The Standard - 2016 January 21 - Thursday

VOL. XXIX NO. 343 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 THURSday : JaNUaRy 21, 2016 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Duterte: Is Mar using drugs?

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POE’s naME stays Comelec: Grace on ballot if no SC ruling by Feb. 1

By Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos-araneta

Senator Grace Poe’s name will be included in the official ballots that will be used in the May 9 national and local elections, if the Supreme Court fails to resolve her disqualification cases

by Feb. 1.

Commission on Elections spokesman James Jimenez said the agency will retain Poe as a presidential candidate when it begins printing the ballots on that date, if the court fails to render judgment on her petitions seeking to reverse the Comelec decision cancelling her Certificate of Candidacy for lack of the required 10-year residency and for not being a

natural-born Filipino citizen. “if they have not been eliminated with finality [by the court], then they stay on the list,” Jimenez told reporters.

But senate President Franklin drilon accused Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista of attempting to “railroad” the printing of ballots even if the supreme Court has not

yet ruled with finality on all pending disqualification charges, including those filed against Poe. “i think Chairman Bautista knows better than to railroad the printing of the ballots,” said drilon, who urged the Comelec chief to defer the printing until the supreme Court has ruled on all the disqualification cases pending before it.

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Campus visit. Senator Grace Poe, a presidential candidate, is greeted by students and teachers of the National College of Science and Technology during her campus visit in Dasmariñas, Cavite, on Wednesday. Lino SantoS

Dismissed minister arrested for libel

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Roxas to be summoned to SAF 44 probe

By Macon Ramos-araneta, Sandy araneta and Maricel V. Cruz AdministrAtion presidential candidate mar roxas, who claimed he was kept out of the loop about the illfated police operation that led to the massacre of 44 policemen in mamasapano, maguindanao last year, will

be among those invited by senate minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile when senate resumes its investigation of the incident on Jan. 27.

Executive secretary Paquito ochoa and Communications secretary Herminio Coloma will also be questioned

by Enrile about the incident, which claimed the lives of 44 special Action Force members.

malacañang, meanwhile, said it saw no reason why the reopening of the investigation of the mamasapano would affect the political plans of roxas, its endorsed candidate and Liberal Party standard-bearer. “the President’s stand is clear. in all instances he has done all that is right and just for our citizens, and regarding Next page

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Sacked INC minister arrested for libel rap

By Joel E. Zurbano and Rio N. Araja

DismisseD iglesia ni Cristo minister Lowell menorca ii was arrested in manila Wednesday morning following a brief chase with police officers serving a warrant for his arrest for a libel case filed against him in marawi City.

Menorca was about to attend a hearing at the Court of Appeals in connection with his petition for writs of amparo and habeas corpus when plainclothesmen attempted to arrest him and his companions in their car.

The expelled INC minister resisted arrest, resulting in a brief scuffle and a traffic jam along Roxas Boulevard.

Menorca said his life was in danger and admitted that he resisted arrest because the lawmen were not wearing police uniforms and refused to show identification.

He said the arrest warrant also did not indicate his name but an alias.

“They cannot convince me that the Iglesia has nothing to do with this. They can do this to all members, all ministers and all who are still going to join the church. They are above the law,” Menorca said.

Menorca finally surrendered to Manila Police District Director Rolando Nana.

MPD Station 10 commander Ed Leonardo said the arresting team tried to serve

Poe’s...

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Jimenez insisted that Poe remains a candidate even while the cases against her remain unresolved.

“She’s already on the list.

So, the question is whether these cases will be resolved in time to say with certainty whether she should stay on that list [or not],” the Comelec official said.

Jimenez explained that the Comelec is using a process of elimination in determining the final list of candidates whose names will be printed in the ballots.

“What we have is the list of people who filed their Certificates of Candidacy and [we] eliminate them as the elimination becomes final.

From that huge list, we eliminate those that the Comelec has declared as nuisance, or if someone files a disqualification and they get disqualified with finality,” he explained.

The Comelec issued the statement a day after the Supreme Court started oral arguments on the petitions of Poe assailing the poll body’s decision to disqualify her.

The court has restrained the Comelec from implementing its decisions disqualifying Poe, preventing the poll body from removing her name from the list of candidates.

The Comelec has already moved the date of the printing of the ballots to Feb. 1, from Jan. 27, in order to give

a warrant of arrest on Menorca at the corner of Nakpil Street and Taft Avenue in Manila but the latter resisted.

At least 20 uniformed policemen later showed up to help arrest Menorca.

Menorca surrendered at the corner of Quirino Avenue and Roxas Boulevard after asking the police officers to bring Nana, insisting that the MPD chief should lead his arrest because Leonardo, as an INC member, was biased.

Leonardo admitted being a member of the religious group, but denied that this had anything to do with Menorca’s arrest. ‘’We have a copy of the warrant coming from Marawi City. The case is libel and it is bailable,” he said.

Menorca’s lawyer Trixie Cruz-Angeles questioned the timing of the arrest, saying her client was supposed to take the witness stand for his petition before the court.

She said they did not receive any notice from the court about the supposed libel charge.

“As of now, there is nothing yet, even a complaint-affidavit. All we know is [there is] a warrant of arrest,” said Angeles.

She said the police should release Menorca and allow him to attend the hearing and to be cross-examined on his testimony against INC officials.

As of Wednesday evening, Menorca is still detained at the MPD Police Station 5 in Ermita.

Menorca recently claimed that he was threatened, coerced and tortured while he and his family were being held at the INC compound in Barangay Central in Quezon City.

Isaias Samson Jr., another former INC

the agency more time to finalize the list of candidates.

But Drilon saw the Comelec’s plan as a gesture of disrespect to the Supreme Court.

“Pushing through with printing the ballots even before the court can decide on the disqualification cases is an utter disrespect to the Supreme Court and its jurisdiction on the matter,” Drilon said.

“The case is currently being heard by our esteemed justices. Why would Comelec Bautista want to pre-empt them? Why bypass our justices?” he asked.

Drilon noted that the Supreme Court is very much aware of the time constraints involved and of its Constitutional mandate.

He warned that Bautista’s insistence to rush the printing of the ballot will only trigger speculations about his partiality, which may affect him and the Comelec at this crucial time.

“What will the Comelec do if the Supreme Court upheld the Comelec en banc’s decision to disqualify Senator Grace Poe? Will the Comelec re-print the ballots? That will prove to be very costly and impractical,” asked the Liberal Party national vice chairman.

Asked if he was waiting for Poe’s disqualification, Drilon said: “What waiting? Don’t put words in my mouth. I am not passing judgment. I am just saying that the more prudent thing to do is wait for the Supreme Court to decide. That’s the more prudent thing to do.”

Meanwhile, Associate Jus-

minister, filed with the Department of Justice a complaint for illegal detention against the religious group’s governing council.

The controversy began last year after a video was uploaded on the sharing site YouTube showing Angel Manalo, brother of executive minister Eduardo Manalo, and their mother Tenny Manalo, seeking help because some INC members had been detained by church leaders.

Meanwhile, the INC on Wednesday denied any involvement in the arrest of Menorca in Manila for a libel suit filed in Mindanao.

INC spokesperson Edwil Zabala made the statement at a news conference in Quezon City.

“Our lawyers were there, too, [at the Court of Appeals] waiting for our hearing to proceed,” he told reporters.

He dismissed Menorca’s claim that the INC leadership did not want his cross-examination to push through.

“As I have always said in the past, if there is an allegation, prove it. The truth will come out eventually. The public is now intelligent. Our accuser has overwhelming accusations, but is zero in evidence,” he said.

But he said the INC leadership will not take any legal steps to answer accusations of their involvement in Menorca’s arrest.

“The Iglesia ni Cristo is conducting its own inquiry concerning the events which led to the serving of an arrest warrant against Mr. Menorca,” he said.

The INC expelled Menorca for claiming that he had been abducted by the church.

tice Marvic Leonen has expressed a sympathetic opinion on the legal woes facing Poe, whose Certificate of Candidacy was cancelled by the Commission on Elections over her alleged questionable citizenship and lack of residency.

During the oral arguments on Poe’s cases before the Supreme Court on Tuesday, Leonen posed question on whether it would be fair to deny Poe her right to become president just because she was abandoned by her unknown biological parents.

Leonen observed that Poe should not be faulted for her being a foundling.

“What did she do for her parents to leave her? She was a newborn baby and she did not have any moral volition at that point. It is completely the agency and moral decision of the parents to actually leave her behind,” Leonen said.

The youngest magistrate asked his colleagues to become “justices” more than “legalists.”

“The root word is not legal but it is just, meaning to say, we do justice in accordance with law, but if we can interpret law so that it can do justice then so be it. So we are not completely legalists,” Leonen explained.

Leonen also questioned the position of some of his colleagues that Poe should be compelled to look for her real parents or required to prove her parentage, such as through DNA testing, when ordinary Filipinos only need to show their birth certificate to prove their parentage and

citizenship.

He noted that the government has recognized the right of Filipinos who went to work and live overseas to come back to run for public office.

“This is not about a simple foreigner wanting to become President of the Republic.

This is about a balikbayan, a Filipino who grew up here who wants to come back, who wants to serve,” Leonen said The justice said he could relate with Poe’s situation.

“I grew up without a father. It was difficult. I knew who my father was, but it was difficult. But I think of those people who don’t know their fathers but grew up with their mother also have a difficult time. Those who do not have a mother and a father and stay with their adoptive parents also have a very difficult time,” he said.

Leonen said he believes the court should allow Poe to run for President and allow the people to decide.

Meanwhile, all the six presidential candidates have pledged to participate in the Comelec’s “PiliPinas Debates 2016,” the first installment of which will be held on Feb. 21 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Bautista said that the camps of Vice President Jejomar Binay, administration candidate Mar Roxas, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, Senator Grace Poe, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and OFW Family Club party-list Rep. Roy Señeres have confirmed their earlier commitments to join the debates.

Roxas...

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the ratings, that is not his priority,” said Coloma.

Senator Grace Poe, who is running for President like Roxas, promised she will not ask questions in the reopening of the investigation and will merely act as moderator.

Roxas was the secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government, which has supervision over the national police, when the Mamasapano massacre took place.

The slain policemen were part of a larger force sent to carry out “Oplan Exodus,” the covert operation to capture Malaysian bomb-maker Zulkifli bin Hir, also known as Marwan, and his Filipino associate, Basit Usman.

Poe is the chairman of the Senate committee on public order, which led the chamber’s inquiry into the Mamasapano incident.

Poe’s committee found President Benigno S. Aquino III ultimately liable for the death of the 44 police commandos who were killed by rebels from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

In November, Enrile sought to reopen the Senate investigation, saying he was detained and unable to ask questions during the hearings.

Upon the approval of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, who heads the Committee on Rules, Poe scheduled the hearing for Jan. 27, one year and two days after the incident.

Asked if she would allow surprise witnesses, Poe said they cannot be prevented from appearing as long as they have reason to speak.

“But if I can see that there is no connection, as presider, I, together with the other senators, will say if they will be allowed or not,” said Poe. She expressed the hope officials from the Executive will attend the hearings.

The senator revealed she is praying the hearing will be finished in just one day.

“When I talked to Senator Enrile, he told me he might be able to finish his questions within two hours,” said Poe. Meanwhile, Malacanang on Wednesday denied the claim of Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. saying that the families of two slain members of the 44 SAF commandos have not received any aid from the government.

“All mandatory benefits stated in the law were already released by the National Police Commission and the Philippine National Police as of April 2015. [These include] special financial assistance, commutation of accumulated leave credits, monthly and back-earned pensions, burial and gratuity assistance, public safety mutual benefit fund,” said Coloma, in an interview over radio station RMN. “Based on an updated report obtained by the Presidential Management Staff from the PNP, the total benefits received by the family of the late Police Senior Inspector [Joey S.] Gamutan was P2.5 million, not P2.6 million.

Moreover, there is only one child-beneficiary of Napolcom scholarship benefits, and not two children,” Coloma also said.

Marcos cited reports quoting the widows of two slain SAF commandos, namely Virgie Viernes and Merlyn Gamutan, who said that they have yet to receive the aid pledged by the government.

“Almost a year has passed after the Mamasapano massacre and yet we continue to hear complaints from some of the kin of the SAF 44 that they have yet to receive the assistance the government promised to them,” Marcos said.

President Aquino, Coloma said, had told the family members that they will be able to receive help such as employment, housing, livelihood, skills training and other benefits.

Coloma said not only immediate family members of the 44 SAF victims, but also their in-laws, will receive the benefits and help from the government.

Senatorial candidate and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez on Wednesday appealed to the government to address the reported undelivered assistance to some of the widows of the 44 members of the slain SAF members.

Romualdez, the president of the Philippine Constitution Association, said it is “lamentable to hear the reported complaints of two SAF widows Virgie Viernes and Merlyn Gamutan about the undelivered assistance.”

Romualdez also reiterated his call for the concerned groups not to prejudge the resumption of the Senate inquiry by calling it politically-motivated.

“Pre-judging the Senate investigation as politically-motivated is baseless and unfounded without listening first to the course of inquiry. The initiative is more of extending ‘malasakit’ [compassion] to give justice to the victims.

Let us allow the investigation to continue in the name of justice and ferret out the whole truth,” Romualdez pointed out.

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Binay to reform SSS if he wins the presidency VICE President Jejomar Binay on Wednesday vowed to give priority to reforming the Social Security System once he was elected president in this year’s national and local elections.

He said he would increase the assistance to pensioners under his administration should Congress refuse to override President Benigno Aquino III’s veto of a bill granting a P2,000 increase in the pension of SSS members.

“If Congress will not override the veto, I will give priority to increasing our assistance to SSS pensioners under my presidency,” Binay said.

“After six years, it has become apparent that the SSS has failed to introduce reforms that would have addressed the long-festering problem of collection inefficiency, poor customer service and the absence of additional benefits for its members,” Binay’s spokesman Joey Salgado said.

He made his statement even as Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the government was now looking into the possibility of increasing the monthly pension of SSS members.

But he said Malacañang would not give “false hopes” to SSS members.

“The SSS is continuing to study [that] but the implication to the stability of the funds is also important,” Coloma said.

“That’s why the contributions and benefits are being balanced. President Benigno Aquino III has no concrete decision yet.”

Meanwhile, the Commission on Audit said the SSS had foregone an estimated rental income of P198.11 million in 2014 from its properties worth P17.956 billion due to mismanagement at the expense of its members and pensioners.

The agency said the SSS continued to take on the fixed costs—such as association dues, power and water bills, repairs and maintenance and manpower—of its idle unoccupied properties without any return

on invested capital.

It said the SSS had further deprived the system of additional funds to be extended as social protection and benefits to its members and beneficiaries.

Salgado said reforming the SSS would be a priority of the Binay administration.

“After six years, it has become apparent that the SSS has failed to introduce reforms that would have addressed the long-festering problem of collection inefficiency, poor customer service and the absence of additional benefits for its members,” Salgado said.

He said the Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG Fund, which Binay used to head, should be seen “as proof that you can expand benefits, improve services and shore up financial stability without increasing contribution.”

“It can be done. Look at Pag-IBIG today,” Salgado said.

“It is not only the most financially stable government corporation, it is also setting the benchmark in customer service. And all the reforms were introduced during the term of the Vice President.”

As of May 2015, the Pag-IBIG Fund had released P169.71 billion in housing loans that benefited 239,903 families, Salgado said.

He said the agency had also expanded its loan programs to cover calamities, education, travel and other purposes. A total of P177 billion had been released to eight million members as of May 2015, a month before Binay resigned from the Cabinet.

Salgado said the presidential veto of the SSS bill, which is being supported by the administration standard bearer Manuel Roxas II, again underscored the absence of compassion especially for senior citizens.

“Our senior citizens have contributed to our economy. The least the administration could do was show concern for their welfare,” Salgado said.

“The SSS pension amounts have been unchanged since 1997 and have not been adjusted for inflation.” Vito Barcelo, Sandy Araneta and rio n. Araja

no debate. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, a presidential candidate, faces students of De La Salle University in Manila on Wednesday during a scheduled presidential debate that only he attended. DAnny PAtA

Duterte: Is Roxas on drugs?

DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday taunted Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II for failing to show up at a presidential forum in Manila on Wednesday, saying he was apparently “on drugs.”

“Let me ask him: Is he on drugs?” Duterte told reporters at the De La Salle University.

“They want a debate but they aren’t here.”

The ruling Liberal Party had criticized Duterte for saying Tuesday night that Roxas was “desperate to win” but yet was “so incompetent”.

“I have never seen a Filipino in quest for the presidency [who is so incompetent],” Duterte told Chinese-Filipino businessmen in Binondo, Manila, Tuesday night.

He said Roxas had accom-

plished nothing throughout his political career and government service under the different administrations he worked for.

Roxas’ spokesman Rep. Barry Gutierrez defended him from Duterte’s attacks on Wednesday morning.

“Mayor Duterte excels at throwing insults. But when Mar challenged him to a debate on substantial issues, he was quick to retreat and make excuses,” Gutierrez said.

“We’ll reiterate our call: Face Mar [Roxas] in a debate no matter if the mayor is only number 4 in the surveys. We won’t take it against him.”

Duterte’s running mate, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, also blasted Gutierrez.

“Barry Gutierrez asked a debate for his principal but

his principal isn’t here,” he said. “[Duterte] showed up but his principal [Roxas] didn’t show up.”

The organizers of the presidential forum said that while two presidential tandems had earlier declined their invitation to speak due to other commitments, another presidential candidate “declined on Tuesday at 7 p.m.”

Roxas’ camp made an announcement to reporters at 12 midnight that he could not make it to his set political sortie on Nueva Ecija yesterday due to “high fever.”

The criticisms thrown by the presidential candidates against each other started when Roxas questioned Duterte’s stance against hoodlums. John Paolo Bencito

Roxas will win, Aquino insists

Presidential Award. President Benigno Aquino III presents the Presidential Mineral

Industry and Environmental Award to executives of Coral Bay Nickel Corp. in the mineral processing category in Malacañang on Wednesday. MAlAcAñAng Photo BureAu

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III expressed confidence Wednesday that Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II will win this year’s presidential election.

“The Filipino people have already achieved so much in the past five years and seven months, and with partners like you, I am confident that, even as I step down from office, our nation will choose to tread the Straight Path,” Aquino said in a speech at the Presidential Mineral Industry Environmental Awards in Malacañang.

“I encourage you all to continue and improve your good

work and to continue your fruitful engagement with your communities and the government.”

The awards highlighted the Philippine mineral industry’s commitment to safety, health, environment and social development as an integral part of mineral resources development.

Aquino said making the most of the country’s mineral resources requires a tremendous balancing act.

“None of us here are strangers to the destructive potential of irresponsible and unregulated mining,” Aquino said.

He said the industry knows

of the hazards posed to the miners themselves and the surrounding communities and the risks to the water systems and agricultural sector.

He recalled incidents like the Marcopper mining disaster and how mercury from Diwalwal had reached the Davao Gulf.

These days, there is an even greater focus on the industry as it faces the increasing threats brought about by climate change, Aquino said.

The industry could not simply ignore the value of mining under fair and effective government regulation.

Sandy Araneta

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Search for jihadists stepped up

By Francisco Tuyay AFTER increased terror activity in Indonesia and Malaysia, the military said on Wednesday it would step up its search for four Indonesian jihadists who are believed to be seeking refuge with local extremists.

Paint bomb veteran. Police Senior Insp. Rodeliza Naoy stands guard with her uniform splattered with paint after student activists threw paint at the US Embassy during a pre-dawn protest to show their demand to junk the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement on Wednesday. AFP PHOTO

Maliksi twitted for medical aid

By Rio N. Araja A TRANSPARENCY watchdog on Wednesday accused Philippine Charity Sweepstake Office chairman Erineo Maliksi of using his position twice to favor a confidential agent to an entitlement of P2.151 million in financial assistance from the agency.

Filipino Empowerment for Transparency and Empowerment president Jennifer “Joy” Castro said she was able to obtain documents showing Maliksi endorsed the request for the financial assistance of his constituent and confidential agent, Celestino Aman, in September last year.

“The letter stated that the P2.1 million for financial assistance for Aman was charged from the charity fund allotment.

The said amount covers the room and board, professional fees as well as medicines and laboratory procedures,” she noted.

According to Castro, Maliksi also used the Priority Development Assistance Fund of Cavite Rep. Alex Advincula to complete the payment of the bill of his former driver from Imus, Cavite totaling P2.85 million.

“In a letter dated Dec. 9, 2015, Maliksi asked PHC executive director Manuel Chua Chiaco Jr. to use P700,000 of the balance in Maliksi’s former PDAF allocation to PHC which was turned over to Advincula,” she said.

“As former representative of the 3rd District of Cavite, this representation had allocated certain amounts in the Philippine Heart Center to help defray the medical

expense of my constituents in said hospital,” Maliksi’s letter read.

“I understand that of the amount allocated, there remained a balance amounting to Seven Hundred Thousand Pesos [P700,000.00] which I turned over for the use of the incumbent representative of the Third District, the Honorable Alex L. Advincula.”

Castro questioned the preferential treatment extended by Maliksi to Aman.

Advincula signed Maliksi’s letter to “conforme” and approve it.

“There is nothing wrong to help people. But why is there a special treatment?” Castro asked, even as a House of Representatives panel directed PCSO officials to fully account for the over P400-million medical assistance extended by the agency.

Military sources, who asked not to be identified, identified the four as Arsyad Sagoni, 43; Suwito Tujimon, 23, Anuar Yancong, 27; and Amir Nanggi, 43, all Buginese Indonesians who fled Sulawesi after Jakarta cracked down on Islamic militants with apparent links to international terror group IS. The source said the military had already known of the presence of the four Indonesians in Mindanao even before Indonesian militant Sucipto Ibrahim Ali, alias Abdul Fatah, was killed in a clash with soldiers in Sultan Kudarat last November.

The military said at that time that Sucipto is known to be a member of the Mujahidin Indonesia Timur and slipped into the country with other foreigners and are now hiding with members of Ansar al-Khilafah Philippines, a new group of jihadists in Mindanao.

But the military insisted that the presence of these foreign jihadists in Mindanao did not mean that the terror group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria had already established a presence in the country.

“Our intelligence community has not reported the presence of ISIS in the region, although the military and police are not taking chances,” said Capt. Patrick Martinez, spokesperson of the army’s 4th Infantry Division in Cagayan de Oro. He said that the military and police have stepped up intelligence gathering in the region to check on terror groups, particularly ISIS members.

Martinez, however, said that the military is also appealing to the civilian populace to be on guard against suspicious groups or activities in their areas.

The military would immediately respond to any form of threat that might evolve with the presence of suspected terror groups in any part of Northern Mindanao, he said.

The military’s 4ID covers the 10 provinces and about 12 cities, including the port capital city of Cagayan De Oro in Northern Mindanao.

On Tuesday, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Hernando Irriberi himself confirmed that the military is looking for nine foreign terrorists, among them five Malaysian jihadists, who are believed to be hiding with extremists in Mindanao.

Bill vs erring cabbies OKd

By Maricel V. Cruz THE House committee on transportation approved on Wednesday a measure imposing penalties against rude and abusive taxi drivers.

The committee, chaired by Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento, passed the measure in the light of recent complaints against rude and abusive taxi drivers.

“This bill will protect taxi riders and will provide mechanism for penalizing abusive taxi drivers,” Sarmiento said, adding that the bill will be referred to the plenary for action as soon the committee report is readied.

Under the measure, taxi drivers are required to obtain the proper license, wear proper clothing and show an official identification card.

The bill provides penalties against violators, such as a fine of P1,000 and suspension of driver’s license for seven days.

The bill notes that a fine of P3,000 and suspension of driver’s license for a period

of six months shall be imposed on second offense.

A fine of P5,000 and year-long suspension of driver’s license await drivers who will violate the provisions of the measure for the third and succeeding times.

Operators will be fined anywhere between P1,000 to P5,000 for each offense at the discretion of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, under the bill.

“In all cases, the erring driver or operator shall undergo an education seminar provided under the measure.

The attendance by the concerned drivers and operators in such seminars shall be mandatory failure of which shall be a ground for the non-reinstatement of the driver’s license or suspension of the franchise of the operator, as the case may be,” the bill provides.

The bill also mandates taxi drivers to “be courteous and not be under the influence of alcohol or dangerous drugs,” Sarmiento said.

Unfazed. Businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles attends hearing of the plunder charge against her at the Sandiganbayan court house in Quezon City on Wednesday. JANSEN ROMERO

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High court revamps 3 divisions

Miss Aviation bets. Fifteen candidates vying for the Miss Aviation Philippines 2016 title pose for photographers on Tuesday during a press

presentation at Edsa Shangri-La Mall Cineplex in Mandaluyong City. Organizers say the pageant aims to inspire the youth to pursue a career in aviation, empower the women in the industry and support the country’s tourism initiatives. EY ACASIO

House bides its time on lawmaker’s ouster

By Maricel V. Cruz

The house of Representatives will not carry out the Supreme Court decision to oust Rep. Regina Ongsiako-Reyes and to make way for former congressman Lord Allan Velasco to take the seat for Marinduque, house Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said on Wednesday.

Belmonte said the house leadership will await for a final ruling on the issuance of a “writ of mandamus” before taking action on the order.

“Our lawyers are studying [the SC order], together with documents from the [house of Representatives electoral

Tribunal,” Belmonte said.

The house, thru the Office of the Solicitor General, is expected to file the motion for reconsideration before the SC to reverse its decision.

Both Belmonte and Reyes are members of the ruling Liberal Party.

This developed as lawyer harry Roque, counsel for Ongsiako-Reyes, maitained that the congresswoman continues to be the lawful representative of Marinduque in Congress.

Roque said the camp of Ongsiako-Reyes has also filed a motion for reconsideration, and maintained that the hReT, and not the SC, has the sole jurisdiction over Ongsiako-Reyes’ case.

In its ruling, the high court asked house Secretary General Marilyn Barua-Yap, being the public respondent, to “register the name of petitioner Velasco in the roll of members of the house of Representatives after he has taken his oath of office.”

SC spokesman Theodore Te had earlier confirmed the court

en banc granted the petition for mandamus filed by the young Velasco ordering Belmonte to administer the oath of former lawmaker as the duly-elected representative of Marinduque.

The SC said the young Velasco was entitled to the writ of mandamus under Rule 65, Sec. 3 because the finality of the court’s ruling in GR No. 207264 and the Comelec resolution in SPA No. 13-053 and SPC No. 13-010 “left no issue as to who is the rightful representative of the lone district of Marinduque.”

Under GR No. 207264, the high tribunal magistrates voted 7-4-3 to dismiss a petition for certiorari filed by Ongsiako-Reyes, contesting her disqualification by the Commission on elections.

The retirement of Associate Justice Martin S. Villarama Jr. last week paved the way for the reorganization of the Supreme Court’s three divisions.

Under Memorandum Circular No. 2311 signed by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P. A. Sereno, the Court’s First Division headed by chief magistrate herself is now composed of Justices Teresita J. Leonardo-de Castro, Lucas P. Bersamin, estela M. Perlas-Bernabe, and Francis h.

Jardeleza.

The Court’s Second Division chaired by Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio will have Justices Arturo D. Brion, Mariano C. del Castillo, Jose Catral Mendoza, and Marvic Mario Victor F. Leonen as members.

Justice Presbitero J. Velasco Jr. heads the third division with Justices Diosdado M. Peralta, Jose Portugal Perez, and Bienvenido L. Reyes. Justice Jardeleza is a temporary member of the division until a new justice is appointed.

The Judicial and Bar Council has submitted to President Aquino its five nominees to the vacant post in the SC. The shortlisted aspirants include Justice Secretary Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Andres Reyes, CA Associate Justice Jose Reyes, former Commission on Audit Chairperson Maria Gracia Pulido Tan, and CA Associate Justice Apolinario Bruselas.

Under the Constitution, the President has 90 days from Jan. 16, the date of Villarama’s retirement, to appoint a replacement.

The SC’s three divisions meet Mondays and Wednesdays. As a full court, the SC meets every Tuesday and may call as many special sessions as needed.

Rey E. Requejo

Corona loses plea to stop perjury trial

By Rio N. Araja The Sandiganbayan on Wednesday rejected the petition of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona to stop his trial on eight counts of perjury.

In a 28-page resolution, the Third Division ruled Corona was not able to present strong pieces of evidence to convince the court to reverse its Aug. 13, 2015 resolution directing the proceedings of his trial.

The anti-graft court said Corona presented the same arguments he had already offered in his motion for judicial determination of probable cause.

“The Court finds the accused’s motion for reconsideration devoid

of merit. To be sure, the aforesaid issues have been previously raised by the accused in his motion for judicial determination of probable cause. They were thoroughly considered and passed upon by the Court in its assailed Resolution,” the decision read.

Corona’s arraignment is set on Jan. 26 at 1:30 p.m.

Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice and Third Division chairman Amparo Cabotaje-Tang and Associate Justices Alez Quiroz, Jose hernandez, and Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-estoesta voted to put Corona on trial.

Associate Justice Samuel Martires issued dissenting opinion.

The anti-graft court’s decision last Wednesday maintained

its findings of probable cause against Corona.

“The validity and merits of a party’s accusation or defense, as well as admissibility of testimonies and evidence, are better ventilated during the trial proper.

To repeat, a finding of probable cause needs only rest on evidence showingthat, morelikelythannot, a crime has been committed and that it was committed by the accused,” the resolution read.

In April last year, the Office of the Ombudsman filed charges against Corona before the Sandiganbayan for misdeclaration of assets in his Statement of Assets Liabilities and Net Worth from 2001 to 2011.

School offering. Apec Schools, a joint venture of Ayala Education and UK-

based Pearsons, will open their doors to incoming Senior High School students.

The school is offering 3,500 seats for free to public school Grade 10 graduates entering Senior High School. Beth G. Lui, president and CEO of Apec Schools, and Alfredo I. Ayala, president and CEO of Ayala Education announce the offer during a press conference held at Oakwood Premier, Mandaluyong City.

MANNY PALMERO

t h u r s d ay : j a n u a r y 2 1 , 2 0 1 6

A6

news

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Manila cops receive P286m

By Joel e. Zurbano

Mayor Joseph Estrada on Wednesday gave the Manila Police District a total of P286-million additional fund for the allowance and equipment of policemen in a bid to boost efforts aimed at crime control and prevention in the city.

Estrada, who was the guest of honor during the MPD’s 115th anniversary celebration on Wednesday, said the funds came from the city government’s real property tax collection.

“Manila is now moving forward. Our debt has been erased. In 2013, Manila had total unpaid ob-

ligations of more than P5 billion. Today, that figure stands at zero,” he said.

Of the P286-million budget, P136 million was allocated for the allowance of policemen and other financial needs of MPD while P150 million was used to purchase new equipment to enhance its ca-

pability in monitoring criminal activities and to have quicker response in conducting rescue and other police operations.

Estrada, during his speech, also described officers and members of the “Manila’s Finest” as his valued partner in keeping the city safe, secure and peaceful.

“Because we succeeded in erasing Manila’s debts, we started fulfilling our obligations to those who had waited so long to receive what was due to them.

First, our brave policemen.

Before, they received nothing. For two and a half years, they didn’t receive allowances,” he said.

“I chose to prioritize the allowances of the Manila Police because everyday, the lives of policemen are in danger. You deserve to be taken care of by the people of this city, through your local government,” Estrada added.

Last year, the city government gave the MPD 110 electric personal transporters and 15 patrol cars using the financial assistance from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. Another 14 patrol cars were also provided using the city government fund.

“These vehicles are in addition to the 12 patrol cars previously donated by

our friends from the Filipino-Chinese community, represented by four of its biggest business organizations,” said Estrada.

The renovation of the MPD headquarters main building along United Nations Avenue in Ermita has also been completed recently.

Estrada said the city government allocated P20million budget for the renovation project to give police officers, members and other personnel of MPD a fresh environment that encourage hard work and dedication.

“I especially commend our District Director, Gen. Rolando Nana, for doing

an outstanding job in leading the MPD. I call on all of you to continue to support him. To all the dedicated and hardworking men and women of Manila’s Finest: I extend my warmest greetings on your 115th anniversary,” he said.

Last year, the city government increased the budget of 896 barangays to enhance their crime prevention efforts in their community.

Virgilio Eustaquio, head of the Manila Barangay Bureau, said the fund increase from P0.95 billion in 2014 to P1.96 billion in 2015 was mainly used to fight criminality in the community.

Papers reveal military hand in property feud

Manila’s Finest. Mayor Joseph Estrada troops the line during the 115th founding anniversary of the Manila Police District Command on Wednesday, Jan. 20. DANNY PATA

DOCUMENTs have surfaced that show that members of the military may be involved in the property dispute between the Iglesia ni Cristo and Angel Manalo and Lottie Manalo-Hemedez, the siblings of Executive Minister Eduardo V. Manalo, which revolve around a property of the INC in 36 Tandang sora, Quezon City.

The documents, which detail the schedule, movements, and possible scenarios on the day of the Hemedez press conference on Jan. 15, mention “marines” in obvious reference to her security detail. A certain Reuben santiago, a listed active member of the marines, appears to be the security team leader of Lottie Hemedez, while Lowell Menorca II, appears to be the main organizer.

The marines have been observed accompanying and providing security for He-

medez during her media appearances. They also figured in an altercation with INC security guards when Hemedez attempted to enter the disputed property in Quezon City. Both sides have accused the other of drawing their weapons during the clash.

Asked for comment, INC spokesman Edwil Zabala said he had no knowledge of the documents, but admitted that the INC “had received reports that armed masked men were seen entering the compound.”

“The presence of these suspicious masked men is one of the reasons we asked Ms. Hemedez and the other expelled members to leave the premises,” said Zabala.

According to the minister, the church had exercised “maximum tolerance” by allowing Hemedez and her family to stay at the property after their expulsion from the INC.

Graft court sets trial of ‘pork’ cases

By Rio N. Araja THE sandiganbayan will begin the trial proper next week for the plunder charges filed by the Office of the Ombudsman against alleged pork barrel fund scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles and lawyer Jessica Lucille “Gigi” Reyes, former chief of staff of the 91-year-old senator Juan Ponce Enrile.

The Third Division said marathon hearings will be conducted from Wednesdays to Fridays until July 7.

Napoles and Reyes are also facing multiple counts of graft raps for their involvement in the pork barrel fund scam.

But Enrile’s plunder case has been shelved due to the senator’s motion pending before the supreme Court.

Government prosecutors on Wednesday presented Marina sula, who also took the witness stand in the bail pleas of Napoles and Reyes, who were charged over their involvement in Enrile’s supposed P172-million commission from his Priority Development Assistance Fund funneled to the latter’s fake foundations.

sula used to be Napoles’ property custodian and the president of Masaganang Ani Para sa Magsasaka Foundation Inc. she told the anti-graft court of her personal knowledge in creating the names of several foundations of Napoles used as recipients of Enrile’s pork barrel fund.

According to sula, she was able to register 20 ghost foundations with the securities and Exchanges Commission, and opened saving accounts for each foundation. she told the court that Napoles’ househelpers, drivers and relatives were the incorporators of the foundations.

The lawyer of Reyes, Anacleto Diaz, however, requested the anti-graft court to allow the stipulation of sula’s testimonies made during the bail hearings.

Meanwhile, the camp of Napoles through her counsel, stephen David, questioned the expedition of the plunder trial on his clients.

The anti-graft court ordered Napoles to ap- Whistleblower. State witness Marina Sula testifies in the plunder case against Janet pear in the hearing every Wednesday and Napoles, principal suspect in the pork barrel scam, at the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2016. JANseN RoMeRo Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

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

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NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Symposium precedes Eucharistic Congress in Cebu

Hot but cold. Tourists visiting the Cagsawa ruins in Albay treat themselves to sili ice cream. OMAR MANGORSI

Police arrest Central Luzon’s ‘carnap king’

By Florante S. Solmerin

POLICE arrested Tuesday the man tagged as “carnap king” of Central Luzon after several days of surveillance operations in Hagonoy, Bulacan, provincial police director Senior Superintendent Ferdinand Divina said Wednesday.

Divina said Darius Novilla was immediately handcuffed when he ar-

rived in his hideout in Barangay San Isidro Matanda at around 4:30 in the

afternoon.

He said Novilla has three warrants of arrest and these are Criminal Case Number 3036-2014 and CC No. 2793-2014 for violation of Republic Act 6539 (carnapping) issued by presiding judge Lily De Vera-Vallo of the Regional Trial Court Branch 64, Tarlac City and CC No. 2896-2014 for violation of

RA 6539 issued by presiding judge Ma. Magdelena Balderama of RTC, Branch 65, Tarlac City.

“The operation against Novilla stemmed from intelligence information provided by a concerned citizen to HPG. Surveillance and casing operation was conducted by the operating team in coordination with barangay authorities

until the hideout of the suspect was zeroed by an action agent,” Divina said.

The arresting team was led by Chief Inspector Ronnie Failoga of the Bulacan Highway Patrol Team.

“Novilla is responsible in some series of carjacking incidents including motorcycles here in Bulacan and adjacent provinces,” Divina said.

SERVING as an underpinning for the 51st International Eucharistic Congress that will begin on Jan. 24 in Cebu, theological symposium started Wednesday at the Cebu Doctors’ University auditorium.

Among the topics to be taken up are the Christian virtue of hope, an exegetical discussion of a passage from the gospel of St. John, liturgy and inculturation, the history of the “Novus Ordo,” the evangelization of the secular world, and a catechesis on the Sunday Eucharist.

The topics have been chosen for their relevance to the threefold theme of the IEC: the centrality of the Eucharist in Christian life, the liturgical celebration and the social dimension of the Eucharist.

Organizers hope the symposium would give clear ideas to those who are not yet familiar with the theological understanding of the sacrament, or otherwise would offer a review if not deepen the knowledge of those who already have studied and are availing of it.

The symposium would also give a glimpse of the current issues, problems and challenges regarding this sacrament in the different places and cultures of the world.

Workshops will also be held to come up with pastoral plans, strategies and programs.

The speakers and workshop facilitators have been chosen from a pool of renowned theologians and educators.

‘Business, military must uphold public welfare’

By Dexter A. See

High and dry. Drought creeps in, as can be seen on these bare vegetable farmlands in Tuba, Benguet. DAVID CHAN

BAGUIO CITY—Business and the military share a common mission of upholding public welfare amidst the stringent challenges that confront both sectors, business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan said in a speech before more than 1,000 cadets of the Philippine Military Academy.

Pangilinan said conflict and instability are destructive, retard business, damage assets and infrastructure and discourage employment.

Beyond the economic reasons, Pangilinan said businesses are an integral part of any community.

They have a duty to promote and protect the welfare of the people to whom they sell their products and services.

“I believe soldiers are not warmongers because you suffer the deepest wounds and painful scars of war.

Both of us dislike war. Both of us pray for a peaceful and prosperous Philippines,” Pangilinan stressed.

He pointed out the Academy’s trinity of values, courage, integrity and loyalty, reverently captures what a solider does for his country, saying that the core values help them build strength when courage falters, find honor when integrity weavers, and preserve loyalty when challenged.

“We all know leadership requires certain basic attributes. Foremost is a strong sense of purpose, a defining ideology, which shapes and informs that leadership. For me, that most noble purpose is alleviation of poverty,” Pangilinan added.

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

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OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

DUTY CALLS FLORENCIO FIANZA

A QUESTION OF LEADERSHIP

[ EDI TORI A L ]

FESTERING IT IS interesting that a former minister of the religious sect Iglesia ni Cristo was on his way to a Court of Appeals hearing in Manila when he was arrested for a libel case that had been filed in Marawi City.

A brief chase ensued when Lowell Menorca resisted arrest, pointing out that the men who were arresting him did not wear uniforms and refused to show identification. The police officer who initially led the arrest was also a member of INC. Menorca’s lawyer said they had not even been aware of a libel case. The case was filed by the Society of Communicators and Networkers International, whom Menorca had accused of being a hit squad of the INC. But leaders of the influential religious group denied any hand in the arrest of Menorca.

The former minister has been suspected of being the blogger who revealed in social media alleged excesses and corruption in the Manalo family-led church group. Menorca turned to the Court of Appeals over his claims he and his family were detained for weeks by powerful forces within the sect.

At this point, it would be useless for the millions-strong Iglesia to expect answers about the festering controversy that involves the very leaders they revere and the very practices they perform, well, religiously. Even the standoff right inside the Manalos’ family home in Quezon City had not been given sufficient follow through.

Instead, the accusations have been portrayed as mere attempts to smear the image of the Church.

Or maybe they are not even asking questions in the first place, preferring the status quo.

In the meantime, the Iglesia remains as relevant as ever given the proximity of the 2016 elections. The sect is known to vote as a bloc, with numerous national and local candidates seeking its endorsement as May 9 draws near.

Menorca’s saga may fascinate observers, but it is likely to amount to only that. No answers are forthcoming, much to the detriment of the sect’s members who have the highest stakes in the controversy.

IS HE ON DRUGS? LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES MAYOR Rodrigo Duterte asked yesterday if his rival, administration candidate Mar Roxas, is doing drugs. I don’t think Roxas is on anything—but I really wonder if I can say the same thing about President Noynoy Aquino.

Aquino yesterday announced in a televised speech that the proper way

to honor the 44 commandos who were butchered last year in Mamasapano, Maguindanao is to pass the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, which he has long been pushing. And unfortunately, I am not making this up.

Here’s what Aquino said: “If the peace process does not succeed, if we return to the status quo or if the violence gets worse, isn’t this the exact opposite of what they gave their lives for?”

Of course, the basic flaw of Aquino’s reasoning is that he

equates, like his government panel that is negotiating with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, peace with the BBL. It that an old line that both the government and the MILF have long been spreading: No BBL, no peace.

But the new twist discovered by Aquino, apparently all by himself, is that passing the BBL is doing honor to the Fallen 44. Not by awarding them the Medal of Valor, by the way—the highest award that can be given to uniformed

Aquino will do anything, even dishonor the policemen who died in Mamasapano, to get what he wants.

A9

personnel who die in the line of duty and which has still not been given to them—but by passing the law that the MILF, which helped butcher them, wants passed.

Never mind that the non-passage of the BBL was directly caused by the involvement of the MILF in the killing of the SAF men in Mamasapano. And never mind if the MILF, up to this day, has not surrendered or even identified its members who were involved in the massacre.

And didn’t Aquino and his men call on the entire nation to “move on” from the horrific

killings because, after all, he already promised to bring that sad chapter of his presidency with him to his grave?

Why should anyone then dredge up the killings now, especially if they will only be used as yet another reason for Aquino to ram BBL down our collective throats?

I think what Aquino is trying to do is clutch at whatever straws he can in order to have his pet law passed—something that, at this point, is simply not going to happen.

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-

And Aquino will do anything, even dishonor the policemen who died in Mamasapano, to get what he wants.

Aquino has always had an unusual way of looking at things, which some people think can be attributed to the drugs he supposedly takes. But asking Congress to honor the SAF 44 by passing the law that their killers want is just going a bit too far.

Thank God there is simply no more time to enact the law, with

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

just two weeks’ worth of Congress sessions left. Or else there might be some congressmen, as drug-addled as the BBL’s main proponent, who would pass the law just to honor the slain policemen the way Aquino wants them honored.

In Aquino’s fevered mind, the passage of the BBL is of supreme importance. The only explanation seems to be the effect of very powerful pharmaceutical products.

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

‘PROVE me wrong’ was the big challenge of President Aquino to his detractors on his veto of House Bill 5842 that would have increased the current pension of about 2.5-million Social Security Service retirees by P2,000. The current destitution and scandalous pension of P1,200 is roughly about $25 a month and is way below the two dollars considered to be the absolute minimum for an individual to survive for a day.

President Aquino is missing the point in the whole debate. No one is questioning that the SSS pension fund, which has been projected to run out in 27 years, will go bankrupt in about 13 years if he had signed the bill. It is more a question of leadership and the quality of team Daang Matuwid to manage the institutions tasked to provide services to the more needy segment of the population. On this score, President Aquino has been a failure.

From responding efficiently to natural calamities to pension of retirees, he has shown complete indifference.

In spite of the rhetoric coming from the Palace, President Aquino has done the least for the welfare of retirees. Not one SSS executive has explained why collection efficiency is hovering around 35 percent and why despite this, the SSS leadership had the temerity to award themselves bonuses to the tune of hundreds of millions of pesos. Their only solution is to increase pension contributions.

Is that the best that they can do?

They should find ways to double their collection effort before asking for increased contributions. If they are successful in this endeavor, this will go a long way in extending the life of the pension fund while at the same time have some funds to increase the pension of SSS retirees. As it is, the Aquino administration increased SSS pensions once and only by 5 percent, the lowest any President ever did.

This debate is also all about the public looking for a demonstration of understanding and compassion from their leader. Sometimes, it is how one does and says things and not in what has to be done and said that matters most. The President should have shown more empathy to his constituents who need the pension increase most and not the bombastic and clinical challenge that he issued.

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

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

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

DUTY CALLS FLORENCIO FIANZA

A QUESTION OF LEADERSHIP

[ EDI TORI A L ]

FESTERING IT IS interesting that a former minister of the religious sect Iglesia ni Cristo was on his way to a Court of Appeals hearing in Manila when he was arrested for a libel case that had been filed in Marawi City.

A brief chase ensued when Lowell Menorca resisted arrest, pointing out that the men who were arresting him did not wear uniforms and refused to show identification. The police officer who initially led the arrest was also a member of INC. Menorca’s lawyer said they had not even been aware of a libel case. The case was filed by the Society of Communicators and Networkers International, whom Menorca had accused of being a hit squad of the INC. But leaders of the influential religious group denied any hand in the arrest of Menorca.

The former minister has been suspected of being the blogger who revealed in social media alleged excesses and corruption in the Manalo family-led church group. Menorca turned to the Court of Appeals over his claims he and his family were detained for weeks by powerful forces within the sect.

At this point, it would be useless for the millions-strong Iglesia to expect answers about the festering controversy that involves the very leaders they revere and the very practices they perform, well, religiously. Even the standoff right inside the Manalos’ family home in Quezon City had not been given sufficient follow through.

Instead, the accusations have been portrayed as mere attempts to smear the image of the Church.

Or maybe they are not even asking questions in the first place, preferring the status quo.

In the meantime, the Iglesia remains as relevant as ever given the proximity of the 2016 elections. The sect is known to vote as a bloc, with numerous national and local candidates seeking its endorsement as May 9 draws near.

Menorca’s saga may fascinate observers, but it is likely to amount to only that. No answers are forthcoming, much to the detriment of the sect’s members who have the highest stakes in the controversy.

IS HE ON DRUGS? LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES MAYOR Rodrigo Duterte asked yesterday if his rival, administration candidate Mar Roxas, is doing drugs. I don’t think Roxas is on anything—but I really wonder if I can say the same thing about President Noynoy Aquino.

Aquino yesterday announced in a televised speech that the proper way

to honor the 44 commandos who were butchered last year in Mamasapano, Maguindanao is to pass the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, which he has long been pushing. And unfortunately, I am not making this up.

Here’s what Aquino said: “If the peace process does not succeed, if we return to the status quo or if the violence gets worse, isn’t this the exact opposite of what they gave their lives for?”

Of course, the basic flaw of Aquino’s reasoning is that he

equates, like his government panel that is negotiating with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, peace with the BBL. It that an old line that both the government and the MILF have long been spreading: No BBL, no peace.

But the new twist discovered by Aquino, apparently all by himself, is that passing the BBL is doing honor to the Fallen 44. Not by awarding them the Medal of Valor, by the way—the highest award that can be given to uniformed

Aquino will do anything, even dishonor the policemen who died in Mamasapano, to get what he wants.

A9

personnel who die in the line of duty and which has still not been given to them—but by passing the law that the MILF, which helped butcher them, wants passed.

Never mind that the non-passage of the BBL was directly caused by the involvement of the MILF in the killing of the SAF men in Mamasapano. And never mind if the MILF, up to this day, has not surrendered or even identified its members who were involved in the massacre.

And didn’t Aquino and his men call on the entire nation to “move on” from the horrific

killings because, after all, he already promised to bring that sad chapter of his presidency with him to his grave?

Why should anyone then dredge up the killings now, especially if they will only be used as yet another reason for Aquino to ram BBL down our collective throats?

I think what Aquino is trying to do is clutch at whatever straws he can in order to have his pet law passed—something that, at this point, is simply not going to happen.

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-

And Aquino will do anything, even dishonor the policemen who died in Mamasapano, to get what he wants.

Aquino has always had an unusual way of looking at things, which some people think can be attributed to the drugs he supposedly takes. But asking Congress to honor the SAF 44 by passing the law that their killers want is just going a bit too far.

Thank God there is simply no more time to enact the law, with

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

just two weeks’ worth of Congress sessions left. Or else there might be some congressmen, as drug-addled as the BBL’s main proponent, who would pass the law just to honor the slain policemen the way Aquino wants them honored.

In Aquino’s fevered mind, the passage of the BBL is of supreme importance. The only explanation seems to be the effect of very powerful pharmaceutical products.

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

‘PROVE me wrong’ was the big challenge of President Aquino to his detractors on his veto of House Bill 5842 that would have increased the current pension of about 2.5-million Social Security Service retirees by P2,000. The current destitution and scandalous pension of P1,200 is roughly about $25 a month and is way below the two dollars considered to be the absolute minimum for an individual to survive for a day.

President Aquino is missing the point in the whole debate. No one is questioning that the SSS pension fund, which has been projected to run out in 27 years, will go bankrupt in about 13 years if he had signed the bill. It is more a question of leadership and the quality of team Daang Matuwid to manage the institutions tasked to provide services to the more needy segment of the population. On this score, President Aquino has been a failure.

From responding efficiently to natural calamities to pension of retirees, he has shown complete indifference.

In spite of the rhetoric coming from the Palace, President Aquino has done the least for the welfare of retirees. Not one SSS executive has explained why collection efficiency is hovering around 35 percent and why despite this, the SSS leadership had the temerity to award themselves bonuses to the tune of hundreds of millions of pesos. Their only solution is to increase pension contributions.

Is that the best that they can do?

They should find ways to double their collection effort before asking for increased contributions. If they are successful in this endeavor, this will go a long way in extending the life of the pension fund while at the same time have some funds to increase the pension of SSS retirees. As it is, the Aquino administration increased SSS pensions once and only by 5 percent, the lowest any President ever did.

This debate is also all about the public looking for a demonstration of understanding and compassion from their leader. Sometimes, it is how one does and says things and not in what has to be done and said that matters most. The President should have shown more empathy to his constituents who need the pension increase most and not the bombastic and clinical challenge that he issued.

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

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

A10

OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

60-40 AGAINST MRS. LLAMANZARES TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

AFTER several months in denial, Malacañang and the Armed Forces of the Philippines finally admitted the entry of nine foreign terrorists into the country.

This was only after the Jakarta bombing by the ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) using Philippine-sourced firearms, a sure sign that the ISIS terrorists are already operating here.

I cannot comprehend why BS Aquino III and the military insist that the ISIS terrorists have not infiltrated the country despite proof that the breakaway group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front—the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters—are already flying the ISIS flag.

Some justices believe the Constitution must be read liberally.

In the case of the Abu Sayyaf Group, it has long been associated with the Islamic jihadists.

Santa Banana, what can BS Aquino III gain by denying the ISIS presence in the country when there is need for more vigilance against terrorism? What can the AFP gain and achieve by echoing the President’s claim? They should be the one to warn us first. *** The motives of Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile in reopening the Mama-

sapano massacre of the SAF 44 in Mamasapano are entirely irrelevant to the people’s need to know the truth about what happened.

It’s true that Malacañang resorted to “selective justice” in going against three opposition senators, like Enrile, Bong Revilla and Jinggoy Estrada, using the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice to detain these senators for the pork barrel scam. But they must be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

What is more important is for the people to know the truth.

BS Aquino III is the President and Chief Executive, the top cop of the Philippine National Police and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

The ultimate blame, accountability, responsibility and liability lies on his shoulders.

Enrile tells us that BS Aquino III was in charge of “Oplan Exodus” from beginning to the end.

BS Aquino supposedly kept monitoring the mission of the PNP Special Action Force even from the plane he was on, en route to Zamboanga supposedly to inspect the result of a bombing which killed one person.

Enrile claims he has solid proof to support his contention. He has witnesses who want to be heard. At the 365 Club at its new venue at Holiday Inn, Makati, JPE said he is in possession of text messages during that massacre.

If Enrile can prove all these, BS Aquino III and even Mar Roxas better get ready for their political graves.

Cabinet members who testified during earlier Mamasapano hearings will go to jail for perjury.

I wrote earlier that the Mamasapano massacre is the defining

BURNOUT FROM THE OIL GLUT TWO weeks ago, I underscored the need for our voters to choose national candidates who have the experience and savvy to grasp the complexity of international politics.

The mounting tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran is a cause for concern for foreign policy at the dusk of the Aquino administration, and its implications reverberate in different national issues such as the security of our overseas foreign workers, as well as the Mindanao peace process.

Our national leaders, both potential and present, are now looking at the Middle East through an economic lens, and pans out West to East. The attention to the conflict has moved on to the alarming decline of world oil prices, which has fallen to 2003 levels as of writing. The world is experiencing an oil glut—an oversupply that came from an enthusiastic production from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Nigeria, and Algeria to fuel the expansion of economies in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Production from the United States has doubled in recent years, and oil importers to the country were forced to look for other markets. Oil production and exportation from Canada and even Russia were also on the rise. Once Iran’s economic sanctions are lifted soon, the global economy can expect an influx of additional half a million barrels a day. All these translate to one to two million barrels a day of excess global production of oil for a world that requires 94 million barrels a day.

At first glance, oil prices potentially dropping below $30 a barrel is good news for the country. This is the first good news the Philippine transport sector moment of BS Aquino’s six-year presidency. It exposes him to be an incompetent, heartless, insensitive leader, incapable of empathy for the poor and the aggrieved.

That massacre could also be his tipping point, destroying whatever legacy he thinks he could leave when he steps down in June 30 this year.

This could mean his indictment for his ultimate responsibility and liability for the death of the Fallen 44. *** Those who were at the hearing of oral arguments on the disqualifications cases against Mrs.

MINORITY REPORT DANILO SUAREZ has received in a long time, and is true for other industries that rely on oil consumption, such as the energy sector that needs a reprieve such as this. For the commuting public, this could translate to lowered public transport fares, which should be carefully balanced with the need of PUV drivers and operators to manage their means of livelihood.

For oil-based power generating companies, the lowered costs of producing electricity, thus meaning higher profits; whether this also means more affordable electricity for Filipinos remains to be seen. From here on, the simple economics beyond the basics of supply and demand for understanding the global oil prices stops.

Our economic experts are warning that a sustained drop could result in a corresponding fall of as much as $400 million to $2 billion in remittances from overseas Filipino workers based in the Middle East. Experts say that while oil-exporting countries such as ours would benefit from the oil glut in the short term, the medium-term implications could spell weakened OFW remittances due to the risks of their construction and other contractual projects slowing down.

It is now apparent that both the physical and employment security of our OFWs in the Middle East are at risk because of the conflict and economy, respectively.

Granted that the lifted sanctions against Iran poses opportunities for OFWs, consistent reliance on remittances from offshore employment for our countrymen given the present Middle East is

Grace Natividad Kelly Poe Llamanzares told me that from the way some Supreme Court associate justices were asking questions, majority of the justices are likely to disqualify her.

On her residency, it appeared to be a lie that she committed an honest mistake in not correcting her Certificate of Candidacy for the Senate. My gulay, she is supposed to be an intelligent woman!

If you count the six years and six months she claimed as her residency for the Senate, plus three years at the Senate, she would not have the required 10

bad labor policy. If we expect our countrymen to find jobs in Iran, how does that fare in our relations with Saudi Arabia? This is but one of the complex questions that our future president must confront if the country needs to sustain its economic growth into and beyond the next administration.

As for the bigger economic picture, we are currently seeing record declines in the stock market performance in different countries, particularly those whose wealth depends on the price of oil. China, the second largest economy in the world, is on a downturn so big that it is part of the reason oil prices are going down. In addition, low oil prices hold back investments in oil exploration and production, but experts say that it could also go against initiatives in cultivating renewable energy sources due to the lowered costs. Stock market doomsayers are even claiming a repeat of the 1997 or 2006 economic crisis.

Yet, our economic experts tend to paint a rosy picture for the country, since government expenditures allotted for the purchase of oil products and other related lower costs can be reallocated to funding projects such as poverty alleviation and infrastructure development. Our task now, and for the succeeding administration, is how to take advantage of the situation while securing a buffer for the national economy from the effects of a potential global crisis. We must build on the gains from the economic development in the last few, but our dependence on outside markets for our export economy, import necessities, and employment opportunities make us vulnerable to economic collapse. The oil glut is here either to fuel our progress or burn us to the ground.

years residency. Poe’s lawyers claimed that she corrected that last year, but a justice asked: Why only last year?

As for the claim that under international law, a foundling is presumed to be natural born, some of the justices could not accept “presumption” of a case when at stake is the presidency of the land. A foundling can at best be presumed as a Filipino citizen, but not natural-born.

The Poe camp is now relying on the argument of Justice Marvic Leonon, who is using the interpretation of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Artemio Pan-

ganiban that the Constitution must be interpreted liberally. I am not too sure, though, that the majority will adopt the Panganiban argument.

The oral arguments will resume Tuesday next week. In the meantime, our fingers are crossed about the decision on the disqualification case.

Oh yes, there’s proof that Mrs. Llamanzares went back to the US using her American passport many times after she reacquired her Filipino citizenship under the Dual Citizenship Law. Knowing recent decisions of the Continued on A11

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OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

POP GOES THE WORLD

THE MONTH THE MUSIC DIED

JENNY ORTUOSTE ONE after the other the deaths came after the New Year, the Grim Reaper mowing down musicians like so many helpless blades of grass—Natalie Cole, Lemmy Kilmister, David Bowie, Mic Gillette, Glenn Frey.

Also among those who passed away this month were actor Alan Rickman and Celine Dion’s manager and husband Rene Angelil; without the latter, perhaps the Canadian crooner’s career would not have shot to its present stratospheric heights.

These past weeks, our Facebook feeds were bombarded with news and articles about their accomplishments, their flaws, and their triumphs.

Their deaths were mourned by their fandoms and others cognizant of their art and their impact on global culture —coming one after another, it seems too much to bear, with the month not even over.

The past few weeks have also illustrated with clarity just how useful social media such

as Facebook and Twitter have become for information dissemination and, importantly, feedback. Older communication models were linear— source -> message -> receiver -> effect, superseded later by a loop that added “feedback” after “receiver.”

In reality, before the advent of the Internet, few people were really able to send feedback to sources that used mass media to disseminate their messages. At most, people could send letters to the editor, and good luck to you if your letter was chosen for publication.

Through the Internet, receivers now send feedback to sources instantaneously. Facebook and Twitter, among other platforms, have democratized the mass media, with receivers no longer passive consumers but active participants in the information cycle, in that anyone may also post their own news, opinions, and other forms of content, either fresh or in

A question... From A9 It is like when he said “you are still alive, aren’t you?”

But what can we do? The President is who he is and there is nothing that we can do to change his style. One former SSS administrator advised everyone not to rely solely on pensions to support retirement and this is true enough. But the brouhaha is not about those who are able to follow that advice but about those who cannot. Surely, if this administration can set aside tens of billions of pesos for its Conditional Cash Transfer program, it can find a way to make the lives of these SSS pensioners a little more bearable.

While we are talking of increasing pensions, the question that we should also ask is how Team Daang Matuwid is preparing for its own retirement. We know that President Aquino is working hard to get his anointed successor win by hook or by crook so that he and his band of merry men will get the much- needed protection if the administration candidate wins. But what if the administration bet does not win? Then the whole charade

60-40... From A9 Supreme Court against local candidates using their US passports after renouncing their American citizenship, should Mrs. Llamanzares be an exception?

Personally, I think all these

reaction to those of others.

The volume of articles and stories on the Internet on how this or that celebrity touched peoples’ lives reflects to some extent the actual impact this person had on society. Natalie Cole’s death saw an outpouring of grief, but there was far more for Bowie, and even greater for Alan Rickman, who, because of his role as Professor Snape in eight Harry Potter films, had a huge audience of millennials that the first two musicians did not enjoy.

Those of our generation rocked to Lemmy’s metal and Bowie’s rock stylings, to Mic’s horn and Glenn’s guitar; we listened to those songs on the radio, on vinyl, on tape cassette. Their music was the soundtrack of our angsty or misspent or glorious golden youth, as the case may be. The Internet became an encompassing 24/7 virtual wake, with many of the narratives concerned with the impact

of the work of these artists on individual lives, seen through the filter of memory.

Rickman’s death hit hard the millennials, in particular. They grew up with him portraying Snape. He was the terror teacher of their nightmares, and, at the tale’s denouement, their unsung hero, who spent his life staying true to his unrequited love. His death means no more Snape as Rickman brought the character to life; while the deaths of the musicians, beloved of an older demographic, remind us of our mortality, and the impending inescapable fate that we will ultimately share.

How we lived our lives in the past, and how will we live in the time remaining to us, is the question we are asked to ponder. Are we ready for death, whenever it may come? Have we lived our lives so that when we pass, lamentation, and not rejoicing, will ensue?

As Jean Burgess com-

about this bogus straight path program will be exposed and a lot of those Daang Matuwid people will most certainly go to jail. What a spectacle that would be!

Most of team Daang Matuwid in the Executive Department have not accumulated enough time to qualify for a pension from the Government Service Insurance System and therefore will have to try to find ways to prepare for retirement in order for them to be able to maintain their current lifestyles in case something goes wrong with their plan.

One source coming from the Palace tells us that the activity of those officials occupying sensitive positions has increased tremendously. Many of them are busy doing a lot of things but that source refused to elaborate any further.

Well, that kind of information is nothing new. It happens every time there is a looming change of administration. There is always that mad scramble to protect ones interest and that is why the stakes in this coming election have never been higher. *** It seems that Senator Juan Ponce

Enrile has a “deep throat” inside the Palace who provided the so called new evidence that he will use when the Mamasapano hearing resumes.

Information has it that all documents relating to Oplan Exodus were ordered destroyed some time ago but someone in the Palace kept copies and sent all or some of the documents to the office of Senator Enrile. There are obviously some disgruntled people there and when this kind of thing happens, it is usually a sign that all is not well in paradise.

The search is now on to determine who the Judas is inside the Palace. The footage showing the veteran senator saying that he has new evidence without elaborating should be proof enough even for skeptics to see that he does have something new. Oplan Exodus was not conclusive in the last hearing because a lot of issues were muddled by allies of the President. Now, we have a second opportunity to get to the bottom of the truth. The nation deserves to know the whole truth about a military operation participated in by their President wherein 44 of its best fighters lost their lives.

boil down to whether the Supreme Court should rely on the Constitution or what the people want.

From my own experience as a journalist of over 65 years, I say there is a 60-40 chance that Poe would be disqualified.

Still, I would not want to stick my neck out since there are some Supreme Court justices who believe in interpreting the Constitution liberally for some reason or another. In any case, as in the rule of law, the majority rules.

That is the essence of democracy.

mented in a 13 Jan. article on Medium: “Not only do we humans use art, culture, and music to work through our own identities, connect to one another, and tell our own stories, and not only are art, culture, and music forever and always deeply, inextricably entangled with our everyday lives…, [they] are how our entire species— as beautiful and strange and hopelessly tragic as we are —makes sense of the whole damn mess of our existence.”

There isn’t this same grief at the deaths of lawyers, politicians (save in the case of dictators, and that mainly under brainwash and duress), bankers, actuaries, what have you.

It is at the deaths of artists that the world mourns, because it is in art that people find and understand themselves, and make sense of the world and their place in it.

Facebook: Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @jennyortuoste, Instagram: @jensdecember

Is he... From A9 *** The old party of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan, has issued a warning to the public about persons, who promise financial incentives to those who join, claiming to represent it. Apparently, some unscrupulous individuals and groups saying they speak on behalf of the KBL are offering the unsuspecting money in exchange for (surprise, surprise) a “joining fee.”

Yes, the KBL is still alive and it is duly accredited by the Commission on Elections, the party said in a statement. It is led by Rep. Imelda Marcos, who is the party’s chairman emeritus, and by its chairman and president, lawyer Jose Vicente R.M. Opinion.

But the KBL said that it has nothing to do with statements appearing in the traditional and social media to the effect that its vice presidential candidate, Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has distanced himself from his running mate, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago. Reports that Marcos is supporting another presidential candidate did not come from the KBL, the party said.

In fact, according to the statement, the KBL has not declared any presidential candidate, even if it is supporting Marcos’ bid for the vice presidency. Those seeking clarification about the status of their party membership and who wish to join are encouraged to visit the KBL headquarters at 354 P. Guevarra Avenue, San Juan City or to call (02)3585401 or (02)7303934.

The KBL may also be reached through its Web site at kilusangbagonglipunan.com and by email at kilusangbagonglipunan@ gmail.com.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Williams, Federer stamp class on Open SERENA Williams and Roger Federer stamped their class on the Australian Open on Wednesday as a top anti-corruption official criticised tennis’s efforts against match-fixing following a major controversy this week.

UN signs up Messi to help beat poverty HE WAS recently again named the best footballer on the planet and now Barcelona star Lionel Messi has set his sights on an even bigger prize — the end of poverty.

The Argentine and Colombian singer Shakira head a list of 17 well-known names recruited by the United Nations to promote its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The world body’s objectives include the eradication of poverty by 2030, the fight against climate change and universal access to education and health.

“The advocates will build on their unique standing and leadership to promote the SDGs as part of an ambitious and transformative global development agenda,” said a UN statement.

Messi and Shakira are already goodwill ambassadors for UNICEF, the UN Children’s Fund. AFP Manila

Switzerland’s Roger Federer celebrates after victory in men’s singles match against Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov on day three of the 2016 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 20, 2016. AFP

Standard

Republic of the Phillippines Department of Health National Capital Regional Office VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER BIDS AND AWARD COMMITTEE

TODAY

Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City Telefax No. 294-4625 Email addressvmc_bac@yahoo.com

INVITATION TO BID PUBLIC BIDDING NO.: VMC-2016-002 The VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER invites all eligible bidders to bid on: DESCRIPTION

PROJECT ALLOCATION

NON-REFUNDABLE FEE

Procurement of Various Medical Supplies CY 2016

P 17, 092,134.00

1M - 5M P5,000.00 5M up-10M- 10,000.00 10M up15,000.00

The bidding documents shall be available to interested bidders at the BAC Secretariat, BAC Office, 2/F, VMC, Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City from 9:00AM to 3:00PM, starting January 21, 2016 upon payment of non-refundable fee as indicated above. Only those who have purchased the bidding documents shall be allowed to participate in the pre bid conference and raise or submit written queries (see revised IRR of RA 9184). The pre-bidding conference will be on January 28, 2016, 10:00 am at the Conference Room, 4/F, VMC Annex Bldg., Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City. Bid opening will be on February 16, 2016, 10:00AM at the 4/F, VMC Conference Room, Padrigal St., Karuhatan, Valenzuela City.

All particulars relative to bid evaluation and award of contract shall be governed by the provisions of R.A. 9184 otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act. Bids received in excess of the Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC) shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. LATE BIDS SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED. ALTERNATIVE BIDS SHALL BE REJECTED. Bid bond shall be in form of cash, cashier’s check or manager’s check equivalent to two percent (2%) of the approved budget of the contract.

This invitation is also advertised with the Government Electronic Procurement System (G-EPS) at www.procurementservice.org and posted at the VMC BAC bulletin board.

For inquiry, please call the BAC Secretariat Office at Telephone No. 294-4625 .

VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER RESERVES THE RIGHT TO 1) REVIEW ALL THE REQUIREMENTS; 2) REJECT ANY OR ALL BIDS; 3) CONFISCATE THE BID BOND AND/OR PURSUE APPROPRIATE LEGAL ACTION SHOULD A BIDDER BE FOUND TO HAVE VIOLATED R.A. 9184; 4) WAIVE ANY DEFECTS CONTAINED THEREIN; and/or 5) ACCEPT THE OFFER MOST ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT. ANY DECISION MADE BY THE VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER IS FINAL AND EXECUTORY. FURTHER, VALENZUELA MEDICAL CENTER ASSUMES NO OBLIGATION WHATSOEVER TO COMPENSATE OR INDEMNIFY THE BIDDER OR WINNING BIDDER. AS THE CASE MAY BE, FOR ANY EXPENSE OR LOSS THAT SAID PARTY (IES) MAY INCUR IN ITS PARTICIPATION IN THE PRE-BIDDING AND BIDDING PROCESS NOR DOES IT GUARANTEE THAT AN AWARD WILL BE MADE.

(TS-JAN. 21, 2016)

(SGD) DONA D. SALMOS, RN, MAN Chairman, BAC

Sharapova eyeing another Olympic gold MARIA Sharapova Wednesday recalled being overwhelmed at the London Olympics as she looked forward to an attempt to claim gold for Russia at this year’s Games in Rio. The Russian picked up the women’s singles silver medal four years ago, thrashed by arch-rival Serena Williams in the final, but it was the experience of mingling with fellow athletes that left a lasting impression.

“I think going into it, of course, you always think of the highest prize and the best prize you can get at an event,” she said of the Olympics after making the third round of the Australian Open.

“But the experience of being an Olympian is so fulfilling.”

The 28-year-old, born in Siberia but based in Florida since she was young, said she was “so overwhelmed just by the experience of being around other athletes and just really respected”.

“Getting a chance to go into the Olympic village before the opening ceremonies and spending a few hours there and seeing all the different athletes,” said the fivetime Grand Slam champion, one of the world’s richest athletes.† “Some were actually working out in the garden; some boxers were shadow boxing. It was just really special to see, and you felt a unity.† “You felt these tremendous athletes maybe had never met or seen each other in person before, but we all really respected each other and really understood each other and what we go through as an athlete and the sacrifices and the hard work and the competition.† “So that was special. Just to be an Olympian is an incredible experience, and then once you get to the court and you’re facing opponents, of course you dream and visualise a gold medal.” AFP

As tennis’s corruption-fighting body was slammed as “opaque and secretive”, Williams†barged past Hsieh Su-Wei 6-1, 6-2 to reach the third round as she seeks a record-equalling 22nd major title.

Williams eased lingering concerns over the state of her injured knee as she obliterated the Taiwanese, even pulling off possibly her first ever round-the-net shot for good measure.

“It’s always cool to do something fresh and new.

CYAN MAGENTA YELL I don’t know if I have done that,” said the American world number one, who showed no signs discomfort from her knee.

“I moved much better, so slowly but surely feeling a little bit better,” she added.

Federer, who is trying to extend his record number of Grand Slam crowns to 18, then dismantled his 35th-ranked practice partner Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3, 7-5, 6-1.

The all-time Grand Slam king came unstuck in the third round last year, when he was shocked

by Andreas Seppi, and he is wary of another upset with Grigor “Baby Fed” Dimitrov up next.

“It’s the least I expect to be in the third round of a Slam, obviously, so I’m pumped up, playing well, feeling good,” Federer said.

“But there’s always a danger, you know. Like last year the third round was the end for me, so I hope to go further this time.” AFP

Indian boy, 11, seeks glory on world golf stage IN 11-YEAR-OLD Shubham Jaglan’s poor Indian village surrounded by sugar cane fields, few had ever heard of golf until recently let alone know someone playing the sport internationally.

But Jaglan has stunned his family and village since picking up a club at the age of just five, winning back-to-back junior titles in the US in 2015 and finishing sixth in a junior international event there.

“In our village, boys were either into wrestling or boxing. Hardly anybody in my family had heard about golf,” said Jaglan, whose father earned 10,000 rupees ($150) a month from farming a small plot of land.

Jaglan’s passion for what remains a rich man’s sport in India started when a US-based golfing en-

thusiast opened a coaching clinic in his hamlet, not far from the capital New Delhi.

Although the clinic closed three months later because youngsters were more interested in other, traditional Indian sports, Jaglan was hooked and continued practising his drives in the fields.

For chipping and putting, his father set up an improvised three-hole green in the family garage, while sand piled on top of the roof served as a practice bunker.

“We knew the sport was expensive, the equipment and all,” said his father Jagpal Jaglan, who is now his caddie. “It was a big struggle initially. Everything appeared beyond us.

“But our son was so passionate about this sport that we decided to give it our all,” he said. AFP

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

McCarthy grabs overall lead in Tour Down Under AUSTRALIA’S Jay McCarthy claimed his biggest win as a professional when he took a thrilling second stage of the Tour Down Under in the South Australian town of Stirling on Wednesday.

McCarthy, from the Tinkoff team, beat Italian Diego Ulissi (Lampre Merida) by a matter of centimetres as both lunged for the line at the end of the 132-kilometre stage, finishing in 3hr 26min 40sec.

The 23-year-old Queenslander will wear the ochre leader’s jersey in Thursday’s third stage, taking it from sprinter Caleb Ewan, who fell off the back of the peloton towards the finish.

Race favourite Simon Gerrans (Orica GreenEdge) was caught up in a crash inside the final kilometre just moments after he put himself in a perfect position to take the stage win.

But there were no such worries for McCarthy, who avoided the trouble then surged inside the 300 metres.

Ulissi, who won the Stirling stage in 2014, came hard at McCarthy but the Australian dug deep and just managed to hold on.

“I’ve been eyeing off this stage for a few years now and before the start I was hoping I’d get my chance,” McCarthy said.

“The team sat down before the race and said they would support me today and I’m just glad I could do it for them.”

The race, which began in the inner-city Adelaide suburb of Unley, saw Lotto-Soudal’s Adam Hansen break away and get his lead out to two minutes on the first of five undulating 21-kilometre circuits around Stirling in the Adelaide Hills. AFP

Cyclists ride along the Adelaide hills during the stage 2 of the Tour Down Under cycling race from Unley to Stirling in Adelaide on January 20, 2016. AFP

Durant extends streak in OKC win KEVIN Durant extended his remarkable scoring record with his 28th consecutive 20-point game as the Oklahoma City Thunder rolled past the Denver Nuggets 110-104.

Durant, who finished with 30 points, 12 rebounds and four assists, has now scored 20 points or more in every game since returning from a hamstring injury in late November.

Russell Westbrook also played a starring role with 27 points as the Thunder improved to 31-12, the third best record in the Western Conference behind Golden State and San Antonio.

Westbrook also had 12 assists but fell just short of his third straight triple-double.

He has already notched up five this season, 24 in his career.

Kevin Durant #35 of the Oklahoma City Thunder shoots the ball Denver’s loss saw the during the game against the Denver Nuggets on January 19, Nuggets fall to 16-26 for the 2016 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. AFP season.

Elsewhere Tuesday the Milwaukee Bucks maintained their recent run of good form against the Miami Heat with a 91-79 defeat of the Florida team.

Small forward Khris Middleton did the damage for the Bucks, scoring 22 points while center Greg Monroe contributed 15 points and 10 rebounds.

It was Miami’s second consecutive defeat and came despite impressive scoring cameos from Hassan Whiteside and Chris Bosh, who both added 23 points apiece.

Heat guard Dwyane Wade had an unhappy night, finishing with just two points on 1-of-6 shoot-

ing and looking to still be suffering from a sore shoulder.

Milwaukee opened up a 49-39 halftime lead before a third quarter points spree saw them stretch away to a 75-57 cushion.

- Tutor gets schooled The irony of Middleton’s performance was not lost on Wade, who spent much of the summer tutoring the Miami youngster.

Bucks caretaker coach Joe Prunty praised Middleton’s multi-faceted performance.

“Khris is able to impact the game in several ways,” Bucks interim coach Joe Prunty said. “He is able to score and create shots for others, making passes out of

the double team.”

Middleton meanwhile attributed his performance to the strength of the Bucks defense, which restricted Miami to 36.5 percent shooting from the floor.

“We challenged every shot,” Middleton said. “We tried to make it difficult on them. Once we did that, we were dangerous on the other end.”

The New Orleans Pelicans meanwhile fought back from a 17-point deficit before defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 114-99 in the Big Easy.

Anthony Davis finished with 35 points as the Pelicans recovered to win a stormy encounter which saw Minnesota forward Kevin Garnett clash with New Orleans forward Ryan Anderson late in the first half. AFP

China swim stars battle rivals on way to Rio DOUBLE Olympic gold medallists Sun Yang and Ye Shiwen will headline a 24-strong Chinese team against Australia and an emerging Japan at the 2016 Perth Aquatic Super Series in February.

The 2012 London victors and Australia’s reigning world champions Emily Seebohm, Bronte Campbell and Mitch Larkin will be the main drawcards for the first international meet of 2016 on the road to the Rio Olympics, organisers said.

Japanese stars including two-time Olympic medallist Takuro Fujii and women’s World championship breaststroke medallist Rio Kaneto will also compete in Perth on February 5 and 6.

The Australian Dolphins will include 2013 World Champion Cate Campbell and fellow 2015 Kazan medallists Cameron McEvoy, Madi Wilson, Jess Ashwood and Mack Horton.

“It’s a great way to start the year, we are go-

ing to have some tough competition and everyone is racing not just for themselves but for the team,” said Cate Campbell.

“It’s quite a small Australian team with a few new faces on it which will be really exciting; blooding some new athletes will be great especially in the lead up to an Olympic Games.î Sun—Chinaís first male Olympic gold medallist with the 400m and 1500m freestyle —holds the 1500m world record and won the 400 and 800m freestyle double at the World Championships in Kazan last year.

He will race young Australian Mack Horton in both the 400m and 1500m freestyle.

Ye, who won double gold in the 200m and 400m individual medley in London at the age of just 16, will face Australians Keryn McMaster and Tessa Wallace.† Japan has also named a 24-member team led by two-time Olympic relay medallist from 2008 and 2012, Fujii. AFP

French athlete Antoinette Nana Djimou (left) and members of the French National athletic team trains at the Potchefstroom University training facility in Potchefstroom as part of preparations for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. AFP

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Valdez, Romeo, Abueva to be feted by PSA scribes THREE extremely popular athletes who made a lasting impression during their respective stints with the Philippine team last year will be the recipient of a special honor from the Philippine Sportswriters Association when it holds its Annual Awards Night presented by MILO and San Miguel Corp. three weeks from now.

Volleyball superstar Alyssa Valdez, along with basketball heroes Calvin Abueva and Terrence Romeo, share center stage with Athletes of the Year Nonito Donaire, Donnie Nietes and Miguel Tabuena when the country’s sportswriting fraternity salutes the best and brightest in a formal ceremony at the One Esplanade on Feb. 13.

Valdez is again being crowned Ms. Volleyball after bagging the

same award in 2013 and 2014, while Abueva and Romeo are co-named Mr. Basketball for the first time.

Despite playing as rookies for the national squad, Abueva and Romeo played key roles in helping Gilas Pilipinas achieve a runner-up finish in the 2015 FIBA-Asian Men’s Championship behind China as the Filipinos came a mere win short of qualifying outright to the Rio De Janeiro Olympics set this year.

Now a three-time PSA Ms. Volleyball, the 22-year-old Valdez suited up for the national team in the Asian Women’s U-23 Volleyball Championship and the 28th Southeast Asian Games – which marked the return of the ladies’ squad to the biennial meet after a 10-year absence.

Valdez previously shared the Ms. Volleyball Award with Aby Marano (2013).

Also part of the honor roll in the gala night also presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Sen. Chiz Escudero, Philippine Basketball Association, Accel, Rain or Shine, Globalport, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming

Corp., is Gilas Pilipinas 3.0, which will be feted with the President’s Award for rising above expectations during its campaign in the last FIBA-Asia Men’s Championship.

Also to be given out are Executive of the Year, National Sports Association of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, and Posthumous Awards.

Major awards in other sports will be handed, along with citations led by the gold medalists in the 28th Southeast Asian Games in Singapore.

Others to be recognized include the Tony Siddayao Awards for outstanding athletes aged 17 or below, and the MILO Outstanding Athletes for boys and girls.

Republic of the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Republic of the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources

North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines

North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines

Mines and Geosciences Bureau

Mines and Geosciences Bureau

Tel. No. (+63 2) 920-9120/ 920-9130 / 928-8937 Fax No. (+63 2) 920-1635 E-mail: central @ mgb.gov.ph

Tel. No. (+63 2) 920-9120/ 920-9130 / 928-8937 Fax No. (+63 2) 920-1635 E-mail: central @ mgb.gov.ph

INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO BID Three (3) Units Motor Vehicle (Pick-up) 4x4 M/T Diesel ITB No. 2016-01-003 P.R. No. 2016-01-020

INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO BID Two (2) Units Geotechnical Equipment ITB No. 2016-01-004 P.R. No. 2016-01-098

1. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), through the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for CY 2016 intends to apply the sum of Four Million Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (PhP4,200,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for Three (3) Units Motor Vehicle (Pick-up) 4x4 M/T Diesel. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected during opening of bids.

1. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), through the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for CY 2016 intends to apply the sum of Six Million Pesos (PhP6,000,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for Two (2) Units Geotechnical Equipment. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected during opening of bids.

The MGB now invites bids for the Procurement of Three (3) Units Motor Vehicle (Pick-up) 4x4 M/T Diesel.

Delivery of Goods is required within forty five (45) calendar days upon receipt of Notice To Proceed (NTP)/Purchase Order (PO). Bidders should have completed, within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II (Instructions to Bidders).

2.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

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.

3. Interested bidders may obtain further information from MGB and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hours, from 9:00AM to 4:00PM. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from January 21 to February 9, 2016 at the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Three Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (PhP3,500.00).

Preview of specifications can be downloaded from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (Phil-GEPS).

4. The MGB will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on January 27, 2016, Wednesday at 2:00PM, at the Office of the Bids and Awards Committee, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

The MGB now invites bids for procurement of Two (2) Units RTK-GPS.

2. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

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.

3. Interested bidders may obtain further information from MGB and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hours, from 9:00AM to 4:00PM. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from January 21 to February 9, 2016 at the address below and upon payment of a non- refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Four Thousand Pesos (PhP4,000.00).

6.

The MGB 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.

7.

For further information, please refer to:

ENGR. ROBERTO D. CASEROS Head, Secretariat Bids and Awards Committee North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Telephone No. 6676700 loc. 153 or 156 E-mail: bacems_minesbureauco@yahoo.com Website: www.mgb.gov.ph

( T S - J A N . 21, 2 016)

(SGD) ENGR. JUANCHO PABLO S. CALVEZ Chairman, BAC

Preview of specifications can be downloaded from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (Phil-GEPS).

4. The MGB will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on January 27, 2016, Wednesday at 2:00PM, at the Office of the Bids and Awards Committee, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on February 10, 2016, Wednesday, on or before 1:30PM. Late bids shall not be accepted. All Bids must be accompanied by a Bid Securing Declaration or any other bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

5. Bids must be delivered to the address below on February 10, 2016, Wednesday, on or before 1:30PM. Late bids shall not be accepted. All Bids must be accompanied by a Bid Securing Declaration or any other bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bid opening shall be on February 10, 2016, Wednesday, 2:00PM, at the Office of the MGB-Bids and Awards Committee. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend.

Delivery of the Goods is required within forty five (45) calendar days upon receipt of Notice to Proceed (NTP)/Purchase Order (PO). Bidders should have completed, within Five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II (Instructions to Bidders).

Bid opening shall be on February 10, 2016, Wednesday, 2:00PM, at the Office of the MGB-Bids and Awards Committee. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend.

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

6. For further information, please refer to:

Engr. ROBERTO D. CASEROS Head, Secretariat Bids and Awards Committee North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Telephone No. 6676700 loc. 153 or 156 E-mail: bacems_minesbureauco@yahoo.com Website: www.mgb.gov.ph (SGD) Engr. JUANCHO PABLO S. CALVEZ Chairman, BAC

( T S - J A N . 21, 2 016)

Go stuns Superal, leads by 1 TAGAYTAY—Lois Kaye Go held her own against fancied rivals and came through with a gutsy twounder 70 to grab a onestroke over Princess Superal at the start of the Philippine Ladies Open Golf Championship presented by Champion Infinity at Tagaytay Midlands here yesterday.

Go, a 16-year-old shotmaker from Cebu Country Club who turned in an impressive performance in the ICTSI-JGFP Visayas Inter-School Championship last month, bucked the dreaded Tagaytay wind and Superal’s equally impressive game, putting together a solid round that put her on top of a tough international field that included bets from Thailand, Malaysia, Korea, Japan and Australia.

Superal, seeking a followup to her Hong Kong Ladies Amateur romp two weeks ago, birdied No. 18 from close range to string a 36-35 card in windy condition that bedeviled the games of the rest of the starting 66-player field in the 54-hole championship organized by the Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines and backed by Filinvest Alabang, Inc., Metro Pacific, Shell, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Taishan Insurance Brokers, Inc., MEC, Jewelmer, G&W Clubshares, inc., Vermogen,

Benilde tossers in upset win

By Peter Atencio THE College of St. Benilde Lady Blazers made a big effort to stop the prolific Gretchel Soltones in the fourth set and it paid off as they pulled off a 24-26, 2521, 25-19, 25-13 upset win over the defending champion champion San Sebastian Lady Stags.

With Soltones checked, the Lady Blazers came away with the first of three wins they need to snatch the crown away from the Lady StagsTuesday in the 91st National Collegiate Athletic Association women’s volleyball finals at the Arena in San Juan.

Jeannette Panaga once again took charge for the Lady Blazers, hitting 23 points, with one of his six aces helping CSB to an 11-3 advantage.

Soltones still came up big for the Lady Stags, notching 27 points, including three straight points off her attacks to threaten, 7-14.

The 5’11” Panaga then found ways to stop her, scoring on a kill and blocking Soltones’ attempt. Panaga rejected another from Jonah Corpuz before scoring from the middle to put CSB further ahead, 22-9.

T H U R S DAY : j A n U A R Y 2 1 , 2 0 16

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

May FIBA qualifier unite PH, be a healing force, says MVP

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

SAMAHANG Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Manny Pangilinan wishes that the country’s winning bid for the Rio de Janeiro Olympic qualifying tournament in July will serve as a unifying force for the country.

In an interview with The Standard/Viva Sports early Wednesday morning as he was about to board a flight for San Francisco with SBP vice chairman Ricky Vargas, Pangilinan said: “We need to get together as a nation and use sport to bring together our people.”

He cited the ability of eightdivision world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao to unify the country. “This is like what Manny

PBA’s D-league kicks off Games Today 1 p.m. – Opening Ceremonies 2 p.m. – Caida vs Tanduay Rhum 4 p.m. – UP-QRS-Jam Liner vs BDO-National University CAIDA Tiles and Tanduay Light open their campaign in the PBA DLeague Aspirants’ Cup which kicks off today with a double-header at the Filoil Arena.

The Tile Masters and Rhum Masters clash at 2 p.m. to start hostilities in the tournament that will formally take the wraps off its fifth season with simple opening ceremonies at 1 p.m..

Newcomer UP-QRSJam Liner and BDO-NATIOBAL University headline the other matchup at 4 p.m. between school-based teams.

“With a lot of new faces plus the expected heated rivalry from school-based teams led by reigning UAAP champion Far Eastern University, University of the Philippines, National University, NAASCU champion Café France and AMA on-line Education I can say that the sixth season of the D-League is already a success,” said PBA Deputy Commissioner Rickie Santos.

Tanduay coach Lawrence Chongson said he has recruited a bunch of winners from the collegiate rank making him upbeat about their chances this season.

But he raised some concern about their lack of time to prepare for their season opener.

“It took some time before I was able to form my team so were cramming right now. Hopefully we’ve got the right pieces to make this work,” Chongson explained on the eve of their debut.

can do for the country (when he fights). We need to unify and heal the country. This event is fortuitous and timely as we have a new beginning, with a new president.”

He conceded they had to do it the hard way, indicating that when “I get back next week, we have to make sure we have players ready.”

Pangilinan revealed he had spoken to coach Tab Baldwin and expressed the hope that domi-

nating San Miguel Beer center and MVP Junemar Fajardo, who was forced to sit out the first two games of the ongoing finals against Alaska, will be ready because he is a key to the chances of Gilas Pilipinas against “five world-class teams” at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Philippines earned a runner-up finish in the FIBA Asia Championships in August 2013 in Manila and earned a berth in the FIBA World Cup in Spain after finishing runner-up to Iran, when naturalized center Marcus Douthit was injured and couldn’t play, allowing the 7’2” MVP Hamed Haddadi to dominate inside.

Pangilinan said in his 8 a.m. call from the airport that he

would have to talk to Lakers’ Fil-Am point guard Jordan Clarkson, “who is playing so well” in the NBA. Clarkson earlier indicated his desire to suit up for the Philippines and even accompanied the Gilas team to the Jones Cup in Taipei last year and said he was “very disappointed,” he couldn’t play for the national team in the FIBA Asia Championships in Wuhan last Sept. 23.

Responding to former PBA Chairman Rene Pardo, who said during Game 2 of the finals, that the hosting of the qualifying tournament would be “good for the country, good for the PBA and good for basketball.”

The Star Hotshots governor’s positive attitude is shared by

the others on the PBA board of governors.

“I think they will be criticized if they don’t cooperate. They have to send their players,” said Pangilinan.

Regarding the draw which will be held at the House of Basketball FIBA’s headquarters in Switzerland on Tuesday, Pangilinan said: “I like to get one African team, one Americas team, either Canada or Puerto Rico and one Asian team and since Serbia is a host, we hope we can get a weaker Czech Republic and not Greece, which is a strong team.”

LOTTO RESULTS

6/55 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M+ 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0 M 4 DIGITS 0-0-0-0 3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

Republic of the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Republic of the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources

North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines

North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines

Mines and Geosciences Bureau

Mines and Geosciences Bureau

Tel. No. (+63 2) 920-9120/ 920-9130 / 928-8937 Fax No. (+63 2) 920-1635 E-mail: central @ mgb.gov.ph

Tel. No. (+63 2) 920-9120/ 920-9130 / 928-8937 Fax No. (+63 2) 920-1635 E-mail: central @ mgb.gov.ph

INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO BID One (1) Unit Geotechnical Equipment ITB No. 2016-01-005 P.R. No. 2016-01-096

INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO BID Seven (7) Units Laboratory Equipment ITB No. 2016-01-007 P.R. No. 2016-01-097

1. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), through the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for CY 2016 intends to apply the sum of Six Million Pesos (PhP6,000,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for One (1) Unit Geotechnical Equipment. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected during opening of bids.

1. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), through the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for CY 2016 intends to apply the sum of Three Million Pesos (PhP3,000,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for Seven (7) Units Laboratory Equipment. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected during opening of bids.

The MGB now invites bids for procurement of One (1) Unit Ground Penetrating Radar.

The MGB now invites bids for procurement of Seven (7) Units MultiParameter Handheld Water Quality Instrument with Telemetry.

Delivery of the Goods is required within forty five (45) calendar days upon receipt of Notice to Proceed (NTP)/Purchase Order (PO). Bidders should have completed, within Five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II (Instructions to Bidders).

2.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

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.

3. Interested bidders may obtain further information from MGB and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hours, from 9:00AM to 4:00PM.

2. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

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.

3. Interested bidders may obtain further information from MGB and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hours, from 9:00AM to 4:00PM.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from January 21 to February 9, 2016 at the address below and upon payment of a non- refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Four Thousand Pesos (PhP4,000.00).

Preview of specifications can be downloaded from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (Phil-GEPS).

4. The MGB will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on January 27, 2016, Wednesday at 2:00PM, at the Office of the Bids and Awards Committee, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from January 21 to February 9, 2016 at the address below and upon payment of a non- refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Two Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (PhP2,500.00).

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

6.

For further information, please refer to: Engr. ROBERTO D. CASEROS Head, Secretariat Bids and Awards Committee North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Telephone No. 6676700 loc. 153 or 156 E-mail: bacems_minesbureauco@yahoo.com Website: www.mgb.gov.ph

( T S - J A N . 21, 2 016)

(SGD) Engr. JUANCHO PABLO S. CALVEZ Chairman, BAC

Preview of specifications can be downloaded from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (Phil-GEPS).

4. The MGB will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on January 27, 2016, Wednesday at 2:00PM, at the Office of the Bids and Awards Committee, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on February 10, 2016, Wednesday, on or before 1:30PM. Late bids shall not be accepted. All Bids must be accompanied by a Bid Securing Declaration or any other bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on February 10, 2016, Wednesday, on or before 1:30PM. Late bids shall not be accepted.

All Bids must be accompanied by a Bid Securing Declaration or any other bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bid opening shall be on February 10, 2016, Wednesday, 2:00PM, at the Office of the MGB-Bids and Awards Committee. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend.

Delivery of the Goods is required within forty five (45) calendar days upon receipt of Notice to Proceed (NTP)/Purchase Order (PO). Bidders should have completed, within Five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II (Instructions to Bidders).

Bid opening shall be on February 10, 2016, Wednesday, 2:00PM, at the Office of the MGB-Bids and Awards Committee. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend.

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

6. For further information, please refer to:

Engr. ROBERTO D. CASEROS Head, Secretariat Bids and Awards Committee North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Telephone No. 6676700 loc. 153 or 156 E-mail: bacems_minesbureauco@yahoo.com Website: www.mgb.gov.ph (SGD) Engr. JUANCHO PABLO S. CALVEZ Chairman, BAC

( T S - J A N . 21, 2 016)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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T hurs day : Ja n ua ry 2 1 , 2 0 1 6 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

Boxers Manny Pacquiao (left) and Timothy Bradley pose during a press conference announcing their upcoming 12-round world welterweight championship at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Afp

‘Bradley can’t beat Pacman’ by ronnie nathanielsz

WORLD Boxing Organization welterweight champion Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley has promised to surprise eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao when they clash for a third time at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 9.

Bradley, who won their first fight in a bitterly criticized decision and then lost a lopsided decision in their rematch, told a kickoff, two-stop media gathering at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles: “I know people still doubt I won the first fight. But I’m not the same fighter Pacquiao saw in our first two fights.

I think he’s going to be surprised

by what he sees.”

For his part, Pacquiao remarked that he chose Bradley because he believes he’s different than the fighter he fought before.

“Bradley showed it against (Brandon Bam Bam) Rios and I believe we can make a great fight,” said Pacquiao.

But the attempt to hype the fight was squelched by Pacquiao’s

durAnt eXtendS StreAK In oKc WIn turn to A12

trainer Freddie Roach.

“It’s the same Bradley. Look, who they put in front of him — an out-of-shape guy who was ready to retire,” said Roach referring to Rios, who had trained hard when he went 12 rounds with Pacquiao, but was nowhere near the fighter who faced the Filipino ring icon and was stopped in the ninth round by Bradley.

“Bradley hasn’t beaten Manny yet and he’s not going to beat Manny on April 9,” said Roach, downplaying the presence of a new coach in Teddy Atlas, who is now handling Bradley in his impressive showing against Rios.

In his effort to try and arouse interest in their third meeting,

the congressman Pacquiao, who is seeking a seat in the Philippine Senate in the elections in May offered the excuse that “people still have some doubts,” about the first encounter.

“I thought I won that fight but the record shows that (Bradley) won. Now, we can settle it once and for all who the better fighter is,” said Pacquiao.

The only one on record, who said he thought Bradley won was the unbeaten young Terence Crawford, a Bob Arum fighter, whom the Top Rank Promoter pushed hard for a Pacquiao fight but which, according to Pacman insiders, Manny rejected in order to spite Arum and show who is the boss.

vAldez, romeo, AbuevA to be feted turn to A14

Phoenix Petroleum buys Barako Bull team

by Jeric lopez

THE Philippine Basketball Association Board unanimously approved Barako Bull’s sale to Phoenix Petroleum Wednesday afternoon, formally making the oil company’s entry to the league official.

Following a special board meeting yesterday regarding the future of Barako Bull and the bid of Phoenix to purchase the ailing franchise and enter the league, the PBA Board, led by acting president and chairman Robert Non, stated that the deal between the two entities is approved.

In this case, Phoenix Fuel will completely absorb the Barako Bull franchise including its players and staff and it now depends on it on how it will reconstruct the team once it officially starts its takeover.

The PBA Board will meet with the owners and officials from Phoenix in another board meeting on Jan. 28 to formalize the transfer.

B1

THURSDAY: JANUARY 21, 2016

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

Farm assistance. Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala (second from right) awards to the provincial local government of Davao del Sur a P2.2-million check for the purchase of a farm tractor, which will be lent to farm groups and irrigators’ association to enable quality production and increased income. Joining Alcala during a farmers’ forum in the town of Magsaysay where more than P54-million farm projects were awarded are (from left) Agriculture Region XI executive director Remelyn Recoter, vice governor Aileen Almendras Uy, provincial agriculturist Nally Bangoy, regional technical director Ma. Febe Orbe and Magsaysay mayor Arthur Davin.

Lucio Tan joining wind power

By Alena Mae S. Flores

PILILLA, Rizal—LT Group Inc., the holding company of tycoon Lucio Tan, is in talks to buy a stake in a 72-megawatt wind power project in this province, an energy executive said Wednesday.

Former energy secretary Vince Perez, now chairman of Alternergy Philippines Holdings Corp., said his company was in talks with the LT Group for a possible stake in the planned 72-MW Sembrano wind project, which would span the towns of Pillilla in Rizal and Mabitac and Pakil in Laguna.

“We’re in talks with them because they also have land there.

They want to get into power,”

Perez said, referring to the LT Group.

LT Group through Absolut Distillers Inc. ventured into the energy sector in 2015, by setting up a 2-megawatt solar power plant and a biomass facility in Batangas.

Perez led the inauguration Wednesday of the 54-megawatt wind farm project in Barangay Halayhayin, Pililla, which was built by unit Alternergy Wind

One Corp. at a cost of $145 million.

Perez said a new 72-MW wind farm would be built as an expansion of the existing 54-MW project by Alternergy Sembrano Wind Corp. The new project would extend to two adjacent towns of Laguna province.

“The limitation is the grid but we have Alternergy Sembrano Wind Corp. We have declared commerciality on that for 72 MW. But we will just wait for the next administration to come up with the guidelines for bidding of FIT 3 [third phase of feed-in tariff ],” Perez said.

Perez said Alternergy’s recently completed Pililla wind farm became a new tourist destination in Rizal, with several wind turbines visible on a clear day from Antipolo and from Laguna

across Laguna Lake.

The new wind project was undertaken by project company Alternergy Wind One Corp. The project delivers enough power to supply the requirements of 66,000 households in Rizal.

Each tower, supplied by Gamesa of Pamplona, Spain, generates 2 MW of wind power and measures 125 meters tall, or equivalent to a 33-story building.

“The key thing is…this was pure non-resource project, meaning they [banks] took faith in us and we’re very grateful to our lenders,” Perez said.

Perez and his team also pioneered the development of Bangui Bay wind farm in Ilocos Norte, the first wind power plant in Southeast Asia. He later sold his stake in the Bangui wind project to Ayala Corp.

BSP to restrict access to cash-mopping tools THE Philippines plans to close a loophole in regulation of trust funds, by restricting those overseen by banks from parking short-term cash at the central bank.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is considering limiting lenders’ trust units from placing funds in its short-term deposit facility, monetary board member Felipe Medalla said Tuesday.

Policy makers are reviewing access to its liquidity-mopping tools “under the overall framework” of its interest-rate corridor, Governor Amando Tetangco also said Wednesday.

Banks’ trust units have undue advantage over nonbank trust groups that aren’t allowed to put money in the

central bank’s special deposit account or SDA facility, and also over lenders themselves that must comply with the reserve requirement, Medalla said in an interview.

Placements in the so-called SDA facility, which the central bank uses to control liquidity, totaled about $16.8 billion as of Dec. 29.

The central bank is preparing to shift to an interest-rate corridor by the second quarter, a move intended to strengthen its policy tools.

At present, the central bank pays 2.5 percent for funds placed at SDAs, compared with its benchmark rate of 4 percent.

The 91-day Treasury bill fetched 1.684 percent at the most recent auction.

Meanwhile, Tetangco said the Philippines banking system would continue to be a pillar of growth for the domestic economy this year. “While 2016 will test the resilience of our banking system, we can rely on the quality of our preparations to manage evolving risks from volatility as market tide shifts,” Tetangco said in his speech during the annual bankers’ night held at Fort Abad, Bangko Sentral complex.

“This is also evident even to external analysts. Fitch Ratings has given the Philippine banking system a positive rating outlook for 2016, the only one for AsiaPacific. Among others, Fitch noted the ‘generally healthy profile of local lenders, sound operating environment and the

Philippines’s strong economic fundamentals,” Tetangco said.

Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. said more foreign banks were also expected to enter the liberalized domestic banking industry to seize the opportunities in the growing Philippine market.

Espenilla said bigger foreign banks would wisely choose to locate in potential markets like the Philippines rather than stay in their own stagnant markets.

“I would not be surprised if more will come and do similar transactions because it makes sense,” Espenilla said, referring to the recently-sealed acquisition

by Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ of a 20-percent stake in Security Bank Corp.

Bloomberg with Julito G. Rada

PSe comPoSite

index

Closing January 20, 2016

8000 8340 7880 7420 6960 6500

6,259.61 97.44

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing JANUARY 20, 2016 48.00 46.00 45.00

P47.890

44.00

CLOSE

43.00

HIGH P47.680 LOW P47.890AVERAGE P47.782 VOLUME 608.700M

P417.00-P627.00 LPG/11-kg tank P33.30-P40.75 Unleaded Gasoline

o

il P PriceS today

P20.40-P23.80 Diesel P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Wednesday, January 20, 2016

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

47.6730

Japan

Yen

0.008509

0.4056

UK

Pound

1.416800

67.5431

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127910

6.0979

Switzerland

Franc

0.996810

47.5209

Canada

Dollar

0.686295

Singapore

Dollar

0.695701

33.1662

Australia

Dollar

0.692809

33.0283

Bahrain

Dinar

2.659079

126.7663

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266681

12.7135

Brunei

Dollar

0.693289

33.0512

32.7177

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000072

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.027571

1.3144

UAE

Dirham

0.272294

12.9811

Euro

Euro

1.091800

52.0494

Korea

Won

0.000829

0.0395

China

Yuan

0.152006

7.2466

India

Rupee

0.014770

0.7041

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.229226

10.9279

New Zealand

Dollar

0.648382

Taiwan

Dollar

0.029794

30.9103 1.4204 Source: PDS Bridge

THURSDAY: JANUARY 21, 2016

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Wednesday, January 20, 2016

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low 7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 17 30.45 10.4 890 1.01 100 1.46 30.5 91.5 137 361.2 57 180 1700 124 47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 148 20.6 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 31.8 109 20.75 15.3 9.4 0.98 241 79 3.95 4 33.9 90 13.26 293 5 5.25 12.98 6.75 15 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.86 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 2.16 7.39 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 4.92 1455 7.5 76 5.29 6.66 9.25 0.85 17.3 0.71 5.53 0.0670 2.31 1.61 84.9 974 1.66 1.39 156 0.710 0.510 10.5 1.99 1.75

STOCKS

Close

High

Low

FINANCIAL 7 2.02 45.15 44.8 93.00 93.90 85.30 84.00 34.5 34 2.50 2.50 14.6 14.5 16.86 16.14 6.50 6.15 595.00 580.00 0.440 0.440 71.4 69.55 0.9 0.9 15.80 15.02 46.00 44.60 98.9 98.9 249 239.6 32.6 31.9 149.8 145.7 1240.00 1240.00 55.00 55.00 INDUSTRIAL 35.9 Aboitiz Power Corp.

40 40.65 40.05 1.11 Agrinurture Inc. 4.37 4.4 4.19 1.01 Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. 0.77 0.74 0.66 1.86 Alsons Cons.

1.25 1.27 1.22 7.92 Asiabest Group 9.99 9.66 9.6 32 C. Azuc De Tarlac 105.00 110.00 100.00 15.32 Century Food 15 15.2 15 10.08 Cirtek Holdings (Chips) 19.98 19.96 19.2 29.15 Concepcion 42 42 41.05 1.5 Crown Asia 2.1 2.12 1.98 1.5 Da Vinci Capital 2.41 2.76 2.4 10.72 Del Monte 11.3 11.5 11 9.55 DNL Industries Inc. 7.240 7.350 6.970 9.04 Emperador 7.89 7.89 7.50 6.02 Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) 5.80 5.76 5.48 8.86 EEI 5.41 5.69 5.42 20.2 First Gen Corp.

18.5 18.62 18.18 71.5 First Holdings ‘A’ 54.5 55.95 53.45 13.86 Ginebra San Miguel Inc. 11.78 11.50 11.50 13.24 Holcim Philippines Inc. 14.20 14.20 13.52 5.34 Integ. Micro-Electronics 5.04 5.1 5 0.395 Ionics Inc 2.170 2.220 2.100 173 Jollibee Foods Corp.

201.40 205.00 199.60 LBC Express 7.45 7.45 7.45 34.1 Liberty Flour 27.45 27.80 27.45 2.3 LMG Chemicals 1.7 1.71 1.7 1.63 Mabuhay Vinyl 3.1 2.65 2.65 23.35 Manila Water Co. Inc. 24 24.45 23.95 17.3 Maxs Group 14.2 14.2 14 5.88 Megawide 5.75 5.75 5.65 250.2 Mla. Elect. Co `A’ 309.00 310.00 303.00 3.37 Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp. 3.90 3.98 3.98 3.87 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil. 2.95 3 2.96 8.45 Petron Corporation 5.52 5.57 5.47 3 Phil H2O 3 2.97 2.97 10.04 Phinma Corporation 11.50 11.00 10.90 3.03 Phoenix Petroleum Phils. 3.65 3.65 3.51 1.95 Phoenix Semiconductor 1.39 1.38 1.31 1 Pryce Corp. `A’ 2.14 2.15 2.1 4.02 RFM Corporation 3.80 3.80 3.80 1.65 Roxas and Co. 2.4 2.64 1.3 5.9 Roxas Holdings 5.28 5.9 4.81 161 San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ 120 120 120 2.63 2.69 2.5 1.55 Splash Corporation 0.138 Swift Foods, Inc. 0.138 0.139 0.135 1.02 TKC Steel Corp.

0.93 0.95 0.89 2.09 Trans-Asia Oil 2.10 2.11 2.07 152 Universal Robina 185.1 185 181 4.28 Victorias Milling 4.55 4.55 4.55 0.640 Vitarich Corp.

0.59 0.62 0.59 10.02 Vivant Corp.

23.00 22.50 22.50 1.2 Vulcan Ind’l.

0.98 1.02 1.00 HOLDING FIRMS 0.44 Abacus Cons. `A’ 0.310 0.315 0.300 48.1 Aboitiz Equity 55.1500 56.0000 55.0000 20.85 Alliance Global Inc. 14.06 14.20 13.80 1.6 Anglo Holdings A 1.07 1.08 1.00 6.62 Anscor `A’ 6.12 6.02 6.00 634.5 Ayala Corp `A’ 649 649 616 7.390 Cosco Capital 7.11 7.3 7.05 12.8 DMCI Holdings 12.00 11.98 11.30 2.6 F&J Prince ‘A’ 5.58 5.58 5.5 2.26 Filinvest Dev. Corp.

4.43 4.54 4.25 837 GT Capital 1286 1290 1260 5.3 House of Inv. 5.78 5.80 5.65 IPM Holdings 9.50 9.50 9.37 49.55 JG Summit Holdings 62.70 63.60 61.05 3 Keppel Holdings `A’ 4.5 4.15 4.15 3.52 Keppel Holdings `B’ 4.99 4.99 4.99 4.84 Lopez Holdings Corp.

5.23 5.49 5.19 0.59 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp. 0.57 0.57 0.55 12 LT Group 14.94 15.18 14.7 0.580 Mabuhay Holdings `A’ 0.49 0.49 0.49 4.2 Metro Pacific Inv. Corp. 5.2 2.27 5.15 0.030 Pacifica `A’ 0.0290 0.0290 0.0280 1.23 Prime Media Hldg 0.950 0.920 0.900 0.550 Prime Orion 1.850 1.900 1.810 59.3 San Miguel Corp `A’ 59.80 59.65 59.10 751 SM Investments Inc. 800.00 800.00 774.00 1.13 Solid Group Inc. 0.97 0.97 0.97 0.93 South China Res. Inc. 0.69 0.68 0.65 80 Top Frontier 74.850 76.000 74.000 0.211 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.2350 0.2400 0.2300 0.310 Zeus Holdings 0.230 0.230 0.229 PROPERTY 6.74 8990 HLDG 6.580 6.580 6.400 0.65 A. Brown Co., Inc. 0.63 0.61 0.61 1.2 Araneta Prop `A’ 1.060 1.080 1.060 2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.97 12.02 19.6 6.12 625 0.225 78 0.9 17.8 62 88.35 276 41 118.2 1200 59

AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. COL Financial Eastwest Bank Filipino Fund Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp.

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

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

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

SHARES 15,188,664 79,641,915 94,510,138 216,402,751 183,438,762 460,271,750 1,052,303,000

2.02 45.15 95.80 84.50 35 2.41 14.64 16.16 6.50 620.00 0.440 69.9 0.9 15.80 45.60 95.05 249 31.95 147 1230.00 55.00

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

2.59 44.8 95.50 84.55 34.05 2.50 14.5 16.22 6.15 580.00 0.440 69.9 0.9 15.80 45.25 98.9 240 31.9 146.3 1240.00 55.00

28.22 -0.78 -0.31 0.06 -2.71 3.73 -0.96 0.37 -5.38 -6.45 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.77 4.05 -3.61 -0.16 -0.48 0.81 0.00

5,564,000 11,100 2,477,500 2,456,120 12,900 16,000 1,500 96,400 9,300 160 40,000 2,201,370 60,000 15,200 324,100 430 2,050 1,227,200 666,240 20 5,710

40.5 4.29 0.74 1.23 9.99 105.00 15.1 19.2 42 1.98 2.68 11.5 7.040 7.50 5.50 5.69 18.26 53.45 11.50 13.52 5.01 2.100 201.40 7.45 27.45 1.71 2.65 24.35 14.08 5.65 305.00 3.98 2.96 5.49 2.97 11.00 3.65 1.34 2.12 3.80 2.64 5.19 120 2.5 0.135 0.90 2.10 184.8 4.55 0.6 22.50 1.00

1.25 -1.83 -3.90 -1.60 0.00 0.00 0.67 -3.90 0.00 -5.71 11.20 1.77 -2.76 -4.94 -5.17 5.18 -1.30 -1.93 -2.38 -4.79 -0.60 -3.23 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.59 -14.52 1.46 -0.85 -1.74 -1.29 2.05 0.34 -0.54 -1.00 -4.35 0.00 -3.60 -0.93 0.00 10.00 -1.70 0.00 -4.94 -2.17 -3.23 0.00 -0.16 0.00 1.69 -2.17 2.04

1,302,000 169,000 11,000 132,000 300 340 489,500 472,100 292,100 405,000 17,535,000 26,600 28,841,700 435,700 9,894,000 734,900 2,161,300 455,740 5,700 6,600 147,600 1,814,000 525,880 17,600 200 20,000 9,000 681,600 211,400 2,100 247,660 2,000 143,000 1,707,100 1,000 8,600 221,000 259,000 135,000 2,372,000 11,000 6,000 2,400 1,394,000 580,000 24,000 1,513,000 1,607,420 115,000 2,373,000 8,000 11,000

0.300 55.4500 13.80 1.08 6.00 616 7.08 11.52 5.58 4.52 1265 5.65 9.50 61.05 4.15 4.99 5.19 0.55 14.94 0.49 5.2 0.0280 0.900 1.880 59.50 780.00 0.97 0.65 74.000 0.2300 0.229

-3.23 0.54 -1.85 0.93 -1.96 -5.08 -0.42 -4.00 0.00 2.03 -1.63 -2.25 0.00 -2.63 -7.78 0.00 -0.76 -3.51 0.00 -1.02 0.00 -3.45 -5.26 1.62 -0.50 -2.50 0.00 -5.80 -1.14 -2.13 -0.43

150,000 993,730 6,780,500 161,000 57,000 381,780 951,400 6,011,400 267,600 750,000 275,580 539,300 1,342,200 547,560 1,000 4,000 653,500 52,000 5,985,800 180,000 26,011,200 39,700,000 71,000 1,407,000 302,770 205,390 70,000 186,000 46,950 120,000 150,000

6.500 0.63 1.060

-1.22 0.00 0.00

1,462,600 301,000 73,000

103,250.00 -26,830,403 39,914,131.00 -10,220.00 -773,758.00 -65,050.00 -56,385,847.00 -12,144,290.00 37,146,295 -16,219,872.00 -24,800.00 3,994,940.00 -5,300.00

6,456,874.00 139,180.00 12,263,775 20,500.00 5,424,660.00 -7,820,906.00 -1,905,834.00 5,423,631.00 2,304,648.00 8,807,366.00 -19,811,056.50 4,260.00 -32,176.00 8,399,554.00

1,124,070.00 913,230.00 -16,170,952.00 -11,880.00 4,540,796.00 -2,970.00 159,600.00 19,000.00 -91,200.00 -472,860.00 2,593,110.00 76,992,285.00 514,150.00 -457,500.00 157,500.00

-8,663,704.50 45,455,628.00 -20,000.00 -59,493,155.00 2,373,314.00 -28,874,330.00 1,919,090.00 -1,712,445.00 2,259,875.00 -3,744,024.50 -454,573.00 -788,452.00 37,744,954.00 408,800.00 39,060.00 -9,434,181.50 -35,156,170.00 -773,726.00

-497,880.00

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

Close

41.4 5.6 5.59 1.44 0.201 0.69 10.96 0.97 0.305 2.22 2.1 1.8 5.94 0.180 0.72 8.54 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 1.62 8.59

30.05 3.36 4.96 0.79 0.083 0.415 2.4 0.83 0.188 1.15 1.42 1.27 4.13 0.090 0.39 2.69 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 0.83 5.73

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ Cebu Holdings Century Property 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. Realty `A’ Primex Corp.

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

10.5 66 1.44 1.09 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 12.3 2.6 7.67 1700 2720 8.41 1.97 119.5 0.017 0.8200 2.2800 12.28 3.32 95.5 1 15.2

1.97 35.2 1 0.63 8.6 0.0770 2.95 56.1 10.14 1.6 4.8 830 1600 5.95 1.23 102.6 0.011 0.041 1.200 6.5 1.91 3.1 0.650 6

0.62 1.040 22.8 6.41 4 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1

0.335 0.37 14.54 3 2.28 79 4.39 2748 0.435 1.2 31.45 60.55

11.6 0.85 10 0.490 1.9

7.59 0.63 5 0.315 1.14

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

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

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

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Phil. Seven Corp.

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

SSI Group STI Holdings Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Yehey

0.0098 17.24 25 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 3.06 0.020 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9

0.0043 6.47 9.43 0.85 0.77 5.99 1.17 0.305 0.2130 0.013 0.014 3.240 18.96 2.11 1.54 0.012 7.26 2.27 0.015 115.9 3.67

Abra Mining Atlas Cons. `A’ Atok-Big Wedge `A’ 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 Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. `A’ Philex `A’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. `A’ Semirara Corp.

TA Petroleum

70 525 120 515 1047

33 500 101.5 480 1011

78.95 84.8

74.5 75

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ First Gen G GLOBE PREF P PF Pref 2 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 Alterra Capital Italpinas Xurpas

12.88

5.95

130.7

105.6 First Metro ETF

High

VALUE 765,631,837.75 1,004,417,606.41 1,298,837,366.30 1,239,944,279.909 943,788,819.11 43,073,811.90 5,329,569,310.38

FINANCIAL 1,458.48 (down) 5.26 INDUSTRIAL 10,241.85 (down) 83.73 HOLDING FIRMS 5,917.98 (down) 128.05 PROPERTY 2,440.00 (down) 99.84 SERVICES 1,381.69 (up) 7.89 MINING & OIL 8,853.73 (down) 38.53 PSEI 6,259.61 (down) 97.44 All Shares Index 3,605.62 (down) 49.64 Gainers: 48; Losers: 114; Unchanged: 49; Total: 211

Close

29.950 2.23 5 0.455 0.099 0.370 21.7 0.710 0.137 0.91 1.48 1.21 3.53 0.069 0.285 8.59 24.20 1.4 3 19.52 0.76 0.820 4.150

29.900 28.450 28.500 2.23 2.19 2.21 4.9 4.6 4.6 0.46 0.44 0.440 0.100 0.099 0.099 0.370 0.360 0.360 22 20.9 21.05 0.710 0.710 0.710 0.138 0.137 0.137 0.91 0.89 0.89 1.49 1.43 1.44 1.21 1.13 1.13 3.53 3.11 3.17 0.070 0.070 0.070 0.29 0.280 0.280 8.43 8.4 8.4 24.65 23.75 23.90 1.47 1.37 1.46 3 2.99 3 19.98 18.94 19.06 0.78 0.76 0.77 0.810 0.810 0.750 4.200 3.810 3.950 SERVICES 6.06 6.25 6.02 6.15 55.5 56 54.7 55 1.12 1.13 1.13 1.13 0.455 0.400 0.400 0.400 3.13 3.28 3.09 3.12 0.0370 0.0390 0.0380 0.0380 3.32 3.32 3.19 3.2 77.2 77.7 76.5 76.8 9.48 9.45 9.42 9.42 1.46 1.46 1.44 1.44 6.08 6.30 6.05 6.05 955 955 955 955 1703 1747 1680 1705 6.50 6.60 6.33 6.33 1.10 1.10 1.10 1.10 57.5 60 57.55 57.85 0.0076 0.0080 0.0077 0.0077 0.120 0.120 0.111 0.118 1.3800 1.3000 1.3000 1.3000 7.00 7.05 6.98 6.98 4.45 4.40 4.25 4.25 29.90 28.95 21.05 21.95 0.580 0.500 0.490 0.500 1.34 1.38 1.19 1.19 3.47 3.48 3.22 3.24 0.250 0.255 0.250 0.255 0.640 0.640 0.620 0.630 17.6 18.18 17.6 17.6 4.31 4.31 4.31 4.31 2.6 2.65 2.65 2.65 100.00 102.00 100.00 100.00 20.10 20.15 19.66 20.15 1900.00 1962.00 1906.00 1937.00 0.420 0.435 0.435 0.435 0.500 0.550 0.500 0.520 33.35 34.30 33.35 33.70 60.95 60.55 58.70 58.90 4.95 5.03 4.80 4.82 2.69 2.75 2.57 2.58 0.390 0.400 0.385 0.390 3.56 3.5 3.48 3.48 0.315 0.315 0.315 0.315 3.230 3.260 3.150 3.260 MINING & OIL 0.0041 0.0042 0.0040 0.0041 4.02 4.02 4.01 4.02 10.50 12.50 11.70 12.50 0.45 0.48 0.48 0.48 0.32 0.34 0.31 0.31 6.00 6.00 5.65 5.98 0.480 0.490 0.460 0.465 0.245 0.245 0.240 0.240 0.147 0.154 0.150 0.150 0.0097 0.0097 0.0096 0.0097 0.012 0.012 0.010 0.012 1.46 1.6 1.42 1.42 4 4.03 3.69 3.75 2.2 2.35 2.2 2.21 0.9300 1.0300 0.9500 1.0100 0.0093 0.0092 0.0092 0.0092 3.99 3.99 3.90 3.90 1.21 1.25 1.20 1.22 0.0100 0.0110 0.0100 0.0100 123.00 123.80 122.00 123.40 1.88 1.86 1.8 1.8 PREFERRED 55 59.5 55 55.6 530 530 530 530 113.9 113.9 107 113.9 534 534 534 534 1025 1026 1025 1025 104 104.5 104 104 107 107 107 107 79.5 80.8 80 80 82.5 82.45 82 82.3 78.3 78.3 78.3 78.3 79.4 79.2 79.2 79.2 79.2 79.45 79 79.4 WARRANTS & BONDS 1.300 1.390 1.220 1.220 SME 3.14 3.14 3.01 3.14 2.39 2.54 2.35 2.35 12.36 12.94 11.84 11.88 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 104 104.4 102.5 103

T op g ainerS STOCKS

Low

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

-4.84 -0.90 -8.00 -3.30 0.00 -2.70 -3.00 0.00 0.00 -2.20 -2.70 -6.61 -10.20 1.45 -1.75 -2.21 -1.24 4.29 0.00 -2.36 1.32 -1.22 -4.82

15,135,700 2,161,000 165,000 980,000 90,000 4,010,000 669,400 10,000 180,000 1,369,000 22,684,000 222,000 137,501,000 980,000 40,000 246,000 2,301,600 223,000 4,000 8,592,700 541,000 254,000 16,173,000

-72,837,035.00 -1,593,010.00 -144,190.00 13,400.00

1.49 -0.90 0.89 -12.09 -0.32 2.70 -3.61 -0.52 -0.63 -1.37 -0.49 0.00 0.12 -2.62 0.00 0.61 1.32 -1.67 -5.80 -0.29 -4.49 -26.59 -13.79 -11.19 -6.63 2.00 -1.56 0.00 0.00 1.92 0.00 0.25 1.95 3.57 4.00 1.05 -3.36 -2.63 -4.09 0.00 -2.25 0.00 0.93

17,400 17,310 10,000 140,000 15,884,000 15,900,000 58,000 615,540 600 30,000 555,200 1,910 86,555 71,800 130,000 1,480,490 4,000,000 750,000 29,000 163,100 831,000 1,700 11,000 24,341,000 1,685,000 560,000 1,009,000 1,252,200 12,000 9,000 5,800 74,500 151,800 10,000 81,379,000 1,065,500 1,329,310 1,219,000 3,221,000 4,680,000 171,000 20,000 75,000

0.00 0.00 19.05 6.67 -4.69 -0.33 -3.13 -2.04 2.04 0.00 0.00 -2.74 -6.25 0.45 8.60 -1.08 -2.26 0.83 0.00 0.33 -4.26

165,000,000 188,600.00 17,000 -28,070.00 10,900 100,000 48,000.00 2,020,000 400 2,170,000 -19,600.00 20,000 3,070,000 54,000,000 208,000,000 164,000 5,248,000 2,500,440.00 19,000 162,000 5,000,000 870,000 -412,410.00 326,000 118,710.00 13,900,000 102,360 -4,410,556.00 63,000

1.09 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.63 -0.24 0.00 -0.25 0.25

65,850 4,470 87,130 534 2,050 6,370 2,500 9,170 50,860 3,000 200 75,470

-6.15

246,000

0.00 -1.67 -3.88

9,000 255,000 2,564,400

-0.96

20,620

127,750.00 3,646,960.00

-3,499,640.00 -62,779,980.00 548,090.00 32,499,670.00 5,480.00 -88,868,120.00 -42,560.00 -45,710,890.00

23,303,860.00 -5,540,650.50 22,628.00 14,216,935.00 16,636,733.00 15,680.00 513,353.00 85,000.00 -11,452,390.00 495,210.00 12,600.00

81,600.00 517,962.00 78,861,775.00 4,167,030.00 23,005,455.00 -38,601,123.00 -247,290.00 -986,550.00 471,500.00 31,320.00

1,982,300.50 2,670,000.00 0.00 -1,646,100.00

24,000.00 10,596,500.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

AG Finance

2.59

28.22

Manila Broadcasting

21.95

-26.59

Atok-Big Wedge `A'

12.50

19.05

Mabuhay Vinyl

2.65

-14.52

Da Vinci Capital

2.68

11.20

Manila Bulletin

0.500

-13.79

Roxas and Co.

2.64

10.00

APC Group, Inc.

0.400

-12.09

Oriental Peninsula Res.

1.0100

8.60

Melco Crown

1.19

-11.19

Century Peak Metals Hldgs

0.48

6.67

Megaworld

3.17

-10.20

EEI

5.69

5.18

Cebu Holdings

4.6

-8.00

Rockwell

1.46

4.29

Keppel Holdings `A'

4.15

-7.78

Phil. Savings Bank

98.9

4.05

Metro Retail

3.24

-6.63

Premium Leisure

0.520

4.00

Interport `A'

1.13

-6.61

THURSDAY: JANUARY 21, 2016

B3

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

BPO volunteers. Telus International Philippines receives the 2015 National Outstanding Volunteer Award for an organization, becoming the only business process outsourcing company to win the search for outstanding volunteers. Shown is Telus vice-president for brand, marketing and culture Warren Tait (fourth from left) while receiving the award from Sister Eva Maamo (second from right), honorary chair of National Voluntary Month. With them are other Telus executives.

Market plunges; property issues fall THE stock market plunged to a 23-month low Wednesday, weighed down by ongoing worries about plunging oil prices and the state of the world economy.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index tumbled 97.44 points, or 1.5 percent to 6,259.61 on a value turnover of P5.3 billion. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 114 to 48, with 49 issues unchanged.

Megaworld Corp., the third-biggest property developer, slumped 10.2 percent to P3.17, while rival Ayala Land Inc., the second-largest builder, fell 4.8 percent to P28.50.

Ayala Corp., the parent of Ayala Land, dropped 5.1 percent to P616.

SM Investments Corp., the investment holding company of retail tycoon Henry Sy, lost 2.5 percent to P780.

The rest of Asian markets suffered another rout Wednesday. Tokyo lost 3.7 percent to end at a close to a 15-month low and Sydney shed 1.3 percent, while Seoul dived 2.3 percent.

Shanghai swung in and out of positive territory before ending the day one percent lower—it has lost more than 15 percent this year already.

The International Monetary Fund’s decision to downgrade its global growth forecast for this year and issue a warning about the outlook added to the sense of doom across trading floors.

News from Beijing that the world’s number two economy—a key driver of worldwide growth— had expanded within forecasts provided a much-needed lift Tuesday.

While the figures represented the slowest rate in 25 years, they did fuel hope that China’s leaders would embark on a new round of stimulus, sending Asian and European markets sailing.

However, the joy gave way to the reality that oil prices were at more than 12-year lows and a supply glut was likely to continue for some time.

With AFP

CebuPac’s passenger traffic increases 8.8%

By Darwin G. Amojelar

The combined passenger traffic of Cebu Pacific and Cebgo rose 8.8 percent in the first 11 months of 2015, but the two budget airlines registered a decline in load factor.

Cebu Air Inc. said passenger traffic for both Cebu Pacific and Cebgo reached 16.68 million in the January-to-November period from 15.33 million in the same period in 2014.

The two airlines posted a combined passenger volume of 1.46 million in November, up 5.4 percent from 1.39 million in the same period in 2014.

Despite an increase in the number of passenger, load factor, which measures the number of occupied seats per flight, dropped to 82.1 percent in the first 11

months of 2015 from 83.9 percent in the same period of 2014.

Load factor in November, meanwhile, increased to 85.7 percent from 80.8 percent.

The Cebu Pacific Group had planned to carry about 18 million passengers in 2015.

The airline, owned by industrialist John Gokongwei, recorded a net income of P3.56 billion in the first nine months of 2015, up 71 percent from P2.08 billion year-on-year.

Revenues amounted to P42.26 billion in the nine-month period, or 9.9 percent higher than P38.45 billion posted in the same period in 2014.

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

The airline on December 17 launched three new routes: Manila–Fukuoka, CebuTaipei and Davao-Singapore.

It is also slated to launch direct flights from Manila to Guam, its first US destination, on March 15, 2016.

The airline’s 55-strong fleet is comprised of 8 Airbus A319, 33 Airbus A320, 6 Airbus A330 and 8 ATR-72 500 aircraft.

Between 2016 and 2021, Cebu Pacific will take delivery of 5 more brand-new Airbus A320, 30 Airbus A321neo, and 16 ATR 72600 aircraft.

Cebu Air had plan to raise as much as P15 billion through the issuance of fixed-rate corporate bonds in November.

The company plans to use proceeds from the fund raising activity to finance the airline’s fleet expansion program.

A source said the Cebu Air bonds would have tenors of seven and 10 years and be sold to both retail and institutional investors.

“They want to expand their fleet. They’ve been profitable because of the falling oil price,” the banking source said.

The airline tapped First Metro Investments Corp., BDO Capital and Investments Corp. and BPI Capital Corp. to handle the transaction.

Purchase of PDS majority still uncertain—Sicat

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE planned acquisition of a majority interest in fixed income operator Philippine Dealing System & Holdings Corp. by the Philippine Stock Exchange remains uncertain.

PSE president Hans Sicat said the bourse was trying to determine the existence of a commercial deal between PSE and PDS shareholders after the deadline for the transaction to be completed already expired in November.

The PSE though is still addressing the additional information being requested by the Securities and

Exchange Commission regarding its request to seek exemptive relief from the 20 percent limit of ownership in the unified exchange.

“What people should need to evaluate is whether a commercial deal will be forthcoming or feasible. What we had was a commercial deal that expired on November 27 and we have not announced anything on that yet,” Sicat said.

“This means that even as we can submit as many things as SEC wants, to them it is still a theoretical exercise, but we at the PSE probably need some time to determine if there is still a commer-

cial deal to speak of,” he added.

PDS shareholders that have signed share purchase agreement with PSE last year were Bankers Association of the Philippines, Finex Research and Development Foundation, Whistler Technology Services Inc. and Insular Investment Corp.

Several PDS shareholders, however, have expressed interest in selling their shares to the PSE, namely Singapore Stock Exchange, Golden Astra, Tata Consultancy Serves Asia, Computershare Technology Services, The Philippine America Life and General Insurance Co., Social

Security System and Investment House Association of the Philippines.

The SEC earlier gave PSE until January 26 to submit additional information regarding its planned acquisition of PDS, especially on dealing with the the market and investors that would benefit from the deal.

The PDS is the holding company that owns Philippine Dealing Exchange Corp., the operator of the fixed-income exchange. It also owns Philippine Depository and Trust Corp., which serves as the depository for equities and fixedincome securities.

B4

Customs eyes 2016 collection of P499b

By Gabrielle H. Binaday THE Bureau of Customs expects to achieve the collection target of P499 billion in 2016, despite the low oil prices, the agency’s top official said Tuesday evening.

Customs commissioner Alberto Lina said the agency would adjust some mechanisms to compensate for the drop in oil prices in the international market.

Oil prices last week plummeted to less than $30 a barrel as the expected increase in Iranian crude exports added to the oversupply concerns. “[The targets are] should always be achievable. You can not put target that is too low,” Lina said at the sidelines of the annual bankers night at Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Lina said the bureau had included in its calculation that impact of low oil prices in the world market, which was expected to reduce collections of duties on oil and oil-related products.

Oil-related products account for about 40 percent of the total customs revenues.

Lina said the agency would update the valuations table together with the improvement of technology in the bureau.

He said the bureau would employ additional analytics and would require importers and shippers to submit in advance cargo documents to give more time for the analysis.

“We will advance the submission of the documents so we can have more time for analysis,” he said.

Lina said the agency would also strengthen the campaign against smuggling as another measure to cushion the impact of steep drop in oil prices.

Customs collections hit P366.9 billion in 2015, falling 16 percent short of target revenues for the full year.

Mariners group.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz (seated, center) and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration administrator Hans Leo Cacdac (right) join the newly elected officers of Filipino Association for Mariners’ Employment Inc. after taking their oath of office. Comprising the Fame officers are Marlon Roño (president), Ericson Marquez (vice president for external affairs), Michael Estaniel (vice president for internal affairs), Rodello Ortiz (secretary), Carmen Rebusi (treasurer), Josephine Francisco (director), Emmanuel Regio (director), Reynaldo Casareo (director), Victor del Prado (director) and Elmer Pulumbarit (director).

Tourism revenues reached $5b in 2015

By Othel V. Campos

TOURISM revenues reached $5 billion in 2015, over 5 million foreign tourists visited the Philippines last year, the Tourism Department said Wednesday.

Tourism assistant secretary Arturo Boncato Jr. said annual revenues from tourism and related activities more than doubled in the past seven years to $5 billion in 2015 from $2.4 billion in 2008.

“The tourism industry’s significant measure of performance is not only on tourism arrivals but the revenues that stimulate economic activity in the country,” Boncato said during the Asean

Tourism Forum.

Manila is hosting the Asean Tourism Forum on Jan. 18 to 22, where tourism ministers from the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are expected to meet and discuss a regional tourism plan.

Boncato said international visitor arrivals posted a compounded annual growth of 8 percent over the past seven years, from 3.14 million in 2008 to 5.4 mil-

lion in 2015.

Korea remained the top source market with a record 1.3 million visitors in 2015. It was followed by the US, Japan, China, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Germany.

Cruise arrivals also increased 18 percent to 52 port calls in 2015 from 44 port calls in 2014.

Cruise passengers visiting the Philippines increased 16 percent to 69,802 in 2015 from 60,183 arrivals in 2014.

“With the completion of the Philippine cruise strategy, the cruise market is seen to deliver more visitors to the country, as the strategy will provide support not only for infrastructure but also on policies that will improve

the industry,” Boncanto said.

Visitor arrivals in the Philippines grew 9.6 percent in 2015, as the country improved its travel and tourism competitiveness ranking by 20 places from 94th in 2011 to 74th in 2014.

Boncanto said the expansion in tourism infrastructure and services had contributed to the overall improved performance of the industry.

He said the Tourism Department would implement more programs aimed at increasing revenues, creating more jobs and growing more inbound and domestic tourism in 2016.

Asean Tourism Forum is a regional effort to promote the Asean region as one tourist destination.

MNTC set to complete elevated toll road this year

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE operator of North Luzon Expressway said Wednesday it expects to complete the elevated highway linking MacArthur Highway in Valenzuela City to C3 Road in Caloocan City this year.

“Yes [we are on track], but remaining RoW [right of way] will need to be completed on time,” Rodrigo Franco, president and chief executive of Manila North Tollways Corp. and Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., said.

Franco said the P11.5-billion NLEx Harbor Link project was currently 17-percent completed, while RoW was 48 percent delivered to date and “should be 100-percent delivered by first

half of the year.”

MNTC tapped Leighton Contractors Asia Ltd. to build the NLEx Harbor Link.

Under the contract, Leighton will construct 5.6 kilometers of elevated highway in northwest Metro Manila linking Mac Arthur Highway in Valenzuela and C3 Road in Caloocan City near the port area.

The NLEx Harbor Link Segment 10 will provide a more convenient expressway route to the Port Area in Manila. It will allow more trips for cargo trucks as they will be freed from the truck ban.

Segment 10 will also help decongest Metro Manila as it will offer motorists another alterna-

tive to NLEx, apart from Edsa/ Balintawak and Mindanao Avenue. Cargo trucks, buses and commercial vehicles do not need to use Metro Manila’s congested streets to access NLEx. Daily traffic for Segment 10 is projected to average 30,000 vehicles.

MNTC also plans to spend an additional P5 billion to extend the NLEx Harbor Link up to R10 in the Port of Manila.

MNTC completed and opened the P1.59-billion Segment 9 of the NLEx Harbor Link, a 2.42-kilometer expressway to the public in March last year.

Segment 9 connects NLEx from Smart Connect Interchange to MacArthur Highway in Ka-

ruhatan, Valenzuela City. The new road is expected to serve as many as 27,000 vehicles daily in the first year and ease traffic in major thoroughfares.

The company is also the original proponent of the P18-billion NLEx-SLEx Connector Road Project, which involves the construction of an eight-kilometer, four-lane toll road that will link the existing NLEx and SLEx, passing through Metro Manila and using the existing Philippine National Railway alignment as its route.

The board of the National Economic and Development Authority approved the Swiss Challenge for the NLEx-SLEx Connector Road Project in December 2015.

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

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

Bank of Tokyo bets on Security Bank THE Philippine growth story is attracting Japanese companies and other foreign investors. But when one of the world’s biggest lenders decides to put a significant investment in a Philippine bank, one can expect it to be a long-term engagement.

Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd., Japan’s largest bank, last week agreed to buy 20 percent of Security Bank Corp. for $782 million, or P36.9 billion. The transaction by far is the largest equity investment in the country’s financial system by a foreign institution. It topped the Philippine investment of Cathay Life Insurance Corp. of Taiwan, which infused P17.9 billion for a 20-percent stake in Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. in April last year.

Standard & Poor’s Rating Services quickly reacted to the deal.

It revised the credit outlook for Security Bank from stable to positive and affirmed its ‘BB+’ long-term and ‘B’ short-term issuer credit ratings on the local bank.

“The outlook revision reflects SBC’s improved capital position after Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd. acquired a 20-percent stake in the bank… The deal will increase SBC’s capital by P36.9 billion on a pro-forma basis from P52.4 billion as of Sept. 30, 2015,” S&P said.

The Japanese bank, known as BTMU, is a member of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc., one of the world’s leading financial groups with total assets of $2.4 trillion as of March 31, 2015.

Security Bank clearly will benefit from the foreign equity infusion in support of its ambition to be among the top four or five banks in the Philippines against the backdrop of a resurgent economy.

The bank’s goal, while daunting, will require bold initiatives.

Security Bank officials say the lender must build retail banking as the third business pillar alongside wholesale banking and financial markets. It will have to accelerate branch network expansion to support retail, middle market and penetration of the small and medium enterprises. The goal to become the fourth or fifth largest bank will also require 500 to 600 branches by 2020 in deposit-rich, high-business markets.

Rapid growth eyed Security Bank plans to use the additional capital to pursue more rapid growth, especially in the retail sector to complement strengths in corporate and wholesale banking. But S&P is wary of the plan.

“We believe the bank’s retail growth plans are ambitious… In our opinion, the retail sector offers higher yields, but also presents greater delinquency risks, which could lead to an increase in the bank’s credit costs. Rapid use of capital combined with incremental operating costs could gradually reduce SBC’s enhanced capital ratios over the next 18 to 24 months. We continue to assess SBC’s capital position as adequate,” S&P said.

The credit rating agency said the alliance with BTMU would enhance Security Bank’s products suite, collaboration opportunities and global banking know-how and help accelerate the bank’s growth strategy in Philippines.

“We could raise the ratings on SBC if its Standard & Poor’s risk adjusted capital ratio sustains above 10 percent in the next 18 to 24 months despite the growth plans,” the rating agency said.

BTMU, though, is bullish despite the 81-percent premium on Security Bank’s closing price of P135 when the transaction was announced last week.

“People say that it’s expensive, but we believe this is the right price,” Go Watanabe, the managing executive officer and chief executive for Asia-Oceania at MUFG’s main lending unit, said.

“We believe this price is fair, calculating the intrinsic or future value of the bank. Asean market is our second core market after Japan. So we would like to expand our business here, so Asean is very important.”

Security Bank chairman Alberto Villarosa, meanwhile, assured the Dy family, which had been the bank’s majority shareholders for years, would remain the controlling shareholder of the bank. He said the additional capital infusion from BTMU would be largely allocated to pursue the bank’s growth and strategies.

Total foreign ownership of Security Bank climbed to 35 percent, still below the 40-percent limit under the law.

“This is a testament to Security Bank’s reputation. We welcome the entry of BTMU as a shareholder and business partner. This partnership is an appropriate fit for Security Bank to deliver our promise of better banking,” Villarosa said.

E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or busines@thestandard.com. ph or extrastory2000@gmail.com

B5

Bemac, Japan firm bag e-trikes supply

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE Energy Department issued the notice of award to Uzushio Electric Co. Ltd. of Japan and local partner Bemac Electric Transportation Philippines Inc. for the supply of 3,000 units of electric tricycles.

Energy Undersecretary Donato Marcos told reporters the notice of award was sent by the agency last week and received by the two companies Monday.

“The signing of the [supply] contract will be 28 days [after receipt of the notice of award],” Marcos said.

He said the rollout of the entire 3,000 e-trike units was expected to be completed this year.

Marcos said the supply contract was granted to Uzushio and Bemac, following a series of negotiations with the department in coordination with the Asian

Development Bank.

He said the winning bidders’ offer was accepted due to the “superlative features” of its offer, which included a five-year warranty on battery, maintenance and three-year free insurance and free registration.

“If it is proven that government can service as a catalyst, then we can consider other e-vehicles, such as e-jeepney, e-bus, in close breed with solar,” he said.

Marcos said the government had succeeded in lowering the manufacturing price to P450,000

to P460,000 per unit from the original estimate of P600,000 a unit.

“We want to bring down the cost further and with the presence of an independent EV expert recommended by ADB [Asian Development Bank],” Marcos said earlier.

Marcos said ADB had recommended e-vehicle expert Andrew Campbell of New Zealand to join the negotiations with Uzushio and Bemac “to really come up with a lower price.”

Uzushio and Bemac was the only one among five interested bidders who had complied with the requirements of the department for the supply and delivery of 3,000 e-trikes.

The department bid out an initial supply and delivery of 3,000 e-trikes last year as a part of the government’s market transformation through the introduction of Energy Efficient Electric Vehicles Project.

Natural Looks in PH. Natural Looks, a British brand and Middle East’s household name for toilet-

ries, hair and facial care products is now in the Philippines. Shown during the opening of a branch at the third floor of SM North Edsa Annex in Quezon City are (from left) Natural Looks brand manager Natasya Calip, brand ambassador KC Concepcion, assistant director to the chief executive Sabreen Daas and chairman of the board Maher Daas.

Monde Nissin, Kellogg’s sign deal

By Jenniffer B. Austria MONDE Nissin signed a deal with US food manufacturer Kellogg’s to distribute the latter’s products in the Philippines.

The strategic partnership will pave the way for Monde Nissin to expand into new categories, after it made three acquisitions in 2015.

The partnership will also enable Kellogg’s to further strengthen its presence in the Philippine market.

“The turn of the year ushered in a new venture for Monde Nissin as it sealed partnership with Kellogg’s for product distribution in the Philippines. The partnership is set to grow Kellogg’s breakfast cereals and snacking

categories by expanding the local reach of its ready-to-eat cereal products and iconic potato chip brand Pringles,” Monde Nissin said in a statement posted on its website.

Kellogg’s offers a wide product assortment led by flagship product Corn Flakes. The company is also behind cereal brands Froot Loops, Frosties and Special K. Kellogg’s took in the business of Pringles in 2012, which tripled the size of its international snacks business and made the company as one of the major players in the potato chips industry.

Kellogg’s products were previously distributed in the Philippines through a distribution agreement with Alaska Milk Corp.

Monde Nissin made three significant acquisitions in 2015, the biggest of which was the 550-million-pound purchase of Quorn Foods, a UK-based meat substitute producer, which was completed in October.

The company through unit Monde Nissin (Australia) Pty. Ltd. also made two acquisitions in Australia, including Menora Foods and Black Swan.

Menora Foods is one of the leading fast moving consumer goods firms in Australia with a wide array of trusted brands in the categories of dips, condiments, pasta, beverages, confectionery, cakes, snack foods and general merchandise.

Black Swan is the leading brand of chilled dips in Australia.

THURSDAY: JANUARY 21, 2016

B6

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

If elected, what will Binay do about AMLC? IN ARGUABLY the most bizarre situation in the history of this country’s electoral system, Vice President Jejomar Binay went into the current electoral process with numerous very serious charges against him. The charges, mostly based on allegations of violations by Binay of the laws governing government procurement, reporting of public officials’ wealth and use of the nation’s banking facilities, were the results of investigations and researches conducted by a trio of government institutions, to wit, the Commission on Audit, the Senate and the AntiMoney Laundering Council. t will be recalled that the Vice President’s response to the charges was made up of two parts. One part was a counter-charge that the Senate-CoA-AMLC onslaught against him was a political exercise intended to derail his plan to run for the Presidency in the 2016 election. The second part was the Constitutional precept that a person is innocent until proven guilty.

Jejomar Binay clearly is very angry with these three institutions: the Senate, AMLC and CoA. He claims that they have been peddling lies, distortions and prejudgments about him. Given his need to court votes and to convey to the voters the impression that he is a persecuted and oppressed Opposition

candidate, the Vice President has been trying very hard to keep his cool. He will exact his revenge once he is sworn into the Presidency.

Then he will do everything retaliatory against those three institutions.

The question that knowledgeable observers are asking in this connection is, what can a vengeful and retaliating Jejomar Binay do against the Senate, CoA and AMLC? Even a President elected with a big popular mandate cannot do much against the Senate, which is one-half of the Constitutionally ordained branches of the government. More than the House of Representatives, the upper chamber of Congress is jealous of its powers and prerogatives and historically has fiercely resisted any attempt by Malacañang to control it. The current Congress has savaged Binay’s reputation—in fact it has left that reputation in tatters—and is likely to pursue its investigation of the former Makati City mayor’s alleged wrongdoing when it reconvenes in July.

Whatever the political complexion of the future Senate, the findings of the recent Binay investigations are already on record and will await responses from the Vice President.

Nor will a President Binay be able to do anything about CoA, also a Constitutional body. CoA has its Constitutional mandate

and does not have to kowtow to the political branches of the government. The new chairman of CoA was appointed recently

by President Aquino and will be in office for the next year. A CoA chairman who decided to go easy on the anti-Binay charges in the face of strong and irrefutable evidence would face an overwhelming outcry from the public, especially the media. CoA’s records regarding the Binay mayoral regime are likewise in place and ready for presentation at the appropriate time.

That leaves AMLC. The knowledgeable observers are asking one another how a President Binay intends to deal with AMLC, a non-Constitutional body.

A President Binay theoretically could move to have his Congressional allies repeal or severely emasculate the law that created AMLC. That’s theory. The reality is that AMLC is virtually unrepealable. AMLC was enacted into law by Congress under compulsion by the International Monetary Fund and the international financial community—grouped into a Paris-based financial group—as the quid pro quo for removal of the Philippines from the Paris group’s blacklist of countries that engage in or tolerate money laundering.

Failure to enact the law would have meant the

Philippines’ continuing to wallow in the same money-laundering trough as the notorious Carribean, African and Eastern European countries. Congress barely made the deadline set by the Paris group for enactment of the Anti-Money Laundering Act. Like the Senate and CoA, AMLC is ready with its documentary evidence, supplied by Philippine banks, of unexplained and questionable financial transactions by Binay and his alleged dummies involving enormous sums of money. AMLC is just waiting to produce the documents at the appropriate time and place. The documents will survive a repeal of the AMLC law.

And so I go back to the title of this column.

What will President Binay do about AMLC? This assumes that there is something that he would be able to do. But, as explained above, that is not the case. So he would be stuck with AMLC. E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

Republic of the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Republic of the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources

North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines

North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines

Mines and Geosciences Bureau

Mines and Geosciences Bureau

Tel. No. (+63 2) 920-9120/ 920-9130 / 928-8937 Fax No. (+63 2) 920-1635 E-mail: central @ mgb.gov.ph

Tel. No. (+63 2) 920-9120/ 920-9130 / 928-8937 Fax No. (+63 2) 920-1635 E-mail: central @ mgb.gov.ph

INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO BID One (1) lot Information Technology Parts and Peripherals ITB No. 2016-01-001 P.R. No. 2016-01-102

INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO BID Two (2) Units Laboratory Equipment ITB No. 2016-01-002 P.R. No. 2016-01-022

1. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), through the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for CY 2016 intends to apply the sum of Five Million Three Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (PhP5,350,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for One (1) lot Information Technology Parts and Peripherals. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected during opening of bids.

1. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), through the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for CY 2016 intends to apply the sum of Three Million Eight Hundred Thousand Pesos (PhP3,800,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for Two (2) Units Laboratory Equipment. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected during opening of bids.

The MGB now invites bids for Procurement of One (1) lot Information Technology Parts and Peripherals.

Delivery of the Goods is required within forty five (45) days upon receipt of Notice to Proceed (NTP)/Purchase Order (PO). Bidders should have completed, within Five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II (Instructions to Bidders).

The MGB now invites bids for procurement of Two (2) Units XRF Handheld Analyzer.

2.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

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.

3. Interested bidders may obtain further information from MGB and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hours, from 9:00AM to 4:00PM. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from January 21 to February 9, 2016 at the address below and upon payment of a non- refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Four Thousand Pesos (PhP4,000.00).

Preview of specifications can be downloaded from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (Phil-GEPS).

Delivery of the Goods is required within forty five (45) calendar days upon receipt of Notice to Proceed (NTP)/Purchase Order (PO). Bidders should have completed, within Five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II (Instructions to Bidders).

2. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

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.

3. Interested bidders may obtain further information from MGB and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hours, from 9:00AM to 4:00PM. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from January 21 to February 9, 2016 at the address below and upon payment of a non- refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Three Thousand Pesos (PhP3,000.00).

Preview of specifications can be downloaded from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (Phil-GEPS).

4. The MGB will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on January 27, 2016, Wednesday at 2:00PM, at the Office of the Bids and Awards Committee, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

4. The MGB will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on January 27, 2016, Wednesday at 2:00PM, at the Office of the Bids and Awards Committee, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on February 10, 2016, Wednesday, on or before 1:30PM. Late bids shall not be accepted. All Bids must be accompanied by a Bid Securing Declaration or any other bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bids must be delivered to the address below on February 10, 2016, Wednesday, on or before 1:30PM. Late bids shall not be accepted. All Bids must be accompanied by a Bid Securing Declaration or any other bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bid opening shall be on February 10, 2016, Wednesday, 2:00PM, at the Office of the MGB-Bids and Awards Committee. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend.

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

6.

For further information, please refer to: Engr. ROBERTO D. CASEROS Head, Secretariat Bids and Awards Committee North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Telephone No. 6676700 loc. 153 or 156 E-mail: bacems_minesbureauco@yahoo.com Website: www.mgb.gov.ph

( T S - J A N . 21, 2 016)

(SGD) Engr. JUANCHO PABLO S. CALVEZ Chairman, BAC

Bid opening shall be on February 10, 2016, Wednesday, 2:00PM, at the Office of the MGB-Bids and Awards Committee. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend.

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

6. For further information, please refer to:

Engr. ROBERTO D. CASEROS Head, Secretariat Bids and Awards Committee North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Telephone No. 6676700 loc. 153 or 156 E-mail: bacems_minesbureauco@yahoo.com Website: www.mgb.gov.ph

( T S - J A N . 21, 2 016)

(SGD) Engr. JUANCHO PABLO S. CALVEZ Chairman, BAC

Crude touches $27 per barrel

SINGAPORE—US crude prices extended losses Wednesday, heading towards $27 a barrel, as the International Energy Agency warned that the oil market could “drown in oversupply.”

West Texas Intermediate, the US benchmark, fell to levels last seen in September 2003, touching $27.49 at one point.

At around 0645 GMT, the February contract was trading at $27.55, down 91 cents, or 3.20 percent. Brent crude for March—which briefly fell below $28 on Monday—was 63 cents, or 2.19 percent, lower at $28.13.

Both contracts are at more than 12-year lows.

“The IEA report played a big part in the price decline,” said Phillip Futures analyst Daniel Ang, adding that this underscored the current “bearishness in the market”.

Prices have crashed about 75 percent since mid-2014, hit by a perfect storm of a supply glut, weak demand, a slowing global economy and a strong dollar.

And the IEA said Tuesday they would fall further this year as supply vastly exceeds demand, with major oil exporter Iran’s return to the market offsetting any production cuts from other countries.

“Can it go any lower?” the IEA said. “Unless something changes, the oil market could drown in oversupply. So the answer to our question is an emphatic yes. It could go lower.” AFP

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

WORLD

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Worried over EU citizens in China BEIJING—The European Union’s ambassador to China said Wednesday it had “grave concerns” over Beijing’s detentions of EU citizens, hours after state media broadcast the purported confession of a Swedish activist held by authorities.

Peter Dahlin, who worked for the Chinese Urgent Action Working Group, disappeared earlier this month as he prepared to board a flight to Thailand, and appears to have been caught up in a crackdown on human rights lawyers.

Late Tuesday, state broadcaster China Central Television showed a video of him confessing that he had “violated Chinese law through my activities here”.

In stilted tones, he declared: “I have hurt the feelings of the Chinese people. I apologize sincerely for this.”

Dahlin’s group has said it offered training to human rights lawyers who have tried to use China’s tightlycontrolled judiciary to redress apparent government abuses.

“I have no complaints to make,” the Swede was shown saying. “I think my treatment has been fair.”

Two purported Chinese colleagues of Dahlin were also shown declaring their guilt.

In China high-profile criminal suspects are regularly paraded on television apparently confessing to their actions, in what rights lawyers say is a violation of criminal procedure.

It is rare for China to accuse foreigners of national security offenses, which can carry heavy penalties, although some have been accused of spying.

The EU was “deeply concerned” about cases such as Dahlin’s, the grouping’s ambassador to China Hans-Dietmar Schweisgut told reporters.

“We do hope it’s not representing the new normal yet, but we do see an extremely worrying trend,” he said.

Dahlin’s case came after two Hong Kong booksellers with European citizenship vanished—one from the former British colony and the other from Thailand—to reemerge in China, raising fears of Chinese authorities operating internationally. AFP

B7

At least 21 dead in Taliban attack on Pakistani school CHARSADDA, Pakistan—At least 21 people died in a Taliban assault on a university in Pakistan Wednesday, where witnesses reported two large explosions as security forces moved in under dense fog to halt the bloodshed.

The number of dead climbed rapidly after armed men stormed the Bacha Khan university in Charsadda, about 50 kilometers from the city of Peshawar, in the latest outrage to hit the militant-infested region.

Police, soldiers and special forces swarmed

the university from the ground and the air in a bid to shut down the assault, as television images showed female students running for their lives.

“The death toll in the terrorist attack has risen to 21,” regional police chief Saeed Wazir told AFP hours after the

alarm was first raised.

He said the operation had ended and security forces were clearing the area, with most of the student victims shot dead at a hostel for male students.

“More than 30 others including students, staff and security guards were wounded,” he added.

Emergency official Bilal Faizi described seeing five bodies, all with bullet wounds.

Military spokesman Major General Asim Bajwa said on Twitter that four attackers had been killed.

“Update: Snipers killed 2 more terrorists on roof top, total Terrorist killed so far 4. All buildings [and] roof top taken over by Army. op continues,” he wrote

earlier.

It was not immediately clear if the four were included in the toll of 21 given by police chief Wazir.

The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

“Our four suicide attackers carried out the attack on Bacha Khan University today,” Umar Mansoor, a commander in the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistani militant group told AFP. Speaking by telephone from an undisclosed location, he said it was in response to a military offensive against extremists in the tribal areas.

Students spoke of one hero teacher named by media as Syed Hamid Hussain fighting back against the intruders, shooting

Republic of the Philippines Province of Bataan City of Balanga

Republic of the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Mines and Geosciences Bureau

North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines

BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE OFFICE

Tel. No. (+63 2) 920-9120/ 920-9130 / 928-8937 Fax No. (+63 2) 920-1635 E-mail: central @ mgb.gov.ph

INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO BID Four (4) Units Motor Vehicle (Pick-up) 4x4 M/T Diesel ITB No. 2016-01-008 P.R. No. 2016-01-095 1. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), through the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for CY 2016 intends to apply the sum of Five Million Six Hundred Thousand Pesos (PhP5,600,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for Four (4) Units Motor Vehicle (Pick-up) 4x4 M/T Diesel. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected during opening of bids.

1.

The MGB now invites bids for the Procurement of Four (4) Units Motor Vehicle (Pick-up) 4x4 M/T Diesel.

Delivery of Goods is required within forty five (45) calendar days upon receipt of Notice To Proceed (NTP)/Purchase Order (PO). Bidders should have completed, within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II (Instructions to Bidders).

2.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

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.

3. Interested bidders may obtain further information from MGB and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hours, from 9:00AM to 4:00PM. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from January 21 to February 9, 2016 at the address below and upon payment of a non-refundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Three Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (PhP3,500.00).

Preview of specifications can be downloaded from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (Phil-GEPS).

4. The MGB will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on January 27, 2016, Wednesday at 2:00PM, at the Office of the Bids and Awards Committee, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, which shall be open only to all interested parties who have purchased the Bidding Documents.

5. Bids must be delivered to the address below on February 10, 2016, Wednesday, on or before 1:30PM. Late bids shall not be accepted.

All Bids must be accompanied by a Bid Securing Declaration or any other bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bid opening shall be on February 10, 2016, Wednesday, 2:00PM, at the Office of the MGB-Bids and Awards Committee. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend.

6.

The MGB 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.

7.

For further information, please refer to:

ENGR. ROBERTO D. CASEROS Head, Secretariat Bids and Awards Committee North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Telephone No. 6676700 loc. 153 or 156 E-mail: bacems_minesbureauco@yahoo.com Website: www.mgb.gov.ph (SGD) ENGR. JUANCHO PABLO S. CALVEZ Chairman, BAC

( T S - J A N . 21, 2 016)

his weapon in a bid to protect his charges.

Geology student Zahoor Ahmed said his chemistry lecturer had warned him not to leave the building after the first shots were fired.

“He was holding a pistol in his hand,” he said.

“Then I saw a bullet hit him.

I saw two militants were firing.

I ran inside and then managed to flee by jumping over the back wall.”

Another student told television reporters he was in class when he heard gunshots.

“We saw three terrorists shouting, ‘Allah is great!’ and rushing towards the stairs of our department,” he said. AFP

Invitation to Bid NO. INFRA -007-2016

07

The Provincial Government of Bataan, through the Special Educational 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 1.

Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC)

Construction of Two (2) Storey Four (4) Classroom School Building Sta. Lucia High School Dinalupihan,

=P=6,049,992.55

Bataan

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.

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.

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

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

The Provincial Government of Bataan will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on January 26, 2016 at 10:00 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 February 09, 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.

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.

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 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Advertisement/Posting of Invitation to Bid Eligibility Check Issuance and availability of Bidding Documents Request for Clarification Opening of Bids

Schedule January 19 - 25, 2016 Refer to date of Opening of Bids January 19 – February 08, 2016 January 29, 2016 February 09, 2016

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.

For further information, please refer to: 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. 21, 2016)

(SGD) ENRICO T. YUZON BAC Chairman

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

B8

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

WORLD

US companies leaving China BEIJING—One out of four US companies active in China has moved some operations out of the country or is planning to, as conditions worsen in the world’s second-largest economy, an American business group said Wednesday.

Foreign investment has been a key part of China’s transformation in recent decades, which has seen it become the workshop of the world and its largest trader in goods, but growth is now slowing.

It faces rising competition from rivals in Asia and elsewhere on labor costs, while the American Chamber of Commerce in China said more than three-quarters of the respondents to its annual business climate survey—77 percent—said they felt “less welcome” in the country last year.

It was a significant jump on the 47 percent in 2014, and came in the wake of wide-ranging monopoly probes that have targeted foreign firms, some of which have paid huge penalties to Chinese authorities.

“Some of the policies which are being considered or have already been enacted are fundamentally leading China in the wrong direction,” said Lester Ross, the chamber’s vice chairman.

Among the 25 percent who have moved some of their capacity elsewhere in the last three years, or are planning to do so, the most common driver was rising labor costs.

But the chamber said almost one in 10 said they were doing so because of “regulatory challenges”.

Almost half those switching—49 percent— moved their operations to other developing Asian countries, while 38 percent went to North America. AFP

Tribute. US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter and US Ambassador to France Jane D. Hartley ay a wreath to pay tribute to the victims of the Paris terror attacks at the Place de la Republique (Republic Square) in Paris on January 20, 2016. AFP

Analysts warn of slowdown PARIS—The slowing growth in the Chinese economy carries major risks for emerging markets, and a drop in global trade could harm Europe and the United States as well, analysts warn.

Hours after Chinese authorities reported Tuesday that the economy grew by 6.9 percent in 2015, the International Monetary Fund warned of “spillover effects” from a sharper-than-expected slowdown in Chinese trade as it trimmed its global growth forecasts for 2016.

China grew last year at the slowest rate in a quarter century, ac-

cording to the official figures, yet that pace was in fact a bit higher than what many analysts had been expecting.

It also lies within Beijing’s target range as it looks to recalibrate the economy to a more sustainable model.

That helped calm markets, which have plunged in recent weeks on fears about the ability of Chinese authorities to manage the economy after the poor handling of a meltdown on its stock exchanges.

“Meeting the economic growth target for 2015 goes some way to offset concerns that Chinese authorities’ mismanagement of the stock market would spill over into their management of the economy in 2016,” said analyst Jasper Lawler at CMC Markets UK.

But overall the outlook for the Chinese economy is for further slowdown.

The IMF did not cut its forecast for China, which sees it slowing to 6.3 percent growth this year.

The slowdown in the world’s second-largest economy, and the largest consumer of commodities, has caused the prices for raw materials to plunge, hammering nations that rely heavily on their production and export.

“Raw-material producing nations are already paying a high price” for the Chinese slowdown and the plunge in commodities prices this has caused, said Christine Rifflart, author of a study on emerging markets at the French Economic Observatory.

“The marked slowdown in

China has caused collateral damage, resulting in very sharp recessions in raw-material exporting countries,” she said.

“We are much more concerned about the perspective of emerging markets besides China, in particular the countries which produce raw materials” than China itself, said Jean-Michel Six, chief economist for Europe, the Middle East and Africa for Standard and Poor’s rating agency.

The IMF’s chief economist, Maurice Obstfeld, also warned of the “large spillover effects” caused by the plunge in commodity prices.

His colleague Gian Maria MilesiFerretti, the deputy director of the IMF’s research department, called for more attention to the “repercussions” of China’s slowdown.

“And of course for the emerging world we have to watch very carefully what is happening in countries facing difficult economic situations, Brazil and Russia come to mind.”

The French Economic Observatory’s Rifflart pointed out that many commodity-exporting nations and companies have “very little margin for maneuver”.

Many loaded up with debt in recent years when credit was cheap, often to meet higher Chinese demand.

Now with US interest rates rising credit has become more expensive and the dollar has strengthened against emerging market currencies, making it costlier to service dollar-denominated debt, just as the drop in commodities prices has hit revenues. AFP

Beijing urged to sanction N. Korea

Misery. Migrants and refugees queue for a bus at a registration camp in the

southern Serbian town of Presevo on January 20, 2016, as the temperature falls to minus 15 degrees Celsius. As refugees continued to flow from Greece through the Balkans on their way to western Europe, aid workers sounded alarms over the inadequate shelter from the current freezing temperatures and snowy conditions, particularly for children. AFP

SEOUL—Calling North Korea the greatest source of instability in Asia, a top US diplomat urged China on Wednesday to “show leadership” in international efforts to sanction Pyongyang following its fourth nuclear test.

US Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken, who was in Seoul on a two-day visit, noted China had a particular role to play given its “special relationship” with its reclusive neighbor.

Blinken will meet with Chinese diplomats in Beijing on Thursday, ahead of a scheduled trip to China by US Secretary of State John Kerry next week, as Washington seeks to ramp up

pressure on Beijing.

“We are looking to China to show leadership on the issue,” Blinken said after talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-Se. China is North Korea’s chief diplomatic protector and economic benefactor, but traditional ties have become strained as Beijing’s patience has worn thin with Pyongyang’s behavior and unwillingness to rein in its nuclear weapons ambitions.

But China’s leverage over Pyongyang is mitigated, analysts say, by its overriding fear of a North Korean collapse and the prospect of a reunified, US-allied

Korea directly on its border.

“Every country in this region wants stability. North Korea is the greatest source of instability in the region,” the visiting US envoy said. “Together, collectively, we have to deal with that,” he added.

Yun echoed Blinken’s view, saying it was now “North Korea versus the international community”.

Blinken’s trip is the latest in a flurry of diplomatic exchanges focused on Northeast Asia, as the international community seeks to squeeze North Korea with fresh sanctions for its latest nuclear test on January 6. AFP

T H U R S D AY : J A N U A R Y 2 1 , 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

W EL L BEING

LIFE

C1

Testing the Power Speed Tight at Nike Tight Night for a 30-minute run with the help of Nike Running app

NIKE TIGHT NIGHT

Nike introduces its all-new Power Speed and Zoned Sculpt Tights PHOTOS BY STAR SABROSO

N

ike continues its biggest initiative in motivating women’s athletic journeys with the #BetterForIt campaign. With the campaign comes innovative products that elevate women’s experiences in getting fit for the better, together with use of its apps Nike Training Club and Nike Running app.

In the recently held Nike Tight Night event, female members from the media and fitness enthusiasts sweated it out and took Nike’s latest Tights innovation for a test drive. Tights are becoming a huge trend in the industry, not just for performance but even for off the court use for both men and women. Following this demand, Nike set forth to produce an innovative product made specifically for two kinds of activities – running and training with Nike’s all-new Power Speed and Zoned Sculpt tights.

“The Power Speed Tight is all about speed, giving you a lock-in fit for that best tight. The material that we used is a very slim-cut fine material, cut it in a way that would contour the body to give you a lockin and a secure fit,” explains Andro Torres, Nike EKIN (brand evangelist, in-charge of product technology and innovation). “The best part about this tight is, since it’s made for running, all of the materials are considered to make sure that the tight is very light, so that regardless of whether you’re running a 5k or 21k, no matter how long or how fast or how hard you’re running, it will give you

40-minute mat exercises using the Zone Sculpt Tight

the same kind of weight and fit throughout the course of your run.”

Designers from Nike studied the body’s motion while running, and high activity areas are seen specifically in the thighs, calves, and around the Achilles area. Power Speed Tight has enhanced compression zones accentuated by screen-printed graphic lines that actually boost muscle control along the hip, thigh, calf and Achilles tendon. The rubberized print’s design actually resembles the flow of the running track. Not only does it perfectly fit the runner’s legs, it looks really sleek and stylish.

During the Tight Night, Nike Power Speed Tight was put to the test, and with the use of Nike Running app together with Nike+ Run Club coach Ian Banzo, the participants braved a 30-minute, non-stop run for a 4km finish.

Better for it so they say, as the women pushed themselves while enjoying the secure fit of the running tights. The pain from the strain and muscle tension during a run was alleviated due to the support of the compression zones.

The material is so light, it felt almost as if the tights were part of the skin.

“The Sculpt Tight is a product Nike launched almost three years ago, and it’s been famous for its fit. So what we wanted to do for this season, is take that iconic ‘fit’ a notch higher,” shares Torres. “For the Zoned Sculpt, it’s called Zoned because we added heightened support in certain zones. Just like the running tights, we’ve discovered high

activity areas in the body that need support to gain more control for those muscles.”

Training requires a more varied and vigorous training routine and this calls for more zoned supports. Nike designers studied the body’s movements with the use of six core training moves – push, pull, lunge, squat, bend and rotate. With this, they designed tights that wrap and move with the natural motion of a woman’s body, and define muscle movement at the same time promotes a sense of fluid control. The training tights are made from a soft, light DriFIT fabric with a knit design crafted to provide compressive support to muscles around the core, quadriceps and glutes.

To test the Zoned Sculpt Tight, women participants from the Nike Tight Night went directly for another 40-minute training exercise with the use of the Nike Training Club app together with N+TC trainers Katz Salao and Kat Reambillo. “Sorry legs, this is for your own good,” exclaims a note on the wall as media and the other participants walked in on the venue. After a series of full body mat exercises, the tight remains intact and secured in the right places, relieving the usual tight discomfort when exercising.

The Zone Sculpt Tight is made of a soft, light Dri-FIT fabric with a knit design crafted to provide compressive support to muscles around the core, quadriceps and glutes

Nike’s all-new Power Speed Tight retails for P7,295 and the Zoned Sculpt Tight is priced at P6,795. Discover more information about Nike Running or Nike Women’s tights or shop the Nike tights collection at nike.com.

Participants of the Nike Tight Night getting ready for the #BetterForIt chant

Power Speed Tight has enhanced compression zones accentuated by screen-printed graphic lines that actually boost muscle control along the hip, thigh, calf and Achilles tendon

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

LIFE C2 How to prepare for the Nutrilite Health Run life @ thestandard.com .ph

A

mway Philippines helps you kick-off the year in a healthy way as it brings, through its vitamins and supplements brand, the Nutrilite Health Run, now on its fourth edition.

Nutrilite Health Run is a regional initiative that aims to promote the company’s optimal health philosophy and advocate healthy living among Amway Business Owners (ABOs) and non-ABOs. “Amway advocates a holistic healthy, active lifestyle. We are hosting this annual event to encourage more people to put a premium on their personal wellness.

We want more people to eat right, take in the right supplements, and be active,” remarks Amway Philippines country manager Leni Olmedo.

This year, the run is happening in three key cities in the country: the first one is scheduled on January 24 at the SM Mall of Asia grounds in Pasay City, in Cagayan de Oro on February 14, and in Davao on February 21.

The fourth edition of Nutrilite Health Run marks the return of the 1k distance category, which was not included in last year’s run.

“This year we are bringing back 1k, where we first started,” shares Olmedo. Amway’s annual running event started in 2012, and it was

@LIFEatStandard

BY BERNADETTE LUNAS

previously called “1k with Amway.”

She furthers, “This [decision to bring back the 1k category] is to encourage more people who may not have the running experience to join.”

Completing the three distance categories are the 5k and 10k runs.

According to officials, the diversity of this year’s running categories is expected to attract about 20,000 runners in the three venues – 10,000 of which are seen to come from the Manila leg – and therefore could exceed last year’s participants record.

To provide the participants the complete fun run experience, Amway Philippines taps Chris Everingham of the Philippine Volcanoes, the country’s official rugby team, to lead the pre-run warm-up session.

Before the first leg at the SM MOA grounds, Everingham shares his tried and tested tips on how to prepare for and survive the Nutrilite Health Run or any other running event.

GET ENOUGH SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE

Since most runs start early in the morning – for instance, Nutrilite Health Run’s 10k category’s gun time is at 5:30 a.m.; 5k is at 5:45 a.m.; and 1k at 6:00 a.m. – Everingham

Nutrilite Health Run 2015 3K division top female finishers from Manila with Leni Olmedo (leftmost)

stresses the importance of clocking in at least six hours of shut eye.

For those who struggle with sleeping at night, the rugby player advises against drinking coffee after 12 p.m. He adds, “Follow your body’s natural rhythm, turn off the lights and keep your mobile devices away from bed so you can sleep early and get up early for the run.”

EAT TWO HOURS BEFORE YOU RUN

Don’t skip meals. Everingham recommends eating bananas, oatmeal, rice, or bread for breakfast, and avoid meat. It’s also important to give your body at least 90 minutes or one and a half hour to digest the food, hence he suggests eating two hours before your gun time.

More than 12,000 participants joined the 2015 edition of Nutrilite Health Run, which covered three categories: 3K, 5K and 8K

DRINK WATER WITH SEA SALT

As with other physical activities, it’s important to stay hydrated.

Everingham suggests drinking water before you run. Up the ante by adding a pinch of sea salt to the water to avoid muscle cramps, as the sodium is said to regulate the body’s fluid balance and supports muscle function.

From left: Amway country manager Leni Olmedo, Amway emerald Raquel and Jun Bernardino, Amway founders platinum Joseph and Kim Milana and Amway sales manager Jonathan Lim participated in the Davao Leg of Nutrilite Health Run last year

STRETCH FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES

Before running, make sure to do warm-up exercises and stretch for at least 10 to 15 minutes to loosen tight muscles and avoid cramps.

For those interested to join, the registration is still open until February 21. The P350 fee comes with one Nutrilite Health Run shirt, race bib and car sticker. Proceeds of the run will go to the Amway One

By One Campaign for Children, which builds libraries in public schools across the country.

Ready, set, run! The Amway Team together with the ABO leaders at the gun start during the Manila Leg of the Nutrilite Health Run 2015. From left: Amway Philippines sales manager Jonathan Lim, Amway regional manager for nutrition Adeline Law, Amway executive diamond Amy dela Cruz, Amway founders diamond Olive and Ernie Fernandez, and Amway Philippines country manager Leni Olmedo

PINOY PRIDE IN FIT FOR FASHION SEASON 2

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wo Filipinos prove their mettle in fitness and fashion challenges as they join the second season of Asian reality TV show Fit For Fashion, which premiered on January 13 on Star World.

Twenty two-year-old radio DJ Kyle Ramirez and 32-year-old New York-based FilipinoAmerican banker Jackie Zapata are competing against 12 men and women from all over the Asia Pacific region in the first-of-its-kind show that aims to redefine the participants’ body, mind and self-image through a series of fitness and fashion challenges. Helping them are fitness trainers Mitch Chilson and Christine Bullock, together with host Louise Roe and fashion photographer Todd Anthony Tyler.

“The second season is special, especially for the Philippine audience because we have a strong Filipino contingent in the show,” Chilson said during the press preview.

Fitness First Philippines country manager Mark Ellis

Fit for Fashion Season 2 Filipino contestant Kyle Ramirez (middle) with Fitness First Philippines national fitness manager Eric Seegers and F4F fitness coach Mitch Chilson Fit for Fashion Season 2 trainers and contestants

According to Fitness First’s TV production partner Imagine Group, the first season of F4F was enjoyed by millions across Southeast Asia and ranked in the top five Fox programs in the fourth quarter of 2014. The show also accumulated a strong online presence with 500,000 Facebook fans.

“Season 1 was very influential. It was great to see how it helped many people realize the importance of fitness in transforming their lives. In Season 2, we want to build on this and help viewers (not just the participants) to learn more from the show while being fantastically entertained,” shared Fitness First Asia chief executive officer Simon Flint.

The first edition of the reality show has also helped increase the membership at Fitness First

gyms in the Philippines according to Fitness First Philippines national fitness manager Eric Seegers. “It (Season 1) definitely had an impact on our membership base and it created awareness and a lot more excitement about the brand because we are now venturing into other things apart from the traditional gym,” he said.

Like the first season, contestants will be facing a fitness challenge every week in the course of 10 weeks to push themselves to the limit of what they’re physically and mentally capable of. The fitness test will be followed by a fashion challenge wherein their self-image and physicality will be tested via a photo shoot.

In an interview with PH bet Kyle Ramirez, he told The Standard LIFE that being part of the show was a mix of difficult challenges.

“One of the hardest parts was being away from family and friends for 10 weeks,” he admitted.

Being in a same house with 13 other contestants, with different nationalities and backgrounds, also posed a challenge, with Ramirez disclosing that there were “catfights here and there.”

Having a prior experience in fashion being a model, Ramirez said he thought he had an edge against his competitors, but nonetheless being in the show “surprised me so much.” As for the physical challenges, he admitted that he did not expect them to be “that intense.”

– Bernadette Lunas Catch Kyle Ramirez and Jackie Zapata’s journey on Fit for Fashion. The show airs on Star World every Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

Asiong’s Carinderia served iconic Caviteño food during the weekend market

@LIFEatStandard

Mikki Gozon aka Hoochie Coochie

A celebration of homegrown food and good fortune at Mandala Park PHOTOS BY STAR SABROSO

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itton & Co.’s popular Mandala Park celebrated the New Year with its first weekend market for the year. Continuing support for the people’s wellbeing and sustainably built communities, Mandala Park was set up with white canvas tents to accommodate merchants that showcased locally sourced and crafted produce.

This year’s list of merchants includes Yakang Yaka Barter, which promotes sustainable fashion with hand made Philippine crafts like wallets, bags, and shoes. For the food choices, Ribs Manila, Jonas Manila, and Mister Delicious once again were crowd favorites.

Additional pop-ups for Filipino food fare were Asiong’s Carinderia which serves up iconic Caviteño food, while Alavar’s Seafood served fresh seafood sourced straight from the South.

Meat delicacies by D’Famous Imus Longganisa and unique mushroom goods from Perfect Mushrooms were also made available. For the adventurous palate, options like Babci Kuchnia’s classic Polish pierogis, Le Petit Souffle’s FrenchJapanese fusion, and Gostoso Piri Piri and Wrapped Shawarma were set up to satisfy the varied tastes and preferences of market goers.

There were also a lot of players for the drinks category, with homegrown brands like Bayani Brew famous for its unique tea infusions selling crafted bottles of teas, while Stanford & Shaw’s bottles of ginger ale were also a refreshing option. Fresh juices by Fruit Magic’s Pure Nectar line were also available, Pedro Brewcrafters served up their craft

Bottles of unique tea infusions from Bayani Brew

beers, and delectable coffee was worth every cup at Out of the Box Bulletproof Coffee. For those with a sweet tooth, Scout’s Honor and Fog City Creamery served up their signature treats.

Good Food Community, known for its farmer to consumer organic food subscriptions, also took part in the weekend market with its newly harvested produce made available for Mandala Park shoppers. Filipino bakery Trigo PH also joined the weekend market with its delectable confections and freshly baked goods.

The weekend market was bustling with diners and shoppers, and to add to the merriment, one-man band Mikki Gozon,

Mandala Park guests were treated to a tarot card reading care of Mysterium Philippines

Pedro Brewcrafters

aka Hoochie Coochie, delighted the visitors with his distinct acoustic blues sound.

The Mandala Park weekend market is proving to be one of the Metro’s go-to weekend market for good food and good produce. Litton & Co. continues to give back to the community which values wellness and sustainability by creating this avenue for amazing finds, relaxing music, and hearty homegrown food.

For more information on the Mandala Park weekend market series, follow Mandala Park on Facebook at Mandala Park PH, and @mandalaparkph on Instagram.

Out of the Box Bulletproof Coffee

Delectable sweets from Scout’s Honor

Fresh vegetables from Good Food Community

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

LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

A colorful beginning. Over 10,000 runners welcomed 2016 with Color Manila Run at the SM MOA grounds

COLORFUL RUN PROMOTES PHILIPPINE TOURISM

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colorful and energizing atmosphere filled the SM Mall of Asia grounds as over 10,000 local and foreign running enthusiasts welcomed 2016 by joining in the Color Manila Run. Powder hues and beautiful Manila views greeted the runners who came from different parts of the world. Joining in the fun run were fitness advocate and TV host Kim Atienza, Yael Yuzon and wife Karylle, and Southeast Asian Games champion Coach Allan Ballester and his family.

Philippine Volcanoes member Chris Everingham led the warm-up, while radio DJs Sam YG and Chloe hosted the running event. Participants were treated to other exciting activities such as Zorb, mechanical bull rides and dance party.

Recognizing its unique and fun factors in promoting Philippine tourism, the Tourism Promotions Board supported the running event as a kick-off to its Visit the Philippines Again 2016 campaign.

“We are pleased to support a creative, friendly race like the Color Manila Run as part of our VPA 2016 campaign. We hope that through this fun run, Filipinos and travelers – runners or non-runners – will see that races are more fun and enjoyable here in the Philippines,” says TPB chief operating officer Domingo Ramon Enerio III. After the first edition of Color Manila Run this 2016 in Pasay, it will go to 11 more different cities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The festive and vibrant run will also go to Dubai and California.

Aside from Color Manila Run, VPA 2016 is also set to highlight other local and international sporting events happening in the Philippines this year. Among these events are Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship, Asia-Pacific Taekwondo Invitational Championships, Asian Rugby Championships, Le Tour de Filipinas, and Asian Masters Fencing Championship.

Yael Yuzon

The Tourism Promotions Board joins in the fun of the Color Manila Run Year 4

Color Manila Run organizer Justine Cordero and Tourism Promotions Board marketing specialist Milo Oropeza

Karylle with Coach Allan Ballester and his family

Kim Atienza

T HUR S DAY : JA NUA RY 2 1, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

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Hollywood star John Travolta plays a "Godfather-y" like character in a new profane crime thriller

JoHn trAvoltA And young Hit men in ‘CriminAl ACtivities’

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ohn Travolta stars with young talented actors Michael Pitt, Dan Stevens, Christopher Abbott and Rob Brown in the dark comedic crime thriller Criminal Activities in which a group of friends gets accidentally involved with a mobster’s shady business after borrowing money.

During an ex-classmate funeral, one mentions to the others three young guys inside information on a stock that is a guaranteed to make them instant millionaires.

Unfortunately, the deal goes south along with their investment. Things go from bad to worse: one of them borrowed his share of the money from a mobster.

Returning in full baddie form, Travolta plays the crime kingpin they’re indebted to, and these amateur criminals find themselves trying to outwit the crime’s ruthless path in settling the debt. Directing Criminal Activities is long time multitalented actor and Oscar nominee Jackie Earle Haley marks his directorial debut.

Haley is known for his work in Bad News Bears, Little Children, Dark Shadows, Shutter Island and Watchmen.

Rob Brown, Christopher Abbott and Michael Pitt in a scene from the Criminal Activities

Haley said that his decades-long career as an actor prepared him for working with his cast, which along with Travolta includes Boardwalk Empire actor Michael Pitt, Downton Abbey, heartthrob Dan Stevens and Haley himself as one of Travolta’s threatening associates.

“I think having been an actor for so long, actors themselves place a little more trust in a director who is also an actor because they know that you know what they’re going through,” Haley explained. “Everybody has a

little bit of a different process, and it’s good to figure out how to deal and work with those different idiosyncrasies, so there is that.”

Continuing, she said, “I’ve directed many, many television commercials, so I have good production experience in terms of knowing what I’m doing, how to prep something, how to make sure you got all the locations lined up and that all of props and everything are going to show up on the shooting day, and then how to get your day in and all that. But one of the things I haven’t really had to deal with

was real professional actors in commercials, so that part was a little bit of a different experience. But I will tell you, it was real fun and it was real rewarding because I feel like we got a great ensemble in terms of every single character feels spot-on and they all did just a really good job.”

The film’s screenplay by Robert Lowell, a compelling and dialogue-heavy thriller that recalls the post-Pulp Fiction (1994) boom of such works in the mid-’90s, came to Haley through producer Wayne Rice, who is also Haley’s manager’s husband.

“Directing is something I’ve always wanted to do, and the first ingredient that you have to have to make a good movie is a really well-written script,” Haley said. “And, I liked the tone and the feel of the script.”

From acting and writing to a first-time director, Jackie Earle Haley proves to be a triple threat after taking the script to the big screen for the most enjoyable cinematic experience this year. Criminal Activities squashes all average-joe crime movies with its mindblowing plot twist and superior talent.

Criminal Activities now in cinemas from OctoArts Films International.

Hottest love teAms And Hollywood stArs on ABs-CBn CABle CHAnnels

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BS-CBN cable channels Cinema One, Jeepney TV, and Lifestyle are bringing the best of local and foreign entertainment closer to Filipinos with a roster of must-see shows on TV and in film headlined by the country’s hot love teams and Hollywood’s brightest stars.

Cinema One, the no.1 cable channel in the country, continues to offer a slew of entertaining blockbuster Filipino films such as the rom-com hit Ang Tanging Pamilya top billed by the team up of Toni Gonzaga and Sam

Milby on Friday.

Meanwhile, the 2014 blockbuster Starting over Again starring Toni Gonzaga and Piolo Pascual will be screened on Jan. 31.

Film buffs should also look forward to watching the best films of Piolo on Cinema One’s Numero Uno during the entire month, Toni on Romance Central every Sunday at 6 p.m., Vhong Navarro on Tuesday Comedy at 9 p.m., and Sharon Cuneta on Wednesday Winners at 9 p.m., among others.

The country’s throwback channel Jeepney TV also has a wide array of timeless shows and Pinoy classics.

Fans of FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano must tune in to Jeepney TV for the ultimate throwback of Coco Martin and Maja Salvador’s toprating and first teleserye together in 2011, Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin.

It will be back on Jan. 28 and will air 3 p.m. every Thursday.

Those who miss the tandem of original Mara Clara stars Judy Ann Santos and Gladys Reyes are also in for a treat via Jeepney TV. The throwback channel will showcase the 2010 Kapamilya teleserye Habang May Buhay, which also featured the pairing of Judy Ann with Derek Ramsay.

Classic shows Bida Si Mister, Bida Si Misis, PBB Celebrity Edition Season 1, and Pieta will also mark their return through Jeepney TV, while Vhong Navarro will grace various Jeepney TV programs for the whole month as the channel’s icon this January.

Lifestyle, the one-stop lifestyle channel hub of fun-loving, modern Filipinos is also beefing up its content offerings to kick-off 2016.

Filipino foreign film lovers should not miss the airing of the 22nd Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards that will air live on Lifestyle (SKY and Destiny ch. 52) on Jan.

31 (Sunday) at 9AM. SAG, one of the much-awaited awards events in Hollywood, will honor and celebrate the best performances on film and TV in the past year.

Other shows that will air on Lifestyle are Juliette’s City Guides, Dance Moms, Beat Bobby Flay season 3, and Rich Kids of Beverly Hills season 2.

For more information, visit the official Facebook pages of Cinema One, Jeepney TV and Lifestyle. These channels belong to the family of cable channels of Creative Programs, Inc., a subsidiary of ABS-CBN.

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

JOn SantOS SayS ‘WaLa taLagang FOREvER (Sa MaLaCañang)’

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n local pop culture, you know you’ve made it when Jon Santos has taken the time to impersonate you in one of his shows. With over 50 impersonations to his name, Jon tackles Philippine politics anew in his upcoming show HuGot your VOTE! WTF: Wala Talagang Forever (Sa Malacañang) at the Ceremonial Hall of the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Resorts World Manila (RWM), February and March.

With the national elections just around the corner, Jon concocts his freshest comedy material and spot-on impersonations of Philippine presidential aspirants that promise to make audiences laugh out loud.

Jon’s impressive know-how on make-up and costume plus his string of hilarious acts have endeared his audiences throughout the years. His popular impersonations of Vilma Santos, Armida Siguion-Reyna, Joseph Estrada, Cory Aquino, Juan Flavier, and Fidel V. Ramos have put him at the top of his class with such veteran comedians as Willie Nepomuceno and Tessie Tomas, both of whom are his mentors. Now with over 20 years of impersonating celebrities, Jon comes back to his favorite topic for his upcoming show.

Comedy fans may expect Jon to showcase his new personas as Madonna on how elections are more fun in the Philippines, Senator Miriam’s unofficial address to voters, P-Noy’s last days in Malacañang, Grace P.’s exclusive interview with Karen D., Erap’s plea for ‘A Second Chance’, Mommy Dioning’s role as cupid to Manny and Jinky, and witness the hilarious side of the latest current events in the country through the witty mind of the funnyman himself.

Catch Jon Santos mimic the latest roster of Philippine presidentiables and more as he delivers topshelf comedy on Feb.17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27, March 3,4,5 at 8 p.m. and at 3 p.m. on March 6.

HuGot your VOTE! WTF: Wala Talagang Forever (Sa Malacañang) is presented by Resorts World Manila and directed by Jenny Jamora with the creative team of Enrico C. Santos, Joel Mercado, and Jon himself, plus light design by John Batalla and line produced by Ambie P. Burac.

Tickets are now available at the RWM Box Office located at the ground floor of Newport Mall, and all TicketWorld outlets. Visit www.rwmanila. com or call the Tourist/Visitor Hotline at (02) 908-8833 for more information.

Funnyman Jon Santos during The Grand Countdown at the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Resorts World Manila

‘Teen Wolf’ unveils seCond half of iTs fifTh season

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hen Scott McCall wished to be more than an ordinary teenager, he did not expect things to take a supernatural turn. Bitten by a werewolf just before he starts sophomore year, his life is turned upside down – as if your regular teenager did not already have enough issues to deal with.

Scott is forced to deal with

Teen Wolf stars Tyler Posey and Dylan O’Brien

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 45 46 48 50 53 54 55 57 58 60 65 66 67 68 69 70 ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Verboten 6 Rock bottom 11 House buzzer 14 Pert 15 Waitress at Mel’s 16 Job-ad letters 17 Treaties 18 Gives a rating 19 Rural rtes.

20 Implied 22 Slight trace

24 28 29 30 32 33 35 39 40 41 42 43

Dickers Frame inserts Stick fast Loses traction Hit dead-center Dinner starter Future turtles Like some china Bad, for Yves — d’etat Spring peeper Gulf nation

Constellation bear Reddish horses They may be snowy Go ashore License Jungian term Don’t enunciate Laird’s son Kind of eclipse Round numbers?

Poker card — nous Carve a canyon — take forever!

Wets thoroughly Avoid cancellation

DOWN 1 Kitchen meas.

2 Battery size 3 Tampa Bay NFLer 4 Harvest Moon mo.

5 Half-shell item 6 DEA agents 7 Jai — 8 By — of hard work 9 Gross!

10 Just sat 11 Terrarium plants 12 Get stuck 13 Oui and si 21 Mars, to Plato

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

23 24 25 26 27 28 30 31 34 36 37 38 43 44 47 49 50 51 52 53 55 56 59 61 62 63 64

On shaky ground Town near Lake Louise Robin of balladry Horned herbivore Wire Casserole cover Shuts with a bang Leafy vegetable Famous last word Flared, as a skirt Zest Involuntary jerk Tibetan ox Brain, maybe Spouts rhetoric Old coot — Lama Pass, as a bill Waited awhile Emery boards Sundance Kid’s girl Carefree escapade She loved Lennon Previously L. — Hubbard Keats opus Embroider

a double life as he struggles to protect his loved ones and keep up a front of being a “normal” teen.

The series set in the town of Beacon Hills is on its 5th season.

Coming off the midseason cliffhanger, the new episodes will unfold with Scott’s attempts to reunite his group and other characters picking up broken pieces of their relationships damaged by past conflicts. Tune

in to also find out if more light will be shed on what exactly Parrish the hellhound is up to.

Developed by Jeff Davies and starring Tyler Posey as lead actor, Teen Wolf airs 8:50 p.m. every Monday on Sony Channel.

Sony Channel is seen on SKYCable Channel 35, Cignal Digital TV Channel 60, Destiny Cable Channel 62, Cable Link Channel 39.

T HUR S DAY : JA NUA RY 2 1, 2016

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

Gloc-9 kicks-off 2016 with ‘Pareho tayo’

Sari Sari Channel On Cignal

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n Jan. 7, MYXph.com declared in an article: Gloc-9 pulls off surprise song release.

That song is “Pareho Tayo,” uploaded on the rap icon’s official SoundCloud account (soundcloud.com/glocdash9), and free for download and streaming.

As he had announced on his social media accounts: you can listen and download this song without having to spend a single cent. And his fans and supporters have listened.

A day and a half after he first posted the song, it has gotten 600 downloads and has been listened to for close to 8,000 times.

These numbers are based on the site’s official statistics, and it is no joke when one considers how slow and expensive Internet access in this country is.

“Pareho Tayo” is Gloc-9’s second independent release. Last year, he released the single “Payag,” a song that speaks of the state of politics and politicking in the country, one that has numbed and dumbed the nation, enough for us to stop asking questions, and just believe in the same kind of politics every election.

“Pareho Tayo” is a fitting follow-up, inadvertently so to speak, to “Payag.”

Multi awarded rapper Gloc-9 drops his new single

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Using the first person perspective, one listens to Gloc-9 speaking of a life of difficulty, where basic rights are considered as privileges, and a life of debt is the rule and not the exception.

A dominant critique in this song is our insistence on seeing difference. Food on our table, color of our skin, the social class we belong to are some of the issues deemed more important.

To some extent “Pareho Tayo” speaks of the Jack of compassion of one for the other, where difference is a line drawn between us and them, the weak versus the powerful, the poor versus the wealthy.

Gloc-9 cannot wait for all that 2016 has in store for him. And if this surprise independent and free song is any indication, then he is off to a good start. “Pareho Tayo” can be streamed and downloaded for free. Visit glocdash9.com

anti-aging treatmentS

Rendon Labardo, Nadine Samonte, Carlos Agassi with Dr. Emehly Sevilla-Castillo during their clinic visit in Vine Holistic Medical Aesthetics

Vine Holistic Medical Aesthetics continues its mission to offer innovative beauty solutions as they recently presented, together with brand ambassadors Nadine Samonte, Carlos Agassi and Rendon Labardo, two treatments that treat signs of aging.

Dr. Emehly Sevilla-Castillo, president and head doctor at Vine, explained the benefits of the Exilis treatment and carbon dioxide laser treatment.

The Exilis treatment is a non-invasive procedure that uses monopolar radio frequency to tighten skin, trim fat cells and stimulate collagen production. It goes best with the carbon dioxide laser treatment, which effectively removes scars, blemishes, fine lines, skin hyperpigmentation and more.

At the media gathering, the brand ambassadors shared their personal stories on how Vine Holistic Medical Aesthetics continues to help them in their quest to health and beauty. A live demo of the Exilis treatment was also held to show the instant effects of the said procedure.

Cignal TV, the country’s number one Pay TV service provider with over 1.18 million subscribers, continues to provide the most exciting exclusive TV content in the Philippines with the launch of Sari Sari Channel.

Offering a mix of well-loved classics and fresh local original shows, Sari Sari Channel will be sure to feed the heart and soul of the Filipino TV fanatic.

Sari Sari Channel is a joint undertaking of the MVP Group’s Mediaquest and Viva Communications, one of the most enduring brands in the Philippine entertainment industry. The channel is available exclusively on Cignal for its subscribers nationwide since Friday.

It broadcasts shows 24/7 and features the finest shows from both the Viva Communications and TV5 libraries. Amidst the growing competition both in the free TV and Pay TV industries, Sari Sari Channel will also be producing top-of-the-line original content featuring today’s hottest and up-and-coming directors and stars. These highly select lineup of original productions are designed to be bold, controversial, dynamic and edgy across a wide variety of genres, from comedy and romance, to horror and suspense that are sure to delight audiences from all walks of life.

Sari Sari kicked off its original content with the premiere of Class 3-C Has A Secret, a teen drama mystery-thriller based on the VivaPSICOM Publishing’s Top 10 bestselling book by Enah Guevarra about the deep dark secrets of the boys and girls of Laketon Academy.

A Filipino-style take on the suspense genre, the show entices audiences to solve the puzzle behind the supernatural events as the show’s characters try to unravel the mysteries surrounding them.

Class 3-C Has A Secret stars Viva’s young protégées - Yassi Pressman, Bret Jackson and Josh Padilla and is set to hook its viewers from start to finish. Class 3-C Has A Secret airs 11 p.m. every Saturday.

Another Sari Sari Channel exclusive that is sure to both scare and delight audiences is the psychological horror-mystery show Barrio Kulimlim. The show follows the story of a woman seeking for answers about herself and her past that leads to a small mysterious and eerie town called Barrio Kulimlim.

This horror-thriller mini-series explores a world filled with ancient gods, blood sacrifices, and family fate. Barrio Kulimlim will deliver a never-before-seen mix of fear and curiosity to Philippine TV. Playing the main character for Barrio Kulimlim is actress Ara Mina, joined by Shy Carlos and Meg Imperial. Barrio Kulimlim will air every Friday 11 p.m., beginning Feb.12.

Sari Sari Channel will give viewers

a treat for the whole family with the original telemovie production, Kuya and Me. This Freaky Friday-esque comedy features a five-year old boy who occupies the body of his big brother after his wish to be exactly like his brother is miraculously (and literally) granted on his fifth birthday. Comedic twists and heartwarming realizations ensue as the brothers try to reverse the switch and return to their normal lives.

Starring the adorable child wonder Alonzo Mulach, AJ Mulach and Shy Carlos, and directed

by Mark Meilly, Kuya and Me will surely bring the laughs that Filipino audience yearn for as a family.

Kuya and Me will premiere on Jan. 29, at 7 p.m. with a replay on Jan. 31, 10 p.m. Sunday.

Sure to bring smiles and kilig to Pinoy audience is the romantic comedy My Only Love. It is a story close to many a Pinoy’s heart; the classic story of long-time friendship between a girl and a boy blossoming into something deeper as hidden true feelings coming to light.

This is a re-imagining of the ground-breaking, youth-oriented love triangle of the 80’s movie that starred Sharon Cuneta and Gabby Concepcion.

Sari Sari Channel’s 2016 version will feature three of the country’s hottest young stars – Mark Neumann, Monica Cuenca and Issa Pressman and will premiere on Feb. 26, 7 p.m. with a replay on Feb. 28, 10 p.m. Sunday.

To cater to its more mature market’s penchant for drama, the channel will feature another telemovie, Dalawang Gabi. This adult drama is a story of a couple going through the challenges and secrets of married life and will star Michelle Madrigal, Mark Bautista, Wendell Ramos and Maui Taylor, directed by Joel Lamangan.

Dalawang Gabi premieres on March 25, 7 p.m. with a replay at 10 p.m. on March 27.

With a plethora of original shows combined with the classics from Viva Communications and TV5, Sari Sari will be sure to please Pinoys of all ages and from all walks of life. Catch these new shows and more surprises on Sari Sari Channel exclusively seen via Cignal Channel 3, distributed by Sari Sari Network, Inc. a joint venture between Cignal TV and Viva Communications.

Like www.facebook/SARISARIChannelPh and follow @SariSariChannel on Twitter for more info and updates! Log on to www. cignal.tv or call (02) 273-2222 to subscribe to Cignal TV.

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ Sylvester Stallone, Best Supporting Actor

Leonardo DiCaprio, Best Actor

The CompleTe CriTiCs ChoiCe AwArds winners FILM

‘SpOTLIghT,’ ‘Mad Max’ arE CrITICS’ ChOICES

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he drama Spotlight and the action film Mad Max: Fury Road were among the winners late Sunday at the Critics’ Choice Award, an event that attracted Hollywood glitterati in their droves.

Like the Jan. 10 Golden Globes, the Critics’ Choice -hosted by film and television critics -- handed out prizes for accomplishments on the big and small screen.

Both the Golden Globes and the Critics’ Choice Awards are seen as a possible guide to what may happen at the Oscars ceremony in late February.

The investigative journalism drama Spotlight, about the newspaper team that uncovered a widespread child sex scandal in the Catholic Church in Boston, won the awards for Best Picture and Best Acting Ensemble.

Leonardo Di Caprio won Best Actor for his gripping performance in the 19th century frontier drama The Revenant, while Brie Larson won Best Actress for the thriller Room.

Perhaps the biggest winner of the night was action film Mad Max: Fury Road, which scooped nine awards from 13 nominations, including Best Action Movie and

top prizes for the film’s stars, Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron.

The Big Short, about the 2008 financial meltdown, won the Best Comedy category, while Inside Out was awarded the Best Animated Feature. Both are also nominated for Oscars.

In the television category, USA Network’s cyber-thriller Mr. Robot won three awards, including Best Drama Series, Best Actor in a Drama Series for its EgyptianAmerican star Rami Malek, and Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Christian Slater.

Netflix’s Master of None starring Indian-American Aziz Ansari, won in the Best Comedy Series category. Ansari, who made his mark in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation, co-writes the series.

Ansari however lost out in the Best Actor in a Comedy Series award to Jeffrey Tambor, who stars as a transgender, divorced, mother/father in the Amazon show Transparent.

The Best Actress in a Comedy Series went to Rachel Bloom for her role in The CW network show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, while Carrie Coon scooped up the Best Actress in a Drama Series award for her role in the HBO show The Leftovers. -AFP

BEST PICTURE: Spotlight BEST ACTOR: Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant BEST ACTRESS: Brie Larson – Room BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Sylvester Stallone – Creed BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS: Jacob Tremblay – Room BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE: Spotlight BEST DIRECTOR: George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy – Spotlight BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Charles Randolph and Adam McKay – The Big Short BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: The Revenant – Emmanuel Lubezki BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN: Mad Max: Fury Road – Colin Gibson BEST EDITING: Mad Max: Fury Road – Margaret Sixel BEST COSTUME DESIGN: Mad Max: Fury Road – Jenny Beavan BEST HAIR & MAKEUP: Mad Max: Fury Road BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: Mad Max: Fury Road BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: Inside Out BEST ACTION MOVIE: Mad Max: Fury Road BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE: Tom Hardy – Mad Max: Fury Road BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE: Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road BEST COMEDY: The Big Short BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY: Christian Bale – The Big Short BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY: Amy Schumer – Trainwreck BEST SCI-FI/HORROR MOVIE: Ex Machina BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Son of Saul BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: Amy BEST SONG: Furious 7 – “See You Again” BEST SCORE: The Hateful Eight – Ennio Morricone TELEVISION BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES: Jeffrey Tambor – Transparent BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES: Rami Malek – Mr. Robot BEST ACTOR IN A MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION OR LIMITED SERIES: Idris Elba – Luther BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES: Rachel Bloom – Crazy Ex-Girlfriend BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES: Carrie Coon – The Leftovers BEST ACTRESS IN A MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION OR LIMITED SERIES: Kirsten Dunst – Fargo

Alicia Vikander, Best Supporting Actress

Brie Larson, Best Actress

BEST COMEDY SERIES: Master of None BEST DRAMA SERIES: Mr. Robot BEST GUEST ACTOR/ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES: Timothy Olyphant – The Grinder BEST GUEST ACTOR/ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES: Margo Martindale – The Good Wife BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION OR LIMITED SERIES: Fargo BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES: Andre Braugher – Brooklyn Nine-Nine BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES: Christian Slater – Mr. Robot BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION OR LIMITED SERIES: Jesse Plemons – Fargo BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES: Mayim Bialik – The Big Bang Theory BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES: Constance Zimmer – UnREAL BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION OR LIMITED SERIES: Jean Smart – Fargo BEST ANIMATION SERIES: BoJack Horseman BEST REALITY SHOW – COMPETITION: The Voice BEST REALITY SHOW HOST: James Lipton – Inside the Actors Studio BEST STRUCTURED REALITY SHOW: Shark Tank BEST TALK SHOW: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver BEST UNSTRUCTURED REALITY SHOW: Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown