The Standard - 2016 February 16 - Tuesday

VOL. XXX NO. 6 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 TUESday : FEBRUaRy 16, 2016 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Duterte stands up for local newsmen

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‘MRT STALLS MAR’ LP president Abaya says traffic also hurts Roxas

By John Paolo Bencito

TR A NSPORTATION Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya has admitted that the problems dogging the Metro Rail Transit are hurting the presidential campaign of administration candidate Manuel Roxas II. “It’s a fact of life that people in Manila experience,” Abaya told CNN Philippines in a recent interview.

Abaya, acting president of the ruling Liberal Party, said the sorry state of the MRT and other transportation problems such as the chronic traffic congestion in Metro Manila were hurting Roxas’ chances as these have become important election issues for voters.

Roxas, a former Transportation secretary, has been on the receiving end of public anger in Metro Manila, a traditional opposition bailiwick.

The latest Standard Poll, conducted from Jan. 27 to Feb. 4, showed that only 10 percent of voters in Metro Manila were likely to vote for him if the elections were held tomorrow—far below the 35 percent of Senator Grace Poe, or the 22 percent showing of both Vice President Jejomar Binay and Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

The owners of the Metro Rail Transit III, MRT Holdings Inc. had earlier insinuated Roxas was directly responsible for the government’s anomalous maintenance contract with Philippine Trans Rail Management and Services Corp.

Roxas’ rival for the presidency, Poe, had repeatedly blamed the administration bet for the MRT’s current state.

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On the stump. Presidential candidate Jejomar Binay uses a chair to address residents of Villamor in Pasay City on Monday. Danny Pata

Binay: SWS poll proves voting base growing

By Vito Barcelo THE camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay said the latest Social Weather Stations survey results showed that their candidate had solid core support that is steadily growing.

The survey, conducted from Feb. 5 to 7, showed Binay ahead with 29 percent, followed by Senator Grace

Poe and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who had 24 percent each.

Administration bet Manuel Roxas II was in fourth place with 18 percent, while Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago had 4 percent.

The SWS survey had 1,200 respondents with a sampling margin of error of ±3 points.

Binay’s political spokesman, Rico

Quicho, said the vice president would work even harder to convey his ideas on how to address poverty.

“As the campaign period progresses, the vice president remains focused on his message that competence, experience in governance, and compassion are the key factors to fight poverty and provide jobs, quality education,

and healthcare services,” Quicho said.

Poe’s camp said they would use the survey findings as a guide to their next moves.

“We use the surveys to constantly take stock of our campaign strategy and moves,” Poe’s camp said in a statement. “We will continue going around Next page

Poe’s son apologizes for furor over shoes

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Poe son apologizes for shoe flap

By Macon ramos-araneta

THE son of presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe apologized Monday for the controversy triggered by a photo he posted on social media wearing sneakers that looked like limited edition Nikes that cost close to P1 million.

“I apologize if anyone was offended by my shoes, it was never my intention to upset anyone,” said Brian Poe Llamanzares, 23, who said he paid P10,000 for what turned out to be knock-offs of limited edition Nike Air Mag Back to the Future Marty McFly 2015 sneakers.

The senator’s son, who quit his job as correspondent for CNN Philippines, said he merely wanted to buy himself something after saving up for months.

“I don’t know much about shoes and I’m not exactly a sneaker expert so when I saw these online [at P10,000] and I liked the design, I saved up and bought the shoes,” Llamanzares said.

Llamanzares had also earlier told online

news site Rappler “the shoes did not cost as much as the rumors claim.”

“I bought it online from my own savings.

It did not come from government funds as I am a private citizen and not working as a public official,” Llamanzares also told the online news site.

“I used my own hard-earned money. I hope that these rumors and lies are finally put to rest.”

Llamanzares posted a photo of himself in the sneakers and was criticized by social media users for an ostentatious display of wealth, saying this was contrary to his mother’s pro-poor image.

But Antonio Aguirre, proprietor of the specialty sneaker store Sole Slam Manila,

said on his Twitter account that the shoes were obviously imitations.

The genuine item, which is self-lacing and lights up just like the ones in the 1989 movie Back to the Future 2, sells for as much as $20,000 on eBay. The senator defended her son, saying he did not steal to buy the shoes and said he was entitled to do so.

“He saved up for that a long time. Even if assuming I was not agreeable to it, it made him happy. He has a right to it. Why should we stand in the way?” she added.

She said her son should be spared from political attacks since he has done nothing wrong.

“He is a private citizen who deserves his privacy,” she said.

Binay: ...

tierrez.

“If you look at the surveys, whether it’s Pulse, whether it’s Laylo, or SWS since November, the clear message is that many of our countrymen are still undecided. It’s still anybody’s ball game so with three months to go we’re confident that we can raise our numbers and win the polls,” he added.

At the same time, Gutierrez played down the possibility that members of the Liberal Party might jump ship, given Roxas’ poor poll numbers.

“Why jump to the camp of other presidential candidates if you’re not so sure that they’ll win in the end?” he said. “I have full confidence that our allies and friends will stick [with us] until the end [of the campaign].”

Members of the Binay and Duterte campaigns have insinuated that there would be mass defections among administration allies as Roxas continued to fare poorly in all the surveys.

In a Facebook post, Peter Laviña, spokesman for Duterte, said Sunday that allies of Roxas are ready to defect to Poe to save themselves from the sinking Roxas ship.

But Gutierrez said this would not happen as Roxas had the advantage on the ground.

“We have more leaders who support Secretary Mar, and our organization of volunteers and civil society associations are the strongest. We have our networks on the ground. So in a very tight race, I think that would be our best advantage,” he said.

He added that the surveys were not based on the reality on the ground but relied mainly on popular perceptions. With Macon ramos-araneta and John Paolo Bencito

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Departure statement. President Benigno Aquino III delivers a statement at the airport before flying to Los Angeles for the Asean-US Summit. Malacañang Photo Bureau

‘MRT...

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Abaya said it was to be expected that Roxas, as a presidential candidate, would be under scrutiny for his performance as Transportation secretary.

He was quick to add, however, that a Roxas victory would not mean the problems that exist today would continue.

“The traffic and congestion are clearly not part of the straight path, but providing solutions to that is clearly part of it. The traffic that we’ve had was not created in the last five years,” Abaya said.

“We’re a growing economy and we have record sales [of cars] and we have to catch up in mass transportation systems. Those issues have been [existing] for the longest time,” Abaya said.

Earlier, President Benigno Aquino III said that the worsening traffic condition in the

country should not cause distress because it is a sign of economic progress, adding that traffic could be attributted to record car sales that have outpaced the construction or widening of roads around the country.

“When you come home and you’re caught in traffic, just remember that people are running errands, not just loitering around. That is a sign of economic growth,” Aquino had said.

Abaya said Roxas would find solutions and not fault.

In the same interview, Abaya insisted that all MRT contracts signed under his watch were clean and fair, contrary to the Senate subcommittee report on the MRT pinning blame at him and DoTC officials for “gross inexcusable negligence” in allowing the deterioration of the MRT by not immediately hiring a competent maintenance provider.

“We have no worries. Our conscience is clear and we strictly implemented the procurement

the country to personally meet with the people and lay down our platforms and agenda on how best to serve the Filipinos.

With the support of the people, our zeal is undiminished and we remain grateful for our people’s continued trust.”

Poe’s spokesman, Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian, added that part of the campaign message would be to reinforce that Poe was still a candidate despite pending disqualification cases against her.

Poe’s running mate, Senator Francis Escudero, vowed to work harder after the latest survey showed him tied with Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for the top spot.

“It means we have to work harder and, given our limited resources, find innovative, yet not-so-expensive ways to reach our more people with our message of hope and progress,” Escudero said in a text message.

Escudero was the consistent frontrunner in the vice presidential race until the latest SWS survey.

Marcos said every result inspired them to work harder in the campaign.

“But as I have always said, the real survey will be on May 9, 2016 and that has been our focus as we continue to persevere in bringing our platform of unity to every part of the country,” he said.

The Roxas camp said they were not “overly concerned” with his fourth place showing.

“You can see in the SWS survey that the competition is really stiff. It’s 80 days before the elections, and fluctuations are to be expected,” said Roxas’ spokesman Barry Gu-

law,” he said.

He also laid the blame for the MRT-3 mess on its former general manager, Al Vitangcol, who has been charged for violating the anti-graft and corruption law.

On Monday, the MRT suspended trips from Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City during the morning rush hour due to a rail break between Magallanes and Ayala stations.

Passengers were forced to get off the train and take buses along Edsa. Normal operations resumed after one hour.

Roxas’ spokesman, Akbayan Rep. Barry Gutierrez, said Roxas would definitely carry the burden of defending the administration, but said he was confident that his platform of continuity under the straight path will eventually make the difference to voters come May. “It’s unavoidable,” Gutierrez said of the attacks hurled against Roxas, not only on the MRT issue but on every issue raised against the ad-

ministration. “We expect that.”

Gutierrez also fended off attacks from Duterte, who had accused Roxas of being beholden to a mining magnate who owns the plane he has been using on the campaign trail, saying the mayor was not credible.

On Friday, Duterte accused Roxas of corruption for leasing planes from mining magnate Francis Eric Gutierrez, whose mining company SR Mining Inc. had been fined P7 million by the government in 2007 for over-extracting nickel ore.

“You [Roxas] have been using his planes. I have personally seen him [Roxas] use that plane in Davao. If that is not corruption, then what do you call that?” he told reporters at the Davao International Airport.

Despite being fined, Duterte said, Francis Eric Gutierrez was able to continue with his business because of his links to Roxas.

“Until now the operations haven’t been stopped because of

the protection of Roxas,” Duterte said.

But Roxas’ spokesman said Duterte has “fabricated another story without basis.”

Another spokesperson for the ruling party, Caloocan Rep. Edgardo Erice, said that while Roxas is indeed leasing the private planes from the SRMI boss, Erice said that all their transactions were above board.

Erice, who also happens to be the mining executive’s friend and business partner, said it’s only normal for presidential candidates who are on the campaign trail to rent private planes.

Gutierrez said the ruling party is even willing to show the receipts for the lease of these private jets.

“Our challenge to other candidates, all of you who are using private vehicles, including private helicopters, jets in your sorties, show and declare your expenses.

For us, we’re ready to show these campaign expenses to the Commission on Elections,” he said.

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Duterte defends local press

By Rio N. Araja, Joel E. Zurbano and John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENTIAL candidate and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte threatened to skip the first presidential debate in Cagayan de Oro if local journalists are not given equal access to the debate sanctioned by the Commission on Elections.

Improved version.

Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista compares the official ballot to be used in May to the ones used in previous elections during the first day of ballot printing at the National Printing Office in Quezon City.

MANNY PALMERO

NPO starts printing ballots

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan AFTER postponing it three times, the Commission on Elections has finally started printing of official ballots for the upcoming national and local polls.

Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista walked journalists through the National Printing Office in Quezon City to show samples of the more than 56 million official ballot that the government-owned printing house started printing Monday.

Bautista said the NPO will be producing 54,363,844 ballots for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao (except for the Autonomous Region on Muslim Mindanao), 1,189,350 for overseas absentee voting and 1,219,036 for pre-election logic and accuracy tests

(PreLAT) and final testing and sealing (FTS) for 71 days.

Bautista compared the ballots being printed for the upcoming elections with the ones used in 2010 to show that the new ones will be five inches shorter than the 24-inch-long ballot used in the 2010 national and local polls.

The new ballots will measure 8.5x19 inches and 8.5x24 inches for the ARMM ballots with the ARMM ballot being five inches longer because of the Arabic text on the ballot.

The poll chief said the new ballots is more orderly and there are fewer candidates who are going to compete in this elections compared to the 2010 national polls.

“You can see in 2010 ballots [that] the font is small and tight. While right now,

the ballots that we are going to use is a little more orderly,” Bautista said.

The front ballot face will bear the six names for each presidential and vice presidential candidates and 115 partylist candidates.

While the names of 59 senatorial candidates, local candidates, such as mayors and vice mayors and congressional representatives will be printed at the back of the ballot.

Bautista said the NPO should be able to finish printing the ballots by April 25 because of the new format with fewer candidates and shorter ballot measurement.

“This is the reason why we will be able to print all ballots by April 25, which is the original deadline,” Bautista said.

“I will not go there also if it would be that way [and] you limit [the press],” Duterte said, referring to the presidential debate to be held at the gym of the Capitol University in Cagayan de Oro on Feb. 21.

“The reason why I am running for president is because I want people from the provinces to be given equal treatment.

That is why I am for federalism,” Duterte said after the Cagayan de Oro Press Club threatened to boycott the debate.

Although the debate is sanctioned by the Comelec, it is sponsored by the GMA Broadcasting Corp, Philippine Daily Inquirer and Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas.

However, the COPC complained that only five seats were allotted for provincial-based editors or publishers at the venue and another five slots for five newspaper reporters at the media center, a separate venue where a video monitor would broadcast feeds of the debate.

The rest of the audience would be ushered to the Capitol University gym that could accommodate 5,000 people.

Duterte urged the Comelec to meet with

the different press clubs of the host cities and “strike a win-win solution” because local journalists should not be treated like second-class citizens in their own communites.

However, Duterte said he has yet to meet with Partidong Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan president Senator Aquilino Pimentel III to talk about the debate although he was hoping to meet with Pimentel soon.

But the ruling Liberal Party said Duterte was only making an excuse not to participate in the debate.

“Well, if Mayor Duterte has found another excuse not to [participate] in the debates, then ok congratulations to him,” Gutierrez told reporters at the LP headquarters in Quezon City, adding that the local media, debate organizers and the Comelec should be able to resolve the problem arising from Saturday’s debate.

“The journalists should take it up with the Comelec,” Gutierrez said. “While we don’t have any involvement [because] we were just invited, it’s better for the Comelec to answer these issues.”

Lacierda lashes back at Ilagan PRESIDENTIAL Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda lashed at former Cainta, Rizal Mayor Ramon Ilagan, saying the former mayor was “atrociously ignorant” of the Aquino administration’s P100billion Bottom-Up Budgeting program.

“He [Mon Ilagan] is atrociously ignorant of the concept of BUB. Where has he been for the last five and a half years?” Lacierda said.

“BUB does not go directly to the person. The people on the ground directly determines what project will benefit the community and the budget goes to the project,” said Lacierda.

“Maybe [Vice President Jejomar Binay] should be told that BUB is participatory governance, and not a money making, corruption undertaking,” Lacierda said in reaction to the charge of Ilagan, Binay’s spokeman, that the LP was using the BUB as electoral “grease money.”

“The ‘Bribe Ur Barangay’ is the newest localized version of pork-barrel politics,” Ilagan said.

“The power of the LP’s purse is energized by the

administration’s CCT and BUB projects.”

Ilagan said the BUB’s rationale was no longer developmental but “envelopmental” and no longer economics but politics.

Ilagan said the ruling party had been dangling billions of money from the nation’s coffers for election purposes. He said about P25 billion was tucked in the 2016 national budget for the BUB. “Some P24.7 billion was inserted in the national budget and this is so far the biggest pork barrel in election year history,” Ilagan said.

Ilagan made the claim after LP presidential candidate Mar Roxas promised during the National Assembly of the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas that he would give village officials access to as much as P100 billion in funds each year.

“No matter how Mar and the LP call it or sweeten the packaging, it is still legalized votebuying because it is meant to influence the people’s voting preferences,” Ilagan said.

Sandy Araneta

San Juan’s bet. San Juan City Mayor Guia Gomez and other city residents proclaim vice presidential candidate Senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. as the city’s official candidate for vice president during a flag-raising ceremony at city hall. LINO SANTOS

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Binay vows to increase, expand dole

Clearing operation. MMDA workers take down a poster along Samson Road in Caloocan City on Monday. Andrew rAbulAn

VICE President Jejomar Binay on Monday vowed to increase the budget for the government’s dole to the poor—the so-called 4Ps—and to expand it to include senior citizens and add health care to the beneficiaries if he is elected president.

He also said he would be issuing an executive order mandating access to government records to promote transparency and address graft and corruption.

The 4Ps offers P6,000 annually or P500 each month to the poorest of the poor.

“It provides 3,000 pesos per child for one school year or P300 per month for educational expenses,” Binay said.

“Only up to a maximum of three children for each household can receive a subsidy. However, I will raise the 4Ps to help the more than three million beneficiaries.”

Binay said that in his first 100 days in office, he would pursue tax reforms as part of his advocacies, pointing out that the workers earning P30,000 and below should be exempted from paying income tax.

He plans to convene the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council within the 100 days of his administration for the swift passage of the tax reform bill.

He has vowed to certify the tax reform bill as urgent should he be elected president in the May 2016 elections.

“I assure everyone that I will do my best to uplift the lives of the Filipino people,” Binay said. Vito barcelo

Honored to run with Santiago SENATOR Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Monday his partnership with Senator Miriam DefensorSantiago for the May elections was both an honor and a challenge because of the high standards she represented.

Speaking at the launching ceremonies for “Youth for Miriam” at the Ynares Center in Pasig City, Marcos reiterated his admiration for Santiago’s intellect, brilliance and courage.

He said he looked forward to serving the country under the leadership of his presidential running mate Santiago as he exhorted the youth to support their partnership.

“Malaking karangalan po ang maging katambal si President Miriam sa ating kampanya ngayong 2016,” Marcos said.

“I look forward to continue working with her in the higher rungs of government, and I can’t wait to be under her tutelage and be mentored by her.”

Marcos said working with someone like Santiago was not just exciting but also posed a huge challenge to keep up with her high standards.

“Nagpapasalamat ako na patuloy siyang binibigyan ng magandang kalusugan. Patunay na mas marami at mas malakas ang mga mabubuting-loob na nagdarasal para sa kanyang kalusugan at kaligtasan kaysa sa mga masasamang damo na naghahangad ng kabaligtaran para sa kanya!” Marcos said.

He said that, in partnership with Santiago, they would endeavor to install a “national integrity system” as the foundation of good government and a more progressive future for all Filipinos.

“Let us vote intelligently and wisely. Nasa kamay ninyong mga kabataan ang magandang kinabukasan ng Pilipinas,” Marcos said.

Some 1,000 members of the Youth for Miriam attended the event and they vowed to work vigorously to campaign for Santiago and Marcos nationwide.

The Commission on Elections says the youth vote or those 18 to 35 years of age will most likely determine the outcome of the elections because they comprise about 37 percent or roughly 20 million of the entire electorate.

It was the second time Santiago and Marcos were together on the campaign trail after their kick-off rally in Batac, Ilocos Norte, last week.

The occasion also served as their tandem’s proclamation ral-

ly for their senatorial slate that includes Senator Ralph Recto, Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, Saranggani Rep. Manny Pacquiao, Manila Mayor Francisco Moreno, former Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla, migrant workers advocate Susan Ople, former Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino, former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director General Joel Villanueva, former Armed Forces Chief of Staff and Director General of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Dionisio Santiago, and actor and television host Edu Manzano.

Poe on sentimental trip to Iloilo INDEPENDENT presidential candidate Grace Poe will today go on a “sentimental journey” to Jaro, Iloilo, her known birthplace, carrying the dreams of a foundling who promises a “government with heart” for all Filipinos.

After rallying supporters in her father’s hometown in Pangasinan, Senator Poe and her running mate, Senator Francis Escudero, and their senatorial bets under their Partido Galing at Puso will be wooing the voters in her place of birth.

The PGP candidates in the May elections will first hold a rally in Carles town, where they are expected to present their platform of government.

The candidates will then proceed to the Barotac Viejo Public Market, where they will meet with market vendors, buyers and workers. A press conference will follow at lunchtime.

Under her Gobyernong may Puso, Poe said, she and her team will be providing solutions to the Filipinos’ pressing challenges such as high taxes, low wages, an unreliable transport system and an impoverished agricultural sector.

In the afternoon, Poe will be at the University of Iloilo to discuss her platform that, she says is anchored on three things: Kabuhayan, Karunungan at Kaligtasan.

She then travels to Jaro,

where a churchgoer had found her, an abandoned infant at the Metropolitan Cathedral and then brought to the parish priest who named her “Grace” in the belief she had been foundthrough the grace of God. Poe was conferred the sacrament of confirmation by then Jaro Archbishop Jaime Sin, who would later become one of the country’s democracy icons and the most famous archbishop of Manila.

It was Sin who convinced the family that found Poe to allow the child to be adopted by actors Fernando Poe Jr. and Susan Roces, who had no children. Macon ramosAraneta

Protest. Student activists protest against the mock elections in front of the Commission on Elections’ office in Intramuros, Manila. dAnny PAtA

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Martin to fight for SSS veto override

By Maricel V. Cruz Senatorial candidate and leyte rep. Martin romualdez on Monday assured the public that the malasakit (compassionate) battle for Congress to override the presidential veto on the proposed P2,000 monthly increase in the pension of over two million Social Security System members will continue when Congress resumes session on May 23, 2016.

Romualdez, a lawyer and president of the Philippine Constitution Association, vowed to remain steadfast in the fight to give “malasakit” to SSS members by extending an increase in their monthly pension when Congress resumes on May 23 for the presidential canvassing where it will convene as a national board of canvassers.

“The battle to give ‘malasakit’ to our SSS members is not yet over because the move to override the presidential veto remains. Our collective hope of having it put to a vote is not fading because we feel this is just and right. All we need is to show a strong political will with our sincere desire to serve public interest,” Romualdez, head of the House Independent Bloc and a three-term congressman who is running for the Senate under a platform anchored on compassionate governance, pointed out.

Romualdez lamented the failure of the House leadership to tackle the resolution filed at the House seeking to override the President’s veto on P2,000 SSS pension hike bill during its last day of session last Feb. 3.

“We have to continue the fight to override the presidential veto because this is the most patriotic thing to do. Whatever the outcome will be, the people will see that Congress has tried its very best to champion their interests and that’s very important,” Romualdez, a shared senatorial candidate of Vice President Jejomar Binay, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Miriam DefensorSantiago who are all running for president.

Romualdez was among the 75 lawmakers who signed the resolution of Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares to override the presidential veto. An override requires a two-thirds vote of the entire membership, or 192 of 287 members.

Youth agenda. Senatorial candidate and Leyte Rep.Martin Romualdez (right) delivers his political platform on education and health during the Youth Agenda campaign rally of presidential candidate Miriam Defensor-Santiago and vice presidential candidate Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. at Ynarez Sports Arena in Pasig City. Ver NoVeNo

General, 3 other officers ordered arrested

By Rio N. Araja THE Sandiganbayan has ordered the arrest of a former Marine commandant and three other military officers for allegedly pocketing P36.77 million in clothing and equipment allowance of soldiers in 1999.

In a resolution, the anti-graft court’s Third Division rejected the respective motions of judicial determination of probable cause of the accused—Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, Lt. Col. Jeson Batbat, Major Adelo Jandayan and Capt. Felicisimo Millado—and issued arrest warrants on them.

The decision was penned by Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez and concurred by Presiding Justice and Third Division chairperson Amparo Cabotaje-Tang and Associate Justice Samuel Martires.

“In fact, accused Miranda and Jandayan need not file a motion for judicial determination of probable cause, it being a mere superfluity,” it read.

Miranda and company are facing charges of malversation through falsification.

In April 2015, the Office of the Ombudsman indicted the five former officers of the Philippine Marines for their alleged involvement in anomalous transactions of P36,768,028.95 worth of allowances.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said the respondents violated Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) for anomalous utilization of the combat clothing allowance and individual equipment allowance for the benefit of Philippine Marine Corps enlisted personnel.

Miranda was sacked in 2006 for his alleged links to a coup plot.

Meanwhile, the Sandiganbayan’s Fourth Division also ordered the arrest of former executive director Cyrus Paul Valenzuela of the Optical Media Board for failure to show up in court during the first day of trial of graft charges against him and former OMB chairman Ronnie Ricketts.

The court said Valenzuela was only allowed to post a P30,000 bail on a condition that he attended trial hearings.

Valenzuela and not even his lawyer appeared, prompting the anti-graft court to forfeit his cash bond and issue a bench warrant of arrest.

The trial was cancelled over Valenzuela’s absence.

Ricketts, Valenzuela and several OMB officials and employees were charged with graft raps for the unlawful release of the seized pirated DVDs and VCDs to Sky High Marketing Corp. in May 2010.

High tribunal asked to stop K-12

By Rey E. Requejo

One Billion Rising. Thousands of students of St. Scholastica’s College in Manila on Monday Feb. 15, 2016 join the ‘One Billion Rising,’ a global campaign seeking to put an end to violence against women. DANNY PATA

A GROuP of parents, teachers and students of Manila Science High School has prodded the Supreme Court anew to look into the merits of their petition questioning the constitutionality of the K-12 program of the Department of Education.

In their fourth motion seeking immediate resolution of their appeal for a temporary restraining order, the petitioners through their lawyer Severo Brillantes also urged the high court to set for oral arguments their petition and motions and to include in its agenda their appeal during its en

banc session today.

The petitioners lamented the tribunal’s seemingly lack of interest to resolve their petition considering that it merely noted its motions asking for the immediate issuance of a TRO against K-12.

“While they were fully aware that the issuance of a TRO rests on the sound discretion of the Honorable Court, there was absolutely no more reason for the Honorable Court not to act on their said motion, considering that respondents have already been heard on their petition through their comment and they have already complied with the Order of the Honorable

Court to file a reply thereto,” petitioners said.

“They were expecting that at the very least, their 3rd Most urgent Motion for Issuance of a TRO will be included in the agenda of the Honorable Court’s remaining En Banc sessions last December 2015 and be deemed submitted for Resolution. They subsequently sadly learned, however, that it was only last January 12, 2016 that it was heard by the Supreme Court En Banc,” Brillantes added.

The petitioners stressed that there is an “extreme urgency” for the high court to resolve the petition since colleges and universities are already conducting their entrance tests.

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A6 Manila hospitals get P60m to combat dengue

By Joel E. Zurbano MANIlA Mayor Joseph Estrada on Monday gave an additional P60 million to fund six public hospitals in the city as part of the local government’s health program and boost its capability to respond to dengue and Zika virus.

“My directive to all the officials and personnel of our city hospitals, health centers and other related facilities is to always be prepared for any eventuality,” said Estrada.

His move came on the heels of reports that the first case of Zika virus in Asia was recorded in China while 200,415 cases of dengue were recorded in the Philippines in 2015. Of the dengue cases nationwide, more than 25,000 cases occurred in Metro Manila.

“Zika virus is a mosquitoborne, same as dengue. Our main concern is that the mosquito is here and whether it contains the virus or not, we do not know. What we can and must do now is prevention. But we are prepared for dengue, it has the same symptoms,” said Dr. Regina Bagsic, overall coordinator for Manila’s hospitals.

She said they are in strict compliance and close coordination with the Department of Health and that they are now in the process of sending out information bulletins to the different city hospitals to raise awareness about Zika.

Bagsic said,”The thing with Zika virus is that it is benign. The symptoms are manageable and we have enough facilities and medicines for that, and these are free for Manila citizens.”

“The Manila City government is always beefing up its preparations for any health outbreak. Rest assured that not only the DoH is monitoring the Zika virus. The city government led

by Mayor Estrada is exerting all efforts to assist the citizens with our free, prompt and complete health and medical services,” she added.

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

DoTC loses bid to stop city takeover of assets

By Rey E. Requejo

The Court of Appeals has rejected with finality the appeal of the Department of Transportation and Communications and its private partner Metro Rail Transit Corp. to take jurisdiction of its petition seeking to stop Mandaluyong City from taking over its properties due to their failure to pay real property taxes amounting to P2.4 billion covering the period of 2003 to 2005.

In a five-page resolution, the CA’s Former Sixth Division through Associate Justice Noel Tijam did not give merit to MRTC’s argument that the appellate court should have taken cogni-

zance of its petition based on Supreme Court decisions in NPC vs. Provincial Government of Bataan and Republic vs. City of Mandaluyong.

The appellate court stressed that in the first case

the issue was propriety of execution of the latter on former NPC properties that had been taken from it and transferred to other government corporations.

“There was no ruling that the Court of Appeals can take cognizance of certiorari petitions involving real property tax cases decided by the RTC,” the CA stressed.

According to the CA, the same line of reasoning applies as to the case of Republic vs. City of Mandaluyong.

“The mere mention of the pendency of the instant petition in the said case as to the propriety of the RTC’s issuance of a writ of possession in favor of the City of Mandaluyong over real proper-

ties forming part of the Edsa Metro Rail Transit III, cannot by stretch of argument, be used in order for this court to take cognizance of the instant petition,” it said.

The CA pointed out that its decision against DoTC and MRTC was reached “with judicial respect to a co-equal court” which is the Court of Tax Appeals.

In its Jan. 21, 2015 decision, the Court held that it has no jurisdiction to decide on the petition filed by DoTC and MRTC seeking to set aside the orders issued by the Regional Trial Court of Mandaluyong City on Sept. 15, 2006 and March 9, 2007.

The trial court, in the orders, junked the petition filed

by DoTC seeking the issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction to enjoin Mandaluyong City from auctioning the MRT III properties.

The appellate court stressed that the Supreme Court ruled in the case of City of Manila v.

Grecia-Cuerdo that the CTA has jurisdiction over petitions for certiorari questioning interlocutory orders of courts or administrative agencies and cases falling within its exclusive jurisdiction.

The SC held that the CA was correct when it dismissed the petition for certiorari questioning the order of the trial court granting the private respondents’ plea for a writ of preliminary injunction in a local tax case.

PCSO donation. Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office vice chairman and general manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II (4th from left) hands the key of a new ambulance to Dr. Jessi Bula (left), chief of hospital of Davao del Norte Hospital Kapalong Zone, together with Rep. Anthony del Rosario and son (second from left) during a ceremony held at the congressional district office in Tagum City on Feb. 12, 2016. With them are PCSO department manager Reena Yason (second from right) and assistant general manager Dr. Larry Cedro. PCSO donated three more ambulances to the district hospitals of Carmen and Igacos and to the Davao Regional Medical Center. JOSEPH MUEGO

‘Turbocharged’ rice raises hope for a second green revolution

By Cecil Morella RICE-GROWING techniques learned through thousands of years of trial and error are about to be turbocharged with DNA technology in a breakthrough hailed by scientists as a potential second “green revolution.”

Over the next few years, farmers are expected to have new genome sequencing technology at their disposal, helping to offset a myriad of problems that threaten to curtail production of the grain that feeds half of humanity.

Drawing on a massive bank of varieties stored in the Philippines and state-of-the-art Chinese technology, scientists recently completed the DNA sequencing of more than 3,000

of the world’s most significant types of rice.

With the huge pool of data unlocked, rice breeders will soon be able to produce higher-yielding varieties much more quickly and under increasingly stressful conditions, scientists involved with the project told AFP. Other potential new varieties being dreamt about are ones that are resistant to certain pests and diseases, or types that pack more nutrients and vitamins.

“This will be a big help to strengthen food security for rice eaters,” said Kenneth McNally, an American biochemist at the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute.

Since rice was first domesticated thousands of years ago, farmers have improved

yields through various planting techniques.

For the past century, breeders have isolated traits, such as high yields and disease resistance, then developed them through cross breeding.

However, they did not know which genes controlled which traits, leaving much of the effort to lengthy guesswork.

The latest breakthroughs in molecular genetics promise to fast-track the process, eliminating much of the mystery, scientists involved in the project told AFP. Better rice varieties can now be expected to be developed and passed on to farmers’ hands in less than three years, compared with 12 without the guidance of DNA sequencing. AFP

In this photograph taken on Oct. 10, 2015, farmers work in a rice field near the International Rice Research Institute in Laguna. Over the next few years, farmers are expected to have new genome sequencing technology at their disposal, helping to offset a myriad of problems that threaten to curtail production of the grain that feeds half of humanity. AFP

t u e s D AY : f e b r u A r Y 1 6 , 2 0 1 6

A7

NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Bishop rues candidates’ absence in peace covenant

By Ferdie G. Domingo CABANATUAN CITY— A Nueva Ecija bishop expressed frustration over the non-appearance of some top-level candidates in the local elections during the peace covenant signing for SAFE (Safe and Secure Elections 2016).

Bishop Roberto C. Mallari of the Diocese of San Jose said he was not happy with the attendance of the candidates in the event last Thursday.

“I’m disappointed,” he said, adding that while the organizers indulge in prayers for peace, this noshow happens.

Among the notable absentees were Vice Gov. Jose Gay Padiernos, running mate of third district Rep. Czarina Umali, as well as the main protagonists in the first district congressional race, incumbent Rep. Estrellita Suansing and former four-term congresswoman Josie Manuel-Joson, second district congressional candidate Micaela Salvador Violago and fourth district congressional bet, Gen. Tinio Mayor Virgilio Bote.

Padiernos, in a text message, said he could not come because of a prior commitment. He was represented by his nephew, Jon Padiernos.

Violago, wife of outgoing Rep. Joseph Gilbert Violago, is running against the congressman’s elder brother, Joselito Violago. Bote is running against incumbent Rep. Magnolia Antonino and board member Napoleon Interior.

Present during the covenant signing were Umali, her husband outgoing Gov. Aurelio and her brother-in-law, former board member Emmanuel Antonio, her gubernatorial rival, former congressman Rodolfo Antonino and the Vergaras: Cabanatuan Mayor Jay Vergara and Rosanna, who is running for Congress against the governor.

Burst of color. A girl poses in front of a floral garden landscape—one of the events in the Panagbenga Flower Festival in Baguio City. DAVID CHAN

GenSan equips vehicles with global positioning GENERAL SANTOS CITY—The provincial government of Sarangani will install Global Positioning System devices on its vehicles to ensure immediate mobilization during disasters and related emergencies.

Robert Lubonting, operations head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said they are currently finalizing the arrangements for the installation of the GPS tracking systems on 29 heavy equipment and 11 light vehicles owned by the local government.

“This will equip our vehicles with real-time GPS tracking capability,” he said.

The provincial government has commissioned Cebu City-based firm Galileo Satellite Control Systems to install the GPS devices, he said.

Around P500,000 has been set aside for the

project that will be sourced from the unexpended Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Trust Fund for 2014.

Lubonting said project will mainly enhance the ongoing rollout in the province of the national emergency hotline Patrol 117.

The local government launched the rollout of the hotline for all its seven municipalities in November 2015.

He added that the operationalization of the tracking devices will be handled by the provincial government’s emergency

operations center at the provincial capitol in Alabel town.

An operator will be tasked to handle the tracking software to pinpoint the exact location of the vehicle, he said.

“Through the system, we could easily track down vehicles nearest to incident locations and tap them for verification and mobilization,” he said.

He said the tracking system would specifically provide a link for vehicle movement during emergency situations and in providing special services

along evacuation routes.

Using the GPS, he said, introduces “a new level of flexibility for operational command structures.”

Unlike the usual GPS, he said the units that will be used by the local government include a fuel gauge to monitor fuel consumption.

They are also equipped with SIM cards and microphones for easier communication.

Lubonting said the presence of tracking systems in vehicles is common in large private companies. PNA

DoTC seeks ban exemption for bus rapid transit project CEBU CITY—The Department of Transportation and Communications has sought an infrastructure ban exemption from the Commission on Elections for the implementation of Cebu City’s P10.6-billion Bus Rapid Transit project.

Lawyer Rafael Yap, the BRT Cebu project manager, said DoTC already wrote the poll body about the matter last week.

“We already asked for an exemption from the infrastructure ban to start the procurement process before the May 9 elections,” he said.

The first phase of the 16-kilometer BRT will be the construction of the bus ways, bus stations, and other facilities on Osmeña Blvd., particularly the area from the Fuente Osmeña to the Cebu Provincial Capitol.

The entire BRT, which will have some 33 stations and 176 buses, will be from Barangay Bulacao to Barangay Talamban.

It is expected to serve 330,000 passengers per day when it becomes operational in 2017.

The Comelec will prohibit starting March 25 until May

8 the “construction of public works, delivery of materials for public works, issuance of treasury warrant or similar devises for a future undertaking chargeable against public funds.”

The restriction imposed by the poll body on the implementation of the government projects is intended to prevent these from being used for campaigning by those running for elective posts.

Yap said the BRT is among the many projects of DoTC that were endorsed by the agency to Comelec for exemption.

Banig beauty. Women weavers in Basey, Samar use tikog or native reed plant to produce banig. MEL CASPE

T U E S D AY : F E B R U A R Y 1 6 , 2 0 1 6

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

EAGLE EYES DEAN TONY LA VIÑA

THE ENRILE CASES

[ EDI TORI A L ]

WAY TO GO FOR someone wanting so badly to leave a legacy when he steps down from office, President Benigno Aquino III is doing a great job at making us remember him for a specific episode.

According to the latest The Standard Poll, 46 percent of voters believe Mr. Aquino must be held accountable for the deaths of 44 members of the Special Action Force in Mamasapano, Maguindanao in January last year.

The botched operation was supposed to have neutralized two terrorists —one died, too, that day, and the other was killed months later.

Hearings were conducted by both Houses of Congress immediately after the killings, but despite the circus and the strong emotions that attended the probe, there has not been any committee report submitted for further action.

As a result, 67 percent of biometrically-registered voters nationwide interviewed by this newspaper’s resident pollster say they are not satisfied with the hearings and would want them to continue.

Voters from all geographical locations shared the general opinion, with 70 percent in Metro Manila, 62 percent in North and Central Luzon, 71 percent in South Luzon and Bicol, 68 percent in the Visayas, and 66 percent in Mindanao—as well as voters from urban and rural areas—saying they want the probe to continue.

They did continue, two days after the country marked the first year anniversary of the probe. Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile, who was in jail at the time of the original hearings, sought the reopening because he said he had more questions to ask. The next question is how the probe is going to be concluded. What will it say, and what are the processes that it would set in motion?

What the sentiments of the people tell us is that Mr. Aquino has, contrary to what he would want us to believe, not addressed the issue satisfactorily. His role in the ill-fated operation, his subsequent demeanor and apparent attempts of the administration at a cover up make a mockery of the straight path he has often invoked.

One would think that the public would be too distracted by the coming elections to remember the Mamasapano massacre and the President’s inadequate response to it. And yet, the numbers tell us that voters remember—and remember well.

They want their president to answer questions, and in the entire year that has passed, he has done such a bad job at responding to them.

How the President has acted with regard to Mamasapano sums up his entire attitude about everything else during his six-year term.

What a way to go.

STILL SINKING LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES CALOOCAN City Rep. Edgar Erice owes me and a couple of friends of mine lunch because of a bet that he lost, fair and square. Some months back, Erice wagered that his presidential candidate, Mar Roxas, would be leading in the surveys by December.

It’s now the middle of February and Roxas is nowhere near the top of any major survey.

And Erice, despite his part-

ownership of several supposedly lucrative mining companies, still hasn’t invited us to lunch.

Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya has finally figured out that the problems besetting the Metro Rail Transit 3 are adversely affecting the chances of Roxas in the May elections.

Then, like clockwork, the MRT broke down again yesterday— in all likelihood costing Roxas some more votes amongst the long-suffering people who still ride that godforsaken train line.

The latest survey of presidential candidates, conducted

by Social Weather Stations for

the newspaper BusinessWorld, shows Roxas once again firmly in fourth place, behind Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Grace Poe and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, in that order. And even the staunchest of Roxas’ backers like Erice will admit, if you ask them insistently enough, that their candidate is really having a hard time getting the people of Metro Manila and nearby areas to vote for him.

The strategy of the Roxas camp, it is becoming increasingly clear, is to all but give up on Metro Manila and the rest of the geopolitical area called the Lin-

A9

Roxas will need more than just a limitless amount of money to buy advertising and to bribe elected officials to get ahead.

gayen-Lucena corridor, which accounts for the biggest votes by far amongst super-regions in the Philippines. Instead, they intend to focus on areas like Western Visayas, where Roxas is believed to be capable of beating the other candidates.

The problem with this strategy, of course, is that the number of Visayan voters is not nearly enough to overturn the leads that the other candidates have over Roxas in other places. For instance, Roxas cannot seem to make any headway in Mindanao, where Duterte keeps getting gaudy, 50-plus polling numbers.

Neither is Roxas getting any love in the Ilocano-speaking provinces of Northern Luzon, both in Region 1 and Region 2,

where Poe and Binay, respectively, hold sway.

This is the main reason why Roxas seems unable to break through from fourth or third place among the candidates. And in Metro Manila, which is supposedly a “zona libre” where every candidate can get a significant slice of the huge voting pie, Roxas is falling behind in survey after survey. *** Barring divine—or more mundane, as the believers in an alleged voting-machine cheating plot say—

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-

intervention, it seems that Roxas will need more than just a limitless amount of money to buy campaign advertising and to bribe every kind of elected official to get ahead. And if a solution is not found by Roxas and his highlypaid consultants and advisers soon, he might as well concede right now and kiss his hopes of winning in May goodbye.

The truth of the matter, as I’ve written before, is that while Roxas may need the endorsement of President Noynoy Aquino to secure funding and other re-

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

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quirements to run a viable campaign, he will have to blindly support (or keep deathly quiet) when people like Abaya do their best to sabotage his presidential run. And if the support Roxas gets from Aquino is also immediately subtracted from him in terms of votes lost, well, you have to wonder if he is really the President’s candidate.

Seriously. At this point in the campaign, less than three months before election day, the turnaround that Erice and the rest of the Liberal Party are 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

AS PART of my storytelling to my students on the Martial Law era and the Edsa revolution, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the latter on the 25th of this month, I tell my law students the story about the many cases decided by the Supreme Court that has Juan Ponce Enrile named as respondent/defendant against charges of violating human rights or petitioner invoking the same constitutional rights he was previously charged with breaching. I share these stories through a series of three to four columns, starting with this one.

Enrile was Martial Law administrator of the Marcos government and co-leader of the military uprising that led to the 1986 people power revolt. He is currently a sitting senator of the republic, detained and facing charges for corruption related to the Priority Development Assistance Fund scandal. He has just been released on bail for humanitarian considerations.

The cases involving Enrile tell us a lot about our country, our history in particular and how justice continues to elude us. At the end of this series, on the week we celebrate the Edsa revolution, I will reflect on what this failure means and where this could take us in the 2016 May elections when Bongbong Marcos could conceivably win as vice president.

Let me start with the leading case of Aquino Jr. v. Enrile, decided by the Supreme Court in 1974. When martial law was proclaimed in September 21, 1972, Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr., together with Ramon Mitra Jr., Francisco Rodrigo, and Napoleon Rama, the stalwarts of the opposition fighting against the dictatorship, were arrested and held pursuant to General Order No. 2 of the President (September 22, 1972), “for being participants or for having given aid and comfort in the conspiracy to seize political and state power in the country and to take over the government by force.

Aquino and colleagues filed petitions for habeas corpus. But while eventually all the petitioners were either permitted to withdraw their petitions or released from detention subject to certain restrictions, Aquino remained in detention. In fact, formal charges of murder, subversion and illegal possession of firearms were lodged against him forcing him to challenge the jurisdiction of the Military Commission trying him.

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 U E S D AY : F E B R U A R Y 1 6 , 2 0 1 6

A8

OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

EAGLE EYES DEAN TONY LA VIÑA

THE ENRILE CASES

[ EDI TORI A L ]

WAY TO GO FOR someone wanting so badly to leave a legacy when he steps down from office, President Benigno Aquino III is doing a great job at making us remember him for a specific episode.

According to the latest The Standard Poll, 46 percent of voters believe Mr. Aquino must be held accountable for the deaths of 44 members of the Special Action Force in Mamasapano, Maguindanao in January last year.

The botched operation was supposed to have neutralized two terrorists —one died, too, that day, and the other was killed months later.

Hearings were conducted by both Houses of Congress immediately after the killings, but despite the circus and the strong emotions that attended the probe, there has not been any committee report submitted for further action.

As a result, 67 percent of biometrically-registered voters nationwide interviewed by this newspaper’s resident pollster say they are not satisfied with the hearings and would want them to continue.

Voters from all geographical locations shared the general opinion, with 70 percent in Metro Manila, 62 percent in North and Central Luzon, 71 percent in South Luzon and Bicol, 68 percent in the Visayas, and 66 percent in Mindanao—as well as voters from urban and rural areas—saying they want the probe to continue.

They did continue, two days after the country marked the first year anniversary of the probe. Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile, who was in jail at the time of the original hearings, sought the reopening because he said he had more questions to ask. The next question is how the probe is going to be concluded. What will it say, and what are the processes that it would set in motion?

What the sentiments of the people tell us is that Mr. Aquino has, contrary to what he would want us to believe, not addressed the issue satisfactorily. His role in the ill-fated operation, his subsequent demeanor and apparent attempts of the administration at a cover up make a mockery of the straight path he has often invoked.

One would think that the public would be too distracted by the coming elections to remember the Mamasapano massacre and the President’s inadequate response to it. And yet, the numbers tell us that voters remember—and remember well.

They want their president to answer questions, and in the entire year that has passed, he has done such a bad job at responding to them.

How the President has acted with regard to Mamasapano sums up his entire attitude about everything else during his six-year term.

What a way to go.

STILL SINKING LOWDOWN JOJO A. ROBLES CALOOCAN City Rep. Edgar Erice owes me and a couple of friends of mine lunch because of a bet that he lost, fair and square. Some months back, Erice wagered that his presidential candidate, Mar Roxas, would be leading in the surveys by December.

It’s now the middle of February and Roxas is nowhere near the top of any major survey.

And Erice, despite his part-

ownership of several supposedly lucrative mining companies, still hasn’t invited us to lunch.

Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya has finally figured out that the problems besetting the Metro Rail Transit 3 are adversely affecting the chances of Roxas in the May elections.

Then, like clockwork, the MRT broke down again yesterday— in all likelihood costing Roxas some more votes amongst the long-suffering people who still ride that godforsaken train line.

The latest survey of presidential candidates, conducted

by Social Weather Stations for

the newspaper BusinessWorld, shows Roxas once again firmly in fourth place, behind Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Grace Poe and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, in that order. And even the staunchest of Roxas’ backers like Erice will admit, if you ask them insistently enough, that their candidate is really having a hard time getting the people of Metro Manila and nearby areas to vote for him.

The strategy of the Roxas camp, it is becoming increasingly clear, is to all but give up on Metro Manila and the rest of the geopolitical area called the Lin-

A9

Roxas will need more than just a limitless amount of money to buy advertising and to bribe elected officials to get ahead.

gayen-Lucena corridor, which accounts for the biggest votes by far amongst super-regions in the Philippines. Instead, they intend to focus on areas like Western Visayas, where Roxas is believed to be capable of beating the other candidates.

The problem with this strategy, of course, is that the number of Visayan voters is not nearly enough to overturn the leads that the other candidates have over Roxas in other places. For instance, Roxas cannot seem to make any headway in Mindanao, where Duterte keeps getting gaudy, 50-plus polling numbers.

Neither is Roxas getting any love in the Ilocano-speaking provinces of Northern Luzon, both in Region 1 and Region 2,

where Poe and Binay, respectively, hold sway.

This is the main reason why Roxas seems unable to break through from fourth or third place among the candidates. And in Metro Manila, which is supposedly a “zona libre” where every candidate can get a significant slice of the huge voting pie, Roxas is falling behind in survey after survey. *** Barring divine—or more mundane, as the believers in an alleged voting-machine cheating plot say—

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-

intervention, it seems that Roxas will need more than just a limitless amount of money to buy campaign advertising and to bribe every kind of elected official to get ahead. And if a solution is not found by Roxas and his highlypaid consultants and advisers soon, he might as well concede right now and kiss his hopes of winning in May goodbye.

The truth of the matter, as I’ve written before, is that while Roxas may need the endorsement of President Noynoy Aquino to secure funding and other re-

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

quirements to run a viable campaign, he will have to blindly support (or keep deathly quiet) when people like Abaya do their best to sabotage his presidential run. And if the support Roxas gets from Aquino is also immediately subtracted from him in terms of votes lost, well, you have to wonder if he is really the President’s candidate.

Seriously. At this point in the campaign, less than three months before election day, the turnaround that Erice and the rest of the Liberal Party are 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

AS PART of my storytelling to my students on the Martial Law era and the Edsa revolution, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the latter on the 25th of this month, I tell my law students the story about the many cases decided by the Supreme Court that has Juan Ponce Enrile named as respondent/defendant against charges of violating human rights or petitioner invoking the same constitutional rights he was previously charged with breaching. I share these stories through a series of three to four columns, starting with this one.

Enrile was Martial Law administrator of the Marcos government and co-leader of the military uprising that led to the 1986 people power revolt. He is currently a sitting senator of the republic, detained and facing charges for corruption related to the Priority Development Assistance Fund scandal. He has just been released on bail for humanitarian considerations.

The cases involving Enrile tell us a lot about our country, our history in particular and how justice continues to elude us. At the end of this series, on the week we celebrate the Edsa revolution, I will reflect on what this failure means and where this could take us in the 2016 May elections when Bongbong Marcos could conceivably win as vice president.

Let me start with the leading case of Aquino Jr. v. Enrile, decided by the Supreme Court in 1974. When martial law was proclaimed in September 21, 1972, Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr., together with Ramon Mitra Jr., Francisco Rodrigo, and Napoleon Rama, the stalwarts of the opposition fighting against the dictatorship, were arrested and held pursuant to General Order No. 2 of the President (September 22, 1972), “for being participants or for having given aid and comfort in the conspiracy to seize political and state power in the country and to take over the government by force.

Aquino and colleagues filed petitions for habeas corpus. But while eventually all the petitioners were either permitted to withdraw their petitions or released from detention subject to certain restrictions, Aquino remained in detention. In fact, formal charges of murder, subversion and illegal possession of firearms were lodged against him forcing him to challenge the jurisdiction of the Military Commission trying him.

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 U E S D AY : F E B R U A R Y 1 6 , 2 0 1 6

A10

OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

TREADING ON DANGEROUS GROUND TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

NOBODY disagrees with the need to have presidential candidates who are healthy and strong. Santa Banana, can you imagine an elected president suffering from Stage 4 cancer, or tuberculosis, or dementia? That would be disastrous for the country!

This is why the Comelec requires all candidates for national office to make public their health and mental records.

We have Senator Miriam Santiago, suffering from Stage 4 lung cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome. These have prevented her from attending Senate sessions. And yet, she refuses to make public her medical records.

Judicial activism would make the fundamental law of the land a mere scrap of paper.

We also have Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Du-dirty” landing in the hospital with acute bronchitis. I’m no doctor, but I know that’s already a chronic ailment.

The people deserve a strong and healthy president. The job is stressful and rigorous.

If the Comelec can disqualify nuisance candidates, more so should it disqualify candidates who are physically and mentally sick. *** My sources at the Supreme Court tell me that if the Supreme Court en banc wants to render a judgment on the disqualification cases of Mrs. Mary Grace Natividad Kelly Poe Llamanzares today or tomorrow or within the week, it can.

The problem, I am told, is that there are justices who are still trying to convince other justices to side with them to acquire a majority vote in favor of Mrs. Llamanzares.

Three justices—Supreme Court Chief Justice

Ma. Lourdes Sereno and Associate Justices Marvic Leonen and Francis Jardeleza, have already made us known that they favor the non-disqualification of Mrs. Llamanzares outside the intent, letter and spirit of the Constitution. They come up with sentimental reasons like giving foundlings the right of naturalborn Filipinos; that the people should decide, invoking “vox populi, vox dei (the voice of the people is the voice of God).”

I am also told that as of today, aside from Sereno, Leonen and Jardeleza, all appointees of BS Aquino III, there are two other justices on the side of Mrs. Llamanzares. That means that the majority, 10 of them, are standing pat on their conviction that Mrs. Llamanzares is not naturalborn, and that she does not have the required 10-year residency to be senator and president as mandated by the Constitution.

My sources also said that the patent delay in promulgating the Supreme Court decision is caused by the possibility that three more of them could still change their minds to side with the pro-Llamanzares justices to get the required eight majority votes.

I am told that the proLlamanzares justices led by the Chief Justice are trying hard to convince the last three to be able to get a majority vote.

They are asking the other justices not to be legalistic in interpreting the Constitution, but to go beyond its letter, intent and spirit to enable Mrs. Llamanzares to run for president. After all, surveys show that the people also want her to run for president.

Briefly said, it’s now a fight between these who would like to interpret the Constitution according to its intent and letter, and those who would like to make the Supreme Court legislate beyond what is required by the Constitution.

I would say that the Sereno Court is treading on dangerous ground. Judicial activism would make the fundamental law of the land a mere scrap of paper. Is this what the Sereno Court is leading to? *** I have been saying all along, ever since BS Aquino III failed to seduce Mrs. Llamanzares into becoming the running mate of

RELATED CONCERNS IN THE GRACE POE CASES NOBODY is certain when the four disqualification cases filed against presidential candidate and incumbent senator Grace Poe before the Supreme Court will be resolved.

Some political personalities warn that if the Supreme Court does not resolve the Poe cases soon, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will not have enough time to finish the printing of ballots needed for the May 2016 elections.

As of now, however, there is no need to panic. The Supreme Court is aware of the importance of resolving Poe’s disqualification cases as promptly as possible. On many occasions in the past, the Court arrived at its judgment soon enough to allow the Comelec ample time to act accordingly. Recent memory discloses that no national election was ever aborted simply because of a pending election dispute either in the Supreme Court or in the Comelec. Nonetheless, the sooner the said disqualification cases are resolved with finality, the better it will be for the Comelec.

A Poe supporter lamented in a letter recently published in another newspaper that Supreme Court Justices Antonio Carpio, Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, and Arturo Brion should have inhibited themselves from further participation in the Poe cases in the Supreme Court because the three justices have already ruled in the disqualification case filed in the Senate Electoral Tribunal that Poe is not a naturalborn citizen of the Philippines.

That lamentation ignores the fact that there are two sets of disqualification cases currently pending against Poe in the Supreme Court.

The first set emanates from a case which seeks to unseat Poe from the Senate on the ground that Poe is not a natural-born citizen of the Philippines—which the Constitution requires. That case was filed in the administration candidate Mar Roxas, that while she didn’t take the offer despite a promise that the Aquino administration would take care of all her expenses as a candidate for vice president, she agreed to become his alternate candidate. This comes with the assurance that if elected, she would ensure that BS Aquino III would not land in jail after June 30.

There is no better proof of this agreement than the fact that while Mrs. Llamanzares personally attacks almost every member of the Aquino Cabinet and every incompetent member of the administration, she has not zeroed in on the President himself. Recall that during the last Senate hearing on the Mamasapano massacre, Mrs. Llamanzares acted more like a lawyer of BS Aquino III when she tried to cut short Senate Minority

who knows the intricacies of case law. A justice of the Supreme Court is not required to inhibit himself in a case, even if the resolution of the case requires reliance on an earlier, but separate, judicial pronouncement or decision wherein the justice had parSET by Rizalito David, an election ticipated. Thus, as long as the subwatchdog. Justices Carpio, De Cas- ject of the appeal before the justice tro, and Brion were among the nine is not the actual ruling wherein he members of the SET, with Justice had earlier cast his vote, the justice Carpio as its chairman. The other concerned need not inhibit himself, tribunal members were senators. even if the resolution of the appeal After due proceedings, the SET may happen to depend wholly or voted 5-4 in favor of Poe, and dis- partly on the doctrine established in missed the disqualification case. a previous but separate decision he The three justices and one senator happened to have signed. voted against Poe. Senator Cynthia For example, during the regime Villar later admitted to the news of constitutional authoritarianism media that the decision of the ma- under the 1973 charter, many dejority was premised on political, cisions of the Supreme Court inrather than legal, considerations. volving constitutional issues were David appealed the SET decision to repeatedly, and sometimes even the Supreme Court. routinely resolved, by the incumWhen the decision of the SET bent justices of that period by rebecame the subject of an appeal lying on judicial precedents which before them, this time no longer as bear their previous participation.

SET members but as magistrates of The late Justice Claudio Teehankee the Supreme Court, Justices Car- was one of them. pio, De Castro, and Brion inhibited Meanwhile, Poe announced that themselves from participating in one does not have to be in governthe proceedings arising from the ment for so long to be president. Poe said appeal. was obviously referring to her brief The second set pertains to four stint in public service consisting of separate disqualification cases three years as the top government against Poe, filed in the Comelec by censor, and two and a half years as a four different parties. These cases pro-administration senator. seek to disqualify Poe from running Three years in appointive adfor president on the ground that she ministrative office and almost three is not a natural-born citizen of the more in elective legislative office do Philippines—which the Constitu- not translate to a sufficient track tion likewise mandates. record for the presidency. Look at After the Comelec resolved the President Benigno Aquino III. His four cases against her, Poe appealed record of public service far exceeds to the Supreme Court. Because Jus- Poe’s, and yet he has demonstrated tices Carpio, De Castro, and Brion unprecedented incompetence in had nothing to do with the ruling running the country. Aquino’s adof the Comelec against Poe, they ministration will be remembered decided not to inhibit themselves in for failed ventures like the PhilPoe’s appeal. ippine Truth Commission which Their decision not to inhibit Aquino created but which the themselves is not surprising to one Continued on A11

Leader Juan Ponce Enrile’s questions.

Enrile was trying to point out the President’s ultimate responsibility, but not accountability. Llamanzares revealed her true colors when she said that since there was nothing new in the revelation of Enrile, her committee report on the Mamasapano massacre remained the same.

Those who keep track of the statements and actions of Mrs. Llamanzares would know that she is BS Aquino III’s “Manchurian candidate,” just in case Roxas doesn’t make it.

For one, why didn’t Senator Bam Aquino vote for the disqualification of Mrs. Llamanzares at the Senate Electoral Tribunal when her candidacy would endanger Mar’s chances with Mrs. Llamanzares topping the poll surveys? Bam Aquino, who was the swing vote being a Liberal Party member,

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

voted instead for her. Isn’t it obvious?

With the Supreme Court now hearing Mrs. Llamanzares’ disqualification, the three Aquino-appointed justices have been vocal in their support for Mrs. Llamanzares. They want to go beyond the Constitution, saying they are doing it in the name of the greater good. Isn’t that also obvious?

If there’s one thing that BS Aquino is afraid of, it is landing in jail for the many crimes he has committed in his almost six years in office. For sure, he will be charged criminally and civilly for his many misdeeds, mistakes and shortcomings. Will BS Aquino III escape “karma?” *** Some political analysts and observers I have talked to say that the only way the administration candidate can win the presidency,

in the wake of his low ratings in poll surveys, is for the Aquino administration to cheat with the hokusPCOS machines or to flood the local government units with money.

I can believe that, because PCOS machines are again being used for the 2016 polls, and because Mar has been promising local government units P100 million apiece.

Santa Banana, with Budget Secretary Butch Abad already having released 90 percent of the more than P1 trillion budget for 2016 during the first quarter of this year, the administration can use it to buy votes at the local level. And Mar Roxas isn’t even shy in saying it.

BS Aquino III will do anything and everything in his power to have either Mar or Grace become president if only to save his skin. That’s how desperate he has become.

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OPINION lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

SCALIA’S GRAVE DANCERS DESERVE A HARSH VERDICT

By Stephen L. Carter WHEN the news broke Saturday that Justice Antonin Scalia had died at age 79, my Twitter feed began to fill with hate. Not disagreement or disrespect—actual hate. He was an ignorant waste of flesh, wrote one young fool.

His death was the best news in decades, cheered another. Then there was the woman who just had to tell the world that she felt safer now than she had at the death of Osama bin Laden. And several people expressed the hope—the hope!—that Clarence Thomas would die next.

Thus we see the discursive toll of our depressing Supreme Court deathwatch. We’re actually rooting for people to die.

It’s unusual for a vacancy to occur in the midst of a presidential campaign, but it’s common as cake for activists to dream the hours away speculating on who’ll be next to go, and for journalists to count up the number of appointments they think the next president will get to make.

Sometimes in their earnestness the activists of left and right do indeed sound as if they’re rooting for a death or two. They seem to think the justices whose votes enrage them deserve to go.

The Enrile... From A9 Faced with Aquino’s remaining legal challenge, the court had to confront the issue of whether or not the court could inquire into the validity of Proclamation No. 1081. Put more simply, is the question political or justiciable in character? Paraphrased another way, are not the issues raised in the petitions related to the propriety or constitutional sufficiency of the issuance of the proclamation purely political, which are not for the Judiciary, but for the people and the political departments of the government to determine?

Five justices, namely, Justices Makasiar, Antonio, Esguerra, Fernandez and Aquino held that the question was political and therefore its determination was beyond the jurisdiction of the High Court. Arrayed on the side of justiciability were four justices including Justices Castro, Fernando, Teehankee and Muñoz Palma who held that the constitutional sufficiency of the proclamation may be inquired into by the Highest Court.

Justice Barredo, on the other hand, believed that political questions were not per se beyond the Court’s jurisdiction, but that as a matter of policy implicit in the Constitution itself the Court should abstain from interfering

Related... From A10 Supreme Court declared unconstitutional in December 2010; for his illegal executive order on casual employees in the government; and for his stealthy plan to dismember the Republic of the Philippines through the legallyflawed Bangsamoro Basic Law, which he personally endorsed

None of this is entirely new.

My mentor, Justice Thurgood Marshall, didn’t die in harness, but I remember the deathwatch all the same. I was serving as one of his law clerks in 1980, the year Ronald Reagan was elected, and on election night, one of the television networks reported that Marshall had decided to quit the court, in order to give Jimmy Carter the opportunity to make an appointment. The report was false, of course, and Marshall was furious. Some in the building speculated that the story had been planted by activists hoping he would get the message and depart, clearing the way for a younger liberal voice—much as, in recent years, some on the left have openly if cruelly urged Ruth Bader Ginsburg to step down, as though she owes them some special fealty.

Throughout the Reagan administration, movement conservatives kept their envious eyes on Marshall’s precarious health. After George H.W. Bush was elected in 1988, one silly activist went so far as to tell a reporter that he hoped that Marshall was keeping the seat warm for Thomas.

Disgusting.

But here’s the thing. When Marshall, his health broken, at

last stepped down in 1991, with a year and a half to live, there were only encomiums, even from conservatives. True, Twitter didn’t exist. If it had, perhaps the gleeful right would have been dancing in public. Instead, whatever champagne was drunk was poured in private. And that makes all the difference. To mute those cheers shows respect not only for the dead, but also for the institution.

When Chief Justice Fred Vinson died during the pendency of Brown v. Board of Education, Felix Frankfurter memorably called the event “the first solid piece of evidence I’ve ever had that there really is a God.” But he said it in private, and would have been justifiably furious had the clerk to whom he had made the comment publicized it during Frankfurter’s own lifetime.

To trash the justices because we don’t like their votes (usually on a handful of issues) is to diminish the majesty of the court itself. The more we do it, the less reason there is for anybody to respect the justices when at last whichever side we’re on has a majority.

Marshall took a similar view.

During the last year of his life, I was assisting him with his

oral history, and we spent many hours together. One of the many delights of listening to his tales was the generosity of spirit with which he described his opponents. He spoke with warmth of the very justices who were busily chipping away at his legacy.

Nor was his affection reserved for his colleagues. Before becoming a judge, Marshall spent years litigating civil-rights cases, often at great risk to his life. In the course of his travels, he got to know many of the leading segregationists of the age, some quite well. When he talked about them in the oral history, his eyes would glow with affection. They were dead wrong on race, he said, but they weren’t bad people.

Across the nation’s greatest moral divide, Marshall respected, and now and then even admired, those who fought him.

That quality didn’t make him unique among his generation.

But it’s a talent we’ve largely lost.

Nowadays we burn too much energy evaluating people based on whether we agree with them or not. It’s a pardonable vice, and in the worst case perhaps a necessary one, but it can get out of hand. There’s a vast difference between “He’s wrong” and “He’s a worthless bag of flesh

who deserved to die.” Sadly, we live in an era when every case is the worst.

The late Christopher Hitchens once wrote: “One test of un homme sérieux is that it is possible to learn from him even when one radically disagrees with him.” He was right. Those with whom we disagree will often have things to teach us, if we’ll let them.

Scalia was un homme sérieux in the classic sense—a person of both seriousness and character, a man hard to bully. Did I disagree with his positions? Frequently, and often with passion.

But he was a brilliant scholar and jurist, as well as a marvelous writer, and I never failed to learn from his wonderfully crafted opinions. The need to counter his arguments made mine better. And on some issues (the importance of robust protection of Sixth Amendment rights, for instance) Scalia’s opinions converted me to his cause.

It’s tragic that we can’t respect and admire each other across our many differences. It’s worse that we dance when people die. If the depressing deathwatch is the best we can do, I for one would rather go without a Supreme Court of the United States.

Seriously. Bloomberg

with the Executive’s proclamation.

Justice Makalintal who penned the decision sided with non-justiciability when he opined that the political-or-justiciable-question controversy has become moot and purposeless as a consequence of the general referendum of July 27-28, 1973.

With the ruling of non-justiciability having attained the majority vote, the High Court decided to dismiss all petitions.

An interesting side story of this case involved Senator Jose W. Diokno. He was one of the original petitioners but later he withdrew from the case, stating that he had lost confidence in the Supreme Court after it ruled that the 1973 Constitution was in effect.

Almost 10 years later, the Supreme Court would revisit the issue of illegal detentions in Garcia-Padilla v. Enrile. In 1982, Sabino Padilla and eight others out of the 14 detainees were then having a conference in the dining room at Dr. Parong’s residence.

These individuals, together with a few others totaling 14, were previously under surveillance by the authorities as they were suspected of engaging in subversive activities being members of the Communist Party of the Philippines. It was during this meeting that they were arrested by the Philippine Constabulary by authority of a Presidential Com-

mitment Order and brought to an undisclosed location.

Not knowing the whereabouts of her son Sabino, Josefina Padilla, went to the Court praying for the issuance of a writ of habeas corpus to direct respondents then-Minister of National Defense Enrile, Gen. Fabian Ver, Gen. Fidel Ramos and Lt. Col. Colonel to produce the bodies of the missing individuals.

In the resolution of the Court, the writ of habeas corpus was issued and respondents were required to make a return of the writ. At the hearing of the petition, the Solicitor General contended that the so-named persons were arrested and are being detained for offenses with respect to which under Proclamation No. 2045, the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus continues to be suspended; in effect saying that the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus is unavailing as to them. Hence, courts cannot inquire into the validity and cause of their arrest and detention.

Before the Court, the legality of the Presidential Commitment Order was put in issue.

Speaking for the majority of the Court, Justice De Castro said that the arrest of persons involved in the rebellion whether as its fighting armed elements, or for committing non-violent acts but in furtherance of the rebellion, is

more an act of capturing them in the course of an armed conflict, to quell the rebellion, than for the purpose of immediately prosecuting them in court for a statutory offense. Hence, according to J. De Castro, the arrest and detention of persons ordered by the President through the issuance of Presidential Commitment Order PCO is merely preventive. The majority further stated that a Presidential Commitment Order, the issuance of which is the exclusive prerogative of the President under the Constitution, may not be declared void by the courts, under the doctrine of “political question.”

Disagreeing with the majority, Justice Teehankee opined that notwithstanding the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, the higher and superior mandate of the Constitution guarantees the right to bail and vests the courts with the jurisdiction and judicial power to grant bail which may not be removed nor diminished nor abdicated.

My next column will summarize next the infamous ruling of Ilagan vs. Enrile. Decided in 1985, a year before the revolution, that case justified the continuing detention of three Davao lawyers for crimes they did not commit.

Still... From A9

and pursued, but which, fortunately for the Filipino people, Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. dismantled.

If Poe’s supporters intend to identify her with the late Corazon Cojuangco Aquino, who won the presidency despite being devoid of any experience in public service, they had better think twice. As president,

Mrs. Aquino expanded casino operations in the country. She also released from detention communist leaders who eventually continued, and up to today, continue to destabilize the government. Land reform under Mrs. Aquino was a sham, as seen by her relentless efforts to keep the family’s landholdings in Tarlac exempted from

the coverage of the agrarian reform law.

Because the presidency is all about executive power, competence for this office demands extensive experience in executive work. Grace Poe does not have that requisite experience to warrant her ambitious desire for the highest office of the land.

Facebook: Dean Tony La Vina Twitter: tonylavs

expecting still seems as unreal as the P2,000 monthly increase in the pensions of members of the Social Security System.

And every day that Abaya—who is, by the way, acting LP president—and the rest of Aquino’s gang do something to outrage us, Roxas only sinks some more. Unless Roxas and his Palace-backed team know something that the rest of us don’t, there is simply no way for him to (let’s face it) win.

It used to be that a sitting President’s endorsement meant something more than just money.

There was also the “equity of the incumbent” that the chosen one would get, giving him or her a head start on the rest of the field.

Sadly, that hasn’t happened yet for Roxas. And if you’re one of those who still support Aquino but entertain serious doubts that Roxas will win, perhaps now is the time to start campaigning for the most likely “Plan B” (or “Plan C”) candidate. If Aquino really needs a friendly successor who will keep him out of jail as soon as his term ends, that person certainly doesn’t look like Roxas this late in the day.

Oh, I know that Roxas and his Yellow team have been saying that they aren’t “overly concerned” about lagging behind in the surveys. But the only reason that would hold true is if Roxas didn’t join the presidential derby to win.

These are desperate times for the candidate from Cubao. Let’s see if he has something left in the tank to turn things around.

As for Erice, I’d like him to know that he still owes me and my friends lunch. Whether or not Roxas actually wins.

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Taylor ends drought at Pebble Beach as Mickelson fizzles out JOURNEYMAN Vaughn Taylor surged to victory in the PGA Tour’s Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Sunday, firing a sevenunder 65 for a one-shot victory over five-time major winner Phil Mickelson.

For Taylor, it was the end of a victory drought stretching to 2005, while Mickelson remained in search of his first US PGA Tour title since the 2012 British Open.

Mickelson had birdied 17 and had a chance to force a playoff with a birdie at 18, but to his shock his five-foot putt lipped out to leave Taylor to celebrate his victory on 17-under par 270.

Mickelson had looked poised to end his long dry spell when he took a two-shot lead into the final round of the Northern California tournament he has won four times.

But an even par round of 72 that included four bogeys and two birdies wasn’t enough to get the job done and he settled for second on 271.

“I’m certainly disappointed that I wasn’t able to put it together,” Mickelson said. “But it makes me a little bit more determined to get this back where I want it.

“I played a little tighter than I wanted,” he added. “A few more mistakes in the short game around the greens.”

Sweden’s Jonas Blixt challenged early, aided by an eagle at the parfive sixth, but finished with a 69 for 272.

Japan’s Hiroshi Iwata, tied for

Vaughn Taylor poses with the trophy after winning the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am at the Pebble Beach Golf Links on February 14, 2016 in Pebble Beach, California. AFP

the lead after his third birdie of the day at the 11th, bogeyed 16 and 18 and finished tied for fourth on 273 alongside Sweden’s Freddie Jacobson, who carded a 71.

Taylor, 39, captured his third tour title, to go with back-to-back victories in the Reno-Tahoe Open in 2004 and 2005.

He played in the Ryder Cup in 2006, but fluctuating form saw him lose his tour card, and he has bounced between the US tour and the developmental Web.com tour in recent seasons.

In addition to struggles on the course, he endured a frightening

boat accident while fishing on a river near his home in 2014 -one in which he feared he would drown.

“It has been a long time,” Taylor said, becoming more emotional as he spoke. “I didn’t think it was going to happen. I’ve worked so hard and just kept getting knocked down and knocked down. I can’t believe it.

“I can’t believe it happened again.”

Taylor’s nine birdies on the par-72 Pebble Beach Golf Links included four in a row from the 13th. He capped that run by rat-

tling in a 29-footer at the 16th.

“I wasn’t even thinking about making that putt,” Taylor said. “I just tried to put a good roll on it ...

I just flushed it.”

With the win, Taylor -- who calls Augusta, Georgia, home -booked a return to the Masters for the first time since 2008.

“Oh my God,” he said. “I’m thinking about the Masters. I mean, are you kidding?

“I just wanted to play next week,” added Taylor, is now qualified to do so. “I wasn’t even thinking about winning. Things were just magical out there.” AFP

Australia stiffens drug testing ahead of Rio DRUG testing of Australia’s athletes began eight months ago in a rigorous anti-doping programme ahead of this year’s Rio Olympics to help protect the country’s reputation, authorities revealed Monday.

With doping in the global spotlight, the Australian Sports AntiDoping Authority (ASADA) and the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) called it the most intensive programme of any Australian Olympic team to date.

ASADA chief Ben McDevitt said the approach maximised drug tester’s opportunities to detect cheating and protect clean athletes.

“Athletes in different sports could benefit from different substances taken at different times, and the testing schedule for our aspiring Olympians and Paralympians is highly targeted to reflect that,î he said in a statement.

“The international spotlight is firmly on doping allegations in sport at the moment, so it is extremely important for Australia to protect our reputation as a nation of fair sport and maintain our strong stance against doping.

“In the lead up to the Games, it is equally important to ensure that no clean athletes miss out on being selected to compete in Rio because their place was taken by an athlete who doped.î Athletics, in particular, has been under the microscope in recent times with Russia banned after being found guilty of “state-sponsored” doping.

McDevitt said as well as targeted testing, Australia was conducting online and face-to-face education programmes. AFP

Nishikori captures fourth Memphis title in a row JAPAN’S seventh-ranked Kei Nishikori captured his fourth consecutive ATP Memphis Open title on Sunday by defeating 18-year-old US wildcard Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4.

Top seed Nishikori won his 11th career ATP crown by taking his 17th consecutive Memphis match victory.

He joins Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Ra-

fael Nadal as the only active players to have won the same event four years in a row.

“It has been amazing,” Nishikori said as he accepted the guitar-shaped champion’s trophy. “It was really fun on the court. This is something I’ve never done before, something new. I’m very happy for that.”

Fritz, in only his third tour-level event, was the

youngest American in an ATP final since a 17-yearold Michael Chang won at Wembley in 1989.

“It was a great week for me,” Fritz said. “Winning the tournament four times, that’s incredible. He was too tough for me today.”

Fritz smashed a backhand winner down the line to break Nishikori’s first service game of the match -- his lone break of the con-

test -- and then held at love himself for a 3-0 edge. But the Asian ace bounced back by winning six of the next seven games.

A double fault cost Fritz a break in the fifth game and he struggled to hold in the seventh, denying Nishikori break points on two aces and a service winner. Nishikori broke in the ninth game on a forehand winner and held at

love to claim the first set after 36 minutes.

In the second set, Nishikori broke on a forehand winner for a 3-2 lead and forced Fritz to save two match points in the ninth game before holding in the 10th on a forehand winner to end it after 79 minutes.

After starting the week 1-2 in ATP play, Fritz will jump from 145th to 103rd in the world rankings.

“I’m sure he has got a bright future and is going to be among the top players very soon,” Nishikori said of Fritz.

Fritz, last year’s US Open junior champion, made his ATP debut last year at Nottingham, beating Carreno Busta before a second-round exit. He lost to compatriot Jack Sock in five sets in the first round of last month’s Australian Open. AFP

Olympic champ Joshua to fight for IBF title OLYMPIC champion Anthony Joshua will have the chance to add a world title in the paid ranks to his trophy cabinet when he faces IBF heavyweight strap-holder Charles Martin in April.

Briton Joshua, who won super-heavyweight gold on home turf in 2012, is one of the most highly-rated young fighters in boxing having built up a perfect record of 15 knock-outs from 15 fights.

And the 26-year-old, who won the British title in his

last fight, will get the chance to add a world belt to his collection on April 9 at the O2 Arena in London.

“Fighting for the heavyweight world title has been a dream of mine since I turned professional,” said Joshua.

“I feel privileged to have the opportunity to turn that dream into reality. Not only that, having the chance to fight for it in my home town at the O2 is unbelievably exciting.

“Charles Martin is a great fighter and a hungry competi-

tor so I am going to have to produce the performance of my career to claim that belt.”

Joshua’s assessment of the unbeaten Martin, who has a record of 23 wins, with 21 of those inside the distance, and one draw from his 24 bouts, is perhaps a little flattering.

American Martin, 29, won the IBF belt when Polish opponent Vyacheslav Glazkov retired with an injury from their bout last month after tearing knee ligaments during the fight. AFP

Handout image released by the Youth Information System YIS/IOC shows Marco Ladner of Austria competing in the Freestyle Skiing Men’s Ski Halfpipe Finals at the Oslo Vinterpark Halfpipe during the 2016 Lillehammer Winter Youth Olympic Games. AFP

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Thiem follows up Nadal shock with Argentina title triumph

Austria’s Dominic Thiem poses with his trophy after defeating Spain’s Nicolas Almagro (right) 6-7, 6-3, 7-6 during the ATP Argentina Open in Buenos Aires, Argentina. AFP

AUSTRIA’S Dominic Thiem backed-up his shock semi-final win over Rafael Nadal to clinch the Argentina Open title on Sunday with a 7-6 (7/2), 3-6, 7-6 (7/4) victory over Nicolas Almagro Thiem, the world number 19 and the youngest player in the top 20, captured his fourth career title all of which have been on clay.

The 22-year-old claimed trophies on the surface at Gstaad, Umag and Nice, all in 2015.

Thiem had made the final by seeing off Nadal 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) on Saturday, saving a match point in the process.

Almagro, 30, was the champion in Buenos Aires in 2011.

AFP

Defar makes triumphant return in Boston TWO-TIME Olympic champion Meseret Defar of Ethiopia made a triumphant return from a layoff of nearly 2 1/2 years Sunday by winning the women’s 3,000 meters at the Boston Indoor Grand Prix athletics meet.

The four-time world indoor 3,000 champion had not competed since September of 2013 after delivering a baby daughter in 2014 and suffering a leg injury last year.

But the 32-year-old African made an impressive return by winning in 8mins 30.83secs, defeating US runner-up Abbey D’Agostino by 5.94 seconds.

“I feel very good today. I’m so happy,” Defar said. “Still I am good. I want to again win more medals.”

The only US event on the fourmeet IAAF World Indoor Tour was a tuneup for next month’s World Indoor Championships at Portland, Oregon, and a status check for the Rio Olympics, still six months away.

Random chess tourney slated in GenSan City AFTER the highly-successful 2nd Manny Pacquiao Random Chess Team Championship held last December, the organizing Eugene Torre Chess Foundation is organizing the Bobby D. Pacquiao Random Chess Festival 2016 to be held February 19-26 at the SM Mall in General Santos City.

Sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, the tournament, which is open to all players who are members of good standing with the NCFP, offers a guaranteed cash prize of P2,000,000.

GM Torre said that participating teams should be composed of four regular players (no alternate) whose average ELO and/or NCFP rating is 2100 or below as of January 01, 2016. Each team shall be allowed to field players with & without titles.

The tournament will use the match point scoring system.

Registration fee is pegged at P2,000.00 and P200 for the individual competition.

Deadline of registration is on February 17, 2016.

For details on registration, please contact GM Torre through his e-mail (eugenetorre@rocketmail.com) and NM Roel Abelgas (abelgasroelalcana@ gmail.com.).

Another Ethiopian, 19-year-old reigning world junior champion Dawit Seyaum, won the women’s 1,500 in 4:01.87, the fastest time in the world this year.

Reigning Olympic champions Jenn Suhr, 34, and Ashton Eaton, 28, fared far differently, with Suhr winning the women’s pole vault crown and world and Olympic decathlon winner Eaton coming last in the men’s pole vault and 60 meters.

Suhr, coming off a world record of 5.03m two weeks ago, cleared 4.88 to win but missed three tries at 5.07.

Eaton cleared 5.40, the same as third-place Mark Hollis and

fourth-place Jeff Coover, but lost out to his US compatriots on fewer misses and then came eighth in the 60 in 6.74.

His wife, two-time world heptathlon runner-up Brianne Theisen-Eaton of Canada, was third in the 300 and long jump. They hope to become the first couple to win gold at the same Olympics representing different nations.

Two-time world indoor 60m hurdles champion Lolo Jones, coming off hip surgery, was fourth in the event in 7.99, well behind fellow American Brianna Rollins, who won in 7.87.

“Getting those first hurdles in at this time of year is great because it

helps you get ready for outdoors,” Rollins said.

New Zealand’s Nick Willis, the 2008 Beijing Olympics 1,500 runner-up, won his third meet crown in a row in the mile in 3:53.27, a 2016 world best.

Ethiopia’s Dejen Gebremeskel won the men’s 3,000 in 7:42.94 with Australia’s Brett Robinson second in 7:44.29.

Mike Rodgers, the 2010 world indoor runner-up, won the men’s 60 in 6.53, edging 2015 world outdoor 100m bronze medalist Trayvon Bromell by .04.

English Gardner, the 2012 US college indoor champion, won the women’s 60 in 7.15.

Messi, Suarez combine for ‘penalty of century’ LIONEL Messi and Luis Suarez combined to score one of the classiest penalties in recent times as Messi passed the ball into Suarez’s path for the Uruguayan to complete his hat-trick in a 6-1 rout of Celta Vigo on Sunday.

Barca were already leading 3-1 when Messi—who has missed 17 of 83 penalties in his career—was chopped down inside the area after an outrageous piece of skill on the by-line.

However, instead of handing the spotkick to Suarez, Messi went one better by rolling the ball into the path of the onrushing former Liverpool striker to slot home.

The goal brought back memories of another Barca legend Johan Cruyff when he and Jesper Olsen played a one-two for the Dutchman to score when playing for Ajax against Helmond Sport in 1982.

French duo Thierry Henry and Robert Pires tried a similar trick without success as they botched a penalty for Arsenal against Manchester City in 2005.

Spanish sports daily AS quickly christened the move as the “penalty of the century.”

And Barca defender Jordi Alba admitted the South American duo had caught even their teammates by surprise.

“Leo always invents things and it was perfect,” said the Spanish international.

“We hadn’t seen it in any training session, we didn’t know anything.”

Yet, some sections of the Spanish media also claimed Barca’s creativity boarded on a lack of respect for their opponents.

“We all remember Cruyff ’s goal,” said Barca boss Luis Enrique.

“I wouldn’t dare to do it because I would tread on the ball.

“Some will like it, some won’t, but as Barca players and members of the club, on top of winning titles we try to enjoy our football in a spectacular way.” AFP

Celta Vigo’s defender Jonny Castro (left) vies with Barcelona’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi during the Spanish league football match FC Barcelona vs RC Celta de Vigo at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona AFP

T UE S DAY : F E B RUA RY 1 6 , 2 0 1 6

A14

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

Nepotism bane of local sports

By Peter Atencio

ALASKA Milk President and CEO Wilfred Steven Uytengsu shared life lessons he learned as an athlete and later on as an executive during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards Night at One Esplanade.

Alaska Milk President and CEO Wilfred Steven Uytengsu speaks during the PSA Awards Night. He said politics and nepotism are the two evils that continue to affect Philippine sports. MANNY PALMERO

Lady Falcons extend win streak to 68 DEFENDING champion Adamson University needed only four innings to rout Ateneo, 13-0, to complete a six-game sweep of the first round of the UAAP Season 78 softball at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium yesterday.

The Lady Falcons allowed the Lady Eagles to score only one hit to extend their remarkable winning streak to 68 in the match that was postponed last Feb. 6 due to rain.

National University, which lost to Adamson University, 2-5, last Saturday, finished the round at second with a 5-1 card.

In other matches, University of the East stunned last season’s runner-up University of the Philippines, 2-1, while University of Santo Tomas nipped De La Salle, 3-2.

The Lady Warriors and the Tigresses forged a three-way tie in third place along with the Lady Maroons at 3-3.

The Lady Archers fell to 1-5 while the Lady Eagles remained winless in six contests.

The start of second round will start tomorrow at the Malate venue.

Meanwhile, reigning baseball kings Ateneo scored 10 runs in the ninth inning to dismantle UP, 26-9, Sunday to

stretch its unbeaten run to four games.

Displaying their tremendous batting prowess, the Blue Eagles fired 25 hits and had 22 RBIs in the match.

De La Salle prevailed over UST, 14-9, while NU bested Adamson University, 14-12, in the duel that was declared a complete game after seven innings, as darkness cut short the last game.

The Green Archers and the Bulldogs are in joint second at 3-1, while the Growling Tigers and the Falcons fell to their third loss in four outings.

The Fighting Maroons are in last place at 0-4.

He said politics and nepotism play a big part in Philippine sports. Uytengsu was only too aware of this after he missed the national swimming team in the Southeast Asian Games and in the Olympics.

He recalled that he should have made the cut to the national team in the 1981 Southeast Asian Games. But because of politics and favoritism, coaches did not include him in the national squad.

From the spectators’ stands, he watched members of the squad miss medal after medal in the events that he was supposed to be in: the 100-meter and 200-meter butterfly and two relays.

“Had I swum in those events, I would ended up having two silver medals.

I learned that politics and nepotism are two of the evils that have, and continue to affect Philippine sports,” said Uytengsu.

While in college at University of Southern California, he watched teammates from his varsity team compete and win medals.

Uytengsu said he trained hard and he would have been honored to be given a chance to join the national team.

But the experiences he gained while training to be a swimmer made him a

better person when he finally got to organize a team in the Philippine Basketball Association, and later launch a world-class triathlon competition in the country.

“I learned about the importance of having great work ethic, commitment and sacrifice,” said Uytengsu during his keynote speech after he was named the Executive of the Year for his contributions to Philippine sports during the PSA Awards Night.

After he reflected on his past as an athlete, Uytengsu later discussed his experiences as an organizer of the Ironman Triathlon series in the country and the team’s loss to the Beermen in the recent PBA finals.

On the Ironman triathlon, the things he learned helped him make the event one of the most sought after events in Asia today.

As for the PBA finals, Uytengsu felt that Alaska simply lost to a better team.

“The truth is that San Miguel is extremely talented and 10 deep. We had our chances in Game 4 and in Game 5. In Game 6, I didn’t think we gave ourselves the best shot, and in Game 7, I think we simply felt overwhelmed,” said Uytengsu.

Fajardo commits to Gilas Pilipinas squad to Olympic qualifying tourney

By Randy Caluag

San Miguel Beer center June Mar Fajardo (right) protects the basketball against Alaska Aces forward Calvin Abueva (8) during Game 7 of the 2016 PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

BARRING unforeseen hitches, San Miguels’ top player JuneMar Fajardo will play for the Philippine Gilas squad that will see action in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament which the country is hosting at the Mall of Asia Arena in July.

“One hundred percent maglalaro ako sa Gilas. As long as walang injury, hindi lang sa akin, pati sa lahat ng players na involved sa Gilas. Sana walang injury along the way,” said the recent PBA Best Player of the Conference awardee.

The 6-10 behemoth was not fully healed from his injury but still played starting in Game 5 of the season-ending conference to lead San Miguel to a historic rise from 0-3 deficit on the way to the Championship at the ex-

pense of Alaska Milk.

For that and his consistency throughout the year, the Cebuano slotman was cited as major awardee for basketball by the Philippine Sportswriters Association.

“Ipagdasal natin na walang injury and kakayanin natin. Syempre mabigat ang laban pero I am excited and looking forward talaga na makapaglaro,” Fajardo told The Standard during the recent PSA Awards night at One Esplanade.

Citing injury, Fajardo, and other marquee players, were not included in the Gilas Team that placed runner to China in the FIBA Asia Championship in Changsa last year.

Fajardo heads the list of 17 pro players requested by Gilas coach Tab Baldwin from the PBA for release to the national team. Others

include Japeth Aguilar, Greg Slaughter, Marcio Lassiter, LA Tenorio and Paul Lee. Also in the list are rookie Troy Rosario, Ryan Reyes, Jeff Chan, Ian Sangalang and holdovers Terrence Romeo, Calvin Abueva, Gabe Norwood, Marc Pingris, Ranidel De Ocampo, Matt GanuelasRasser and Jason Castro.

Officials of the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas, led by president Manny Pangilinan, also hope to bring back NBA veteran Andrei Blatche as naturalized player as well as Fil-American sensation Jordan Clarkson of the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Philippines is hoping to join the last ride to the Rio Olympics in August via the Manila Olympic Qualifying Tournament on July 5-10 with the Gilas going up against the world no. 5

and Tony Parker-powered France, New Zealand, Turkey, Canada and Senegal, the only team they beat in the FIBA World Cup in Spain last year.

“Walang imposible as long as magtulungan kami,” said Fajardo, who hopes to use the historic triumph of his San Miguel Beer in the recent Philipine Cup as an inspiration for Gilas.

As for his Beermen’s campaign in the current, Commissioner’s Cup, Fajardo said they will continue to inspire one another and aspire for more improvement as a team.

“Sana makakakuha pa kami championship this season. Hindi kami makukuntento sa achievement namin. Kailangan pa improve this conference.

Hindi madali, pero magtatrabaho kami nang husto,” said Fajardo.

T UE S DAY : F E B RUA RY 1 6 , 2 0 1 6

A15

SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

LOTTO RESULTS 6/55 00-00-00-00-00-00 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 4 DIGITS 0-0-0-0 3 DIGITS 0-0-0 2 EZ2 0-0

P0 M+ P0 M

All-Star game all about Kobe AS in previous All-Stars, the 2016 edition ARMAN of the annual D. ARMERO NBA event showcased the best players in the league—the best dribblers, shooters, passers, and dunkers in one weekend to remember.

But the 65th All Star edition in Toronto was made more special because it was Kobe Bryant’s 18th and last AllStar, and practically everybody—from basketball fans who trooped to the Air Canada Centre to watch the spectacle, and to the players and coaches present—wanted a piece of Kobe’s legacy as he winds down a long, successful career as an LA Laker and a beloved basketball ambassador.

Kobe scored only ten markers, his points coming in few and far between, but he looked happy and content and had a ready smile even against his fierce competitors in the game.

Watching him play his last All Star game was bittersweet for his fans (including this columnist), because part of us want him to stay and play on, but the other part understands that the 2016 season signals the end of the road for the former high school phenom, who played the game the best he could and worked hard to elevate his game to heights that only a few can aspire for.

In the end, it was Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook, who scored 31 points, had eight rebounds five assists and five steals for the West side, who was named as the All Star Game Most Valuable Player in a record-setting 196-173.

But even then, Westbrook had to acknowledge that Kobe will outshine everybody right from the very start of the All Star festivities.

“I think everybody in the whole arena, whole room, definitely aspired to see Kobe Bryant in his last (All-Star) Game,” Westbrook said. “It’s just an honor and blessing to be able to be a part of it and kind of see him on his way out.”

It was indeed a fitting All Star end for one of the most celebrated players in the world, a Valentine gift not only for Kobe Bryant, but for all basketball fans who love the game. *** Congratulations to my friend and The Standard sports editor Riera Mallari, who also happens to be the president of the more than 50-year old Philippine Sportswriters Association.

Riera did a hell of a job in organizing the annual PSA Awards Night held at the Esplanade which was attended by practically all the big names in Philippine sports. He also delivered one of the most meaningful speeches in the history of the association. It was short and sweet as befitting the occasion—a pre-Valentine show of love and respect for all Filipino athletes. Congrats, brod!

For reactions, e-mail me at armero_23@ yahoo.com.

STEP BACK

All-Star cheer dancers perform. NBA Dancers from around the league rouse the fans during a break in the action during the NBA All-Star Game as part of the 2016 NBA All Star Weekend on Feb. 14, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. AFP

Donaire hopes to impress local fans in title defense WORLD BOXING ORGANIZATION super bantamweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire wants fight fans to see his full potential when he defends his title against Zsolt Bedak, the former Hungarian Olympian who is currently ranked No. 4 in the world when they clash at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on April 23.

The Philippine Sportswriters Association “Athlete of the Year” along with the longest reigning Filipino world champion, WBO light flyweight king Donnie Nietes and golfing ace Miguel Tabuena, Donaire told the Standard that after his lopsided twelve round decision in a brutal battle with Cesar Juarez of Mexico which he described as “a helluva

fight” he was “grateful for what I went through”.

Donaire added “fans will know that I will always fight as a Filipino who will bring pride to our country and I’m not gonna quit no matter what.”

He said he was “super thankful and grateful to the PSA for this prestigious award. I’m very honored.”

Talking about his title challenger, Donaire said Bedak “is an overall fighter. He’s got speed and pretty decent power if he wants to but he’s more of a technical fighter than anything.

They want to beat you by points but we won’t allow this. We know what we have to do.”

Donaire said he’s been studying Bedak’s fights for a few days now and said, “he’s a tough guy, a capable guy but we have faith that with my Dad (who is also Nonito’s trainer) will come up with the best game-plan.”

When discussing his lethal left hook and his overall advantage in power, Donaire quickly conceded “power is sometimes not enough to beat a guy who moves around. It’s a matter of having the best, most intelligent game-plan and when we follow the game-

plan we can beat anybody.”

Donaire who leaves for Las Vegas with his wife Rachel and their two sons said he already has lined up Fredrick Bowen who was a sparring partner as he prepared for the Juarez fight and has “a couple of other guys at my disposal. I will be 100 percent ready for this fight. No excuses.”

He said he is “looking f or people to see my potential” admitting that he had “learned a lot in 2015 when I gave only 70 percent. I want to go beyond that. Sometimes when your body is too tired you feel that you’ve given everything but now a little push every time we’ll prove to be better. We are coming out with all the weapons . We are going to bring it out.”

Romeo named PBA Press Corps Player of the Week

GlobalPort Batang Pier guard Terrence Romeo drives hard to the basket against the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings.

Romeo led the Batang Pier past Ginebra, 89-85.

IN just his third season as a pro, GlobalPort guard Terrence Romeo has shown the maturity of a veteran. He was outstanding during the first week of the 2016 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup play.

After opening the conference with a 98-111 loss to Mahindra that saw his career-high tying 41 points go down the drain, the 5-foot-11 guard returned with a vengeance two days later.

The former Far Eastern University shooting guard made a more conscious effort of setting up his teammates to finish with six assists against fancied Barangay Ginebra.

But come crunch time, Romeo shifted back to his gunslinger’s mentality after knocking down the go-ahead three-pointer in the dying minutes that all but broke the hearts

of Barangay Ginebra faithful to help GlobalPort seal an 89-85 win on Valentine’s Day. Romeo, who is turning 24 next month, went on to earn the first Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week, besting Meralco Fil-Am do-it-all forward Cliff Hodge and Blackwater’s sharp-shooting guard Carlo Lastimosa.

The cat-quick GlobalPort guard finished the opening week of the mid-season conference with averages of 31.0 points on 47.2 percent shooting from the field, to go along with 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

GlobalPort will take a four-day respite before returning to action this Friday when it faces defending champion Tropang TNT in the main game at the Mall of Asia Arena.

T U E S DAY : F E B R U A R Y 16 , 2 0 16

A16

RIERA U. MALL ARI EDITOR

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

sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS

Kobe Bryant (24) of the Western Conference dribbles past Eastern Conference defender Isaiah Thomas (4) during the 2016 NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 14, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Bryant feels the love in NBA All-Star Game MONTREAL, Canada—The 65th NBA AllStar Game was a Valentine’s Day lovefest for Kobe Bryant, who teamed with the Western Conference’s best in a record-shattering 196173 victory over the Eastern Conference in the annual mid-season exhibition in Toronto.

In a free-wheeling offensive showcase, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Bryant scored a modest 10 points in his 18th and final turn as an All-Star before he retires at the end of his 20th season.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook led the West with 31 points, adding eight rebounds, five assists and five steals as he earned Most Valuable Player honors for the second straight year.

Taylor ends drought at Pebble Beach TURN TO A12

Golden State star Stephen Curry added 26 points for the West, who overcame a 41-point performance from Indiana Pacers forward Paul George on behalf of the East.

George just missed the All-Star single-game record of 42 points set by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962 —although Westbrook insisted the slight uptick in the West’s defense in the waning seconds wasn’t aimed at preventing George from

surpassing the mark.

“We were just playing lockup defense at the end,” said Russell, although for the most part defense wasn’t part of the program at the Air Canada Centre, where the annual exhibition was being held outside US borders for the first time.

Instead it was a night of soaring dunks and longrange bombs all adding up to unprecedented numbers.

The 369 total points was an All-Star Game record—48 more than the record set last year—as was the West’s 196 total and their 104 points in the second half.

The Western Conference made a record 31 threepointers—including seven apiece from Westbrook and

James Harden and six from Curry.

The East led 43-40 after the first quarter, but the first half ended with the West up 9290 and they were up by nine heading into the final frame.

Bryant, smiling and chatting, was at the center of it all, starting with a pre-game ceremony emceed by Lakers great Magic Johnson.

“I just want to thank you guys for all your support all these years,” Bryant told the “Ko-be!” chanting crowd.

“I’ve just been extremely fortunate to play the game I love and be in the NBA for over half my life.”

The pre-game ovation for Bryant extended to fellow players and coaches.

“It’s like the passing of a

Nepotism bane of local sports TURN TO A14

generation,” said San Antonio Spurs and West coach Gregg Popovich. “He’s been such an iconic figure for so long, and he passes it on to that other group of young guys that you saw out there tonight.

“So I’m just thrilled that I was able to be here and see that ... He’s a great one.”

Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James was also happy to have another glimpse of Bryant as his time of competing against him winds down.

“Man, I’m happy that I’ve been along for a small piece of the ride of his journey,” said James, whose 13 points for the East took him to 291 in career All-Star Games— one more than Bryant atop the all-time list. AFP

7th Le Tour de Filipinas reels off SEVENTY-FIVE riders set out on the road beginning Thursday, Feb. 18 for the Le Tour de Filipinas, the only International Cycling Union (UCI) race in the country which is running on its seventh edition this year.

The cyclists, representing 12 foreign teams and three local squads including the National Team of the PhilCycling, will race for four stages in the annual bikathon presented by Air21 from Antipolo City to Lucena City and Daet in Camarines Norte, and finally in Legaspi City, covering much of Southern Luzon and the Bicol Region.

There are relatively no difficult climbs this time but the total distance alone of 704.34 kilometers imposingly stares down at the riders, led by Frenchman Thomas Leibas who will be wearing race No. 001 as the defending champion from the Japanbased Bridgestone Anchor Cycling Team.

“With an average stage distance of 175 kms, this seventh edition of the Le Tour de Filipinas will showcase a lot of sprinting and will definitely bring out the best endurance riders in the field,” Donna Lina, president of race organizer Ube Media Inc., said.

Turn to A14

TUESDAY: FEBRUARY 16, 2016

RAY S. EÑANO EDITOR

RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

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

BUSINESS

B1

Govt cuts GDP growth target

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

THE government on Monday reduced the gross domestic product growth targets for 2016 and 2017, amid the global economic slowdown and following the lower-than-expected 5.8-percent expansion in 2015.

The inter-agency Development Budget Coordination Committee said it revised downward the 2016 GDP growth target by 0.2 percentage point, from the original range 7 percent to 8 percent to a band of 6.8 percent to 7.8 percent.

It also lowered the 2017 growth target by 0.4 percentage point, from the original range of 7 percent to 8 percent, to a range of 6.6 percent to 7.6 percent. It maintained the 2018 growth target at a range of 7 percent to 8 percent.

The Philippine economy grew 6.3 percent in the fourth quarter, bringing the average growth in 2015 to 5.8 percent, below the target range of 7 percent to 8 percent.

The International Monetary Fund projected that the economy would grow by only 5.7 percent in 2016 and 6.2 percent in 2017, in line with softer world economic growth forecast.

National Economic and Development Authority assistant director general Rosemarie Edillon said the robust domestic demand would remain the biggest driver of Philippine growth in the next

three years.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said despite the growth revision and external volatilities, the economy would continue to perform well.

“We are actually looking at domestic demand to make up for external environment [given that] in 2015] domestic demand grew by 8 percent,” Abad said.

The exchange rate target for 2016 to 2018 was also revised from a range of P43 to P46 per US dollar to a band of P45 to P48 a dollar. The peso closed at 47.45 against the greenback Monday.

The inflation rate target was

retained at 2 percent to 4 percent until 2018.

DBCC also cut the 2016 export growth target to 5 percent from 6 percent previously. It retained the export growth target for 2017 and 2018 at 8 percent to 10 percent.

Merchandise exports fell 5.6 percent in 2015.

DBCC said the 2016 imports growth target was also revised downward to 10 percent from the previous goal of 12 percent.

Imports were expected to rise 12 percent in 2017 and 13 percent in 2018, down by 1 percentage point from the previous estimates.

PSe comPoSite index Closing February 15, 2016

8000 8340 7880 7420 6960 6500

6,692.58 38.13

PeSo-dollar rate

Closing February 15, 2016 48.00 46.00 45.00

P47.450

44.00

CLOSE

43.00

HIGH P47.435 LOW P47.560 AVERAGE P47.488 VOLUME 512.400M

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

oPriceS il P today

Governance icon. Corporate Governance Asia managing director and publisher Aldrin Monsod (fifth from left) presents the book to Secu-

rity Bank, which is recognized as Icon on Corporate Governance. Shown attending the turnover ceremony are members of the Security Bank senior management team (from left): chief compliance officer Dante Fuentes, audit division head Carol Warner, chairman Alberto Villarosa, president and chief executive Alfonso Salcedo Jr., corporate secretary Melissa Aquino, chief risk officer Tiza Ogbinar and treasurer Raul Martin Pedro.

P20.40-P23.80 Diesel

Govt asked to delay LRT 6 bidding by 6 months

P34.55-P39.15 Kerosene

By Darwin G. Amojelar

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Monday, February 15, 2016

F oreign e xchange r ate Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

47.5670

Japan

Yen

0.008828

0.4199

UK

Pound

1.450400

68.9912

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128376

6.1065

Switzerland

Franc

1.024066

48.7117

Canada

Dollar

0.722230

34.3543

Singapore

Dollar

0.715717

34.0445

Australia

Dollar

0.709320

33.7402

Bahrain

Dinar

2.656748

126.3735

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266745

12.6883

Brunei

Dollar

0.713165

33.9231

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000074

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.028126

1.3379

UAE

Dirham

0.272279

12.9515

Euro

Euro

1.126000

53.5604

Korea

Won

0.000829

0.0394

China

Yuan

0.152080

7.2340

India

Rupee

0.014674

0.6980

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.239981

11.4152

New Zealand

Dollar

0.663394

31.5557

Taiwan

Dollar

0.030297

1.4411 Source: PDS Bridge

PROSPECTIVE bidders of the P65.09-billion Light Rail Transit Line 6 on Monday asked the government to delay the auction of the project by six months, or after the election period.

An official of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., one of the interested companies in the project, said the Transportation Department should hold the bidding of the new line from Bacoor to Dasmariñas in Cavite province after the election period, or once the new officials were sworn in.

“Our country is not good in continuity of government. When the new government comes, there’s always changes,” MPIC vice president for business development Karim Garcia said during the pre-qualification conference.

Garcia asked the Transportation Department to extend the deadline by six months from the original deadline of April 5. Garcia said the government should set a realistic timeline for the project.

“It feels that they are really rushing it. We

want to look at and understand the project,” Garcia said.

MPIC’s concern over the timetable of the bidding was supported by San Miguel Corp., another company that was looking into the project.

Transportation assistant secretary Jaime Fortunato Caringal said while the agency would review the indicative timeline of the bidding, the current bidding schedule was still “doable.”

Other companies that attended the pre-qualification conference were Systra, Egis, Metro Builders Corp. and Bombardier.

Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp., a unit of MPIC and San Miguel Holdings Corp., a unit of San Miguel Corp., earlier purchased prequalification documents of the LRT Line 6 PPP project.

The Transportation Department said the opening of the bids for the project would be in September and while awarding was expected

by October.

The project is a 19-kilometer railway from

Niyog, Bacoor, which is the terminus of the P64.9-billion LRT 1 Cavite extension to Dasmariñas City.

The proposed LRT Line 6 will have seven stations at Niyog, Tirona, Imus, Daang Hari, Salitran, Congressional Avenue and Governor’s Drive.

Light Rail Manila Consortium, the joint venture of Ayala Corp. and MPIC, earlier won the LRT Line 1 Cavite extension project from Baclaran station to Bacoor.

Under the concession, LRMC will assume the operations and maintenance of the existing 20-kilometer LRT Line 1 and construct the 11.7-kilometer extension of the rail line to Bacoor.

The consortium will build eight new stations after Baclaran. These include Aseana, MIA, Asia World, Ninoy Aquino, Dr. Santos, Las Piñas, Zapote and Niyog.

The project will increase the span of LRT 1 from 20.7 kilometers to 32.4 kms, and provide commuters from Cavite and other parts of Parañaque and Las Piñas access to central Manila.

TUESDAY: FEBRUARY 16, 2016

B2

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

The STandard BuSineSS daily STockS review Monday, February 15, 2016

52 Weeks

Previous

High Low

STOCKS

Close

7.88 75.3 124.4 107 56.5 2.49 4.2 17 30.45 0.92 2.6 1.01 100 1.46 30.5 91.5 137 361.2 57 180 1700 124 3.26

2.5 66 88.05 88.1 45.45 1.97 1.68 12.02 19.6 0.74 1.02 0.225 78 0.9 17.8 62 88.35 276 41 118.2 1200 59 2.65

AG Finance Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI China Bank BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources COL Financial Eastwest Bank First Abacus I-Remit Inc. 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 Vantage Equities

47 5 1.46 2.36 15.3 20.6 36 65.8 2.97 4.14 21.5 21.6 11.96 9.13 11.8 31.8 109 20.75 9.4 0.98 241

35.9 1.11 1.01 1.86 7.92 15.32 10.08 29.15 1.5 1.5 10.72 9.55 9.04 6.02 8.86 20.2 71.5 13.86 5.34 0.395 173

2.79 44.75 99.50 89.90 35.2 2.50 1.38 14.3 16.6 0.72 1.66 0.435 73.9 0.89 15.00 50.85 98.85 267 33.4 143.8 1295.00 56.30 1.45

3.95 33.9 90 13.26 293 5.25 12.98 6.75 15 7.03 3.4 4.5 6.3 7.34 238 3.28 0.315 2.18 2.65 234 1.3 2.17

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Asiabest Group Century Food Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Emperador Energy Devt. Corp. (EDC) EEI First Gen Corp.

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

LBC Express 2.3 LMG Chemicals 23.35 Manila Water Co. Inc. 17.3 Maxs Group 5.88 Megawide 250.2 Mla. Elect. Co `A’ 3.87 Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

8.45 Petron Corporation 3 Phil H2O 10.04 Phinma Corporation 3.03 Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

1.95 Phoenix Semiconductor 1 Pryce Corp. `A’ 4.02 RFM Corporation 5.9 Roxas Holdings 161 San Miguel’Pure Foods `B’ 1.55 Splash Corporation 0.138 Swift Foods, Inc. 1.02 TKC Steel Corp.

2.09 Trans-Asia Oil 152 Universal Robina 0.640 Vitarich Corp.

1.2 Vulcan Ind’l.

42 4.54 0.63 1.37 10.86 16.98 19.36 37.1 2.1 2.19 11.5 8.160 7.29 5.19 5.68 17.68 56.5 11.00 5.4 2.250 210.40 9 1.85 26 14.9 5.83 317.20 2.99 7.64 2.5 11.50 3.55 1.61 2.4 3.80 5.19 144 2.38 0.147 1.06 2.07 192 0.6 1.05

0.59 59.2 30.05 2.16 7.39 3.4 823.5 10.2 84 3.35 4.92 0.66 1455

0.44 48.1 20.85 1.6 6.62 0.23 634.5 7.390 12.8 2.6 2.26 0.152 837

76 9.25 0.85 17.3 5.53 0.0670 2.31 1.61 84.9 3.5 974 1.66 1.39 156 0.710 0.435 0.510

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

Forum Pacific GT Capital IPM Holdings 49.55 JG Summit Holdings 4.84 Lopez Holdings Corp.

0.59 Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

12 LT Group 4.2 Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

0.030 Pacifica `A’ 1.23 Prime Media Hldg 0.550 Prime Orion 59.3 San Miguel Corp `A’ 1.5 Seafront `A’ 751 SM Investments Inc. 1.13 Solid Group Inc. 0.93 South China Res. Inc. 80 Top Frontier 0.211 Unioil Res. & Hldgs 0.179 Wellex Industries 0.310 Zeus Holdings

0.320 57.9000 14.24 0.96 6.00 0.226 689.5 7.36 11.80 5 4.60 0.213 1240 9.77 66.90 5.25 0.61 16.4 5.62 0.0320 1.170 2.030 73.00 2.39 813.50 1.03 0.77 135.000 0.2850 0.1920 0.310

10.5 1.99 1.75 41.4 5.6 5.59 1.44 1.97 1.48 0.201 0.69 10.96 0.97

6.74 0.65 1.2 30.05 3.36 4.96 0.79 1.1 0.97 0.083 0.415 2.4 0.83

6.900 0.74 1.190 31.000 2.5 4.8 0.500 0.96 1.020 0.117 0.395 23.35 0.860

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ Cebu Holdings Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

Double Dragon Empire East Land

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

SHARES 11,097,959 99,386,973 224,032,636 103,331,641 233,639,250 1,592,681,443 2,264,692,585

High

Low

FINANCIAL 3.05 2.8 44.8 44.65 100.00 98.00 90.00 89.25 36 35.2 2.51 2.50 1.55 1.36 14.32 14 16.68 16.6 0.72 0.72 1.76 1.67 0.460 0.435 74.8 73.6 0.94 0.9 15.00 15.00 50.95 50.50 97.35 97.35 275 267 33.5 32.3 143.6 140.8 1310.00 1300.00 56.40 56.30 1.47 1.46 INDUSTRIAL 42.25 41.55 4.7 4.49 0.64 0.62 1.48 1.38 10.88 10.2 17.04 16.9 19.4 19.04 37.9 37.1 2.1 2.09 2.28 2.18 11.7 11.5 8.600 8.220 7.30 7.00 5.37 5.21 6.05 5.65 18.1 17.7 56.8 56.5 11.86 11.78 5.54 5.4 2.330 2.240 210.40 209.00 8.23 8.2 1.85 1.81 26.5 26 15.26 14.8 5.9 5.64 325.00 318.00 3.1 3 8.43 7.82 3.43 2.97 11.38 11.38 3.71 3.59 1.62 1.53 2.57 2.43 3.85 3.83 4.79 4.7 146 144.6 2.47 2.4 0.155 0.146 1.01 1.01 2.08 2.04 195 192.6 0.65 0.6 1.03 1.00 HOLDING FIRMS 0.345 0.325 57.9500 57.2000 14.40 14.16 1.05 1.05 6.00 6.00 0.228 0.224 695 680 7.36 7.31 11.90 11.76 4.9 4.3 4.61 4.60 0.215 0.213 1260 1245 9.79 9.50 68.00 66.50 5.48 5.2 0.66 0.61 16.4 16.16 5.7 5.62 0.0330 0.0300 1.350 1.170 2.140 2.010 74.50 72.90 2.40 2.05 818.00 810.00 1.03 1.02 0.77 0.77 138.000 134.000 0.3050 0.2800 0.2100 0.2000 0.310 0.300 PROPERTY 6.900 6.820 0.77 0.74 1.230 1.190 31.400 31.000 2.76 2.53 4.75 4.5 0.51 0.500 0.92 0.92 0.960 0.960 0.119 0.115 0.410 0.395 23.8 23.15 0.900 0.870

Close

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

2.91 44.8 98.20 89.65 35.45 2.51 1.55 14.1 16.6 0.72 1.76 0.460 74.5 0.94 15.00 50.90 97.35 273 33.5 140.8 1300.00 56.35 1.47

4.30 0.11 -1.31 -0.28 0.71 0.40 12.32 -1.40 0.00 0.00 6.02 5.75 0.81 5.62 0.00 0.10 -1.52 2.25 0.30 -2.09 0.39 0.09 1.38

311,000 24,400 2,455,040 1,963,160 20,200 94,000 312,000 7,400 158,200 20,000 6,000 750,000 3,512,540 75,000 25,700 88,960 690 1,570 158,800 830,150 35 31,090 22,000

42 4.65 0.64 1.47 10.88 17 19.4 37.15 2.09 2.2 11.68 8.570 7.30 5.30 6.02 18 56.5 11.80 5.5 2.280 209.60 8.21 1.81 26.15 15 5.9 319.60 3 8.42 3.19 11.38 3.66 1.61 2.43 3.83 4.7 145 2.4 0.154 1.01 2.07 193.8 0.65 1.00

0.00 2.42 1.59 7.30 0.18 0.12 0.21 0.13 -0.48 0.46 1.57 5.02 0.14 2.12 5.99 1.81 0.00 7.27 1.85 1.33 -0.38 -8.78 -2.16 0.58 0.67 1.20 0.76 0.33 10.21 27.60 -1.04 3.10 0.00 1.25 0.79 -9.44 0.69 0.84 4.76 -4.72 0.00 0.94 8.33 -4.76

3,016,000 1,209,000 47,000 2,307,000 1,900 1,124,800 75,000 63,700 257,000 2,430,000 56,800 3,367,800 5,450,100 22,570,400 1,094,900 7,025,700 65,460 15,800 648,700 1,765,000 1,022,010 37,200 42,000 1,812,600 8,098,700 89,900 131,400 297,000 22,390,800 69,000 3,000 1,193,000 231,000 1,044,000 19,000 3,800 46,250 125,000 3,220,000 15,000 1,034,000 2,176,140 2,850,000 38,000

0.340 57.9000 14.20 1.05 6.00 0.228 692 7.33 11.80 4.7 4.60 0.215 1245 9.78 67.25 5.3 0.65 16.2 5.63 0.0300 1.320 2.140 73.55 2.4 818.00 1.03 0.77 138.000 0.2950 0.2100 0.305

6.25 0.00 -0.28 9.38 0.00 0.88 0.36 -0.41 0.00 -6.00 0.00 0.94 0.40 0.10 0.52 0.95 6.56 -1.22 0.18 -6.25 12.82 5.42 0.75 0.42 0.55 0.00 0.00 2.22 3.51 9.38 -1.61

220,000 1,425,010 1,437,600 1,000 1,151,600 580,000 276,950 3,718,800 3,179,100 6,200 64,000 80,000 31,770 2,423,000 1,587,000 3,207,200 3,407,000 6,502,800 52,703,800 108,300,000 114,000 6,373,000 1,227,460 8,000 164,800 100,000 20,000 146,230 18,830,000 100,000 540,000

6.900 0.75 1.200 31.150 2.7 4.75 0.510 0.92 0.960 0.119 0.410 23.3 0.890

0.00 1.35 0.84 0.48 8.00 -1.04 2.00 -4.17 -5.88 1.71 3.80 -0.21 3.49

73,600 792,000 51,000 2,807,300 4,283,000 13,000 921,000 4,000 2,000 1,390,000 470,000 935,800 116,000

-49,130.00 1,019,465.00 -99,798,328 27,030,650.00

182,822.00

-48,088,780.00 -504,173.00 -66,980 -86,392,148.00 -451,200.00 33,539,135.00 -46,700.00

4,414,694.00 2,232,490 29,300.00 757,100.00 -400,910.00 6,519,265.00 -32,801,993.00 -14,737,493.00 3,764,145.00 -21,270,334.00 -1,383,156.00 37,400.00 78,376,232.00 12,300.00 17,155,280.00 4,824,150.00 514,490.00 3,046,818.00 15,500.00 -43,265,942.00 -50,270.00 -2,951,670.00

-6,218,726.00

-82,400.00 37,418,819.00 67,650.00

27,999,600.00 -2,366,166.00

57,399,760.00 -377,904.00 -10,212,834.00

-8,194,900.00 2,467,251.00 7,347,685.00 -86,806,434.00 4,255,813.00 34,800.00 -276,720.00 -10,427,778.50 -54,196,840.00 -5,035,170.00 -27,400.00

52 Weeks 0.305 2.22 2.1 1.8 5.94 0.180 0.470 0.72 8.54 31.8 2.29 4.9 21.35 1.06 7.56 1.62 8.59 10.5 66 1.09 14.88 28.5 15.82 0.1430 5.06 99.1 12.3 2.6 7.67 2720 8.41 1.97 119.5 0.017 0.8200 2.2800 5.93 12.28 3.32 2.53 3.2 95.5 15.2 0.62 1.040 6.41 185 22.9 3486 0.760 2.28 46.05 90.1 11.6 0.85 10 0.490 1.9 0.0098 5.45 17.24 0.330 12.7 12.8 1.19 1.62 9.5 4.2 0.48 0.420 0.440 0.022 0.023 8.2 49.2 4.27 1.030 3.06 0.020 0.021 7.67 12.88 10.42 0.040 420 9 70 120 515 8.21 111 1060 1047

-93,000.00 273,750.00 -1,206,205.00 -960,870.00

84.8

6.98 15 12.88

-1,092,070.00

Previous

High Low

130.7

STOCKS

0.188 1.15 1.42 1.27 4.13 0.090 0.290 0.39 2.69 22.15 1.6 3.1 15.08 0.69 3.38 0.83 5.73

Close

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

Phil. Realty `A’ Primex Corp.

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

High

0.154 0.140 0.140 0.93 0.90 0.91 1.52 1.49 1.51 1.25 1.21 1.21 3.45 3.33 3.33 0.097 0.081 0.091 0.2450 0.2450 0.2450 0.365 0.355 0.365 8.4 8.4 8.4 25.95 25.35 25.50 1.49 1.45 1.49 3.05 3.05 3.05 21.80 21.20 21.35 0.77 0.76 0.77 5.95 5.26 5.95 1.000 0.930 0.970 4.270 4.150 4.270 SERVICES 1.97 2GO Group’ 6.33 6.35 6.21 6.22 35.2 ABS-CBN 55.15 55.2 54.4 54.7 0.63 APC Group, Inc. 0.440 0.480 0.440 0.470 10.5 Asian Terminals Inc. 10.08 10.1 10.06 10.06 18.2 Berjaya Phils. Inc. 28.45 28.5 28.5 28.5 8.6 Bloomberry 4.11 4.65 4.19 4.58 0.0770 Boulevard Holdings 0.0450 0.0460 0.0440 0.0460 2.95 Calata Corp.

3.06 3.1 3.02 3.1 56.1 Cebu Air Inc. (5J) 80.5 81.7 80.5 80.65 10.14 Centro Esc. Univ.

9.31 10 10 10 1.6 Discovery World 1.47 1.55 1.54 1.55 4.8 DFNN Inc. 5.90 6.16 5.71 5.96 1600 Globe Telecom 1850 1899 1848 1866 5.95 GMA Network Inc. 6.72 6.84 6.72 6.82 1.23 Harbor Star 1.15 1.15 1.15 1.15 102.6 I.C.T.S.I. 56.5 57.75 56.9 57.45 0.011 IP E-Game Ventures Inc. 0.0092 0.0092 0.0092 0.0092 0.041 Island Info 0.157 0.164 0.153 0.159 1.200 ISM Communications 1.1200 1.1700 1.1100 1.1500 2.34 Jackstones 2.18 2.15 2.1 2.15 6.5 Leisure & Resorts 7.28 7.40 7.28 7.35 1.91 Liberty Telecom 4.09 4.20 4.08 4.15 1.01 Lorenzo Shipping 1.12 1.09 1.02 1.04 1.95 Macroasia Corp.

2.25 2.23 2.10 2.23 3.1 Manila Broadcasting 18.00 25.50 20.50 25.40 6 Melco Crown 2.1 2.27 2.16 2.2 Metro Retail 3.30 3.41 3.30 3.37 0.335 MG Holdings 0.260 0.275 0.255 0.275 0.37 NOW Corp.

0.700 0.720 0.690 0.700 3 PAL Holdings Inc. 4.50 4.50 4.49 4.49 79 Phil. Seven Corp.

99.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 4.39 Philweb.Com Inc. 25.80 27.80 25.45 27.80 2748 PLDT Common 2168.00 2206.00 2168.00 2196.00 0.435 PremiereHorizon 0.405 0.405 0.405 0.405 1.2 Premium Leisure 0.810 0.920 0.830 0.880 31.45 Puregold 33.15 33.70 33.20 33.30 60.55 Robinsons RTL 60.00 61.40 60.30 61.05 SBS Phil. Corp.

5.10 5.22 5.01 5.20 7.59 SSI Group 3.28 3.40 3.28 3.28 0.63 STI Holdings 0.405 0.465 0.420 0.460 5 Travellers 3.73 3.85 3.79 3.84 0.315 Waterfront Phils.

0.335 0.335 0.310 0.335 1.14 Yehey 4.150 4.550 4.200 4.550 MINING & OIL 0.0043 Abra Mining 0.0044 0.0045 0.0043 0.0044 1.72 Apex `A’ 2.27 2.25 2.18 2.18 6.47 Atlas Cons. `A’ 4.45 4.67 4.45 4.59 0.236 Basic Energy Corp.

0.220 0.225 0.215 0.220 6.5 Benguet Corp `A’ 5.4000 5.4 5.4 5.4000 5.11 Benguet Corp `B’ 5.5000 5.5000 5.5000 5.5000 0.85 Century Peak Metals Hldgs 0.59 0.58 0.57 0.58 0.77 Coal Asia 0.435 0.460 0.430 0.435 5.99 Dizon 8.10 8.09 7.72 8.00 1.17 Ferronickel 0.630 0.720 0.660 0.700 0.305 Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. 0.280 0.295 0.275 0.285 0.2130 Lepanto `A’ 0.330 0.335 0.300 0.310 0.2160 Lepanto `B’ 0.350 0.355 0.310 0.330 0.013 Manila Mining `A’ 0.0130 0.0130 0.0120 0.0130 0.014 Manila Mining `B’ 0.014 0.014 0.013 0.014 3.240 Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. 1.74 1.85 1.74 1.83 18.96 Nickelasia 4.3 4.72 4.43 4.66 2.11 Nihao Mineral Resources 2.4 2.53 2.31 2.46 0.365 Omico 0.5700 0.5700 0.5400 0.5400 1.54 Oriental Peninsula Res. 1.1500 1.2800 1.1700 1.2700 0.012 Oriental Pet. `A’ 0.0092 0.0094 0.0091 0.0092 0.013 Oriental Pet. `B’ 0.0094 0.0095 0.0095 0.0095 5.4 Petroenergy Res. Corp.

3.47 3.49 3.47 3.47 7.26 Philex `A’ 6.11 6.15 5.88 5.89 2.27 PhilexPetroleum 1.64 2.00 1.70 1.91 0.015 Philodrill Corp. `A’ 0.0110 0.0120 0.0110 0.0110 115.9 Semirara Corp.

122.10 123.00 120.50 122.50 3.67 TA Petroleum 1.84 2.34 1.87 2.34 PREFERRED 33 ABS-CBN Holdings Corp. 50.8 52.95 51.05 52 101.5 First Gen G 114 117.9 110.8 117.9 480 GLOBE PREF P 521 521 515 515 5.88 GMA Holdings Inc. 6.52 6.75 6.5 6.75 101 MWIDE PREF 112 112 112 112 997 PCOR-Preferred A 1035 1035 1035 1035 PCOR-Preferred B 1088 1088 1088 1088 1011 PF Pref 2 1025 1026 1020 1020 PNX PREF 3A 105 105.9 105.9 105.9 PNX PREF 3B 109 110.9 110.9 110.9 75 SMC Preferred C 82.5 83 82.3 83 SMC Preferred D 78.75 78.5 78.2 78.2 SMC Preferred E 77 77.55 77.55 77.55 SMC Preferred F 79.6 79.55 79 79.2 WARRANTS & BONDS 0.8900 LR Warrant 2.430 2.650 2.380 2.500 SME Alterra Capital 3.57 3.7 3.4 3.6 3.5 Makati Fin. Corp.

2.8 2.93 2.8 2.93 Italpinas 2.39 2.4 2.37 2.39 5.95 Xurpas 12.58 12.8 12.24 12.72 EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 105.6 First Metro ETF 108.6 109.4 109.1 109.4

STOCKS

FINANCIAL 1,517.19 (down) 6.23 INDUSTRIAL 10,744.70 (up) 113.93 HOLDING FIRMS 6,314.70 (up) 17.92 PROPERTY 2,677.57 (up) 27.73 SERVICES 1,526.02 (up) 25.86 MINING & OIL 10,714.49 (up) 37.05 PSEI 6,692.58 (up) 38.13 All Shares Index 3,867.37 (up) 27.40 Gainers: 138; Losers: 46; Unchanged: 35; Total: 219

Close

0.145 0.90 1.48 1.24 3.32 0.083 0.2500 0.320 8.48 25.50 1.48 3 21.00 0.75 5.9 0.960 4.220

T op g ainerS VALUE 837,642,843.09 1,705,425,953.90 1,267,423,881.80 651,763,507.84 1,265,038,911.5892 321,435,889.412 6,053,193,040.236

Low

%

Net Foreign

Change Volume

Trade/Buying

-3.45 1.11 2.03 -2.42 0.30 9.64 -2.00 14.06 -0.94 0.00 0.68 1.67 1.67 2.67 0.85 1.04 1.18

30,000 1,535,000 13,741,000 744,000 31,011,000 16,190,000 40,000 400,000 7,900 1,390,600 511,000 3,000 9,477,000 79,000 1,267,500 4,995,000 4,237,000

-1.74 -0.82 6.82 -0.20 0.18 11.44 2.22 1.31 0.19 7.41 5.44 1.02 0.86 1.49 0.00 1.68 0.00 1.27 2.68 -1.38 0.96 1.47 -7.14 -0.89 41.11 4.76 2.12 5.77 0.00 -0.22 1.01 7.75 1.29 0.00 8.64 0.45 1.75 1.96 0.00 13.58 2.95 0.00 9.64

22,500 40,890 3,420,000 87,500 2,100 34,703,000 38,200,000 174,000 95,990 100 14,000 1,328,500 116,145 252,700 17,000 1,640,560 6,000,000 10,200,000 2,398,000 86,000 198,300 349,000 7,000 68,000 2,700 50,363,000 1,021,000 700,000 4,158,000 15,000 94,510 257,800 194,285 60,000 48,438,000 960,900 426,600 1,055,000 4,419,000 18,080,000 943,000 40,000 524,000

0.00 -3.96 3.15 0.00 0.00 0.00 -1.69 0.00 -1.23 11.11 1.79 -6.06 -5.71 0.00 0.00 5.17 8.37 2.50 -5.26 10.43 0.00 1.06 0.00 -3.60 16.46 0.00 0.33 27.17

705,000,000 92,000 586,000 340,000 200 29,500 490,000 1,600,000 52,100 46,466,000 5,910,000 298,160,000 61,260,000 195,200,000 64,000,000 727,000 10,515,000 3,332,000 43,000 511,000 19,000,000 10,000,000 36,000 5,153,800 21,407,000 139,900,000 227,180 1,142,000

20,500.00

2.36 3.42 -1.15 3.53 0.00 0.00 0.00 -0.49 0.86 1.74 0.61 -0.70 0.71 -0.50

147,820 18,590 5,000 235,000 600 1,940 1,790 110 300 10 77,760 1,200 500 25,400

5,377,016.00

2.88

995,000

0.84 4.64 0.00 1.11

55,000 5,000 266,000 184,900

0.74

11,680

8,911,290.00 -36,600.00 -8,990,940.00

7,891,450.00 11,600.00 33,073,565.00 -281,000.00 47,500.00 11,016,580.00

432,580.00 42,034,730.00 2,804,783.00

28,700,115.00 575,931.50 -15,080.00 -42,000.00

-18,912,140.00 202,330.00 277,000.00 0.00 -39,815.00 174,158,610.00 -7,235,380.00 5,664,650.00 11,246,980.50 -25,980.00 -213,160.00 -133,100.00 -2,252,420.00

-32,180.00 -162,250.00

-2,254,730.00 -19,800.00 4,240.00 -11,100,140.00 24,000.00

-3,868,862.00 52,160.00 39,600.00 -12,495,788.00 183,590.00

67,200.00 91,800.00 82,300.00

331,322.00

T op L oSerS Close (P)

Change (%)

STOCKS

Close (P)

Change (%)

Manila Broadcasting

25.40

41.11

Roxas Holdings

4.7

-9.44

Phil H2O

3.19

27.60

LBC Express

8.21

-8.78

TA Petroleum

2.34

27.17

Lorenzo Shipping

1.04

-7.14

PhilexPetroleum

1.91

16.46

Pacifica `A'

0.0300

-6.25

Phil. Realty `A'

0.365

14.06

Lepanto `A'

0.310

-6.06

STI Holdings

0.460

13.58

F&J Prince 'A'

4.7

-6.00

Prime Media Hldg

1.320

12.82

Cityland Dev. `A'

0.960

-5.88

Bright Kindle Resources

1.55

12.32

Lepanto `B'

0.330

-5.71

Bloomberry

4.58

11.44

Omico

0.5400

-5.26

Ferronickel

0.700

11.11

Vulcan Ind'l.

1.00

-4.76

TUESDAY: FEBRUARY 16, 2016

B3

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

TeleMoney partner. Account

holders of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. can now use instant deposit services through its partnership with global digital money transfer provider, Xoom.

The partnership with Xoom, a leading digital money transfer service by PayPal, will enable RCBC accountholders to receive money from their loved ones from the US faster. Shown signing the partnership agreement are (from left Ruby Secades, manager and remittance tie-up specialist at RCBC TeleMoney; Alvin Antonio, first vice president and segment head of global Filipino banking at RCBC TeleMoney; Emmanuel Narciso, first senior VP and group head of RCBC global transaction banking group; Iain Allison, VP for business development of Xoom; Pia Guter, director of marketing, Xoom; and Kristine Chung, business development manager of Xoom.

RCBC’s profit rises to P5.1b

By Julito G. Rada

RIZAL Commercial Banking Corp., the eighth largest bank, posted a 15-percent increase in unaudited consolidated net income in 2015 to P5.1 billion from P4.4 billion a year ago.

RCBC president and chief executive Lorenzo Tan said in a statement the bank demonstrated its resilience last year. “… Steadily, the bank has bolstered its core businesses by deliberately focusing on recurring and less cyclical sources of revenue.

The bank’s combined net interest income and fee-based income now comprise 87 percent of gross income,” Tan said.

“We will continue to focus on

the quality of our earnings and growth as we continue to face a more challenging regulatory, interest rate, and global economic environment in 2016,” Tan said.

Net interest income reached P15.6 billion, up 4 percent from P15 billion in 2014. Net interest margin stood at 4.15 percent to remain one of the highest in the sector despite the competition and challenging market conditions.

The bank continued to build up its core lending as average loan volume, excluding interbank loans, expanded 18 percent, with all market segments showing consistent growth.

Average loan volume of the corporate segment grew 18 percent, consumer by 17 percent, and SME by 24 percent. Microfinance lending through Rizal Microbank also advanced with loan disbursements expanding 32 percent and outstanding loan portfolio in-

creasing by 85 percent.

The bank managed to improve further its asset quality with a consolidated net NPL ratio of 0.79 percent, now at its record lowest even in the midst of robust expansion in loans. Consolidated NPL cover was at 101.65 percent.

Parent bank’s net NPL Ratio remained low at 0.26 percent while parent bank NPL cover stood at 161.73 percent.

Accounting for 17 percent of gross income, total feebased income rose 20 percent to P3.7 billion: investment banking-related fees increased 154 percent, bancassurance fees grew 102 percent, fees related to loan transactions climbed 51 percent, and prepaid card fees improved 34 percent.

Total operating expenses were managed and controlled, increasing 5 percent to P15 billion.

Stocks gain; PLDT, Petron advance THE stock market climbed Monday following a surge in New York and Europe on Friday, fueled by a rally in oil prices and bargain-buying.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index gained 38.13 points, or 0.6 percent, to 6,692.58 on a value turnover of P6 billion. Gainers swamped losers, 138 to 46, with 35 issues unchanged.

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., the biggest telecommunications firm, rose 1.3 percent to P2,196, while Universal Robina Corp., the largest snack food maker, added 0.9 percent to P193.80.

Petron Corp., the bigger of the two oil refineries, surged 10.2 percent to P8.42, while Bloomberry Resorts Corp., which operates a casino on a

reclaimed part of Manila Bay, jumped 11.4 percent to P4.58.

Japanese investors, meanwhile, shrugged off an economic contraction to propel stocks more than seven percent Monday, leading an Asia recovery after last week’s horror show, but another weak trade report reinforced fears over China’s outlook.

Analysts said the latest round of dismal results will turn the focus on central banks to step up to the plate as the global economy is buffeted and markets suffer their worst start to a year in recent memory.

Hong Kong was up 3.3 percent, with HSBC rising more than four percent after saying it would remain headquartered in Britain, rejecting a move to

Hong Kong, despite concerns about increased regulation in the UK and a possible split from the EU. Sydney gained 1.6 percent and Seoul 1.5 percent. Singapore piled on 2.7 percent.

Shanghai ended 0.6 percent off. However, the losses were limited considering traders were playing catch-up with last week’s bloodbath across world markets and after data showed exports tumbled 11.2 percent year-on-year in dollar terms and imports plunged 18.8 percent.

The broad gains across the region came after a surge in New York and Europe on Friday. Upbeat readings on German growth and US retail sales also provided some support. With AFP

Total deposits as of end-2015 expanded P27 billion to P342.4 billion. Low-cost CASA deposit level increased P26 billion to

P222.5 billion leading to CASAto-total deposits ratio of 65 percent, an all-time high and up from 62.2 percent as of end-2014.

B4 ERC taps auditor for spot mart operator

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Energy Regulatory Commission has tapped Reyes Tacandong & Co. to audit Philippine Electricity Market Corp., operator of the wholesale electricity spot market.

“We have already completed the bidding process for the procurement of an external auditor to conduct the market audit of PEMC,” ERC chairman Jose Vicente Salazar told reporters.

ERC’s move followed the request of Senator Sergio Osmeña, chairman of the Senate committee on energy, for a conduct of audit on PEMC’s operations.

ERC commissioner Alfredo Non said the audit was supposed to be a “reasonableness test or audit of PEMC” and it would be conducted by Reyes Tacandong .

The audit will cover PEMC operations between 2006 and 2014.

“The procedures that would have to be done were drawn up by the auditors and that has been discussed with PEMC and that was agreed upon also, so Reyes Tacandong can now start the audit,” Non said.

Non said the audit would look at how PEMC used market fees during the period under review.

“Basically if you look at reasonableness objective, the question is reasonableness in relation to what? So it could be reasonable in relation to the budget. Should it be reasonable in relation to the industry, or the operator, or reasonable in relation to the expectation or what they expected or what their objectives are,” the commissioner said.

Non said the results of the audit would help ERC in terms of looking at the proposed budget of PEMC. PEMC files its annual petition for approval of its market regulation fees with the ERC. PEMC operates WESM, the country’s trading floor of electricity.

PEMC sought approval for a 2016 proposed budget of P1.067 billion, with an estimated market fee rate of P0.0156 per kilowatt-hour.

“From our perspective, it is a private corporation. The chair happens to be the Energy Secretary. But since it is an entity imbued with public interest, that’s why ERC can regulate it.

DoE has a stake in it in terms of determining whether they are in compliance with certain policies,” Salazar said earlier.

Bamboo showcase. Trade Secretary Adrian Cristobal Jr. (center) inspects a veneering machine during the launching of the Bamboo Showcase of the Philippine Bamboo Industry Council. Cristobal said bamboo’s potential can be fully harnessed through continued collaboration between government and the private sector in addressing the binding constraints to the industry’s growth and development.

BSP to keep rates in 2015—Barclays

By Julito G. Rada

BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas is expected to keep the benchmark interest rates unchanged this year, as the country’s external position remains robust, Barclays Bank said in a report Monday.

“Although there is external uncertainty in the form of a slowing global economy, we think the Philippines’ strong external position and low level of short-term debt provide the BSP with enough policy space to maintain an accommodative stance,” the British bank said.

“We continue to expect the next policy move to be a hike, but with growth likely to show a modest slowdown [2016 forecast of 5.5

percent], we see BSP hiking rates only in the second quarter of 2017,” it said.

Barclays said a rate hike would only materialize “if growth has recovered sufficiently and inflation is high enough to justify an increase in rates.”

The economy expanded 5.8 percent in 2015, slower than 6.1 percent in 2014, but remained one of the fastest growing in the Asian region.

The government is keeping its gross domestic product growth target of 7 percent to 8 percent in 2016, on the back of strong domestic demand and accelerated public spending.

Meanwhile, inflation last year averaged 1.4 percent, below the government’s official target of 2 percent to 4 percent.

The Monetary Board, the policy-making body of Bangko Sentral, kept the benchmark interest rates steady last week for the eleventh consecutive time since October 2014 due to low inflation environment and positive eco-

nomic growth.

It kept interest rates unchanged at 4 percent for overnight borrowing and 6 percent for overnight lending.

Bangko Sentral Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said the Monetary Board’s assessment of manageable inflation dynamics and robust growth conditions continued to support steady monetary policy settings.

He said the average inflation was projected to settle within the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent for 2016 to 2017, as inflation expectations remained firmly anchored.

The Monetary Board also noted that risks surrounding the inflation outlook had shifted slightly to the downside. Downward pressures on inflation could arise from slowerthan-expected global economic activity and potential second-round effects from lower international oil prices, while upside risks could come from the impact of prolonged El Niño dry spell.

DoubleDragon readies P10-b share sale in March

By Jenniffer B. Austria DOUBLEDRAGON Properties Corp. is pushing through with the planned P10-billion preferred share offering in March, despite current volatile market condition.

The company said in its latest filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission dated Feb. 13 it would keep the timetable for the planned fund raising activity.

Under the plan, Doubledragon hopes to secure SEC’s pre-effective approval on Feb. 26, after which it will set the final divi-

dend rate for preferred shares on Feb. 26.

The offering period is tentatively set on March 4 to 10.

The company plans to use proceeds from the offering to finance real estate projects, including the rollout of community malls across the country,construction of mixed-use development DDMedrian Park in Pasay City, Jollibee Tower in Ortigas Center and completion of residential and office development The Sky Suites Tower in Quezon City.

Doubledragon plans to issue as much as 100 million worth

of preferred shares at P100 per share, or for a total of P10 billion.

The preferred shares will come from the proposed increase in the company’s authorized capital stock to P20.5 billion, consisting of 5 billion common shares with a par value of P0.10 per share and the creation of 200 million nonvoting preferred shares with a par value of P100 per share.

DoubleDragon said proceeds from the offering would initially be placed in escrow, while waiting for the SEC to approve capital hike.

“Once the application for the amendment is approved by the

SEC, the proceeds will be released to the company and net proceeds will be used to finance the development of any of the company’s real estate projects,” DoubleDragon said.

RCBC Capital Corp. and BPI Capital Corp. would serve as underwriters for the transaction.

DoubleDragon, a 50:50 joint venture between Injap Investments Inc. of businessman Edgar “Injap” Sia II and Jollibee Foods Corp’s chairman Tony Tan Caktiong, aims to be one of the five largest property companies by 2020.

T U E S D AY : F E B R U A R Y 1 6 , 2 0 1 6

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

Goodbye, Picasa MY photo collection has always been a bit of a mess.

The digital photos are scattered across several external hard drives and my smart phone. Under such conditions, finding one particular shot that I vaguely remember taking some time ago can be quite the challenge.

In 2006, I tried to bring some order to this chaos by using Picasa, a desktop PC application from Google that would let me organize my photos into albums, to add captions and to tag them so they would be easier to locate in search. Combining this with the free online service called Picasa Web Albums, I was also able to share these photos with friends and family—and to maintain a backup copy of my images in the cloud.

A portmanteau taken from the name of the Spanish painter Picasso and the phrase mi casa (Spanish for “my house”) Picasa was originally created by a company called Lifescape in 2002, and was sold to Google in July 2004.

Both the desktop application and the web service were updated from time to time, but when Google spun out Google Photos from its Google+ social network, the future of Picasa seemed uncertain.

After all, it didn’t make sense for Google to maintain and develop two similar products.

Last week, the other shoe when Google announced that it would be retiring Picasa over the coming months so that it could focus its efforts on Google Photos.

“We believe we can create a much better experience by focusing on one service that provides more functionality and works across mobile and desktop, rather than divide our efforts across two different products,” wrote Anil Sabharwal, head of Google Photos.

The blog post also addressed the concerns of existing Picasa users.

“We know for many of you, a great deal of care has gone into managing your photos and videos using Picasa—including the hours you’ve invested and the most precious moments you’ve trusted us with. So we will take some time in order to do this right and provide you with options and easy ways to access your content,” Sabharwal said.

Picasa Web Album users who log into Google Photos today will find that all their photos and videos are already there. I verified this by signing into Google Photos, which I had never used before, and found that it had indeed copied all my photos and albums since I started using Picasa in 2006.

For now, users will have a choice of uploading their images using either service, but Picasa will become unavailable sometime after May 1, the Google blog post suggests.

Also, while all photos and videos on Picasa are automatically backed up to Google Photos, some data—including tags—are not.

Google promises to provide “a new place” for Picasa users to access specific content such as tags, captions or comments, but offers no specifics as yet.

The Picasa desktop application will continue to work after a fashion, but Google will stop supporting it by March 15.

You will still be able to use the Picasa desktop application to organize photos on your local hard drive, but links to the Picasa Web Album will no longer work, and you will no longer be able to upload photos using the program. Google suggests using Google Photos Desktop Uploader (https://photos.google.com/apps) instead—but like Picasa itself, the program is not available for Linux.

Back in the day, I used to run Picasa on my Linux box using Wine, and it did a pretty decent job. Unfortunately, the Google Photos uploader won’t even run when I try running it on Wine, so I can’t really say how well it works or doesn’t work in Linux.

Of course, Google’s lack of support for Linux users shouldn’t come as a surprise any more. Although the company uses the operating system internally, and uses the Linux kernel for its Android operating system, it has been notoriously unwilling to support Linux users on the desktop.

Almost four years after launching Google Drive, a file storage and synchronization service, the company has yet to release a Linux desktop client. If you try downloading it, Google will cheerfully tell you: “There is no Drive app for Linux at this time.” The phrasing suggests that there might be one at some future date—but I’m not holding my breath.

The looming demise of Picasa comes as no surprise. The writing on the wall was clear, even on its official blog. Before the announcement of its “retirement” this month, the last entry on the blog was posted more than four years ago, in December 2011, announcing an update to Picasa 3.9.

Picasa was a pretty cool application, even if I had to run it on Wine. It’s sad to see it go.

Column archives and blog at: http://www.chinwong.com

B5

PhilRealty’s capital restructuring cleared

By Jenniffer B. Austria

THE Securities and Exchange Commission approved the quasi-reorganization of property developer Philippine Realty and Holdings Corp. that will enable it to wipe off P1.7 billion worth of deficit.

PRHC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the SEC approved the reduction in the par value of the company’s shares to P0.50 from P1 per share and the reduction in the companies authorized capital stock to P4 billion from P8 billion.

“The restructuring of the corporation’s equity is being undertaken to create additional paid-in capital which will be applied to lessen the corporation’s deficit and shall significantly expedite the corporation’s ability to declare dividends to its shareholders,” PRHC said.

The company’s quasireorganization came two years

after the company exited corporate rehabilitation.

It was also a critical step before the company could push through with its plan to raise fresh capital to bankroll the planned residential, office, retail and master-planned township projects, PRHC said.

PRHC announced last year it would diversify into new businesses, including education, healthcare, financial services and power projects to provide the company with additional revenue stream and expand its business portfolio.

The company said it planned to acquire a majority stake in

an upstart company involved in converting plastic wastes into fuel.

It said for its expansion healthcare sector, it planned to build a residential tower that would target the growing active elders.

The company last year launched Sky Villas Tower, the second tower within the five-tower, two-hectare upscale residential development in New Manila, Quezon City.

PRHC said it had identified several schools and universities that it wanted to acquire to support plans to venture into education space.

PRHC is known for major projects such as the Philippine Stock Exchange Center in Ortigas and the Alexandra mid-rise luxury condominiums also in Ortigas.

After being hit by the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the company filed for corporate rehabilitation in 2002 to stop creditors from foreclosing on its properties.

The company’s total outstanding bank loans stood P2.2 billion when it filed for rehabilitation.

Green fashion. Aboitiz Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the Aboitiz Group,

turns over a P45,000 cash prize to Cebu Institute of Technology-University, the winner of the Aboitiz Green Fashion Revolution 2015. As part of its winnings, CIT-U also formalized an Adopt-A-CSR program by signing a memorandum of agreement to provide livelihood support to help members of the Agsungot Public Schools and Community Producers Cooperative.

Hyundai to bring trucks, buses to PH

By Othel V. Campos HYUNDAI Asia Resources Inc. said Monday it will bring Hyundai trucks and buses into the Philippines to take advantage of the growing infrastructure and construction industry.

Hari president and chief executive Fe Perez-Agudo said Hyundai Motor Company of Korea appointed her group as the official distributor of Hyundai trucks and buses in the Philippines.

“We’re starting with around 800 units of category 3 and 4 units this year. We need to build the market first before we bring in category 5 and 6, which are mostly heavy equipment,” she said.

Hari and its principal HMC signed on Monday the contract that will authorize the former to distribute Hyundai commercial vehicles in the Philippines.

HMC will introduce six mod-

els under category 3 and 4, including a dump truck model suited for Philippine setting.

The Philippine government expects infrastructure spending to account for 5 percent to 7 percent of the gross domestic product in 2016, up from 3 percent or about $12 billion in 2015.

Agudo said Hari wanted to take advantage of this opportunity by bringing in heavy-duty trucks and buses “to bring in new value to the market.”

“The timing is just perfect.

All the essential ingredients that favor our new venture are in place: a stable economy to support the demand; industries on a steady growth track; upbeat consumer confidence; a vibrant new market that welcomes new players; and an enabling policy environment characterized by the implementation of the Asean Korea Free Trade Agreement and new landmark policies de-

signed to boost the competitiveness of Philippine business in the Asean Economic Community,” Agudo said.

She said the participation of Hyundai in the commercial vehicles sub-sector would most likely influence owners to level up with brand new units.

Data from the Land Transportation Office showed of the 29,000 commercial vehicles registered annually, only 8,000 units came from members of Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers Philippines Inc. and the Truck Manufacturers Association while majority of heavy trucks and buses were a combination of second-hand and new units.

Hari expects to have a market share of 10 percent in the commercial vehicle sub-sector by 2020.

The company said test models were expected to arrive by March.

TUESDAY: FEBRUARY 16, 2016

B6

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

Remittance concerns allayed Hearings vs power companies set in Q1

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Energy Regulatory Commission is set to start the hearings against 12 companies for alleged anti-competitive behavior within the first quarter of the year.

ERC’s investigating unit filed complaints in June last year against 12 companies for anticompetitive market behavior that led to price spikes during the Malampaya maintenance shutdown in November to December 2013.

“We want to emphasize that this is actually priority for us. So the cases will be prioritized over all other cases, we know the public is now awaiting our resolution with respect to this issue,” ERC chairman Jose Vicente Salazar told reporters.

The 12 companies are Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (for Malaya and Casecnan plants); Therma Mobile Inc.; Manila Electric Co., 1590 Energy; CIP II Power Corp; Trans-Asia Power Generation Corp.; AP Renewables Inc.; Udenna Management Resources Corp; Strategic Power Development; GN Power Mariveles and SEM-Calaca Power Corp.

“I guess we have to already move on whether there is liability on the part of the respondents, whether we already say they are not liable at all. We will definitely start before end of the quarter,” Salazar said, adding the agency wanted to wrap up the investigation before the end of the year.

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

THE economy will not be adversely affected by the weak growth in remittances as the business process outsourcing industry is expected to register robust expansion, the London-based think tank Capital Economics said Monday.

Economist Gareth Leather of Capital Economics said in Emerging Asia Weekly report other sectors of the economy would offset the tepid growth of remittances.

“Other sectors of the economy, notably manufacturing and business outsourcing, are growing strongly and should more than make up for the weakness in remittances,” Leather said.

Latest central bank data showed cash remittances in the first 11 months of 2015 rose 3.6 percent to $22.83 billion from $22.031 billion year-on-year.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas moved the release of the December remittance data on Friday from Monday.

Capital Economics said the release of the December data would

confirm that the full-year growth in 2015 was the weakest since 2001.

It said the key factor behind the growth slowdown in remittances was the drop in money being transferred from the US, as well as weaker expansion from the Middle East.

The US and Middle East account for around 40 percent and 20 percent of total Philippines remittances, respectively.

The drop in remittances from the US appears to have been caused by a change in regulations that made it more difficult for US banks to transfer money to the Philippines.

“Past experience suggests it shouldn’t be too long before Filipino workers in the US find other ways of sending money back home,” the think tank said.

“We don’t think the slowdown should be a major cause for concern. The broader economy hardly seems to have been affected,” it said, after the Philippine economy registered a 5.8-percent growth last year.

The think tank said remittances would continue to suffer in 2016 due to external volatilities.

“We think remittances will struggle again in 2016, and have pencilled in growth of just 4 percent,” it said.

The think-tank, however, said despite the external turmoils, the country’s BPO and manufacturing industry would offset the growthy slowdown in remittances.

“The Philippines could finally be reaching a stage where it no longer needs to send people abroad in order to grow quickly,” it said.

Tax updates. P&A Grant Thornton’s Japan desk conducts a seminar on accounting, tax and business procedures in the Philippines. The

seminar targeted Japanese expats in the country and sought to aid them in understanding business management in the Philippines. Shown after the seminar (from left) are Japan desk director Shoichi Fushimi, Japan desk managers Asami Remedio and Shuhei Matsushita, Saeki Mayumi of Grant Thornton Japan and Hiroshi Yoshioka. P&A provides value-added services to clients through a team of audit, tax and business professionals.

Roxas in 1946, Roxas in 2016 THE coming election is remarkable in a number of ways.

One is the fact that one of the candidates for the Presidency of the Philippines is a grandson—and namesake of a former President. Manuel Roxas II is the grandson of Manuel Acuna Roxas, the first Chief Executive elected by the people of a newly independent Philippines.

True, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the daughter of President Diosdado Macapagal, served as Chief Executive for the equivalent of one and a half terms (2001-2010), but there is a widely held belief that it was Fernando Poe Jr. who won the Presidential election of 2004.

They may be grandfather and grandson, and they may have a similar name, but Manuel Roxas and Manuel Roxas II sought (in the case of the former) or is seeking (in the case of Mar Roxas) the nation’s top position under geopolitical circumstances that differed vastly. One is led to wonder how Manuel Roxas the grandfather would have fared if he were seeking the Presidency today.

The Presidential election of 1946—a Manuel Roxas versus Commonwealth President Sergio Osmeña affair—was held close to July 4, 1946, when the Philippines received its independence from the US. It is widely conceded that Roxas’ narrow victory over Osmeña was largely attributable to the Commonwealth President’s refusal to campaign actively. Some political commentators have attributed it to Sergio Osmena’s gentlemanly and peaceable nature. Whatever the true reason, the Commonwealth President’s refusal to wage

a strong campaign ended in the victory of the Liberal Party, which the ambitious Manuel Roxas had carved out of the until-then-dominant Nacionalista Party, over the Osmena-led Nacionalistas.

Fittingly, Manuel Roxas II is the standard-bearer of the party that his grandfather founded 70 years earlier.

One big difference is that whereas Manuel Roxas was his own man in 1946—and dictated his party’s policies—Mar Roxas is tied to the policies and politics of administration of his outgoing partymate, P-Noy Aquino. Cory Aquino’s son campaigned in 2010 on a daang matuwid (straight path) platform and governed the country on the basis of policies and party politics that hewed to the path that was matuwid.

Mar Roxas could have opted to campaign on a different platform, but he decided to stay with the daang matuwid, undoubtedly out of fear that his persistently low opinion-survey ratings might have convinced the Liberal Party’s leaders to dump him in favor of a higher-rating candidate.

As a result, Roxas’ victory prospects are riding on the electorate’s assessment of the daang matuwid’s efficaciousness.

Grandson Mar Roxas suffers by comparison with his grandfather and namesake. My late father, who became close to Manuel Acuna Roxas during their National Assembly days, spoke of his colleague in terms of charisma, brilliance and abundant political savvy. I hope to be forgiven for saying this, but I have yet to hear anyone characterize his grandson as charismatic or brilliant or politically sharp.

Especially charismatic: I have never heard anyone describe Mar Roxas as a charismatic person. Among highly person-

alistic voters like Filipino voters, charisma counts for a lot.

The electoral situation 70 years earlier is vastly different from the 2016 election. The Presidential election of 1946, when the multiple-party system was not yet in place, was a straight fight between only two protagonists. By contrast, the coming election is a slam-bang affair, with no less than four other announced contenders. In 1946 the voter was either an Osmeñanista or a Liberal; in 2016 the possibilities for switching and substitution are numerous.

At the start of 1946 campaign season, Manuel Roxas clearly was the underdog. Not only did Sergio Osmena’s loyal wartime service, his devotion to the much-loved President Quezon and his party’s formidable logistical capability make him very difficult to beat, but the Liberal Party was weak and had as yet no combat experience. But by dint of his charisma, his abundant political savvy and his tireless campaigning, the former National Assembly Speaker clawed his way up to the electoral-leadership position, beating Sergio Osmeña by—as has already been said—a narrow margin.

Is this country likely to see a second Manuel Roxas take the Presidential oath of office a few months from now? Is Mar Roxas likely to produce a political miracle on May 9, 2016? Roxas in 1946 and again in 2016?

The answer to these and similar questions rest, I dare say, on the answer to yet another question. Is Manuel Roxas, grandson, cast in the same personal and professional mold as Manuel Roxas, grandfather? My own answer is No. E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com

T U E S D AY : F E B R U A R Y 1 6 , 2 0 1 6

WORLD

CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

B7

Australia seizes ‘ice’ worth $712m in drug bust SYDNEY—Australian police have seized more than A$1 billion (US$712 million) in methamphetamine, or ice, some concealed in inserts for bras in one of the country’s biggest drug busts, authorities said Monday.

Three Hong Kongers and a Chinese national were arrested during the joint operation with China that Justice Minister Michael Keenan described as the largest seizure of liquid methamphetamine in Australian history.

“This has resulted in 3.6 million

individual hits of ice being taken off our streets with a street value of A$1.26 billion,” he said.

“This largest seizure of liquid methamphetamine to date is the result of organized criminals, targeting the lucrative Australian ice market from offshore.”

Australian Federal Police Commander Chris Sheehan said the operation began in December 2015 when the Australian Border Force examined a shipping container out of Hong Kong in Sydney.

It originated in mainland China.

“That shipping container was found to contain gel bra inserts and hidden inside those gel bra inserts was 190 liters of liquid methamphetamine,” he said.

The seizure was referred to the Australian Federal Police who began an investigation which traced an additional 530 liters of liquid methamphetamine to five storage units in Sydney where they were found inside art supplies.

In January, a 33-year-old Hong Kong man was arrested and charged in connection with the

Pope: Free Mexico of drug merchants ECATEPEC, Mexico—Pope Francis urged Mexicans on Sunday to reject the devil and build a nation free of “merchants of death” during an openair mass with 300,000 people in a crime-ridden city.

The pontiff used the service in Ecatepec, a rough Mexico City suburb, to touch on two major themes of his trip to Mexico—drug violence and the plight of migrants.

The pope urged his flock to turn Mexico into a “land of opportunity,” where “there will be no need to emigrate in order to dream” and where they will “not have to mourn men and women, young people and children who are destroyed at the hands of the merchants of death.”

Ecatepec, a city of 1.6 million people, has become infamous for a spate of disappearances of women, whose bodies have turned up in abandoned lots or canals, prompting authorities to declare a “gender violence alert” last year.

The city lies in the populous state of Mexico, where some 600 women have been killed between January 2014 and September 2015, according to the non-governmental National Citizen Observatory of Femicides.

Francis urged the faithful to resist the three temptations of Christ—vanity, pride and wealth.

“Brothers and sisters, let’s get this into our heads: You can’t talk with the devil. You can’t talk with him because he will always defeat us,” the 79-year-old emphasized.

“Only the word of God can defeat him.”

Throngs lined the streets of Ecatepec, where walls were decorated with graffiti art featuring the pope’s image, to cheer the popemobile on the second full day of a trip that will take him to other Mexican hot spots.

Hundreds of police officers stood guard around the field.

“What the pope said was important. (Violence) is a delicate issue because the authorities aren’t doing anything to end this,” said Alicia Tejeda, a 27-yearold accountant who watched mass on a large screen installed near the field.

Patricia Flores Marin, 46, was touched by the message about migrants because her daughter illegally migrated to the United States, but she is glad her child no longer lives in Ecatepec.

“I wouldn’t be at ease having her here. There are too many kidnappings,” she said.

The Argentine-born pontiff made it clear before his arrival in Mexico that he would speak out about the corruption and crime afflicting parts of the country.

Two massacres served as reminders of Mexico’s ills during his visit: 49 inmates died in a prison riot in the northern city of Monterrey on the eve of his arrival, while 13 people were shot dead in the drug cartel-plagued Pacific state of Sinaloa on Saturday.

Francis used his visit to the National Palace and the capital’s cathedral on Saturday to bluntly urge political leaders to provide Mexicans with “true justice” and security.

Many Mexicans, fed up with a decade of drug violence that has left 100,000 dead or missing, had hoped to hear such words from the pope.

After the outdoor mass, the pope met with sick children at a pediatric hospital in Mexico City along with first lady Angelica Rivera, who wiped away tears when a girl sang for the pontiff. AFP

original seizure.

A further two Hong Kongers, a man, 37, and a 52-year-old woman, along with a Chinese man, 59, were also seized and charged with knowingly taking part in the manufacture of a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug over the stash in the storage units.

“We are alleging that the people we have arrested weren’t just mere bitplayers, they were significant players within this criminal network,” said Sheehan, adding that they all face life in prison if convicted.

The sting was part of Task force Blaze, a rare operation established in November between the Australian Federal Police and the Chinese National Narcotics Control Commission—the first joint effort between the two targeting the booming ice market.

The two sides are working together to gather intelligence relating to concealment methods, trafficking routes and syndicates facilitating methamphetamine imports from Southeast China into Australia. AFP

Re p u b l i c o f t h e P h i l i p p i n e s D E PA R T M E N T O F S C I E N C E A N D T E C H N O LO GY

O F F I C E O F T H E S E C R E TA RY Memorandum Circular No. 004 S e r i e s o f 2 015 S U B J EC T:

Guidelines, Criteria and Documentar y R e q u i r e m e n t s f o r t h e I n v e n t o r s’ Umbrella Organization

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h e i r/s

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3 . C O M M E R C I A L S CA L E s h a l l r e f e r t o t h e s a l e o f g o o d s a n d s e r v i c e s p e r t a i n i n g t o t h e I nve n t i o n exc e e d i n g P 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 d u r i n g a ny t w e l ve (12) m o n t h p e r i o d .

II. Guidelines 1. T h e Te c h n o l o g y A p p l i c a t i o n a n d P r o m o t i o n I n s t i t u t e ( TA P I) s h a l l a c c r e d i t i nve n t o r ’s o r g a n i z a t i o n s u s i n g M e m o r a n d u m C i r c u l a r N u m b e r 2 013 - 0 01 o r R ev i s e d C r i t e r i a and Documentar y Requirements for the Accreditation of I nve n t o r ’s O r g a n i z a t i o n a s a m e n d e d; 2 . T h e D e p a r t m e n t o f S c i e n c e a n d Te c h n o l o g y ( D O S T ) s h a l l prescribe the criteria and documentar y requirements for t h e I nve n t o r ’s U m b r e l l a O r g a n i z a t i o n; 3 . O n c e t h e c r i t e r i a a n d d o c u m e n t a r y r e q u i r e m e n t s h ave b e e n p r e s c r i b e d by D O S T, TA P I s h a l l d i s s e m i n a t e t h e i n f o r m a t i o n t o eve r y i nve n t o r s’ o r g a n i z a t i o n; 4 .TA P I s h a l l c a l l f o r a n a s s e m b l y o f a l l a c c r e d i t e d i nve n t o r s’ organizations for the creation of the umbrella organization through the election of its of ficers which will lead to its e s t a b l i s h m e n t a s a l e g a l e n t i t y.

I I I . Fu n c t i o n s o f t h e I n v e n t o r ’s U m b r e l l a O r g a n i z a t i o n 1. R e p r e s e n t t h e i nve n t o r s e c t o r i n t h e S c r e e n i n g C o m m i t t e e f o r R . A . N o. 74 5 9 ; 2 . C e r t i f y t h a t t h e i nve n t i o n h a s a n a c t i ve p a t e n t a n d t h a t t h e t e c h n o l o g y i s n e w l y d eve l o p e d by l o c a l r e s e a r c h e s o r a d a p t e d l o c a l l y f r o m f o r e i g n s o u r c e s , a s r e q u i r e d by B I R R eve n u e R e g u l a t i o n N o. 19 - 9 3; a n d 3 . C e r t i f y t h a t t h e m a n u f a c t u r e a n d /o r s a l e o f t h e i nve n t i o n p r o d u c t s f r o m t e c h n o l o g y d eve l o p e d i s m a d e o n a c o m m e r c i a l s c a l e . T h e c o m m e r c i a l v a l u e o f t h e i nve n t e d p r o d u c t i s e n t i t l e d t o t h e t a x exe m p t i o n b e n e f i t s .

I V. A c c r e d i t a t i o n C r i t e r i a T h e c r i t e r i a f o r I nve n t o r s’ p r e s c r i b e d a s f o l l o w s:

Umbrella

Organization

are

h e r e by

1. N a t i o n a l c ove r a g e; 2 . M e m b e r s s h a l l b e i nve n t o r s’ o r g a n i z a t i o n s a c c r e d i t e d by TA P I , n o i n d i v i d u a l m e m b e r s h i p; 3 . M u s t b e r e g i s t e r e d w i t h t h e S EC / C DA a n d c o m p l i e s w i t h a l l c u r r e n t r e q u i r e m e n t s; 4 . M u s t g a r n e r m a j o r i t y o f t h e TA P I - a c c r e d i t e d i nve n t o r s’ o r g a n i z a t i o n s a s m e m b e r s; a n d 5 . I n t h e eve n t t h a t t w o (2) o r m o r e o r g a n i z a t i o n s q u a l i f y a s t h e u m b r e l l a i n t e r m s o f t h e a b ove m e n t i o n e d c r i t e r i a , t h e n the one with the most number in terms of individual m e m b e r s w i t h a c t i ve p a t e n t s h a l l b e r e c o g n i z e d a s t h e umbrella organization.

V. D o c u m e n t a r y R e q u i r e m e n t s 1. L i s t o f m e m b e r o r g a n i z a t i o n 2 . C e r t i f i e d c o py o f c e r t i f i c a t e o f m e m b e r s h i p 3 . C e r t i f i e d c o py o f c e r t i f i c a t e o f a c c r e d i t a t i o n i s s u e d by TA P I 4 . S EC / C DA r e g i s t r a t i o n d o c u m e n t s (a r t i c l e s o f i n c o r p o r a t i o n , B y - l a w s) 5. List of board of directors, of ficers and members T h i s C i r c u l a r s h a l l t a ke e f f e c t f i f t e e n (15) d ay s a f t e r i t s c o m p l e t e publication in the Of f icial Gazette or newspaper of general circulation a n d u p o n f i l i n g a t t h e U P L a w C e n t e r i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h l a w.

MARIO G. MONTEJO Secretar y

Visit. Pope Francis waves from the popemobile on his arrival to celebrate an open-air mass in Ecatepec, a crime-plagued Mexico City suburb, on February 14. Francis has chosen to visit some of Mexico’s most troubled regions during his five-day trip to the world’s second most populous Catholic country. AFP

P o s t a l A d d r e s s : P.O. B o x 3 5 9 6 M a n i l a W e b s i t e: w w w. d o s t . g o v. p h

H e a d O f f i c e: G e n . S a n t o s Av e ., B i c u t a n , Ta g u i g C i t y Te l . N o s . 8 3 7- 2 0 -71 t o 8 2 ( T L) ( T S - F E B . 16 , 2 016)

T U E S D AY : F E B R U A R Y 1 6 , 2 0 1 6

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CESAR BARRIOQUINTO EDITOR

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

WORLD

Drones are real threat to aviation, says IATA SINGAPORE—Civilian drones are increasingly becoming a “real and growing threat” to the safety of commercial aviation, industry group IATA warned Monday, calling for regulations to be put in place before any serious accidents occur.

Tony Tyler, director-general of the International Air Transport Association, said the threat posed by unmanned aerial vehicles is still evolving as people are only starting to discover the many potential, non-military applications of the technology.

“I am as excited as you are about the prospect of having pizza delivered by a drone,” he said at an aviation conference in Singapore on the eve of the Singapore Airshow.

“They are here to stay. But we cannot allow them to be a hindrance or safety threat to commercial aviation,” he told industry executives and air transport officials.

“We need a sensible approach to regulation and a pragmatic method of enforcement for those who disregard rules and regulations and put others in danger,” he added.

As the use of drones expand from military to commercial and even recreational purposes, experts fear that these radio-controlled flying devices, if not regulated, could one day collide with a commercial aircraft with dire consequences.

“The issue is real. We have plenty of pilot reports of drones where they were not expected, particularly at low altitudes around airports... There is no denying that there is a real and growing threat to the safety of civilian aircraft [coming from drones],” said Tyler.

Rob Eagles, an expert on drones in IATA, said the industry group did not have figures on the number of drones in operation worldwide but anecdotal evidence showed they were mushrooming.

When the US Federal Aviation Administration ordered a registration of drones weighing up to 55 pounds (25 kilograms) last year, 300,000 were registered within just the first month in December, he said.

While 55-pound drones are considered small, “this just gives you an indicator of the number of vehicles,” Eagles told AFP at the conference. AFP

Fashion week. Models pose at the Namilia presentation during the Fall 2016 Fashion Week at Milk Studios on February 14 in New York City. AFP

Powerful few control ivory trading in Africa WASHINGTON—Ivory trafficking in Africa, which threatens the survival of elephants, is highly concentrated in a few geographic hot spots and controlled by a powerful few, say scientists who use DNA analysis to track the illegal wildlife trade.

“What was pretty surprising to all of us,” said Samuel Wasser, biology professor at the University of Washington, was “so much of the big trade is focused in one area.”

Speaking at a panel discussion at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he said DNA tracking has shown that a small number of kingpins control much the multi-billion-dollar illegal trade, and that “these hot spot are very slow to change.”

Wasser was part of a study published in the journal Science last year that showed for the first time that most of the ivory trade came from two regions of Africa—ither a protected zone that extended from Cameroon to Congo to Gabon or eastern Africa, particularly Tanzania.

The most recent analysis on some 200 samples of ivory seized since 2006 shows that traffickers quickly move their take out of the country where the elephants were

slaughtered.

DNA analysis has shown that the two tusks of an elephant often show up in separate shipments, suggesting the same dealer is behind both.

“Probably one or two major dealers... are moving all of this ivory out transit out of Mombasa, which the biggest transit area in Africa right now,” said Wasser, referring to Kenya’s second largest city.

DNA analysis has helped crack down on traffickers, though far more needs to be done to eliminate the sophisticated transnational trade.

“Our work has already brought down one of the largest ivory dealers in West Africa and we are now on the trail of probably the largest ivory dealer in Africa,” said Wasser.

Some 50,000 elephants are

poached every year in Africa, leaving some only 450,000 elephants across the continent.

Wildlife trafficking is the fourth largest international criminal activity after weapons, drug and human trafficking, experts say.

This illegal commerce brings in a staggering 20 billion dollars each year, of which three billion is accounted for by ivory.

According to Allan Thornton, president of the Environmental Investigation Agency, even the most advanced forensic techniques have barely made a dent in the illegal trade.

“All evidence we have seen is that you cannot manage the ivory trade, it cannot be controlled. It’s too powerful, too valuable,” he said. AFP

Group struggling to find whaling fleet

Demo. Malakeh Jazmati (wearing headscarf), a Syrian refugee who used to have a cooking show on Syrian TV, and her husband Mohammad Alghamian show guests how to prepare a Syrian specialty at the “Uber den tellerrand” cooking workshop in Berlin on February 14. AFP

SYDNEY—The environmental activist group Sea Shepherd admitted Monday it was struggling to find Japanese whaling vessels in the vast Southern Ocean and urged the Australian government to help Its flagship Steve Irwin left Western Australia for the remote area on January 18 to chase and disrupt the annual hunt, which resumed in December after a one-year pause despite a worldwide moratorium and widespread condemnation.

After a decade of harassment by Sea Shepherd, Japan was forced to abandon its 2014-15 hunt after the International Court of Justice said the expedition was a commercial

activity masquerading as research.

Tokyo maintains it is trying to prove the whale population is large enough to sustain a return to commercial hunting, and says it has to kill the mammals to carry out its “scientific research” properly.

“The Japanese whaling fleet has greatly expanded their area of illegal operations in the Southern Ocean. This makes finding them very difficult,” said Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson.

Australia, which has led global efforts to persuade Japan to halt whaling, has previously floated the idea of sending a customs vessel to monitor the hunt in the Southern

Ocean, but it appears not to have followed through.

“Sea Shepherd was expecting that Australia or New Zealand would uphold their obligations as responsible members of the International Whaling Commission, to send a ship to intercept the Japanese whaling fleet,” said Watson.

“This does not seem to be something Australia or New Zealand are willing to do.”

He called on Canberra to provide Sea Shepherd with the exact coordinates of the whaling fleet “so that Sea Shepherd can do the job that Australia and New Zealand refuse to do”. AFP

TUESDAY : FEB RUARY 16, 2016

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TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR

BING PAREL

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

BERNADETTE LUNAS

life @ thestandard.com .ph

WRITER

@LIFEatStandard

A RTS, CU LT U RE & T ECH

LIFE

Painting, Tarantula Nebula

Painting, Horse Ghost

‘THE BEJEWELLED COSMOS’ MULTIFACETED SPANISH ARTIST CRISTINA GRISAR HOLDS FIRST SOLO EXHIBIT IN AYALA MUSEUM

M

adrid-based p a i n t e r, jeweler, and photographer Cristina Grisar grew up surrounded by art. Her mother, aunt, and grandmother are painters while her father is an art collector. “Art has always been part of my daily life so I didn’t see it as something new and I didn’t even notice it,” she says. “Art was and is part of my daily language, a communicative manner as natural as speaking.”

Art was woven so tightly into the fabric of her family life that she couldn’t see it as a career that she could choose for herself. “I had to go through a personal crisis to discover my vocation,” she says. Seeking her own identity outside of the “family business,” she studied literature and journalism in university and later worked for a Chilean magazine. She was good at journalism but it wasn’t the way she wanted to express herself. Writing for her was like “creating inwards,” and she wanted to “create from within and [let] my creation bloom and express outwards.”

She then enrolled in Universidad Catolica in Chile for a Master in Advanced Design. It was an intensive education in drawing, painting, sculpture, and jewelry making. She was also introduced to the practicalities and challenges of the art business. When an Industrial Design scholarship at Pratt Institute in New York didn’t pan out, she channeled her energy into painting and jewelry. “I knew then that in art I had found a way of expression that I could find

BY PATRICIA ROMUALDEZ nowhere else. I just needed the time and experience to know it.” She has been professionally devoted to art for the past seven years.

Though she says she has been painting for as long as she can remember, the 33-year-old Grisar initially struggled with her multidisciplinary approach to creative expression. “To be taken seriously has been a challenge for me,” she admits.

and that she’s a photographer because she’s a painter. Today, she describes herself as “a versatile artist.”

“For me, painting, jewelry and photography are sibling mediums that contain magic transmission powers, like doorways to other dimensions.”

Her interpretation of these portals to other dimensions in her paintings, jewelry, and

Cristina Grisar (with jewelry creation) and grandmother Betsy Westendorp. In the background is a painting titled Portrait 04

Photography, Worlds Within Series—Ice Lands 01

Her teachers warned her about losing focus and spreading herself too thin by working with too many mediums, including painting, jewelry, photography, and even sculpture and textiles. A Japanese jeweler conducting a workshop she attended asked her, “Where’s your 100 percent?”

“It really hurt me and I thought about it a lot,” she says. After some reflection, and a period of focusing solely on jewelry before returning to painting, she concluded that all of her works communicated with each other and that she didn’t need to restrict herself to one format. She notes that the three dimensional quality of the jewelry-making process informs her work as a painter,

Joyería—Bioarquitectura—Ring The artist displays one of her rings, with a painting, Portrait 03, in the background

Joyería—Coral Groove—Ring

photography will be on full display at Grisar’s first solo exhibit, “The Bejewelled Cosmos,” which runs until

February 28 at the Glass Wing of the Ayala Museum. Though she didn’t grow up in Manila, she feels a connection to the city because of her family’s strong emotional ties. “When I started feeling confident as an artist, I always imagined my solo debut to be in Manila. My mother was born and raised in Manila until the age of 12 and it is through her that I learned about the

Philippines. I grew up listening to her childhood stories, all of them placed in Manila. Half of my family is also based here,” including her grandmother, painter Betsy Westendorp, whose “atmospherographies” and aerial landscapes Grisar cites as an influence in her own work.

At a press preview at her grandmother’s Makati condo, Grisar explains that her huge,

abstract paintings lining the walls of the room are inspired by cosmological mysteries and the inner formations of crystals. Jewelry cases hold armor-like rings, cuffs, and neckpieces that explore the concepts of treasure and the formation of emotional connections to ornaments.

Her photographs feature “impossible landscapes and fantastic realms.”

What ties it all together for a cohesive show? The works all reflect her personal fascination with cosmology, nature, the organic, the mineral, the sense of belonging, and the feminine world. “My main themes, obsessions, and beliefs are always present equally in my work, whatever format it is in,” says the versatile artist who has finally found her place in the bejewelled cosmos.

The Bejewelled Cosmos is on view until Feb. 28 at The Artist Space, 2/F Glass Wing, Ayala Museum, Makati.

TUESDAY : FEB RUARY 16, 2016

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@LIFEatStandard

ARTS AND CULTURE ROUNDUP What’s on in theaters and galleries this week

EXHIBITS Access Point Upstairs Gallery, Finale Art File, Makati City Ongoing until February 27

The World We Live In: Through the Lens of Contemporary Photography Ayala Museum, Makati City February 17 to March 27

In this day and age when digital technology pushes books and other “older” repository of information into obsolescence, many are toying with the idea that the library has “had its day.” But visual artist Ranelle Dial begs to differ through her latest series of artwork on exhibit.

In Dial’s solo show, she revisits the idea of the library as an access point of knowledge. The artist recreates the library space and bookshelf to call attention to how the fundamental and traditional practice of reading serves as a base station for generating new understanding. She shows through her works that, despite information being one click away, books continue to persist and resist being another cassette tape or floppy disk – in short, obsolete.

How do contemporary photographers document and interpret the world around us? Five iconic photographers answer this question through their aesthetically thrilling and thoughtprovoking works exhibited by Sundaram Tagore Gallery, Collective 8 and Ayala Museum.

The exhibit includes works of highly acclaimed photographers Sebastião Salgado, Steve McCurry, Robert Polidori, Edward Burtynsky and Annie Leibovitz, all of whom share a global perspective in their artistic endeavors.

The five artists are known for crafting unique and often breathtaking visual narratives of contemporary culture’s key issues. Salgado and McCurry record human struggle, while Polidori investigates the cultural values embedded in the human habitat. Burtynsky, on

To know more about this ongoing exhibit, visit www.finaleartfile.com.

Pasyon Main Gallery, ArtInformal, Mandaluyong City Ongoing until March 12 For his fifth solo exhibition, visual artist Cian Dayrit takes his cue from Rey Ileto’s classic book Pasyon and Revolution that tackles the revolutionary movements in the Philippines from 1840 to 1910 through the popular devotional practices.

For his series of artwork, Dayrit takes a different tack and approaches the now-familiar forms and formats of devotional paraphernalia. The artist uses devotional imagery and form to map out the conceptual worlds of movements that continue to inform the Philippine context and examine these movements as practices of devotion.

Visit www.artinformal.com for more information on this exhibit.

Salt Water Silverlens Galleries, Makati City Ongoing until March 12 Water has long been associated with self-reflection, journeys, mystery, life and death. It is considered as one of the most enduring subjects in art, and Elaine Navas shares the fascination for it as well.

In her latest solo exhibition, Navas explores this subject by appropriating Roni Horn’s Still Water, a series of large photographs of the Thames, through her signature use of impasto or thickly applied paint. Navas fills her canvas with only water, void of any other features that can point to a sense of place or other meaning. By doing so, she reinforces a feeling of timelessness and placeless-ness.

For inquiries and more details, contact (02) 816-0044 or info@silverlensgalleries.com or visit www.silverlensgalleries.com.

the other hand, lays bare the oftendevastating impact of manufacturing and human consumption. Leibovitz, on the other hand, explores the intrinsic pull of celebrity and power.

Call (02) 759-8288 or email info@ ayalamuseum.org for more information on this upcoming exhibit.

WORKSHOPS How To Write Movie Reviews Ayala Museum, Makati City February 18 and 25 For amateur writers and experienced scribes who are eager to learn how to write movie reviews, they can now learn from seasoned movie reviewer and writer Jessica Zafra.

For the first part of Zafra’s Writing Boot Camp, she will teach participants how to translate their personal views on a movie into a well-written review piece. The two-part session consists of discussions, brief screenings and quick writing exercises. Reading assignments and the viewing assignment (one movie, a fun one) are given out upon registration. Writing materials as well as coffee and snacks are provided.

Registration fee is P5,500. For inquiries and more details, call (02) 759-8288 or email education@ayalamuseum.org.

CONCERTS PPO: Carl Nielsen Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Pasay City February 19; 8:00 p.m.

The music of Denmark’s foremost composer Carl Nielsen will be played in the upcoming February concert of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Olivier Ochanine.

With guest artist soprano Dénise Beck and baritone Thomas Storm from Denmark, the PPO will perform some of Nielsen’s most beloved music and his Symphony No. 3 “Sinfonia Espansiva.” The program is part of the Carl Nielsen Project.

The CNP is an undertaking and collaboration by Maestro Ochanine and Storm, with support from the Royal Danish Embassy in Manila in cooperation with the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The show aims to introduce Nielsen to Filipinos as part of the Danish composer’s 150th anniversary last year.

For concert inquiries and subscription, call the CCP Marketing Department at (02) 832-1125 loc. 1806 or the CCP Box Office (02) 832-3704 or Ticketworld at National Bookstore (02) 891-9999.

TUESDAY : FEB RUARY 16, 2016

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@LIFEatStandard

T EC H TA L K

HOW TO BE AN EXPERT TINDERELLA:

TIPS FOR THE SINGLE AND LOOKING

W

as your Valentine a little humdrum? No wrapped chocolates on your door, flower delivery, and love notes? Maybe it's time to stop living vicariously on romantic flicks you watch online on your laptop and get a little proactive with finding the love of your life. Nowadays, you can’t just wait for a lover to come along, you have to put yourself out there and make yourself known.

Get ready to put out the sign “Hello, I’m here, and I’m single” and start fidgeting on that little app called Tinder where your yoga mate met her now fiancé. Yes, Tinder.

For those living under a rock and have not yet discovered it (no wonder you’re still single), the dating app has been here since 2012 and it already took the Philippine singles market by storm and probably wed several who started meeting up during its popularity a couple of years back.

There are a lot of available apps for dating and meeting people but so far, Tinder still has quality profiles and it’s the easiest to use. The idea of the app is meeting people based on your first impression. Swipe their photos right if you like them, and left if you don’t; they won’t even see if you rejected them, you only get to match if he swipes on your photo to the right as well.

Okay, ready to get down to business? Now, all you have to do is download this app on your smartphone.

Then, follow these tips: SMILE FOR THE CAMERA! First things first. Set up your profile by putting the most attractive photos of you. The key is making it real.

Don’t use Camera360 and fake your shining shimmering glow, choose photos that really look the same as you in real life, and look at the camera and show your face – no one will swipe a shoe. Upload more than two photos so people can get their first impression of you, so make sure you’re not in the washroom and your sinampay (laundry hanging on a clothesline) can be seen photobombing your winning shot.

POST A DESCRIPTION Share a little bit about yourself, but not too much that they would know your entire biography. Write something interesting about you that can spark a conversation.

“Oh, you’re a thriathlete! I’m currently training to join

Ironman. Let’s train together sometime!” But be careful not to divulge crucial personal and contact information as you don’t want crazy ass stalkers suddenly appearing at your door, or worse, a burglar.

TRY AND TRY UNTIL YOU SUCCEED So you have a swanky new profile, extended your reach even across the Pacific Ocean and you still haven’t found anyone you like. Worse, there’s still no match even after half of your finger is already numb from swiping right.

Do not cry a river; just keep swiping right until you find your match. If there’s still no match after a whole day’s worth of Tindering, try again the next day, or superlike someone for him to notice you. Patience is key.

WHY ARE YOU ON TINDER? We’ve heard funny and ridiculous stories about some friends’ Tinder encounter and, sometimes, people are there not looking for the love of their life – some are set for a casual fling, some forget it’s not OLX where they can sell their products or Linkedn looking for a job. So, ask away, “Why are you on Tinder?” and if you don’t like their answer, unmatch. No harm done.

MAKE CONVERSATION If you will wait for Mr Right Match to talk to you, then

by God, go back to your apartment and eat your feelings away. Don’t expect your matches to initiate chats all the time. It’s an app, make conversation, and don’t be shy to be the first one to talk.

LOOK THEM UP Now, no harm in looking up a bit of info about your match; their Facebook and Instagram is linked to the app, so find ways to look for them to know if they’re real.

Just don’t be a creepy single white female, stalking them to the point that you know everything about them.

SWITCH ON YOUR LIE DETECTOR So they say they’re only 30. Remember photos can be manipulated. Ask them small details like when they

graduated or which UAAP basketball players were popular during their day. Liars can actually be caught this way.

ACT LIKE YOU ARE INTERESTED It’s not enough to be an interesting person, you also have to be genuinely interested in them, too. Ask about their day, their work, their hobbies, their quirks.

And remember what you guys talked about, and never mistake your current match from your last week’s match.

KNOW YOUR BOUNDARIES Tinder is not a place to air your dirty laundry or ask your matches about financial problems and traumatic life experiences. Get to know each other first before meetups. Don’t give yourself easily and divulge your mobile number or address to them the moment you matched – you might end up with a psycho killer and they’re on Tinder to purge and not to fall in love.

Don’t arrange meet-ups the moment you match, get to know him first and see if you’re just wasting your time or not. Take some time to chat with your match to see if you click. If you don’t, abort mission.

THE MEET Don’t ask your match to pick you up at home. Meet somewhere you will feel safe. Be nice and respectful, show him what momma brought you up to be. And, just because you’re the girl, it won’t hurt to offer to split the bill. If he insists on taking the tab, that’s when you let him. If he accepts your offer, don’t take it against him.

If you didn’t like your meet-up and he’s not what you expected him to be, then say goodbye nicely and un-match him on your Tinder. If you like him, well, that’s already up to you. Just don’t look too eager as you may look desperate and you might end up being ghosted after the date.

If all else fails, dust yourself off and try again – and pray. Because we all need divine intervention.

So there. It is amazing how a mobile phone and connectivity can open up a lot of opportunities for your love life. Now, get those fingers exercised! Download the app and Tinder away.

For data packages that will help you enjoy Tinder time, visit www.smart.com.ph.

TUESDAY : FEB RUARY 16, 2016

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rench choreographer Redha Benteifour transforms Filipino artist Gabriel Barredo’s groundbreaking and thought-provoking multisensory art installation into contemporary ballet presented

by Ballet Philippines for its season ender.

Opera – which was originally mounted at Silverlens Galleries in January last year and recently toured to Singapore last November for the opening of the National Gallery Singapore, will provide viewers an altogether new experience with Redha’s choreography with Barredo creating a staggering array of new sculptures that serve as the production’s set design.

Envisioning his dancers on bare feet, pointe shoes, and stilettos, the choreographer presents a stimulating, sensual, and groundbreaking production. “Being part of this production is a great thrill for me,” shares Redha.

“Meeting Gabby [Barredo] and seeing his work up close was very inspiring.”

Ballet Philippines artistic director Paul Alexander Morales shares that “Opera is shaping up to be one of the most innovative productions that Ballet Philippines has produced in a long time.”

Described as “dark” and “macabre” by some, Barredo’s installation intrigues, challenging one to confront mortality and contemplate upon life’s passing and empathize, if not make sense, of its beauty.

The libretto explores a man’s journey of self-discovery, acceptance, and rebirth.

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DANCE AND CONTEMPORARY ART COLLIDE IN ‘OPERA’ BALLET PHILIPPINES PRESENTS GABRIEL BARREDO’S ACCLAIMED INSTALLATION

Jeune Ballet de France, The Het Nationale Ballet, and the San Francisco Ballet.

Having had his own dance company since 1981, he now literally works all over the world – from Africa and Europe to the Americas and Asia – and has created choreographies for the feature films of Costa-Gavras, Roman Polanski, Alain Delon and Francis Ford Coppola, among others.

Opera features a libretto

by Yvette Tan and Erwin Romulo, with original music by Malek Lopez, lighting design by John Batalla, and costumes

by James Reyes. This production is presented

by Ballet Philippines and Silverlens in cooperation with the Embassy of France.

Major sponsors of Ballet Philippines’ 46th Season include Globe Platinum, San Miguel Corporation, and Belle Corporation.

Earl John Arisola PHOTO BY CHRIS YUHICO

Redha Benteifour

Denise Parungao

Earl John Arisola and Jean Marc Cordero PHOTO BY CHRIS YUHICO

Erl Sorilla and Victor Maguad

Earl John Arisola and Jean Marc Cordero with Denise Parungao

Gabriel Barredo, who studied Advertising at the University of Santo Tomas, has received numerous awards and recognitions that include the gold medal at the Art Association of the Philippines Annual Competition in 1981 and 1982; the gold medal at the

Metrobank Foundation Annual Art Competition in 1985; the 1st Grand Prize at the Philippine Art Awards (1994); and, the Juror’s Choice at the ASEAN Art Awards held in Singapore in 1994. In 2013, his 30-foot installation entitled “Asphalt” was one of the

highlights of the inaugural Art Fair Philippines that year.

French Redha Benteifour has choreographed for several of the world’s leading dance companies such as the Bolshoi Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, The National Ballet of Cuba, Le

Catch the fundraising gala of Opera tonight at 8:00 p.m. at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater). For inquiries, visit www.ballet.ph, send an email to info@ballet.ph, or call Ballet Philippines at 551-1003. For tickets and reservations, call the CCP Box Office at 832-3704 or Ticketworld at 891-9999.

Connect to Ballet Philippines online through Facebook www.facebook.com/ balletphilippines; Twitter @balletph; Instagram @balletphilippines; and YouTube balletph.

To join in the Ballet Philippines conversation, use the official hashtags: #balletph, #dancespring, #operaballetph.

T ues DAY : F ebruA rY 16, 2016

SHOWBITZ

IsAH V. reD EDITOR

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Dance duo lucky Aces accepts the competition’s P2 million grand prize

H

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lucky Ancheta and Ac bonifacio or lucky Aces on the dance floor

Lucky AcEs fIRsT-EvER ‘DAncE kIDs’ gRAnD chAmpIOn

iphop duo Lucky Aces was declared the firstever grand champion of talent-reality competition Dance Kids on Feb. 7 after garnering the highest percentage of public votes in the show’s “Final Showdown” at the Newport Performing Arts Theater.

The Filipino-Canadian duo received 42.69% of the votes, beating dubstep dancer Dhao Mac (29.62 percent) and dance sport duo Step Kids (27.6 perccent).

Lucky Aces, composed of 12-year-olds Lucky Ancheta and AC Bonifacio, won P2 mil-

Dance Kids grand champion lucky Aces

lion, a house and lot, a family trip to Hong Kong, a shopping spree worth P300,000.00, and a Star Magic contract.

AC, who cried after they were announced the winner, said, “It feels amazing because we’ve always been dreaming to be recognized here in the Philippines. And now we have some of our best friends in Dance Kids.

It’s an amazing feeling.”

“We’re just so happy after all these performances for Dance Kids, this was the last one, all this hard work. We’re just super happy,” shared Lucky.

For their final performance,

Lucky Aces took the stage with one of the show’s Dance Masters, Georcelle Dapat-Sy, and Enrique Gil on the first night of the “Final Showdown” on Feb 6, and with hiphop group A-Team on Sunday.

Second placer Dhao Mac, meanwhile, teamed up with Vhong Navarro and Rayver Cruz. Step Kids, on the other hand, performed with Andy Alviz and Maja Salvador.

Dhao Mac and Step Kids both received P100,000 each.

The two-night Dance Kids “Final Showdown” was hosted

by Robi Domingo and Alex Gonzaga.

Dance Kids hosts robi and Alex with step Kids, Dhao mac, and lucky Aces

Dhao mac with Vhong navarro and rayver cruz

maja salvador and Andy Alviz

‘AllegIAnT – PArT 1’ TrAIler In cInemAs

T

The Divergent series: Allegiant - Part 1, which stars Theo James (left) and shailene Woodley, is scheduled to be released in 3D, 2D, and ImAX

he feature film adaptation of The Divergent Series: Allegiant – Part 1, the third installment of the blockbuster Divergent action adventure franchise takes Tris (ShaileneWoodley) and Four (Theo James) into a new world, far more dangerous than before.

Starring Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Octavia Spencer, and Naomi Watts. Jeff Daniels joins the cast.

Returning cast members include Ray Stevenson, Zoë Kravitz, Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Maggie Q, Keiynan Lonsdale and Jonny Weston, as well as Mekhi Phifer and Daniel Dae Kim. Other new cast members also include Nadia Hilker and Bill Skarsgård.

Based on author Veronica Roth’s New York Times bestseller, the film is directed by Robert Schwentke from

a screenplay by Noah Oppenheim and Adam Cooper & Bill Collage and Stephen Chbosky.

After the earth-shattering revelations of Insurgent, Tris must escape with Four and go beyond the wall enclosing Chicago. For the first time ever, they will leave the only city and family they have ever known. Once outside, old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless with the revelation of shocking new truths. Tris and Four must quickly decide who they can trust as a ruthless battle ignites beyond the walls of Chicago which threatens all of humanity. In order to survive, Tris will be forced to make impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice and love.

The Divergent series of books were written by Veronica Roth and have been perennial New York Times bestsellers since 2011. Book

sales of the Divergent trilogy have surged to over 34 million copies worldwide, up from 17 million at the time of Divergent’s March 21, 2014 release.

Allegiant sold 455,000 copies on its first day of release in 2013 breaking a company record for Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins Publishers. Pre-orders for Allegiant exceeded those of any book in the history of HarperCollins.

The first two Divergent films have grossed more than $550 million at the global box office and are Lionsgate’s highest-grossing films domestically outside The Hunger Games and Twilight franchises.

Allegiant – Part 1 will open on March 9 from Pioneer Films.

Check out the film’s trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=B9DebjDEVnI&featur e=youtu.be

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T uESDAY : F EbRuA RY 16, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

‘AmAzing RACe’ RunS

Television stars ben McKenzie and Donal Logue in Gotham

Jaimie Alexander (right) in the American crime drama series blindspot

FOuR WaRnER TV FaVORITEs RETuRn

i

into the digitAl Age

n one of its wisest moves yet, Amazing Race 28 stays relevant by featuring 11 teams of YouTube, Vine and Instagram stars in pursuit of the $1 million pot.

See your favorite online celebrities cross over to traditional “boob tube” as they begin the race from the symbolic spot of Monumento a la Revolucion in Mexico City and travel around the world.

The 28th installment of this iconic reality show franchise began filming on Nov. 15, 2015, with host Phil Koeghan live streaming a blow by blow account of what was happening (in true digital age style).

Known to be one of the pioneers of the revolutionary reality show genre, Amazing Race has won the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program more than any of its competition in that category.

Jerry Bruckheimer, Bertram van Munster, Jonathan Littman, Elise Doganieri and Mark Vertulloare the executive producers for Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Earthview Inc. in association with ABC Studios and Amazing Race Productions. Amazing Race was created by Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri.

The cast is composed of Internet celebrities and their relatives or friends.

The Amazing Race 28 premiered on Feb. 13, and airs every Saturday at 7:55pm (within 12 hours of the US broadcast) thereafter.

AXN is seen on Cable Link Channel 38, Cignal Digital TV Channel 61, Global Destiny Cable Channel 61, Dream Channel 20, Gsat Channel 12, SKYCable Channel 49.

SFEBRUARY 16, 2016 ave the dates as Warner TV brings back from hiatus four big titles that are truly worth the wait. Brace yourselves with the return of fan favorites like iZombie S2, Arrow S4, Gotham S2 and Blindspot on the first quarter of 2016.

Here’s a recap on each show to help you get back on track: James Gordon learns from Oswald Cobblepot that he is now a fugitive for assaulting Theo Galavan. To save Bruce Wayne, Gordon breaks into Theo’s residence with the help of Bullock, Alfred, Cobblepot and Selina Kyle.

After defeating the Order, Gordon and Cobblepot took Theo to the docks and murdered him. Theo’s body is discovered by the Wayne Enterprises and brings his corpse to Indian Hill, the place where Fish Mooney’s body is also being kept. Scientists say that Professor Strange will be experimenting on Theo’s corpse.

Are we finally seeing Professor Strange in action on the second half of the ‘Rise of the Villains?’ Catch the return of Gotham S2, 9 p.m. on March 1.

As the team discovers a Russian sleeper cell operation where Russian agents get their targets to marry them, they also find out that the red-haired woman they’re looking for is one of them, and her mission is to eliminate targets deemed unpatriotic to Russia.

They find her and Weller and Jane are able to take her down after a heavy fight.

Afterwards, Jane is kidnapped by Carter and his men who waterboard her for information, caused her to re-

member encountering Carter in her life before as he mentioned “Orion.” A mysterious man with the tree tattoo who reveals a video to Jane, which leaves her stunned as she discovers that it is herself who orchestrated everything including her own memory loss, saves her.

What could be Jane’s reason for taking her own memories away? And where would this revelation bring her?

Find out on the return of Blindspot, 9:50 p.m. on also on March 1.

Before being murdered by mobster money courier Mary Contreras, vigilante crime fighter ‘The Fog’ was on a task to prevent a weapon shipment for Mr. Boss. Clive takes on the case, with Liv under the influence of The Fog’s brain.

Liv disguises as a vigilante and tries to bust the weapon shipment herself.

Meanwhile, Ravi finds that his cured rat has turned back into a zombie.

Would Major and Blaine revert to zombies or will they more cure? Find out in iZombie S2, Wednesdays at 9pm.

Just as when Oliver’s campaign starts an initiative to clean up the Star City bay, Darhk sends a drone shooting the citizens at the campaign. He also crashes in Oliver’s campaign holiday party, kidnapping Diggle, Felicity and Thea who were safely rescued afterwards.

Oliver proposes to Felicity, who accepts. But Darhk’s men shoot up Oliver’s limo hitting Felicity. Was it Felicity who lies beneath the grave shown in the Season 4 premiere? Catch Arrow S4, 9 p.m. Thursdays.

When heroes are no longer enough to

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE

1 5 10 14 15 16 17 18 20 22 23 25

ACROSS 26 Cervantes’ Source of light — Panza Brings to ruin 27 Jeer Email option 28 Khayyam or Sharif Internet surfer 32 Quote from Huffing and puffing 33 Must-haves Curved molding 35 Blacktop Salt or pickle 36 Tell — — glance Clinched (2 wds.)

37 Geological period What tempus does 38 Vet patient Cooks in embers 39 Secular Barely adequate 41 Debussy music Traffic sound 43 202, to Tiberius

44 Tablet 45 Coq au — 46 Entree go-withs 48 — Bator 50 Lens settings (hyph.)

51 Gorgeous guy 54 Lariat 55 Perk up (2 wds.)

57 Have down pat 61 Melody 62 Sheer fabric 63 Counting-rhyme start 64 Thickening agent 65 All through 66 What a stag lacks DOWN 1 Jean- — Picard 2 Tempe sch.

3 Mal de — 4 Some books have one 5 Castle part 6 TV studio sign (2 wds.)

7 Just for the fun —— 8 .001 inch 9 Hi-fi rigs 10 Bubbly drink (2 wds.)

11 They often clash

save the Earth from evil elements, who would be humanity’s last hope?

From the creators of Warner TV’s other hit superhero series – The Flash and Arrow,DC Legends Tomorrow opens with time-travelling rogue, Time Master Rip Hunter in the year 2166. Hunter sees the immortal Vandal Savage on the verge of his final victory – bringing total chaos and utter destruction. This abomination pushes Hunter to take matters into his own hands and travels 150 years into the past to assemble a team of carefully selected heroes and rogues to stop Savage.

The 16-episode series features a combination of characters and even villains from The Flash and Arrow, along with new heroes from the DC Comics pantheon: Ray Palmer a.k.a The Atom, Sara Lance a.k.a White Canary, Leonard Snarta.k.a Captain Cold and his partner Mick Rory a.k.a.

Heat Wave, Professor Martin Stein and Jefferson “Jax” Jackson forming the meta-human Firestorm, and Kendra Saunders a.k.a. Hawkgirl and Carter Hall a.k.a. Hawkman.

Don’t miss the action! DC’s Legends of Tomorrow runs on the same day as the U.S., every Friday, 9p.m.on Warner TV. Warner TV is available on SKYcable Channel 77, SKYcable HD Channel 197,Cignal HD Channel 119, Destiny Cable (Digital) Channel 77, Destiny Cable (Analog) Channel 80, and Cable Link Channel 30. For more updates on the best in action, comedy and drama, follow on facebook.com/WarnerTVAsia.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016

12 Witches’ brew ingredient 13 Hibernates 19 Forest grazer 21 Yech!

23 Rum drink (2 wds.)

24 Involve 25 Foreshadowed 26 Sell hot tickets 27 In progress 29 Wild and crazy 30 Steers clear of 31 “Final answer?” asker 34 Order takeout, perhaps (2 wds.)

40 Worn-out car 41 Deliberately vague 42 Made an attempt 43 Hidden 47 ABA mem.

49 Rapper — Kim 50 Girl, in Paris 51 Utah ski resort 52 Football’s Flutie 53 Lady Chaplin 54 John — (the Lone Ranger) 56 From, in Bonn 58 PBS funder 59 Thunder Bay prov.

60 One before zee

The cast of Amazing Race’s 28th installment

T uESDAY : F EbRuA RY 16, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

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STuDEnTS’ chOIcE aS BEST STaTIOn

A

BS-CBN Corporation picked up from where it left off last year, winning two Best TV Station awards and hauling in a total of 29 awards at the 2nd Aral Parangal Awards of the Young Educators’ Council of SOCKSARGEN (YECS) and the Platinum Stallion Awards of Trinity University of Asia early in 2016.

ABS-CBN News also solidified its reputation as the most trusted news source of Filipinos, after its two flagship newscasts TV Patrol and Bandila scooped up Best National News Program and Best News Program from Aral Parangal and Platinum Stallion awards, respectively.

The country’s largest news organization also received Best TV Magazine Show (Rated K), Best Educational TV Program (Matanglawin), Best TV Documentary (FailonNgayon), and Best National TV News Anchor (Ted Failon) from Aral Parangal, which held its awarding ceremony on Jan. 23.

ABS-CBN’s brave and truth-seeking journalists also triumphed at the Platinum Stallion Awards on Feb. 3, after being conferred with Best Morning Show (Umagang Kay Ganda), Best Female AM Broadcast Journalist (Karen Davila), Best AM Radio Program (FailonNgayon), Best Male News Anchor (Julius Babao), and Most Trusted Male Field Reporter (Atom Araullo).

The network’s top-rating entertainment programs and artists also got much love from the youth of South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos. It’s Showtime was awarded Best TV Variety Show and Best Noon Show, Gandang Gabi Vice was Best Talk Show, Maalaala Mo Kaya was Best Drama Anthology, Kapamilya Deal or No Deal was Best TV Game Show, DanceKidz was Best Talent Search, while Vice Gandawas Best TV Personality.

Students of Trinity University of Asia, meanwhile, gave the following honors: Best Talent Show (The Voice), Best Female TV Personality (Meg Imperial for her portrayal in one Maalaala Mo Kaya episode), Best Male Talk Show Host (Vice Ganda), and Best Female Talk Show Host (Kris Aquino), Best Film Actress (Dawn Zulueta in The Love Affair), and Best Child Actor (James “Bimby” Yap in the Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin). The Kapamilya network also won an award in Print category for Best Student-Oriented Magazine (Chalk, ABS-CBN Publications).

Two Kapamilya stars also took home two Trinitian Citations. Trinity alumni Bryan Termulo and Ahron Villena received Outstanding Trinitian Media Practitioner awards for Music and for Film, respectively.

Julius babao (second from left) accepts best News Program for bandila

Tina Marasigan (second from left) of umagang Kay Ganda receives the trophy for best Morning Show

Emma Vilbar (center), producer of FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, receives the award for best Primtime Show

PetillA wAnts to CreAte sPACe for filmmAkers to grow

Former Energy SecretaryJericho Petilla and family

Jericho Petilla and wife Anne

D

The children of the Former Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla

Former Energy Secretary and Liberal Party (LP) senatorial candidate Jericho Petilla recently shared his plans and platforms before members of the entertainment press.

If elected into office, Petilla said he’d push for programs that would center on his three major advocacies - education, health and energy. He noted that in a recent Pulse Asia Survey, Health and Education were among the top concerns of the ordinary Filipino. As former Department of Energy (DOE) secretary, he added that his knowledge on the energy industry would also be put to good use as he’d push for reforms that will protect the consumers.

Petilla admitted that the energy industry is a complex sector and it is very difficult to explain to ordinary people.

And while he has initiated positive reforms in the energy industry during his two-year stint in office, he feels that these reforms should be made into law in order to make them more permanent. If given a chance, he is confident that he will be able to push for legislation that will make these reforms more permanent and benefit more people.

During the pressconference, Petilla also gamely answered questions about his family and personal life. He admitted that he likes to sing and watch movies with his family during his free time. He also admitted that he is a big fan of Anne Curtis not only because she is the namesake of his wife, but also because she is a versatile person. He likewise admitted that he admires Jericho Rosales not only because he is his namesake, but also because he is an excellent actor.

When asked what he can contribute to the entertainment industry, Petilla answered that he will push for the government to create more space for the local industry to blossom - a space where the industry can showcase its many talents and inspire more moviegoers to patronize its products. Petilla also added that he is in favor of giving support or subsidy for our local films to be able to compete in the international scene.

hEaRT TakES caRE Of STRay caTS anD DOgS

espite having been wounded by a stray cat that she took home to take care of and after having spent some P50 thousand on anti-rabies and anti- tetanus drugs, Heart Evangelista- Escudero is

not discouraged from taking more stray cats and dogs.

One time when the Senator Chiz Escudero and his wife were jogging around the UP Campus, Heart saw a stray cat and she couldn’t take her mind off it.

“I found her!!! Took me days to find this

cutie. I fed her a few days ago and she was so friendly. I will run everyday to feed you little miss mingning,” Heart posted on her Instagramaccount a video of the cat.

Recently, Heart said that she’s taking home the cat she now calls “Ginger.” Heart’s compassion for stray animals is contagious,

says Chiz. She just posted a photo of her and Chiz playing with one of her adopted stray dogs.

The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), learning Heart’s compassion for animals, chose her to be the organizations spokesman.

T UES DAY : F EBRUA RY 16, 2016

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ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

Stars and talents of GMA Artist Center with television newscaster and host Mel Tiangco (fifth from left)

GMA ARTIST CENTER STARS IN ‘ONE HEART’

Rita Daniela

ISAH V. RED Since February is considered to be the Kapuso month, some of the Network’s brightest and promising singers got together for an all-star charity album One Heart, under GMA Records, which became available on Valentine’s Day. One Heart features some of the best performers from GMA Artist Center including Glaiza de Castro, Yasmien Kurdi, Derrick Monasterio, Kristoffer Martin, Kylie Pa-

Lindsay de Vera

Ralf King

Maricris Garcia

dilla, Ruru Madrid, Julian Trono, Betong Sumaya, Gabbi Garcia, Maricris Garcia, Rita Daniela, James Wright, Nar Cabico, Ralf King, Lindsay De Vera, and Denise Barbacena.

It was launched on Friday, two days before Valentine’s Day. The carrier single is “Sa Puso Mo,” an inspirational ballad written and arranged by Korean composer Kim Hyun Jik with all the album participants singing it.

Other tracks in the album include “Tonight,” “Sumigaw, Igalaw,” “Kapit Lang,” “Free,” “Para Lang Sayo,” “Wait A Minute,” “Panahon,” “You Are Never Alone,” “Love You The Way I Do,” and “Broken.”

Pre-selling of the album start-

Kai Atienza

Nar Cabico

ed on Feb. 7 and part of the proceeds will go to the GMA Kapuso Foundation.

Mel Tiangco, anchor of 24 Oras and executive vice president of the foundation, was present during the launch to thank the artists and GMA Records for making the foundation the beneficiary of the album.

Also present at the launch were artists Betong Sumaya, Nar Cabico, Hannah Precillas, Julian Trono, Kai Atienza, Linday de Vera, Maricris Garcia, James Wright, Ralf King, Rita Daniela, and Yasmien Kurdi.

Betong and Nar hosted the short program with the members of the press in the audience.

James Wright

Julian Trono

Hannah Precillas

Yasmien Kurdi

****

‘WOWOWIN’ WINS IN TV RATINGS

Television host Willie Revillame

The much-awaited Monday to Friday airing of Willie Revillame’s Wowowin outscored the programs of the rival network in TV ratings since it premiered on the first day of February.

According to data gathered by the more widely recognized TV ratings supplier Nielsen TV Audience Measurement in Mega Manila from Feb. 1 to 5, Wowowin marked an average household TV rating of 15.5 percent and ruled over its counterpart programs Kapamilya Deal or No Deal and Pasion de Amor that only garnered an average of 6.5 percent and 4.6 percent, respectively.

Wowowin was also consistently ahead of competition in Urban Luzon as the Kapuso program scored a rating 15.7 percent, ahead of its rival programs Kapamilya Deal or No Deal and Pasion de Amor, which only garnered 5.9 and 3.3 percent, respectively.

With the overwhelming support of viewers, the Kapuso Network decided to extend the airing of the program for another 30 minutes. Beginning yesterday, Wowowin airs from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. before 24 Oras.

Most of the urban TV households in the country are found in Mega Manila and Urban Luzon. Urban Luzon accounts for 77 percent, while Mega Manila increased its urban population share to 60 percent effective January.