committed by the mayor during his incumbency. While criticizing Duterte, De Lima reminded the public that she used to head the Commission on Human Rights and the Department of Justice. De Lima claimed that she had been probing the violations supposedly committed by Duterte, but she was unable to prosecute the mayor because nobody wants to speak up against him.

De Lima’s recent tirade against Duterte was calculated to attract attention in the news media days prior to the official start of the senatorial campaign. So far, de Lima is surviving in the surveys—she is somewhere around 10th place in a contest for 12 seats in the Senate.

Choosing Duterte for her target worked well for De Lima. Duterte is a frontrunner in the presidential race, and he even topped the surveys days after he announced his belated bid for the highest office in the land. This means that any attack against Duterte will almost surely merit attention from the news media. De Lima must be aware of this, and it explains her sharp attacks against Duterte.

Evidently, De Lima capitalized on both Duterte’s legendary notoriety as a disciple of instant justice, and the shortcomings of alleged victims of human rights abuses.

This is seen in the sweeping allegations De Lima made against Duterte, and her subsequent disclaimer that the CHR and the DoJ under her stewardship were unable to prosecute the mayor due to reasons beyond her control. In other words, De Lima can conveniently accuse Duterte of committing human rights violations, without proof of the same.

De Lima’s camp maintains that the best evidence of Duterte’s alleged human rights violations is Duterte’s public admissions to the news media that he had ordered the elimination of many criminals in Davao City during his tenure as mayor. If those admissions constitute evidence against Duterte, why didn’t the CHR or the DoJ under her watch take steps to prosecute Duterte? Obviously, public admissions of notoriety, by themselves, are insufficient to justify a criminal prosecution. Under the Constitution, an accused does not need to prove his innocence because the prosecution has the burden of establishing his guilt. Current jurisprudence states that the prosecution must rely on the strength of its own evidence, and not on the weakness of the evidence of the defense.

Continued on A11 Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

S AT U R D AY : J A N U A R Y 9, 2 0 1 6

A10

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

ALL LANDS SHOULD BE OWNED BY THE STATE BACK­ BENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN Conclusion PRIVATE property ownership has opened the gates to land grabbing often leading to agrarian unrest and violence. The economic and social impact in the practice of land speculation is far reaching. Our modern-day caciques are unwilling to allow a diminution of their land holdings that they defy our laws on land reform.

It is only in this country where real estate property does not depreciate. Many landowners feel they are not affected by any property bubble. They rely on the increased value of rent that some even demand that rent be based on a certain percentage of income of the lessee on top of the yearly 10-percent increase on the cost of rent.

The landlords are the worst parasites in our society, even worse than the capitalists, according to Marx.

To gain profit, landowners simply sell them at the current fair market value even if there are no visible improvements. In their deed of sale, the amount is based on the zonal valuation and not on the current fair market value of the property. In that, sellers are able to cheat the government by paying a much reduced capital gains tax. They are also able to recoup the lost rent, but effectively deprived the government of the tax it should collect from the windfall profit they earned.

Some unscrupulous sellers even demand that buyers pay the capital gains tax.

During economic crisis in 1997 where there was

a steep devaluation in the value of the peso against the dollar and interest rate soared, the public failed to notice the reconsolidation of lands in favor of the bigger landowners. Small landowners were forced to sell their lands or saw their properties escheated for failing to pay the exorbitant real estate tax. This explains why the rich landlords became richer like the monopoly-capitalists owning public utilities, and they live like emperors who can almost defy God. It is most shameful that in the land of the only Christian nation in Asia where the virtue of sharing is supposed to be observed, we see many of our islands, fine beaches, portions of rivers, coves, water falls, natural spring, ponds, caves, forest reserves and scenic spots appropriated by the elite for their own private tourism promotion. Many indigenous settlers are forcibly resettled and barred from entering those enclaves converted to hideaway resorts. It is outrageous to see lands of the public domain or communal lands privatized.

The theory of encouraging land development by punishing landowners with increased property tax is wrong because that it is not a way to generate capital, but a temptation open to big landowners to own additional properties. It is counter-productive.

As the saying goes, one cannot squeeze blood from a stone.

Most of the owners of idle lands do not have the capital to develop them or if they managed to secure a loan from the bank, it is equivalent to kissing their property goodbye. First, property mortgaged is valued by banks only up to 70-percent of its assessed value. Second, mortgagors are saddled with usurious interest rates and service fees such that in the end, many lose them instead.

As one financial analyst explained, only less than 30 percent of the 70 percent loan is actually spent for the loan. If the mortgagor does not have other sources of income to capitalize his project, that now would be his biggest problem. Third, it is a known fact that some big real

EAGLE EYES DEAN TONY LA VIÑA

NEXT STEPS AFTER BT TALONG DECISION

LAST month, the Supreme Court permanently halted the field testing for genetically modified eggplant, Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), and upheld the earlier Court of Appeals decision which stopped the field trials for the GM plant.

The Court also voided Department of Agriculture’s Administrative Order No. 08, series of 2002 on the ground that it lacks the minimum safety requirements under Executive Order 514, which established the National Biosafety Framework.

In concurring with the majority opinion, Justice Marvic Leonen pointedly noted that an applicant for GMO testing, not the community, chooses community representatives to the relevant biosafety committee. Notices regarding such testing are merely posted in conspicuous places in the area, with no requirement for meaningful meetings with the community or local government concerned.

Justice Leonen dismissed the regulation as “nonchalant.” For his part, Justice Presbitero Velasco’s concurring opinion also argued that the Bt talong testing failed to comply with environmental impact assessment requirements under older laws.

The main decision found occasion to apply the precautionary principle. The Precautionary principle is expounded at length by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, among others, in his treatise: “The Precautionary Principle (with Application to the Genetic Modification of Organisms).” Nassim explained that “if an action or policy has a suspected risk of causing severe harm to

the public domain (affecting general health or the environment globally), the action should not be taken in the absence of scientific near-certainty about its safety. Under these conditions, the burden of proof about absence of harm falls on those proposing an action, not those opposing it. The precautionary principle, the established rule of evidence in environmental cases in the Philippines, is intended to deal with uncertainty and risk in cases where the absence of evidence and the incompleteness of scientific knowledge carries profound implications and in the presence of risks of “black swans,” unforeseen and unforeseeable events of extreme consequence.” This principle was heavily invoked by the Court in banning the field testing of genetically modified eggplant and declare null and void the aforementioned DA Administrative Order.

The case gave three requisites to warrant the application of the principle; namely: Settings in which the risks of harm are uncertain; settings in which harm might be irreversible and what is lost is irreplaceable; and settings in which the harm that might result would be serious. For the Court, “When these features—uncertainty, the possibility of irreversible harm, and the possibility of serious harm—oincide, the case for the precautionary principle is strongest. When in doubt, cases must be resolved in favor of the constitutional right to a balanced and healthful ecology.”

In its petition, Greenpeace, Masipag et. al cited

the 2010 Procedure for Environmental Cases of the Philippine where the Court laid down the rule that if there is uncertainty in assessing the cause-andeffect relationship between human activities and the environment, actions shall be taken by the court considering the following factors: 1) threats to human life or health; 2) inequity to present or future generations, and; 3) prejudice to the environment without legal consideration of the environmental rights of those affected. I am proud to claim that I helped draft this rule in 2010, which includes the Writ of Kalikasan used in this case.

Let us recall that earlier Greenpeace and the farmers’ group Masipag filed before the Court of Appeals’ petition to stop respondents UP Los Baños Foundation Inc, UP Mindanao Foundation Inc, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources from conducting the field test. In 2013, the CA came out with a decision favoring the petitioners and ordered the stoppage of the nationwide field testing of the Bt eggplant.

In the mind of the appellate court, existing regulations of the DA and the Department of Science and Technology were not enough to ensure the safety of the environment and health of the people. The Supreme Court agrees.

While the SC decision was hailed by petitioners Greenpeace and fellow activists, it has also set a flurry of criticisms among scientists. In my view. however, the criticism is baseless. I agree with Inquirer colum-

nist Oscar Franklin Barcelona Tan on his observation that the critics did not seem to read the decision; certainly they did not understand it accurately.

As far as I can see, the criticism comes from very good scientists but they would not make good lawyers as they miss entirely the point of the decision—that our biosafety regulations are seriously outdated and antiquated and did not conform to the government’s own National Framework on Biosafety. I led the team that drafted the National Biosafety Framework. The scientific community and all the departments accepted this framework; in fact, citizen groups objected to the NBF for not going far enough even as it incorporated the precautionary principle and highest standards of scientific and socio-economic risk assessment, transparency, and public participation. All the Supreme Court did was to evaluate the biosafety regulations of the Department Agriculture according to that framework and found it wanting.

The Supreme Court did not stop scientific progress. Far from it in fact; the decision enables scientific progress by laying down the markers for a good regulatory process. All the government needs to do now is to draft and adopt, after intensive public consultations, the appropriate biosafety regulations. That should be doable in the next 12 months.

property developers are owners of banks, they do not only compliment each other, but as a business, they are symbiotically connected. Only banks as real property developer could afford to build high rise condominium and shopping malls, while small landowners are forced to sell them for a price they could not possibly refuse.

Paradoxically, the reconsolidation of lands increased the number of landless Filipinos. This was the rationale why Mrs. Marcos was forced to reclaim lands from the sea.

She said, while there are idle lands in Metro Manila, they were owned by the few elite and the price for

which they were willing to sell them was beyond the reach of the government.

Reclaiming land from the sea was much cheaper.

The net result is that the lessees are the ones struggling to hurdle the high cost of rent with the landowner practically doing nothing, except to collect rent. Many contracts of lease stipulate that upon the expiration of the lease contract, all improvements made by the lessee on the property shall redound to the benefit of the lessor. In other words, the landowner whose property was improved is not under obligation to repay the lessee. It is a vicious cycle with the biggest landlord as the top predator making profit

on the basis of that feudalistic title certifying ownership of the land.

Considering the factor of population increase, the continuing appreciation in the value of land has rendered the program of land for the landless and home for the homeless a myth. According to the Food and Agricultural Organization only about 11.3 percent of the lands in China are arable and it has a population of 1.4 billion, while the Philippines with a population of just over 100 million has about 18.7-percent arable lands, yet cannot feed its people.

It means that the Chinese are able to make their lands 20 times more productive,

and that has something to do with their system of land disposition.

As one would ask, why try to get those uninhabitable islands when we have vast tracts of land upon which our people are prohibited from cultivating like the sprawling Hacienda Luisita? Any way one would look at it, an increasing number of our people will become landless unless the state take a drastic approach of owning the land and renting them out to anybody willing to develop them. The landlords are the worst parasites in our society, even worse than the capitalists, according to Marx.

Continued on A11

Facebook Page: Dean Tony La Viña Twitter: tonylavs

S AT U R D AY : J A N U A R Y 9, 2 0 1 6

A11

OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

MUST DEVOTEES RISK DEATH TO EXPRESS FAITH?

By Angel Tugado ONLY God knows the innermost feelings in the hearts of Black Nazarene devotees whose frenzied behavior every Jan. 9 seems to defy logic.

So who are we, one may ask, to judge their overzealousness as they seek favors or deliverance from abysmal despair, or express the valued Filipino trait of “utang na loob” for answered prayers in the Traslacion that claimed two lives last year?

The frenzy during Traslacion as the Nazarene carriage inches its way from Luneta to Quiapo looks fanatical or irrational, but a behavioral expert attributes the phenomenon to the “Filipino interpretation of imitating Christ, of doing something to avail oneself of His mercy. ” Grasping the power of God’s mercy helps one understand the compelling intensity of devotions to the Black Nazarene.

Trying to comprehend the local term “Awa ng Diyos” gives an inkling of the reasons for our existence, and why blessings come our way at various stages in our

All... From A10 There is premium to the system of regulated rent by the state. The lessees then could proceed to make improvements, and the state is then able to undertake public works on a community-wide basis like the building of irrigation system, pipe laying for drinking water, electrification, construction of roads and bridges, and even housing for the landless. This phase is accelerated even faster once factories and business establishments are set up and are fully operating, and start paying their taxes.

Since the amount is negligible, the tax they pay now supplements the difference in the small amount collected from rent. In agricultural land, the state sometimes provide subsidy for their inputs to increase their harvest, the government, though initially incurring losses, will in the end recover what it spent in terms of taxes paid as a result of bumper crop harvest.

Beijing and Shanghai are classic cities where carefully planned land development gave rise to towering buildings sprouting in a span of barely 30 years and generating much wealth for China today. rpkapunan@gmail.com

lives, even when all our sinfulness makes us undeserving.

But should our intense desire to avail of God’s mercy justify all the frenzy? Or, to put it another way, does the frenzy make us avail of His mercy?

In the Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno Hymn which every ardent devotee knows, National Artist Lucio San Pedro put in the lyrics, “Sinasamba Ka namin, pinipintuho Ka namin, aral Mo’y aming buhay at kaligtasan.”

Indeed, every time we sing the hymn, we proclaim to our Father Jesus Nazarene that “we worship Thee, we admire Thee; Thy teachings are our life and salvation.”

But none of Christ’s teachings tell devotees to act rudely, wildly, crazily over his wooden image and exhibit what has been termed as “macho fanaticism, misplaced revelry and unnecessary risks that have become a popular but deeply flawed measure of piety.”

The teachings are on humility and patience which explain why most devotees are barefoot and why many of us will endure long

EVERYMAN hours of queuing for the Pahalik, the fleeting moment we get to touch the foot of the black statue of Christ.

If indeed “Thy teachings are our life and salvation” as the hymn goes, why then do many devotees “wear their faith like a badge—proudly, unapologetically, and, occasionally, as in the Jan. 9 Black Nazarene procession, recklessly” and put themselves and fellow devotees at great risk of injury or even death, when our Lord’s teachings do not require such?

The death of the teenager squashed underneath the roiling sea of humanity in last year fs Traslacion raised the question: gWas the communal ecstasy too great, the surging force too overwhelming, that no one noticed, or cared to, that they were trampling on a prone body? h Why the frantic need to elbow one’s way and leap over others in trying to mount the Nazarene carriage on a particular day when the statue is accessible all-

year-round at Quiapo Church?

A sociologist attempted to explain: “We remain fixated with icons, with the physical representations than the meanings behind them. We struggle to get the rituals right in order to avoid bad luck, while showing little discipline, if any, in the daily practice of a virtuous life.”

Lack of discipline indeed showed in 2014 when rowdy devotees rushed for the statue while in the midst of the Holy Mass at Luneta. And the tons of trash scattered around mocks the adage that cleanliness is next to godliness.

But more unnerving is the contradiction in attitude of many supposed devotees. Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle admonished in 2012 those seeking forgiveness during the Feast Day of the Black Nazarene, only to return to their sinful ways the very next day.

Constant fears that the Black Nazarene procession can turn deadly are not baseless. Two devotees died in the course of the Traslacion last year. In 2010,

there were three fatalities. And injuries were substantial \over 600 persons in 2015; 1,686 in 2014; 1,710 in 2013; 569 in 2012; 708 in 2011; and 450 in 2010.

In light of such are nagging questions: Should Church authorities do more to hammer the point to devotees that fighting and clawing their way to the wooden statue is perhaps no more effective and pleasing to God than praying fervently to the Black Nazarene at a safe distance? Should injuries or even death be a “matter of course” for the annual procession?

There ought to be more to faith and devotion than getting crushed underneath a roiling and heaving mass of humanity.

Surely such a needless death is not the sacrifice our loving God demands from an ardent devotee.

Angel Tugado has written for Manila-based national newspapers since the 80s after finishing his studies at San Sebastian College. He has also served as adviser to several senators, governors, and two DILG heads.

the DoJ is horrible, and De Lima’s numerous overseas Enough of Duterte. It’s De trips, including the junket to Lima who has a lot of explaining Holland, contributed to that backlog. Petitions filed in the to do.

In July 2015, then Justice Sec- DoJ take several years to resolve, retary De Lima joined several and if they do get resolved, the government officials in a junket case is usually already moot and to the Hague in The Netherlands academic. Under De Lima, the to attend the hearing of the ar- DoJ ignored the postulate that bitration case the Philippines justice delayed is justice denied. lodged against Communist Chi- Doesn’t this unmitigated denial na regarding Beijing’s illegal ex- of justice constitute a human pansionist activities in the West rights violation as well?

On another occasion, the Philippine Sea. Since there is no Commission on Audit revealed immediate connection between the DoJ and the dispute in the that the DoJ, under De Lima’s West Philippine Sea, what was watch, had illegally used departDe Lima doing there in Holland? ment funds pegged for a particuWhat practical purpose did De lar project for another undertakLima serve that was important ing. Good grief !

Further into her incumbency enough for the government to spend public funds for her plane as Justice secretary last year, De fare, allowances, and hotel ac- Lima found herself in the center commodations in Holland? Isn’t of a controversy involving the the wastage of public funds just Iglesia Ni Cristo religious sect as illegal as the abuse of human and one of its ministers. The controversy arose after leaders of rights?

The backlog of cases in the INC suspected the minister of

involvement in an on-line criticism of the top leadership of the organization. After the incident was taken up in the news media, the minister filed a criminal case against leaders of the INC before the DoJ. When De Lima personally took charge of the case, the INC protested and accused the government of unwarranted meddling in the internal affairs of the organization. In particular, De Lima was accused of undue interest in the case.

After De Lima refused to back off, the INC invoked separation of Church and State, and its members took to the streets in protest. Their rally began infront of the DoJ headquarters along Padre Faura Street in Manila, and later transferred to the intersection of Shaw Boulevard and Epifanio de los Santos Avenue in Mandaluyong City.

A standoff eventually ensued between the DoJ and the INC, with De Lima refusing to yield to

demands that she resign. Malacañang inevitably intervened, and a settlement was negotiated behind closed doors. After the INC claimed that its demands were met, the rally was dismantled. Although De Lima kept her post as DoJ secretary, the terms and conditions that were agreed upon between the government and the INC remain a mystery today. De Lima is conveniently silent about the whole thing.

As the DoJ secretary, De Lima is expected to know what transpired in that negotiation. If De Lima did not bother to find out, that’s incompetence and irresponsibility on her part. If De Lima was deliberately kept in the dark by Malacañang, then that’s an outright insult to her, and she should have resigned from the DoJ immediately.

De Lima should explain to the people what really happened, and why she is running under the Malacañang’s LP despite what happened.

legislators know this. Did they think that contraceptives are unnecessary in its implementation?

Oh yes, that’s what Sotto, Enrile and anti-RH believe. So, did the Bicam members violate the RH law?

The bicam removed the budgets on the basis of fund availability in June 2015. That budget is for the entire year. How can they know that it would not be used from July to December?

Did the bicam also cut budgets of other agencies that showed a sizeable fund availability at that time? If they did not, why? Why zero in on contraceptives? Do these legislators think that family planning is less important than other items?

Does Senator Legarda know

that purchasing FP commodities is NOT the same as going to the market and buying fish? The procurement process takes months.

It should be noted that it was only in 2015 that the DOH could start to really move on RH implementation. The structures were for implementation were still being set-up then. It is very unfair of the bicam members to think that by mid-year, the budget should have been fully obligated.

Did Legarda think that the DOH was not moving fast enough?

The thing is, if only they bothered to ask, they would know that as of October of 2015, the budget for family planning commodities was already 65 percent utilized.

Note the word, UTILIZED and not just obligated. Most impor-

tantly, by December, the budget was already 90 percent used!

These figures I got from the DOH during the meeting of the National Implementation Team on RH. Senator Legarda, your explanation on the removal of the budget for contraceptives is unacceptable. This is a great disservice to the poor Filipino women who want to practice family planning and use contraceptives.

Again, women’s rights and lives are in peril because the bicam committed a blunder. Or did the anti-RH members pull a fast one?

The RH struggle goes on!

De Lima... From A9

The... From A9 I have questions for Senator Legarda. If they studied the implications of removing the contraception budget, what did they find out? Did she ask the DOH about this since it is the agency that can make things clear to her?

Or, did they remove the budget because they thought it is unimportant OR against their RH stance? Note that the two most rabidly anti-RH senators, Enrile and Sotto are in the Bicam. I also know that Legarda herself was lukewarm to the RH bill then.

The RH law is there. It clearly says that there should be an adequate budget from the GAA for the needs for its proper implementation. Of course our dear

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

sat urday : Ja n ua ry 9 , 2 0 1 6

A12

sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

Nadal, Djokovic near showdown D OHA— R afael Nadal and Novak Djokovic remained on course for their first clash of 2016 as both came through tough quarter-finals on Thursday to reach the last four of the Qatar Open.

Bryant leads All-Star voting NEW YORK—The Los Angeles Lakers’ aging superstar Kobe Bryant continues to lead fan voting for the 2016 NBA All-Star game, the league said Thursday.

Bryant, who is retiring after the season, has 1,262,118 votes—more than 300,000 ahead of reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, according to the second batch of voting figures released by the league.

Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James has the third-most votes—and leads the Eastern Conference with 636,388.

Bryant, who has been selected to 17 All-Star Games in his career, announced in November that he would retire at the end of this season.

The 65th NBA All-Star Game will be held at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre on February 14.

The next balloting update will be released on Jan. 14, and fan voting concludes on Monday, Jan. 18.

Meanwhile, Houston Rockets guard Ty Lawson was suspended for three games by the NBA on Thursday for a California drunk-driving incident.

Lawson’s latest suspension is for a driving under the influence charge in July and begins with Thursday’s game against the Utah Jazz.

It’s the second driving under the influence-related suspension in two months for Lawson, who was also suspended for two games last month after a similar charge in Denver in January of 2015.

At that time Lawson was playing for the Nuggets.

In November, Lawson pleaded guilty to driving while immpaired in the Denver case, and additional charges of speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol and careless driving were dropped.

Lawson is averaging 6.4 points and 4.3 assists per game this season. AFP

Kobe Bryant (left) of the Los Angeles Lakers drives against Darren Collison of the Sacramento Kings at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, California. AFP

Swede, PH aces seek ICTSI kiteboard repeat ATTE Kappel of Sweden and local bet Doque delos Santos go for back-toback victories as they banner another crack international field vying in the second leg of the ICTSI Philippine Kiteboarding Tour Season 3 which got under way at Aqua Boracay Friday.

Kappel bested Philippine Kiteboarding Association president Jay Ortiz in the kickoff leg of the four-stage $40,000 circuit in Siargao last month with the Swede ace tipped as the rider to beat again in the centerpiece Masters Twin Tip Race on his Flysurfer.

But Ortiz and a slew of top riders from Australia, Germany and Poland are raring to foil his bid and fuel their own campaign in the three-day event sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc and organized by PKA. Delos Santos also looms as the rider to beat in the Twin Tip Division after turning in five aces in five races to dominate the Siargao stop of the event sponsored

by Cabrinha, GreenYard, Aqua Boracay, Coca Cola, Sailor Jerry, Municipality of Malay, Freestyle Academy, Vaavud,

Lemon Café, Valhalia, Double Dragon Apparel and By Da Way, which hosted the opening night Thursday.

Germany’s Kathrin Bogwardt, meanwhile, tries to improve on her runner-up finish to Jing Gajisan in the women’s Twin Tip section of the event supported by The Lazy Dog Bed & Breakfast, Blue Bayou, Ultimate Apparel and Boracay Sun Cruiser even as world junior No. 2 Christian Tio braces for a repeat showdown with Delos Santos in the Freestyle event.

Tio and Delos Santos shared top

honors in Siargao after the final day was called off due to lack of wind. But with the condition expected to be at its toughest in Boracay, organizers expect a thrilling duel for top honors in various categories, including the Hangtime competition of the event backed

by Hoy, Panga, Boracay Box and Ladder, Surf Kitch, Area 51 Boracay, Damiana’s, Lokal Snack Bar, BoomBoom Bar, Boracay Water, Pats Bar, Your Local Shop, Palassa Spa and Dos Mestizos with PCTV, My Life on Board and Boracay Sun as media partners.

WVL fires off tomorrow MORE than 50 teams compete in four categories when the 20th Women’s Volleyball League fires off tomorrow at the Xavier School gym.

Organized by the Best Center and sponsored by Milo, the WVL is among the few longest-running junior volleyball leagues aimed at developing the sport that has seen a revival in the past decade.

Best Center founder and president Nic Jorge, a former national basketball coach, said Larong Volleyball ng Pilipinas, Inc. president Joey Romasanta will be the main guest and speaker for the short opening ceremony.

St. Paul College-Makati will be defending its crown in the 13 under Developmental Division against 12 other teams, while Colegio San Agustin-Makati will also be back to defend its 13 under Competitive Division title against five other equally strong school teams.

Also returning are La Salle College-Antipolo, which will try to keep its 17 under Developmental Division title and Hope Christian School, which will defend the 17 under Competitive Division crown.

Great Britain stays alive. Andy Murray of Britain hits a return against Alexander Zverev of Germany during their eleventh session men’s singles match on day six of the Hopman Cup tennis tournament in Perth. Great Britain kept its Hopman Cup hopes alive with a 3-0 win over Germany in their final round robin outing. The British pairing of Murray and Heather Watson won their respective singles matches against Zverev and Sabine Lisicki to secure the tie. Although the mixed doubles was a dead rubber, the couple also needed a win to enhance their chances of reaching Saturday’s final. They did so in style, winning in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 to complete a clean sweep of the tie.

A fist-pumping Nadal qualified by beating Andrey Kuznetsov over three sets in an enthralling battle.

Nadal won 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 but was made to work for his victory by the Russian.

Djokovic’s progress was more serene, though not without its scares, as he beat Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer, 6-3, 7-5.

The world number one is yet to drop a set in his three matches so far.

Nadal’s match, however, will live longest in the memory.

The Spaniard, looking to recapture the form that has made him a 14-time Grand Slam winner, won the first set comfortably enough but from there the real drama started.

Despite initially being a break up, Nadal lost a see-saw second set as Kuznetsov’s powerful forehands brought him back into the match.

The Russian eventually took it 7-5, the first time the 24-year-old had ever taken a set from Nadal.

The final set was also unpredictable, with number two seed Nadal again squandering a break advantage before decisively taking the Russian’s serve in the ninth game.

The world number five then served out immediately afterwards to secure a place in the last four.

“Winning matches in three sets is very good news and very positive thing,” Nadal told reporters.

“That happens when you are fresh mentally, when you are able to analyse well what’s going on in the match.

“And last year I lost a lot of matches like today’s match.

So for me it’s so important to win these kind of matches.”

Nadal added that he was happy with his game other than his serve, which was broken four times.

‘A good test’ Meanwhile, Djokovic overcame losing his serve in the first two games of each set to beat his Argentine opponent.

Despite that, the Serb never looked like going out, especially after Mayer squandered his best chance in the second set.

Serving for the set at 5-4, he was broken to love in a game which included the Argentinian putting a straight forward overhead smash into the net. AFP

sat urday : Ja n ua ry 9 , 2 0 1 6

A13

sports sports@thestandard.com.ph

3 college guards to be feted for stellar shows THE careers of San Beda’s Baser Amer, Letran’s Mark Cruz and Far Eastern University’s Mike Tolomia get due recognition when the UAAP-NCAA Press Corps and Smart Sports present the Collegiate Basketball Awards on Jan. 26 at Saisaki-Kamayan in Greenhills.

Amer, Cruz and Tolomia will receive the Super Senior awards from the group of scribes from national dailies and online portals covering the collegiate basketball beat for their impressive resumes during their five-year careers.

Despite failing to help San Beda capture the NCAA’s first-ever six-peat this season, Amer had a decorated stint in Mendiola, where he won four straight titles from his rookie season in 2011 to 2014.

He recovered from a shoulder injury in time to send the Red Lions to their 10th straight finals appearance before losing to archrival Letran in three games.

While Amer collected numerous championships, Cruz and Tolomia made sure they would end their varsity careers in style as Letran and FEU won their first titles since 2005.

Nicknamed “The Ant Man”, the 5-foot-5 Cruz defied all odds with a series of memorable performances to lead underdog Letran to its 17th NCAA title while being named Finals MVP. Tolomia, meanwhile, stepped up in games that mattered as the Tamaraws ended 10 years of frustration by beating University of Santo Tomas in the UAAP finals for their 20th crown.

Joining Amer, Cruz and Tolomia as awardees are FEU’s Nash Racela and Aldin Ayo, the former Letran mentor now with La Salle, who will both receive the top coaching honors after steering their teams to the championship.

Also feted are FEU’s Roger Pogoy and Letran’s Kevin Racal, who will share the Pivotal Player award.

Tomic ousts 2nd seed Nishikori BRISBANE—Australia’s Bernard Tomic said his big improvement as a tennis player was on display during his three-set quarter-final win over Kei Nishikori at the Brisbane International on Friday.

Tomic delighted his home fans when he ousted the second-seeded Nishikori from Japan 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in a shade under two hours, putting him into a semi-final showdown against huge-serving Canadian Milos Raonic.

Tomic, who hails from the nearby Gold Coast, powered through the first set before Nishikori fought back to take the second.

But after both players struggled to hold serve at the start of the third, Tomic took control and eased away to claim the match.

The win came almost 12 months to the day after Nishikori thumped Tomic 6-0, 6-4 at the same stage of last year’s Brisbane tournament, and almost certainly assures Tomic a top 16 seeding for the Australian Open.

“I had the opportunity to play him last year and it was a different level for me today,” said Tomic.

“I’ve improved so much.”

Tomic said his improved serve had allowed him to control large parts of the match.

“Since last year, this time I must be serving at least 15 percent better,” he said.

“That’s very important for me, because being a tall guy, if you can get more free points, it’s less for me to do and I can go for my shots off the return.” AFP

Patrick Reed plays a shot during round one of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course at Kapalua Golf Club in Lahaina, Hawaii. AFP

Reed pips Spieth for lead LOS ANGELES—Defending champion Patrick Reed eagled the 18th hole on Thursday to pip world number one Jordan Spieth for the first-round lead at the US PGA Tour Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.

Reed, who has six top-10 finishes in his last six tournaments around the world, played his last six holes in six-under par to seize the lead with an eight-under par total of 65 on the par73 Plantation Course at Kapalua.

Spieth, off to a solid start in his mission to carry his scintillating 2015 form seamlessly into the new year, birdied the last to cap a 66.

Both were part of a fiveway tie for the lead as they arrived at the par-five 18th, where Reed fired his second shot to 16 feet and made the putt.

New Zealand’s Danny Lee finished tied with Americans Brandt Snedeker and J.B. Holmes on 67, with Argentina’s Fabian Gomez alone in sixth on 68.

Spieth, whose stellar 2015 campaign included five victories, two of them majors, drained a 30-foot birdie putt at the second hole to get his 2016 on track.

“It’s just a day to get into a rhythm, kind of see where everything’s at,” said Spieth, the Masters and US Open champion.

“Everything feels pretty good. I just need to tighten the gap a little, maybe have

a couple better looks at birdie.

But I can’t complain.”

“If I do what I did today each day, we’re in good business,” added Spieth, who had seven birdies in his bogey-free round.

‘Brings out the best’ Reed picked up just two birdies on his outward run and said the second, at the par-five ninth, was a turning point.

“From there I just hit the ball a little closer and hit better putts,” he said.

Australia’s Jason Day, whose five victories in 2015 included a major breakthrough at the PGA Championship, opened with a three-under par 70.

Reigning British Open champion Zach Johnson was well off the pace on two-over 75.

The 2015-16 US PGA Tour season has been underway since October, but the first event of the calendar year is a

highlight featuring only last season’s tournament winners, with 32 taking part.

They were greeted by benign conditions, with little wind on a course softened by pre-tournament rain.

“I would call it as easy as the course could play,” said Spieth. “You can attack some pins if the wind isn’t blowing out here.”

He and Reed will play together again on Friday, continuing a rivalry that has already seen the twenty-somethings duel in two PGA Tour playoffs.

Reed came out on top at the 2013 Wyndham Championship, and Spieth avenging that defeat at the Valspar Championship last March in a playoff that also included Sean O’Hair.

“Maybe we want to beat each other so bad it brings the best out in us,” Spieth said. AFP

Platini pulls out of FIFA race, vows to clear name PARIS—Suspended UEFA chief Michel Platini vowed to clear his name of sleaze allegations and slammed outgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter as he pulled out of the race to lead football’s world body.

Platini told French sports newspaper L’Equipe that he would concentrate on fighting his eight-year ban from football, as he abandoned his bid to contest the FIFA election on Feb. 26.

“I will not present myself for the presidency of FIFA. I am withdrawing my candidature,” he said, in an interview to be published in full on Friday.

“I no longer have the time nor the means to go to the voters, to meet people, to fight against the other candidates.

“In withdrawing, I am dedi-

cating myself to my defence.”

Platini and Blatter were suspended for eight years by FIFA’s ethics committee over a $2 million payment made to Platini in 2011 for work carried out between 1999 and 2002.

The 60-year-old Platini said his ban has made it impossible for him to put together a campaign to take on the sport’s most powerful job.

“It is a question of the calendar, but not only that. How can you win an election when you are prevented from campaigning?” he said.

Platini laid the blame for his plight squarely at the door of Blatter, 79, claiming that the veteran Swiss wanted his “scalp”.

“Everything started because of Blatter, who wanted my

Platini

head, who did not want me to go to (lead) FIFA,” Platini was quoted as saying.

“He said often that I would be his final scalp, but he fell at the same time as me.”

‘How did we get to this?’

Platini said he will concentrate his resources on an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and the

FIFA electoral commission which “claimed that I had falsified accounts”.

The Frenchman said: “I have fought like I have always fought in my life but I have not been given the opportunity to compete this time round.”

Platini’s decision to give up on his dream of becoming FIFA president leaves five declared candidates.

They are: Asian football head Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain, South African politician and tycoon Tokyo Sexwale, former FIFA vice-president Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan, UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino, and Jerome Champagne, a former FIFA assistant general secretary from France. AFP

S AT U R DAY : J A N U A R Y 9, 2 0 16

A14

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Superal captures HK Open tiara HONG KONG—Princess Superal rode on a fiery finish at the front to wrest control then out-steadied Tiffany Chan in a tense-filled backside duel to fashion out a four-stroke victory over Mimi Ho on a closing six-under 66 in the Hong Kong Ladies Amateur Open at the HK Golf Club’s New Course in Fanling here yesterday.

On the shortlist for the 2015 Sportsman of the Year award are (from left) volleyball star Alyssa Valdez, sports patron Manny V. Pangilinan, Gilas standout Calvin Abueva, world boxing champion Donnie ‘Ahas’ Nietes, national coach Tab Baldwin, and University of the Philippines Maroons’ JR Gallarza.

Valdez leads Sportsman of Year nominees AFTER another momentous year for Philippine Sports, Spin.ph once again honors the sportsmen and women who made the biggest impact on and off the pitch during its awards ceremonies on Jan. 21 at the Marriott Hotel Manila.

On the shortlist for the 2015 Sportsman of the Year award of the top sports website are volleyball star Alyssa

Valdez, Gilas standout Calvin Abueva, sports patron Manny V. Pangilinan, national coach Tab Baldwin, and world boxing champion Donnie ‘Ahas’ Nietes.

Now on its third year, the Spin.ph Awards Night, copresented by PLDT Home Ultera and sponsored by Milo, will be held at the Ceremonial Hall of Marriott Hotel Manila.

Ceremonies star t at 6:30 p.m.

Aside from the 2015 Sportsman of the Year award, also to be honored are the Top 10 Sports Heroes who made their mark in the year just passed.

“We are once again honoring athletes, coaches, teams and sports patrons who continue to be an inspiration and source of

pride to Filipino fans,” said Spin.ph editor Dodo Catacutan.

Gilas Pilipinas playmaker Jimmy Alapag was named top sportsman of 2014 after Gilas coach Chot Reyes was given the honor the year before.

For more details, visit www.spin.ph and follow @ spinph on Twitter and /spin. philippines on Facebook.

Superal leaned on a crucial two-shot swing on No. 15 to go four-up over Chan then took the crown in emphatic fashion with a birdiebirdie windup that drew cheers from the gallery for her best round in the 54-hole world ranking event, beating a rallying Ho, who fired a 67, by four on a 205 aggregate.

“It was a tough win. I just hung in there and made some clutch putts,” said Superal, who birdied three of the last four holes at the front to go from one down to two-up en route to victory, her fifth straight counting her two wins in Malaysia and one each in Singapore and Jakarta the last two months.

With Chan, No. 16 in the current world amateur ranking, fading in the face of Superal’s superb finish, Ho came from behind to snatch runner-up honors at 209 with the former ending up third at 211 despite an eagle-spiked 72.

Michelle Cheung, also of Hong Kong, also shot a 67 to tie compatriot Isabelle Leung, who carded a 73, at 214 while Superal’s teammate and reigning Thailand Amateur champion Pauline del Rosario turned in a 72 for sixth at 218.

Sam Martirez, the other TCC bet in the event, wound up at joint 11th at 229 after a 75.

“She’s in control of her game and has been working hard on her putting to reach her current form,” said The Country Club coach Bong Lopez of her prized ward, way down at No. 174 in the world who actually won the 2015 HK Am crown, this being originally scheduled last September but was moved to this week due to bad weather.

Unable to shake off the long-hitting Chan, who eagled No. 9 to stay within two after nine holes, the former US Girls’ Junior champion matched the local’s ace’s pars and birdie in the first five holes at the back then came through with a clutch six-foot birdie putt off a solid approach shot on No. 15 to pull away by four as Chan missed her target from close range then three-putted.

That big two-shot swing was all Superal needed to secure the victory she capped with that blazing birdie-birdie finish inside 10 feet.

Carlos, Constantino romp to PH Amateur golf feats GEN. TRIAS, Cavite—Jobim Carlos and Harmie Constantino built enough cushion to buck a pair of faltering finishes and complete their domination of the Philippine Amateur (Stroke Play) Open Golf Championship at the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club’s Aoki course here yesterday.

Carlos, who virtually sealed his title-retention drive in the country’s premier amateur championship with a 10-shot lead on a bogey-free 66 in the third round, closed out with a four-over 40 for a 75 and still beat Gen Nagai by seven on a six-under 282 aggregate.

“Hopefully this win will inspire me to excel more next week when I join the Asian Tour Q-School in Thailand,” said Carlos, re-

ferring to the region’s premier circuit final elims stage in Hua Hin, Thailand where he seeks to earn a Tour card starting this year.

The 23-year-old shotmaker is also set to join the local pro tour starting next month after finishing fourth in the recent Q-School, which he actually topped last year before deciding to stay in the ranks and further hone up his talent and skills.

Playing pressure-free in the final round, Carlos bounced back from a bogey on No. 2 with two birdies to close out his frontside stint then just went through the motions at the back, making bogeys on Nos. 10 and 12 before dropping two shots on the par-5 16th, miscues he could afford given the huge lead he had built after 54 holes.

The victory also came on

the heels of his triumph in the NGAP National Doubles at Aguinaldo last week where he teamed up with Iñigo Raymundo in a win that helped fuel his drive to post a dominant victory this week in the event, the kickoff leg of this year’s PLDT Group National Amateur Golf Tour and sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation, Smart, PLDT and Metro Pacific Investment Corp.

Nagai matched par 72 in windy condition and wound up with a 289 while Korean Jang Jun Ha ended up with a 73 for a 293 followed by Aidric Chan (73298) while Jang Yu Bin, also of Korea, and Weiwei Gao finished tied for fifth at 301 after identical 75s.

Rupert Zaragosa carded a 74 to place seventh at 302 while Luis Castro and Ira Alido took the next

Harmie Constantino (lef t) and Jobim Carlos hold their trophies af ter completing a pair of dominant victories in the Philippine Amateur (Stroke Play) Open Golf Championship at Eagle Ridge’s Aoki course.

three spots at 303 and 304 after a 72 and 78, respectively, while Lanz Uy shot the day’s best of 70 to tie reigning Hong Kong Junior champion Leon Philip

D’Souza, who skied to a 77, at 306.

The diminutive Constantino, eight-up on Korean Lee Ji Hyeon and Yuka Saso at the start of the final round,

padded her lead over Lee to 10 after 10 holes on two birdies but wavered with a double-bogey on the par-3 17th to settle for a 72 for an eightshot romp on a 283 total.

S AT U R DAY : J A N U A R Y 9, 2 0 16

A15

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

LOTTO RESULTS 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 4 DIGITS 00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

NU Bullpups try to extend win streak

By Peter Atencio

Rain or Shine surprise package Don Trollano takes on SMB’s Marcio Lassiter in a PBA Philippine Cup semifinal game won by the Painters, 105-97.

SMBeermen, Painters break 1-1 semifinal tie

By Jeric Lopez

WILL the third act follow the same script of the first two?

Rain or Shine is certainly hoping for that while San Miguel Beer will seek to turn the tides as their best-of-seven semifinal war resumes in the 2015-16 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup Playoffs.

With the series squared at 1-1, the pivotal Game 3 between the two powerhouses is scheduled at 5 p.m. today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, with both the Elasto Painters and the Beermen aiming to gain an important edge.

The first two games provided similar scripts with different endings.

Rain or Shine surprisingly

dominated majority of Games 1 and 2 as it led by double-digits most of the way and even held 20-point leads in both contests.

However, both games were split between the two squads as the Beermen were able to forge a scintillating rally to take Game 1, 109-105, while Rain or Shine countered by dominating and holding on to Game 2, 105-97.

Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao is hoping that the result of Game 2 can be duplicated by his squad once more.

“It was like the same stories for the first two games and fortunately for us we got a different ending.

We’re hoping to have In Game 2 last Game Today that same ending in (Game 3, Semifinals - Smart Thursday night, Rain Araneta Coliseum): Game 2,’’ said Guiao. or Shine once again 5 p.m. - San Miguel vs.

Despite his team zoomed ahead to a Rain or Shine dominating majority huge double-digit lead of the series so far, Guiao said that right after the first quarter and held what matters at this point is that it on to that the rest of the way until is still anyone’s series.

San Miguel once again made a last“Now we’re starting over again ditch effort in the last few minutes with the series tied. That (Game 2 of the game. win) gave us confidence. We have However, unlike in Game 1 where a chance in this series,’’ he said. it was able to finish the job in its comeOn the other side, San Miguel back, San Miguel failed to repeat its coach Leo Austria still see the posi- classic turnaround in the opener and tives his team has despite the last de- eventually fell to Rain or Shine. feat as he is hoping that his wards can Reigning Most Valuable Player improve their bearing in Game 3.

June Mar Fajardo continued to “Game 2 was still a good one power his way as he scored 38 for us despite the lapses. We were points in Game 2, but the Elasto able to come back once again pero Painters made him bleed for all of kinapos na. Hopefully in Game 3, those and at the same time, Rain we can be better pa and improve or Shine’s collective effort proved on our lapses,’’ said Austria. to be better the last time out.

THE unbeaten Games today Nat iona l (The Arena) Universit y 9 a.m. – UE vs UST Bullpups will 11 a.m. – ADMU vs NU 1 p.m. – AdU vs UPIS confront the 3 p.m. – FEU vs DLSZ defending champion Ateneo Blue Eaglets today in the resumption of the 78th University Athletic Association of the Philippines junior basketball tournament at The Arena.

The Bullpups ended the first round with a seven-game sweep capped by a 73-60 victory over the Blue Eaglets in a rematch of last season’s finals on Dec. 12.

They are set to meet at 11 a.m.

In other games, La Salle-Zobel tangles with Far Eastern UniversityDiliman at 3 p.m., while Adamson faces University of the Philippines Integrated School at 1 p.m.

Earlier, University of Santo Tomas meets University of the East at 9 a.m.

In their previous encounter, 6’4” Justine Baltazar finished with 18 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks against the Eaglets, and John Lloyd Clemente, who also had 18 points.

Last year’s Finals MVP Jolo Mendoza, who was scoreless in 15 minutes due to injury against NU, hopes to redeem himself this time around for Ateneo.

The Blue Eaglets are tied with the Junior Archers in second spot at 5-2, a full game ahead of joint fourth placers the Baby Tamaraws and the Baby Falcons (4-3).

Like it or not, we have to live with Pacquiao-Bradley III INSIDE SPORTS RONNIE NATHANIELSZ

WHEN we broke the news that eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao had chosen to fight Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley for a third time on April 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, many fight fans questioned the decision and claimed it was an unattractive proposition when there were so many other more attractive opponents for Manny to choose from.

For one thing, although Manny lost the first fight to Bradley in a horrendous decision, which was universally

criticized and whipped Bradley in the rematch, it seemed a pointless exercise and any attempt to hype a third fight would be a near hopeless task.

Even promoter Bob Arum has admitted that much even though it’s obvious that the Top Rank promoter stands to benefit the most from the trilogy because he handles both Pacquiao and Bradley and will earn from both sides, which gives the impression that he, not Manny Pacquiao, ultimately makes the decision on who Pacquiao should fight.

Adrien Broner, who was contacted by Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz about a possible fight with Manny was visibly angry when he learned that he had been junked in favor

of Bradley and ripped Bob Arum for being greedy and wanting to keep the fight in-house, which isn’t far-fetched.

A Pacquiao-Broner fight would have been something new and attractive rather than Manny fighting Bradley, whom he obviously beat twice, one more time.

There were others like Amir Khan and Danny Garcia who would have probably brought in bigger pay-per-view numbers.

Of course, Arum and his team will play on the fact that Bradley scored an impressive 9th-round TKO over Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios in his last fight, while Pacquiao was taken the full route by Rios, although Manny won comfortably.

Let’s get real. Rios was nowhere near the fighter, who had trained so hard for the Pacquiao fight when he faced Bradley.

Some early body shots showed his comparative lack of condition and the end came as no big surprise.

They will also seek to play up the role of Bradley’s new coach Teddy Atlas as a motivating factor and someone who changed Bradley for the better. It’s true to some extent that under Atlas, Bradley realized that he was a better boxer and not someone who could bang with a puncher like Pacquiao.

Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach, who tends to shoot his mouth off at every turn ruined this scenario when he dissed the contri-

bution of Atlas.

We honestly believe a showdown with Amir Khan would have been be far more interesting considering that they were stablemates and sparring partners under Roach at the Wild Card Gym before, but dismiss the claim by Roach that Pacquiao dropped Khan four times in sparring as one of Freddie’s tales that have no basis in fact.

What we know is that Amir Khan’s speed caused Pacquiao some problems.

The sad thing about this is that when Manny and his adviser Michael Koncz met with Khan in a London Gym early in 2015 they agreed to face each other in late 2015, but the hugely lucrative

“Fight of the Century” against Floyd Mayweather Jr. intervened and setback the planned fight between Pacquiao and Khan.

In fact, Koncz had subsequent dealings with Khan’s handlers in pursuing a fight after Manny lost to Mayweather last May 2. But they suddenly discarded the idea and eventually settled for Bradley, failing to realize that a Khan showdown would almost certainly have been far more interesting with many story-lines to build on and would have attracted a bigger pay-perview market.

Bottom line is, we’ll have to live with PacquiaoBradley III. To us, Manny’s run for a seat in the Senate seems more interesting than a Bradley trilogy.

S A T URDA Y : J A N U A R Y 9 , 2 0 1 6

A16

RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

REUEL VIDAL A S S I S TA N T E D I T O R

sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS

Jordan Clarkson of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots the ball against the Sacramento Kings at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, California. AFP

PSA fetes 2015’s best THE Philippine Sportswriters Association salutes once again the best and brightest of 2015 as it holds its traditional Annual Awards Night on Feb. 13 at One Esplanade in Pasay City.

Highlight of the formal affair presented by MILO and San Miguel Corp. is the honoring of the highly-coveted Athlete of the Year award, won by BMX rider Daniel Caluag in 2014 for providing the country’s lone gold medal in the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.

Several prominent personalities from different sports are in the running for the prestigious plum solely handed out by the country’s oldest media fraternity, which turns 67 this year.

Major awardees and citations will also be given out to athletes, entities, and organizations, which did the country proud in the year that has just passed.

Also to be honored are the gold medal winners during the country’s campaign in the 28th Southeast Asian Games in Singapore.

The PSA, under president Riera Mallari of The Standard, will also hand out the President’s Award, Executive of the Year, National Sports Association of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, and Posthumous.

Kings hold off Lakers LOS ANGELES—The Sacramento Kings squandered a 27-point lead but dug deep late for a 118-115 NBA victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Kobe Bryant’s last game in the California capital.

Kings guard Rajon Rondo made a running basket to put Sacramento up by one with 21 seconds left and then forced a Lakers turnover as a contest that looked like a certain blowout came down to the wire.

Sacramento center DeMarcus Cousins then made two free throws and Lakers guard Louis Williams missed a three-pointer at the buzzer.

Bryant, the Lakers superstar who will retire at the end of this season, scored 28 points in his 34th and final regular season appearance in Sacramento.

Superal captures HK Open crown TURN TO A12

Bryant returned from a threegame absence nursing a sore shoulder and scored 28 points—including a highlight-reel two-handed dunk that Lakers coach Byron Scott called a “young man moment.”

Bryant, who led the Lakers to three playoff series victories over the Kings, made 10 of 18 shots from the field and six of eight free throws, and became the third player in NBA history—and at 37 the youngest ever—to score 33,000 points in his career.

He took his tally to 33,010, but

was on the bench for the night by the time the Lakers charged back into contention.

Rookie D’Angelo Russell scored 11 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter for Los Angeles.

Although the Lakers fell to 8-29 —the second-worst record in the league—Bryant said the heart his young teammates showed late was encouraging.

“They played so well, they worked really, really hard,” Bryant said.

“It’s important for them to figure out how to close those games out without me on the floor.”

Bulls in tune The Chicago Bulls consolidated their second spot in the Eastern Conference with a sixth straight victory, downing the Boston Celtics 101-92.

Painters, Beermen break semis tie TURN TO A15

Down 43-33 late in the second quarter, the Bulls out-scored Boston 15-4 in the final four minutes of the frame to lead 48-47 at halftime.

They rolled from there, continuing an impressive streak that has seen them score at least 100 points in their last nine games.

That’s a feat the Bulls hadn’t accomplished since the 1995-96 season when Michael Jordan led the team.

Shooting guard Jimmy Butler said the Bulls’ offensive output was rooted in improved defense.

“That’s what really won us the game,” Butler said.

“We were out there guarding, we rebounded, and we got a lot of easy baskets. When we’re playing like that, we look really good out there.” AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

B1

SATURDAY: JANUARY 9, 2016

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

8% growth unlikely—HSBC

By Julito G. Rada

ATTAINING a 7-percent to 8-percent annual gross domestic product growth will remain almost an elusive dream for the government unless infrastructure spending is sustained for a longer period of time, British bank Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. said in a report Friday.

“For the government to reach its 7-8 percent growth target, infrastructure spending needs to be sustained for longer. Moreover, public-private partnership projects should be accelerated, and

the government needs to do more to attract FDI [foreign direct investments],” HSBC said.

“We see infrastructure spending as the bedrock of the Philippines’ growth outlook over the

Govt signs MRT-3 deal with Korean consortium

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Transport Department signed a three-year contract with a Korean-Filipino consortium for the maintenance of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3.

Under the P3.8-billion contract, the joint venture of Busan Transportation Corp., Edison Development & Construction, Tramat Mercantile Inc., TMICorp Inc. and Castan Corp. will undertake maintenance works of the rolling stock and signaling system starting January 8.

Twelve qualified technical experts, including rolling stock, signaling, and track specialists from Busan, are already carrying out the necessary activities for transition and system assessment.

“We are one step closer to having a safer and more reliable MRT-3 system with our new worldclass rail maintenance service provider,” Transport Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said.

“With the operator of the Busan railway network in South Korea sharing their technical expertise, the riding public can expect an increase in the number of running trains and the efficiency of operations,” he said.

Busan has been operating and maintaining the Busan Metro, the four railway lines of the mass transit system in Busan, South Korea since 1999.

In addition to the fulfilling maintenance requirements, the contract covers the general overhaul of 43 coaches over the course of the agreement period, and the total replacement of the signaling system within 24 months.

Previous attempts to bid out the long-term maintenance contract, first in September 2014 and again in January 2015, resulted in failure due to the non-participation of bidders.

Those included Busan Transport Corp, MosanInekon Philippines Ltd. Co., SMRT International Pte Ltd., Miescorrail Inc. and D.M. Consunji Inc. The Transport department resorted to an alternative mode of procurement pursuant to the Government Procurement Reform Act of 2003 in recognition of the urgency to address the railway’s maintenance needs and the system’s core problems of obsolescence and complete wear-and-tear.

After the Government Procurement Policy Board unanimously approved the mode of procurement, Transportation invited international and reputable railway firms despite an authority to invite only one. These were SMRT International, Hamburg-Consult GmbH, Korea Railroad Corp., Busan Transportation Corp. and the Schunk Bahn-und Industrietechnik GmbH and Comm Builders & Technology Joint Venture.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

next decade. Private investment has also displayed a steady trend in recent quarters. However, we tend to see a slight deceleration in investment right before an election due to uncertainty surrounding the outcome—which isn’t missing this time around as the race heats up,” HSBC said.

HSBC predicted that GDP growth this year would slightly improve to 5.7 percent from an expected 5.6 percent in 2015. It said 2017 growth would hit 5.8 percent.

“The Philippine economy remains one of Asia’s brightest growth stories. The economy is relatively less vulnerable to the weak external factors weighing down growth in much of the

broader region. The domestic economy is firing on several cylinders, namely private consumption, government spending, and private investment, shrugging off a drag from exports,” it said.

The bank said private consumption accounted for over 70 percent of nominal GDP. Consumer spending is supported by remittance inflows, which continue to grow at robust levels in peso terms—despite some recent volatility in headline US dollar growth.

“Moreover, private consumption is buttressed by better employment opportunities, partly on the back of government spending. As for government spending, expenditure has picked up

speed—growing 19% y-o-y in 3Q—thanks chiefly to infrastructure spending,” it said.

However, the bank said the government had the unique problem of not spending its funds quickly enough—“and the government looks set to miss the targeted 2 percent budget deficit target in both 2015 and 2016.”

It said exports had plummeted due to external weakness while imports surged due to imports of capital goods needed for infrastructure.

Meanwhile, it said the services sectors, especially business processing and outsourcing, were important export industries that should provide sustainable foreign exchange earnings for the Philippines.

Enjoy Netflix now with PayMaya It is almost a universal truth that watching movies and TV shows is a common pastime for Filipinos. With the recent release of Netflix to more than 130 new countries around the world, including the Philippines, Filipinos can now enjoy streaming thousands of popular movies and TV shows from Netflix such as the Batman Trilogy or How to Get Away with Murder on their devices - even without a credit card, thanks to the leading digital payments app PayMaya.

Watch unlimited movies & TV shows on Netflix Netflix is an internet TV service that lets you instantly watch unlimited movies and TV show episodes, including original series, documentaries, and feature films, anytime, anywhere, over almost any Internet-connected device without commercials. As per their announcement, there are three plans available, with the minimum at P370 for the Basic Plan, P460 for the Standard Plan and P550 for the Premium Plan.

Subscribers get 1 free month to try the ultimate binge watching experience and can cancel their subscription anytime. Payments for subscriptions however, can only be made through credit card or PayPal. So for the movie buffs and tv show aficionados who don’t have their own credit card or a PayPal account, this is where you can use PayMaya.

Subscribe to Netflix without a credit card Developed by PayMaya Philippines (formerly Smart eMoney, Inc.), the digital financial services unit of PLDT and Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart), PayMaya is an online payment app that generates your own instant virtual prepaid Visa on the app which you can then use to subscribe to Netflix.

All you have to do is to go to the Google Play Store or App

Store, download the PayMaya mobile app, and register with any mobile number. Once you have a PayMaya account, you’ll see your own virtual Visa on the app which contains your card number, security code or CVV, and the expiration date--all the details you need for making online payments.

Before you can use your PayMaya account, you must first load it up at PayMaya Load-Up Centers at 7-Eleven Cliqq kiosks, SM Business Centers, and Robinson’s Business Centers.

Once you have reloaded your PayMaya account with funds, you can then go ahead and use it to pay for your Netflix subscription. As PayMaya is a

prepaid Visa card, Netflix will just deduct a minimum amount equivalent to one month subscription to validate your payment account. PayMaya can be used for recurrent payments such as Netflix, just be sure to reload your account in time for the next billing period.

“With PayMaya, we’re opening the doors to the digital life to Filipinos who don’t have credit cards by enabling access to services such as Netflix,” said Paolo Azzola, co-Chief Operating Officer at PayMaya Philippines.

Movies and TV shows are a common bonding point between people. Whether it’s meeting someone new, catch-

ing up with old friends, or bonding with the people you love, the stories you watch will always be something you can talk about. It’s also an inexpensive but a guaranteed fun way to get together.

So whether you get comfortable on your own with a series and some snacks or invite friends over for dinner and a movie marathon, Netflix will bring your entertainment to the next level - all with the help of your PayMaya account. To learn more about why PayMaya is now the leading digital payments mobile app in the Philippines and how you can enjoy it, visit www.paymaya.com.

SATURDAY: JANUARY 9, 2016

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Friday, January 8, 2016

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low 7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 17 30.45 10.4 0.92 2.6 890 1.01 100 1.46 30.5 91.5 361.2 57 180 1700 124 3.26 47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 20.6 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 2.89 31.8 109 20.75 15.3 9.4 0.98 241 3.95 4 33.9 90 13.26 293 5 5.25 12.98 15 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.34 238 3.28 0.315 2.18 2.65 234 5.28 1.3 26 2.17 0.59 59.2 30.05 7.39 3.4 3.35 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 4.92 1455 7.5 76 9.25 0.85 17.3 5.53 0.0670 2.31 1.61 84.9 3.5 974 1.66 1.39 156 0.710 0.435 0.510 10.5 26.95 1.99 1.75 0.375 41.4 5.6 5.59

STOCKS

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 2.59 2.5 45.9 45 101.80 99.50 82.00 81.00 37 36.5 14.9 14.4 18.4 17.9 6.95 6.82 0.63 0.63 1.83 1.62 655.00 650.00 0.460 0.440 76.4 74.4 0.94 0.93 16.50 16.20 51.45 50.85 278.8 275 32.8 32.1 137.2 136 1340.00 1340.00 57.00 56.60 1.78 1.58 INDUSTRIAL 35.9 Aboitiz Power Corp.

40.8 41.05 40.5 1.11 Agrinurture Inc. 4.75 4.72 4.2 1.01 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 0.7 0.7 0.62 1.86 Alsons Cons.

1.36 1.36 1.33 7.92 Asiabest Group 10.22 10.32 10.18 15.32 Century Food 16 16.2 15.9 10.08 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 18.72 19.28 18 29.15 Concepcion 42.4 42.2 42.1 1.5 Crown Asia 2.33 2.32 2.12 1.5 Da Vinci Capital 1.79 2.01 1.79 10.72 Del Monte 11.98 11.86 11.28 9.55 DNL Industries Inc. 8.320 8.290 8.000 9.04 Emperador 8.66 8.90 8.60 6.02 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 5.65 5.85 5.53 8.86 EEI 5.31 5.41 5.28 1.06 Euro-Med Lab 1.66 1.66 1.66 20.2 First Gen Corp.

21.5 21.75 21 71.5 First Holdings ‘A’ 64 64.1 62.8 13.86 Ginebra San Miguel Inc. 11.98 11.96 11.96 13.24 Holcim Philippines Inc. 14.00 14.00 13.82 5.34 Integ. Micro-Electronics 5.5 5.52 5.4 0.395 Ionics Inc 2.290 2.320 2.130 173 Jollibee Foods Corp.

205.00 207.00 200.80 LBC Express 11.76 11.74 11.64 2.3 LMG Chemicals 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.63 Mabuhay Vinyl 3.03 3.01 3.01 23.35 Manila Water Co. Inc. 24.9 25.05 24.65 17.3 Maxs Group 17.9 17.9 17.4 5.88 Megawide 5.6 5.69 5.51 250.2 Mla. Elect. Co `A’ 312.00 315.60 309.00 3.37 Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp. 4.00 4.00 3.95 3.87 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 3.43 3.5 3.18 8.45 Petron Corporation 6.41 6.79 6.41 10.04 Phinma Corporation 11.60 11.32 11.26 3.03 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 3.80 3.80 3.60 1.95 Phoenix Semiconductor 1.51 1.52 1.50 1 Pryce Corp. `A’ 2.26 2.31 2.2 4.02 RFM Corporation 3.93 3.98 3.86 5.9 Roxas Holdings 4.69 5 4.4 161 San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ 115 120 113 1.55 Splash Corporation 2.58 2.64 2.5 0.138 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.143 0.145 1.360 1.02 TKC Steel Corp.

0.99 0.96 0.96 2.09 Trans-Asia Oil 2.10 2.09 1.98 152 Universal Robina 181 183.6 179.5 4.28 Victorias Milling 4.55 4.55 4.55 0.640 Vitarich Corp.

0.58 0.57 0.56 10.02 Vivant Corp.

22.50 22.50 22.50 1.2 Vulcan Ind’l.

1.03 1.09 1.00 HOLDING FIRMS 0.44 Abacus Cons. `A’ 0.370 0.370 0.340 48.1 Aboitiz Equity 56.0000 56.7000 55.1000 20.85 Alliance Global Inc. 15.40 15.60 15.20 6.62 Anscor `A’ 6.38 6.30 6.30 0.23 ATN Holdings A 0.210 0.220 0.206 0.23 ATN Holdings B 0.200 0.205 0.205 634.5 Ayala Corp `A’ 709 718 700 7.390 Cosco Capital 8.14 8.12 7.55 12.8 DMCI Holdings 12.80 12.82 12.40 2.6 F&J Prince ‘A’ 5.6 5.6 5.6 2.26 Filinvest Dev. Corp.

4.25 4.25 4.25 837 GT Capital 1350 1350 1311 5.3 House of Inv. 5.44 5.44 5.44 IPM Holdings 9.89 9.89 9.66 49.55 JG Summit Holdings 66.60 67.70 66.60 4.84 Lopez Holdings Corp.

6.17 6.19 6.02 0.59 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 0.69 0.69 0.64 12 LT Group 14.68 14.68 14.5 4.2 Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. 5.2 5.3 5.13 0.030 Pacifica `A’ 0.0300 0.0300 0.0290 1.23 Prime Media Hldg 1.060 1.100 1.100 0.550 Prime Orion 1.790 1.800 1.750 59.3 San Miguel Corp `A’ 52.00 52.00 51.40 1.5 Seafront `A’ 2.4 2.40 2.38 751 SM Investments Inc. 810.00 821.00 801.50 1.13 Solid Group Inc. 1.14 1.12 1.12 0.93 South China Res. Inc. 0.70 0.70 0.70 80 Top Frontier 64.800 64.150 63.550 0.211 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.2700 0.2700 0.2650 0.179 Wellex Industries 0.2000 0.1950 0.1900 0.310 Zeus Holdings 0.231 0.231 0.231 PROPERTY 6.74 8990 HLDG 6.960 7.000 6.620 12 Anchor Land Holdings Inc. 7.50 7.30 6.06 0.65 A. Brown Co., Inc. 0.71 0.70 0.66 1.2 Araneta Prop `A’ 1.100 1.090 1.090 0.192 Arthaland Corp.

0.230 0.240 0.210 30.05 Ayala Land `B’ 32.250 32.550 31.650 3.36 Belle Corp. `A’ 2.66 2.74 2.64 4.96 Cebu Holdings 5 5 4.8 2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 12.02 19.6 6.12 0.74 1.02 625 0.225 78 0.9 17.8 62 276 41 118.2 1200 59 2.65

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

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

PB Bank Phil. National Bank PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

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

SHARES 7,946,212 87,749,310 1,216,860,260 152,952,941 260,130,679 862,460,500 1,494,026,812

2.65 45.95 102.00 81.70 37.1 14.7 18.04 6.90 0.69 1.65 650.00 0.480 76.5 0.93 16.50 51.10 275 32.85 137.1 1350.00 56.95 1.76

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

2.5 45 99.50 82.00 37 14.4 18.3 6.82 0.63 1.63 655.00 0.460 74.4 0.93 16.50 51.00 278.8 32.8 136 1340.00 57.00 1.7

-5.66 -2.07 -2.45 0.37 -0.27 -2.04 1.44 -1.16 -8.70 -1.21 0.77 -4.17 -2.75 0.00 0.00 -0.20 1.38 -0.15 -0.80 -0.74 0.09 -3.41

64,000 32,600 2,395,260 1,010,280 59,900 35,400 67,100 3,000 5,000 21,000 200 70,000 3,288,290 385,000 42,200 8,330 110 77,300 335,560 30 270 45,000

40.9 4.4 0.7 1.35 10.18 16 18.7 42.1 2.2 2 11.62 8.000 8.90 5.70 5.41 1.66 21.1 63 11.96 13.82 5.5 2.310 205.00 11.64 1.75 3.01 24.9 17.5 5.69 310.00 4.00 3.4 6.46 11.26 3.80 1.50 2.22 3.88 4.4 117 2.59 0.137 0.96 2.06 180.3 4.55 0.56 22.50 1.06

0.25 -7.37 0.00 -0.74 -0.39 0.00 -0.11 -0.71 -5.58 11.73 -3.01 -3.85 2.77 0.88 1.88 0.00 -1.86 -1.56 -0.17 -1.29 0.00 0.87 0.00 -1.02 0.00 -0.66 0.00 -2.23 1.61 -0.64 0.00 -0.87 0.78 -2.93 0.00 -0.66 -1.77 -1.27 -6.18 1.74 0.39 -4.20 -3.03 -1.90 -0.39 0.00 0.00 2.91

1,045,300 1,711,000 60,000 362,000 14,100 453,000 2,240,800 59,200 7,116,000 9,615,000 120,900 7,874,000 1,062,300 12,939,900 613,700 44,000 2,619,000 746,570 100 2,000 1,098,200 4,702,000 438,520 62,100 88,000 3,000 2,035,400 366,800 70,200 336,740 44,000 39,000 2,017,400 29,000 74,000 186,000 257,000 5,660,000 19,000 117,510 320,000 11,140,000 28,000 2,818,000 1,869,330 59,000 232,000 10,100 1,269,000

0.360 56.3000 15.20 6.30 0.210 0.205 700 7.9 12.58 5.6 4.25 1340 5.44 9.89 67.10 6.09 0.69 14.6 5.19 0.0290 1.100 1.780 52.00 2.38 808.00 1.12 0.70 63.700 0.2700 0.1900 0.231

-2.70 0.54 -1.30 -1.25 0.00 2.50 -1.27 -2.95 -1.72 0.00 0.00 -0.74 0.00 0.00 0.75 -1.30 0.00 -0.54 -0.19 -3.33 3.77 -0.56 0.00 -0.83 -0.25 -1.75 0.00 -1.70 0.00 -5.00 0.00

1,610,000 1,328,710 3,819,900 98,800 1,140,000 500,000 413,700 688,500 5,133,100 5,000 10,000 144,175 13,000 1,758,100 1,627,020 96,100 3,000 1,136,500 28,182,900 67,300,000 20,000 3,870,000 536,220 129,000 224,030 20,000 44,000 13,840 1,550,000 70,000 200,000

7.000 7.30 0.69 1.090 0.210 31.750 2.7 5

0.57 -2.67 -2.82 -0.91 -8.70 -1.55 1.50 0.00

218,500 2,300 1,364,000 50,000 440,000 19,741,700 2,214,000 4,000

959,110.00 -65,488,751 30,008,207.00 -174,802.00

-65,150.00 -123,842,630.50 -55,525.50 2,292,610 8,703,625.00 -40,200.00

-13,286,130.00 470,930.00

2,203,798.00 22,740,000.00 2,492,670 13,605,380.00 -470.00 -37,457,497.00 222,853.00 -12,843,110.00 2,918,571.00 -25,374,160.00 6,867,721.00 5,163,099.00 -23,715,440.00

13,278,970.00 2,069,242.00 10,989,544.00 -6,810.00 1,985,772.00 -11,370.00 706,800.00 -9,026,383.00 -7,920.00 292,700.00 -37,271,490.00 57,000.00 227,250.00

-16,870,725.00 -12,489,844.00

-137,742,265.00 1,258,731.00 -38,063,712.00 -42,182,570.00 54,400.00 -61,829,846.50 58,781.00 -814,560.00 5,824,089.00

-8,662,137.00 -88,347,240.00 -14,000.00 -617,938.00

1,278,433.00 6,570.00 33,200.00 24,923,835.00 -726,450.00 -5,000.00

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

Close

1.44 1.48 0.201 0.69 10.96 0.97 0.305 2.22 2.1 1.8 5.94 0.180 0.470 0.72 8.54 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 7.56 1.62 8.59

0.79 0.97 0.083 0.415 2.4 0.83 0.188 1.15 1.42 1.27 4.13 0.090 0.290 0.39 2.69 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 3.38 0.83 5.73

Century Property Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

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

Phil. Realty `A’ Primex Corp.

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

10.5 66 1.44 1.09 28.5 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 12.3 7.67 1700 2720 8.41 70.5 1.97 119.5 0.017 0.8200 2.2800 5.93 12.28 3.32 1 2.46 15.2

1.97 35.2 1 0.63 18.2 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 10.14 4.8 830 1600 5.95 17.02 1.23 102.6 0.011 0.041 1.200 2.34 6.5 1.91 0.650 1.8 6

0.62 1.040 22.8 6.41 4 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1

0.335 0.37 14.54 3 2.28 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55

11.6 0.85 10 0.490 1.9

7.59 0.63 5 0.315 1.14

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

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

DFNN Inc. FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. IP E-Game Ventures Inc. Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones Leisure & Resorts Liberty Telecom Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Melco Crown Metro Retail MG Holdings NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp.

SSI Group STI Holdings Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Yehey

0.0098 5.45 17.24 0.330 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 1.030 3.06 0.020 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9

0.0043 1.72 6.47 0.236 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.013 0.014 3.240 18.96 2.11 0.365 1.54 0.012 5.4 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67

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

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

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

TA Petroleum

70 553 525 120 8.21

33 490 500 101.5 5.88

78.95 84.8

74.5 75

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ First Gen G GMA Holdings Inc. PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F

6.98

0.8900 LR Warrant

12.88

5.95

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

Italpinas Xurpas

High

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

0.54 0.51 0.52 0.990 0.96 0.96 0.119 0.112 0.117 0.435 0.415 0.420 23.45 22.4 22.7 0.770 0.730 0.770 0.151 0.140 0.141 1.01 0.98 0.99 1.70 1.65 1.67 1.16 1.16 1.16 3.99 3.84 3.88 0.073 0.072 0.073 0.2400 0.2400 0.2400 0.48 0.385 0.385 8.66 8.54 8.55 26.00 25.00 25.00 1.4 1.33 1.35 3.18 3.18 3.18 21.10 20.05 20.60 0.79 0.76 0.76 4.7 4.5 4.7 0.830 0.830 0.830 4.950 4.800 4.930 SERVICES 6.63 6.63 6.5 6.55 61.75 62 61.05 61.1 1.15 1.15 1.12 1.12 0.450 0.440 0.430 0.440 28 27 27 27 3.84 3.85 3.66 3.67 0.0390 0.0390 0.0380 0.0380 3.17 3.17 3.01 3.14 81.95 81.75 78.5 79.75 9.75 9.64 9.64 9.64 5.30 5.68 5.43 5.56 955 955 955 955 1760 1790 1757 1758 6.68 6.67 6.50 6.60 17.80 21.45 21.45 21.45 1.17 1.20 1.17 1.17 65.1 65 63.55 63.7 0.0097 0.0096 0.0093 0.0093 0.145 0.146 0.126 0.136 1.4200 1.4000 1.3600 1.3800 2 2 2 2 6.98 7.16 7.00 7.10 4.45 4.49 4.30 4.41 0.500 0.510 0.500 0.500 1.98 1.98 1.98 1.98 1.78 1.79 1.65 1.69 3.78 3.79 3.60 3.78 0.260 0.260 0.255 0.260 0.710 0.710 0.670 0.680 18.5 18 17.54 18 4.59 4.35 4.35 4.35 3.11 3 3 3 21.00 21.00 19.94 21.00 1982.00 1990.00 1950.00 1958.00 0.475 0.470 0.430 0.470 0.510 0.500 0.460 0.470 33.45 33.30 32.80 33.00 67.40 67.35 64.00 65.00 5.50 5.60 5.08 5.20 2.97 3.10 2.88 2.90 0.410 0.430 0.405 0.410 3.8 3.8 3.6 3.79 0.330 0.320 0.310 0.320 3.600 3.220 3.380 3.620 MINING & OIL 0.0049 0.0049 0.0048 0.0049 1.60 1.90 1.80 1.84 4.00 4.05 4.00 4.00 0.200 0.195 0.195 0.195 0.59 0.59 0.58 0.58 0.54 0.55 0.51 0.55 6.80 6.80 6.20 6.21 0.55 0.55 0.51 0.51 0.275 0.275 0.260 0.270 0.171 0.171 0.166 0.167 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 0.0100 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 1.65 1.64 1.6 1.62 4.8 4.9 4.59 4.86 2.5 2.65 2.41 2.43 0.5300 0.5400 0.5400 0.5400 1.1500 1.1500 1.1500 1.1500 0.0094 0.0094 0.0094 0.0094 3.39 3.38 3.34 3.38 4.41 4.45 4.39 4.45 1.28 1.27 1.23 1.26 0.0120 0.0110 0.0100 0.0110 131.00 131.10 130.30 130.90 2.12 2.1 2.02 2.1 PREFERRED 62.1 62.35 62 62 525 525 525 525 549 530 505.5 530 110.1 112 110.5 110.5 6.99 6.5 6.5 6.5 104 104 104 104 106.5 106.5 106 106 81 81 80.75 81 83 82.75 82.5 82.5 78 79 79 79 79 79 79 79 79.8 79.9 79.8 79.8 WARRANTS & BONDS 1.880 1.980 1.860 1.920 SME 2.8 2.8 2.7 2.79 14.48 14.64 14.14 14.64 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 108.3 108.7 107.5 108

-1.89 -7.69 -2.50 1.20 -4.42 2.67 -7.24 -1.00 -2.34 4.50 -1.52 0.00 -2.44 -3.75 0.12 -1.77 0.00 0.00 0.49 -3.80 -6.00 -1.19 2.28

883,000 65,000 8,010,000 550,000 1,513,800 171,000 1,010,000 2,900,000 46,088,000 5,000 45,059,000 120,000 10,000 300,000 125,800 2,609,800 65,000 5,000 14,357,600 1,878,000 16,720 379,000 1,798,000

2,110.00

-1.21 -1.05 -2.61 -2.22 -3.57 -4.43 -2.56 -0.95 -2.68 -1.13 4.91 0.00 -0.11 -1.20 20.51 0.00 -2.15 -4.12 -6.21 -2.82 0.00 1.72 -0.90 0.00 0.00 -5.06 0.00 0.00 -4.23 -2.70 -5.23 -3.54 0.00 -1.21 -1.05 -7.84 -1.35 -3.56 -5.45 -2.36 0.00 -0.26 -3.03 -6.63

53,600 10,680 112,000 800,000 100 12,363,000 -19,669,170.00 8,300,000 -41,800.00 100,000 15,250.00 945,860 -1,949,016.50 600 745,200 1,566,013.00 100 88,600 -78,531,815.00 168,600 400 140,000 35,300.00 858,230 -29,062,707.00 29,000,000 9,300.00 4,400,000 -8,400.00 815,000 -616,080.00 48,000 32,827,800 18,436.00 3,444,000 83,040.00 16,000 1,000 13,840,000 -10,373,240.00 2,574,000 2,594,380.00 830,000 4,171,000 1,700 18,000 35,000 -90,000.00 157,000 -469,330.00 154,175 -129,867,670.00 700,000 -217,500.00 106,748,000 -10,660,005.00 2,274,400 19,266,080.00 1,882,340 2,038,567.50 1,092,000 10,200.00 5,905,000 4,705,620.00 23,780,000 127,400.00 306,000 266,000.00 50,000 92,000

0.00 15.00 0.00 -2.50 -1.69 1.85 -8.68 -7.27 -1.82 -2.34 0.00 0.00 -1.82 1.25 -2.80 1.89 0.00 0.00 -0.29 0.91 -1.56 -8.33 -0.08 -0.94

283,000,000 20,000 24,000 8,060.00 60,000 397,000 29,000.00 62,000 63,600 9,884,000 -1,516,660.00 2,420,000 8,470,000 385,000,000 34,300,000 1,308,000 5,086,000 1,019,310.00 113,000 5,000 378,000 123,000,000 72,000 472,000 61,840.00 287,000 6,800,000 188,160 -4,973,016.00 72,000

-0.16 0.00 -3.46 0.36 -7.01 0.00 -0.47 0.00 -0.60 1.28 0.00 0.00

4,090 3,000 6,040 200 8,900 10,920 23,550 4,920 35,500 20 1,000 117,880

2.13

252,000

-0.36 1.10

234,000 669,600

4,935,348.00

-0.28

23,310

21,740.00

-115,020.00 82,950.00 1,365,550.00 112,000.00 -46,853,840.00 -67,263,040.00 2,400.00 -116,650.00 -12,856,500.00 -39,293,750.00 -23,400.00 5,535,030.00

-108,944.00

-126,880.00

T op L oSerS

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,486.65 (DOWN) 18.46 INDUSTRIAL 10,548.05 (DOWN) 23.34 HOLDING FIRMS 6,261.98 (DOWN) 23.68 PROPERTY 2,716.84 (DOWN) 18.18 SERVICES 1,439.86 (DOWN) 22.69 MINING & OIL 9,692.93 (DOWN) 44.83 PSEI 6,575.43 (DOWN) 43.45 All Shares Index 3,788.28 (DOWN) 26.20 Gainers: 40; Losers: 131; Unchanged: 46; Total: 217

Close

0.53 1.04 0.120 0.415 23.75 0.750 0.152 1.00 1.71 1.11 3.94 0.073 0.2460 0.4 8.54 25.45 1.35 3.18 20.50 0.79 5 0.840 4.820

T op g ainerS VALUE 625217184.00 1,103,882,066.396 1,216,025,204.416 1,326,492,585.275 1,216,117,459.80 69,337,307.7754 5,569,955,013.66

Low

Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Grand Plaza Hotel

21.45

20.51

Arthaland Corp.

0.210

-8.70

Apex `A'

1.84

15.00

First Abacus

0.63

-8.70

Da Vinci Capital

2

11.73

Dizon

6.21

-8.68

DFNN Inc.

5.56

4.91

Philodrill Corp. `A'

0.0110

-8.33

Interport `A'

1.16

4.50

Premium Leisure

0.470

-7.84

Prime Media Hldg

1.100

3.77

Cityland Dev. `A'

0.96

-7.69

Vulcan Ind'l.

1.06

2.91

Agrinurture Inc.

4.4

-7.37

Emperador

8.90

2.77

Ferronickel

0.51

-7.27

Empire East Land

0.770

2.67

Ever Gotesco

0.141

-7.24

ATN Holdings B

0.205

2.50

GMA Holdings Inc.

6.5

-7.01

SATURDAY: JANUARY 9, 2016

B3

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

Market slumps; Leisure, JG rise STOCKS dropped for a third day, dragging the benchmark index to a new 20-month low, as investors expressed concern over the health of the global economy this year.

The PSEi, the 30-company benchmark of the Philippine Stock Exchange, lost another 43 points, or 0.7 percent, to close at 6,575.43 Friday, the lowest since it settled at 6,561.20 on April 4, 2014. The gauge was also down 5.4 percent this week.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also tumbled 26 points, or 0.7 percent, to close at 3,788.28, on a value turnover of P5.6 billion. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 131 to 40, while 46 issues were unchanged.

Only four of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by Leisure & Resorts World Corp., which climbed 1.7 percent to P7.10; and JG Summit Holdings Inc., which advanced 0.8 percent to P67.10.

SM Prime Holdings Inc. rose 0.5 percent to P20.60, while Bank of the Philippine Islands added 0.4 percent to close at P82.

Meanwhile, Chinese equities bounced on another day of volatility across Asia as investors were panicked by Beijing’s attempts to stabilize its beleaguered markets, with fears growing the global economy could be teetering.

China late Thursday removed the “circuit breaker” mechanism blamed for fuelling sharp sell-offs that shuttered mainland markets early twice in the space of four days, provoking losses on trading floors from Asia to Europe and the Americas.

Authorities also set the central rate for the yuan currency marginally higher against the US dollar, ending eight days of falls. A decision to set it at a five-year low was one of the catalysts for hefty selling globally Thursday.

Friday’s initial response was positive, with reports saying Shanghai was given support by state-backed cash being used to prop up big-ticket firms.

The wild swings across Asia were reminiscent of the summer’s China-linked worldwide turmoil owing to increasing concerns about Beijing’s ability to control a slowdown in the world’s numbertwo economy.

“There’s not a lot of stability in terms of policy management in China,” said Matthew Sherwood, head of investment strategy at asset managers Perpetual in Sydney.

“They are very much making it up as they go... It causes large market volatility as people in markets don’t like uncertainty.”

Shanghai rallied more than two percent at the open before reversing course and falling two percent into the red. It closed up two percent but was down around 10 percent over the week.

Hong Kong rose 0.9 percent in late trade. With Bloomberg, AFP

Toyota’s certificate. Toyota Dasmariñas–Cavite acquires the ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management Systems certification as confirmed by AJA Registrars. TDM, a part of the Toyota Manila Bay Group, is the first automotive dealership in the Philippines to be ISO-certified.

Shown during the the awarding ceremony are (from left) TMP regulation, certification amd DESH section supervisor Benjie Dionela, TMBG president Yoshinori Hattori, TMBG pollution control and safety head Leilanie Bertis, TDM general manager Virgincita Rizarone, AJA auditor Laarni Narido and TMP customer service operation technical department vice president Godofredo Arcangel Jr.

Govt approves final permit for Kingking

By Anna Leah E. Gonzales

THE government approved the declaration of a mining project feasibility for the Kingking copper-gold project in Mindanao, paving the way for the start of the mine’s construction, US company and operator St. Augustine Copper and Gold Ltd. said Friday.

St. Augustine said the Mines and Geosciences Bureau awarded the DMPF to joint venture partner Nationwide Development Corp., a Philippine company led by the family of former senator Manuel Villar.

“Through the order dated Dece. 29, 2015, Nadecor has been authorized to proceed to the development and operating stages of its mineral production sharing agreement No. 009-92-XIl, which includes the extraction and sale of copper, gold and associated minerals within the 1,548-hectare area,” St. Augustine said.

St. Augustine is the developer of the $2-billion mining project while local partner Nadecor holds the MPSA for the Kingking mine.

The company earlier received the environmental compliance certificate for the Kingking mine. The DMPF will allow St. Augustine and Nadecor to begin development, construction and operation of the mining project.

“I am exceptionally proud of this achievement and the diligent efforts made by the project team and the MGB representatives, who reviewed and approved the project designed to international best practice and standards,”

said Nadecor president Conrado Calalang.

The Kingking mine, located in Pantukan, Compostella Valley, is expected to recover 3.16 billion pounds of copper and 5.43 million ounces of gold over the next 25 years.

St. Augustine said with the approval of the DMPF, it would work cooperatively with Nadecor to advance the project to construction, followed by operation of the mine.

It said the development of the project was expected to have a positive impact on all project stakeholders and the community at large.

“Receipt of the DMPF removes the last significant hurdle to move forward with the development of the Kingking Project and represents our most significant milestone to date. We look forward to working with Nadecor and all local stakeholders to take Kingking to the next stage of development,” said St. Augustine president and chief executive Paolo Villar.

DoubleDragon hires 2 banks for P10-b share sale

By Jenniffer B. Austria DOUBLEDRAGON Properties Inc. hired RCBC Capital Corp. and BPI Capital Corp. to handle the P10-billion convertible preferred shares in March.

Documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission showed DoubleDragon would issue 50 million preferred shares at an offer price of P100 apiece, and another 50 million preferred shares in case of oversubscription.

The company plans to use the nhet proceeds of the shre sale to finance real estate projects in 2016, including the construction

of City Malls, 4.8-hectare DDMeridian Park, 40-story Jollibee Tower, 38-story office and residential development called the Sky Suites Tower and other corporate requirements.

The preferred shares include a convertibility feature which will enable the holders to convert one preferred share into one common share, starting from the second year of the issue date.

The conversion will result in a dilution of approximately 4 percent to existing shareholders.

Offer period is tentatively scheduled on March 4 to 10 while listing date was set on March 17.

The preferred shares will come from the increase in the company’s authorized capital stock to P20.5 billion from P500 million, which was earlier approved by the company’s shareholders.

DoubleDragon is a 50:50 joint venture company between Injap Investments Inc. of businessman Edgar Sia II and Jollibee Foods Corp.’s chairman Tony Tan Caktiong.

The company aims to be one of the five largest property companies in the Philippines by 2020 by constructing 1 million square meters of leasable space.

The company said of the 1

million sqm target, around 700,000 sqm. would represent the floor area of 100 community malls under CityMall brand mostly in Visayas and Mindanao, while the 300,000 sqm would be office and commercial developments.

DoubleDragon said as of endDecember, it had secured 41 sites for CityMall developments.

The company now has five CityMalls while 25 more are set to open this year.

DoubleDragon said it was targeting a net income of P1 billion in 2016 and P4.8 billion by 2020.

SATURDAY: JANUARY 9, 2016

B4

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

IN BRIEF Manila pursues TPP THE Philippines will make preparatory steps in 2016 that will lead to earning a slot in the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo said the Trade Department was to conduct a second round of talks for a free trade agreement with the US between January and May 2016.

“We already had six [consultations] last year. In the first quarter [of 2016], we’ll in for a second round with the US and then we’ve arranged for free trade agreement talks with Japan and Chile,” he said.

The US during the Apec 2015 meeting in Manila pledged to support the Philippines’ bid for TPP membership.

Rodolfo added talks with Vietnam might be held within the first of the year, adding the Philippines would pursue talks with the rest of the TPP members on free trade agreements in the second half of the year.

The Philippines has not consulted with Peru, Brunei and Singapore yet.

“We’re using all trade policy tools available from GSP+ to bilateral dialogues and FTAs to cover what is required to be a member of TPP,” Rodolfo said.

Othel V. Campos

Climate change fund THE Environment Department said Friday it allotted P12.4 billion this year to 19 specific programs on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

The DENR said the amount represented more than half of the P21.8-billion budget of the agency under the P3.002trillion General Appropriations Act. “More than half of the agency’s 2016 budget is allotted for programs that aim to further build the resilience of vulnerable communities and natural ecosystems against the devastating impact of climate change,” said Environment Secretary Ramon Paje.

Paje said the administration’s flagship reforestation program—the National Greening Program—has a total budget of P8 billion this year. The NGP is a massive forest rehabilitation program that started in 2011.

Paje said the NGP as of last year had so far covered 1.4 million hectares of open, degraded and denuded forests and planted some 915.3 million seedlings.

Other climate change programs getting a significant allocation were protected area development and management program, P1.063 billion; forest protection, P473 billion; and restoration of major river basins, P451 million.

Anna Leah E. Gonzales

Aboitiz plans Davao coal plant expansion

By Alena Mae S. Flores

TORIL, Davao City—Aboitiz Power Corp. is considering a possible expansion of its newlycompleted P35-billion, 300-megawatt coalfired power plant in this city by another 300 MW. Aboitiz Power chief executive officer Erramon Aboitiz told reporters the site of the new power plant had room for expansion, adding the company was monitoring the need for an additional capacity.

“We definitely plan on ex-

panding, you see we have extra land and it is what we plan on doing. It’s important that we time it properly, I think we have all the approval in place... We have facilities here for additional 300 MW,” Aboitiz said.

“Right now, with the power

plants that are being built, I think Mindanao has ample power so there’s no need for it at this point but we will watch very closely,” Aboitiz said.

He said Mindanao was under suppressed demand but its economy was expected to sustain economic growth. Mindanao is projected to require an additional electricity capacity of 150 MW to 250 MW annually.

“There’s a lot of suppressed demand so I think we are taking a very close look on how it will happen. A lot depends on the growth so we have to watch it very closely,” Aboitiz said.

Western Union assistance.

Western Union sponsors the establishment of computer kiosks within the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration office to educate migrant Filipino workers on the BalikMangagawa Online processing system. Shown (from left) are POEA Deputy Administrator Amorfina Reyes, Western Union executive vice president for global operations and chief information officer David Thompson and Western Union senior VP for Southeast Asia and Oceania Patricia Riingen.

LPG warning aired THE Energy Department warned the general public on the dangers of using LPG-refilled butane canisters for household consumption.

Butane canisters are used only on a “one-time” basis and must never be refilled with liquefied petroleum gas, which has a higher pressure than butane, and thus may cause accidents while in use.

Energy stressed thesbutane canisters were not intended and designed to be refilled, more so with LPG. Based on existing Philippine National Standards for gas containers, only “welded steel cylinders” are designed for storage, transport and distribution of LPG for domestic consumption.

Energy also reiterated a circular outlining the rules and regulations governing the LPG industry, especially the sets of standards for compliance of all industry participants, including refiners, importers, refillers, marketers and even haulers.

The circular also said illegal or “backyard refilling” of butane canisters was strictly prohibited.

New Globe offering GLOBE Telecom Inc. teamed up with AppDirect to offer Asia’s first-of-its-kind commerce platform in the country that will give local enterprises and small and medium enterprises access to cloudbased solutions and applications.

In partnership with AppDirect, a global commerce platform for selling cloud services, Globe launched Globe AppMarket, a portal where business customers have the ability to find, try, buy and manage essential business solutions in one place with one bill and one login. It offers a collection of Software-as-aService (SaaS) applications such as CRM, Web Conferencing, Marketing/e-Marketing and Online Storage.

“Cloud has changed the way businesses around the world distribute and use software. Partnering with AppDirect’s robust, enterprise-grade platform will securely handle every aspect of cloud services monetization and management for Globe, including provisioning, billing, product integration, identity and access, and application management,” Globe senior advisor Mike Frausing said.

Darwin G. Amojelar

He said while the new plant took over five years to build, the expansion would likely take a shorter time to construct.

“If the growth suddenly picks up very fast, then we have to move faster but luckily now, we already have the land, permits and [the Environment Department] approval. So hopefully if you make a decision to build another plant, it will be much faster,” he said.

Aboitiz Power is watching the demand outlook for Mindanao, which is projected to have an oversupply of power in 2020 or 2021.

GMA Network, ABS-CBN claim ratings leadership

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE country’s two largest television networks on Friday claimed leadership in the nationwide TV ratings for 2015.

GMA Network, according to Nielsen TV Audience Measurement’s full year 2015 National Urban Television Audience Measurement from December 27 to 31, was ahead of other networks in total day ratings with 35.4 percent, leading ABS-CBN’s 34.9 percent and TV5’s 9.2 percent.

GMA, which airs Channel 7 on free TV, overtook its closest rival in NUTAM in September 2015, and has since sustained nationwide ratings leadership.

ABS-CBN Corp., meanwhile, said it ended 2015 on a high note after the network ruled nation-

wide ratings from January to December last year (excluding Holy Week) with an average national audience share of 43 percent against GMA 7’s 36 percent, data from Kantar Media show.

ABS-CBN also kept a stronghold of the primetime block whole year round as it scored an average national audience share of 50 percent compared to rival’s 31 percent.

This means half of the Filipino viewing population in combined urban and rural homes tuned in to the top-caliber programs offered by ABS-CBN on primetime.

Urban Luzon remains a strong area for GMA as it registered 39.7 percent, surpassing ABS-CBN’s 30.6 percent by 9.1 points and TV5’s 8.2 percent by 31.5 points.

GMA also further secured its dominant position in its baili-

wick Mega Manila with 41.7 percent, up 14.7 points from ABSCBN’s 27 percent and up 33.2 points from TV5’s 8.5 percent.

For December 2015, GMA posted a stronger total day lead with 38.9 percent in NUTAM, outscoring ABS-CBN’s 33.6 percent by 5.3 points, and TV5’s 7.8 percent by 31.1 points.

“The Nielsen sample of TV households is robust and representative of the TV viewing audience,” said Nielsen Philippines managing director Stuart Jamieson on the accuracy of its TAM or TV Audience Measurement service.

“Its household panel selection is anchored on an Establishment Survey whose sampling design captures the geographic complexities of the Philippines and

ensures fair representation of Mega Manila, cities outside Mega Manila and other provincial areas. Rigid data quality controls put in place further provide assurance of a superior and reliable TV audience measurement service,” he adds.

Nielsen has a nationwide urban sample size of 2,000 homes and 1,200 homes effective this 2016 in Mega Manila.

ABS-CBN claimed it fared better than its competition in other territories such as Balance Luzon (areas in Luzon outside Mega Manila), where it scored a national average audience share of 45 percent against GMA’s 36 percent; 55 percent in Visayas against the rival’s 27 percent; and 54 percent in Mindanao with against GMA’s 28 percent.

S AT U R D AY : J A N U A R Y 9, 2 0 1 6

B5

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

WORLD

Cold in Hamburg. Cars make their way through the A7 highway during heavy snowfall on January 8, 2016, in Hamburg, northern

Seoul resumes its broadcasts Thai skin-whitening ad stirs controversy BANGKOK—A Thai advert for skin lightening pills with the tagline “white makes you a winner” has caused an outcry on social media, in the latest marketing ploy tapping into the kingdom’s obsession with skin color.

The advertisement for the ‘snowz’ supplement pills, uploaded to YouTube and Facebook by Thai company Seoul Secret over the last two days, features a veteran Thai celebrity attributing her professional success to her pale complexion.

“It’s not easy to stay at this point for a long time,” the 35-year-old model and actress, Cris Horwang, says in the video.

“If I stopped taking care of my body and white complexion, all that I have invested will be gone.”

The model’s skin then turns

black, prompting an envious look at a second model with light skin who appears by her side smiling.

“A newcomer will replace me and turn me into a dark star,” Cris says, using a Thai idiom to refer to her fame fading.

Whitening creams and pills are wildly popular in Thailand, where a pale complexion is upheld as the standard of beauty in the media and among many Thais.

The video has received more than 100,000 views on YouTube, as well as inquiries on the company’s Facebook page about how to order the product.

But other social media sites drew posts railing against the advert for being racially offensive and reinforcing the country’s narrow beauty ideals. AFP

SEOUL—South Korea on Friday resumed highdecibel propaganda broadcasts into North Korea as the United States ramped up pressure on China to bring Pyongyang to heel after its latest nuclear test.

While North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un celebrated his 32nd birthday, the international community scrambled to find common ground on how best to penalize his regime following its shock announcement two days ago that it had successfully tested its first hydrogen bomb.

The cross-border broadcasts blare out an eclectic mix of everything from K-pop and weather forecasts to snippets of news and critiques of the North Korean regime.

Among the songs on Friday’s playlist was “Bang, Bang, Bang” a recent hit by A-list K-pop boy band, Big Bang.

Their resumption revives psychological warfare tactics that date back to the 1950-53 Korean War. But they can be remarkably

effective.

Their use during a dangerous flare-up in cross-border tensions last year infuriated Pyongyang, which at one point threatened artillery strikes against the loudspeaker units unless they were switched off.

The South finally pulled the plug after an agreement was reached in August to de-escalate a situation that had brought the two rivals to the brink of an armed conflict.

Now they are back―punishment for Wednesday’s surprise nuclear test, which triggered global condemnation and concern, despite expert opinion that the yield was far too low to support the North’s claim that the device was an H-bomb.

The test set off a diplomatic

frenzy as the UN Security Council met to discuss possible sanctions and world leaders sought to build a consensus on an appropriate response to such a grave violation of UN resolutions.

Most eyes were on North Korea’s main ally, China, which condemned the test but gave no signal that it was ready to approve a significant tightening of sanctions on its recalcitrant neighbor.

In a phone call with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Thursday, US Secretary of State John Kerry insisted that Beijing’s softly-softly line had failed and it was time to take a tougher stance with Pyongyang.

“Now China had a particular approach that it wanted to make and we agreed and gave them time to implement that,” Kerry told reporters.

“But today in my conversation with the Chinese I made it very clear that that has not worked and we cannot continue business as usual.” AFP

Flesh-burrowing worm almost gone JUBA, South Sudan—Health workers on Friday celebrated a key step towards eradicating the flesh-burrowing guinea worm after South Sudan, once by far the worst-affected country, recorded a massive drop in infections.

“South Sudan is on the verge of eliminating guinea worm disease,” South Sudan Minister of Health Riek Gai Kok said in a statement, after workers recorded just five cases last year, a more than 90 percent drop from 2014, when 70 cases were recorded the highest number globally.

Guinea worm is a debilitating parasite that digs out the body including even eyes and sexual organs but is close to being stamped out for good following a two-decade campaign by The Carter Center, a not-for-profit organization founded by former US president Jimmy Carter.

Last year, there were 22 cases in just four nations across Africa, compared to 3.5 million in 20 countries in 1986 when The Carter Center began its massive push began to stop the waterborne parasite.

If the campaign succeeds,

guinea worm will become the first parasitic disease to be eradicated and only the second human disease to be wiped out worldwide after smallpox in 1979.

“Eradication of this painful and debilitating disease is within our reach,” Kok said of the progress which occurred despite a civil war which has gripped South Sudan for the past two years.

Aside from South Sudan, guinea worms exist only in Chad, Ethiopia and Mali. In 2015, Chad recorded nine cases, Mali had five and Ethiopia just three, the Center said. AFP

Foggy day. An Indian farmer stands on a cart pulled by a horse during foggy weather in Jalandhar on January 8, 2016. AFP

S AT U R D AY : J A N U A R Y 9, 2 0 1 6

B6

WORLD

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

China meddling shows distrust of the markets SHANGHAI—China’s short-lived stock circuit breaker, scrapped after only four days, demonstrates the Communist Party’s enduring distrust of the markets and its instinct to intervene, analysts said Friday.

The mechanism which halted trading on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges if shares moved sharply was originally aimed at limiting volatility, but it had the opposite effect, causing investors to panic and send the markets down.

The China Securities Regulatory Commission, the market watchdog, abruptly announced late on Thursday that the circuit breaker would be suspended because of a “negative” effect.

With global worries rife over China’s slowing economy, the market and policy chaos, coupled with a creeping depreciation in the currency, have given investors worldwide an unsettling reminder of last year.

Then, stocks collapsed as a debtfueled bubble burst, prompting an unprecedented government bailout, and authorities launched a shock devaluation of the yuan.

“The government’s good intentions went awry,” Haitong Securi-

Republic of the Philippines Province of Bataan City of Balanga BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE OFFICE INVITATION TO BID NO. INFRA -002-2016 02

The Provincial Government of Bataan, through the General Fund intends to apply the below listed project w/ corresponding Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC). Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

Name of Project

Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC)

1.Construction of Billboard Frames Roman Expressway and/or Main Roads at Municipality

=P=5,999,974.64

2.Construction of Perimeter Fence and Entrance Gate Sunrise CompoundBarangay Doña Orani, Bataan

=P=14,249,969.70

ties analyst Zhang Qi told AFP of the circuit breaker.

“There was controversy about the policy from the beginning,” he said, adding: “It’s not clear whether regulators tested the system and compared it with foreign practices before implementation.”

Other global bourses, such as New York, have circuit breaker mechanisms, but their triggers are generally set far higher than China’s which is a 15-minute trading halt for a five-percent rise or fall, and an end to the day’s trading for a sevenpercent move.

That happened twice in the four days it was in place.

The Asian giant’s exchanges were already notoriously volatile, and analysts say circuit breakers work better in mature markets.

With most Chinese traders being individual investors, the market halts caused them to rush for the exits to avoid being caught in a larger fall.

“The mechanism should have never been put in place to begin with. From the get-go it appeared ill-conceived,” Gordon Chang, an author and independent commentator, told AFP. Individual stocks have been lim-

Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE Roxas Boulevard Corner Pablo Ocampo, Sr. Street Manila 1004

The Provincial Government of Bataan now invites bids for the above listed Projects. Completion of works is required on or before the maturity date stipulated on contract. Bidders should have completed, at least one (1) contract that is similar to the contract to be bid. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

INVITATION TO BID FOR THE LEASE OF FIFTY (50) UNITS MULTI-FUNCTIONAL PRINTERS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE (DOF) 1.

The DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE (DOF), through the Government of the Philippines under the General Appropriations Act for FY 2016, intends to apply the sum of Three Million Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (PhP 3,500,000.00), being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Lease of Fifty (50) Units Multi-functional Printers in the Department of Finance (DOF) (the “Project”).

Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2.

The DOF, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), now invites Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) registered contractors to apply for eligibility and to bid for the Lease of Fifty (50) Units Multi-functional Printers in the Department of Finance (DOF). Bidders should have completed, within three (3) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project which is equivalent to at least fifty percent (50%) of the ABC for the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

3.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/ fail” criterion as specified in the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (R-IRR) of Republic Act (RA) No. 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. However, only those who have purchased the Bidding Documents shall be allowed to participate in the pre-bid conference and raise or submit written queries or clarifications.

4.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens, sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183 and subject to Commonwealth Act 138.

5.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the BAC Secretariat and inspect the Bidding Documents at 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex, corner Pablo Ocampo, Sr. St. Roxas Boulevard, Manila starting January 11, 2016 during office hours.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Bidding is open to all interested bidders, whether local or foreign, subject to the conditions for eligibility provided in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from Office of Bataan Bids & Awards Committee and inspect the Bidding Documents from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the same office.

Bid documents will be available only to eligible bidders upon payment of a non-refundable amount of using standard rates approved by GPPB as stated on their Resolution No. 04-2012 listed below.

Maximum Cost of Bidding Documents (in Philippine Peso) 500.00 1,000.00 5,000.00 10,000.00 25,000.00 50,000.00 75,000.00

Approved Budget for the Contract 500,000 and below More than 500,000 up to 1 Million More than 1 Million up to 5 Million More than 5 Million up to 10 Million More than 10 Million up to 50 Million More than 50 Million up to 500 Million More than 500 Million

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on January 11, 2016 from the BAC Secretariat, General Services Division 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex P. Ocampo Sr., Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos (PhP 5,000.00).

The Provincial Government of Bataan will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on January 15, 2016 at 11:00 A.M at Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

Bids must be delivered on or before January 29, 2016 at 1:30 p.m. at Provincial BAC Office, PEO Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated on IRR of RA 9184 and Bid Securing Declaration in standard form.

The Bidding Documents may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the PhilGEPS and the website of the DOF, provided that the Bidders shall pay the non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

6.

ACTIVITIES

In case of the above dates is declared a special Non-Working Holidays, it will automatically reset on the next working days.

Other necessary information deemed relevant by the Provincial Government of Bataan Activities

4.

5.

Advertisement/Posting of Invitation to Bid Eligibility Check Issuance and availability of Bidding Documents Request for Clarification Opening of Bids

Schedule

January 08 - 29, 2016 January 20, 2016 January 29, 2016

For further information, please refer to:

SCHEDULE January 9, 2016

Issuance and Availability of Bid Documents

Starting January 11, 2016

Pre-Bid Conference

January 18, 2016, 10:00 am

Request for Clarification

January 22, 2016 (by email)

Issuance of Supplemental Bid Bulletin

January 25, 2016

Deadline for Submission of Bids

February 1, 2016, 9:45 am

Opening of Bids

February 1, 2016, 10:00 am

Bids must be delivered at the 7th Floor, EDPC Building cor. P. Ocampo Sr. St., Manila on or before February 1, 2016, 9:45 am. The bidders shall drop their duly accomplished eligibility requirements, technical and financial proposals in two (2) separate envelopes in the bid box located at the abovementioned address.

All the Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in the Instructions to Bid (ITB) Clause 18Bid opening shall be on the date indicated above at the DFG Conference Room, 4th Floor DOF Building. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend.

“LATE BIDS SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED.”

8.

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

9.

For further information, please refer to: Lilia R. Tan, Head - BAC Secretaria Department of Finance BAC Secretariat, General Services Division 7th Floor EDPC Building, BSP Complex P. Ocampo, Sr. Street corner Roxas Boulevard, Manila Telephone No.: 526-8475 Telefax No.: 525-4227 Email Address: ltan@dof.gov.ph

Engr. Josephine R. Valenzuela Provincial BAC / PEO Bataan Provincial BAC / PEO Office, Capitol Compound, Balanga City, Bataan 047-237-9316 bac@bataan.gov.ph (TS-JAN. 9, 2016)

7.

January 08 - 14, 2016 Refer to date of Opening of Bids

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

The schedule of bidding activities is as follows:

Posting of Invitation to Bid

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend opening of Bids at Bataan BAC Office. Late bids shall not be accepted.

1.

2.

3.

ited to rising or falling 10 percent a day for almost 20 years in China.

Analysts said the very idea of a circuit breaker was another sign policymakers were reluctant to let market forces set the true level of share prices worried that a collapse could spark social unrest and hurt the real economy.

“What they are actually doing is strengthening the state across the board,” said Fraser Howie, co-author of “Red Capitalism: The Fragile Financial Foundation of China’s Extraordinary Rise”.

“Reform isn’t coming. There is no plan for markets as a decisive role,” he told AFP, alluding to a 2013 pledge by the Communist Party.

Last year’s rescue package was textbook heavy-handed state interventionism: regulators barred major shareholders from selling, allowed hundreds of companies to freeze trading in their stock and funded a “national team” to buy for the government, at a cost estimated in the hundreds of billions of dollars.

“Beijing has its work cut out to salvage its reputation for competent economic management,” said Tom Rafferty, lead analyst for China of the Economist Intelligence Unit.

(SGD) ENRICO T. YUZON BAC Chairman

(TS-JAN. 9, 2016)

(SGD) GIL S. BELTRAN Undersecretary and DOF-BAC Chairman

Bushfire engulfs Aussie town PERTH-A “catastrophic” bushfire has burned through a historic town in Western Australia, razing 95 homes and leaving three people unaccounted for, officials said Friday.

The out-of-control blaze 110 kilometers south of Perth more than doubled in size in 24 hours and has now burned through 53,000 hectares, with a third of the town of Yarloop destroyed.

“I believe we’ve had what I would suggest [are] catastrophic losses within Yarloop,” the state’s Fire and Emergency Services commissioner Wayne Gregson told reporters.

“It appears that we’ve lost around 95 houses, a number of structures within the town site including some of the historical buildings.”

Gregson said three or four people had minor injuries as a result of the blaze, which was fanned by strong winds, but added: “Sadly we have three people unaccounted for from Yarloop.”

Yarloop has a population of 500-600 with an estimated 250 homes.

Aerial footage showed houses reduced to just their brick fireplaces, leaving only blackened ground and the burntout shells of vehicles.

Yarloop resident Ron Sackville told 6PR radio there was “very little” left.

“I look around 360 degrees and everything is burnt to a cinder. The fire was horrendous,” he said.

Another resident described the overnight emergency initially triggered by a lightning strike as like the town was being hit by “fireballs”.

“It was crazy. One fireball after another. The wind... it was unbelievable,” Alex Jovanovich told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

“It’s devastating,” he said of the damage.

“There’s bugger all left.

The hall is gone. I believe the pub’s gone. The workshops are gone. The old hospital is gone. I think the church is gone.”

Hundreds of firefighters were battling the blaze, which has prompted evacuations and an emergency warning for nearby towns and surrounding areas.

“You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. There is a threat to lives and homes,” an official warning said.

Bushfires are a common feature of Australia’s summer, with four people dying in November in Esperance in Western Australia’s far south, and another two perishing in South Australia. AFP

S AT U R D AY : J A N U A R Y 9, 2 0 1 6

PROPERTY

JOEL D. L ACSAMANA EDITOR

jdlacsamana@gmail.com

B7

Things we wanTed To know... from b8

CalooCan will be the seCond most populous City by 2020 The City of Manila will be overtaken by nearby Caloocan as the Philippines’ second most populous city by 2020. This is according to an analysis by Lamudi using the annual average population growth rate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority in 2010. Caloocan’s projected 2020 population will be 1.88 million, compared to Manila’s 1.72 million.

Just what the doCtor ordered

Fascia—known in the vernacular as ‘senepa’—is very practical. It serves as an attachment point for rain gutters to help the roof weather-proof our homes, and it prevents moisture from entering the house through any gap between the roof and the eaves.

HardieFlex® Senepa, designed for tropical weather, offers just the right mix of durable performance and versatility. It is made of cellulose fiber, Portland cement, ground sand, water, and proprietary additives. Available in different thicknesses, lengths and widths, HardieFlex® Senepa is pre-cut to fit different types of structures. They also come with a high-quality smooth finish that’s easy to paint on. With the perfect color choice, the homeowners can customize the look of their dwelling to fit their taste.

Can bpo workers afford Condos?

With an average monthly salary of Php22,500, entry-level customer care representatives cannot afford to rent a condo in either of these “affordable” areas: Eastwood City, Pioneer-EDSA, Poblacion (Makati), and San Antonio (Makati), where average rents range from Php19,838 to Php22,563 per month. Using the 30 percent rule (spending not more than 30 percent of one’s monthly income on housing), only those working as managers, with an average compensation of Php75,000 per month, may only afford to rent a condo in these select areas. how long filipinos should work to buy a home?

A salaried Filipino with more than 20 years of work experience and earning Php1.43 million per year may need 128 years’ worth of his salary in order to afford a house in Makati where average home price stands at Php184 million.

In contrast, this same person needs 4.16 months’ worth of his annual salary in order to afford a home in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, where the average home price is Php495,999.

asCott goes south. The Ascott Limited (Ascott), recently announced its foray into the Visayas with Citadines Cebu City, set to open in 2019. Owned by Cebu Landmasters, this is the Ascott’s eighth property in the Philippines. The 180-apartment development will feature a range of studio and one-bedroom apartments, as well as exclusive lofts, complete with all the modern conveniences of home. At the announcement were : Arthur Gindap (second from right), The Ascott Limited’s regional general manager for Thailand and Philippines; with Cebu Landmasters’ Jose Soberano III (middle), President and Chief Executive Officer; and Jose Franco Soberano (second from left) Chief Operating Officer. They are joined by Architect Jose Mari Canizares (left) of Canizares Architects; and Architect Rolando Mercado (right) of RMDA Architects.

bounCing baCk from ‘yolanda.’

Two years after Mondelez Philippines started Joy Schools, heartwarming results continue to roll in, mostly from Panalaron Central Elementary School in Tacloban City, which was damaged by Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ (Haiyan).

Mondelēz International, formerly Kraft Foods, makes Oreo, Toblerone and Tang. Mondelez Philippines adopted the Panalaron Central Elementary School into the Joy Schools program. The three-year project involved rebuilding the school facilities and bringing back joy to the community by providing a good learning environment. A nine-month feeding module, which kicked off in 2014, reduced the number of undernourished students from 175 to 73. Meanwhile, a library and reading corners were installed in each classroom. In 2015, 88 students graduated from Grade 6, with 87 more graduating this year. The students begin to show excellence not only in academics, but also in extra-curricular activities, with several placing at a recent District Level Quiz Bee, and District Level Taekwondo meet. Mondelez Philippines is now scouting for new schools to adopt for 2016.

are filipinos buying or renting?

Based on third quarter 2015 search data, there is an almost equal proportion of renters and buyers among 18- to 24-yearold online property-hunters (50.2 percent for rent versus 49.8 percent for sale).

Quite interestingly, there is a tendency for property-hunters to check out for-sale properties online as they get older. Among 25- to 34-year-old users, 57.3 percent are checking out for-sale properties. In the 35– 44, 45–54, and 55–64 age groups, it is even higher; 70.8, 72.6, and 71.1 percent of the website’s users, respectively, are checking out for-sale properties. most sought-after loCations for land Quezon City, Tagaytay, and Baguio are the top three most popular locations among property-hunters looking for land online. These cities are followed by Davao and Antipolo. “Clearly there are cities preferred by people researching about land for sale online, and we hope these findings will give real estate developers insight into how to properly plan their next projects,” said Lamudi.

In addition, the fact that only five Metro Manila cities were in the top 10 indicate that Filipinos are not too keen into buying residential land within the National Capital Region, either due to lack of supply, un-affordability, or both.

S AT U R D AY : J A N U A R Y 9, 2 0 1 6

B8

JOEL D. L ACSAMANA EDITOR jdlacsamana@gmail.com

PROPERTY things we wanted to know about ReaL estate in 2015,

But we’re too busy to ask

R

eal estate in the Philippines gained considerable strength in 2015. Although condo sales were not on par with what was recorded in 2012 (considered a banner year for Metro Manila’s condo market), other segments of the industry posted solid growth, particularly houses and office real estate. Lamudi Philippines looked into its 2015 data and compiled a list of key observations that, hopefully, will guide the industry through years to come.

Make Mine Las Piñas foR condos At a Php 49,849 per square meter, buying a condo in Las Piñas is likely to be cheaper than anywhere else in the metro. At the opposite end of the scale, Makati is the most expensive, with condos in the area costing an average of Php139,012 per sqm. This means that a 60-sqm condo in Las Piñas will set a buyer back Php2.99 million, while the same in Makati will cost Php8.34 million.

PRiciest ReaL estate in town, wheRe eLse, Makati Makati is the Philippines’ most expensive city to pick up any type of real estate. About 59 percent of all listed properties in the city in the first quarter of 2015—most of them in swanky neighborhoods and exclusive communities— have asking prices of more than Php100 million. cebu city toPs the toteM PoLe, outside of MM In the Queen City of the South, half of all listed houses for sale are priced Php8.5 million and up, making is the most expensive housing market outside Metro Manila. In fact, some homes here are fetching as high as Php150 million, rivalling posh abodes in Ayala Alabang and San Juan’s Greenhills Village. houses RuLe! House-hunters by a huge margin are still researching about houses

Rich man, poor man. To afford a 60-sqm condo in Metro Manila, you need a monthly salary of Php128,323. Meaning one should not spend more than 30 percent of his monthly income on mortgage repayments (including principal and interest), and make a 20 percent down payment on the property, following most banks’ 80/20 loan-to-value ratio. The average price of condos in Metro Manila is Php90,633 per sqm.

or landed properties online.

About a quarter of all searches for for-sale properties conducted from January to June of 2015 involved houses, compared to just 2.28 percent for condos. hefty incoMe to affoRd a hoMe in MM Based on Metro Manila’s median house price of Php8.8 million, an average Filipino family with an annual household income of Php273,000 (according to data from the 2012 Family Income and Expenditure Survey) will need 32.25 times of their annual income in order to afford a home in Metro Manila. City-wise, Caloocan offers the most affordable homes: median home price here (Php787,750) is 2.88 times of the annual household income. onLine PRoPeRty-hunteRs covet Qc Quezon City—Metro Manila’s largest city—had the greatest volume of online search traffic, according to data for January to June 2015.

Search volume for the city grew, on average, 22 percent per month during the same period.

MM condos getting sMaLLeR? Looking at its listings data, Lamudi found that 42 and 41 percent of Metro Manila’s for-sale and for-rent condo inventories have floor sizes measuring 50 sqm or smaller—

Populations of more than 1 M in 11 cities by 2025. Quezon City (3.95 million), Caloocan (2.115 million), Davao City (2.056 million), Manila (1.76 million), Dasmariñas (1.27 million), Antipolo (1.25 million), Zamboanga City (1.25 million), Cebu City (1.14 million), Taguig (1.12 million), Bacoor (1.11 million), and Pasig (1.022 million).

an apartment size many would consider as “shoebox.” This finding has been corroborated by a research conducted by Colliers International.

According to its 2014 fourth quarter report, of the more than 30,000 preselling condo units expected to be delivered in the Makati CBD, Fort Bonifacio, Rockwell Center, Ortigas Center, and Eastwood City from 2015 to 2018, 75 percent are studio and one-bedroom units, ranging in size from 18 to 90 sqm. cities outside MM have highest suRge in seaRch tRaffic Bacolod tops the list of Philippine cities that experienced a spike in search traffic in the first quarter of 2015, increasing 279 percent from the fourth quarter of 2014 (October–December) to the first quarter of 2015 (January–March).

Bacolod is followed by Antipolo, Tagaytay, Baguio, Davao, and Bacoor, whose search traffic surged 118, 105, 95, 88, and 80 percent, respectively.

Quezon city offeRs Most affoRdabLe office sPaces Companies looking for an affordable office space to rent should head to Quezon City to find cheap commercial properties.

Office rents in Metro Manila’s largest city average Php503.79 per sqm per month. taguig, Makati have Most exPensive office sPaces Taguig and Makati offer the most expensive office rents anywhere in Metro Manila. Office rents in these two cities average Php763 and Php635 per sqm per month, respectively. Makati’s priciest office spaces command monthly rents as high as Php1,400 per sqm, while Taguig’s go as high as Php1,000 per sqm per month. woMen dRive house-hunting In the Philippines, women are the

cities affordable for first-time home buyers. Cities around Metro Manila that offer affordable options for first-time homebuyers include San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, average home price, Php495,999; followed by San Mateo, Rizal (Php549,259); Dasmariñas, Cavite (Php1.189 million); Imus, Cavite (Php1.858 million); Bacoor, Cavite (Php2.777 million); Antipolo, Rizal (Php3.668 million); Santa Rosa, Laguna (Php4.16 million).

primary users of real estate websites. About 64 percent of online property seekers in the Philippines are women. This finding is consistent with research conducted in the West, which has shown that women are the primary users of online property portals. This makes the Philippines one of few Asian countries where women are on equal footing with men in terms of educational, economic, and political opportunities—and in making homebuying decisions. size MatteRs in investMent condos If you buy and hold, go for bigger condos, those with three bedrooms or at least 150 sqm. Although these condos are definitely more expensive than smaller ones, they offer good returns in terms of capital appreciation. According Colliers International Philippines, luxury three-bedroom condos in the three markets it monitors (Makati CBD, Bonifacio Global City, and Rockwell Center) are expected to appreciate in value by between 5.1 and 6.3 percent by the end of 2015. foRbes PaRk, Most exPensive subdivision Average monthly rents in the very exclusive Forbes Park—home to business tycoons, foreign dignitaries, and boxing icons—stand at Php402,459, making the enclave the most expensive area to rent a house anywhere in the Philippines. fiLiPino-aMeRicans PRefeR houses Despite the condo boom happening in Metro Manila and other major cities across the Philippines, it seems that many Filipinos based in the United States still prefer to purchase houses, at least according to January–June 2015 search data from Lamudi. More than half (57.83 percent) of all searches in the Lamudi website were for houses, followed by condos (16.58 percent).

The most searched cities? Quezon City, Makati, Manila, Tagaytay, and Baguio, in this particular order. condos cLose to tRain stations MoRe exPensive An average condo located within 100 meters of an MRT station is at least Php16,645 more expensive per square meter than a similar, newly built condo situated more than 500 meters away. ayaLa centeR, centuRy city, RockweLL centeR Lead Most exPensive List Ayala Center—the commercial core of the Makati CBD—commands the most expensive condo rent per sqm than any area Metro Manila. Living in the area, which is within striking distance of Greenbelt, Glorietta, and most of Makati’s luxury hotels, can set a renter back Php1,144 per sqm per month, meaning a 100-sqm condo here can command monthly rent of more than Php110,000.

Following Ayala Center are Century City and Rockwell Center in Makati’s Poblacion area, where condos command monthly rents of Php986 and Php973 per sqm, respectively.

PRicieR condos aRe not necessaRiLy biggeR On a per-square-meter basis, more expensive condos do not necessarily mean bigger space. Areas where condos are on average bigger are actually cheaper on a per-sqm basis.

These areas include Ayala Triangle/ Apartment Ridge, where condos average 275 sqm and where monthly rents average Php568 per sqm. This area is followed by Salcedo Village, where the average size of condos is 126 sqm and average monthly rent stands at Php652 per sqm. In contrast, in the Mall of Asia Complex and Newport City, the average sizes of condos are 34 and 50 sqm, but monthly rents average Php850 and Php785 per sqm, respectively. ➜ continued on b7

S AT U R D AY : J A N U A R Y 9, 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

life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

P OP CU LT U RE

LIFE

C1

RISE OF THE MILLENNIALS: RAISING GEN Z

BY KRISTEL DACUMOS-LAGORZA

L

azy, conceited, entitled. These are but some of the many unsavory words used to describe Millennials.

Whether these merit truth is highly debatable. Regardless, what cannot be refuted is that Millennials are also a spirited, immensely creative, and intellectual bunch – a generation born during the technological boom that has made them open and receptive to new ideas and change.

Technology has had a major and direct influence in the development of Millennials as individuals. Look at Facebook, Skype, and even Tinder, which have all reshaped the very way people think, build relationships, and connect with the world.

Indeed, Millennials are such an interesting group, and as they come of age and start families of their own, a new facet of their identity opens up for study – Millennials as parents.

How will these creative intellectuals fare as heads of their own households? And how will they raise their children, called Generation Z? Here we look at five distinct characteristics of Millennials, and see how these will influence the way they raise their kids.

1. MILLENNIALS: MASTERS OF MULTI-TASKING

Millennials have mastered this skill to the hilt, thanks to technology, which offers them not only the convenience, but efficiency to be more productive. The Millennial’s mantra assuredly is: “I can do more.”

It’s no longer an odd sight seeing a Millennial juggling so many tasks at one time. A work-at-home Millennial mom may be found parked at the cafe typing an entry for her blog (one of the many ways she earns an income), while engaged in a meeting on Skype with a potential client based halfway around the world. And she’s doing this while still keeping a close eye on her household through constant text messaging with her yayas at home.

“I think we’ve trained ourselves to take on so much, because we’ve been raised to believe that we can do anything – and everything. Just look at how much it has changed for us women. Before, during the times of our parents, if you were a woman, it was either you become a housewife or a career woman. Now, it’s acceptable to WANT to have it all – a successful career, a happy marriage, a beautiful family, and even time for yourself and for your friends,” shares Mickey Alingarog, a 33-year-old mother and entrepreneur.

However, many mothers understand that this “fast-paced, multi-tasking” lifestyle may not necessarily be the best way to go when raising kids, as hyper multi-tasking – amplified and enabled by technology – may have a downside.

“I do realize that our lives are already so fastpaced now, and as technology evolves, it will become more so. I do worry that our children will get too caught up in the frenzy, and won’t know how to slow down,” adds Alingarog. So

she, like many other millennial parents, has made it a point to set aside time where she’s detached from her phones and the Internet, to be with her kids. “Hopefully, my daughter will learn that though I multi-task, when it’s about her and family, they are the priority.”

2. MILLENNIALS ARE SOPHISTICATED, TECH-SAVVY INDIVIDUALS, WHO USE TECHNOLOGY AS A TOOL TO EMPOWER THEMSELVES.

From crowd-sourcing answers on how to discipline a tantrum-throwing toddler, to seeking information about progressive home schooling programs online, the Millennials have learned to harness the great power that is the Internet for their use and benefit.

It is without a doubt that Gen Z will take on after their Millennial parents, growing up to become “digital natives” themselves. Gen Z may even surpass their parents, becoming more sophisticated users. But while the perks of being tech-savvy are many, there is a potential downside to this.

One of the immediate challenges that Millennial parents are addressing, as early as now, is ensuring that Gen Z children

don’t lose the essential socio-emotional skills needed to build relationships. As Gen Z children become more dependent and immersed in technology, their ability to nurture a “real” connection with others, especially in face-to-face interactions, may be affected.

“I think when it comes to technology, the challenge of our children now would be knowing what is real and what is virtual. For example, children can now create a virtual personality, which may cause confusion about their self-identity later on since your virtual personality is very different from who you are in ‘real’ life,” shared Izza Ansis-Sy, a 32-year-old mom of two. “For me, I just don’t want it to come to a point that my children are more comfortable talking to people over the net and on their smartphones, than having a real ‘in-person’ conversation.”

This is why many Millennial parents are trying to teach their children about responsible use. While others have laid down general rules, limiting the use of technology and media at home, others have taken on more extreme measures like one mom, Cherry Malonzo, who has decided to raise her two children in a TV-free household.

Continued on C2

S AT U R D AY : J A N U A R Y 9, 2 0 1 6

C2

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

In its October 2015 issue, TIME magazine conducted a poll of more than 2,000 US parents with children under the age of 18, to examine the different parenting approaches of the three generations – Baby Boomers (born from 1946 to 1964), Gen X (1965 to 1980), and Millennials. The poll asked them about everything from baby names to use of social media, and these are some of the key takeaways.

NEARLY

of Millennials use social media (compared with 76 percent of Gen X-ers and 59 percent of Boomers).

90%

46%

of Millennials posted a pic of their youngest child, either while in the womb or before the baby was one-day old (compared with 10 percent of Gen X-ers).

RISE OF THE MILLENNIALS From C1

“We use instant message and social networking sites to stay connected, to entertain ourselves, to seek information, but I still want my kids to enjoy a ‘real’ childhood where they will have memories of playing with other children outside,” shared Nyke Lim.

3. MILLENNIALS HAVE A MORE FLUID TAKE ON CAREER PATH, BELIEVING THAT ONE IS FREE TO EXPLORE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AND EVEN PURSUE PROFESSIONS THAT ARE A LITTLE UNCONVENTIONAL.

The workplace is one of those things that have seen a drastic change in recent decades. People no longer need to limit themselves to office-based, 9 to 5 jobs since (yet again) technology and the Internet have opened up new ways to conduct business. Today, you see more and more people becoming online entrepreneurs and work-at-home moms and dads who, thanks to the flexibility of their work arrangements, can be more hands-on parents. Even international corporations like P&G are becoming more relaxed, allowing their employees to work from home on certain days.

This being said, Gen Z kids find themselves in a very encouraging environment where Millennial parents are supportive of non-traditional, unconventional career paths. While the Gen X and the Baby Boomer generations would have pushed their children to seek more stable 9 to 5 jobs and lucrative professions such as becoming a lawyer, doctor or engineer, Millennials may be more open to their children paving paths of their own.

“It’s cliché, I know, but more than anything, I want my children to pursue their passions and do what makes them happy. But I would temper this with a little dose of reality. I’ll teach them how to be financially smart, too – to know the value of money, how to make it, how to grow and manage it, etc. I’d

like my kids to pursue what they love and make a kickass business out of it,” adds Iiko Paraguison-Asuque, an online entrepreneur and part-time musician.

4. MILLENNIALS ARE COMFORTABLE EXPRESSING THEMSELVES, AND ARE OPEN TO DIALOGUE AND THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS.

This is a particularly distinct characteristic of Millennials. Thanks to global interconnectedness, Millennials are unafraid to ask for help, and to collaborate and share ideas freely.

And like how they can pick and choose songs for their morning yoga playlist, Millennial parents have taken on a “hand-picked” and “custom-fit” parenting style.

Millennial parents may seek information online and ask advice from parents and peers, but they will adopt only those which they see best fits and resonates with their values.

Most Millennial parents believe that there is no one “correct” way to raise kids, and so what that this translates into is a more open, accepting, and forgiving type of parenting approach.

“When I have a problem or a question about parenting, I usually go to Google. But I don’t immediately believe everything I read online, even those on mommy forums because parenting is so personal. At the end of the day, what matters most is what my husband and I think is the best for our daughter,” shares Laira Yoo. Open-mindedness and understanding will also play a big role in the value formation of Gen Z children as many societal norms and concepts of the “traditional family” have since changed.

“Today, we see more nontraditional family units, formed by blended families, divorce, surrogate pregnancies, and gay marriage, and such. I’d like to think Millennials are the generation that embraced and celebrated all forms of love and definitions of family,” shared Sheila

Veluz (not her real name), a proud LGBT member who is raising a daughter with her partner. “So we will have to guide our children and answer carefully any of the questions they have pertaining to family.”

This open-mindedness also translates into opening lines of communication, with Millennial parents encouraging their children to engage in dialogue. “I come from a very traditional family, where whatever our parents said was law. I would want to keep the communication between me and my child open. I want him to grow up knowing he can always talk to us, and say what’s on his mind freely,” shares Grace Maulion.

5. MILLENNIALS VALUE TIME AND PRIORITIZE HAPPINESS.

This may seem like a general statement, but it reflects profoundly on what motivates Millennials. While the Baby Boomers and Gen X equate their success and the success of their children with a checklist of musthaves like a family, a house, a car, and financial stability, Millennials define success and happiness quite differently.

“I think for Millennials, happiness is a more personal thing. While we may want to have one or all those things on the list, we know that these don’t necessarily define our success or happiness. Perhaps, what we aspire for is to come to that point in our life where we feel contentment,” shared Mickey Alingarog. In this sense, Gen Z babies may perhaps be much like their parents, seeking fulfillment and meaning in their jobs more than financial security.

“When we started our family, my husband and I both agreed that we would let our child enjoy her life, and not put too much pressure on grades. I personally believe that in reality, being street smart and being ma-diskarte are both important when she grows up.

Also, we want to teach our daughter to enjoy life and not be so uptight. We don’t want to be so hard on her, when she commits mistakes,” shares Laira Yoo. The Millennials are already an interesting study of the times and how technology (more than anything) has molded them to become a unique and distinct population. So what are we to expect from Gen Z, the generation born into the “crisis period of terrorism, climate change and global recession”?

It’s fascinating and exciting to imagine what kind of persons Gen Z children will become. They are/will be perhaps the most connected, educated, and sophisticated generation ever... and it’s only a matter of years before we see it all play out.

Millennial parents are concerned with the pressure to appear a certain way, due to the images posted by their peers on social media.

30%

17%

of Millennials are concerned with their friends judging what their kids eat, compared with

of Gen X-ers

11%

of Boomers

The average age of a first-time mother is now 26, up from 21 in 1970.

60%

of Millennial parents wanted to choose a baby name that was unique,

compared to 44% of Gen-X and 35% of Boomers.

More Millennials are “stay-at-home parents” than past generations

(23.2 %, compared to 16 % of Gen X-ers and 22 % of Boomers).

Sixty-one percent of Millennial parents believe their kids need more unstructured playtime, according to a 2013 report

by FutureCast, and only 21 percent view their children as “overscheduled.”

Compared to Boomers, Millennials are twice as likely to look to Google for advice and half as likely to turn to books.

58%

of Millennials found all of the parenting information out there to be “overwhelming,” compared to 46% of Gen-Xers and 43% of Boomers.

Compared to Boomers and Gen X-ers, Millennials are less likely to put marriage before the baby carriage, with 42 percent saying it’s “very or extremely important” to do so, in contrast with 51 percent of Boomers and 49 percent of Gen X-ers who valued marriage before kids.

Helicopter parenting is frowned upon by Millennials, with Time describing the new technique as “‘drone parenting’ – the parents still hover, but they’re following and responding to their kids more than directing and scheduling them.”

Being

OPEN-MINDED EMPATHETIC QUESTIONING are the qualities Millennial parents most want for their children.

50%

of Millennials have purposely bought gender-neutral toys for the child, while only 34 percent of Gen X and Baby boomers have done so.

S AT U R D AY : J A N U A R Y 9, 2 0 1 6

C3

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

Marites Allen with co-host Boy Abunda at the Philippine Feng Shui Convention last January 3 at Marco Polo Manila

FENG SHUI FOR LIFE: 2016, Year of the Fire Monkey

The new lunar year begins on February 8. Are you ready for a year of mischief, competition, and wisdom?

People born on the Year of the Rat (1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008)

#COFFEEWITHKAI

BY KAI MAGSANOC

“I think the discomfort that some people feel in going to the monkey cages at the zoo is a warning sign.”

– Carl Sagan

A

General outlook: Whatever you failed to accomplish in 2015 will finally be accomplished this year; (but) be wary about getting betrayed and robbed. Listen to what your gut says about people and situations. Instincts are almost always right.

Love: Singles should actively go out and meet others. Couples who have been together long-term can consider marriage.

Money: The potential for both earnings and losses are high. Be careful about lending and investing your money.

mbitious, wise and successful but also shrewd, egotistic, and vain – these are the said traits of people born on the Year of the Monkey (1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028).

Expect the lunar year of 2016 (February 8, 2016 to January 27, 2017) then to be full of challenges, success, clashes, and politics, whether in the workplace or at home.

“The monkey always finds its way out of tight situations,” says international feng shui master Marites Allen. “If there are two things we should learn from this year’s ruling animal, it is that we should be alert and dare to be different.”

People born on the Year of the Ox (1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009)

HERE ARE ALLEN’S FORECASTS FOR EACH ASTROLOGICAL SIGN FOR THE YEAR OF THE FIRE MONKEY:

People born on the Year of the Tiger (1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010)

General outlook: Be prepared to face challenges that will test your determination and commitment. A lot of factors will make you want to give up something you have long been dreaming about. Don’t give in and keep at it.

Love: Single people will successfully find love this year, possibly in the Philippines or abroad. Start planning your vacation trips now.

Money: Keep track of how you spend your money. Look into that business you’ve been wanting to start. Ask a person you trust for reliable advice.

General outlook: Health should be a key priority this year. An

important thing you must do is learn how to manage stress.

Not everything has to be done immediately. Sometimes it helps to step back and look at a situation with a more careful eye.

Love: A person may enter our lives whose goal is friendship but will give us overwhelming support in things we do. Don’t mistake this for romantic love.

Money: Money matters may bring about problems and conflicts with friends or family. Do not make hasty decisions about investments and businesses.

People born on the Year of the Rabbit (1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011)

General outlook: Change is not always easy, but it also does not mean the change is for the worse. A lot of positive changes will happen this year, although they might be difficult to accept in the beginning.

Stay positive and have faith.

Love: Singles will have a host of opportunities to meet possible partners, so enjoy going out. In a relationship? It’s a good time to take it to the next level.

Money: The Wealth Luck is fantastic this year. Strive in your career or dare to go for that business you’ve been wanting to pursue.

and it may even be life changing.

Love: Relationships will face issues in the forms of gossip and third parties. Work on trust, honesty, and communication. Family opposition may pose a challenge.

Money: Avoid gambling, as you may lose more than you win, and you can’t afford losses. Network with possible business partners and investors.

occur, remember why you are doing it in the first place. Keep on keeping on.

Love: Wedding bells ring for longterm relationships. Newlyweds may also receive baby news.

Money: Creativity and perseverance are your key weapons to getting new opportunities and income.

Save or invest your earnings instead of spending it.

People born on the Year of the Dragon (1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012)

People born on the Year of the Snake (1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013)

People born on the Year of the Horse (1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014)

General outlook: You will be successful in tackling challenging situations, including competition.

It will be a fulfilling year as you overcome problems big or small,

General outlook: Situations that may seem hopeless in the beginning will turn into wonderful opportunities; just keep your fighting spirit. When setbacks

General outlook: Your positivity will keep you on the right track and empower others to be the same.

Listen to your conscience and gut, and you will make the right decisions.

Continued on C4

S AT U R D AY : J A N U A R Y 9, 2 0 1 6

C4

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

Chill at the Ice Kingdom in SM City Sucat

@LIFEatStandard

Enjoy a merry photo op with a giant Jack ornament in SM City Bicutan

Visit Finn and Jake’s home, The Tree Fort, at SM City Bicutan

MALL TIME CAN ALSO BE ADVENTURE TIME

M

Finn is all set for the ice adventure

ore than just shopping, dining or entertainment, malling can also be a time to engage in a little adventure, where you can unleash the inner kid in you and bond with family at the same time. At SM Supermalls in the South of Metro Manila, you can visit the Land of Ooo and join Finn and Jake from the hit Cartoon Network series in their exciting antics at three colourful and interactive displays.

Everyone will have fun at SM City BF Parañaque whose atrium has been transformed into Princess Bubblegum’s Candy Kingdom. No less than Princess Bubblegum herself will welcome visitors to the Candy Castle, where kids can enjoy playing with giant peppermints at the Candy Kingdom’s moat and drawbridge. They will also get to see other Adventure Time characters like the Peppermint Butler and Ice King at the candy houses, among the cotton candy trees, candy cane posts, and the marshmallow arc.

At SM City Bicutan, an attraction is the Tree Fort, Finn and Jake’s home in the Land of Ooo. Kids can climb up the fun tree house decked out in holiday style; families and friends can pose for merry photo mementos with a giant Jack ornament, Lumpy Space Princess, and Lady Rainicorn.

Visitors to SM City Sucat on the other hand can chill at the blue and white Ice Kingdom – the domain of the Ice King surrounded by

International feng shui master Marites Allen holds one of the individual Chinese sign forecast books she authored for the Year of the Fire Monkey

Marites Allen with daughter Nikki at the Philippine Feng Shui Convention last January 3 at Marco Polo Manila

The Princess Bubblegum Candy Kingdom at SM City BF Parañaque

Kids can enjoy playing with giant peppermints at the Candy Kingdom’s moat and drawbridge

snow-capped mountains. Here, kids can help Finn and Jake rescue Princess Bubblegum who is kept as Ice King’s prisoner in the Ice Castle. Adding to the fun are lots of adorable penguins waddling all over.

The Candy Kingdom and Land of Ooo centerpieces will be on display until January 10. Don’t miss out on the fun, go south now to visit the SM City supermalls.

FENG SHUI FOR 2016 From C3

You’ll always find a way to deal with or fix a problem.

Love: Don’t sweat the small stuff. Don’t let small issues turn into big matters that will make you hate each other. Stretch your patience and understanding.

Money: Your Wealth Luck is poor, so money problems may come your way more often than you prefer. Stay simple. Save, don’t spend.

People born on the Year of the Sheep (1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015)

General outlook: Lots of opportunities will come your way this year, so be sure to know what you want and grab the one that works with your dreams and goals. There will be competition, but your drive will set you apart.

Love: Don’t be in a hurry to be in a relationship. You will meet lots of interesting people this year, so enjoy going out and getting to know them before you settle.

Money: Long-term investment opportunities will come to you this year. Be prepared to talk business with people you need to work with. Always be calm.

People born on the Year of the Monkey (1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016)

General outlook: The “Ta Sui” or god of the year is on your side. Simply put, luck will be on your side. Everything you do has the chance to become successful, so long as you work hard and be good. A great deal will come your way. Be positive.

Love: Work or business will take priority over romance this year, and this can pose a problem to those who have families or are in relationships. Give quality time.

Money: Keep working hard and it will be recognized, although this should not be your key motivation. Focus on doing good for others. Blessings will come.

People born on the Year of the Rooster (1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017)

General outlook: Read and understand “The Secret” and practice the power of positivity and attraction, and it will work for you. Things might feel boring or routine, but don’t let this discourage you.

Love: If you’ve been thinking of confessing your feelings to that special someone, do it this year. If you’ve been thinking of proposing to your girl, do it this year, too.

Money: Have you ever felt that money just touched your palm then quickly disappeared? This may happen if you are not frugal or careful about your spending.

People born on the Year of the Dog (1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018)

General outlook: The allies of this sign are the Rooster and Boar. Take care of people who are born under this sign because they will give you support when you need it. Your temper may be shorter than usual, so be self-aware.

Love: Relationships could prove frustrating, so be careful about minor disagreements.

Don’t let them escalate into damaging fights. Communicate.

Money: Does something feel too good to be true? It probably is. Don’t be quick to pin your hopes on one opportunity. Shop around.

Study the possibilities carefully.

People born on the Year of the Boar (1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019)

General outlook: The stars are auspicious and could bring lots of opportunities your

way. Don’t forget to pray and be thankful for them, and even more will open up for you.

Negativity may want to bring you down, so arm yourself with motivation.

Love: Possibilities of romance may be rife, but don’t expect them to be long term. A person who does not appreciate your worth has no right to have you.

Money: Income and sources of income will be stable, but take care to be humble about your success. Family disputes may happen.

Make sure to always talk things out.

Marites Allen will be touring SM malls from January 17 to February 8. Get your questions ready! For more information, visit maritesallen.com or wealthluck.com.

Follow me! Twitter and Instagram: @kaimagsanoc. Facebook: Kai Magsanoc. Email me your thoughts at coffeewithkai@gmail.com.

SAT URDAY : JA NUA RY 9, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED

isahred @ gmail.com

EDITOR

C5

Enjoy award-winning Filipino moviEs on HooQ

H

OOQ, Asia’s largest video-ondemand service, was the recent exclusive presenter of the 41st Metro Manila Film Festival and its New Wave category. Together with MMFF, they both answered the call of entertainment buffs who enjoy watching their favorite films and TV shows wherever and whenever they want; through streaming and downloading of award-winning and quality locally-produced films.

Since 2010, the New Wave category has given independent filmmakers the opportunity to showcase their work and the chance to have more funding for future film projects. This year, aside from the animated and short film entries being shown in cinemas, they were also released through the HOOQ app. It was the first time in the history of MMFF that entries were shown simultaneously online and in theaters.

“We want the world to take notice of the best content Philippine cinema can offer,” said Jane Walker, HOOQ Philippines country manager. “Supporting young filmmakers now is investing in the future of entertainment,” she added.

Winners of the New Wave category include the animated film, Buttons, which was created by Marvel Obemio, Francis Ramirez and Jared Garcia of De La Salle University – College of St. Benilde and the short film entitled, Mumu, written and directed by Cheryl Tagyamon of UP Diliman.

Other winners included Krystal Brimber (Best Festival Child Performer: Honor Thy Father); Cesar Montano (HOOQ Male celebrity of the night); Jennylyn Mercado (HOOQ Female celebrity of the night); Dan Villegas and Antoinette Jadaone (Best Original Story, Walang Forever); Paul Sta.Ana (Best Screenplay, Walang Forever); Erik Matti (Best Director, Honor Thy Father); Tirso Cruz III (Best Supporting Actor, Honor Thy Father); Maine Mendoza (Best Supporting Actress, My Bebe Love); Jericho Rosales (Best Actor, Walang Forever); and Jennyln Mercado (Best Actress, Walang Forever). The Best Picture Award was won by Walang Forever followed by Buy Now Die Later (2nd Best Picture) and My Bebe Love (3rd Best Picture).

Users will soon be able to watch other 2015 MMFF finalists and winners on HOOQ. They can also choose from close to a hundred past winners and finalists in its huge library of local films and TV shows, made available for streaming and download on multiple devices.

New users can enjoy a 30-day free trial by signing up at www.HOOQ. tv. Monthly subscription is available at only P149 and can be charged to your Globe mobile bill, via credit card, or it comes free with Globe Home Broadband plans P1,299 and up.

Watch Jennylyn Mercado in #Walang Forever, Jennylyn also won the GetHOOQd Female Celebrity of the Night and Best Actress at the 2015 MMFF Awards Night.

Other past winners of the 2015 MMFF will soon be shown on HOOQ

Watch Cesar Montano in Nilalang, Cesar also won the GetHOOQd Male Celebrity of the Night award at the 2015 MMFF Awards Night.

Other past winners of the 2015 MMFF will soon be shown on HOOQ.

Watch (L-R) Robby Tantingco, Chloe Carpio, and Carlo Catu in Ari My Life with a King which won New Wave Best Full Length Film, New Wave Best Screenplay, and New Wave Best Picture at the 2015 MMFF Awards Night. Other past winners will soon b

Watch (L-R) Thou Reyes, Liza Dino, Director John Paul Su, and Film Editor Manet Dayrit in TOTO which won New Wave Best Supporting Actor and Actress, Best New Wave Film Director, and New Wave Full Length Jury Prize. Catch the other winners on HOOQ

SAT URDAY : JA NUA RY 9, 2016

C6

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

the Pretty Strong life of MiSS earth 2015

T

he time has come for the rise of the empowered woman. Newly crowned Miss Earth 2015 Angelia Gabrena Ong carried the Philippine flag to the world stage in a showcase of class and elegance on Dec. 5 at Vienna, Austria, and beat a total of 85 international delegates.

In this interview, global outdoor brand Merrell sits with Miss Earth 2015, Angelia Ong, and gets to know the wearer of the crown.

Strength in trialS Living up to the adventurous heritage of Merrell, the Pretty Strong campaign draws and celebrates women who are bold, good natured, confident, and independent. Just like Ong, one can be Pretty Strong with their hearts on their sleeves and Merrell on their feet.

“She’s a confident woman who doesn’t see failures as failures but, rather, sees it as a challenge for a better version of herself. I think that is what a pretty strong woman is,” she describes.

When asked about a striking experience when she felt Pretty Strong, Ong, who multitasked as a working-student back in her college days, shares, “When I was able to earn and actually pay for my own bills, my tuition, it was really empowering.”

I want to let everybody know that all things are possible and all things are feasible if we work together. We will, because we can – Angelia Ong, Miss Earth 2015 Congratulations to ‘Pretty Strong’ Angelia Ong for being crowned as Miss Earth 2015!

We are excited to witness all the changes that you will bring to our Mother Earth.

croSSWord PuZZle

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Advantage 5 Crush underfoot 10 Jennies’ jargon 14 Mild expletive 15 Hazard 16 Entice 17 Baldwin of films 18 Come from behind 19 She taught in Siam 20 With all one’s heart 22 Eating trough

24 25 26 29 33 34 36 37 38 39 40 41

31-day mo.

Wharf Nasal tones Get-goes Women with nieces Miss Kitty’s friend Dazzle Hi-tech scan Usefulness Incite Rover Hairpin curve LL.D. holder

advocacieS, beliefS, and inSightS “We will because we can,” she claims. This is the same statement of conviction she said when she competed at the recent Miss Earth 2015. In this case, she was talking about the restoration of the Philippines. “I believe, especially in Manila, it’s already cosmopolitan, so it takes a lot of effort and responsibility to be able to restore things like the culture, the history, the nature, so it’s a struggle but it’s possible, it’s feasible and we can do it,” she explains.

When asked about an advocacy that she supports, she shares, “I think it’s very timely to really support how we can educate people to minimize carbon footprints.”

She also believes in reforestation, explaining that through reforestation and tree planting, we are able to balance our atmosphere and minimize global warming. active and adventurouS In her free time, Ong shares wanting to explore the beach and to travel around the country. “…if I have, like, two or three days break, I

SATURDAY, JANUARY 9, 2016

42 Depleted 44 Furtive silence 47 Slates, once 48 Cultivates 49 “She Done — Wrong” 50 Agree 53 Stable sound 58 No dice! (hyph.)

59 Nanook’s pad 61 Villain’s work 62 Luxury transport 63 Eardrum blaster 64 Sari sporter 65 Gray wolf 66 Dropped one’s jaw 67 Type of appeal

13 21 23 25 26 27 28 30 31 32 34 35 38 42 43 45 46

DOWN 1 Waxed cheese 2 Surrealist painter 3 Gumbel or LeMond 4 Cast a spell over 5 Parsley cuttings 6 River duck 7 Monsieur’s airport 8 A thousand G’s 9 Pilgrims’ landing spot 10 Uncut keys 11 Ladder unit 12 Handel contemporary

47 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 60

Wine label info Barge pushers Not hesitate Eccentric Makes less wild Rathskeller fare Biscotto flavoring Canvas support Coil about Splinter groups Candle lovers Matisse piece Garden chore Carpenter’s wedge Mollycoddles Reaction to pollen Grammy-winner — Rawls Drove away Select Part of B&O Frostbitten Fleece a sheep Vacuum part John, in Siberia El — (ocean current) Insincere — — step further

definitely want to go to the beach and experience a lot of things like — just a few months ago I tried surfing and it was awesome. Second try, I was able to stand up… and just last holiday, I actually went to El Nido Palawan and went camping without electricity and without fresh water. It was just, it was really an adventure with a tent, eating on the sand, sleeping on the sand.

It was really awesome,” she narrates.

Ong sports a Merrell Bare Access Arc 4 and shares that her pair is “awesome because it’s very lightweight”. Her Bare Access Arc 4 also gives a full-foot connection, added cushioning, and hyper responsive insole that are perfect not just for running but also for going over daily errands.

Merrell’s female line of stylish footwear includes sandals and shoes, equipped with technology and designs that will get any Pretty Strong woman up in their game.

Empower your lifestyle. Get your pair of choice at Merrell concept stores in TriNoma, SM North EDSA - Annex, Market! Market!, Festival Mall Alabang, Marquee Mall, Harbor Point Subic, Centrio Mall, SM City Dasmariñas, Robinsons Ermita, Gaisano Mall Davao, Abreeza Mall Davao, SM Lanang Premier, SM City Davao, SM City Cebu, and all leading department stores and sports specialty stores nationwide.

Visit Merrell on Facebook via www. facebook.com/MerrellPhilippines and follow us on Twitter and Instagram via @merrell_ph.

Miss Earth 2015, Angelia looking ‘Pretty Strong’ in the Merrell Bare Access Arc 4. Ong loves to travel and says Merrell is “it’s awesome ‘cause it’s very lightweight... and the designs are also cute. I love it!”

SAT URDAY : JA NUA RY 9, 2016

C7

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

SeArCh IS On fOr BInIBInIng PIlIPInAS 2016

GMA Chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe L. Gozon and Asia's Songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid

Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) chairman Stella Marquez Araneta announced the search is on for the Binibining Pilipinas 2016 candidates.

sonGBird remains kaPuso

A

sia’s Songbird Regine VelasquezAlcasid remains a loyal Kapuso after signing on Jan. 4 another twoyear exclusive contract with GMA Network, Inc. During the contract signing attended by the network’s top executives, Regine said she is very happy to renew her contract with GMA 7, which has been her home network for almost two decades.

“I am happy na dito pa rin ako sa GMA. I’ve been working with the network for almost 20 years. I know practically all the people, the bosses…I’m very grateful na hindi nila ako masyadong pine-pressure. They’ve been very good to me. For four years, I was given time to be with my son. I was given a very relaxed schedule, which I really, really appreciate.

Ngayong taon pa lang ako ulit magfu-full blast na magtatrabaho. I’m also excited to go back to work,” Regine said “What I like about working with GMA is they let my creativity come out. And as an artist being in the business for a long time, minsan mahirap na sina-shut off ka. Sila, they give me the opportunity to be involved, to be heard kung maganda naman ang suggestion, they make sure it is incorporated. In all the projects that I’ve done in GMA, I’ve always been involved,” added Regine.

Atty. Felipe L. Gozon, Chairman and CEO of GMA Network, has nothing but praises for Regine and he is very grateful with Regine’s renewal of contract, “We are also loyal to her.

We are glad that she chose us.”

HHHHH Pokemon Black and White Premieres on Gma Beginning Monday, best friends Ash and Pikachu will take on a new adventure as they meet new allies and rivals in Pokemon Black and White.

In this new series, they will travel to Unova region, where newly discovered and rare Pokemons reside.

After learning about a mysterious Pokemon, Ash decides to make it his life’s mission to catch it and become the ultimate Pokemon Master.

With new adventures to take and new battles to win, will Ash be able to reach his only dream to be the best Pokemon Master?

Join him in his adventures from Mondays to Fridays after Doraemon, only on GMA.

from c8

Seasoned actress Gina Pareño

HHHHH Gina Pareño joins anG ProBinsyano Cardo (Coco Martin) is on a new mission: seize another syndicate, led by Olga (Gina Pareño).

The scenes in the series are more actionpacked.

With his success in defeating Ninong (Ronaldo Valdez), Cardo now investigates the case of Noemi (Sunshine Garcia) as the group of Olga kidnaps her is not asking for ransom.

Unfortunately, the gang also abducts Carmen (Bela Padilla), putting her life in danger. What will Cardo do to put a stop to he syndicate’s operations? Will Cardo be able to save Carmen from the hands of Olga?

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

HHHHH myX Welcomes sharlene and jairus MYX is starting the new year with a bang by welcoming Kapamilya love team Sharlene San Pedro and Jairus Aquino and former Pangako Sa’Yo stars Sarah Carlos and Alex Diaz to the music channel’s family to add nonstop fun in dishing out the top hits and best music videos for 2016.

Sharlene and Jairus who are better known together as JaiLene, started their MYX stint in early 2015 when they were handpicked as MYX Celebrity VJs. Since then, fans have constantly expressed their demand to see them again on the music channel.

Sarah, meanwhile, made headlines last year when she snagged the role of Bea Bianca in the 2015 remake of Pangako Sa’Yo, from among hundreds of girls who auditioned for the role. But before breathing life into Bea Bianca, Sarah already tried her hand in hosting as a radio jock.

Actor-model Alex Diaz has proven how persistence can reap success. He tried out to become a MYX VJ twice before finally earning a spot as one of the music channel’s VJs this year. Alex was also seen in hit Kathniel movies and teleseryes including She’s Dating the Gangster and Pangako Sa’Yo. The four new MYX VJs will join VJs Robi Domingo, Ai dela Cruz, and Tippy Dos Santos in bringing excitement to MYX viewers nationwide.

MYX is a youth-oriented music channel in the Philippines that aims to showcase music from artists across all genres. For 15 years, it has grown into a strong youth brand on TV as the number one music channel in the country and online with over five million followers on both Facebook and Twitter.

THE NEW MYX SQUAD. (L-R) Sharlene San Pedro, Jairus Aquino, Ai de la Cruz, Robi Domingo, Tippy Dos Santos, Sarah Carlos, Alex Diaz

considered a Banner year for filiPinas, the queens under BPci Who made Waves in the international PaGeant scene this 2015 are: 1. Miss Universe Philippines - Pia Wurtzbach Miss Universe 2015 2. Binibining Pilipinas Tourism: Anne Colis – Miss Globe 2015 3. Binibining Pilipinas Tourism 2014: Parul Shah – Miss Grand International 2015 3rd Runner-up 4. Binibining Pilipinas International 2015: Janicel Lubina, Miss International Top 10 and Best Dresser Award 5. Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental: Christy McGarry, Miss Intercontinental 2015 1st Runner-up 6. Bininbining Pilipinas Supranational: Rogelie Catacutan, Semifinalist You can be the next Binibining Pilipinas candidate!

If you think you have what it takes to clinch the crown, serve as an inspiration to others, and bring pride to the country, join the search for Binibining Pilipinas 2016.

Titles at stake are Miss Universe Philippines, Binibining Pilipinas International, Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental, Binibining Pilipinas Supranational, and Binibining Pilipinas Grand International.

Applications are open to interested single ladies ages 17 to 26 years old, Filipino citizens, at least a high school graduate, and of good moral character.

Aside from the application form and one close up and full body shot, other requirements include: birth certificate and Philippine passport, college or high school diploma, medical certificate, certificate of good moral character, and parents’ consent for applicants below 18 years old.

You can download the application form on www.bbpilipinas. com or drop by BPCI Office at Uniprom Inc., Smart Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City.

Applications are accepted from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday until Jan. 30.

For more news on Binibining Pilipinas, visit www.bbpilipinas.com and the Binibining Pilipinas official Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/realbbpilipinas.

SAT URDAY : JA NUA RY 9, 2016

C8

ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin is a movie based on the Bob Ong book and stars Paolo Ballesteros, Cristine Reyes and Jayson Gainza

ViVa opens film season with ‘lumayo Ka nga sa aKin’ ISAH V. RED It’s the New Year, and movie producers that had no significant entry in the recently concluded Metro Manila Film Festival are eager to open the new season for motion picture exhibitions and see if the box office is ready to welcome their products.

Leading the pack is Viva Films, which marks the beginning of the year with a horror comedy, a trilogy, in fact, to make sure that the audience will get their money’s worth.

On Wednesday, the movie company premieres nationwide Lumayo Ka Nga

Sa Akin. The movie is based upon Bob Ong’s best selling novel of the same title.

Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin is dubbed as the epic trilogy to end all trilogies.

It is a comedy, The movie stars some of local filmdom’s biggest stars including Maricel Soriano, Herbert Bautista, Cristine Reyes, Benjie Paras, Candy Pangilinan, Paolo Ballesteros, Jayson Gainza, Antoinette Taus and teen sweetheart Shy Carlos.

The trilogy is a rib-tickling spoof of the commercial filmmaking in the Philippines, under the able direction of three of today’s well-respected filmmakers, Mark Meily, Andoy Ranay and Chris Martinez.

Mark is at the helm of episode one, “Bala sa Bala, Kamao sa Kamao, Satsat sa Satsat,” featuring Benjie and Candy in

lead roles. It tells the story of a guy who is one of only two survivors in a massacre, which occurs right after his church wedding. Along the way he meets and fails in love with a famous actress, who unwittingly leads him to the drug lord who masterminded the massacre.

The second episode, meanwhile, Andoy’s “Shake, Shaker, Shakest,” marks the first team up of Diamond Star Maricel Soriano and QC Mayor Herbert Bautista on the big screen.

“Shake...” talks about a middle class family that gets stranded in a haunted house and experiences all sorts of horrific adventures/misadventures during their stay. The family must race against time to find the cursed object, which they unknowingly brought with them at the start of their journey.

Lumayo Ka Nga sa Akin parodies Pinoy movies, dubbed as the epic trilogy, it stars Maricel Soriano and Herbert Bautista (fourth and fifth from left), Candy Pangilinan, Benjie Paras,Cristine Reyes, Paolo Ballesteros, Jayson Gainza, and Antoinette Taus (not in picture).

On the other hand, Chris handles episode three, “Asawa ni Marie,” which is a soap opera-comedy about the love quadrangle among poor farm girl Marie (played by Cristine), the two brothers who own the farm and the girlfriend of one of the brothers who makes life miserable for poor Marie.

Moviegoers need not go far to experience action, romance, comedy, horror and drama in just one seating.

Bob Ong’s Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin promises to serve every cineaste’s craving in generous proportions. It opens Jan. 13 in theaters nationwide.

For more info on Bob Ong’s Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin, visit VIVA Films social media accounts: FB (VIVAFilms), Twitter (@VIVA_Films) and IG (viva_ ➜ Continued on C7 films).